HE SHOULD HAVEguessed she’d do something as stubbornly foolish as this. But he hadn’t, so which of them was truly the more foolish?
Hall stood beside the smoldering remains of their campfire, staring at the empty spot where Bridget had slept the night before.
When she’d moved her bedding so far from everyone else, he’d convinced himself it was just to find a warmer spot.
When she’d offered to cook, that should have been clue enough. She hadn’t the natural ability to boil water without burning it.
And taking her brother’s criticism of her efforts in stride without a single angry retort?
Beyond foolish for him to have missed all the signs.
He should have known she would do exactly this. It had all been laid out before him as if it were a bedtime story, and he had closed his ears, closed his mind, and ignored every piece of evidence.
His normal suspicions, his ability to reason, even his good sense, had all lacked their usual clarity since Bridget had entered his life.
When he found her, and hewouldfind her, he planned to give her such a talking-to she’d think twice before ever trying something like this again.
“Get yer gear packed and let’s be on our way,” Patrick called out as he headed toward the horses. “We’ll need to push hard to reach the MacGahan this night.”
“Bridget’s gone.”
His announcement sounded flat and lifeless—surprising, considering the panic bubbling in his chest. He could have waited to let them discover it for themselves, but the sooner they all knew, the sooner he could be on his way to find her.
“I’m sure she’s only strayed a bit. Down to the water, mayhap,” Jamesy said, crossing the camp to stare down at her empty spot as if he expected that she would suddenly reappear.
“She’s gone,” Hall repeated, lifting his pack and heading for his own horse. “Bridget, her horse, and her packs. All gone.”
There was no time to spare. He knew from experience that, unburdened by hunting for tracks as she had been the last time he went after her, she would be hard to catch. The woman could ride like the wind. He’d seen her do it.
“Where could she...” The words died in Jamesy’s mouth.
Her brother, as well as every other person in their camp, had to know where she was bound.
“Did you see her leave? Why dinna you try to stop her?”
An idiot question, that. If Hall had seen her leave, he wouldn’t havetriedto stop her. Hewouldhave stopped her.
Or gone along with her.
“I found her place empty when I awoke.”
“I canna believe this. This is yer fault, O’Donar.” Jamesy, eyes flashing, turned and stalked toward him. “You could have spoken up in favor of Brie returning to Castle MacGahan. She might have listened to you, since she seems to agree with everything you say. Instead, you held yer peace and encouraged her to this action with yer silence. Whatever befalls her is on yer hands, and it’s me you’ll answer to for it.”
“You didn’t strike me as a fool, MacCulloch.” Hall continued to saddle up his horse as the young man approached. They had no time for this senseless bickering. “But if you think anything I could have said would have stopped your sister from doing what she wanted to do, a fool is exactly what you are. You would have been better off had you not insisted on her staying behind. At least then we’d have the ability to protect her. Bridget is a strong-minded woman, with a will of her own.”
“What do you ken of my sister?” Jamesy demanded, puffing out his chest.
“Best you stand down, Jamesy,” his friend Alex advised, placing a hand to his shoulder and pulling him back. “Now is the time to deal with the situation at hand, not to fight over what might have been or to attempt to assign blame.”
“Your friend gives you good advice.” Especially considering the peril Bridget rode toward. “We should focus our efforts on catching up to her before she reaches Tordenet. She may have the sword in her possession, but she left the scrolls behind. Without them, she has no chance of survival.”
Patrick mounted his animal and extended a hand to Mathew, pulling the boy up behind him. “Be off with you, then, all of you. Find her. I’ll take Mathew to Castle MacGahan and meet you at the gates of Tordenet with reinforcements.”
With kicks to his animal’s sides, Patrick was gone, and silence reigned in the little clearing until no sound of hoofbeats could be heard.
The five of them were headed north before anyone spoke again.
“How would the scrolls save her?” Jamesy sounded calmer now, though worry was evident in his expression. “I’ve seen my sister use her weapons. Many’s the time I’ve practiced with her. Between her bow and the sword, Bridget is a formidable opponent. So why do you say she canna survive without the scrolls?”