Page 57 of Highland Storm

“Phoebe, why are ye out here instead of in yer room?” asked Hawke, noticing the stableboy in the shadows and Orrick standing next to her. “And who is watchin’ Lennox?”

“Oh, that.” Phoebe’s smile faded fast. Hawke’s heart went out to her. He loved seeing her reunion with her siblings. But he had to remember that she was still his prisoner. Even if she was his lover now as well.

“Lennox escaped,” Orrick broke in, coming to Phoebe’s defense.

“Blethers!” spat Hawke. “He was tied up hand and foot. How did that happen?”

“He – he knocked me down and stole a horse,” said Orrick, rubbing his chest.

“It’s all right, Orrick,” Phoebe told the sorcerer, gently laying her hand on his arm. Then she looked up at Hawke, raised her chin, and answered.

“I cut him loose with my throwing knife that I found in our room.”

“Yer room? As in both of ye?” asked Agan with wide eyes.

“Never mind that,” grumbled Hawke. “Phoebe, were ye tryin’ to escape again?”

“Aye, I did consider it,” she bravely admitted. “I heard ye talkin’ with yer friends about goin’ to Crookston Castle and sneakin’ in and rescuin’ yer grandda. I wanted to go home, Hawke. Ye canna blame me. I shouldna be a prisoner.” She reached out and picked up her brother while her sisters moved closer and put their arms around her shoulders. “I dinna belong here. I need to get home to my faither before it is too late.”

“I ken,” he said softly, feeling as if he did the wrong thing by keeping her as his prisoner. He was more than the enemy now. They’d made love and it was welcomed by both of them. He thought of her as his friend, his lassie. His lover. She had asked if he felt that way but he wasn’t able to admit it. One of the reasons he’d tried to rescue his grandfather without trading Phoebe was because, in his heart, he honestly didn’t want her to leave him. But now, seeing how close she was with her siblings, he started to think that she did need to go back to her father. The man needed her. She needed him. But with Euan in charge and now with Lennox gone and probably back at the man’s side, he was sure Crookston Castle wasn’t a safe place for Phoebe or her siblings to be. “My grandda doesna deserve to be a prisoner either.”

“Where is yer grandda?” asked Phoebe, her brows dipping as she spoke.

“I wasna able to rescue him.”

“Why no’?” she asked.

“Because he was too busy savin’ yer siblin’s,” said Caleb. “I still do no’ understand why we risked our lives to gain more prisoners and still havena rescued our chieftain.”

“I wanted to go back to get him, but the MacNabs started to attack,” Hawke told Phoebe. “I needed to protect yer siblin’s, so I decided to bring them back here right away.”

“Ye did that? For me?” Her hazel eyes locked with his, showing gratitude and respect. “Thank ye, Hawke. “Thank ye, from the bottom of my heart. Now all we need to do is to rescue my faither.”

“We?” Hawked raised a brow. “Ye are no’ goin’ anywhere near Crookston Castle, lassie. As a matter of fact, we’re goin’ to head to the Highlands right away.”

“We are?” asked Phoebe. “Ye’re takin’ my siblin’s there as well?”

“We are?” echoed Logan in surprise.

“Ye heard me. Pack up, everyone,” instructed Hawke. “Orrick, get the wagon. The children will ride with ye.”

“Hawke, what are ye thinkin’?” Ethan and Logan approached him.

“We canna take all these MacNabs to the MacKeefe camp,” protested Logan.

“Well, what do ye suggest we do?” asked Hawke. “They canna go back to Crookston Castle. Ye saw how Euan had them imprisoned. They are no’ safe there.”

“Leave them here,” suggested Caleb.

“At a tavern?” Hawke raised a brow. “The Horn and Hoof is hardly a place for women and children. Plus, I dinna want to endanger Callum. His tavern has always been a neutral ground where Highlanders and Lowlanders and sometimes even the English could meet without confrontation. I willna jeopardize that for him. Just bringin’ our prisoners here to begin with was risky and no’ a smart thing to do. If the MacNabs come lookin’ for trouble, they’re goin’ to find it.”

“Ye’re right,” said Logan with a nod. “We’ll head to the Highlands right away.”

“Phoebe, I’m scared,” whimpered Miles, clinging to her skirt.

“It’ll all right, Brathair, dinna worry.” Phoebe rubbed her hand up and down the boy’s back. “Hawke will protect us.”

As Phoebe and her siblings headed for the stable, she hoped it was true. Because if Euan and his men came looking for them, there wasn’t much she could do to protect her siblings by herself. She was counting on Hawke and his clan now to keep them all safe. Ironic, since the only man who could protect her and her siblings was also her captor.