A Hint of Rapture by Miriam Minger Read Free Book Online Page B

which meant returning to Fort Augustus.
He could well imagine Colonel Wolfe's face, not to mention General Hawley's,
when they discovered what had happened. Dammit all! His mission had been
thwarted before it had really begun, and he had no one to blame but himself.
    "Up with ye, captain, now, and strip off yer fine
uniform," the Highlander demanded. "It looks like yer sergeant will
live, so he'll not be needing yer care for a while. And we've no more time to
spend chatting with ye."
    Garrett rose to his feet, his face darkening with fury
as he yanked off his boots and began to undress. His soldiers were already
stark naked and lying facedown in the dirt, while two of Black Jack's men tied
their hands and feet together.
    The Highlander gave a short laugh when he picked up one
of Garrett's boots and a knife fell to the ground with a thud. "It could
have been ye with the ball in yer shoulder, eh, captain?"
    Garrett didn't answer but merely shot a glance in Black
Jack's direction. To his surprise, the outlaw was nowhere to be seen. He
stepped out of his breeches, standing as God had made him in the center of the
camp. The indignity of it was almost more than he could stomach.
    "Lie down by yer men."
    Garrett threw his clothes on the pile near the fire and
grimly followed the Highlander's order. His hands were tied behind his back,
then his feet were bound securely.
    "That should hold ye for a while, lads," a
different man said, his deep voice tinged with malice. "Perhaps when the
brave sergeant regains consciousness, he'll see fit to let ye go. Hopefully for
yer sakes 'twill be before any Highland wildcat roaming these hills picks up
yer scent. Ye look to be a fine lot of trussed turkeys from this angle!"
    Furious, Garrett longed to lash out and tell the man his
raiding days were numbered, but he held his tongue. If he was given another
chance to set out for Strathherrick after this fiasco, he did not want these
outlaws to have any advance warning of what was in store for them.
    A sudden whooshing sound startled him, and he began to
cough when acrid gray smoke billowed through the camp. With a groan he realized
the Highlanders had set fire to their boots and uniforms.
    Just one more humiliation to endure, Garrett raged
silently. One more score to settle with Black Jack.
    His eyes stinging from the thick smoke, he turned his
head and watched three of the Highlanders move toward the wagons, their arms
loaded with confiscated weapons. They disappeared along the path, then he heard
the anxious neighing of horses and wooden wheels creaking. They were hitching
up the supply wagons.
    Garrett mumbled a swift prayer that the wagon carrying
extra clothing would be spared. If not, he doubted the few villages they had
passed along Wade's Road could provide them with thirty pairs of boots and
breeches. He and his men would become the laughingstock of the entire army if
they were forced to retire to Fort Augustus barefoot and naked.
    He blinked several times from the smoke, his watery
eyes falling on Black Jack walking along the edge of the camp. The outlaw
turned for a moment and looked back in their direction, then was gone,
swallowed up by the dark woods.
    "We'll meet again, Black Jack," Garrett
vowed, gasping from the smoke. "And next time, I swear it will be to my
advantage."

     

     

 
    Chapter 4

     
    Madeleine felt a warm satisfaction as she lifted the
last basket from the cart and hooked it over her arm. "Will ye see to the
mare, Neil, whilst I visit yer mama?" she said gently, smiling at the
young boy who was hopping excitedly beside the cart.
    "Oh, aye, Maddie!" he exclaimed, his ruddy
cheeks aglow with health and vigor. His hazel eyes, wide as saucers, glanced at
the basket. "Have ye anything for me?" he asked hopefully.
    Madeleine feigned a stern expression though her eyes
twinkled gaily. "Perhaps I do, Neil, but first ye must answer me this.
Have ye been a good boy this week, and helped yer mama with yer two younger
brothers