Alex nodded his agreement. In the chaos, Ian hadn’t noticed that his father had come into the room until now.
“Ian’s right,” Payton said, laying a hand on his wife’s shoulder. “If those men hear Connor survived and is here, they’ll come for him.”
A rush of cold air sent the flames of the hearth dancing as Niall came through the door. “I’ve got the cart just outside.”
Ian rubbed his forehead. His parents and Niall should be safe enough at home, so long as they weren’t hiding Connor here. But he didn’t like leaving Sileas here with Murdoc in the area.
But what was he to do with her? With Hugh and the MacKinnons set on murdering Connor, taking her with them could put her in greater danger than leaving her. Besides, there was barely room for the injured men in the tiny fishing boat.
There was only one choice. “Niall, I need ye to take Sileas up to Gordan’s.”
Ian looked down at Sileas, where she knelt on the floor holding Connor’s hand like some angel. God in Heaven, he loved this woman. He went down on one knee and touched her cheek.
“It’s not safe for ye here at the house, with MacKinnons about,” he said. “They’ll not think to look for ye at Gordan’s, and I know he’d protect ye with his life.”
She bit her lip and nodded.
“After ye take her,” he said to Niall, “find the priest and ask him to come to Tearlag’s cottage after nightfall— tell him he must not be seen.”
That would comfort his mother, and it couldn’t hurt to have the priest praying over the men either way.
“I’ll help ye get them down to the boat before Sil and I go,” Niall said.
“I can help with the others,” Alex said.
Ian saw the sheen of sweat on Alex’s forehead as he struggled to his feet. Alex was hurt worse than he wanted them to know.
As they rolled the cart down to the beach, the cold wind snapped the ends of the blankets that were wrapped around the injured men. Sileas followed the cart down to the water. While he and Niall carried first Duncan and then Connor from the cart to the boat, she found a stick for Alex to lean on and helped him into the boat.
Ian looked at the three injured men, Alex slumped over and the two others lying across the small boat at the edge of the shore. God only knew how he would get them up the steep steps from the beach to Tearlag’s cottage, but he would.
He squeezed his brother’s shoulder and turned to say good-bye to Sileas.
“Ye are the best of men, Ian MacDonald,” she said, her voice firm and her eyes dry and clear. “If anyone can save them, ye will do it.”
She had always had such faith in him—and he needed it now.
“I’ll return as soon as I can.” He took her face in his hands and kissed her hard on the mouth. “Be safe,
CHAPTER 32
“Take this dirk,” Niall said, handing it to her as they left the beach. “Put it up your sleeve, just in case.”
They took the fork in the path toward Gordan’s house and walked at a brisk pace without speaking again, their thoughts on the loved ones they had just left. Relying on Gordan to protect her must have been bitter medicine for Ian to swallow, but he hadn’t hesitated to put her safety before his pride.
Sileas looked over her shoulder and caught a glimpse through the trees of Ian on the beach pushing the boat out into the water. A shiver went through her.
It was only a half mile to Gordan’s, but the path rose and turned so that one could not see from one house to the other. As they rounded a bend, a dozen men on horses appeared in the distance, coming in their direction.
Sileas sucked in her breath. Was that her stepfather and Angus at the front of the riders? Even from this distance, they would know her by her hair. She could feel their eyes on her. What she had feared for years was coming true.
They were coming for her.
“Run,” she said to Niall. “They are going to take me, and there is nothing ye can do to prevent it.”
“We can make it back to the house,” Niall said, tugging at her arm.
“No! If they come to the house, they’ll see the others leaving in the boat,” she shouted. “They’ll kill them all.”
The MacKinnons had tried to murder Connor once. When they saw that they had failed, they would kill every man in the boat. Ian was the best of fighters, but there were too many of them. He would die trying to save the others. Likely, Payton and Beitris would run out to help and be killed as well. She couldn’t let that happen.
“Please, Niall,” she said. “I’m begging ye to go. It’s me they want.”
“Not without ye.” She heard the familiar whisper of a steel blade as Niall drew his claymore from his back.
“Ye must go so ye can tell Ian they’ve taken me,” she said, holding his arm.
The hooves of the approaching horses vibrated through her feet and echoed in her head.
“It’s too late. Get behind me,” Niall said, shoving her back.
