A Fire Within (These Highland Hills, Book 3) (27 page)

She didn't move away but continued to stand there, even as
the heat of their shared emotions began to far exceed the mutual
warmth of their bodies. There wasn't much time left, Caitlin
knew, to win Dar over to the idea of remaining with her when they finally found Niall and his men. And, when time was short,
a woman had to use every advantage she had.

"Ye'd be safe," she murmured, gazing up at him from beneath
her long, dark lashes, "either way. Niall's a reasonable man. And
ye are, after all, bringing me back to him."

The effort it took Dar to step back from her was evident. "Aye,
he'd likely not kill me on the spot," he replied, his voice husky.
"He's the lawful sort, after all. He'd at least first have me tried
before he hung me."

There wasn't time to formulate a reply. Dar turned to the right
and, pulling the gelding along, headed off the road and into a
thick stand of trees. Behind her, she heard Goraidh chuckle.

Caitlin waited until the hermit had drawn up alongside her
before she spoke.

"Ye could be a bit more help, ye know," she then muttered,
taking care that Dar not overhear them. "He's got a better chance
of a decent life with my clan than he ever will with his. And
Niall's a godly man. He could be brought to show Dar mercy
and extend forgiveness."

"Aye, that he likely could, lass," Goraidh said, keeping his voice
low. "Ye usually do get what ye want, don't ye? But what of what
Dar wants? Or isn't that what matters most to ye?"

She grabbed his arm and pulled him to a halt. "Of course it's
what I want! He's had little enough of happiness in his life. But
do ye truly think he'll ever find any happiness with that ill-fated,
melancholic clan of his? Why, I've never seen such a cowed,
dithering, self-serving bunch of folk in all my life!"

"It wasn't always that way," he said, and Caitlin thought she
heard a wistful sadness in the older man's voice. "The bitterness
of betrayal, though, can sear clear to the heart of a family and
clan."

"Och, aye, and lay that as well at Dar's feet, will ye?" She shook
her head. "I would've thought ye, of all people, would understand that it takes more than one misguided if well-intended act to
bring down an entire clan."

"And why would ye imagine Iwould understand better than
most?" Goraidh asked carefully.

"Why else? Ye're a man of God. I would've thought ye'd possess
greater compassion and insight than the rest of them."

"Och, aye. Well, I hope that's true."

The hermit's laugh sounded suspiciously like one of relief.
Caitlin eyed him a bit more closely. Was there more to Goraidh's
story than he had yet to reveal? If so, holy man or not, he might
bear watching.

"Besides," he continued then, "I wasn't speaking of what Dar
did when he fell in love with Nara. I was speaking of another
betrayal, inflicted before the lad was even born. Another betrayal
of brother against brother."

"Indeed?" Her curiosity piqued, Caitlin moved closer. "A MacNaghten brother against brother?"

"Are ye two going to lag behind the whole night?" Dar, far
ahead now, called softly out to them just then. "We need to get
some rest, and it's already later than ye may think. So, if ye would,
stop yer blathering back there and catch up with me!"

Further questions would have to wait, Caitlin decided as she
picked up the pace along with Goraidh. But, if she had any say
in it, not for long.

The misfortunes of Clan MacNaghten apparently went far
deeper than she had been led to believe. And, somehow, some
way, Caitlin thought with a ripple of presentiment, it all seemed
to come full circle back to Dar.

Late the next day, as they made their way across Glen Fyne and
then headed northeast up the River Fyne, which Dar hoped to
follow until it finally swung west toward Loch Shira, he caught a glimpse of a large party of horsemen cresting a hill north of
them. Though still on the other side of the river, the riders headed
toward them with a disconcerting speed. At first, Dar couldn't
make out from their plaids who they were, but Caitlin soon told
him all he needed to know.

With a sharp, inhaled breath and tightening of her arms about
his waist, she leaned forward. "It's Niall. I beg ye, stop and let
him come to us."

He should do as she asked, Dar thought. Stop and let her
down so she could await her brother's arrival. Then ride away
while he still had a lead on them. Once the Campbell and his
men reached the spot where they currently were, it would still
take a time to ford the river. A river that was running heavy and
strong from the late spring snow melt.

But now that the moment was finally upon them, Dar found
that a strange malaise had settled over him. He didn't seem able
to move his limbs, much less turn and help Caitlin dismount.
The memory of the press of her body against his back, her light
fragrance of heather and fresh air, and her arms about his waist
would soon be all he had left.

And he didn't want it to end. Not now. Not ever.

"What do ye intend to do, lad?" Goraidh's voice intruded
suddenly on Dar's tortured musings. "They'll be here soon. Verra
soon.

The hermit's warning jerked Dar back to action. He turned
to Caitlin.

"Ye're safe enough now, lass. Get down. Yet brother will be
here for ye in but a short while."

"N-nay." Caitlin's clasp about him tightened. "Stay, Dar. Stay
with me. There's naught left for ye with yet clan. Athe will see to
that, and well ye know it. Once I speak with Niall, he'll understand. He'll take ye in."

On the contrary, Dar thought. She didn't understand. Her brother had been made to look the fool. No Highlander bore
that well, especially not ones as proud as the Campbells. Niall
wouldn't forgive, or forget, what Dar had done to him.

"I don't wish to be taken in," he said, hardening himself to her
sweet pleas. "I'm a MacNaghten, and that's all I've ever wanted
to be. Don't ye understand that? Now, get down before I throw
ye down!"

"Have it yer way then, ye pigheaded dolt!" Caitlin cried as
she slid from the horse. "It won't matter in the end what ye do
or don't want."

Hands fisted at her sides, fire flashing in her eyes, she backed
away. "Ye're not rid of me. I'm in yer blood now, Darach MacNaghten, and ye'll never get me out. Ye'll see. Ye'll see!"

"Mayhap not," he gritted through clenched teeth, "but ye're
well rid of me. And, if not now, someday ye'll thank me for
that."

Dar looked to Goraidh. "Are ye with me, or will ye stay with
her?"

"I'll stay with her until her people arrive." The hermit made
a quick motion with his hand. "Go, lad, and be quick about it.
Already, they're set to ford the river."

Dar glanced up. About three hundred feet upstream, Niall
Campbell, at the head of his men, was already urging his big
horse into the river. The animal began to swim strongly, but at
mid river the current suddenly proved too powerful. Rather than
continue across the surging waters, the horse was slowly pushed
downstream.

Niall Campbell fought to remain on the animal's back. He
soon apparently decided, though, to lighten the load, slipping
from the saddle to swim alongside.

For a few seconds, the horse appeared to gain a few feet toward the other shore, before its forward momentum was once
more halted by the onrushing waters. The animal slammed into a large boulder and spun around, wedging Niall between itself
and the boulder.

Foaming waves rushed over him. Niall fought desperately to
keep his head above the water before finally disappearing beneath
the raging torrent.

Caitlin screamed and ran upstream along the rocky embankment toward her brother. Just then, with a great lunge forward,
Niall's horse broke free. Carried along by the current, the animal
shot past her.

A few seconds later, Niall's limp form broke the water's surface
and was also propelled down the river. Caitlin scrambled over
the rocks toward the water's edge.

"Lad?"

Goraidh looked to Dar, who had, until that moment, been
sitting there transfixed by what had so rapidly been taking place.
A question burned in the older man's eyes.

"Caitlin! Nay!" Dar roared, finally galvanized into action.
"Stay. I'll do it!"

Caitlin looked up. Their glances met for a brief instant. Joy,
gratitude-love-flared in her luminous blue-green eyes.

Then there was no time left to spare. Turning his horse along
the shore, Dar headed straight to a spot downstream where he
saw that the river narrowed.

He had no choice. He was the only one close enough to reach
the Campbell as he came rushing down the river. From the looks
of him, Niall had been knocked unconscious while trapped underwater between his horse and the boulder. If Dar didn't get to
him, and fast, Niall Campbell would surely drown.

The fact he was risking his life to save his enemy, and would
likely be captured in the bargain, wasn't of import. It was Caitlin's
brother. If Dar didn't go into the water after him, she surely
would. And her woman's strength wouldn't be sufficient to save
herself, much less drag an unconscious man back to shore.

He kicked the gelding hard, urging it into a run. He needed
to buy some distance downstream before he dove in. He would
have only one chance to time his entrance into the water so as
to reach the proper spot when Niall floated by. After that, only
luck-or heavenly intervention-would get them both back to
shore alive.

As he reached the slight narrowing of the river, Dar reined in.
He leaped from his horse and scooted down the embankment
toward the river. Even then, Niall was barreling toward him.

Dar tossed aside his dagg and slipped from the harness that kept
his claymore strapped to his back. He waded out into the shallows
until the waters tugged hard around his thighs. Then he dove in.

Just as he broke the surface in the middle of the surging waves,
Niall, now on his back, passed him. Dar reached out and grabbed
at the other man's arm. He missed. He grabbed again. As Niall
shot by, Dar caught him by his ankle.

With a great lurch, Dar twisted about. With one hand, he
began swimming toward the shore. Water boiled over him, beating at him like some enraged assailant. He was forced below the
surface.

The turbulence blinded him. Suddenly, Dar didn't know if he
was up or down. He was flung around and around until he felt
dizzy. But not once did Dar release his hold on Niall Campbell's
ankle.

Finally, blessedly, his head broke the water's surface. He looked
around. A small cove, formed by a stand of boulders jutting from
the shore partially into the river, lay just yards ahead. Using his
free hand, Dar grabbed Niall by his belt. Then, with the other
hand, he pulled over the Campbell until he could grasp him
about his waist.

Kicking with all his might, Dar thrust Niall's limp form forward, shoving him ahead of him toward the cove. Just as they
passed the boulders, he propelled Niall into the quieter waters.

Then the river caught him, swept him by. A broken tree limb
jammed into some hidden rocks snagged Dar at the last moment.

Exhausted, his breath coming in sharp, shallow gasps, Dar
held on to the lifesaving wood. Eventually, some of his strength
returned. He kicked off, swimming the short distance back upstream toward the cove. Niall floated there.

Dar struggled over to him. Slipping his arm beneath the other
man's shoulders, he half-lifted, half-carried him toward shallow
waters, toward shore.

There, on a rock-strewn bank, Dar rolled Niall Campbell over
and slapped him hard several times on the back. He collapsed
then beside the Campbell who, with a grunt, began to cough
and retch, expelling the water from his lungs.

In the distance, Dar thought he heard the pounding of hoofbeats and the sound of men's shouts drawing ever near. It didn't
matter. His side hurt fiercely. Everything was beginning to go
foggy ... gray. Then Caitlin and Goraidh were there, pulling
them both farther up onto the bank and away from the river.

It was the last thing Dar remembered.