Highlanders Collection. Ann Lethbridge

that were a little too friendly, and Bram stood up, joining her. He shadowed her, letting the other MacKinlochs know that Nairna was his. Possessive, aye, but they didn’t need to be staring at his wife.

      ‘What are you doing, Bram?’ she asked, after she’d spoken to the last person.

      ‘Protecting you.’

      She raised an eyebrow at him, but he took her hand anyway. ‘I hardly think that’s necessary.’

      ‘They’re going to leave us,’ he said darkly. ‘As soon as they’ve finished eating.’

      Nairna gave a faint shrug. ‘Did you see Dougal among the others?’ Though she kept her tone casual, he caught a note of worry in her voice.

      ‘No.’ Bram had been so busy with the building, he hadn’t really thought about Dougal. But his brother should have been there. ‘And why would you be so concerned about him?’

      ‘No reason.’ She shrugged, but her eyes were searching. They settled upon Laren, who also looked uneasy.

      They were hiding something, and he didn’t like secrets being kept from him. ‘Nairna, what is this about? Where is my brother?’

      Nairna sat down upon a tree stump, beckoning for her dog Caen to approach. The animal trotted forwards, settling at her feet like a faithful shadow. Bram recognised it as the distraction it was meant to be. He covered her hand with his own, upon the dog’s head.

      ‘Nairna, tell me.’ It was a demand, not a request.

      ‘He—he went to Inveriston.’ She scratched Caen’s ears, and the dog rolled onto his back, licking at her hand. ‘Several hours ago.’

      ‘Alone?’

      She nodded, clutching her hands together. ‘He said he could be there within an hour. He knew where it was and promised to be back by nightfall.’

      Bram released a stream of expletives. What in the name of God had she been thinking?

      ‘He’s four and ten, Nairna. Not a man. And he’s certainly not old enough to go anywhere alone.’ Bram stood up, his fury threatening to spill over. By God, he wasn’t about to lose another brother to the English. Not because of any foolish attempt to earn money.

      Nairna caught up and tugged at his sleeve, ‘Bram, wait. He might have been delayed. There’s no reason to think that he’s not all right.’

      ‘There are dozens of English soldiers patrolling the lands only a few miles from here,’ Bram shot back. ‘Any number of them would be glad to have a MacKinloch hostage.’ He couldn’t believe she’d done this. His brother wasn’t a damned merchant.

      When he reached Alex, he let out a terse order. ‘Come with me. We’re going to find Dougal.’

      Alex’s attention snapped to Nairna. ‘What’s happened?’

      Bram tilted his head towards Laren. ‘Ask your wife.’

      Nairna and Laren exchanged glances and Laren was the one who paled, keeping her eyes averted from Alex.

      ‘Where is Dougal?’ Alex demanded.

      Laren eyed Nairna with desperation, but finally answered, ‘He went to Inveriston to sell some things that Nairna and I gave him.’

      ‘What sort of things?’ The chief stared at the pair of women and Bram recognised the concealed anger in his expression.

      ‘Some … things we made,’ Nairna answered. She looked at Bram, her eyes wild with pleading. She didn’t want him to tell Alex anything. ‘This is my fault. I apologise for putting Dougal in danger. I didn’t think anything could happen near the parish kirk.’

      Alex’s chin snapped up. ‘Do you think he’s been taken?’

      Bram shook his head. ‘I don’t know. But we need to search for him now, before anyone else finds him.’ The two stood up, then Alex gave the order for a search party to form. The men gathered weapons and torches and Bram was just about to leave when he cast a look back at Nairna.

      Her cheeks were pale, her eyes filled with regret. ‘I’m sorry,’ she said softly. ‘I thought we could earn a ransom for Callum with the things we sold.’

      He supposed she hadn’t thought of all the consequences. But her naïvety might cost them his brother’s life. Without another word, he turned his back on her and left.

       Chapter Sixteen

      The house was unbearably dark and cold, but Nairna didn’t dare to light a fire. Her breath formed mist inside and she huddled beneath a woollen blanket left behind. Caen rested at her feet, his head lying on top of folded paws.

      It had been hours since the men had left and she’d long ago dried her tears. She’d never meant for Dougal to be lost or hurt. Aye, it was her mistake, believing that the young man could go alone to Inveriston.

      Fear tightened through every muscle in her body. If anything had happened to Dougal, Bram would hold her responsible. Her fragile marriage would crumble away until there was nothing left.

      She’d hoped that tonight she could rebuild something between them. Marguerite had loaned her a gown while Laren had dressed her hair. It had been so long since she’d looked after her own appearance, but before they’d begun, Jenny had shown her a reflection in a polished mirror.

      Nairna hadn’t known she looked like this—like a wraith, dressed in grey as though she’d never left mourning. It was no wonder that Bram questioned what she wore. No man would want a woman who neglected herself in such a way.

      Nairna drew her knees up under her gown. It had taken both Jenny and Marguerite to help her put it on, it fitted her so tightly. She couldn’t take it off without Bram’s help and she didn’t even know when he was coming back. Or if he would return.

      She had stared at the door for what seemed like hours, her eyes dry, while her heart grew more fearful. And when, at last, the door swung open, she nearly jerked with shock when Bram tossed a large sack at her feet. It was filled with coins, from the metallic jingle she’d heard. Yet her husband didn’t look at all pleased.

      ‘Is Dougal all right?’ she asked.

      ‘He’s back at Glen Arrin, where Alex is meting out his punishment.’

      ‘Punishment?’ Appalled, she couldn’t stop her mouth from dropping open. ‘But we asked him to go. It wasn’t his fault at all.’

      ‘He was foolish enough to let himself be led astray by women. Aye, it’s his fault.’

      Nairna stood up, her temper flaring. ‘Don’t you dare lay a hand upon him. He did as we asked, and from the looks of it, he did well enough.’ She kicked at the sack of coins, sending it a few feet away. ‘It might pay the price of Callum’s life.’

      ‘The coins are false,’ her husband gritted out. ‘Hardly worth the stones at our feet.’

      A rushing noise filled her ears, and Nairna forced herself to sit down. False? What did he mean?

      Bram loosened the ties of the bag and withdrew a handful of silver pennies. He poured them into her palm, and she could feel, from the light weight, that they were indeed false. At the bottom of the sack she found useless bits of iron.

      It made her sick to think of the priests trying to cheat Laren’s artistry. Her beautiful glass was now gone and Dougal’s efforts were for nothing at all. Nairna wanted to lash out at the unfairness, but what good would it do?

      ‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘I thought it would help you.’

      Her husband’s grim expression made her feel even worse. She lowered her gaze, not knowing what else to say.

      ‘We found Dougal a few miles east of the abbey,’ Bram said. ‘He was getting ready to set up camp for the night.’

      ‘He