Read Online Hunted (The Scottish Falconers Book 2) by Diane Wylie - Free Book Online
Authors: Diane Wylie
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right.”
The swaying of the wagon soon lulled Derek and William both to sleep.
Sometime later, Derek woke when the cart stopped moving. Cautiously lifting the blanket, he peeked out.
Gray light cloaked their surroundings, and he could see the shadowy figures of his companions a stone’s throw away. Tall, straight trees and small scrubby bushes cast deepening shadows on the ground.
Easing out from under the sleeping boy, Derek ended up facing a row of empty wooden perches. The Grahams must have set loose their birds again.
Roger the donkey turned to give him a solemn gaze as he gingerly climbed down from the wagon. The healing hip had stiffened during the ride and he limped a few steps before he could walk in an almost-normal manner.
What were they doing?
Fin and Rabbie were shoveling dirt out of a hold in small amounts at a time. Then Rabbie dropped his shovel and began pulling the dark earth away with his hands.
Derek walked to where Catriona and Isobel were looking on. “What’s going on?”
Isobel let out a gasp and jerked around. “Derek! I thought you were asleep.” She took his arm and pulled him around to lead him away from the activity. “Come on, let’s get you some food.”
He tried to look back over his shoulder, but Catriona stepped over to block his view. “Yes, let’s go get some nice fish stew, Mr. Sinclair, ’tis simmering now.”
“What are your men doing, Belle? Mrs. Graham? I’d really like to know.”
They both had his arms now, one on each side, pulling him along.
“Och, they’re just retrieving some family valuables that we buried here before going to Crathes Castle. Nothing important.” Isobel rubbed his arm. “How does your hip feel? Perhaps I should take a look at that injury of yours.”
Derek allowed himself to be distracted from whatever the Grahams were digging up. Food did sound good and letting Belle minister to him was equally attractive. He would let it go for now, but he would keep an eye on these people. They were hiding something from him.
Chapter 9
“What will we do about Burnett’s traitorous actions, Da?”
Isobel glanced back toward where Derek sat on the edge of the cart talking with William. Derek had not heard Fin’s question. The three of them were walking, while Rabbie and Catriona rode ahead on the two horses. A full moon lit their way on this cool spring evening.
“Nothing, Fin.” Da’s sharp features didn’t change as he watched the faint path ahead. “Ye ken full well we’ve got a mission first, and we’ve got to find Lady and Sir Ogilvie to return their boy. Nothing comes before those two things.”
“But Burnett is in league with an English soldier.” Fin’s voice rose a bit in protest. Da quelled him with a look that could freeze a toad on a summer day.
“We’ll see what’s to be done later, and I’ll hear no more about it, Finlay.”
Fin made a grumbling, thoroughly Scottish noise of wordless protest then fell silent.
Isobel, knowing they were headed in a general northwest direction, ventured a question of her own. “Are we going to the Highlands, Da?”
“Perhaps we will, Belle, but I’ve a mind to see my old friend, Minister James Granger of Kinneff. Before we get there, I’ll need to ken whether the Sinclair man can be trusted or not.”
Boyd gave her a searching look. Isobel thought she could trust Derek, but she really didn’t know him very well. She sighed. “I dinna ken, Da, not for sure.”
“Mmm, well best to be safe and keep our business to ourselves then.”
“Da, what will we be doing with Sinclair? He seems good enough to go on his own now.”
Isobel scowled at Fin for this, but her brother merely shook his head and waited for his father’s answer.
“We found him with other Dunnottar men-at-arms, I recognized a few of the bodies, but I didna ken them all. We must take him at his word. He is from Dunnottar Castle like us. He has some Gaelic, if that helps ease your mind, Fin. Until
The swaying of the wagon soon lulled Derek and William both to sleep.
Sometime later, Derek woke when the cart stopped moving. Cautiously lifting the blanket, he peeked out.
Gray light cloaked their surroundings, and he could see the shadowy figures of his companions a stone’s throw away. Tall, straight trees and small scrubby bushes cast deepening shadows on the ground.
Easing out from under the sleeping boy, Derek ended up facing a row of empty wooden perches. The Grahams must have set loose their birds again.
Roger the donkey turned to give him a solemn gaze as he gingerly climbed down from the wagon. The healing hip had stiffened during the ride and he limped a few steps before he could walk in an almost-normal manner.
What were they doing?
Fin and Rabbie were shoveling dirt out of a hold in small amounts at a time. Then Rabbie dropped his shovel and began pulling the dark earth away with his hands.
Derek walked to where Catriona and Isobel were looking on. “What’s going on?”
Isobel let out a gasp and jerked around. “Derek! I thought you were asleep.” She took his arm and pulled him around to lead him away from the activity. “Come on, let’s get you some food.”
He tried to look back over his shoulder, but Catriona stepped over to block his view. “Yes, let’s go get some nice fish stew, Mr. Sinclair, ’tis simmering now.”
“What are your men doing, Belle? Mrs. Graham? I’d really like to know.”
They both had his arms now, one on each side, pulling him along.
“Och, they’re just retrieving some family valuables that we buried here before going to Crathes Castle. Nothing important.” Isobel rubbed his arm. “How does your hip feel? Perhaps I should take a look at that injury of yours.”
Derek allowed himself to be distracted from whatever the Grahams were digging up. Food did sound good and letting Belle minister to him was equally attractive. He would let it go for now, but he would keep an eye on these people. They were hiding something from him.
Chapter 9
“What will we do about Burnett’s traitorous actions, Da?”
Isobel glanced back toward where Derek sat on the edge of the cart talking with William. Derek had not heard Fin’s question. The three of them were walking, while Rabbie and Catriona rode ahead on the two horses. A full moon lit their way on this cool spring evening.
“Nothing, Fin.” Da’s sharp features didn’t change as he watched the faint path ahead. “Ye ken full well we’ve got a mission first, and we’ve got to find Lady and Sir Ogilvie to return their boy. Nothing comes before those two things.”
“But Burnett is in league with an English soldier.” Fin’s voice rose a bit in protest. Da quelled him with a look that could freeze a toad on a summer day.
“We’ll see what’s to be done later, and I’ll hear no more about it, Finlay.”
Fin made a grumbling, thoroughly Scottish noise of wordless protest then fell silent.
Isobel, knowing they were headed in a general northwest direction, ventured a question of her own. “Are we going to the Highlands, Da?”
“Perhaps we will, Belle, but I’ve a mind to see my old friend, Minister James Granger of Kinneff. Before we get there, I’ll need to ken whether the Sinclair man can be trusted or not.”
Boyd gave her a searching look. Isobel thought she could trust Derek, but she really didn’t know him very well. She sighed. “I dinna ken, Da, not for sure.”
“Mmm, well best to be safe and keep our business to ourselves then.”
“Da, what will we be doing with Sinclair? He seems good enough to go on his own now.”
Isobel scowled at Fin for this, but her brother merely shook his head and waited for his father’s answer.
“We found him with other Dunnottar men-at-arms, I recognized a few of the bodies, but I didna ken them all. We must take him at his word. He is from Dunnottar Castle like us. He has some Gaelic, if that helps ease your mind, Fin. Until
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