Highland Island (Book 6)

Chapter 25

Chapter 25

"Your friend is incredibly loud. She will be bringing the wrath of your clan down upon us all if she does not stop." Com was asking for a beating, Carrick elbowed his brother at the words, but he could see the longing in his gaze as he mocked the woman he wanted.

The girl herself, has been the first to appear, nervous as she had been, he had not expected the mouth on her when she got going. Loud, he would agree with, but it was obvious from the lack of activity that no one had heard her. So Com was very much trying to pull her tail here, which could only mean bad things in the future. However, right this moment, all Carrick could focus on was the wide eyes of the woman he had very nearly reached. The tightness of his ribs was noticeable in his lack of ability to take a full breath. But that had nothing to do with any break, it had everything to do with the woman before him.

His eyes swept up her body, to focus on her face. From the other side of the brook, her smile had been radiant and misleading. As he approached, he could see the tired circles beneath her bright eyes. But it was not that he was steps from her that he could see the angry cut at her temple. Forgetting all around him, he stormed the last few yards between them. Catching her shoulders in his hands to angle her so the light hit the side of her face and he could see her injury fully.

His voice a growl when it finally slipped free. "Who did this?" When she went to turn towards him, he lifted a hand to grasp her chin and keep her in position so he could fully examine the bruise and cut just along her hairline. "Tell me who did this to you. You did not have this last eve, dark or not the happened after we left."

Her eyes watched him from the corners, but the stubborn line of her mouth said she was protecting someone. "Isla," the growl was very obvious, "you don't need to protect them when they did this to you."

"Actually, I'm rather glad she is." The voice was low but the raised chin of Isla's friend said she was ready to do battle as he glanced at her over his shoulder. His brow furrowed at the edge to her voice and the tightness around her eyes. Something was going on here beyond his ken.

"And why would that be?" The harshness was evident in his tone, but it affected the women in his hands more violently than the one he watched. Her hands coming up to knock away his grip, only it was like a bird trying to fly through a mountain, she was not going to move him. He turned towards her, "Be still woman."

She wrenched away in a move he did not expect. "I will not." Hands on her hips, face mutinous. "How dare you presume to tell me what to do?" The anger was a fire burning bright, but his confusion was just becoming more pronounced. Her ire was making him feel a lot smaller than he was, something about her stances, her glare and her very aura was making him feel an inch tall.

Biting back his apology, as if he was facing his mother as a bairn, he focused instead on the friend who had spoken. "Are you going to clarify what is going on?"

She kept the fidgeting mostly under control, but he caught her hands fisting him her skirts. "I really don't think I need to be telling you anything."

Com stepped up behind her. "Will someone just tell me what is going on here?" His arms flapping at his sides, like a lack lustre bird trying to take flight.

"What are you talking about?" Moira stepped up next to Isla again, ignoring the fiery stance, she tired to grab at Isla's shoulder. Isla knocked her hands away with a hissed "Stop it." But Moira would not desist.

"Isla, your hurt! I know Gilbarta said she had to hit you, but I never expected you to be so hurt." Isla winced at Moira's words. Her glance flicking from a shocked Carrick, to an exasperated Gilbarta and finally back to a Moira whose words were just dawning on her. Wincing on the silence that settled over the clearing, the only sounds the wind in the trees and the mocking laughter of the brook. Moira very slowly turned to face the three behind her.