Journey to the Highlands: Robbie and Caralyn (Clan Grant Series Book 4) Read Online Free

around three hundred and fifty, was a major undertaking. Widespread war was imminent, Robbie could feel it, which was also the reason his commanding officer would be unhappy with his decision. He had left another warrior in charge before heading out with Tomas to try and find the girls. They had to act fast in case the Grant warriors were called into battle. Robbie was determined to be there when he was needed. He would make his clan proud, even if he lost his life in the endeavor.
    Caralyn had begged to come along, but they’d convinced her that her injury would only slow them down.
    Robbie came down the path and slowed to a canter, shouting at Tomas. “Check the cottages and make sure there is no evidence of any bodies.”
    Glancing at the burned cottages, he hoped the wee lassies had known enough to stay away from the embers. When he found the area of large rocks near the beach, he dismounted. This had to be the place Caralyn had described. “Gracie? Ashlyn?”
    Silence.
    Tomas rejoined him. “No bodies that I could find. Looks as though everyone got out in time in the two cottages I checked.”
    He and Tomas dismounted before wandering through the area, and searched in between the rocks, but there was no sign of the little girls. Hellfire, he had to find them. “Head down the beach, Tomas. I’ll go this way. The thought of two lassies out here alone churns my belly. Where could they be?”
    Robbie pictured what Caralyn Crauford’s face would look like if he was forced to inform her that he had been unable to locate her daughters. He couldn’t allow that to happen. He suddenly understood why his brother Alex had been so driven to help his now-wife Maddie when they first met. His devotion to her and his determination to save her from abuse had made him a new man.
    Just as Robbie was about to head in a different direction, he heard a sound to his left in a group of trees. Jerking his head in that direction, he froze. A wee lass about the age of his niece, Lily, stood just behind the front row of trees. She made no sound, just peered at him, curiosity apparently winning over the need to hide.
    “Gracie?” Robbie took a few more steps toward the lass, but then he stopped in his tracks, not wanting to scare her away.
    “Gracie,” he squatted down not far from the bairn. “Your mama is with me at my camp. She sent me to rescue you and bring you and your sister back to her. Where is Ashlyn?” No answer. She stared at him with the biggest pair of blue eyes he had ever seen. She did not smile or cry, just stared. He stood and moved a few steps closer.
    A voice broke through the trees. “Gracie doesn’t like men.”
    “Ashlyn? My name is Captain Robbie Grant. I have come to help you. Your mama sent me. Are you both unhurt?”
    Ashlyn popped out from behind a large tree trunk. “You aren’t the man who dragged her to the beach.” She pointed to Tomas coming toward them. “Who is that?”
    “Nay, I’m not the one who hurt your mama. I would never hurt a woman or a child. You can trust me, lass. And you can trust my friend.”
    Her unwavering gaze caught his. “You’re the man who took her away on your horse. But you killed the bad man first. You ran him through with your sword after he punched our mama in the face.”
    She stood straight and proud, just as her mother did. Unfortunately, that told him quite a bit about her past. They hadn’t lived an easy life. This lass of eight summers had protected her sister and kept them both alive overnight, a stark tribute to her character.
    “Aye, lass, ‘twas me. I’m sorry you had to see that.” Robbie nodded to Tomas, who had made a slow approach and was now standing next to him. “This is my friend, Tomas.”
    She moved to her sister’s side and grasped the wee lass’s hand. “I didn’t let Gracie watch, just me. I had to see where Mama was. But you took her and I didn’t know where she had gone. I searched for her last night. Is Mama safe?”
    “Aye,