Highland Wolf (Highland Brides #10)(14)

“How many more days do ye think it’ll be ere we reach MacFarlane?”

Conall glanced around with surprise at that question from Roderick. They’d ridden hard through the day, but it was night again. They were back to traveling at a walk, and the man had urged his mount up beside his.

He considered the question, sorting out how far they had to go and the speed they could reasonably expect to manage to cover it. Had they continued to travel at a walk day and night as he’d originally planned after their first day traveling at speed, it would have been another couple of days to reach MacFarlane at least. But after letting the horses rest a day and night, and getting that rest themselves, they’d been able to travel at a gallop again through the day. They’d also taken a shortcut he hadn’t originally planned to take because it had been available during daylight due to their delay. Had it been night, he never would have risked the track of land through the woods. But during daylight it had been no problem and they’d actually made up time so that they were a little closer than he’d expected to be at this point.

Realizing that Payton and Hamish had moved up to hear the answer to Roderick’s question, and that they were all waiting, Conall finally shrugged. “Another day or day and a half, mayhap. With luck we’ll arrive late tomorrow night or early the morning after,” he answered, and then asked, “Why?”

“Well, we seem to ha’e collected a new animal for every day o’ travel,” he said, and then counted off, “The bunny, the stoat kit and the fox pup she found this morn.” He raised his eyebrows, and pointed out, “That’s three animals in three days.”

Conall’s mouth flattened out with displeasure at the accounting and he glanced down at the baby fox cradled in a sleeping Claray’s arms. He was definitely regretting asking her if she’d needed to relieve herself again that morning before they’d left the glade where they’d rested. He had been ever since she’d returned from her trip to the woods carrying the new beastie—an abandoned fox pup whose mother, or some other creature, had chewed off both of its ears for some reason.

Conall had groaned aloud the moment he saw her step out of the woods carrying the furry little animal. One look at her charmed face as she’d cooed and cuddled the creature had told him he’d have a fight on his hands if he tried to make her leave it behind. Not wanting to upset her by making even an attempt to convince her, he’d simply mounted and waited silently as Hamish had supplied the salve and linens she’d needed to treat and bandage the injured pup’s ears, as well as a strip of plaid that she’d wanted to swaddle it in.

Once satisfied that she’d done all she could for now, Claray had made her way to his side, smiling at him widely. Conall had silently lifted her up before him—bunny, stoat, fox and all—and set out without a word. Now he scowled at Roderick for reminding him that he was traveling with a growing menagerie of animals and growled, “So?”

“So, I was just wondering how many more animals we’ll have with us ere the end o’ this journey,” he drawled, making Payton and Hamish chuckle.

Conall ignored them until the laughter faded away and Payton said, “I’d guess she’ll add at least one more animal ere we arrive.” He paused briefly and then said, “What I’m wondering is what it’ll be.”

It was Hamish who suggested, “I’m thinking mayhap a dormouse or a wounded pine marten.”

“Nay,” Payton said at once. “She went bunny, stoat, fox. Each one is more predatory than the last. I’m thinking the next’ll be a wildcat.”

“I’m betting on a wolf,” Roderick announced.

Conall closed his eyes briefly, not liking any of the options. He didn’t want another damned animal on his horse. He really needed to talk to Claray about this tendency she had to rescue every lame beastie she encountered. He—

His thoughts broke off as Squeak crawled out from the top of Claray’s dress, climbed up her body to his and made his way to his shoulder where he sat down to chitter squeakily at him in demand.

Sighing, Conall shifted his reins to his teeth and dug out the linen-wrapped raw meat he’d tucked in his bag for this purpose. Retrieving a good-sized strip of meat, he set it on his shoulder next to Squeak and then rewrapped the linen.

Conall wasn’t surprised that the kit had gobbled up the food before he’d finished packing the linen-wrapped meat away and retrieved the reins. He was surprised that Squeak didn’t immediately return to his little safe spot inside Claray’s dress though. Instead, the kit remained where he was on Conall’s shoulder, his little head turning this way and that as he surveyed everything around them. For some reason it reminded him of Claray when she’d woken up the first night of this journey and that thought made him smile faintly.

“Ye’re going to leave her at MacFarlane.”

Conall glanced to Roderick with surprise at that comment. It was not a question, but he responded as if it were. “Aye. ’Tis where she belongs.”

“Is it?” Roderick asked quietly.

Conall narrowed his eyes at what sounded almost like a reprimand to his ears. But all he said was, “It is until we marry.”

“And when will that be?” Roderick asked with interest. When Conall didn’t respond right away, he added, “I only ask because I’m quite sure that’s why her da chased to Buchanan to see ye when he got wind Aulay had ye there discussing business. Ye ken the man is growing impatient to see the contract fulfilled and his daughter wed.”