Tom stood shaking his head. He watched Devin trying to break the stallion. The girl was going to get her neck broke. She liked to break the new horses coming in. Tom had told her she didn't have any business doing such things but she had just grinned and proceeded to do it anyway. If the Master found out he would…Well Tom didn't want to think about what he would do. Tom sighed sometimes he even thought the business end of a hickory switch would do the girl some good. Tom watched as she gentled the horse. She swung off of the stallion and took the lead and brought him back to the stables. "Well how did I do Tom?" she asked. "You did well." He grumbled taking the horse. Devin grinned at him. Tom looked up their was a rider coming. Devin turned around. It was Byron. He stopped and practically fell off the horse. Devin grabbed him to steady him. He looked terrible. "Tom get him some water." Devin said. Tom brought over a flask of water which Byron gulped down. "Where is Marcus?" Devin asked with panic in her voice. She knew there was something wrong. Byron looked at Devin. He saw the fear in her eyes. "He's been taken." He said. Byron explained exactly what happened and all he remembered. Devin didn't cry she listened carefully to what Byron said. "Tom have Mary run M'Lord a hot bath and get him a meal. Ready a horse for me." She said. She took Byron up to the house. "Maggie pack me a bag with several pants and shirts and food for a couple days." She said. Byron grabbed her arm. "I know you can not possibly think you are going to look for him." He said. "Let go of my arm sir. He is my husband. I will do as I please." She said. "Marcus would have my head if I let you do something so foolish. You will stay here. I will go find him. I promise I will bring him home." He said. Devin nodded she knew there was no point arguing with him. She went up to her own room while Byron went to have his bath. She called Maggie in to help her pack. "M'Lord says you're not to go Lady Devin." Maggie said. "And do I ever do what I'm told? I will go find my husband." She told Maggie. Maggie sighed she knew arguing with Devin would do no good. Devin explained her plan she would follow well behind Byron. He wouldn't even know she was there. Devin pulled her sword out and found a belt with a holder. When Maggie had all her things packed and ready she took them to the stables to stash them. She told Tom to keep her horse at ready in the back so Byron would not see him. "Lady Devin no good will come of this." He said. "Tom he is my husband. I can not sit and wait. I must do something." She said. Tom nodded he did understand. "The master will have all our heads for letting you do this." He said. "M'Lord knows me. Theirs no way you could stop me." She said slightly smiling. Tom took her hand and kissed it. "Take care Lady Devin." He said. "I will." She said and headed back to the house.
Devin watched as Byron prepared to leave. He came over to Devin. "I will find him Devin. I promise." He said. She nodded. "I know you will." She said. She is so brave Byron thought. Most women would be hysterical. He got on his horse and took off. Devin hurried into the stables and got her horse. She strapped on the belt and put her sword on. She pulled her hair up and put on one of Joes caps. When she turned around Patricia and Maggie were standing there. "Lady Devin please be careful." Patricia said. "Yes Lady Devin. Stay as close as you can to Lord Byron in case you have trouble." Maggie said. Devin walked over and hugged Patricia and then Maggie. "I will be careful. I don't want you two to worry. I will be home soon with Marcus." She said smiling. "I know I can depend on you two to run things while I'm gone." She said. "Of course we will Lady Devin." Patricia said. Devin jumped on her horse and waved and was gone. "Lord protect her." Maggie said.
Devin stayed well out of sight of Byron. She just followed his trail. He obviously wasn't thinking about anyone following him. He was just trying to track Marcus before all signs of their trail disappeared. He rode solid for two days without stopping before he made camp the second night. Devin was thankful. She was exhausted. She tethered her horse a good ways away from Byron's campsite. Then she silently went through the woods and climbed a tree. She could see into Byron's campsite. He had a fire going which looked good. Devin was about to freeze. She had in her haste forgotten to bring a cloak or a cape. She looked around the campsite but their was no sign of Byron. Where was he?
Byron had been a tracker to long to not notice he was being followed. He didn't see anyone. But it was more a feeling. So he had stopped and set up camp. Then he backtracked on foot. Sure enough there wore hoof tracks besides his. Someone was following him. He walked on about a quarter of a mile. He found the horse tethered to a tree. He untied it and took a closer look. By God it was King, Devin's horse. Just wait till I get my hands on that brat he thought and headed back to his campsite.
Devin saw Byron come back into the campsite. "Devin come out this minute!" he yelled. Damn how did he discover me she thought? "I have your horse. You going to follow me on foot!" he yelled. Oh double damn what was she going to do now. She moved to start down the tree and thought maybe she could sneak and get her horse without getting caught. Little did she know, Byron had excellent hearing. He was waiting at the bottom of the tree when she jumped down. Byron clamped his hand onto her arm and dragged her into the camp. "Let me go!" she demanded. "Just what in the hell do you think your doing young lady?" Byron demanded. "I'm going to find my husband." She said. "Oh no your not. You are going to turn around in the morning and take yourself back home." Byron said. "You do not tell me what to do!" she shouted. "I will just keep following you so you may as well let me come with you." She said. Damn what a stubborn wench. She must drive Marcus insane. "What you need is a good whipping girl." He said. "I hope the devil takes you…you ass." She cursed at him "I'm going to find Marcus no matter what you say. I must….I love him." She said. Her voice cracked and the tears welled in her eyes. She knuckled them impatiently away. Byron looked at her and melted. Poor thing he had been riding hard for two days and she had managed to keep up. She looked exhausted and cold. He took her hands they were like ice. "Come sit by the fire and get warm." He said. He led her over to the fire and sat her down. He put his cloak around her. She huddled under it for warmth. He heated some water in a small pot and made some tea. He walked over and sat down beside her and handed her a cup of tea. "Thank you." She said. He watched her drink. She looked like a child really. He sighed. "Devin I will take you with me, I really have no choice I would loose too much time taking you back. "You will do as I say at all times; do not question anything I tell you to do. Do you understand?" he asked. "Yes." she said smiling up at him. "You can just wipe that smile off your face. That's not going to work on me I'm not Marcus. I'm very unhappy with you right now. You step out of line one time I will give you a whipping you wont forget." He said. Devin nodded at him. Marcus gave her some dried meat which they ate in silence. He went and got Devin's bedroll off the horse and put it near the fire. He put his a few feet away. "Get some sleep Devin. We will start out while it is still dark in the morning." He said. Devin got up and slipped under her blanket. "M'Lord?" Devin said. "I thought I told you to call me Byron." Byron said. "Byron Thank you." She said quietly. Byron didn't answer. He was going to have some explaining to do when they found Marcus. He was letting Devin put her self in danger against his better judgment. He sighed and let him self drift off to sleep.
Marcus banged on the wooden door but it was locked tight. He still wasn't sure exactly what happened. One minute he and Byron were riding the next he was swept off his horse. He was gagged and tied before he could move. There were many men, he could tell from the sound of different voices. He also knew they were Scottish from there accent. He had figured he was kidnapped to get information about what the king's military plans were. He wasn't going to tell them a thing. He knew they would probably kill him if he didn't talk. But there was no help for it. He couldn't betray his country. He thought of Devin. The thought of never seeing her again grieved him. He wished he could hold her just one more time. Just then the door opened. A man as big as him walked in. He was huge. He was wearing a kilt. "I see yer awake lad." The man said. Marcus glared at him. He had green eyes and flaming read hair and a long beard. He looked familiar in a strange way. "I will not tell you anything, you may as well kill me. Give me my sword back and fight me like a man you Scottish coward." Marcus said. "I am Fergus McLeod." The man said. "I do not give a damn who you are. You will learn nothing form me." Marcus said. Fergus knew Marcus was not ready to listen yet he was too angry. He waved the serving girl in with a tray of food. She sat it down and quickly scurried out of the room. Fergus followed her. Marcus looked at the food. If he wanted to keep his strength up he would have to eat. Maybe on a full stomach he could formulate a plan to escape. He sat down and began to eat.
Fergus walked into his study. Another man was there waiting for him. He had gray hair which still had some streaks of brown in it and startling blue eyes. "Well Fergus. How does it fair with him." He asked. "He's a stubborn damn Scott that's fer sure." Fergus said. "He is not ready to listen to anything right now. He is too angry." Fergus said. "What of the lass." The man asked anxiously. "Douglas we have been friends many years. I know you are anxious for news of the lass." He said. "Aye that I am. I have heard she looks like her mother." Douglas said. Fergus looked at his old friend and seen the pain in his eyes. "We got the lad, now we just have to get him to listen to reason. It will just be a matter of time before he sends for his wife." Fergus said. "Old friend you make it sound so simple." Douglas said. Fergus smiled. "I have the lad do I not? Soon you will have the lass." He said. Douglas only hoped he was right.