When had things gotten so complicated?

Well, it didn't change anything. It just gave her less time to work a miracle. And by G.o.d's will, she would have her miracle. Or die in that effort.

At least four days gave her time to reach the MacDouglas.

She hoped.

"Here, take this." She pulled from her little finger the ring that her father had given her on her tenth birthday. It was a thin gold band that had the impression of tiny wildflowers on it. All the women of the clan knew it to be hers, and in her absence, they would know it spoke for her.

"At week's end, give my ring to Pegeen and tell her to take the women home."

Braden held the gold band in his hand. Her warmth still clung to the metal. It was such a tiny piece of jewelry, so frail and delicate, and yet at the same time strong and unbending. It reminded him much of its owner.

He remembered a time, long ago, when he and Maggie had been friends. When she had actually saved him from being ambushed by a group of the clanswomen who had been lying in wait to mob him on his way to her house.

He couldn't honestly remember a time in his life when he hadn't known her and her stubbornness.

He'd never before thought about just how much of his past she was. Not until he thought of her marching off to the MacDouglas and getting herself killed.

For some reason, the thought of her death stung him far more deeply than it should.

Braden handed the ring back to her. "Do you honestly think I'm going to stay behind and let you brave the MacDouglas on your own?"

"Of course. They would be suspicious of a man they didn't know, but a woman-"

"Would stand out mightily, since all of their women are in hiding. Is that not right?"

Maggie opened her mouth to speak, then snapped her jaw shut. She'd forgotten all about that. Her journey to MacDouglas lands wouldn't be so easy this time. They would be suspicious of any stranger, and as a lone woman in their midst while their own women were shunning them...

It didn't bear thinking on.

"And might I point out," Braden continued, "that if they ever figure outwho you are, your life will be worthless. No doubt they all know your name by now and curse it with every breath they take."

"Very good points," she said, her mind whirling as she sought to think of an alternative.

There wasn't one.

She would merely have to alter her original plan of reaching the MacDouglas. "I shall have to dress as a lad, men."

"Alad would never be traveling alone," he said. "You'll need someone to go with you."

How she wished she could have an escort, but if anyone found out Braden's ident.i.ty... Well, she didn't want to think what the MacDouglas clan would do to the brother of their enemy.

She had started this alone and she would finish it that way. "Braden-"

"Nay," he said firmly. "I doubt the MacDouglas will listen, and when he demands your head for it, you'll be needing someone to get you out of there."

"You can't fight all of them."

"You'd be amazed what I can do when my life is at stake."

Actually, she wouldn't. She had seen him train enough to know quite a bit about his abilities to protect himself and others.

Still, the fact that he was willing to risk his life for hers meant quite a bit to her. Braden might be an arrogant man, but he usually wasn't a foolish one.

"Why would you risk your life for me?" she asked.

"I have no idea. But come, we need to find you some clothing and give Ewan your ring and instructions."

"Are you mad?" Ewan asked after they had found him outside the kirk, putting the ladder away in a small shed.

"Is who mad?" Sin asked as he joined them.

Ewan turned to Sin with a disgusted look. "Braden is going to take Maggie to see the MacDouglas so that she can talk the MacDouglas into stopping the feud."

Sin whirled to face Braden. "Are you mad?" he asked in disbelief. "He'll have you impaled before you get halfway to his castle."

"Nay, he won't," Maggie said, then she laid out the plan for them.

When she had finished, Sin shook his head. "It'll never work."

"Forgive me," Maggie said softly. "I don't mean to be rude, sir, but I don't even know who you are, and I have no idea how this matter concerns you."

"He's my brother Sin," Braden said softly in her ear.

Maggie's eyes widened and she formed a small O with her mouth. Everyone in the clan knew the terrible tale of how Sin had been taken forcibly from the castle.

And even worse, the story of how, as the king's men were struggling to force the youth on a horse, his father had turned his back to them, then coldly closed the door and left his son to his enemies.

The instant the door had shut, Sin had stopped struggling, stiffened his spine, and ridden off with the promise that he would never return.

Anghus had been there when it had happened, and the tale had always haunted her. How could any father just turn his back on his blood and let him go?

Now she regretted her harsh words to him. No doubt, Sin had heard worse, but she didn't want to add any more to a man who had suffered so much.

"Forgive me," she said to Sin, "but it's been quite some time since last we met."

Sin gave an almost imperceptible nod, but said nothing.

And now that she knew who he was, she asked, "How do you know my plan won't work?"

A wicked, almost evil smile curved Sin's lips. "Because when it comes to planning attacks, I have no equal. If I say it won't work, you can wager your life on the fact that it won't. I've never been wrong."

A chill went down her spine. There was something hidden in those words. Something that scared her.

"Speaking of plans," Braden interjected, "how did the reconnaissance go with Lochlan?"

Sin shook his head. "It's hopeless. They have him and four others tied in the center of the hall where they can all keep an eye on them. Even if we came in through the gallery, they'd see us in plenty of time to kill the five of them, or us."

"What four others?" Maggie asked.

Braden went cold at her question. Oops. In his concern for Lochlan, he had let that other little tidbit slip his mind.

He turned sheepishly to Maggie. "Did I forget to mention the small fact that Fergus has all four of your brothers tied up with Lochlan?"

She narrowed her eyes on him. "What?" she roared. "What do you mean-"

"It's all right, Maggie," Braden a.s.sured her. "Nothing will happen to them."

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't think it would change anything."

"Well, it certainly does! I'm not going anywhere until they're safe."

Maggie faltered as soon as the words were out of her mouth. Once again, she was caught. "I have no way to get them out, do I?"

Braden shook his head. "Not unless you throw open the door to the kirk and lead the women home."

She sighed. "Then we'd best follow my original plan."

"Then I go with you," Ewan said.

"Oh, aye, that'll work well," Sin said sarcastically. "If there's one person the MacDouglas would rather lay hands to than Maggie, it's you. Good plan, that."

"Could you please refrain from sarcasm?" Ewan snapped.

"Could you please refrain from fighting?" Maggie inserted. " 'Tis a wonder any of you survived childhood." She glared first at Sin, then at Ewan.

"I knew I should have stayed in England," Sin said under his breath. "But no, I just had to come back with Braden and had to stick my b.l.o.o.d.y nose in where it doesn't belong. If I had any sense, I'd go back home right now and leave all of you to your idiocy."

Braden ignored him. "Ewan, you keep Maggie's ring, and at week's end, hand it over and save Lochlan.

That should keep the men from doing anything against the MacDouglas or his men until we can reach the MacDouglas. When you free Lochlan, tell him what we're doing and make certain he doesn't lead any kind of attack against the MacDouglas unless he's sure we're dead."

His eyes full of reluctance, Ewan nodded slowly.

Braden clapped him on the back. "Maggie and I will leave just after dark."

"What should I do if the women miss her over the next four days?" Ewan asked.

"Tell Mother what we've done in the morning. She'll help you keep the women from getting suspicious."

"Just remember," Maggie warned, "you have to give us the whole four days to reach the MacDouglas. If you let the women out sooner, one of the men might attack the MacDouglas, and it could get us killed before we even reach the castle."

Ewan's face belied his fear for them, but finally he agreed.

Sin growled in his throat. "I suppose this is where I toss my gauntlet in to join this suicide escapade."

Braden arched a puzzled brow. "Meaning?"

"I can't very well let you go alone, little brother. In the highly likely event the MacDouglas decides to kill the two of you where you stand, you'll need another sword."

"Oh, here's where I get to be sarcastic," Ewan said. "Can I point out how much you'll stand out wearing English clothes as you prance across MacDouglas territory?"

Braden nodded. "He's right, Sin."

The glower on Sin's face would have quelled Goliath. "I'd sooner wear a kirtle than put a plaid on this body."

"Well, then, you'll have to stay here," Braden said.

"I'll be fine in my own clothes."

"Nay," Braden said firmly. "I'll not chance it. I couldn't save Kieran when he died any more than I could keep our father from sending you to the English. But this I can stop, and I will. I'll not lose another brother. Not so long as I live."

Sin's glare intensified as he tapped his thumb against his thigh in agitation. "You know, there's this voice in my head that keeps telling me to return to England. No doubt I'm going to wish I'd heeded it."

His lips curled, Sin turned to Ewan. "Find me a d.a.m.n plaid and I'll wear it."

Braden stifled his laughter at the look of repugnance on Sin's face.

"Now that we have that settled," Braden said, "the next question is, how do we find our way across enemy lands and into the very heart of the MacDouglas's territory?"

Maggie smiled. "I'm so glad you asked."

Chapter 7.

Hours later, as the sun set over the lush, rolling hills of the Highlands and darkness stretched across the land, Maggie stood in the small courtyard behind the kirk. The entire area was enclosed by shrubs and roses that Father Bede spent most of his days lovingly tending. And those roses smelled wonderful in the early twilight.

A solitary bench rested against the far wall and if she listened closely, she could hear the voices of the women in the nearby dormitory. Faint laughter rode the wind and brought a smile to her lips.

It was beautiful out here, and she loved her blessed Highlands. Even though the sun had descended over the farthest hill, a dapple of pink, purple and magenta played across the dark blue clouds as the first stars of the night came out to twinkle. A pleasant chill settled on the earth and the night animals began their soft, gentle serenade.

Maggie had seen the evening descend thousands of times in her life, but never before had it struck her quite the way it did tonight. It was then she prayed that when all was said and done, she'd be back to witness another beautiful sunset from MacAllister lands.

A few weeks ago, when she had devised her plan, she'd had no idea that it would lead to this. Any more than she'd guessed Braden MacAllister would step forward to be her defender in this strange sequence of events.

He was a good man, to risk his life for her. And though he had told her he was only doing it for Anghus, she liked to think that maybe there was more to it than that.

Perhaps he would even be a little sad should something happen to her.

What a silly fool you are, thinking such thoughts. The man has better things to worry over than a plain, dowdy la.s.s like you.