“Too late now, you fool.” Hell, but the woman was too emotional. Women were only good for one thing, and she was proving no different. “Now you’ve thrown everything off.”
“Nay, I set it up perfectly. You don’t understand strategy, Kelvan.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“Their entire clan will be so busy trying to save him that they’ll be ripe for an attack. Now’s the perfect time to come in from the back, climb over the wall, and get the bairns. They won’t be paying them any mind. I set this up for you, my love, so you can get your daughter. We can get the bairns first, then negotiate for Kyla and her son.”
Kelvan fell into the closest chair. “You’re right. They’ll have healers flying around and never notice anyone in the cellars.”
She was smarter than he thought. This was his chance to retrieve his daughter. Sweet Shealee was the best thing that everhappened to him. The wee lass looked at him as if he were the best person in the world, which, of course, he was. Smarter than anyone else. Shealee would probably follow him wherever he went, kiss his cheek whenever he asked her to, and she always smiled at him, even as an infant. Then when she was a bit older, he’d sell her like the others. What good were lasses, anyway?
Word had reached him that his daughter and Merryn had left MacLean land. If he had to guess, he would wager they were at Duart Castle, whose occupants took in everyone who needed protection. He had to go and see if his daughter was there. Then he’d steal her away and keep her until she became like all the other needy females of the world, so annoying that he’d sell her to someone in Europe.
Glenna had passed out, his men busy getting the healer, but Kelvan didn’t have the forces he needed to follow Logan and his men. He couldn’t gather a large enough number for what he needed for another two or three days, but by that time, Logan would be suffering from the fever and probably near death. That would still mean the entire group would be unsuspecting, so upset that they would not be as aware as they should be.
He went over and kissed Glenna’s cheek. “Many thanks to you, my love. You are right. Instead of waiting a fortnight, we’ll attack in three days.”
Then he grabbed a drink, sat down, and set his feet up on a nearby stool. “I’m coming for you, Shealee. Soon you’ll be where you belong.”
Chapter Twelve
Broc
Alaric pulled the boat up near Rankin land and asked, “So now that you have seen him, is K the same as Kelvan?”
“Aye, he is the same. Bastard was surprised when Logan called him Kelvan. I thought he was about to pass out from shock.”
Sloan hurried toward them down the hill. “What the hell happened? Is he dead?”
“Nay, he’s alive, but we have to get him to Eli quickly. Can you have the lads ready our horses?”
“Who did it?”
“Glenna of Buchan.”
Sloan whistled and headed back up the hill. “I’ll see the horses are ready for you. Tell me what happened later.”
Broc couldn’t stop the roiling deep in his belly. He’d failed the man who was as close to everyone as any Grant in the family. He should have made sure to walk behind him to protect him from such an attack.
He would probably become a pariah to the Granthams. The Ramsays would surely hate him for bringing Logan back in such a condition …ifthey made it back.
Hellfire, what the hell would happen to Broc if Logan died on the way? Broc had to keep Logan alive. He adored him, always admiring his brusque ways, his ability to track in the woods, to know what was going on everywhere. How did he know everything?
Lennox had told everyone Logan knew more about his sister than he did, knowing that she was on MacQuarie land when he thought Eva was sitting quietly in the castle with their mother.
“Logan, wake up,” he said as he lifted him out of the boat.
Logan opened his eyes and whispered, “Gwynie. Get me to Gwynie.”
“Nay, don’t talk like that,” Alaric yelled. “We’re not taking you to Gwyneth until you wake up, Ramsay. You aren’t going anywhere yet.”
“We need you to stay on the horse, Logan. Eli first, then Gwyneth.”
“Can’t …”
Alaric saw something behind a tree and moved over to grab it. “Put him in this cart. We’ll get him up the hill.”
They managed to get him to the stable without much trouble, the horses there as Sloan had promised.
