Highland Storms (26 page)

He glanced along the stone dyke wall which ran by the side of his house and noticed a part of the top layer had fallen down. The tacksman Sandy was walking past carrying an armful of tools and Seton called out to him.

‘
See to that, would you?’ He nodded at the wall. ‘And quickly before any more tumble down.’

‘
Sorry, Mr Seton, but the laird has ordered us to repair all the huts. No one can be spared for trifles just now,’ Sandy told him with a distinct smirk. They’d never seen eye to eye and it was clear the man relished being able to refuse to do Seton’s bidding for once.

Seton glared at the man, but knew he was beaten for the moment. It strengthened his resolve to be rid of the laird, however, and since no one seemed to need him right now, he sat by his fire and hatched a plan.

This time he wouldn’t fail.

Brice entered the courtyard at Rosyth feeling tired, but content. The bullocks had fetched a good price and although he hadn’t had much cattle to sell since he was trying to increase his herd, not deplete it, the sum obtained was a welcome bonus. Young bullocks were no use in any case unless for slaughter, it was the females who were worth keeping.

Archie came running to take Starke’s reins as soon as Brice had dismounted. Brice couldn’t resist giving the little lad a hug and a smile before handing them over. ‘All well here?’ he asked.

‘
Aye.’ Archie grinned. ‘We’ve barely seen hide nor hair of Mr Seton so it’s been very quiet.’

Brice laughed and ruffled the boy’s hair. ‘Glad to hear it.’ He put his hand in his pocket and brought out a parcel. ‘Here, I found you something at the market which I thought you might like. But be careful with it, right? I don’t want any bloodshed.’

Archie unwrapped the packet with almost indecent haste and then shrieked with joy. ‘A proper dirk, I don’t believe it! Thank you, thank you so much, it’s wonderful!’

He hugged Brice’s middle again, his little face beaming. Brice had known the boy would like a new dirk, since his old one was so puny and very basic. He’d found a small but sharp one with a horn handle inlaid with silver swirls that had seemed perfect. ‘You’re very welcome. You’ve earned it by taking such good care of Starke. Now, I’d better go inside, but I’ll see you later, no doubt.’

As he took the stairs up to the great hall two at a time, he realised he was happy and what’s more, he hadn’t thought about Elisabet since he’d burned her letter. He barely even remembered what she looked like. That part of his life was well and truly in the past and he’d resolved not to think about it any more. During his time away, it had been another face which invaded his dreams, one with lovely green eyes and a generous mouth just made for … He flung open the door and collided with the owner of those very attributes, who uttered a little shriek.

‘
Oh! So you’re back then.’

He put his hands on her shoulders to steady her and noticed she didn’t shrug them off, despite her previous admonition for him to keep his distance. This made him smile and before she had time to react, he bent and quickly kissed her full on the lips. ‘Indeed,’ he said, ‘and very glad I am to be here.’

‘
I thought I told you –’ she began, but he interrupted her with another kiss, lingering a touch longer this time.

‘
Yes, yes,’ he murmured, ‘I know, but it’s your own fault for looking so delectable. You tempt a man sorely, Marsaili.’

‘
Well, really! I don’t see how I can be to blame,’ she protested, but there was a tinge of pink on her cheeks that told him she was pleased at the praise.

He watched with amusement as she tried to collect her wits, but he didn’t give her a chance to think about it for too long. ‘So you missed me then,’ he said, leaning forward to pull her closer and nuzzle her neck, just below the left ear. Her skin was feather soft and he inhaled the familiar smell of heather and lavender that was so uniquely hers.

‘
No, I didn’t,’ she replied, the breath hissing out of her as he nibbled her ear lobe. ‘Kindly don’t …’ She put both hands up and pushed against his chest, but in a very half-hearted way.

‘
What? Not even a little? For shame! And there was I, yearning for your sweet lips …’ His mouth made its way along her chin and touched the corner of those lips. ‘Aching to hold you, taste you …’ He flicked his tongue along the plump fullness, making her open for him, and then dived in. He vaguely heard another hastily indrawn breath and then she capitulated, kissing him back. Her hands came up to tangle in his hair, caress his neck and shoulders, and he allowed his own hands to wander downwards as he deepened the kiss.

A loud bark and something heavy bumping into Brice’s thigh pulled them apart. While Liath greeted him as enthusiastically as always, Brice muttered, ‘We’re going to have to work on your timing, boy.’ But he couldn’t help smiling and patted the hound. ‘Yes, yes, lovely to see you too.’

‘
I, er, had better go.’ Brice quelled a sigh as Marsaili backed away and headed for the kitchen. ‘I’ll see about some victuals for you,’ she said.

‘
Excellent, thank you. And unless it’s washing day again, do you think I could possibly have a bath? Please? I feel as if all the dust of Scotland is clinging to me.’

‘
Very well.’

Brice knew he could have gone down to the loch. The water temperature was still bearable, but only just. His muscles felt cramped from sitting in the saddle for so long though and the hot water would be much nicer. He smiled again to himself as he went to sit by the hearth where a peat fire smouldered quietly, the smoke drifting in lazy clouds up the chimney.

It was good to be back.

No sooner had he finished this thought, however, than the door burst open and the Englishman, Sherringham, came striding into the room without so much as a knock. Brice got to his feet in an instant, his body tensing.

‘
You, sir, are under arrest,’ Sherringham announced. Some of his men had followed him into the room and he gestured for them to grab hold of Brice.

Brice drew himself up to full height, which meant he towered over the Redcoats, who were all shorter than him. ‘I beg your pardon? On what grounds?’

Sherringham pointed a finger at Brice and narrowed his eyes. ‘We’ve found your weapons hoard,
laird.
’

‘
My what?’ Brice felt his eyebrows rise. He had no idea what the man was talking about. On the walls of the great hall hung a couple of rusty old rapiers, relics of times gone by, but when he glanced at them they were still there, so he assumed the captain was talking about something else.

‘
Broadswords, muskets, pistols, dirks …’ Sherringham ticked these items off on the fingers of one hand. ‘Quite a little cache you had here, although perhaps you should have hidden them better. Hay is so easy to move, you know.’

‘
I have absolutely no knowledge of any weapons,’ Brice stated. ‘I’ve only just returned from a trip to the south.’

‘
So? They’ve likely been here an age, since the battle of Drummossie Moor in fact. As I’m sure you know, it’s against the law to possess any such things. You are facing at least six months in gaol. I have no choice but to take you to Fort George in Inverness.’

‘
Now see here,’ Brice was becoming very angry and shook off the hands that were still attempting to hold him, ‘I don’t own any weapons as far as I’m aware and if my tenants had any, you must take the matter up with them. Besides, I’m a Swedish citizen and you have no right to arrest me.’

‘
Swedish or not, you’re the laird here, and as such, you’re responsible for your people and their possessions. That makes you subject to our laws.’

Brice clenched his fists and glared at the pugnacious man. ‘You’re making a mistake, Captain Sherringham. I have friends in high places down in Edinburgh and they will vouch for me.’

Sherringham sneered. ‘A likely tale. And be that as it may, they’re not here now, are they? Summon them for your trial, if you wish. For now, you’re coming with us at once. Jones, Allder, bring him.’ He snapped his fingers and turned towards the door.

The soldiers who’d been given the task of dragging Brice along complied with this request with smirks and mutterings of ‘how the mighty have fallen’. Brice couldn’t resist fighting them off again, but several of their comrades came to their aid and in the end he realised it was futile. He couldn’t take on an entire troop of soldiers on his own. As they entered the courtyard he saw Seton standing by the English horses, looking mighty pleased with himself. Brice threw him a look of loathing, but said nothing. Instead he called Archie over. The boy was hovering by the stairs, obviously finished with his task of seeing to Starke.

‘
Archie, can you fetch my horse, please. It seems he’s needed once more.’

‘
Not so,’ Sherringham put in. ‘You’ll be walking. Prisoners don’t ride.’

Brice gritted his teeth and took a deep breath to stop himself from saying something he might regret. His hands were swiftly tied in front of him and attached to a long rope held by one of the mounted soldiers. Archie’s eyes opened wide with consternation and he ran over to fling his arms around Brice’s legs. ‘No! Ye cannae dae sic a thing’ tae him! Tak it off,’ he shouted, using Scots instinctively so that the Sassenachs would understand him.

Brice bent quickly and prised the boy off, whispering in Gaelic, ‘Never mind that now. Go and tell Marsaili what’s happened and make her write to a Mr Rory Grant in Edinburgh immediately. Got that? He’ll know what to do. Rory Grant, understand?’ He added directions to Rory’s lodgings.

Archie nodded, his eyes filling with tears which he tried to blink away.

‘
Everything will be all right, you’ll see,’ Brice promised. ‘Just do as I say.’

‘
I will.’ Archie ran off and disappeared towards the back courtyard.

Brice turned to Sherringham. ‘Am I not even to see the weapons I’m accused of having hoarded? How do I know you’re not making this up?’

‘
Oh, you’ll see them soon enough. At your trial.’ Sherringham sniggered and ordered his troop to move forward. Brice felt a tug on the rope that bound him and started walking. He was so angry at the moment, any discomfort was forgotten. Sending Seton one last look which promised dire retribution, he concentrated on thoughts of revenge. They would keep him going for sure.

Chapter Twenty

Marsaili was in Brice’s bedroom, placing clean drying sheets next to the large wooden tub which had been brought upstairs by one of the men. When Archie burst in through the door, her heart skipped several beats and she put up a hand to steady it.

‘
Good Lord, but you made me jump, bantling. What’s wrong?’

She could see from the boy’s face he was in the grip of strong emotion and his mouth opened and closed several times before he managed to get any words out. He ran over to clutch at her skirts, raising tear-laden eyes to hers.

‘
It’s the laird … been taken … Redcoats,’ he panted. ‘Said, must write … friend … Edinburgh.’

‘
Whoa, what? Taken? What on earth for?’

‘
Weapons … an awful lot of them … hidden.’

‘
I don’t understand.’ Marsaili walked over to the window which faced the front of the house and gasped at the sight before her. She could see Brice, his hands bound, being dragged along the road out of the township. The troop of Redcoats weren’t even riding particularly slowly in order to allow him to keep up. He was having to half run so he wouldn’t fall. She clapped a hand over her mouth and whispered, ‘Dear God!’

She turned back to Archie to ask him for further details, when suddenly the heavy door to the master bedroom slammed shut. A grating sound announced that the key had been turned in the lock from the outside and both Marsaili and Archie stared at it for a moment before being galvanised into action.

‘
No, wait! What is the meaning of this?’ She ran to the door and pounded on it, but she didn’t really need to hear Seton’s laughter from outside to explain what had happened.

‘
Since the pair of you are so fond of the laird, I thought perhaps you’d like to spend some time in the man’s room,’ Seton called through the thick planks. ‘I can’t risk having you mobilise anyone to help him, so prepare yourselves for a lengthy stay. You should be comfortable enough.’ He chuckled again and Marsaili banged a fist on the door in pure frustration and fury.

‘
You’ll not get away with this,’ she shouted. ‘When the laird comes back, he’ll see you pay for this.’

Another chuckle. ‘If he comes back,’ came the reply. ‘I hear English gaols aren’t the best of places to spend half a year. You can catch all manner of diseases, especially when you’re weakened by hunger.’

‘
You’re despicable!’ Marsaili kicked the door for good measure, but only succeeded in hurting her toes, which made her even angrier.

‘
Yes, well, I’ll soon have you changing your tune when you’re mistress of Bailliebroch.’

‘
For the last time, I’d rather die than marry you, you snake!’

There was no reply to this, however, as Seton’s footsteps receded into the distance. Marsaili sank down onto the floor, with her back against the door, and Archie followed suit. ‘Now what are we to do?’ she muttered.

‘
I don’t know, but the laird … what’ll happen to him? Was Mr Seton right?’

‘
Not if I can help it. But first, please tell me exactly what happened.’