“Didnae think I needed to,”Aaron said as Izzy stepped forward to hug Ryan. “Besides, it’s a bit rude nae to invite yer best friend to yer weddin’, do ye nae agree?”
“The affair happened quite quickly,”Ryan explained, releasing Izzy and coming face-to-face with his best friend. The burn on the left side of his face from the fire that ultimately made him the Laird of McNeil Castle shone in the afternoon daylight. “I didnae want ye to feel obligated to drop everythin’ to come.”
“I can’t thinkof anything more important than your wedding,” Izzy said in her playful English drawl. “Our people are taken care of. Besides, I’ve been needing a celebration.”
“She’s right,”Aaron said, grinning at his wife. “But we’re here now. Yer maids are settin’ up our rooms. The lass I spoke to seemed excited to be hostin’ us.”
“I’ll leaveye three to it,” Colby said, glancing between everyone before heading toward the door. “Yer quarters should be ready soon.”
This wasthe first time in nearly half a year that Aaron had taken advantage of the open invitation that Ryan had extended when he became Laird McGhee. He supposed it wasn’t surprising that Aaron hadn’t sent an advance notice. If he recalled correctly, Aaron had threatened to drop by unannounced whenever he pleased. This was simply the first time he’d done so.
“Aye,I’d imagine they’re glad to have somethin’ else to add to their gossipin’ ring,” Ryan said, ushering the group out of his study. “Have ye eaten? I can have me kitchen staff make ye somethin’.”
Aaron laughed as he said,“I’m much more interested in meetin’ the woman that finally stopped yer protests about marriage. Where’s the Ryan that said, ‘I willnae ever be married?’”
Izzy giggledat the teasing while Ryan scoffed and said, “Ye ken as well as anyone else that things change, Laird McNeil.”
“Aye, they do,”he agreed with a wicked grin that told Ryan he wasn’t anywhere near finished with poking fun at him. “Now, where is the lass? I’m sure she’s somethin’ special.”
“Your maids said she’s English,”Izzy added, tucking a strand of brown hair behind her ear. She leveled Ryan with her gray eyes and said, “I’d quite like to meet her.”
“Ye’re both gettin’information from me maids, now?” Ryan asked with faux exasperation. “This castle is turnin’ into a madhouse, and the two of ye are doing nothin’ but addin’ to the madness.”
Aaron clappedhim over the shoulder, saying, “Ye’re the one who said they had a gossipin’ ring. Ye cannae fault us for takin’ advantage of that, nay?”
“Ach, this is gettin’out of hand,” Ryan groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose.
At the samemoment that the three of them reached the great hall, Cali burst through the doors. She was panting, her face red and her hair a wreck. Her fists were balled in the fabric of her skirts. There was a haunted quality in the way she held herself.
Immediately,Ryan broke away from his guests to meet her. He grabbed onto Cali’s elbows to hold her upright, noticing the way she seemed to wobble with nerves. Her eyes were wide, and she looked as though something terrible had happened.
“What is it?”he asked as steadily as he could, his jaw tightening. “Where’s Margaret?”
“She… Me Laird, we were takin’a walk, and she thought she saw a deer,” Cali started, pausing to take a deep and shuddering breath. “She got out of me sight, and I cannae find her. I came straight to ye as soon as I realized she was gone.”
Nay.Nay, she cannae have disappeared. I am supposed to be keepin’ her safe. Anythin’ could have happened to her.
Another body cameto Ryan’s side. Aaron’s presence brought him back. His wife was missing, and it was up to him to find her.
“Show me where she went missin’,”Ryan said, letting go of Cali’s arms and starting toward the front doors. “If we’re goin’ to find her, we need to go. Now.”
“I’m comin’with ye,” Aaron stated. He ushered Cali forward, letting her take the lead. “We daenae ken what happened. I willnae let ye face this alone. Ye’ve done the same for me. I’m returnin’ the favor.”
His best friend was correct.It hadn’t been all that long ago that Izzy had been taken. Ryan had been there at his side, ready to do whatever it took to get her back. Even if he wanted to do this alone, Aaron would never let him. Margaret’s life could be at stake, and he wouldn’t let Ryan lose her.
Ryan grunted his assent,his eyes focused on Cali’s back. He stayed close to her, cursing inwardly that she wasn’t moving any faster. It wasn’t as if he could fault her; it was obvious she’d run to him as quickly as she could. She wasn’t the reason the beast inside of him was threatening to break free. None of this was her fault.
Perhaps Margaret’sonly run after a herd of deer. Cali doesnae have any evidence that Margaret is in danger. The only thing she kens is that Margaret thought she was goin’ after a herd.
But deep down,Ryan knew that wasn’t true. Despite not having a concrete reason for feeling as if his wife’s life was in danger, he trusted his gut feeling above all else. And his gut was telling him that they needed to go faster, that Margaret didn’t have much time.
“Here,”Cali said, coming to an abrupt stop at the edge of the tree line. With a shaking hand, she pointed ahead and to the right. “She walked into the forest and told me to wait here. Then she didnae come back nor answer me when I tried callin’ for her. When I stepped in, I couldnae see her.”
Ryan noddedand then turned to Aaron, saying, “I’ll take the lead. I ken these lands better than ye. Ye stay behind me. Keep watch.”
“Aye,”Aaron replied, following Ryan as he rushed into the foliage. “Now, let’s go get yer wife.”
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