Free Highland Savage by Hannah Howell

at the way she continuously listened for some sound that would indicate Lucas and Thomas were in trouble and might need her help.
    Patrick and Annie were waiting for them at the edge of the village, drawing Katerina’s thoughts away from Lucas. Annie needed to be reassured that Thomas was safe with Lucas and Katerina began to feel tense, knowing they were taking a lot longer to accomplish their task than she wanted to. When they were finally headed back toward what she now had to call home, she breathed a sigh of relief only to nearly choke on it when she heard the approach of several riders.
    Some of her fear eased as both Patrick and William acted swiftly, silently, and competently. Patrick grabbed the reins of Annie’s horse and William moved to ride with Katerina. Going in two directions, they all moved deeper into the shadows afforded by the many trees allowed to grow at the far end of the village. Katerina watched a group of seven men ride toward the village and knew they were Ranald and his men even before she heard his voice.
    “I grow verra weary of chasing these bastards all o’er Dunlochan,” Ranald said, his voice hoarse with anger.
    “They are verra good at hiding their trail,” said Colin, Ranald’s closest companion in arms.
    “No one can be that good without help, Colin. No one. These bastards are getting help and I mean to find out who and how.”
    “Ye think someone in the village is helping the reivers?”
    “Aye, more than one and I also think these curs are far more than just reivers. If that little bitch was still alive I would think she was behind all this.”
    “Lady Katerina? But, a woman—”
    “A woman can be as cunning as any mon. Dinnae forget whom we work for. Mayhap some fools do this in her memory. I dinnae ken but I mean to find out. I intend to start with that little cur Thomas.”
    “I thought Lady Agnes didnae want ye to do anything to the boy.”
    “She will change her mind once the little bastard starts telling us all he kens about these reivers. Aye, and mayhap I can use him to make his sister lift her skirts.”
    Katerina was tempted to follow the men when they rode past, moving out of her hearing. It was not often that she had such a good chance of finding out Ranald’s plans. The man was surprisingly incautious about where he talked about his and Agnes’s plans. Common sense ruled, however, and she joined the others in silently slipping away. She noticed that Annie looked very pale, a few tears visible on her cheeks in the faint light cast by a shrinking moon. The young woman may have come with them simply because Patrick had said she should, but now Annie fully understood the danger her brother was in and, quite rightly, it obviously terrified her.
    Lucas and Thomas were waiting at the arranged meeting place, as was Old Ian. Leaving the horses to the care of the old man and his sons, Katerina led the others into the caves. It was not going to be easy having a youth and a pretty woman staying with them, but there was no choice. The moment they entered the well-lit hall, Katerina also realized that someone should have told Annie that she was not dead, for the moment Katerina pushed back the hood of her cloak, the young woman took one horrified look at her and fainted into Patrick’s arms. Patrick, the rogue, grinned like a fool.
    Thomas!” Katerina hurried to get some cloths and water to bathe Annie’s face after Patrick settled the unconscious woman on the table. “Didnae ye tell your sister that I hadnae died?”
    “Nay, ye said it was a secret,” he replied as he moved close to the table to stare at his sister in concern. “I gave my word to tell no one and my sister is someone, aye?”
    “I hadnae meant your own sister.”
    “When I talked to her at the inn, she spoke of ye as dead,” said Lucas. He smiled faintly at Thomas. “It might have been a kindness to tell your sister, lad, if only to save her from going to Lady Katerina’s grave. Still, ’tis