Page 23 of Highland Steel

“The rain has let up and there is enough moonlight to travel.”

“God’s teeth, Logan, what’s gotten into ye?” complained Ethan.

“Put on yer gowns, lassies. We have no time to lose.” Logan picked up the gowns and tossed them to Rhoswen and Blaine.

“Logan? Ye’d better have a guid explanation for this, because I think ye’ve gone mad,” said Hawke.

“I didna want to say anythin’ in front of the lassies and the lad, but I guess they have a right to ken,” said Logan.

“What are you talking about?” asked Rhoswen, pulling her wet gown over her head. She faced the other way, not wanting the men to see her undershift.

“I went out lookin’ for wood, but what I found was a dead man.”

“A dead man?” Rhoswen finished dressing and pushed on her shoes, running over to meet him.

“I think I ken who killed yer guards and stole yer belongin’s as well as who killed yer faither,” he told her.

“Who?” asked Rhoswen. She ran back and grabbed the weapon belt and sword and started to strap it around her waist. “I can’t let them get away with what they’ve done.”

“Hold it, lass.” He grabbed her arm. “Ye arena goin’ to do anythin’ but go back to camp.”

“Did you see them? How many were there?” She shot the questions at him one after another. “What about the sword? Did you find my father’s sword? That is the only thing that is going to bring Lockie home.”

“I dinna think ye need to worry about givin’ the sword to the Drummonds.”

“Why not?” she asked.

Logan untied a small pouch from his belt and dangled it in front of her. “Does this look familiar? I recognized the crest on the pouch as the same one on yer horse’s saddle blanket.”

“That’s my father’s pouch,” she said, reaching out with one shaky hand to take it from him. She opened it and looked inside. Sure enough, besides his money was his signet ring that she figured they stole right off his finger when they left him for dead. She held it up to see it better in the light of the fire. Grief overtook her and her father’s words kept echoing in her brain. Kill Ranulph Drummond for me. Anger pushed through her veins and now she felt like mayhap she really wanted to do it. “No man should get away with what has happened here,” she whispered.

“Rhoswen, is that Father’s ring?” Newell ran over with Blaine right behind him.

“It is,” she said, softly. “Tell me, Logan, are the men who did this still out there?”

“I only saw the dead one. It looked like he died from wounds from when they attacked yer travelin’ party. I’m guessin’ since the bag of money was still on him that the rest of his clan doesna ken he’s dead. They are probably still on a pillagin’ and killin’ spree on their way back to Clan Drummond. The dead man must have been a scout.”

“That means the others are nearby,” said Ethan, pulling his sword from his sheath. “Let’s go find them.”

“Nay,” said Logan. “It’s too risky with the lassies and the boy along.”

“I know how to fight,” said Rhoswen. “I want to find them and bring them to justice.” The words dripped off her tongue and, suddenly, she felt as if it were her father speaking. She’d never felt vengeance before now.

“I can fight, too,” added Newell, always being anxious to prove his worth. “Let me help kill them.”

“Stop it, both of ye. Ye’re talkin’ like simpletons now,” shouted Logan. “All this kind of thinkin’ is goin’ to do is get ye killed. No sword is worth yer lives.”

“Who was it, Logan?” asked Hawke in a low voice. “Because by the look on yer face, I think I can tell.”

“Was it the Drummonds?” asked Caleb.

Logan nodded, his eyes focused on Rhoswen.

“The Drummonds?” gasped Rhoswen. “Please tell me it isn’t so.”

“We had an alliance with them,” said Newell. “You must be mistaken.”

“I ken their plaid, lad,” said Logan. “And the evidence in that pouch is all we need to prove it was really them.”