Marti Talbotts Highlander Series 1 - Anna Rachel u Charlet

not to go too far away and the boys disobeyed, so when he finally found his oldest son, he meant to scare him.
    The boys were happy, talking far too loudly and both were lazily sprawled out on a rock facing the wide stream. At his nod, Kevin and Justin attacked at the same time, grabbed the boys, and tossed them into the water face down.
    A smaller, but a nearly exact version of his father, Sween was so startled, he quickly turned over and grabbed for his dagger , b ut it wasn ’ t in his sheath. Instead, his father had it in his hand and Kevin was not smiling. The boy was caught and the only choice he had was to scramble to his feet and wor dlessly follow his father home.

    That night, Rachel boldly stood face to face with Kevin near the long table in the great hall, ignoring all the other people in the room. “I can do it. I have been inside the Ferguson hold three time s and they never once noticed.”
    It was a large room and could easily hold a hundred people during celebrations. Candles in holders burned at intervals along the walls and more were on the table. At the end of the room was a large stone hearth and a small back door leading to the place food was prepared. Stairs led to a balcony from which more doors opened into bedchambers.
    “Nay,” Connor said from behind Rachel. Then he noticed the warning look Kevin shot him.
    “I can do it, Kevin, you know I can.” Rachel was determined and prepared to argue if he turned her down.
    Sween’s golden curls were finally dry after his unexpected dip in the stream and he looked smug, “I could do it better than a girl .”
    Rachel turned to glare at her nephew, but it was Kevin’s much more fierce glare that made the boy sit down and close his mouth. Kevin then looked to his wife for advice. Anna was very protective of Rachel and one word from her would keep h im from letting Rachel go.
    Anna walked to her husband and turned to face her sister. “What will you do if the boys are there?”
    “Save them, of course.”
    “Nay,” said Kevin. “You will locate them and report back to me. If they need to be rescued, the lads will do it.”
    Rachel was sure she could save the children all by herself, but she didn’t argue. “I will do as you say.”
    “How did they not notice you?” Connor was brave enough to ask.
    She grinned at her sister, “I stole one of their plaids.”
    “Do you still have it?” asked Anna.
    “Aye and two more. I also have...”
    Kevin interrupted her. “Is the list of your stolen property very long?”
    “Very, very long, I am afraid.” She studied his face to see if he was getting mad. He didn’t seem to be, but it wasn’t always easy to see on the men’s faces -- all except Connor. She always knew when he was riled. In fact, he was riled most of the time. She sighed at the thought.
    “I will go with her,” said Connor.
    She spun around and glared at the one man she detested most. “You will not! You will only hinder me.”
    Anna tried not to smile, “She is right, she will have enough to worry about without having to protect you.”
    Connor was deeply insulted. “It is I who will protect her .”
    Kevin held up his hand to silence them and noticed Justin’s nod of consent. Justin was Kevin’s second in command and a wise man. He was also Rachel’s stepfather. Kevin took Rachel in his arms, hugged her and then stood her back. “Go and prepa re. Be sure to tell your mother. I will not have her upset when she discovers you gone.”
    “Agreed.”
    “Rachel, do you know how to find your mother’s secret?”
    She knew exactly what he was talking about and quickly nodded. She hugged her sister and then ran out the heavy wooden door.
    “God be with you,” Anna breathed and then headed up the stairs to pray beside her bed. She would likely be there the whole night and expect ed her mother to join her soon.
    Connor kept staring at Kevin. He hoped Kevin would give his nod and let him go with Rachel. If the Fergusons committed the murders, they would be expecting someone to come and he d id not want Rachel to go alone.
    Kevin didn’t give Connor permission to go. Instead, he sent his youngest son to bed and asked Justin for an accounting of all the families brought inside the wall over the last few hours. Not all of them were accounted for and there was a lot left to do; the outside families needed to be fed and sheltered. They also needed to bring more water inside the wall, so Kevin gave orders, one right after