“Well?” Liam asked. He wore an irritated frown as he shook his brother by the shoulder. “What are we goin tae do wi’ her?”
“I have an idea,” Finn sighed. “I think she could go places that men cannae go. She looks good an’ talks well, an’ she is brave. She saved a’ the bairns from bein’ burnt alive an’ was nearly killed hersel’. I admire her courage.” He shrugged. “I think she will be a good member of the team.”
“Oh, aye?” Brian, one of the other men, said with a grim, suggestive laugh. “Bravery? I don’t think so, Finn. Ye took her because ye werenae thinkin’ wi the right part of yer body!” He pointed to Finn’s groin.
Finn jumped to his feet and rushed around to Brian, hauled him to his feet, and slammed his fist into the other man’s jaw, sending him sprawling on the ground.
He lay there, dazed for a moment, before sitting up groggily and rubbing his face. The others looked at him without pity. They all knew that Finn could be pushed only so far before he blew up, and the frustrations of the day had forced him to the edge of his tolerance. He was slow to anger and would smolder for a long time before bursting into flames, but when he did, it took a long time to extinguish them. Liam knew that it would be useless to interfere.
“Ye will nae speak about me or her that way again!” Finn snarled as he hauled the other man to his feet. “Do ye understand? Or I will tear ye limb from limb an’ ye will nae be able tae touch a woman ever again!”
Brian nodded frantically. Finn let him go, throwing him away from him so that he almost landed in the fire, then he sat down to drink some ale and eat some meat. No one spoke to him since they knew that at times like this it was better to leave him alone to cool down in his own time. Apologizing would do no good, and he would come to his senses in his own good time.
A short time passed, then Finn looked back again to see that Greta was lying on the ground, apparently fast asleep. He was drowsy himself, but he would not allow himself to fall asleep until he had made her eat something. It had been a horrendous day, and the only good thing that had come out of it was her. He was still trying to work out, however, what had possessed him to bring this beautiful woman along with his band of thieves.
I must be mad,he thought.
* * *
When Liam had first seen Finn lifting Greta onto his stallion, he was mystified, then alarmed. There was no doubt that she was a beauty, with her tumbling brown fair curls, golden-brown eyes, and luscious curves, but what use was she to them? All she did was distract the men, use up the food, and slow them down since it was clear that she would have to bathe and primp herself up far more than they would. He loved women, to be sure, but they were such fussy creatures compared to men!
The brothers began to talk quietly but not in their usual bantering fashion.
“Ye know, I have always looked up tae ye, Finn,” Liam said, sighing as he poured some ale from a flagon into their cups, “but I think ye have lost yer wits. I don’t believe the story ye just told us. What is the point of havin’ her wi’ us?”
“As I told ye, Liam, I think a woman can get us intae places we would no’ be able to go as men,” he answered, but he did not look at Liam as he spoke.
“Oh, aye?” Liam’s voice was scornful. “An’ there is no other reason? Look at me, Finn. I can always tell when ye are lyin’ to me.”
Reluctantly, Finn looked up into Liam’s eyes. “I am nae lyin’, Liam.” His voice was firm, but again, his gaze dropped away from his brother’s almost at once.
“Aye, ye are,” Liam said sourly. “An ye have been lyin’ ever since ye brought that lassie along wi’ us. I have known ye a long time, Finn, an’ I can tell.” He picked up a stone and threw it into the burn, watching as the firelight made ripples where it splashed and sank.
He was desperately disappointed in Liam; all through their years together, he had looked up to him. When Andy Baldwin, leader of their band, had been betrayed and stabbed to death, it had been taken for granted that Finn would become their leader. There had been no vote, no show of hands. He had just assumed the position by virtue of his personality and his air of authority, and up until now, he had been very good at it.
He had saved their lives many times with his ability to talk his way out of most situations, and he had an uncanny knack of sensing when danger was near and avoiding it. Once, however, their luck had run out. A rival gang had mounted a raid at the same time as theirs, and the leader took the chance to snatch both Liam and Finn. He kept them as hostages for a month before they managed to escape.
They were used as slaves, looking after the horses, cooking, cleaning, and washing clothes, as well as a hundred other menial tasks. Indeed, they were almost worked to death, starved, and beaten for the slightest infraction of the rules. However, Liam did not suffer the beatings; Finn took every one of them for him, and his back bore the stripes of whip marks to that very day.
The gang had not abandoned them since Liam and Finn were the brains behind all their plans but had found it impossible to find a way into their hideout. Without them, the rest of the gang was useless. However, they found a way out on their own.
One day, as the leader’s daughter, Marion Baldwin, was coming into the building by the back door, which was well shielded from view by trees, Finn jumped out and held a kitchen knife to her throat.
“Nae a word,” he whispered, “or I will slit yer throat from ear to ear. Now ye will come wi’ me tae the stables an’ find two horses, then we will leave here, an’ ye will nae make a sound.”
He instructed Liam to find some food, and they left, taking the terrified daughter of the leader with them. He arrived as they were leaving and watched helplessly as his daughter was carried away. She was his only child, and he knew he would never see her again. It was said that Finn Crawford never harmed women, but perhaps in the case of an enemy’s daughter, he would make an exception.
They rode for about two miles then stopped. Finn dismounted and lifted Marion out of the saddle.
She stared at him with her brown eyes round with fear, expecting at any moment to be stabbed, raped, or strangled. “What are ye goin’ tae do tae me?” she asked desperately, backing away from them.
Finn looked at Liam, raising his eyebrows in a question.
Liam frowned. “I think we should…hmmm…” He tapped his finger against his chin as if considering.
“Let her go?” Finn suggested.
Liam nodded. “Aye,” he agreed.