My Highlander: A Cree & Dawn Novel, page 30
Cree stepped in front of his wife to stop her from gesturing, knowing her intention. She would assure James that that would not happen.
“You will have my answer by nightfall,” Cree said.
Macardle bobbed his head and left the room with Tarass.
“I will get Tannin,” Sloan said, following the two men out.
Cree turned to his wife to find her arms crossed over her chest and a threatening gleam in her dark eyes.
“This is my decision, wife,” he said.
She tapped her chest.
“It did not only happen to you. It happened to me, the twins, your friends, the clan. Angus deserves to be punished.”
He. Already. Suffers. She mouthed slowly.
“And no doubt will suffer even more… but not by my hand,” Cree said.
Dawn let out a silent sigh of relief.
His arm went around her waist. “I might want to hang him, kick the barrel out from under him myself, and watch as the noose does its job and chokes him to death, for the hell he put us through, but that does not mean I would. And that, dear wife, is your fault. You turned me soft… you gave me a heart.”
Dawn pressed her hand to his chest, then to hers.
“A heart you love,” Cree said, easily understanding her and gave her waist a tug so that she fell to rest against him.
She nodded and spread her hands wide.
“A heart you love very much.”
She nodded vigorously.
He said aloud what had lingered in his mind. “I am more blessed than I deserve.”
Dawn’s nod turned to a shake and her brow creased deeply. She pointed back and forth between them rapidly.
“We deserve each other?”
She smiled and nodded vigorously again.
Cree grinned and brought his face close to hers. “That is because we are the only fools who would dare love the likes of either of us.”
She laughed and nodded, then threw her arms around him and kissed him.
“Now take yourself off while I speak with Tannin,” he said after the kiss ended. “Or I will neglect my duties and rush you back to bed.”
Later, she mouthed.
“You can count on that wife,” he said just as a knock sounded at the door.
Dawn went to open it, but first motioned cradling a child.
“You go to the twins,” he said. “Make sure Beast stays with you after that.”
She nodded and greeted Tannin with a smile when she opened the door, then out she went.
Dawn hurried upstairs to see her son and daughter only to learn that Nell and Bartha had taken them outside, Beast having gone with them.
The weather was fair today, the sun peeking out past the clouds now and again. They would go to their favorite spot under the large oak tree. She saw Bartha sitting in the grass engrossed in a serious battle with Valan and his wooden figures. She looked around for Lizbeth, but did not see her.
Dawn approached Bartha and Valan.
“Busy, Mummy,” Valan said, not wanting to be disturbed during battle.
Dawn let him be and gestured to Bartha, pointing to Valan, then holding up two fingers tight together and folding one down.
“You want to know where Lizbeth is,” Bartha said. “She was restless, so Nell took her for a walk.”
Dawn nodded, pointed to herself, and walked her fingers to let Bartha knew she would go and leave them to their battle. Bartha barely paid her heed, intense on protecting her troop.
As she left the pair, she thought to talk to Cree about keeping Bartha and moving Ina to some other duty. Valan truly enjoyed her and she would not want to take that from him.
Rounding a cottage, she spotted Nell and grew alarmed when she did not see Lizbeth with her. She quickly asked where her daughter was.
Nell was quick to explain. “She is with Ina, my lady. Lizbeth was excited to see her and Ina had missed her so much that she joined our walk, but I was soon ignored and Ina shooed me away and told me she would bring her back shortly. Beast, of course, would not leave Lizbeth’s side.”
Dawn was relieved to know Beast was with Lizbeth and smiled and nodded at Nell.
“Dawn!”
She turned to see Lila heading her way and Nell hurried off.
Dawn was shaking her head and her finger at Lila as she approached.
“Stop that. I am feeling fine and I will return home and rest some more after I tell you what I recalled just moments ago.” She shook her head. “How I forgot it I just do not know. Before I was hit on the head I got a strong whiff of flowers, like someone had just pick a bunch of them and was holding them in their hand.”
Dawn scrunched her brow. Something was familiar about that and then in an instant her eyes went wide and she gestured fast, relieved Lila would understand her.
“It is Ina who hit me? She is with Lizbeth?”
Dawn nodded and gestured some more, though it was not necessary, Lila thought as she did.
“Go get Lizbeth. I will get Cree.”
The two women ran in opposite directions.
Chapter 32
Dawn ran to Nell, her gestures frantic.
“Forgive me, my lady, I do not know what you are saying,” Nell said.
Valan jumped to his feet. “Lizbeth.”
“She is with Ina as I said,” Nell was quick to say.
Dawn swung her hand out toward the village.
“Where are they?” Nell asked and answered. “Ina mentioned about taking her to her cottage for a treat after they walked a bit.”
Dawn pointed to her son, then toward the keep.
Bartha immediately scooped Valan up and started running toward the keep.
Nell ran with Dawn to Ina’s cottage. It was empty but draped over the lone chair was a cloak and Dawn saw that the hem of the cloak was worn ragged. She shook her head as she recalled the blood on Ina’s finger that day as she clutched the bouquet of flowers she had picked… Lila’s blood. How had she not realized it when it was right there in front of her?
Her heart pounded so badly with fear she thought it would burst. Why did Ina do what she did and why would she take Lizbeth?
“I should get Henry. He can try to find their tracks,” Nell said.
Dawn nodded eagerly. She waved her off and followed Nell out the door, though she would not wait for him. She had to do something. She ran to the one place she thought her daughter might be… the edge of the woods where she liked to pick flowers, and where Ina had often taken Lizbeth.
Her fear escalated when she found no one there. Ina had killed Lara and Ann and had harmed Elsa and Lila, what would she do to Lizbeth?
A bark echoed in the woods—Beast—and hope surged through Dawn. She did not wait, she ran. A second bark followed and she blessed Beast for staying with Lizbeth. He would protect her. The third bark sounded more like a growl and Dawn hoisted her tunic and ran with all the speed she could muster.
Her heart slammed against her chest when she heard Beast’s sharp cry of pain, then silence.
No! No! No! Dawn screamed in her head.
It was not long before she came upon Beast’s body lying on his side, blood soaking his fur on the side of his face. He was not moving and his eyes were closed. She placed her hand on his side and felt his heart beat.
She kissed the top of his snout and gently tapped the top of his head, then pressed her cheek to his face, hoping he understood she would return for him and get him help. Then she scrambled to her feet and ran like the devil was chasing her.
“Beeeeeeeast, help!”
Fear tore at Dawn’s heart, hearing the terror in her daughter’s frightened voice as she pleaded for Beast, and she pumped her feet faster. She ducked under branches, sprinted over fallen trees, avoided large rocks with quick maneuvers all the while praying for her daughter to stay safe. Her heart pounded viciously in her chest and her limbs felt as if they were on fire, but she refused to slow down.
“Daaa! Daaaa!”
That her daughter cried out for Cree had tears threatening Dawn’s eyes. She had to get to her daughter. She had to save her.
She rounded a group of trees and her heart leapt when she spotted Ina and Lizbeth not far from her. Her daughter was struggling to break free of Ina’s hand clamped around her small, skinny arm. Dawn’s anger soared when she watched helpless as Ina brought her hand down across Lizbeth’s small face and her daughter cried out in pain.
Dawn wished her furious scream that echoed in her head could echo through the woods. A small smile did come to her face when her daughter spotted her and screamed out loud, and it echoed through the woods.
“Mummyyyyy!”
Ina turned and seeing Dawn, scooped Lizbeth up and took off running.
Lila burst into the Great Hall and pushed her way through the warriors congregated there. When she did not see Cree, she knew there was only one other place he could be and she hurried to his solar.
Two guards stood in front of the door, barring entrance.
“Take yourself off, Lord Cree cannot be disturbed,” the one guard ordered sharply.
There was no time to argue or explain to these warriors. Lila yelled out as loud as she could. “Lord Cree, Lizbeth is in danger!”
The door swung open before the guard could turn around.
“Tell me,” Cree demanded.
“You must hurry,” Lila said. “Ina has taken Lizbeth and means her harm. Dawn searches for them now.”
Cree roared with fury and when he entered the Great Hall all his men were standing, hands on the hilt of their swords ready to battle for him.
Bartha entered the Great Hall then, clutching Valan protectively in her arms.
“Lady Dawn has gone with Nell to Ina’s cottage to look for Lizbeth,” Bartha said.
“Comb the village and find my daughter and Ina,” Cree called out and hurried out of the keep.
Cree grew numb, knowing if he let fear and anger rule this could end badly just like the day he was made to believe Dawn had fallen in the stream and drowned. If he had turned numb, he would have seen the truth, but he had let his heart and fear rule him.
Not this time.
One of his warriors shouted out. “Henry has picked up tracks in the woods.”
Cree ran, thinking Beast was with Dawn. He would protect her and their daughter and alert him. He kept his ears sharp for Beast’s bark as he rushed into the woods.
It was not long before Henry notified him of Beast.
“He is dead?” Cree asked.
“Not yet, my lord,” Henry said.
“Leave him,” Cree ordered. “I will see to him when this is done.”
And to the one who did him harm, Cree thought and forged ahead.
Dawn caught up with Ina and Lizbeth and froze in her tracks when she spotted Ina standing near the edge of the stream, her hand gripping the back of Lizbeth’s tunic as she held her dangerously close to the rushing water. One small push and she would fall in.
“Mummy,” Lizbeth said, a quiver in her voice and tears rolling down her cheeks.
“Come any closer and in she goes,” Ina threatened when Dawn approached and gave the small bairn a slight push.
“Mummy!” Lizbeth screeched with fear
Dawn stopped, stretching her hands out pleadingly.
“Do not dare come any closer,” Ina warned.
Dawn assured her with a shake of her head that she would not take another step. She cast a quick glance to her daughter and gestured that she would get her soon. Her heart hurt when Lizbeth nodded, her tiny bottom lip quivering as she did and fear turning her eyes wide.
She needed to keep Ina placated, giving Cree enough time to reach them. Though, she worried how they would get Lizbeth from the crazed woman before she could push her in the stream. With Lizbeth so small, the rushing water would sweep her away before they could reach her and she would drown in no time. The thought frightened her so badly, it turned her limbs weak and she fought to stay strong.
“I want Slatter released,” Ina demanded. “He belongs to me like you and Lord Cree belong to each other. He never wanted Lara. She chased after him. He only wanted me. It was her fault he left. We would be together now if not for her and for you. My limbs grew weak when I saw him in the clergyman’s robe. I could not believe my eyes. He told me we would meet and talk as soon as possible. He came back for me. Me!”
Dawn nodded and tapped her lips, encouraging her to say more, gaining as much time as she could for Cree to find them.
“I knew as soon as you returned home Lara would confess her guilt and mention Slatter, and Lord Cree would think him guilty of your abduction when he had nothing to do with it. It was those two idiots who were to blame and Lara, of course, for helping them. I saw her talking to them one day in the woods. I thought she knew them but could understand why she would not want anyone to think she did. They were filthy men. I did not realize what she had been up to until you were abducted. I said nothing for the same reason I silenced Lara. I had to save the man I loved. We deserved a life together. I could not have him blamed and punished for something he did not do. I could not lose him.
“That was why Ann had to die. She told on Lara and left Slatter vulnerable. I did not want to harm Elsa but I had to make sure Ann did not ruin everything. And Lila should not have been where I met with Slatter.”
Dawn was too astonished to make a gesture. All this time Ina knew about everything and had said nothing. Then she went about silencing anyone who knew anything. She wanted to beat the woman senseless, but first she needed her daughter safe.
Her eye caught movement past Ina’s right shoulder, in a grouping of trees, and as difficult as it was for her to do, she kept focused on Ina, when she would have rather had shouted with joy at seeing Sloan.
That meant Cree was here.
“I took good care of the twins for you,” Ina said as if that somehow made up for what she had done.
“Then continue to do that and release Lizbeth, Ina, and we will talk. I promise no harm will come to you,” Cree said, stepping out from behind a large bush and going to his wife’s side.
Dawn silently thanked the Heavens her husband was finally there and blessed him for those words until…
Ina gave Lizbeth a hard shove and yanked her back before she could fall in the stream.
“Daaa! Daaa!” Lizbeth cried out, fear turning her eyes as wide as full moons.
“I am here, Lizbeth. Ina will not harm you,” Cree said, fighting the anger and fear twisting inside him. He would not lose his daughter to this mad woman.
A spark of anger nearly erupted his temper when he saw that his daughter’s one cheek was swollen. Ina had struck her. His hand fisted for a brief moment, fighting the urge to rush at the woman, a foolish move. He had to be patient for his daughter’s sake, then he would see that she paid dearly for what she did.
“Bring Slatter here to me and I will let Lizbeth go once we are safely away from here,” Ina demanded.
“Let her go, Ina,” Cree ordered, “and I will bring Slatter to you.”
“No! No! No!” Ina shouted. “You will bring Slatter to me, then I will let her go.”
Dawn watched her husband’s eyes dart from Ina to Lizbeth, then the stream. He was seeing for himself what she had already determined, Lizbeth could not be reached in time to stop Ina from pushing her in the stream. She caught a barely noticeable movement to her husband’s head and watched as Sloan and a few other warriors inched closer to Ina.
“Bring him here now!” Ina screeched.
Cree had to delay until his men could get into positon where they would be close enough to reach Ina and his daughter before she could push Lizbeth in the stream. Once his daughter hit that water, it would swallow her up and rush her away. She would be dead in no time.
“Daaaa!” Lizbeth wailed, suddenly struggling to break free.
His daughter’s terrifying plea tore at his heart and her struggle frightened him. She could slip from Ina’s grasp and stumble into the stream. “Stay still, Lizbeth.”
His sharp tone brought the little bairn’s struggles to an abrupt halt. and the sorrowful look she sent her da pierced his heart. She needed comfort from him not harsh words, but he could not risk her falling from Ina’s grasp.
“All will be well, fear not, Lizbeth, be brave,” Cree said with a strength in his voice he hoped would help his daughter.
She sighed back her tears as she patted her chest and pointed to him, telling him she loved him.
He fought all the feelings rushing through him, trying desperately to remain numb, so he could do whatever was necessary to save his daughter. But his heart, once silent and cold, could no longer turn numb. He simply could not hide or ignore his love for his daughter.
“I love you much, Lizbeth,” he called out with strength. “You are my brave one.”
“Enough!” Ina screeched. “Send one of your warriors to—” she stopped abruptly as if hit with a sudden, shocking thought and turned her head just enough to see Sloan and several warriors not far from her.
She moved quickly, turning so she could see anyone lurking behind her, and lost her balance and would have sent Lizbeth and herself into the stream if she had not steadied her footing hastily.
Dawn’s hand rushed to her mouth as if stopping herself from screaming. For a moment, frightened she would see her daughter tumble into the stream. She felt hope fade when she saw it would now be impossible for Sloan to reach Lizbeth in time to save her.
