Beloved Imposter Read Online Free Page B

forward and put his left arm around the man’s neck, the other hand over the man’s mouth and dragged him down. Before the Campbell had time to react, Rory hit him sharply with the heavy hilt of his dirk, then bound his captive with strips from his own clothes.
    Then he moved stealthily behind the second man, who sat on a rock.
    He threw a stone, and when the guard turned, Rory struck him on the head and caught his body as he fell. He quickly bound him as he had bound the first man.
    He glanced toward the flickering light of a fire, which just barely flamed. He saw Nab’s large figure in the shadow.
    Rory moved swiftly between trees until he was near the shelter, made a soft sound, like the hoot of an owl. As he threw another stone in the opposite direction, two men moved from the makeshift shelter of limbs and brush. Nab took one, and Rory lunged toward the other. Stealth no longer mattered.
    In seconds, Rory had his man bound. Nab was still struggling with his. Both men—his and the Campbell—had daggers. Rory stepped behind the Campbell and grabbed him behind the neck. In a moment, he, too, was bound.
    Nab looked at him indignantly. “I could have taken him.”
    “Aye, and blood would have been shed.”
    ” ‘Tis a natural thing to shed Campbell blood.”
    “If we want them to exchange the favor,” Rory said dryly. “There has been enough bloodshed. We take back that which belongs to us. We need do no more.”
    “Except to avenge our people.”
    “Do you want more to die?” Rory asked.
    The man stared at him through the rain. Faces were barely visible.
    Nab finally nodded. “I will fetch the others to take the cattle.”
    “I will wait with these guards in case anyone comes.”
    Rory watched his companion disappear into the rain, then he checked the bonds of the Campbell prisoners before squatting before the fire. He’d barely warmed himself when Malcolm and the others appeared, herded the cattle in front of them, and started back to their own property.
    Rory watched them leave, then loosened the bonds of one of the prisoners. It would still take the man hours to free himself but it was no longer impossible. No Campbell would die this night from exposure.
    Felicia waited until well past midnight.
    The Cameron escort had arrived late that afternoon. They planned to leave with Janet at daybreak. Felicia’s escort to Edinburgh was to arrive in ten days.
    Felicia instructed the staff to serve their best wine to their visitors, while she avoided as much contact with them as possible.
    As she had hoped, most retired early, having drunk copiously of wine usually reserved only for their chiefs. Felicia had been uncommonly generous.
    She hadn’t told Janet what she planned for later in the evening.
    Instead, she told Janet she needed sleep, went to her own chamber, and stayed awake until the castle had stilled.
    When she felt confident that most were abed, she took the candle from her bedside and crept down the corridor and the stone steps to the great hall where the Camerons slept.
    No one stirred. She opened the great door and slipped outside, hurrying to the stables. The grooms, knowing the castle gate had been closed, should be abed as well.
    The night was very dark. Clouds eclipsed any light from stars and moon. Moisture was in the air. Rain would fall the next day, possibly in the next few hours. A cold wind blew, molding her cloak against her body and blowing her hair free of the bonnet she wore. Her hand shielded the flame from the candle to keep it from going out.
    She relished the feel of the sharp, cold, wet chill. Her prayers had been answered. Almost.
    She could assist those prayers.
    She went into the tack room. The candle flickered from a breeze blowing through the barn doors. Her heart nearly stopped. It couldn’t go out. Not now.
    The flame stabilized. She carefully placed the candleholder on a ledge, then went to the saddles belonging to the Cameron clansmen. She slipped a dagger from her boot