“Aye lass, ye will.”
“Look, I appreciate your concern, but you don’t need to worry about your brothers. I don’t need someone to look out for me so even if Eoghanan is ‘negligent’ it won’t be a problem, and I am not all that woo-able so neither with Niall. While none of you seem to be, I am living in the twenty-first century and, just FYI, it’s completely illegal to keep me here against my will.”
Genuine worry spread across his face, and he released his grip on my arms. He seemed very sad for me, and it made something deep within me hurt. I didn’t want his pity, especially without reason for it.
“Ach, so Eoghanan was right then? Ye are daft. If that be the case, then I am sure ye are truly verra scared. I am verra sorry for that, lass, but ’tis all the more reason for me to keep ye here. Ye are right when ye say that ye are no mine in the way that ye meant, but ye are mine to care for ye until I deliver ye safely into someone else’s hands.”
He ran his hand down my arm like you would someone ill. It only served to infuriate me more. “What? You seriously think I’m crazy, don’t you? Well, I’ve got news for you, buddy. I am not the crazy one. Quit eating the food here, seriously, they are screwing with your head and you my friend, are the one who has lost it.”
He smiled at me pathetically and reached for the door. “Ye shall be well taken care of while I am away. When I return, we will travel to Bri’s. Perhaps she will know where and to whom ye belong.”
With that, he left the room, locking it securely behind him. I couldn’t begin to process all that just happened. Part of me wanted to laugh hysterically at his assumption but, at this point, I started to feel sort of crazed myself. Maybe the blow on the head confused me somewhat.
Only a few minutes later, the woman who entered earlier opened the door to extend a fresh dress in my direction. She said nothing and didn’t enter the room. As soon as I’d grabbed it from her, she closed the door and locked it.
I stripped quickly, eager to get dry and ready to rip open the pouch with the medicine. Morna had been right about one thing. I needed something to ease my aching head. The fact that she’d known I would require it disturbed and puzzled me to no end.
Turning the dress inside out, I pulled at the loose stitching around the pouch. It came open easily. Inside was a small plastic case filled with much-needed ibuprofen. Something else lay in the pouch, and I had to reach inside to grab it. As soon as my fingers touched the smooth, cold surface, bile built up in the back of my throat.
I pulled the object out and threw it onto the bed, truly frightened for the first time since the beginning of all this craziness. In the center of the bed now sat the shiny, black rock. The rock I sent skipping all the way to the bottom of the pond.
Chapter 10
The Grounds of Cameron Castle
They reached the castle grounds three days after leaving home. Baodan couldn’t help but notice that his mother seemed far less tired than he. While he took care with her, traveling much more slowly than he wished, she should not have been so full of life this far into their journey.
He couldn’t make sense of it, but Eoghanan was right. All it took was half a day’s ride and a shabby meal of pheasant to bring his mother back to her old self. She was still weak to be sure but, for the first time in months, light filled her eyes and she started talking as if she’d been starved of it for far too long.
They’d decided to bypass Cameron Castle itself, riding instead straight for his Aunt Nairne’s cottage so that he could settle his mother and leave at once for home. His mother could greet his cousins later in the evening, but the journey took longer than he’d planned. He was anxious to check on Mitsy.
What a strange lass. Completely mad, but he couldn’t help but like her. Perhaps all of her confusion could be put to her injured head, and he would return to find her at rights with herself.
He surely hoped so, for it seemed wrong of him to think of someone who was out of her mind in the way he thought about her. He spent every moment since leaving his home thinking of that mess of red curls and her whip-like mouth. He dreamed of tugging hard on those locks while claiming every inch of her lips with his own.
“I wish I hadna been sleeping so that I could have witnessed the arrival of the fiery lass who has so captured yer attention.” His mother laughed as she looked behind her horse at him. Baodan believed she could read minds. “I am worried for her is all.”
“I doona believe ye, although ye worry too much over everyone. The one ye should be worrying about is yerself.”
Baodan nudged his horse forward so that he rode next to his mother rather than behind her. “Why do ye say that?”