Knight's Legacy (26 page)

On the third day she dressed in the green gown in which she was married. Cat felt an unbridled anxiety when Roderic watched her intently at the evening meal. She ate little, far too emotional to feel any real hunger. There was to be a minstrel to entertain them all at the close of the meal, but she rose to leave after the first song.

“You wish to beg my leave, lady?” Roderic said.

Through the riot of emotions Cat was suddenly exasperated. “Nay! It is not my custom to beg permission, yours or anyone else's, to come or go!”

“Catherine.” The word was spoken as if his sword was drawn in challenge, and it was a clear warning. “Tread lightly.”

Gazing into his warm brown eyes, she thought of their countless nights of pleasure, then glanced up to see the evening sunlight low on the walls of the castle. This would be their last few moments together, and she did not want this memory marred by a careless word.

“Forgive me. May I take my leave, sir?”

“Aye,” he said.

Cat turned and made her way quickly to the east landing of the castle. Cameron, of course, followed. She turned to him when she began to see the lavender mist through the door by the landing.

“You mustn't come any closer, Cameron.”

“Catherine! Wait!”

The hoarse shout was Roderic's. He moved around Cameron to stand before her, tall and angry. Kenneth drew him forward by the hand. The lad was frightened as he ran to her, sliding to Cat's feet and wrapping his arms tightly around her legs. Whimpering and moaning, Kenneth shook his head despairingly.

“Kenneth, what have you done to me?” she whispered to the boy as she looked into the angry face of her husband.

Kenneth stood and tugged at her arms, trying to pull her away from the mist. How did the boy know she was leaving? Embracing him, she kissed his forehead and tried to calm him. Cat had been unable to bear saying goodbye to the baby girl. Was she leaving her family forever? Who would care for Hope in her absence? Would Roderic one day take another woman as his wife? The very thought battered her with an envious wrath.

“What is this fog, Catherine? Come away from here,” Roderic ordered.

Cameron drew his sword. “Think ye the fog is of this world, Roderic?” It was a frightened rasp of a whisper.

“There is nothing to fear. It is just that I must go now,” she said.

“Kenneth, come here!” Roderic barked, his tone commanding.

The boy tore himself from her arms in tears and ran past Cameron.

“Take him away, and leave us,” Roderic said.

Cameron backed away slowly, sword drawn, staring at the mist. Extremely pale, he trotted away from them in an attempt to catch up with Kenneth.

“Tell me now you are no witch!”

“I am not, Roderic. I love God just as you do! I serve no evil entity, but I must go back where I belong. It is best this way.”

“No!” Catching her in an embrace, he moved much more quickly than she could have ever imagined possible. “Stay with me! I will protect you from this evil!”

“There is no evil! Please believe me! Roderic, don't make it harder. I don't wish to leave you, but you don't know what you ask of me.” She made a futile attempt to push his arms from around her waist. They felt as bands of steel, and she fought to break away.

“I ask that you honor the vow taken in truth and trust. A pledge before God! Was it meaningless? Was it all born of deception? Are these senseless tales more of your lies?” He spoke harshly.

“I never meant to hurt or deceive you!” Cat blurted, knowing full well how weak it sounded.

Roderic went on, his eyes conveying the fury within him. “I ask no more from you than you promised to do! I ask that you stay my wife, be a mother to my children, forsaking all others for all time!”

“For all time. Your time, not mine,” she said.

He kissed her then, and their passion flared between them, born of desperation and fear. His mouth slanted over hers again and again.

Cat pulled away to frantically whisper, “I can't do this! I can't stand this pain! I must go!”

Bending down, he threw her over his shoulder, and she fought him, kicking and squirming.

Cat was horribly afraid. Her last chance to see home, her father, her time, was disappearing before her eyes. “No, Roderic! Put me down!”

Turning her in his arms, he cradled her there. Holding her with a possessive determination, he nuzzled her cheek to his and spoke hoarsely. “I need you.”

Cat suddenly felt the comforting touch of her mother's hands long ago. In the caress was tenderness and reassurance, but she also felt the plea of his spirit. The child abandoned, the man never truly accepted by other Scotsmen, reached out to her for solace, for love.

Feeling the tension drain from her body, she knew in that second she could never leave him. Roderic set Cat on her feet. Whirling to look for the mist, he saw it was no longer there. The sun had set, and the decision had been made.

“I told you I would not allow you to leave me,” he said.

“Roderic!” Cameron shouted as he ran to them.

“Arm yourself! Gavin has returned with our sentinel guard, and the two clans have circled the perimeter beyond the castle. He was near captured, and has seen the enemy!”

“The enemy?” Roderic demanded.

“Aye!” Cameron said.

“ 'Tis the Kincaid Laird with his warriors. They are seven-hundred strong, and have joined the Mackay rogues. Gavin has seen them! The warriors be near to our gates, and we are under siege!”

The desire of the righteous is only good; But the expectation of the wicked
is
wrath.

~Proverbs 11:23

R
oderic found Gavin stretched out on the long table in the great hall. Stripped to the waist with a bloody wound under his left arm, he grimaced while Glyniss stood over him washing the blood away. Edna stood by to help, and there were several men clustered around the table. Roderic shouldered through them, and placed his hand on his friend's heart.

Gavin's eyes opened to peer intently, sharp and alert. “Nay, ye blackguard, no need to dig a hole, for 'Tis a wee nuisance, no more!”

“Thank all that is holy, my friend,” Roderic said, tugging mightily on Gavin's long hair.

“Be still!” Glyniss barked at them both. “Nuisance or not it could become full of infection! I'll cover it with salve if ye stop thrashin' about.”

“How did you escape through them? How many do they number?” Roderic questioned.

“I ken they were to capture me, so I couldnae warn ye. 'Tis Kincaid, and he has seven-hundred men with him, but that is not the worst of it! Mackay has joined them. I saw one of his men. But, 'Tis Kincaid we need to fear. Why would the Laird want ye dead? It must be more than the fact ye be a bloody Englishmon,” Gavin said.

“Aye. It seems the woman I married is not the real Brianna Mackay. She escaped to marry Kincaid's brother. Angus captured this lady, and forced the deception so the clemency wouldn't be lost.”

Gavin looked at Roderic's wife with a spark of humorous admiration in his eyes. Gavin looked at all women with a bold lustiness. Roderic was accustomed to it, still it rankled.

“So, lass, ye fooled us one and all,” Gavin said.

“She had no choice; Mackay forced her! Still, if his daughter is now the wife of a Kincaid, maybe loyalty for the marriage has brought them together to seek the return of Mackay's holding,” Roderic said.

“Best ye speak to Kincaid through a courier. His men ready themselves for war, though they are encamped. Why would they wait? When I passed through, they were not on the offense. It was an afterthought to capture me, but I was more determined to escape. We must wait for news from Kincaid. Tell me, ye mean to keep this red-headed wench as your own?”

“Aye,” Roderic said. His brown eyes rested on her, then winked at Cat in amusement. Smiling back at him, she spoke to Glyniss. “Can I help?”

“Nay. This will be enough if he will lay still,” she said. Glyniss had finished with the salve and pulled Gavin's arm down to lie on the table. Paling visibly, he appeared to fall asleep.

“He will awaken soon. 'Tis best to leave him be for now.”

“Cameron,” Roderic said.

“Aye, Sir Roderic.”

“Invite the women with no one to defend them to bring their children, leave their cottages and come to the safety of the castle. How far is the enemy camp?”

“Gavin said they were only a mile from our gates. Gavin is right, the enemy has made no move to attack.”

“Be that I could speak with Kincaid alone, I could undo the lies of Mackay. However, I will not risk death by trusting a man bent on vengeance. We will prepare for battle and wait,” Roderic said.

“This keep will be impregnable. Mackay's own defenses were many. We can stand off a long siege. I vow they will tire of it before we are in danger of starving,” Cameron said.

Calum Mackay challenged Roderic daily. On the fifth day, Cat walked to the tower to be with her husband. Roderic watched the burly Scot vent his rage. Calum cursed not only Roderic but every Englishman ever born. The vitriolic speeches were meant to spur a man's temper to lose his head. Cat felt a surge of respect for Roderic when she viewed how little emotion he invested in the whole affair.

“He should be with a troubadour in a play, the way he loves to hear himself shout,” she said.

“Aye. Courtly love and devotions to women are the virtues those men speak of. Their songs and poetry readings are full of such. Mackay has no regard for women other than to abuse them. He could not properly cloak his brutality to agree with them, I fear,” Roderic said.

“Very true. Roderic, will they cease … blustering, and attack us soon?”

“I will hope they do not until I can scheme to speak to Kincaid alone. I would defuse a fight if possible, until the King reaches our borders,” he said.

“He comes? It is a certainty?”

“Aye. Though once it was a thought that brought only peace, I am now far from at ease with his visit. I may be facing a fight to keep you at my side, wife.”

“He will put an end to our marriage?”

“He can. 'Tis in his power,” Roderic said.

Gasping at the thought, a troubled frown worried her brow. He took her in his arms and Cat rested her head on his chest. Roderic took her chin to look into her eyes.

“Don't trouble yourself, lady. I've grown accustomed to having you with me.”

She smiled, her green eyes sparking as she playfully nipped his finger.

“Sinking your sharp teeth into your master, now? Is that what you are about?”

Firmly pinning her arms to her sides, he smiled at her.

“Nay, for no master do I have, laddie! I have a husband that I seek to honor, but I bend my knee to no man!”

“Ah, my Catherine, you are a trial to me. You will not be haughty to our King when he arrives, or you will learn better at my hand!” The sting of the arrogant words was soothed by his manner. His voice was warm and sexy, eyes soft and alight with humor.

“I won't shame you. I am your wife, and if God is merciful … that will not change.” She ended her last thought in a longing whisper.

Cat felt anxious at the concern in his brown eyes. Wrapping her arms around him, she sighed and prayed for God's mercy to motivate King Alexander of Scotland to show them the same.

Four hours later it was not God's mercy and patience she found lacking. It was her own. Coming upon Roderic in a council with Gavin and five other men in the great hall, she joined them. They had been speaking of a plan to devise a private meeting with Kincaid, but the men immediately stopped all conversation when she sat down.

“Please, go on. I had no wish to interrupt you,” she said.

Roderic turned to her. “Have you need of me, Catherine?”

“No. I had hoped to be a help,” she said.

The men sat silently, staring at her as if she were an intruder.

“This is a private council, Catherine. It does not concern you,” Roderic said.

She took immediate exception to both his words and his manner. “You speak of the siege we face, do you not?”

“Aye,” Roderic said.

Her eyes snapped green fire. “And is my life not also in danger if the walls of this castle are breached?”

Roderic glared at her, frowning when he answered. “It is not your concern. We sp eak of matters of war, and your presence is not needed. You must trust me. Leave us now, wife.”

Her blatant stare seemed to be accusing him coldly. Standing up, she looked each of them in the eye, and reading their impatience and irritation, felt her fists bunching at her sides.

Cat was furious by the time she had got to her chamber. Stomping about, she was unable to vent her fury until a sudden thought came to her.

Strolling over to the large chest that belonged to Roderic, she opened it to find her sword. Edna had placed her old clothes in the chest as well. Cat sat and held them, remembering the day the wardrobe department had issued them to her. The job she loved was now like a far away dream.