Page 90 of Laird of Secrets
“They do. Very good. The caves go deep into the earth, and the loch is above these spaces,” MacIan agreed as they continued downward.
“Under the loch! Woo-hoo!” Jamie hooted with delight, as did Lucy, their voices echoing.
“Hush!” the reverend said sharply.
“Could we drown here?” Annabel asked nervously. Fiona took her hand.
“It is perfectly safe,” she assured the girl. “The rock is very, very thick and solid, and it has been here for a very long time.”
“This way,” MacIan said. “Dougal keeps a cave down here. Come on.”
Slowing, Fiona peered in the cavelets and niches along the natural corridor and realized that Dougal must indeed use this space. The lantern light that MacIan carried showed kegs piled inside various spaces—hundreds of kegs, in fact. They were stacked within the caves, most of the kegs and casks small enough to be carried on a man’s shoulder. Some were larger, the sort that could be rolled along.
The containers stored in the caves could be quickly moved from here to the upper cave, and out to rowboats waiting to take the cargo to a cutter—and away down the loch before they could be spotted.
“Where is Kinloch?” she asked.
“He will meet us here, if he is not here already. Kinloch!” MacIan called.
“All of this is whisky to be smuggled?” she asked. “Is that why the game is going on today, to cover this enterprise?”
“I believe so.” He shrugged. “I am only here to help you find your way to Kinloch. A favor for a friend.”
“Smugglers’ caves!” Jamie said, as he and Lucy ran ahead with Annabel.
“Quiet,” Hugh growled. “Miss MacCarran, I regret bringing the bairns with us. But it was best, since they were with you and would tell others where we went.”
Fear spiked through her gut. “Why have you brought us here?” Fiona rounded on him.
“To meet Dougal.”
“But he is not here, is he, Reverend.” Her voice trembled with the accusation. Her heart was beating hard as dread mounted. She called to the children to come back, reaching out to gather them to her. “I should never have believed you, never have brought the children along.”
“Of course you can believe me,” MacIan said. “I knew you were interested in fossils and would very much like this place. The walls are thick with ancient imprints, see.” He gestured. “I think these are tiny shells and such, is that so?”
She was not distracted. “Kinloch did not send you after us, did he.”
He sighed. “Miss MacCarran, I felt it was important for you to realize what a rogue MacGregor is. A smuggler.”
She laughed bitterly. “Rogue and a smuggler—that is no surprise to me. I know what he does. I also know he cares deeply about the glen and the people in it. I know he smuggles cargo to protect his tenants from poverty and taxation. And I also know he makes legitimate whisky. Is this legal or illicit stock?” She gestured to the caves, fingers shaking.
At the same time, she glanced furtively about, wondering how to get the children out of this place quickly. MacIan was convincing—but her gut had been telling her all along that something was wrong. She should have paid attention.
“The spirits produced in his legal still are not aged enough to compete with this lot. These kegs hold nicely aged whisky. Very good and costly stuff. He will make a fortune on the shipment.”
“Where is he?” she demanded. “Why is no one here guarding this?”
“They will be here soon. Come this way.” He turned along another natural path between uneven stone walls. Feeling truly unsettled now, Fiona gathered the children close and whispered to them to turn and run, urging them to go the way they had come. Grateful that they did not question her, she was relieved to see them whirl and pound up the slope toward the outer cave.
Spinning, she went with them. But Hugh MacIan whirled too, shouting, grabbing for her. Fiona urged the children ahead, and they ran, sliding, rushing. Fiona stumbled on the hem of her skirt, and regained her balance, looking up.
A tall man stepped out of the shadows, and reached out to snatch up Lucy first, then Annabel. As they flailed and screamed, Jamie ran ahead up the rough, narrow path between the rock walls. Fiona lunged to help the girls, but MacIan grabbed her by the waist from behind, dragging her back toward him.
He barked at Jamie to stop, and the boy obeyed. But Fiona saw him fist his small hands and glance around, gauging his chances.
She writhed and punched out, pushing against MacIan. The tall, dark man dropped Lucy and Annabel to their feet, snarling at them to stay. Fiona twisted in MacIan’s hold to look around.
“Eldin!” she gasped. “What are you doing here?”
