Kate Robbins - The Highland Chiefs Series (22 page)

Calum burst out laughing. James had no choice but to share a horse with his brother.

“Shut up, Calum.”

* * *

After James left to attend the trial, Aileana thought of a hundred things she wished she’d said to him. How could she help but feel anxious? If the king found Fergus guilty, James would likely be imprisoned as well. Had she thought of anything other than bedding James, she would have spoken with the king and begged for Fergus’s freedom and James’s security.

“Aileana, you must believe your husband and his brother will return safely. I’m certain all will be well.” Gwen had joined her just after the men had left and bless her she tried, but only James’s safe return would comfort her.

“How do you know that? Really, how do you know they weren’t all thrown into the dungeon the moment they arrived?”

“If I thought reciting flower names would ease you, I’d surely have reached viola by now. You really should calm yourself, Aileana, it’s not good for you.” Gwen’s voice lowered and she frowned. “I’m worried too.” Her fingers endlessly linked and unlinked.

“I know you are, and I’m sorry we’re having this discussion instead of the one I know you want to have, but I’m so frightened this will go so horribly wrong.”

She wanted to know every detail about Gwen’s evening with Calum, but she just couldn’t seem to focus on anything other than the danger they were in.

Gwen swiped her cheek. “Will it help if I tell you how disastrous my night ended?”

The comment was unexpected as was her solemn demeanour. She noted the dark, puffy circles under Gwen’s eyes and imagined her friend had endured a sleepless night.

“We sat together through the wedding feast, as you know,” Gwen said.

She did know. Calum looked nowhere other than at Gwen the entire evening.

“He introduced me to other noblemen and ladies as if I were any other lady there instead of a servant. We danced, it was beautiful. He was furious when Jocelyn spoke against me. He made me feel important, and he was so taken up with me I thought, surely this can work.”

Gwen paused and moved to the open window. A long lonely cry from a far away bird echoed through the room.

“We were the last to leave the hall. We walked back to my room arm in arm where he kissed me so passionately.” Gwen’s voice cracked and she placed her hand over her heart. “We moved into my room and I honestly thought he was going to make love to me right then and there. I was ready. I would have done anything he asked, but instead he wanted to talk. He explained how he’d never been with a woman before and how pleased he was to share such an important experience for the first time with me.

Gwen’s laugh held no mirth. “You know my history. You can imagine how torn I was, having to tell him he wasn’t my first. Worse, he wasn’t even my second or third.”

Just how many lovers had she been with?

“Three, if you must know.” She looked apologetic. “I see the question in your eyes. I’ve been with three other men, obviously some more than once. I told Calum in the gentlest way I could that my opinion on the subject was different from his. I explained that my experience would help me choose my future husband.

“As you can imagine, he doesn’t understand. I’ve lost him. How stupid was I to hope someone like him could ever love someone like me? He called me names I’ve never been called before. Maybe he’s right, maybe I don’t deserve the sanctity of marriage after all my affairs.”

It wasn’t fair. Gwen had made decisions Aileana didn’t understand, but they were hers to make and it wasn’t right for Calum to judge her without hearing them.

“Don’t deserve the sanctity of marriage? My dear Gwen, how many women do you suppose my husband has been with before me? I would suspect the number is much larger than three. Why should the standard be so different for women? You must give him some time to absorb your confession as I’m sure it wasn’t what he expected. I can speak with James if you wish. Surely we can confront Calum and make him see sense?”

Gwen said nothing only gazed through the window.

Aileana’s thoughts drifted back to daybreak. She had awakened to find James sitting up in bed with his legs swung over the side, holding her gown in one hand and several satin buttons in the other. The sight of her naked husband intending to fulfill his promise, though she was sure he didn’t
know how, stirred her desires.

Aileana moved behind him and wrapped her arms around his chest while trailing kisses down his neck.

“I wouldn’t start that, wife, if you want your dress fixed before I go.”

“You don’t know how.” Aileana’s teasing drew a cocky smile to his lips. What was once despised, she now craved.

She took the dress and buttons out of his hands, placed them on the floor and scooted in front of him to straddle his hips.

Warm ripples spread through her at the memory of the passionate lovemaking that followed. James MacIntosh had come to mean everything to her in such a short time and he felt the same way about her. Her heart was near bursting. Two people who enjoyed the kind of physical passion they shared, must possess deep feelings for one another.

What about Calum and Gwen? Didn’t they also appear to have feelings for each other? Couldn’t those feelings overcome any obstacle? How important was James’s past to their relationship? She remembered the jealousy, thinking of James with another woman - Calum must feel the same way. Therefore, Gwen must mean a great deal to him. If he was ready to become intimate with her, did that mean he intended to marry her? Why should her past matter if he loved her?

A loud noise outside the room gained her attention. It sounded like a struggle. She motioned for Gwen to use the side door hoping she could find out what was going on. A guard was posted out there and by the muffled sounds coming through her door, she assumed he was being attacked - but by who?

Seconds after Gwen closed the side door, Gawain burst through the other. Her heart leapt up into her throat and for a few moments she couldn’t even utter his name.

“Well, my love we meet again,” he said, his voice low and menacing.

Aileana was horrified at the sight of him. Deep crimson splatters stained his shirt, his eyes were excited and wild. His face twisted into an attempted smile, but his deformed jaw prevented it from holding. Only his voice held any note of the former man.

Why did he carry a quiver of arrows slung across his back? “You
—you’re an archer?”

“Arrowsmith. It was the easiest way to gain access to the palace.”

“But what are you doing here?”

“Why, I’ve come for my bride.” Gawain stepped forward. “We’ll be married by sundown and after our glorious wedding night, will return to
my
castle. Aileana, I must tell you, I’m disappointed in you. You’ve made it difficult for me to claim my inheritance. You understand, I’ll have to punish you. Oh don’t worry; like mine, the scars will heal in time.”

She tried to force air into her lungs to scream, but her breath caught and her blood pounded in her ears. Gawain took a few menacing steps toward her and as he did she stepped backward keeping perfect time with his forward movement.

“Come to me my love.” He taunted her, like a wildcat stalking its prey. “I have a need to see the body beneath all your layers of finery. We needn’t wait for a priest’s blessing to consummate our union. I intend to show you what you stir in me right now.”

Her gu
t lurched. He couldn’t mean it.

Oh God where is Gwen?

As he moved closer, the thick copper scent of blood caused her body to convulse with the urge to retch. She looked around, frantic for escape. He had backed her into the room and could overtake her should she attempt to dash for either exit. Perhaps if he knew the truth, he could be reasoned with.

“Gawain, I’m already married.” She managed her confession through trembling lips.

Her words hung in the air for what seemed like an eternity.

The wildcat had stalked enough. He pounced on her, knocking her to the floor. Gawain grabbed the sides of her head and slammed her skull onto the stone tile. White hot pain raced down her spine and the
room spun in sickening circles.

Oh God
.

Slam!

The agony inside her head was unbearable. His fists were full of her hair which she was sure he would rip it out.

I’m going to die
.

Slam!

I love you, James
.

Sounds faded. Blackness drew closer, dulling the pain in her head, the sound of his cursing and the sight of his monstrous face above her. At long last, the void consumed her.

Chapter Twenty

Near Peebles, Scotland, August 1430

Aileana bent low over a patch of wild strawberries, smiling at her discovery. These would please him. Her basket was almost full of apples and she couldn’t wait to get home to start the pie.

Bending and standing had a dizzying effect after a while. She was almost done anyway, just a couple more berries would do the trick. She leaned over and searing pain shot through her temple.

“Help!” She managed to yell while falling to her knees. “Help,” she whispered, just before she fainted.

Aileana blinked several times before recognizing where she was. Her quilts were tucked around her and the smell of rabbit stew and burning peat eased her tension. She smiled at her husband when he placed a cool cloth on her head.

“Are you feeling better my love?” he asked.

Aileana looked into his eyes; he had cared for her tirelessly these past months. He loved her so much.

She had no memory of anything before the accident. Gawain had told her of their courtship and how, because of her uncle’s greed, she was to be married off to a vicious chief. He said their love for one another prompted them to run away and live here in the forest, far away from her uncle’s clutches.

“I’m well. Thank you.”

She sat up to see if the throbbing had passed. It had. Gawain watched her before moving away to the table to continue going through some papers he had stacked there.

“I wonder—”

“Aileana, I’ve told you it’s not safe for you to go back there.” He cut her off like so many times before. “I know you want to remember, but I fear, even if we were careful, someone would recognize us and you would be forced into the hands of that beast. I simply couldn’t bear the thought of him touching you.”

The more she recovered, the more determined she was to return to her home and her uncle to gain back her memory. Gawain was ever patient, yet deterred her from it every time.

“I know, I know. I just can’t help but think there must be a better way for you to live than stuck here with me all the time. You must love me a great deal to give up all your wealth to live here with me living on so little.”

Gawain gave her his best attempt at a smile.

“My dearest, I couldn’t imagine anywhere else I would rather be than here with you. Please don’t distress yourself as I’m truly content.” Gawain moved toward her and patted the top of her head. “I need to replenish our stores. Rest up. We can gather more fruit tomorrow.” He gave her one last smile and left the cottage.

Nothing was too much for him. She drew the thick patchwork quilt up to her chin. Her anxiety must be due to her loss of memory and nothing more, for if something were wrong, Gawain would come and discuss it with her and they would work it out together.

She thought of how strained his face looked when
he smiled. Damn her uncle for beating him so savagely and fracturing his jaw. He’d endured much and the last thing he needed was her nagging at him.

She took in her surroundings. Their home was small, everything contained in one room with a privy outside behind the weathered structure. It wasn’t much, but she tried to improve the gloomy space by adding fresh flowers as often as possible. He must find it hard to cope with his change in fortune so she tried her best to keep him happy. On one point she would be forever guilty. Aileana was incapable of intimacy with him and feared something from the accident had changed in her. He said they had their whole lives to wait and that she should be sure before they were intimate again. Still, it was unfair to him.

A bairn grew in her womb, so it was obvious they’d mated, but she couldn’t for the life of her imagine being with him in that way. Though there was no doubt of his kind nature, she questioned her attraction to him. Oddly enough, she couldn’t justify her aversion either. Soon, she would see the deed done. He deserved better than that from her.

The sunset cast a red hue inside the small cottage. The light danced on the walls while she settled down to rest up some more. He was right, she could collect fruit tomorrow. Perhaps she would give him more than a pie for dessert. An odd unease crept over her at the thought. She shook it away.

As she drew the quilts around her, all noise passed out of her consciousness except for the babbling stream running behind the cottage. She focused on it and fell into a deep sleep.

Aileana strolled through a meadow coloured by splashes of heather and bluebells. The warm air enveloped her, spreading happiness through her. She heard peals of laughter behind her and turned to see a beautiful little girl running from a handsome man. They were like nothing she had seen before
—so perfect.

They ran toward her, laughing, and calling her name. The wee lass’s giggle sounded like perfect ringing bells. Her golden hair fell to her waist and danced all around like imaginary playmates.

When they reached Aileana, the little girl jumped into her arms and they swung round and round. She put the little beauty down just as the man pulled her against his hard chest and gave her the most passionate kiss. They joined hands with the little girl and walked together down a stone path toward a beautiful castle surrounded by the loveliest flowers.

The three walked and laughed together as the sky grew gloomy and thunder rumbled in the distance. They ran hard toward the castle, but couldn’t get closer. Before long, a downpour caused her grip to loosen on the little girl’s hand. Aileana blinked away heavy raindrops, but lost sight of the man and the girl and ran alone. She searched through the driving rain, b
ut couldn’t find them anywhere.

After an eternity, Aileana reached the castle and entered the dark, cheerless keep to find many men and women standing in a circle, mourning. Unable to see for whom they wept, she pushed her way past those gathered to see a kindly face
d man laid out on a stone slab.

He opened his eyes and spoke to her. “I’m your uncle Aileana. I’m your uncle and I love you, lass.”

Aileana screamed and bolted. She exited the castle and ran until she fell to the ground from exhaustion. The rain fell in sheets. She looked up from the cold, muddy earth to see a man approach her on a large white horse. He bent down, picked her up off the ground and tossed her onto the back of his horse. He didn’t speak to her and she had to hold on tight so she wouldn’t fall off.

They came to a small dark inn where he dragged her from the horse and shoved her inside. The cloaked man paid for a room and pulled her with him up the stairs toward it. He opened the door and pushed her inside as she turned to face him. When he pulled down his hood, she discovered it was the man from the meadow. He didn’t look happy and relaxed anymore
—he looked dangerous.

“Aileana, where are you? You must help me find you!”

His emphasis on the last two words was so loud he almost shouted it. She was afraid of him and tried to get around him, but he would not let her leave and instead, took a key from his pocket as he left the room. The man locked the door from the outside leaving her there in the cold and dark, all alone and terrified. She yelled at the top of her lungs, but no one would come to help her.

Aileana awoke with a start, gasping for air and bathed in cold sweat. A wave of nausea overtook her, forcing her to dash outside to empty her stomach. She retched by the side of the cottage and prayed Gawain would not witness her illness.

She composed herself and looked up to the sky to measure the time by the moon’s height then retreated into cottage to return to her bed, expecting to see Gawain there. He was not. She looked to the heavy chair near the fire he often slept in on nights when she was particularly restless, but he was not there either.

The wood and peat supply was not replenished outside either, meaning he’d not returned. What if her uncle’s men had found him? Did they know where she was? Would they soon come for her as well? Her fear grew as she rocked on her bed well into the early morning hours, waiting.

* * *

James was escorted through the stone walls of MacKay House, near the northern most region of Scotland in the village of Tongue, hoping to find Fergus in a generous mood. It had been a long time and much had passed since they’d last seen one another in Edinburgh. Three months. Christ, James couldn’t even imagine what his life had been like back then.

“MacIntosh? Is that you? You look like hell, man. Come in, and feed yourself and your men.”

James entered the great hall with its ancient, Norse-inspired design and sat at the largest table he’d ever seen. Nothing in the north was small or quaint. As he took his seat, he could see concern on Fergus’s face and imagined it was because of James’s haggard appearance.

“I owe you my life, but I didn’t expect you to come all this was to claim it. What brings you here?”

Fergus didn’t waste time on pleasantries. Thank God.

“We arrived late last evening. Your house servant let us in and gave us a warm bed. Your hospitality has already been extended and I thank you for it.” James scrubbed his hand over his face. “I don’t know where to begin, but let me tell you, much has changed since we last met at Edinburgh Castle.”

James told his story. As he talked, he and drank and ate from the plentiful spread at Fergus’s table. He couldn’t remember when he’d eaten last. The tale he recounted had everyone at the table riveted, it sounded too fantastic, too impossible to be true even to his own ears. His brand new bride had been abducted a second time from right under his nose.

James struggled to tell his tale. The rage in him for having to say those words threatened to overspill like so many times in the last while. He was worn out from attempts at control, but he would do her no good any other way.

When he and Calum had returned to Linlithgow Palace, Aileana had already been taken. They scoured the palace twice and spent the next fortnight searching all of Linlithgow and Edinburgh. He couldn’t believe she could disappear without a trace. Somewhere in the deep recesses of his mind, a fleeting thought emerged that she’d gone willingly.

His initial disbelief turned to panic. Although he questioned everyone extensively, he had no doubt Gawain was responsible and cold fear swept over him at the thought of what that man would do with his beloved wife. With her, Gawain possessed James’s soul.

James recounted his interrogation with everyone at the palace that morning, including the hateful accusations he had fired at Gwen. He would never forgive himself for the blame he’d laid at her door, even though she had long since done so.

The search, into its thirteenth week, showed no prospect of locating Aileana. Overwhelming feelings of failure and despair warred with his resolve to find her. Sleep evaded him most nights and only came when he could ride no further. Calum forced him to eat, despite his lack of appetite, and he wouldn’t have ever gotten this far had it not been for his brother’s care.

“I know Gawain has her. I’m certain of it. I believe she is alive and I’ve come here to implore, beg, demand or whatever necessary for you and your clansmen to take up the search with me. I fear the longer this continues, the colder the trail becomes, and the less likely I’ll ever find her.”

Fergus nodded.

“You have it. Myself, my men, any resources we can add to your own, are yours.” Fergus’s brow furrowed. “James you’ve been keeping your search to larger
centres and villages?”

“Aye, it seemed most logical.”

“Well, my friend, I’m glad you came here. I believe you’ve been going about this all wrong. Think about it. When we were involved with Gawain, he took great pains to ensure we were never out in plain view. I think your village and town searches have been wasted. He wouldn’t keep her in any location where someone could recognize her. He’d keep her somewhere remote. Somewhere she’d never be detected. Hell, I bet he even buys all his provisions at night.”

A glimmer of hope crept into James’s heart. There was only one problem.

“Scotland’s wilderness, though, is bigger than the whole of its cities, towns and villages put together. Where would we start looking for a remote dwelling?”

“Andrew! Bring me the lowland map!”

The boy jumped up to do his laird’s bidding. James remembered the last time he’d seen Andrew and Fergus together. Fergus caught James’s glance in the boy’s direction and smiled.

“The lad stayed away just long enough for me to get over the shock of losing William. He’s a smart one. He also came back just when I needed an extra pair of hands.”

“I’m sorry for your loss, Fergus. William was a good man and taken from this world far too soon.”

James noticed Fergus glance towards a dark haired woman. She dropped her gaze to her lap and Fergus looked away. She must b
e William’s widow, James mused.

“I thank you for your words, MacIntosh. I will avenge William’s death, if it’s the last thing I do.” Fergus frowned as th
e lass arose and fled the room.

Andrew returned and the table was cleared. The map was spread over the large surface and Fergus pointed to the thick forest all around that region where Gawain had grown up.

“How do you know that?” James asked.

“The rat likes to talk about himself. I asked a lot of questions, unsure if the answers would ever prove useful. Turns out they might be.”