Total pages in book: 99
Estimated words: 94072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 94072 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 470(@200wpm)___ 376(@250wpm)___ 314(@300wpm)
“Then what you’re saying is that we just wait for her to return home?” Zia asked.
“For now, but if she hasn’t returned by morning, I will go search for her,” Lachlan said with a firm nod.
Lachlan with Princess at his side retired to his cottage right after supper, hoping his wife would show up sooner rather than later, but as the night wore on and the candles wore down, he began to worry. He repeatedly reminded himself of what he had told his family, that Alyce could take care of herself.
But he didn’t like not knowing where she was and if she was all right. Her being with child didn’t help the situation. Otherwise he knew her capable of the task and if he knew her as well as he’d like to believe, she was probably enjoying every minute of it.
With nothing left to him but to wait, he stretched out fully clothed on the bed. He intended to be ready at a moment’s notice if necessary. He refused to linger on thoughts of her alone in the dark woods. She was a warrior on a mission and she would succeed.
“I’m praying for your success and safe return, Alyce,” he whispered.
But isn’t that what he did for Ronan? Pray every night for his safe return? He couldn’t compare the two; he wouldn’t. Alyce would return to him safe and unharmed.
He fought sleep, twisting fretfully, but sleep finally won and he was soon snoring lightly and though hours passed and he slumbered deeply, Princess’s whimpers woke him.
The candles had burnt out, leaving the hearth flame the only light in the room. His eyes adjusted to the dimness and he saw that Princess lay in front of the hearth her head up, her eyes focused on…the door.
The latched lifted ever so slowly and the door creaked open.
His wife entered her steps silent, slow, and labored. When she suddenly stopped near the hearth and he saw her grimace, he jumped out of bed.
Lachlan slid his arm around her waist and held her firm as she sagged against him. “Are you all right?”
“A bit worse for the wear, but otherwise I’m fine,” she said with a light laugh.
He almost squashed her against him in relief, but refrained, not wanting to add to her discomfort. “What happened?”
“I will tell you it all, but first, I’m starving and I need salve for the many scratches my body has suffered.”
Lachlan grew alarmed. “An animal—”
“No,” Alyce was quick to assure him. “Bushes and tree branches.”
“We’ll go to the keep,” he said. “I’ll get you food and fetch Zia to tend your wounds.”
“It’s late, I don’t want to bother her.”
“Zia would be upset that you didn’t,” he said and he grabbed a wool cloak from the peg by the door and swung it around her shoulders. “Your arms are cold.”
Alyce wrapped her arms around Lachlan’s waist and snuggled against him as they left the cottage. “You will warm me, feed me, and take care of me and I will tell you how I found Lily.”
Servants were sent to look after the sleeping Sinclare babes as one by one the Sinclares joined Lachlan and Alyce in the great hall.
While Alyce hadn’t wanted to wake them all, she took a comfort in their presence and eagerness to hear how she had rescued Lily, and in their pride in her success. Though the telling was delayed as each Sinclare arrived and insisted she wait for the whole family.
Alyce munched on whatever food Lachlan placed in front of her and drank the brew Zia handed her. Tiredness crept over her, but a sense of exhilaration remained and she was eager to share her tale, and those surrounding her looked just as eager to hear it.
Honora was the last to arrive, having made certain the babes were settled and looked after.
“I have not received word about Lily,” Cavan said.
“I assured the Connors I would inform you,” Alyce said. “They were much too happy to think of anything else.”
“However did you find her in the dead of night?” Artair asked.
“I’d like to know that myself,” Zia inquired. “These scratches resemble someone who has climbed a tree or scuffled with a prickly bush.”
“I did both,” Alyce admitted.
“My, but you are courageous,” Addie said with pride.
“Or foolish,” Cavan said.
“My wife is courageous,” Lachlan said defensively. “She would never take a chance of harming our child and did what she did because she knew that she could do it successfully.”
Alyce winced—Zia cleansed a shoulder scratch deeper than the others—though it turned to a smile soon enough. Her husband believed in her and she loved him all the more for it.
Cavan didn’t argue. He seemed to take Lachlan’s words as fact for he gave a curt nod. “Tell me how and where you found the child?”
Alyce was only too pleased to do as the laird asked, for it had given her great pleasure to have found the lass and return her safely to her family. “Once I realized that the lone track told a different story, it was easy to find her.”