Page 77 of A Sinful Night with a Scot
While their backs were to her as they continued, Elsie took the opportunity and flew across the cobblestones and reached the stable door.
“The laird has just left, me lady,” one of the stable hands said.
“I ken.” Elsie nodded. “I am actually a little late. Can ye quickly ready me mare?”
By the time she was mounted onto her horse, Keane and the others were making their way through the gate. Still cautious, and not wanting to get caught, Elsie pushed her horse to a canter just as the gates were closing.
“Hold the gates,” she called out.
The guard did so, and repeating the same lie to them as she had told the stable hand, they let her through. All she needed to do now was keep enough distance between herself and the men ahead of her. Keane needed to learn that, while he might be her husband, she would not tolerate him giving her orders. He was bound to discover her actions when they returned, but she cared little. Maybe it would teach him a lesson.
When her father had left, she had felt as though she had finally broken free. Her final words to him had empowered her. She had actually made a decision for herself, the decision to stay with Keane. Since then, she had come to realize that she could have done that far sooner, and now that she had felt that power of her inner self, she never wanted to let go of that feeling. Not for her father, and not even for Keane. She knew her idea was childish and even a little silly, but she didn’t care. She wanted to prove, to herself mostly, that she had the right to choose her own actions.
The group ahead of her carried on for some distance. Fortunately, the trees they passed made great cover, so she remained undiscovered. After some time, the men seemed to slow down ahead of her. In fact, they came to a complete stop. Careful to remain hidden, Elsie led her horse closer to the tree line, venturing forth, eager to know the reason.
When she did finally come to a halt, she was close enough to hear the conversation. Looking at what they had discovered, she now also knew what had their attention.
“Have there been any scouts assigned tae this area?” Keane asked, frowning down at the blackened wood of the abandoned campfire, the obvious reason the men had come to a halt.
Alisdair shook his head. “Nay. I ken where the men have been sent. This wasnae one o’ their places tae search.” He paused for a second, looking carefully at the abandoned camp. “It could be hunters.” But by his tone, it was clear that even he wasn’t convinced of his own suggestion.
“Hmm,” Keane replied, sounding equally doubtful.
He and Keane shared a look, while Owen jumped from his horse. Approaching the place where the fire had been, he pressed his hand against the charred wood.
“Well, whoever it is, they’re nae long away. This wood is still warm.”
Keane then turned in his saddle, scanning the surrounding area. Elsie crouched low, as though her action might hide both herself and her horse. A ridiculous notion. His perusing gaze was about to reach the section of trees where she hid. It was only the sound of Alisdair’s voice that saved her, for Keane turned to look at his companion.
“We should spread out and see if there is anyone about,” Alisdair suggested.
“I’m nae sure spreading out is a good idea,” Owen countered. “If there is a group o’ them, we’re stronger together.”
“I agree. In fact?—”
In that second, Elsie caught a movement in the trees. Suddenly, several men came rushing out from behind them, their dirks and swords held high.
“Keane,” Elsie screamed. “Behind ye.”
At the sound of Elsie’s voice, Keane spun to look. His eyes widened at the sight of a large group of men running towards them from the trees.
Without thinking, he unsheathed his sword and jumped from his horse. Beside him, Alisdair and Owen did the same. They were hugely outnumbered, but there was little they could do except fight. Even as he defended the oncoming strikes, his mind was on Elsie. He couldn’t see her, wherever she was hiding, but men already seemed to be heading toward a section of trees a little distance away.
“Where’s Elsie?” Keane bellowed to the others, his eyes still searching.
For a second, he heard no answer from either of his companions. Suddenly, Owen bellowed. “There!” He pointed.
Her horse was thundering toward them at great speed. If she had been hiding in the trees, she certainly wasn’t any longer. Now Keane was torn between keeping an eye on her, and battling the man who stood before him. As desperate as he was to tell her to get away from there, he knew it was a waste of time, for relentlessly she continued on.
A second later, she was throwing herself from her horse and running at full speed toward him. Her actions both confused and angered him in equal measure.
“What the bloody hell are ye?—”
But Elsie did not stop, and shoving him with all her might, she raised her dirk and launched herself forward. When Keane righted himself and spun to look, she was striking a soldier who had been coming up behind him. He couldn’t help but notice she was using the techniques he had taught her only the week before. A feeling of pride swelled up in him as she defeated him, thanks to the element of surprise, swiftly followed by his fury that she was even in the vicinity.
Alisdair and Owen still battled beside him as another two soldiers appeared out of nowhere.
“We have tae get out o’ here,” Alisdair yelled. “There are too many.”
