“What’s wrong?” Alex’s heart sank, and a worried expression crossed his brow. “I told ye to have someone look after her.” He grabbed Sybella’s hand and pulled her along behind him, not waiting for John’s response.
“Aye, I had Ian keeping an eye on her,” said John, following his laird through the brush.
Alex smirked and spoke with sarcasm. “Aye, because he did so well when ye asked him to look after…” He was about to say the MacKenzie’s son, but thought it best to keep that knowledge to himself lest he found himself thrown from his wife’s bed within a day’s time.
When they reached their mounts, Alex lifted Sybella onto her horse and then turned to John. “Where was Aunt Iseabail last?”
“Nay one has seen her since she broke her fast. Ian thought she was in her chamber. I have men searching the castle and a handful of them wandering the grounds.”
Alex placed his hand on the flank of Sybella’s mount. “I will ride with ye back to the stable and then I must take my leave.”
“Does she wander off by herself often?”
“More so than I would like.” He started to walk away and spoke over his shoulder. “The last time she did this, I found her in the woods where my men hunt. She forgot why she had left home.”
“Then we must find her. I will assist ye in searching the grounds.”
Shaking his head in disagreement, Alex mounted his horse. “The last thing I need is to worry about ye. Ye have yet to know my lands and ye ride a mount that isnae easy to handle.” He thought he heard his wife growl at him, but the lass was the least of his worries.
They galloped on the dirt trail beside the loch, and his eyes continued to search the surrounding area. As they reached the end of the path, he slowed his mount and Sybella darted around him. He called after her, but the daft woman only increased her speed. The lass fled up the hill past the clan burial markers and ran her horse full speed into the forest.
John and Alex merely stared, tongue-tied. Alex had to admit that he was momentarily speechless with surprise at seeing his bonny wife handle her mount with the same skill as a seasoned Highland warrior. But that was no excuse to rush blindly into the woods with complete and utter disregard for her own safety. He quickly recovered his wits and nodded to John.
The men thundered up the hill after Sybella and cautiously slowed their mounts when they reached the tree line. Once Alex caught his witless wife, he would need a tremendous amount of strength not to throttle her. God’s teeth! The woman’s carelessness was going to get her killed.
They separated and he could still see John a few yards away through the foliage, but neither of them spotted Sybella.
A branch snapped to the right and Alex’s horse shied.
“Thalla dhachaigh! Mach a seo!” Go home! Get out of here! Sybella screamed through the trees.
Alex turned his mount toward the sound of her voice. And then his breath caught in his lungs.
Sharp, white fangs were bared and saliva dripped from the wolf’s mouth. A cool sweat dripped down Sybella’s back, but she didn’t have time to think about that. The animal stood his ground firmly between her and Aunt Iseabail.
The color drained from Aunt Iseabail’s face, and the poor woman’s eyes widened with fear. She took a step to the right just as the wolf turned his head, taking another predatory step closer to her shaking frame.
“Stay right where ye are,” ordered Sybella in a low voice. The thought of the beast rending Aunt Iseabail’s soft flesh tore at Sybella’s soul.
The gray hair of the wolf’s coat stood on end, and the animal let out a low, throaty growl. Sybella tried to keep control as the beast crept slowly closer, getting ready to make his move. Since screaming did not scare it off, Sybella realized she needed to do something else, quickly. For some reason, the wolf seemed…off. It was unusually hostile for being alone in the daytime.
Sybella was frantically searching the ground for anything to use as a weapon when she spotted a rock within reach. She bent down carefully, reaching for the stone with the tips of her fingers. Her eyes never left the wolf.
The animal took one step closer to Aunt Iseabail.
Sybella brought back her arm, throwing the rock with all her might and hitting the wolf in the back of the thigh. The animal flinched, whirled around, and then headed straight for Sybella with wild green eyes and sharp fangs bared.
Her husband rushed through the trees on his mount. “Coimhead!” Look out!
“Alexander!” Sybella jumped to the side as he hefted his broadsword and his blade struck down the wolf. As soon as the animal fell to the ground, Sybella ran to Aunt Iseabail’s side. “Are ye all right?”
The older woman placed her hand over her chest. “Praise the saints that wolf gave me but a fright. If it wasnae for ye, my dear, I donna know what would have happened. Mòran taing.” Thank you very much.
Sybella smiled with compassion. “Ye donna need to thank me. Your safety is all that matters. Are ye sure ye are unhurt?”
Alexander approached and a swift shadow of something Sybella could not identify crossed his face. “Are ye injured?”
“An gaisgeach,” said Sybella with a smile. My hero. “The wolf wasnae right. I am sorry ye had to kill him, but the animal was sick.”
He nodded in response. “Aunt Iseabail,” he said with renewed patience, “how do ye fare?”
“Thanks to ye and your lady wife, I am fine,” she said with relief.
“Ye had us all worried. Why didnae ye tell someone when ye took your leave of the castle? Ye could have been killed. Ye are verra lucky my wife found ye when she did.” He ran his large hand over her gray tresses, and Sybella couldn’t help but smile when her husband’s aunt pushed his hand away in response.
“’Tis unfortunate I came across the wolf, but the last time I looked, Alexander MacDonell, I donna need to ask your permission to take a walk,” she chided him.
“Of course ye donna, but ye could have told someone where ye were going.”
“I was looking for ye, Nephew.”
“And I am here. What was so important that ye needed to seek me out, Aunt Iseabail?”
When she did not respond, Sybella spoke kindly. “’Tis all right, Aunt Iseabail. We were worried about ye, and ye are now safe. ’Tis all that matters.” She turned to her husband and nodded. “Mayhap ye can carry your aunt to your mount.” He raised his brow and Sybella discreetly gestured to Aunt Iseabail’s bare feet.
His eyes darkened with emotion.
When Sybella spotted Aunt Iseabail from the path walking into the woods, she hadn’t given her actions a second thought. She’d made a mad dash up the hill, refusing to lose sight of the poor woman. The last thing Alexander needed right now was to be worried sick over his missing aunt. Besides, Sybella found herself developing a certain fondness for Aunt Iseabail.
When Alexander bent to pick up Aunt Iseabail, she squealed. “Nephew, I am perfectly capable of walking on my own accord. Put me down.”
“Ye have nay voice in the matter. I will carry ye to my mount.” He walked back and lifted Aunt Iseabail onto his horse. Once she was secure, he spun around to assist Sybella, but then his eyes widened. “I would have assisted ye as well.”
Sybella sat upon her mount and spoke in a somewhat annoyed tone. “I donna need your assistance. See to your aunt.”
Alexander swung up behind his aunt and gave a brief nod to John. “Make sure ye call off the men.” He paused and then quickly added, “And have words with Ian.”
“It will be more than words. I assure ye,” said John dryly.