The Scot's Betrayal (Highland Swords Book 1) by Keira Montclair

Author:Keira Montclair [Montclair, Keira]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Publisher: Keira Montclair
Published: 2020-02-20T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

Alasdair held his hand up to indicate for the others to stop. “I don’t wish to retreat any farther. I don’t want to lose the bastards.”

“I don’t wish to be seen either,” Alick said.

“I agree,” Els said. “We need to wait a bit longer.”

Dyna had been shaking her head since Alick’s comment. “Nay, we don’t,” she said. “We follow or lose them. Must I always have the biggest bollocks in the group?” She pursed her lips and glared from one to the next. “Sorry, Alasdair. You have some. The other two, nay. Let’s allow these lassies to stay back while we go ahead.”

“Actually, I think it would be a good idea for us to split up,” Alasdair said. “The guards can stay with you and hold back. We can get closer if ’tis only two of us. Dyna, shall we?”

Dyna grinned and turned her horse around. The other lads shrugged their agreement.

“Where do we meet?” Els said.

“Meet us at that inn my father always speaks of,” Dyna said. “’Tis right near the castle. My parents stayed there years ago. I think it’s The Buck’s Inn.”

They separated, and Alasdair said, “My thanks for agreeing with me. Who knows where they are taking her? ’Tis probably Berwick Castle, but you heard what Grandpapa said. ’Tis possible the summons did not come from the king at all. We’ve all heard talk of his activities in the Borderlands and the Lowlands. If he’s as busy as they say, he is not in Berwick.”

“Aye. ’Tis mighty suspicious. We mustn’t trust anyone we meet.”

They arrived at Berwick before nightfall. They tied up their horses next to a burn and approached the town on foot. Dyna wore a cap to hide her white-blonde hair and dressed in a tunic and leggings. They’d agreed she would refer to herself as Alasdair’s squire, because her stature made her look much like a lad.

Her face lit up as they moved along. “There’s The Buck’s Inn, at the end of this road. It’s exactly as Papa said. It’s on the corner of two roads, and if you take the other one it leads straight past the back curtain wall of the castle. Should we arrange to stay the night?”

“Aye. We’d best do so now. We may not be back until late.”

The Buck’s Inn was one of the northernmost inns in Berwick, so they did not have to pass through much of the town to get to it, but they saw enough for Alasdair to notice the place had an eerie feeling. The townspeople had always considered themselves Scottish, but now their home was presided over by King Edward and flocked with English soldiers. The people they passed looked down as they walked, seemingly avoiding eye contact. They seemed defeated.

The Buck’s Inn was larger than most of the inns Alasdair had encountered in his travels. It looked commodious enough for twenty guests, something not seen often in the Highlands. He and Dyna stepped inside to a common room where ale was being served along with a thick, fragrant stew.

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