Page 49 of Highlander’s Captive

He held her in his gaze for a long time, and Amy felt as if an invisible lie detector scanned her, digging deep into her soul. Those piercing green eyes… A shiver ran through her as she wondered if he really had discovered the truth just by looking at her.

“Do ye give me yer word?” he said.

“Yes. I do. I can’t have that woman be left to die. I have the capacity to help her, and I just want to try.”

“I’m probably insane to be trusting a MacDougall when I have sworn to never do that again. But I will be with ye the whole time. And if ye try something—try to run away or to get a message to someone—I will lock ye up again. Once broken, my trust will never be restored. Aye?”

Amy nodded. At least in this, she wouldn’t be deceiving him. If, one day, he found out how much she was actually deceiving him—and he would—he’d never forgive her. He had said it himself. His trust would never be restored.

And somehow, she wanted to have his trust. It was like a precious, fragile gift she wanted to keep alive. She could—at least for now.

“Aye,” she said automatically. “I won’t run away, I tell you. And if I try anything, you may lock me up again.”

Craig gave a curt nod. “Good.”

He walked to the couple. “I will help ye,” he said. “I will go personally as well as my wife.”

Their faces softened, the masks of worry and anxiety gone, replaced by elated smiles. The woman took Craig’s hand. “Thank ye, lord. Thank ye.”

Amy followed him and stood by his side. “Is there a route she normally took when she went there?”

“Aye. Up the brook, towards the waterfall. But we looked there yesterday, and she wasna there.”

Craig nodded. “Ye can show it to us. We should get the horses.” He turned to Amy. “How many men do ye need to come?”

“Just you. Two will be enough—you have to know where to look. More people who have no idea what they’re doing will be useless.”

“Are ye certain? They can call her name.”

“I’ll be faster. They could destroy all her tracks without knowing where to look, and then we’ll never find her.”

“I will at least ask Owen to come—”

“Does he know how to track?”

“Only for hunting.”

“Do you know?”

“Also for hunting.”

“I’m telling you, two people will be more than enough. You and I will suffice. Or send Owen with me.”

You and I… That sounded so good. As though Craig thought the same, a tiny smile spread on his lips.

“I’d even go alone,” she said, “but I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t let that happen, would you?”

He chuckled. “Ye can dream.”

Amy shook her head and sighed. “I’ll go fetch blankets, and we need some food and water.”

“Aye.”

Soon, the horses were saddled, and things for the rescue were gathered—Amy even took her backpack with the first aid kit, hidden under the fur cloak she’d found in Lady Comyn’s chest.

Holding her breath, Amy climbed onto the horse. Finally, she’d leave the confinement of the castle, and at least do what she was good at, what she’d been called to do.

The gates opened and Craig and Amy rode through them, crossed the bridge over the moat, and continued into the village. Even though Amy was already used to the idea that she was in medieval Scotland, she still studied the thatched-roof houses, the people, the carts. There was a bigger world out there, a medieval world, that she hadn’t even seen yet. Excitement washed through her like a wave.