Highland Vow Read Free

who aid me.”
    “’Tis a hard choice ye give me, lad. Do I believe ye and risk angering the powerful Douglas clan by keeping ye alive? Or do I leave ye to die, mayhap e’en turn ye o’er to the Douglases e’en though ye might be innocent? Ye ask me to risk a lot on nay more than your word.”
    “He isnae asking—I am,” said Elspeth. “And ye do have one other thing to weigh in his favor, Fither.”
    “Oh, what is that?”
    “From the moment I found him, he has been trying to get me to go away, to just leave him to his fate. He hasnae once ceased to warn me that he could be trouble.”
    “But ye are a stubborn lass.”
    “Aye, I am.”
    Balfour smiled at his daughter, then moved to stand at Cormac’s feet. “Come, Eric. Lend us a hand. We will set this young fool on the litter and drag his leaking carcass back to my Maldie so she can mend him.”
    “Are ye certain about this, Balfour?” asked Eric as he moved to help carry Cormac.
    “Not fully, but what murderer, what hunted mon, turns aside an offer of aid because he fears a silly wee lass will be hurt?”
    “I am nay silly,” Elspeth muttered as she followed her father.
    Eric and Balfour briefly exchanged a grin; then Eric said, “None that I ken. Aye, I feel the same as ye do. I just pray we can get this lad healed and away from Donncoill ere the Douglas clan kens what we have done. It sounds cowardly, I ken, but…”
    “Aye, but. He isnae kin, isnae e’en a friend or the son of a friend.” Balfour glanced down at Cormac as he and Eric settled the youth on the litter. “Ye will be mended and made strong again, lad, God willing, but then ye must walk your own path. Do ye understand?” he asked as he studied the youth’s gray, sweat-dampened face.
    “Aye, I havenae swooned yet,” Cormac answered.
    “Good. Ye have seen the riches I must protect.” Balfour briefly glanced toward the children. “We Murrays are but a small clan. E’en if we call upon all our allies, we are still small—too small to bring the wrath of the Douglas clan down upon our heads.” Balfour signaled Donald to attach the litter to his own horse.
    “I dinnae think anyone, save the king himself, could pull together enough allies for that battle.”
    “And mayhap nay e’en him. Ye picked a verra powerful enemy.”
    “Ah, weel, I have e’er believed that one should strive for the verra best in all things,” Cormac whispered, then swooned.
    “He hasnae died, has he?” Elspeth asked in a soft, tremulous voice as she touched Cormac’s pale cheek.
    “Nay, lass.” Balfour picked up his daughter, and after Donald and his brothers setthe smaller children on the horses, he took his mount by the reins and started to walk back to Donncoill. “The poor lad has just fainted. I believe he will be fine, for he showed a great deal of strength just to stay awake and speak sensibly for so verra long.”
    “And when he is strong, will ye send him away?”
    “I must, lass. ’Twould be fine to raise my sword and defend your poor bloodied laddie, for I feel certain he has been wronged, but the cost would be too dear. It could e’en set us against our king.”
    “I ken it.” Elspeth twined her thin arms around her father’s neck and kissed his cheek. “Ye must choose between all of us and a lad ye dinnae ken at all and have no bond with. And I am thinking, in this trouble, ’tis best if he goes on alone. He is the only one who kens where to look for the truth that will free him.”
     
    Cormac stood on the steps of the Donncoill keep as his saddled horse was brought over to him. The Murrays had healed him and sheltered him for two months as he had regained his strength. He felt a deep reluctance to leave and not solely because he would have to face the trouble with the Douglases once again. Cormac could not recall ever having stayed at a livelier or more content place. He and his brothers were close, but his own home had never felt so happy. Some of what had pulled him and