“What do ye mean? I’m too rattle-brained to follow yer words.” The poor lass was pale as new milk, and from the way she kept licking her lips, dry-mouthed from fear. He was certain she was strung tight as a hunter’s bow, and if he wasn’t careful, she would snap, which would only make things worse.
“If Armstrong lingers not far from here for a bit, he can give every one of us time to race off, and get out of his way. Then, when he feels enough time has gone by, he will start out for Stirling, kenning we would not be on his trail because we are in front of him.”
“Do ye think he’s that smart?”
“Not smart. Devious.”
Katie stared at him, her eyes moving as if in thought. “Aye. I agree.” She took a deep breath and said, “What do we do first?”
Evan jumped from his horse and reached up to help her down. “First we visit all these stores and ask about any unfamiliar mon buying supplies. If he is holed up somewhere close by, he would need to feed himself and yer brother.”
They began their search at the most obvious place, the general store. The cheerful shop held every sort of item a household would need, from iron skillets to dried fish. The comforting smell of herbs hanging from the ceiling scented the air. Large wooden barrels of flour, sugar, and coffee had been lined up in rows from the front door to the counter, creating aisles for a shopper to browse through.
Every wall held floor-to-ceiling shelves filled with jars and bottles of various items. The worn wooden floor creaked as he and Katie made their way to the counter, where a large mon with a white apron around his middle wrapped a parcel for a woman with two bairns clinging to her legs.
As soon as the woman left, the mon turned to him and Katie. “And what can I get for ye on this fine day, my laird?”
“We’re looking for information,” Katie blurted out.
The man’s brows rose at her abruptness. ’Twas unlike Katie to not at least acknowledge a person and offer a word or two of conversation. However, being aware of how upset she was, Evan took her hand in his, giving it a squeeze.
“And what is it ye would like to know, lass?” the mon asked, still smiling.
“In the last few days, has a mon who is not familiar to ye been in to buy a supply of food?”
Chapter Twenty-Four
The man behind the counter with the jovial expression grew serious and rubbed his chin as he regarded Katie and Evan. “Aye. There was a mon in here two days ago that I didn’t ken. I had seen him once when I took my meal at the Hare and the Hound. He was two tables away from me. Kept his head down and looked side to side the entire time, like he was waiting for someone to grab him. Had his back to the wall and watched the window to the street, also.”
“What did he buy?” Evan asked, apparently anxious to get to the information they needed.
Evan’s idea was a good one. Richard would expect them to chase him back to Stirling, which is precisely what Katie had wanted to do. Ever since they had discovered Gavin missing, her stomach had been in knots thinking about that horrible man having his hands on her innocent brother.
“The mon bought some apples, nuts, cheese, and oatcakes. He also bought a small pot, two mugs, and tea.” The storekeeper tapped his chin. “That is probably all. Oh, and some bars of peat.”
Katie and Evan turned to each other. “Ye were right,” she said. “He’s holding him here, waiting for all the searching to be over.”
“Is there anything else I can help ye with?” The storekeeper looked over her shoulder as the door behind them opened.
Katie turned to see Alasdair striding toward them. “Any news?”
Evan shook his head. “Nay.” He turned to the storekeeper. “Thank ye for yer information. If the mon comes back again, see if ye can hold him here and send someone to the castle.”
“Aye, certainly.” The mon looked from Alasdair to Evan. “Is there more I can do? Ye seem to be in a dither.”
“Ye have already been a help, and just keeping yer eye out for the mon and sending word to the castle is verra good.”
Katie, Evan, and Alasdair gathered outside the store. “I believe Armstrong is somewhere within a few miles.” Evan turned to Alasdair. “We dinnae see the lad on our ride to the village, and this storekeeper”—Evan jerked his thumb at the store behind them—“said a stranger came in to buy supplies. ’Tis my opinion Armstrong assumes we will all be heading off to Stirling to rescue the lad, so he will stay put and then head back home when things quiet down.”
Alasdair nodded his agreement. “I suggest we split up and begin a search.”
“Aye, except Katie will be going with me. I dinnae want her off by herself searching for the lad.”
Katie poked the fool oaf in the arm. “I am right here, ye ken. ’Twill be faster if the three of us split up.”
“Nay.” Evan gave her his my-mind-is-made-up-so-dinnae-think-ye-can-change-it look. Then, to her complete astonishment, he laid his hands on her shoulders and said, “I shouldn’t have been so sharp with my words. I apologize.”
Katie almost dropped to the ground at his words.