Highlander's Promise (4 page)

Dawn pressed her hand to his cheek for a moment before gesturing again.

Cree took her hand and kissed her palm. “Never fear that I would stop loving you. It is not possible. Besides, you belong to me and I keep what is mine.”

She thumped his chest, then thumped hers.

He brushed his lips over hers. “Aye, I belong to you and no other. You are stuck with me.”

She hugged him tight, letting him know that he was also stuck with her and she would never let him go.

“Old Mary will get us out tomorrow night,” Cree said as if saying it aloud forced him to believe it.

Dawn nodded and assured him with gestures that Old Mary would not fail them.

“Tell me how the twins do.”

Dawn told him how much they miss him, especially Lizbeth. She told him how her eyes widened and how her tiny head would turn from side to side as if eager to hear her da’s voice whenever someone entered the room. And how she would scowl just like him when she did not hear it.

Talk faded between them and they sat in silence, Cree continuing to caress her bare back, arms, and tucking her legs up close so he could keep warmth in them as well.

After a while Cree’s hand drifted over her shoulder and up along her neck, then ever so slowly his fingers felt along her throat.

Dawn tensed. She was waiting for this moment and wondered why it had not come sooner.

“Seeing you here in such danger with little opportunity to keep you from harm and get you out of here safely had my anger near to erupting. And when they striped you bare, I wanted to snap every one of their necks, which I intend to still do. But when Minnoch had the bandage pulled off your neck, I felt a fear grip me that I have never felt before. I thought once he saw that you had suffered no wound, he would discover your identity and there was no telling what he would do.”

He paused a moment and Dawn could feel his body grow taut with anger.

He ran one finger over the wound along her neck. “Imagine my shock when I saw this.”

Her hand went to his to brush it away, but he pushed her hand away.

“No! I want to feel for myself what was done to you. At first when I caught a glimpse of it, all I could think of was how I was going to slowly slit the person’s throat who had done this to you and watch him bleed to death. Then an absurd thought came to me. You did this to yourself so that no one would suspect you were my wife.”

Dawn nodded, not wanting to implicate Old Mary. He would eventually find out, but now was not the time. She felt his anger rumble deep in his chest and thought better of offering any kind of explanation for what she had done. None would make a difference to him.

He spread his hand over the wound. “I want to lash out at you for being so foolish, though your foolishness also saved you, but if you had obeyed me in the first place you would be home safe with the twins.”

She shook her head.

“Do not argue with me, woman!”

Dawn tensed at the harshness of his growling whisper.

“You have placed your life needlessly in danger and took the chance of killing yourself by slicing,” —he stopped abruptly— “Old Mary cut your throat, did she not?” He did not let her answer. “She would have never let you do it yourself nor would she let you attempt to rescue me alone, since she knows you well and knew there would be no way of stopping you. Bless that woman for being so wise.”

Dawn made no move to respond.

“Will it scar?” he asked the harshness in his voice replaced with concern.

Dawn shrugged, letting him know she was not sure.

“It will always be a reminder—”

Dawn pressed her finger to his lips and gestured.

“Of how much you love me,” Cree said when she pressed her hand to her chest and then to his and kept it there. “Your love for me is never in doubt, either is your penchant for disobeying me.”

She could not help but smile.

“Enjoy this small victory, for it will be your last. I intend to find a punishment that will finally have you doing as I tell you.”

Her hands gestured too quickly in response and she had to repeat herself a few times.

“Are you asking me if I will always protect you?” Cree asked annoyed.

Dawn nodded while tapping is arm once.

“How could you even think I would not protect you?”

Dawn quickly thumped her chest, then his.

“You do the same? I think not, since I do not need protecting.”

Dawn waved her hand around the cell.

“So help me, wife—” Footfalls silenced him, but only for a moment. “On your knees,” he ordered.

Dawn did as he said, thinking how he protected her now, keeping the guard from seeing her naked body each time he pretended to couple with her.

“I win the wager,” one guard said. “I told you he would be poking her again. Plow her good, Cree. You do not have much time left.”

They waited until Cree pretended to finish, draping his body over his wife as if spent in climax.

When their footfalls faded, Cree took his wife in his arms again and she hugged him tight. Anger stirred in him for what his wife was suffering and somehow he was going to make certain that all those involved suffered worse for it.

Dawn rested her head on her husband’s chest. Worry and fatigue were beginning to take its toll on her. She had barely slept since Cree’s departure and being with him now, feeling safe for the moment, she found herself growing sleepy.

“Rest,” Cree whispered when he felt her yawn and her body go limp in his arms.

Dawn could not fight the fatigue and the safety of her husband’s strong arms gave her the will to surrender to it.

Cree rested his cheek on the top of her head, not caring that the scent of her hair was far from appealing. She was here with him now and the ache that had wrenched at his gut since the day he had left her was finally gone. He closed his eyes and let himself enjoy this moment if only for a short time.

Several footfalls woke them, neither of them knowing how long they had been asleep, and Cree was quick to get them both to their feet. This time, however, he did not pretend to couple with her. He pushed her behind his back.

“Say your good-byes. Minnoch says you have had enough fun with her,” the one guard said with a laugh.

Fear raced through Dawn and she did her best to stamp it down. She did not want to leave Cree, but she would have a better chance of rescuing him being free than locked in here with him. And standing behind, almost on top of him, she could feel his muscles beginning to grow taut with anger. She could not let him stop them from taking her. It would ruin any chance of freeing him.

She gestured quickly to him.

He whispered, though did not turn around to face her. “Yes, you will go, but if they dare lay a hand on you in front of me, or at all, I will kill them.”

She gestured quickly again.

“You will not come back for me,” he ordered in a harsh whisper.

Dawn hurried around him as the door flew open.

Cree clenched his hands to stop himself from reaching out and stopping her.

Dawn did not need to force tears to her eyes, they came easily, having to leave her husband locked away in here. She reached out, not caring who was there only wanting them to believe she was grateful to be free.

“Stop your crying, you fool. If you had listened to your husband in the first place you would not be in this mess.”

Cree never felt so grateful as he did now, seeing his wife fall into Old Mary’s arms, and he sent her a message that left no doubt he meant to be obeyed. “Take the crying bitch and keep her. The smell of her rot disgusts me.”

Old Mary draped a blanket around Dawn and gave her a shove. “Get moving. We leave in the morning.”

Cree shut his eyes tight and clenched his fists even tighter as the door slammed shut and the key turned in the lock. When he got his hands on his wife he was going to give her a good thrashing. When Old Mary had given her a push, Dawn had held up her hand and two of her fingers were crossed. She was letting him know she would not be separated from him. She was coming back to free him.

Chapter Five

“Keep going, I’ve had enough of your laziness,” Old Mary said, poking Dawn from behind.

Dawn kept the blanket tight around her and was glad for Old Mary’s prodding. Hearing her voice, knowing she was there, gave Dawn courage. She hated leaving Cree behind, but knew it was necessary. There had been too many guards and more would have been alerted if Cree had made an attempt to escape.

Her gesture of joined fingers let him know she would return, though she knew he would not be happy about it. It made no difference to her. She would free her husband whether he thought it dangerous for her to do so or not.

When they reached the room where the guards were stationed, one stepped out and blocked their path.

“How about a quick poke before you go?” the guard said his smile revealing rotting teeth.

“Go on and give him a good poke,” Old Mary said, giving her a shove.

A foul stench suddenly rose up around Dawn.

“Let me get her cleaned up first,” Old Mary said, shoving her aside to reveal a putrid fluid where Dawn had stood.

Dawn cringed while hiding her smile, familiar with the smell of water fouled by decaying fish guts. How Old Mary came by it or knew she would make use of it was something Dawn would not question, though she was forever grateful.

“Be gone with you,” the guard shouted, gagging at the stench.

Another guard hurried Old Mary and Dawn along the passageway and practically tossed them out the door.

Dawn was surprised to see that it was night.

“Hurry, we do not have much time,” Old Mary urged, pushing Dawn toward the shadows of the nearby trees. She pulled a sack form beneath her tunic and handed it to Dawn. “Hurry into these.” Her voice grew soft. “I saw that Cree was well enough, but what of you? Are you all right?”

Old Mary had always worried over her and she assured the old woman that she was fine, though anxious to free Cree.

“A plan is set and we must see it done,” Old Mary whispered.

Once Dawn was dressed in less foul smelling garments, Old Mary took her arm and walked out of the shadows.

“My bones ache, lass. Let us return to camp and rest so we can leave by morning,” Old Mary said for those close enough to hear.

Dawn grew anxious. Old Mary was letting anyone who could hear her know they were leaving tomorrow, which meant she had a solid plan that could very well free Cree.

When they reached where they were camped, they found that their cart had been ransacked, its contents strewn about. They pretended to be upset, though it mattered little to them. Nothing worth stealing had been left. Dawn had tucked the food pouch beneath the cart and Old Mary had kept her pouch of herbs tied at her waist.

“We leave at sunrise,” Old Mary said as they tossed the last of the smelly rags back in the cart.

“Make it the crack of sunrise,” said a warrior passing by. “We need the room for those willing to pay to watch the beheading in two days.”

Old Mary sat poking at the fire with a stick and complaining how useless Dawn was. It was when some nearby men began talking loud enough to drown her out, as if tired of hearing the old woman grumble that Old Mary began to whisper to Dawn. “Listen well, I have found a way into the prison and I believe I have a plan that will work.”

Dawn felt hope rise and squeeze at her heart.

“I convinced the guard with the limp that I can cure him of his ailment with my special brew and healing touch. I offered proof with a taste of my special brew and laid my hands on his sore leg muscles with strength enough to ease his ache. Both were enough to alleviate his pain some and have him believe I could rid him of the cursed pain completely. I told him I would need a quiet place where I could work on him with no interruptions.”

Dawn’s heart began to quicken.

“He told me of a jail door that only he has the key to. I am to go there when the village is well asleep for the night and he will let me in. I will prepare a brew and as soon as he falls asleep, I will let you in and we will get Cree out,” —Old Mary hesitated a moment— “I must remain there and see him wake, so he does not think anything is wrong and alert others. Besides, we cannot leave until sunrise when the gate opens. You must get Cree to the cart and hide him beneath the heap of rags. I will return just before sunrise and we will be at the gate as it opens and we will leave this retched place.”

Dawn squeezed her hand and Old Mary held it there, for she would not take a chance of anyone seeing Dawn gesture to her.

“I know you worry for me, but I worry just the same for you and Cree. Together we can see this done, and then God help the fool Minnoch, for nothing will stop Cree from killing him.”

~~~

The rain brought thunder with it and many took shelter beneath their carts or wagons and some sought shelter in whatever structure they would not be thrown out of for the night. It made it that much easier for Old Mary and Dawn to sneak around, since few would venture out in the rain.

Old Mary left Dawn in the night shadows, her garments beginning to soak, as she tapped at the door. The guard quickly opened it and ushered Old Mary in, giving a hasty glance around to make certain no one saw them.

Dawn waited impatiently, her insides quivering and her heart thumping much too fast. This rescue had to succeed. Nothing could go wrong. Nothing. This would be their only chance. It seemed like forever before the door opened and Old Mary waved her in.

“We have little time, Old Mary said. “He will sleep for only so long and we must be careful not to let the other guards know of our presence.”

Dawn gestured quickly.

Old Mary shook her head. “The other guards do not come up this far, since this area is where the food is delivered, and then carried down to the cells. Once you reach a certain section you will recognize it and know where to go from there.” Old Mary handed her a ring of keys.

“Make haste and be as silent as your voice.” Old Mary hugged her. “I will be here waiting for you and Cree, and we will be gone from this place before you know it.”