Page 124 of Bride of Mist
“So ye’ve come to help?” he reminded her.
She nodded. “I heard what ye said in the great hall. Is it true? Did Laird Gaufrid burn the church?”
“He had the Fortanach brothers do it.”
“The Fortanachs.” Her brow creased. “So they’re not to be trusted?”
“Right.”
She worried her lip between her teeth. “Because I told them…” She cast Feiyan a sideways glance and lowered her voice to a whisper. “I told them who she was…so they could ransom ye.”
“Aye. So I heard.”
“But now that ye’re back…” She slipped her gaze to Feiyan again. “What will they do with her? Sweet Mary. They won’t kill her, will they? I don’t want to be the cause of anyone’s death.”
Dougal shook his head. “They no doubt mean to ransom her for coin.”
“Will Rivenloch pay?” she wondered.
“I don’t know.”
Merraid’s brow clouded. “I wish I’d ne’er told them.” Her glance at Feiyan was softer this time. “I’m sorry, m’lady.”
“Ye can make amends for that,” Dougal told her. “Ye can help us.”
“How?”
“Open the gate,” Feiyan replied. “Let us out.”
“Nay,” Dougal said. “They’ll see we’re gone. And they’ll know who let us go.”
Feiyan nodded. “What then?”
Dougal paced, rubbing his cheek, which still stung from Feiyan’s all too enthusiastic slap. After a moment, he decided, “I need ye to gather flowers.”
“What?” Feiyan and Merraid said in unison.
“There are flowers in the field near the castle gates, aye?”
“Aye, but—”
“I need ye to gather flowers there,” he said.
Their replies were simultaneous again.
Merraid said, “What kind o’ flowers?”
Feiyan said, “What the hell…?”
“It doesn’t matter what kind. I need ye to keep an eye on the road.”
“All right,” Merraid said.
“For what?” Feiyan asked.
“Two young men who followed me from the Ayr Arms.”
He hoped he was right about that. Hoped he could count on the stubborn, rebellious nature of the Rivenloch lads.
