Page 32 of Highland Crown
His fever was a result of the gunshot in his chest. Considering everything he’d gone through since she’d operated this morning, it was a miracle he was still alive. She had to move him to a bed and clean the wound and possibly stitch him again. Then they would need to wait. Wait and hope that he was strong enough to last until the fever broke.
The persistent knocking continued. She turned to Jean. “Open the door and tell them the soldiers have escaped. They need to go after them.”
“I’ll talk to him,” Cinaed interjected, his voice weak.
Jean unlatched the door and yanked it open. The surprised innkeeper stood on the threshold, his meaty fists up in the midst of his banging. His eyes went wide when he saw the pistol in Jean’s hand. He took an immediate step back.
“Inside,” the old woman ordered.
Wringing his hands, he surveyed the room beforetaking a few cautious steps past Jean. He emitted an anguished moan when he saw Cinaed slumped in the chair. “Don’t say he’s dead?”
“It’s your lucky day. I’m still alive.”
Barely, she thought. The whites of his eyes were bloodshot. His eyelids drooped as if the exertion were too much to keep them open. The muscles in his jaw clenched as he tried to control the shivering.
“And they’re gone?”
“They’re gone.”
The man ran his fat fingers through his hair. “I done just as ye said.”
Cinaed reached into the purse at his belt and took out some coins. He held them out. “It was all well done.”
“And the lad?” the innkeeper asked as he took the money.
“Go tell him to stop ringing the bell.”
Isabella stood for a moment, unsure of what had just happened. Was it possible this had all been a bluff? No mob was standing at the door, trying to get at the officers. There was no one in the hallway at all. No one but the innkeeper.
“And when the lad brings the cart, change that horse for a fresh one and bring it to the back door. I don’t want to go out through the taproom.”
The innkeeper started to back toward the door, keeping an eye on the pistol in Jean’s hand.
“And not a word to anyone out there. Understand?”
With a nervous nod and a hurried bow, the man scurried out, closing the door behind him.
“No one is coming?” Isabella flicked a hand towardthe window. She didn’t know if she should panic or laugh. “The bell wasn’t calling anyone? You paid a boy to ring it?”
He leaned forward, his forearms on his knees. She knew his head had to be exploding with pain.
When Cinaed burst into the room, bloodied and heroic, she’d never been more impressed with a man. Now she was practically speechless at his brilliance. It was all a ruse, except for his blood and heroism. “You made Hudson believe… you made me think…”
“Didn’t I tell ye I know a fine man when I see one?” Jean’s low chuckle confirmed it. She slapped Cinaed on the back, and Isabella had to dive forward to catch him before he fell off the chair.
“We don’t have much time.” His voice was hoarse, and he struggled to get the words out. “They’ll be coming back and bringing every soldier they can spare from Fort George. We need to leave now.”
She didn’t know how far it was to the fort or how long before Hudson and his men returned. Still, she couldn’t leave here without finding out what she could about John Gordon. So much had gone wrong. He was the only link she had to the location of the girls. Feelings of desperation filled her chest, squeezing the air from her lungs. She couldn’t go. Perhapssomeoneat the inn knew who John’s friends were. He’d only been here a day, but if he sent a message, someone would have taken it to them. She had to find a clue to their whereabouts.
“I can’t just run and leave my nephew to these dogs,” Jean announced.
They knew everything else about her. Isabella decided to explain the rest of it.
“My sister, Maisie, and my stepdaughter, Morrigan, are somewhere near Inverness. John hid them with people he trusted. There’s a chance someone here knows where they are. I can’t leave until I know.”
“We can’t stay here,” he repeated.
Even as she talked, she understood the futility of staying. She’d doubted they’d have any support here once Hudson and his Hussars returned.
