“MacGregor!"
Kiernan veered left, toward her shout and spotted her slim figure amongst the trees. She shifted as though to run. “Heddy!” he shouted. “Stay put!”
She whirled toward him.
A moment later, Kiernan arrived at her side. He grabbed her shoulders. “What in God’s name is going on?”
“A man,” she said in a rush, pointing deeper into the forest, “he went that way.”
“Mather,” Kiernan said, and Mather rushed forward in pursuit of the man as Kiernan began dragging Heddy from the forest.
“Sir!” she exclaimed. “You’re hurting me.”
“Nothing compared to what I plan to do.” Once they stepped from the trees, Kiernan yanked her around to face him. “What the hell were you doing in the forest?”
She frowned. “The forest—you think I was trying to escape? By heavens, if I wanted to escape, I wouldn't waste time helping with the fire and I certainly would not go on foot.”
“Then what were you doing?” Kiernan demanded. “Who was the man?”
“I don’t know. I saw someone behaving oddly and went to investigate. I believe I startled him.”
“Startled him? What do you mean? Did he harm you?”
“I am well, sir,” she said. “There's no need for hysterics.”
There was a rustling and Kiernan looked up as Mather emerged from the forest, Surry, Rebecca's Border Collie, in his arms. The dog thumped his tail against Mather’s arm.
"What's wrong, is he hurt?" Heddy demanded.
“Looks as though he’s hurt his leg.” Mather stopped beside them. "Nothing serious."
Heddy stroked. “Well, done, lad.” She looked at Mather. “You're sure he will recover?”
“I caught up with him limping through the forest.” Mather smiled fondly at the dog. “He wasn't about to give up the chase.”
“And the man?” Kiernan demanded.
“Horace and Thomas heard the cries and came running. I instructed them to continue looking, but I fear we lost them.”
“Them?”
Mather nodded. “I believe there were two.”
Kiernan swung his gaze onto Heddy. “You said there was only one.”
“I encountered only one.”
“Only one? When this mess is sorted out, you will pay the piper. That is me, madam, in case you think otherwise.”
Her mouth dropped open in genuine surprise. “I have done nothing wrong.”
“Just as you did nothing wrong the night you followed Alan Hay?”
“I don't owe you an explanation for my actions,” she retorted.
“No matter how foolhardy the actions?”
“I would think men skulking about on the night of an arson would be of greater interest to you than what I was doing in the forest,” she replied.
Kiernan stilled. “Arson?”
“Are you saying you didn't notice anything strange about the fire?”
“I notice many things, Heddy, many things, indeed.”
*****
“You changed your dress.” Kiernan squinted against the morning sunlight at Heddy, who walked alongside him on the path to the village.
She glanced down at the bodice that covered her full breasts. “Yes. Winnie noticed my dilemma.”
Her dilemma was turning into a distraction he was having a devil of a time ignoring. He returned his gaze to the path, using the stick he’d picked up on the trail like a cane. “I shall miss your, er, shawl.”
“You may have it, sir, if it means that much to you.”
He would have that, and more. After a moment, he said, “We found no trace of your attackers.”
"Not attackers, sir. I encountered only one man, and he did not attack me."
Kiernan looked at her. "No?"
"As I told you last night, it seemed more that I surprised him."
"Heddy, there isn't a man in this village who would accost a woman—or attack her—because he was surprised."
Phoebe nodded. "I know. If he was at all familiar, my description would have jogged your memory, I'm sure. Who do you think they were?"
"What of the man you thought hired the men who tried to kidnap you the night—"
"The night you kidnapped me?" she cut in.
Kiernan canted his head. "The night I kidnapped you. Adam, I believe was his name?"
"Adam couldn't possibly know I am here," she said. "Not to mention, he wouldn't associate with violent men."
"He tried to kidnap you."
"Many men have attempted to woo a lady by abducting her to Gretna Green." Before Kiernan could reply, she added, "I assure you, sir, Adam would never set a fire to a home for any reason."
"You believe the men who fled are connected with the fire?" Kiernan demanded. "You said nothing of this last night."
"There's always the chance the fire was an accident, but there is no mistaking the animal oil I slipped in. Did you find the oil as I said?"
"I did." Just as he found papers on his father's desk in the library in disarray, which wasn't how he'd left them earlier that night.
They reached the bottom of the hill and a passing villager nodded to Kiernan. “Hugh.” He returned the nod and continued toward the burned homes.