Page 15 of Bound to Her Highland Lord
“We are only here to switch horses and replenish our supplies. Perhaps a bath and a night in a bed, and then we are going back,” James told Lachlan, a determined set to his jaw.
“If we can nae find a way to sneak in to get Sorcha and Laura out,” Taryn explained, “then we are going to come up with a plan so that we can storm the gates. I refuse to leave them inside that vile man’s home any longer than I have to.”
“I’m coming with ye,” Arran announced.
“Me too.”
Christopher’s agreement was making an already difficult situation that much harder. Things were spinning out of controlfaster than Lachlan or Aila could stop them. And as much as she hated the thought of Taryn and James or either of the boys getting within sight of the Baron’s estate ever again, Aila had to convince herself not to leave this very moment to go storm his gates.
“I ken that we all want to get Sorcha and Laura home as soon as possible,” Aila said as calmly as she could muster. “But we must be smart about how we do things. We can nae rush into the Baron’s estate and expect anything other than to be labeled as raiders and promptly treated as such. Do ye have any idea what he might do to ye, Taryn, if he were to ever get his hands on ye?”
In all their years together, Aila had never seen her friend’s stunning blue eyes and beautiful soft features form such a brutal, menacing look. It almost matched the fury burning in James’ green eyes.
“It is nae something I am willing to risk,” Lachlan told them softly, a haunted expression in his eyes, reminding them all that he was the only one who had seen first-hand the destruction that the Baron’s ire could bring.
“So we are just supposed to wait until the Baron has assembled his army and let him march on us?” Taryn railed. “Or are ye suggesting that we leave Sorcha and Laura to their fates—give up completely on helping them?”
“I am suggesting nothing of the kind,” Aila said fiercely, letting her own fear-fueled anger rise to the surface. “I am saying that we need every warrior we can find to stand against the Baron if we are going to have victory over him. I am saying that any reckless move from any of us, like getting yerself caught and imprisoned, could mean defeat for all of us. This is bigger than Sorcha and Laura. We are talking about the safety for all of us and our allies. We must tread carefully.”
Enunciating every word to drive her point home, Aila stared down her friends, hating that she had to be the voice of reason inthis situation; hating that she was damning Sorcha to more time within the Baron’s walls and under his control.
“Do ye understand?” she pressed, refusing to let the matter drop until she knew they were all on the same page.
Lachlan standing at her back, arms folded over his wide chest, gave her the confidence she needed to act with such authority. They were the two people most responsible for the entire mess. As Laird and Lady, they had to consider every life, not just the ones they loved the most. Their word was final, regardless of how much anyone liked it, Aila included.
“Aye,” Taryn relented, her shoulders sagging under the weight of her heartache.
James’ acceptance was much more reluctant, but a subtle shift in Lachlan’s stance had James agreeing as well.
“We have to get back to our training if we are going to be ready by the time the battle with the Baron comes,” Arran told Taryn, his face a mix of determination and apology. “Come on, Christopher.”
“We will get them back though, right?” Christopher asked Aila, hesitating to chase after Arran through the training field.
“Of course we will,” she promised.
With a seriousness that exceeded his years, Christopher nodded before taking off running after Arran. He caught up easily enough, and then they were back in their stance, watching the field.
“I have a bottle of whiskey with yer name on it,” Lachlan told James, breaking his stance to throw a brotherly arm around James’ shoulders. “Let’s go find it, and then ye can tell me about everything ye encountered on yer mission. I want to hear every detail. And then we will start planning our invasion strategy.”
“Aye. I have an idea or two that I think ye will like,” James answered.
The two men stalked off towards the castle, heads bent together already in deep discussion, leaving only Aila and Taryn staring at each other. Sorcha’s absence had left a gaping hole in both of their chests that neither of them could ignore. One that Aila so desperately wished she could fix or find some way to offer a reprieve.
“We will get them back,” Aila repeated. “I will do whatever it takes to see them back home, safely.”
Tears welled in Taryn’s eyes, but before Aila could offer any more comfort, another voice interrupted them.
“Taryn! Ye are back!” Elsie shouted, racing towards them.
Kneeling, Taryn swooped the girl in her arms and held her tight.
“We tried to get her to wait until ye had the chance to come inside and bathe, but she would nae have it,” Isobel, James’ mother, explained apologetically. “Especially after she saw that Christopher and Arran were already out here with ye.”
“The wee one took off running before we could stop her,” James’ father, Graham, said with a rueful smile. “Laura was often the same way. It does us good to see another lass with such a fire in her. Reminds us that Laura will nae be easily broken.”
Taryn’s eyes found those of her in-laws over the top of Elsie’s curls, and she nodded. Unaffected by the adult’s conversation, Elsie picked her head up and looked at Taryn.
“How come my brothers get to train and I dinnae?”
