“There,” Dwyn said with relief as the rope dropped from her wrists. Shifting her attention to her ankles, she quickly undidthose and then turned to Father Machar and blinked in surprise.
“My,” she said, biting her tongue to keep from laughing. The priest had managed to get his hands under his behind, but thenhad toppled over. He was now rolling and flopping about on the ground like a landed fish, but in a fetal position. Shakingher head, she blew out her breath and crawled to him. “Let me help ye, Father.”
“Is that—?”
“The MacGregor,” Geordie said when Dwyn’s father hesitated. “Aye.”
“Is this good, or bad?” Baron Innes asked with concern, his wide eyes moving over the large army behind the giant, fair-hairedwarrior who waited just across the small river that marked the border between the Buchanan and MacGregor properties.
“Well, since they’re no’ attacking, I’d say good,” Geordie said dryly, and then turned to signal the men to stay, before turningback and urging his horse forward. He wasn’t surprised when Aulay kept pace with him. The fact that Dwyn’s father did as wellthough did surprise him. He knew the man was no’ a warrior, but it seemed he was willing to become one for his daughter. Itraised his opinion of the man.
“Buchanan,” the MacGregor greeted, his eyes on Aulay when their horses carried them out of the shallow river and onto dryland before the man.
“MacGregor,” Aulay responded, his face as expressionless as the other man’s.
Conn MacGregor turned his gaze to Geordie then. “I summoned me men to come help ye reclaim yer bride. Had I kenned Brodiewas up to no good, I’d have refused him sanctuary on our lands.”
Geordie relaxed in the saddle, relieved the MacGregors wouldn’t be a problem. “We appreciate it.”
“Aye, we do,” Laird Innes said quietly. “Thank ye.”
“This is me wife’s father, Baron James Innes.” Geordie introduced the two men.
“Innes,” MacGregor greeted him with a nod, and then cracked a smile and said, “Ye’ve made a fine match fer yer daughter. She’sin good hands . . . Or will be once we get her back.”
“Aye,” Dwyn’s father said. “I’m coming to see that.”
The MacGregor nodded, and then turned back to Geordie and Aulay to say, “Brodie’s camp is in a small valley no’ far from here.The sides are lined with trees. I’m thinking with the men we have between us—” his gaze skated over the large army on theBuchanan side of the river “—we can surround the valley and just ride down in on the bastard and demand yer woman back, andthen kill Brodie and his men or no’ as ye like.”
When Laird Innes started to speak, and then hesitated, Geordie turned to him in question. “What is it, m’laird?”
“I just worry that Brodie will kill Dwyn for spite if he realizes he is surrounded and has no way out. The man is . . . no’quite right in the head.”
“Dwyn said there was something wrong with him as well,” Geordie said with a frown. “What makes ye both think he’s no’ rightin the head?”
“He gets so excited when he’s angry that he actually foams at the mouth,” Innes said with a grimace, and then reluctantly,as if he feared they wouldn’t believe him, he added, “And he talks to his dead wife as if the woman is standing beside him.”
“That does no’ mean he’d kill yer daughter,” the MacGregor pointed out.
“Aye, but Laird Innes may be right. He might kill her for revenge,” Geordie muttered, frowning as he considered the matter.
“Revenge for what? The bastard kidnapped her, no’ the other way around,” MacGregor said with disgust.
“Aye, well, me wife’s dogs attacked him when he tried to force himself on her,” Geordie explained. “One o’ them bit off oneo’ his ballocks and part of his cock. He’s been seeking revenge ever since. He most like will kill her if he kens he’s caught before we can get Dwyn away from him.”
The MacGregor grunted at that, and then glanced over the armies on both sides of the river as he considered the matter fora moment. Turning back to Geordie, he said, “Then we should probably sneak in and get her while the men get into positionaround the camp. Once we have her and me priest out, I’ll give the signal and our men can ride in.”
Geordie nodded at once. He was eager to go in and get Dwyn, and since MacGregor knew the area better, having his assistancewould be most helpful.
“Have yer men cross over and we’ll line them up with me men and yer men interspersed so me warriors can lead them where theyneed to go,” the MacGregor suggested. “And while they do that, we’ll look at the map me scouts made o’ the camp and decideour best approach.”
“Ye had yer scouts map the camp?” Aulay asked with interest.
“Aye, as soon as me man came to tell me what yer brother Alick had said, I sent out men to scout the area. I thought it mightcome in handy.”
“Aye, I’m sure ’twill,” Geordie said as Aulay turned to signal their men.
Chapter 18
“Oh, dear, this is most embarrassing.”
Dwyn bit her lip to hold back a laugh at that moan from Father Machar. The man was on his back, his scrawny legs in the air,and his black robe gathered around and between his thighs as Dwyn worked at untying his wrists, which were presently pressedtight to the backs of his legs where they met his arse. While the man had got his bound wrists under his bottom, he hadn’tbeen able to get them past his feet, even with her help. Worse still, he hadn’t been able to move them back behind his bottomagain either when she’d suggested that. He’d complained that the rope was burning his wrists too much to manage it. Hencethe awkward position he now found himself in. Fortunately, Brodie hadn’t bothered to bind up Father Machar’s ankles as hehad her. Apparently, he hadn’t considered him likely to flee with his
