Plead Forgiveness (Loyalty Series) (53 page)

“Brat,” he said with a playful grin.

“Jack-a-nape.” With a humorous glint in her eyes she
added, “You and Righ are getting faster. You almost won that time.”

Since Paen had made a similar comment to her the last
time they raced, he took it with his usual mix of grace and sarcasm.

“Ye are too kind. I really must learn yer trick of
cutting another rider off when leaving the castle gates.”

With mock offense she asked, “Do you honestly believe
that I, your brother’s wife, would do such a horrid thing just to win a horse
race?”

“Aye, ye would and did, but dinna change. I like the
fact ye dinna back down to a man in competition or in life. More women should
be like ye.”

“I believe that is the greatest compliment I have ever
received.”

“Remember it well, for I dinna give them often.”

Ella always enjoyed their playful banter, and today
was no different. Paen reminded her so much of her brothers, encouraging her
wild streak and boyish ways.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For treating me like annoying sister.”

He burst out laughing and said, “Aye, that ye are,
lass. Now let us be gone, we are too close to the Fraser’s land for my liking.”

The rift between the Macleods and the Frasers would
not be mended any time soon, Ella suspected. Laird Fraser refused to forgive
the Macleods for raiding their land a decade ago and causing the death of his
wife. The woman had been in the village at the time of the raid and was amidst
the chaos when she attempted to flee.

As they rode through the lush foliage of the woods,
Ella’s thoughts turned to her need to reveal her true identity to Paen. For
some reason, she trusted him with this confession and that he would understand
that her mother’s death was an accident.

She halted Apollo and when he pulled up beside her,
she said, “There is something I would like to confide in you.”

When Paen saw stark fear in her eyes and her austere
expression, he knew the gravity of the words she would impart. To strengthen
her resolve, he said, “’Tis my sincere wish that ye do, lass. I would -” He
went silent for a moment when he saw Arth suddenly bolt forward.

“His senses are better than ours. We must take
caution,” he warned.

“Soldiers?”

“Nae. More likely ‘tis another animal.”

They were startled when a female scream ripped through
the air. Without thought, both riders put their heels to their mounts and raced
in the direction of the terrifying sound.

“Go back to the castle,” he ordered.

“Nae.”

Paen cursed her stubborn nature as they both crossed
over on to Fraser land. A frightened horse flew passed them as they continued
to charge ahead, praying the female who had screamed was not hurt or dead.

Moments later they came upon a vicious, snarling boar
snapping at Arth. In a tree, just beyond the two animals circling each other,
was a young girl trembling with fear. Tears streaked down her petite face, and
her dark hair was in wild disarray as she clung to the trunk of the tree.

Roughly grabbing a hold of Ella’s arm, Paen hissed, “I
told ye to get back to the castle!”

She yanked her arm back and replied, “Nae, I won’t
leave her.”

“Nor would I.”

“Then let me help.”

“Curse all stubborn wenches!” He briefly looked at the
figure in the tree, then back to Ella and spat, “Fine, but ye will do as I
say.”

“Aye.”

As he took out his long bow, he said, “An single arrow
will nae kill the boar, but it will distract him long enough for Arth to kill
him or send him charging for me. If the latter occurs, loop around in my
direction and get the girl.”

“Aye.”

Paen knew that Apollo was trained to attack when
needed, which is the only reason why he conceded to Ella’s mulish demand.

“Only when I give the command will ye get near the
tree. Do ye understand!”

“Aye.”

“Go that way, slowly,” he said as he pointed in that
direction. “Do nothing to startle the animals. I will go this way to divert the
boar’s attention.”

As Ella moved Apollo away from Paen, she saw him take
aim and then fire an arrow into the side of the boar.

Twisting in pain, the boar snorted then lunged towards
the wolf dog. Arth deftly averted the attack and waited for the right time to
strike. Ella was almost around to the other side of the tree when Paen let
loose another arrow, burying it in the boar’s neck. The beast let out a
high-pitched screech and then charged Paen.

“Now, Ella,” he screamed as he took off, leading the
boar away.

Swinging Apollo around the tree, she yelled, “Give me
your arm.” The girl wasted no time and was soon clinging to Ella’s back as
Apollo tore through the woods.

Relief surged through Ella when she saw that both Paen
and Arth were safe and a good distance from the boar. When the beast finally
gave up chase, she led Apollo over to them. Astonishment briefly crossed Paen’s
features when he saw the girl they saved, but was quickly masked by
indifference.

“Follow me. Our horses need water and rest.”

Ella made no comment as she followed him to the
nearest burn.

After dismounting, Paen assisted Ella as he said, “Ye
are in for a rare treat, sister, for ye are about to meet the most spiteful
lass in all the Highlands.”

Standing beside Apollo and Paen, Ella turned and
looked up at the girl. Still shaking like a leaf, she had chestnut colored
hair, pale blue eyes that were rimmed a darker shade, and pink pouty lips. The
girl was few years younger than herself, she noted, then saw her eyelashes drop
and stains of scarlet appear on her cheeks.

“Kyla Fraser,” Paen began, “daughter to Laird Cormac
Fraser and hellion of the Highlands. Petite she may be, but her tongue is as
sharp as my blade.”

And her beauty, he thought, just as deadly.

When Kyla lifted hurt filled eyes, Ella pushed Paen
out of the way to assist the girl from Apollo’s back. When he was about to
speak, she snapped, “Not another word unless you intend to apologize to this
frighten girl. I nae care that she is a Fraser, or the feud between the
Macleods and her clan. Can you nae see how terrified she is?”

Remorse hit him like a battling ram as he saw the
truth to her words, and it only intensified when he noticed blood soaking
through Kyla’s skirt. Moving Ella out of the way, Paen curved one arm around
Kyla’s tiny waist, hauled her off the horse and cradled her slight weight in
his arms. He carried her to a fallen tree by the burn, gently sat her down on
the trunk then turned to Ella.

“She’s hurt. Do something, now!”

Startled by his abrupt change in tone and manner, she
did his bidding without objection.

“I am Lady Ella, Gavin Macleod’s wife,” she began as
she knelt by the girl’s feet. “Will you allow me to look at your wound.”

Paen was pacing behind her when he said, “She is a
healer, lass. She will nae harm ye.”

Refusing to look or even acknowledge Paen, Kyla said,
“Aye, thank ye, Milady.”

After lifting up Kyla’s skirts, Ella tore the hem of
her own tunic and said to Paen, “There is clean linen in my saddlebag.” She
quickly soaked the fabric in the burn, then bathed the blood and gash on the
girl’s lower leg as she said, “Please, call me Ella.”

Kyla was thunderstruck by the bold, yet compassionate
Englishwoman, whose golden beauty stood out like the North Star in a darken
sky. She was also astonished by her grasp of Gaelic. “Then ye must call me,
Kyla.”

Ella smiled, then said, “How did this happen?”

“I was still mounted when the boar attacked, and I
tried to kick it away so his tusks dinna impale my horse.”

When Kyla heard Paen snort at the absurdity of her
actions, she closed her eyes and let her shoulders hunch forward.

“That was very brave, and is exactly what I would have
done in the same situation,” Ella stated.

Kyla’s eyes flew open in surprise and gratitude.
“Thank ye,” she whispered.

“Nae, Ella would have lunged at the beast afore it
left the ground, to save her precious Apollo.”

Both women looked up and saw the teasing glint in
Paen’ eyes as he shook his head.

Chuckling, Ella said, “Aye, and ye would have done the
same for Righ had it come to that.”

“Bloody right I would.”

Ella noted that Kyla gloried in the shared moment, and
that her back straightened with pride.

“This will need to be cleaned three times a day, then
rewrapped. In a sennight you will nae longer need the bandage.” With quick,
experienced fingers, she finished tending to Kyla’s wound.

“Ye work fast, my . . . ah . . . Ella.”

“I have had much practice. Now, I would know why you
were without escort?”

“Och, who does that remind ye of my wee sister?”

Glowering at Paen, she moved to sit beside Kyla and
took the younger girl’s hands in her own. “Ignore him, sweetling. That is what
I do when his words mean naught. Now, tell me truth?”

Giggling at the pair, Kyla said, “Ye treat each other
like brother and sister.”

“Aye, she is just as annoying as the other one I
have.”

Paen ignored Ella’s scathing look, when he asked, “Why
were ye alone, Kyla? The truth.”

“I always speak the truth,” Kyla retorted as she
jumped to her feet.

“Nae, the last time we met,” Paen shot back.

“Ye are far from sainthood, Paen Macleod.”

He would have snapped back, had it not been for Ella’s
bellow.

“Enough! Kyla, please sit down. Paen, cease trying to
start a fight.”

When Kyla sat back down and Paen resumed his pacing,
Ella calmly said, “Please explain why you were alone.”

“My father and I had a disagreement while we were
hunting. I was verra angry, and rode off when he dismounted.”

“Why did you argue?”

“He says he will wed me to an Englishmen.”

A sudden chill went down Ella’s back. “Who?”

“I dinna know. My father made an agreement with the
King Henry.”

Paen asked in an irate voice, “What kind of
agreement?’

With hurt showing in her eyes, Kyla answered, “My
father will give me away so he can wed Lady Jane of Pennsbury, the Englishwoman
he lusted after while at court this year.”

Realizing the insulting way she said ‘Englishwoman’
and that Ella was English, Kyla retracted, “I dinna mean that the way it
sounded. We have all heard of yer heroic deeds. The way ye saved Gabriel
Mackenzie from the lash, escaped with him from Greystone and how ye fought the
bloody English with naught but bow and arrows.”

Distraught, Ella asked, “How is it you know all this?”

“Word travels fast in the Highlands. My father says
that even though he hates the Macleods, their laird did right by marrying ye.”

Ella blushed while Paen said, “I thought yer father
would nae marry ye till ye were ten and six.”

“I’m to be ten and seven in a month.”

Ella gave her hand a little squeeze and said, “Will
yer father have any say in the marriage?”

“He said as much,” Kyla said with a shrug.

“Is your father a good man? Will he take into consideration
your wishes on a husband?”

“Aye, he will hear my-”

Paen interrupted with, “Aye, she has great skill in
blistering a man’s ears.”

When both women glared at him, he laughed and said,
“God must have a wicked sense of humor if he sought to bring ye two together to
torment me.”

“Aye, you are truly blessed, dear brother,” Ella said
with a lift of her dainty chin, then turned her gaze back on Kyla.

“I think it best we take you back.”

“How do ye purpose to do that,” Paen began, “when the
verra sight of me will incite the Frasers to attack.”

“Easy,” Ella began, “We leave you here. I will
return-”

“Nae, honey,” he interrupted. “Ye will nae leave my
side.”

“What if Lady Ella rode in front of ye,” Kyla
suggested. “They would see only two females. I will explain to my kin before
they close the distance and recognize ye.”

Paen’s eyebrows shot up by her clever suggestion and
he asked, “Ye want me to trust ye?”

“I have ne’er given ye a reason not to,” she
vehemently stated. “Ye and Ella saved my life. I would nae discredit that act
by letting harm come to either of ye. Ye have my word.”

“We shall see. Let us be off then.”

Kyla was true to her word when her father and twenty
of his men came storming through the woods a quarter of an hour later. Ella,
Paen and Kyla had just crossed the border onto Fraser land and came to a halt
when they saw approaching riders.