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always does. Then she went to the Family Hall wi her embroidery. The earl hasna been here all day, so they canna have had a fight.”
    Checking, they found several people who had talked to Catriona that afternoon. But Meg Leslie, her daughters, Ailis Hay, and two of the servants all remembered that she was happy and excited.
    “What can have frightened her?” wondered Meg.
    “She wasna frightened, my lady,” corrected Ellen. “She was in a blazing temper.”
    There was a clatter of horses in the courtyard and the barking of dogs as the earl and his brothers returned from Forbes Manor. The four of them had just concluded the betrothal agreement for Isabella Forbes. Laughing and joking, they entered the Family Hall, then stopped at the scene that greeted them.
    “What is it?” demanded the earl.
    “It’s Cat,” spoke his mother unthinkingly.
    Patrick went white.
    “Nay, she’s all right!” said Heather quickly.
    “Then what is it?”
    “She’s gone off in a temper, nephew. Probably a fit of bridal nerves,” replied Heather, intending to soothe.
    “When?”
    “About an hour ago. She spent the afternoon in here. Then suddenly she went to her room, put on her riding clothes, and rode off.”
    “Who spoke wi her? How do you know when she went?”
    Heather told him, and then turned to Ellen to tell her story.
    “She came storming into her bedroom, my lord. ‘Ellie,’ she shouts, ‘go to the stable, and tell them to saddle Bana!’ ‘My lady,’ I says to her, ‘ ‘tis late, and the sun is close to setting.’ ‘Do as ye are bid!’ she says to me. Oh, my lord! I’ve raised her since she was a baby, and never has she spoken to me thus. She was in her old riding clothes when she mounted the horse. ‘Ellie,’ she says, ‘tell the great Earl of Glenkirk that I’d as soon marry the devil himself!’ Then she rode off. I came right to my lady Hay, and told her.”
    Patrick Leslie’s mouth was tight, and white around the lips. His eyes narrowed. “Someone must have upset her.”
    “Upset whom?” asked Fiona, coming into the hall. “What on earth is going on?”
    Patrick kept his voice level. “Did ye see Cat this afternoon?”
    “Aye. She was embroidering here.”
    The earl looked to his brother. Adam took his wife-to-be firmly by the arm and escorted her into the library. Frightened, Fiona faced the two brothers.
    “What did ye say to Cat, dear cousin?” His voice was icy.
    “Nothing, Patrick. I said nothing! I swear it! We talked of girlish things.”
    Reaching out, Adam caught his betrothed and, flinging her across a chair, laid his riding crop across her back. She screamed in pain and tried to escape him, but Patrick held her down by her slender white neck.
    “Now, cousin,” he said through gritted teeth, “love ye or not, Adam will, on my order, beat you to death if necessary. What did ye say to Catriona?”
    “I told her that ye slept wi me.” Fiona sobbed out the entire conversation.
    “You bitch!” swore Patrick. “It took me weeks to win Cat’s confidence, and ye hae destroyed it in three minutes!” He slammed out of the room.
    Adam looked down at Fiona. “I warned ye, my love, that if ye caused trouble I would punish you.” His arm rose, and she heard the whistle of the crop a second before it touched her back again.
    “No, Adam.” She cried out, but he was merciless. He beat her until she fainted a few moments later.
    Glenkirk was organizing as quickly as he could. His favorite stallion was winded, so he ordered his second favorite, Dearg, to be saddled. He would allow only Ellen’s brother, Conall More-Leslie, to accompany him. Before he left he spoke with his mother, his Aunt Heather, and Adam.
    “God knows where she’s gone. It may even take me weeks to trace her. She knows the countryside as well as any man. It’s too late to stop the wedding, so Adam, ye and Fiona are to wed in our place.” He looked closely at his brother. “Do ye still want the