The Kindling Heart by Carmen Caine

Author:Carmen Caine [Caine, Carmen]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: historical romance, scottish romances, Historical, medieval romance, scotland, medieval romances, General, Romance, medieval, historical romances, Historical Fiction, marriage of convenience, scottish romance, Fiction, Love Stories
ISBN: 9780983524021
Google: wgfPygAACAAJ
Amazon: 0983524025
Publisher: McAzadi Services
Published: 2011-09-20T22:00:00+00:00

***

It was a week from hell.

They rode hard, sleeping little, as they hunted the men responsible for the unholy attack.

Several times, in the heat of battle, Ruan found arrows assailing him from behind, as in the previous raids. One succeeded in grazing his shoulder. He shared his suspicions with no one, but it heightened his state of alert. Perhaps he was foolish, but he still did not want to believe his own brothers were trying to kill him.

They had found some of the raiders camped in the mountains near several crofts. The encounter was over before Ruan could even order that they be kept alive for questioning. He exchanged heated words with Michael and the others over the loss of the opportunity to gather more information.

It began to rain.

They sloshed through the mud, their bare knees and plaids soaked, as they scoured the moors for signs of the raiders.

A few days later, they stumbled upon another encampment.

Again, Ruan found his attempts to take the men alive thwarted and this time by Gerland.

It was maddening.

The entire incident was unusual, from the manner of Fearghus’ initial attacks to the fact that though these men were dressed in MacDonald plaids, they did not wear them properly. He could have sworn they were shouting in French as the battle ensued. One swarthy man was definitely Spanish. He’d heard him praying aloud as he lay dying on the moors. Gerland’s sword cut it short. It made little sense and Ruan was perplexed how they came to serve Fearghus. That is, if they were in the man’s service at all.

The day was particularly gloomy. The clouds steadfastly refused to let the sun’s rays penetrate their forbidding layers. Ruan spent the night scouting the perimeter of the nearby forest. It was late when he finally returned to the others and discovered Robert had ridden with Michael to investigate a new set of tracks.

Ruan sat tiredly before the fire. Someone thrust a leg of fowl and a few bannocks into his hands. He adjusted his plaid, stretched his long, bare legs with a brooding scowl, and ate quickly. He didn’t trust Michael or Gerland. He was concerned for Robert’s safety.

He was asking what direction they had taken when a wail sounded from the men around him. Springing to his feet, he saw Robert’s horse following the others.

It was without a rider.

He didn’t recall mounting his horse; suddenly, he was just reining alongside Michael. His attention focused solely upon the grey-faced man his brother bore in his arms.

“He’s dead,” Michael said, his voice sounding as if it were from far away. “There was nothing we could do.”

“Aye,” Gerland murmured in agreement.

Finally finding his voice, Ruan asked hoarsely, “Did ye slay the man who did this?”

“He escaped,” Michael answered. “We stopped, trying to save Robert.”

Ruan bowed his head, willing the tears to come, but they were strangely absent. His heart sank. He was responsible for this, first the crofters, and now his uncle. Their deaths were upon his head. He could not think.

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