“You have a very determined little brother,” Wren told Maggie as they watched not only Reed but also Ross practice the sword fight with Duff and Hawke.
“Your son looks like he’ll be a great warrior like his father someday,” Maggie commented.
“Storm has been teaching Hawke how to use a sword for years now. But I’m the one who taught him how to shoot with a bow and arrows.”
“You?” Maggie was impressed by how the women of the clan were able to do just about anything. Wren seemed to be the most interesting one of the bunch. “So you’re good with a bow and arrows?” she asked.
“If you don’t believe me, just ask Storm.” Wren smiled.
“Ask me what?” Storm took his wife into his arms and kissed her. Maggie longed for that connection between two lovers. She thought she had it with Reed, but now she wasn’t so sure.
“I was just telling Maggie about my skill with a bow and arrows.”
“Aye, she’s verra good,” said Storm with a nod of his head. “After all, I’ve never seen a blind woman shoot so accurately without takin’ off my – important parts.”
“If I’d been aiming for that, I would have hit it,” Wren answered with a giggle. “But had I done that, we wouldn’t have all these wonderful children.”
“You shot at him – blind?” asked Maggie, not understanding.
“I’ll have to tell you my story someday when we have more time,” Wren answered.
“Och, is no one goin’ to greet me? Or do I have to send in Reid to make trouble first?”
Maggie turned around to see a burly blond Scot atop a horse riding into camp. He reminded her a lot of Storm and was wearing the MacKeefe purple and green plaid. The oddest thing was, he had what looked like a squirrel balanced on his shoulder.
“Does he have a – squirrel on his shoulder?” asked Maggie, not sure why anything having to do with the MacKeefes even surprised her anymore. They were a unique clan.
“Maggie!” Reed excused himself from practicing with the others and ran to Maggie’s side.
“Good morning, Reed,” she said, flashing him a smile, but not kissing him in front of the others.
“Reid, go scratch around for a minute before we leave,” said the man atop the horse, dismounting and putting his squirrel on the ground.
“Scratch around?” She looked up to Reed wondering why he wasn’t upset the way this man spoke to him.
To her surprise, Reed burst out laughing. “Maggie, this is Aidan – one of the Madmen MacKeefe. He’s no’ talkin’ to me. He’s talkin’ to his squirrel, Reid.”
“Oh,” she said, thinking this all a little too odd. “Nice to meet you.” She nodded toward Aidan. “But can I ask why he’s calling you a madman?”
“I’ve been said to do a few crazy things durin’ my life,” Aidan explained. “My friends, Onyx and Ian, and I were always gettin’ into trouble. We were tagged as the Madmen MacKeefe.”
“What brings ye here, Aidan?” asked Reed. “I thought ye wanted to stay close to the MacDuff camp since yer wife, Effie, is about to birth another bairn.”
“Your wife is pregnant?” asked Maggie, wondering what her child would look like if she and Reed had a baby.
“This is the third one in the past four years,” Aidan said proudly. “So Reed, is Maggie yer new lassie?”
“No’ just my lassie, but Maggie Gordon was my childhood sweetheart, and now she is my wife,” answered Reed. “We were married yesterday.”
“Well, congratulations,” said Aidan, giving her a hug. Maggie’s eyes opened in surprise. “Ye’ll be verra happy as part of the MacKeefe Clan.”
“I’m not staying,” she told him. “I need to get back to England.”
“Ye do?” He looked puzzled. “Ah, I understand. Ye’re joinin’ Reed on another of his raids against King Edward.”
“Nay!” she spat. “I most certainly am not.”
“Then why are ye leavin’?”
“It’s a little more complicated than that.” She brushed a stray lock of hair behind her ear.
“Are ye headed back home, Aidan?” asked Reed.
“Aye, but I need to make a stop to check on the Stone of Destiny first,” said Aidan.
“Aidan, ye did it again,” Storm warned him. “Ye are no’ supposed to mention that to a soul.”
“Sorry.” Aidan made a face and covered his mouth. “But at least I didna say where we hid it.”
“Are you talking about the coronation stone of the Scots?” asked Maggie.
“I’m no’ talkin’ about anythin’. I think I’d better find Reid and head on out.” Aidan hurried away.
“Just a second,” said Reed, running over to talk to Aidan in private. “Would ye mind if Maggie and I traveled with ye part of the way?”
“Of course no’,” said Aidan, whistling for his squirrel. “Where are ye headed?”
“I’d like to take Maggie back to Lothian. She hasna been back to her homeland since Burnt Candlemas, and I think a trip there might do her some good.”
“Where is that doitit squirrel?” asked Aidan, whistling and looking around. “Of course ye can travel with me. It’ll be nice no’ to have to talk to a squirrel the entire trip. I’ll go find Reid and meet ye back here.”
“Thanks,” said Reed, wondering how he was going to break the news to Maggie. If she knew his plans, she would probably fight him and refuse to go. He didn’t want to lie, so he’d just have to skirt around the entire truth. “Wren,” he said, pulling Wren aside as Maggie was occupied telling Duff not to get hurt. “Can ye pack up a travel bag of food for me and throw in a blanket or two?”
“Of course,” answered Wren.
“Where are ye goin’?” asked Storm, coming to join them.
“I’d like to make a trip back to Lothian so Maggie can see where she grew up.”
“Ye’ll be needin’ a horse then,” Storm offered. “I’ll have one of the boys saddle one right away. I can only lend ye one, so ye’ll have to ride together.”
“All the better,” said Reed, watching as Maggie tried to take the sword out of Duff’s hand. “Can ye watch over Duff until we return? We should be back by late tomorrow.”
“Aye, I’d be glad to,” said Storm. “But Reed, ye ken when ye return ye’ll have to go back to England and tie up loose ends with the baron.”
“I will,” he said. “But I’d like one last time alone with my wife before the English take off my head.”
* * *
Four hours later, Maggie realized that they weren’t just going for a little ride like Reed had made it sound. She should have known when they were traveling with the madman that everything wasn’t as it seemed. She enjoyed riding on the horse with Reed’s arms around her, but it was getting harder to stop herself from turning around and kissing the man. He’d been incredible showing Duff how to fight. He’d also been so thoughtful even to bring along food for their journey. Of course, she didn’t like the way Aidan had let his squirrel have its choice of the food but, hopefully, he’d leave soon. He was a very talkative man and liked to gossip. She knew more about his friends and family and everything going on at the Horn and Hoof tavern than she cared to know.
“This is where I leave ye, friend,” said Aidan from atop his horse. His squirrel sat perched on his shoulder, nibbling on a nut.
“It’s been good travelin’ with ye, Aidan. Tell Effie next time I’ll bring Maggie to meet her.”
“I will.” He headed in the opposite direction. The sound of silence was golden to Maggie’s ears.
After riding in silence for a few minutes, things started to look very familiar. Her stomach was in a knot and she felt as if she’d retch. If Reed wasn’t going to tell her where they were going, she decided to say what was on her mind. “I may have been only a child when I left Scotland, but I’m no fool, Reed. You’re taking me back to Lothian, aren’t you?”
“It’ll be good for ye, Maggie.”
“Nay!” Her body stiffened. “I dinna want to go. Now turn around and take me back to the MacKeefe camp right now.”
“I canna do that. It’ll be dark soon and the roads are no’ safe to travel. We’ll stay in Lothian for the night and head back in the mornin’.”
“Nay, I canna do it,” she said, feeling the tears dripping down her cheeks. All she could see in her mind was her mother, her father, and her sisters lying on the ground bloody and maimed. It was too horrific to think she’d be standing on the same spot where the life force had drained from her loved ones’ bodies. “Turn around, Reed, please. Dinna make me face my past. I canna do it.”
Reed stopped the horse and turned Maggie to face him. He felt awful. The poor girl was terrified to return to the place where her family had been slaughtered. He saw the fear in her eyes. It only reminded him of the night he’d run for safety and left his brothers alone in a burning monastery, surrounded by the enemy. He had thought this was what she needed, but now he wondered if he’d made a mistake.
“Mayhap we’ll camp here for the night. We’ll continue in the mornin’.”
He dismounted, and helped Maggie to dismount as well. She continued to cry and her body trembled. When Reed placed her feet on the ground, she fell into his arms and held him tightly.
“Hold me, Reed,” she begged, smashing her tear-stained face against his chest. “I need ye. Please dinna leave me.”
There was no doubt she was upset, because she’d started talking with a Scottish burr again.
“Shhhh, lassie,” he said, holding her tightly and placing kisses atop her head. “I will never leave ye. Ye dinna need to be afraid. I’m sorry if I hurt ye by bringin’ ye back, but I think once ye face the fear, it’ll disappear.”
“Nay. It’ll never disappear. I’m frightened, Reed. I dinna want to see the place where my family died.”
“Then we’ll do it together.” He released her slightly, wiping the tears from her face. “I’m here for ye. I’m yer husband now. I’d give my life to protect ye. I love ye, Maggie.”
Her crying stopped and her wet eyes looked upward. Reed’s memories flashed back to the Maggie he knew in childhood. She’d been feisty yet trusting, and had always been smiling. He couldn’t remember a time before the trauma of Burnt Candlemas when the girl didn’t have a twinkle in her eye and a grin on her lips. He wanted that Maggie back.
“I love ye, too, Reed,” she said, surprising him. He chuckled.
“I couldna tell,” he said, this time taking her face in his hands and kissing her on the mouth. “Ye have a funny way of showin’ it.”
She smiled at that, batted her eyelashes, and then reached up and kissed him in return. “Mayhap ye’re right. I canna be runnin’ from my past for the rest of my life. I’m so scared I’m shakin’. But if ye’re by my side – perhaps I can do this after all.”
“Ye can,” he said, running a hand through her hair. “And ye ken as well as me that it will only be a matter of time before Duff decides to come here on his own. He’s got Scottish blood in his veins and the spirit of the Scots in his heart. Ye canna deny him what he longs for just because life handed ye a bad spell.”
“Reed Douglas, if I didna ken better, I’d think ye were a real Scot.”
“I am,” he said, kissing her again. “I was raised as a Scot and, in my heart, I’ll never be anythin’ else.”