Page 37 of Intrigued By A Highlander

“I’m chieftain here, Robert,” Liam said, his eyes wide with an angry glare.

“You would never know it and if I knew what an arse you were, I would have never let you wed my daughter.”

“Be truthful, Robert, you had no choice. Agatha loves me and I love her,” Liam said.

“Then show it and go find your son,” Robert said and stormed out of the keep.

“I wouldn’t wait, Liam,” Knox said. “Phelan and his crew are in the area as well as other mercenaries and you know how they like to scoop up young blood to join them.”

Lady Agatha gasped. “Good Lord, Laim. Don’t let them get Ethan.”

“Any idea where Ethan might go?” Knox asked.

“Ethan’s two brothers are searching in areas that might be familiar to him,” Liam said.

“There is an area where Ethan and I have walked,” Lady Agatha said.

“You treat him too much like a child,” Liam argued.

Lady Agatha retaliated with a sharp tongue. “And you barely bother to spend any time with him.”

Knox brought a quick stop to their bickering. “Arguing isn’t helping Ethan. Tell me where you have gone with your son, Lady Agatha, and Liam, and I will go search there.”

Once she explained, Knox turned to Dru. “Stay here. Do not go anywhere.” His hand went up when she went to argue. “Not a word. Stay here where you are safe.”

“Knox is right,” Lady Agatha said. “Let the men handle it. We’ll have a nice hot brew while we wait for news.”

“I wish my daughter was more like you,” Robert said, looking from Agatha who was scurrying out the room to see that a hot brew was brought to them to Dru whose eyes were on the door eager to leave. “But she was raised to be a good wife while you were raised to survive.”

“Aye, I was, and I’m grateful to my mum for it,” Dru said.

“So, where do you think my grandson went?” Robert asked. “And don’t tell me you don’t know. I heard the way you talked with him yesterday. You were not only giving him advice, but you were also learning about him. What is it you know about Ethan that the others don’t.”

“He doesn’t think. He reacts.”

“How does that help?”

Dru explained. “Ethan would take off without thinking and wind up getting lost.”

Robert nodded. “That would be Ethan. You’re going to look for him, aren’t you?”

Dru smiled. “My husband has yet to learn that I don’t take well to orders.”

“Oh, I think he does,” Robert said with a grin. “It’s just that he doesn’t know what to do about it. Do be careful, Dru. Men will take only so much.”

“Aye, but so will women. Don’t tell your daughter that I’ve gone to find Ethan.”

“I won’t.” He pulled a sheath that held a dagger from his boot and handed it to her. “You may need this.”

Dru took the dagger and slipped it into her boot, feeling the reassuring weight of it against her ankle.

Robert rested a hand on her shoulder, his grip firm but gentle. “Be careful, Dru, and please, bring my grandson home safe.”

She met his gaze, her resolve unwavering. “I will.”

CHAPTER 11

Dru moved quickly through the village, keeping her steps light and her ears sharp. The morning mist curled around the ground, lingering in pockets while clouds hovered overhead. Men gathered in groups to join the search while the women were busy with morning chores, gathering water, tending to animals, and exchanging quiet words about the runaway chieftain’s son.

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