She hesitated a moment before nodding in agreement. Her stomach slowly tied itself in knots as she worked, however. He had found out something that he did not want her to know. That stirred up all her fears for the safety of Michel and Adelar. By the time they sat side by side near a low, banked fire, sharing cold meat, bread, and cheese, she was so tense with fear that every bite she took sat like a stone in her stomach.
“The good news is that Amiel and his men are nay as skilled at tracking us as it may appear,” began Brian. “The DeVeaux and Amiel did divide their men into three groups as we thought they would, but they have some way to keep each other informed of whatever is going on or what they have learned.”
“They ken who is helping us.” Arianna was not surprised to hear the fear in her voice.
“One of the groups following one of my brothers apparently did discover that, aye. A certain Lord Ignace. A DeVeau, I suppose.”
“Aye. Youngest brother to the head of the family. Kenned to be clever and vicious, but that appears to be a common trait amongst the DeVeaux. Although”—she frowned in thought—“I think there is another called Ignace. A distant cousin. The name is verra popular amongst the DeVeaux. I rather hope it is that Ignace.”
“Why?”
“Because I think he is just a winemaker, nay a warrior. Nay like the other one, the clever, vicious one.”
“I cannae think they would send a winemaker after us. So it is probably the more weel-kenned one. And, he may be clever and he may be vicious but he is riding o’er land he doesnae ken, trying to gain information from a stubborn people, many of whom have no wish to aid any stranger.”
“The weel-kenned Lord Ignace is rumored to be verra good at getting people to tell him what he wants to learn. Even the king has asked his assistance on occasion. I find it a little frightening that the king, who has dungeons and torturers of his own, would think Lord Ignace more skilled at forcing people to talk. One has to wonder just what he can do that will make people bend to his will when they wouldnae bend to the king’s or his torturers’.”
“True, but he still doesnae ken this land.” Brian ran a hand through his hair. “I but pray that most people who are in his path ken enough to hide when they see him coming. He sent word to Amiel and I find their ability to do that of more concern. We dinnae e’en ken what the others are doing, nor they us, and our only plan is to get behind some sturdy walls as soon as we can.”
“A verra good plan.”
He reached over and took her hand in his. “Your lads will be safe, Arianna. Ye must trust me in this. No one, nay matter how clever or vicious, can catch a MacFingal who doesnae wish to be caught. Aye, we prefer to fight but we learned quickly that ’tis often best to flee a fight, at least until ye can choose the ground ye want to fight it on.”
Arianna took a deep breath and let it out slowly as she struggled to push aside her fear. “Do ye think Michel and Adelar are already behind the walls of Scarglas?”
“Adelar most certainly. Michel may be, but it all depends on how twisted a route Nat had to take. I would not be surprised to learn that the DeVeaux have lost a few men, either.”
“But, if they ken we dinnae have the boys, why are they still following us?”
“For ye.” He sighed and put his arm around her shoulders when she paled. “They still believe that capturing one of ye will pull the others into their hands.”
“I would ne’er hand them my boys,” she said as she leaned against him, attempting to take some of the strength and confidence he showed into her heart and blood.
“I ken it but that doesnae mean they do. Amiel also believes that they need but capture one of us, wave a full purse beneath our noses, and we will give him ye and the lads.”
“Nay, ye would ne’er do that.”
The firmness of the belief behind her words warmed him. Brian knew the reputation of his clan was slowly improving but he also knew that many still scorned them as being no more than a pack of rutting fools. Arianna had faith in his strengths, in his ability to keep her and the boys safe, and he reveled in that faith. Too few offered it to one of his family.
“Nay. Never. Nor would any of my kinsmen.” Deciding she needed to know it all, that it would help if she fully understood the danger she was in, he continued. “They also want you but nay just to bargain for the laddies.”
“The DeVeaux want a Murray in their grasp?”
“Aye, ye were right to wonder on that. Your kin obviously left them with a fierce need for revenge.”
“I ken it but that doesnae matter. Only Michel and Adelar matter.”
He did not agree with that but said nothing. “What we need to remember is that that idiot Amiel isnae tracking us, he is riding to where he believes we are going. I willnae say that he doesnae get a wee piece of help along the way, but he isnae skilled at the chore he has been given. And, as with the DeVeaux, he does nay like this land nor ken it as I do, as my brothers do. I wish I could shake him off our tail, but I dinnae think I will be able to. Howbeit, I am fair certain that he willnae creep up on us and get you.”
“And the DeVeaux will nay be able to creep up on your brothers and grab one of the boys. Aye?”
“Aye.”