Surrender (11 page)

"And?" Graemme drew his lower lip between his
teeth and worried it. Satan's arse! He opened his teeth and snapped
them shut again. Without the lip.

"He asked for a night's rest. The woman slept
in a cell alone, and he resided in the stable." He looked at
Graemme and shrugged. "The same empty stall where we spent the
night."

"No guard, eh? Before we arrived at Raptor,
they had no cause to be wary." Graemme pulled at a hank of black
hair falling over his eye. He had left off his helm to enjoy the
fresh air on his head.

"I think not. The woman, either." Colyne
slapped his hand on his chest and let loose a loud belch. "The
soup," he said, in way of an explanation.

"They left early the next morn, afore they
broke their fast," Brian added. "The old monk said the woman must
not have been feeling well."

"I asked what made him think she was feeling
poorly," Colyne said, "He said the man had to hold her around the
shoulders to help her walk. His companion lifted her up into her
husband's arms. She appeared too weak to help herself mount."

"Did he see her face?" Magnus hoped the
answer was yes.

"Nay, but he saw her hair. He said even
though the sun was not as yet up, it looked lighter in early morn
than it did in the evening light." Colyne leaned to the side,
lifting his left buttock off the saddle.

"How much of the soup did you eat, man?"
Brian, who was half a length behind him, waved his hand in front of
his face.

"Shite!" Graemme stuck his thigh with his
fist.

"Did not! 'Twas only gas," Colyne said,
indignant.

Graemme rolled his eyes. "Not that. I'd hoped
Magnus realized his vow was not worth the smallest finger on
Muriele's hand. But, nay. My brother has to see everything as black
and white!"

If he had been on the ground walking, Graemme
would have kicked his foot and sent stones flying.

"There's nothing for it, then. We'll have to
overtake him afore he forks off to go to Kinbrace. Should he take
her there, they will kill her. Slowly. We'll split up to make sure
we dinna miss them." He pulled to a halt so they could talk
quietly.

"Colyne, cover to the west. Brian, go the
eastern route. Make all haste and find out all ye can. If ye see no
signs of him, make yer way to the fork in the road leading to
Clibrick. 'Tis likely he will head due north. I'll take that
route."

They snapped their reins and set their mounts
into a gallop. Graemme was glad the paths were now familiar.

A sennight later, Elyne studied horsemen
thundering toward the castle. She put her hand up to shade her eyes
so she could see who they were. Riding at the lead was her
brother's black mount. She grinned, for dressed all in black with
his cloak flying in the wind her brother did look to be a huge
black raptor.

"Aunt, 'tis Ranald," she shrieked. She near
tumbled Lady Joneta over as she hurtled across the front
bailey.

"Watch it, Imp." Ranald ordered as he sidled
his huge horse away from his sister. "Ye know Satan's Spawn is as
bad-tempered as the Chief is when he's deep in his cups."

For a flash in time, seeing the comely left
side of Ranald's face, it was as if Moridac laughed down at her. It
was oddly comforting knowing how her other brother would have
looked if he had been happily married and had children. But then,
if Moridac had escaped the hunting accident the morning he was to
wed, she would never have known Ranald still lived. He was beauty
and darkness all within one man.

Elyne grinned up at him as she backed away
from the black horse and waited until he turned and handed the
reins to the Stable Master. She near leapt into her brother's arms.
Always glad to see him, she was more so than any time in her life.
He would be her savior. Ranald would talk some sense into her
father and stop this craziness about her wedding a savage
Highlander!

Once he and his men greeted everyone and
Ranald, Aunt Joneta, her father and Elyne settled in her father's
solar to enjoy a private meal, Elyne thought her head would burst
from Broccin's shouts.

"The daft lass sprawled atop Angus of
Clibrick's son Graemme." He scowled at her. "All but
nekid
. Her bare arse shined in the moonlight bright as the
rising sun," he shouted as he slammed his fist on the solar
table.

"I did not sprawl on him. Blessed Saints! I
fell out of the tree." Elyne was satisfied her shout was every bit
as loud.

Hearing her shout, Squat came running into
the room leaving muddy paw prints in his path and looked at his
mistress then over at the Chief.

"Nay! Ye did not sprawl. Ye were
swiving,
his hands doing the guiding!"

"Lass, how oft did I tell ye spying on men
would some day cause ye grief?"

The dog cocked his head and turned his
attention to the cause of his mistress' anger. He went behind the
Chief's chair and stealthily crept up to Broccin's boots under the
table. Balancing on one bandy leg, he lifted the other and let
loose with a hot stream of piss. His aim was at the top. It didn't
take long before the warmth alerted the chief. As he sprang up,
shaking his leg and cursing the dog, Squat skittered away to hide
behind Elyne's skirts.

Ranald shook his head and looked stern. At
least the scarred side of his face looked stern. His lips twitched
at the corner on his comely side, and Elyne could swear she heard
the rumble of a subdued chuckle.

"I hadn't meant to spy. I had no place to go
but up the tree. I thought to hide myself until he was gone, but
the fool grabbed my foot."

"The Chief can do naught else but see ye
marry the man. The whole castle, nay, even the distant villagers
know of yer mishap."

"Ye jest!" She slammed back in her chair.
Surely, a cloud of doom, complete with lightning and thunder,
floated above her head.

"I fear not. I was no more than halfway here
when I heard the tale."

"Huh! But would ye wish me to marry the man
who has gone to steal Muriele out of Mary Magdalen?"

Ranald's head whipped around to look at
Broccin.

"Brodie followed them," his sire sad. "They
searched the woods then his men spent the night in the stables. The
man ye sent as gardener to watch Muriele kept his eyes on them. He
had young Graemme sleep in the pallet next to him. They left the
next morn."

"Alone?"

"Alone. Brodie didna return until the men
were well on their way to Clibrick Castle."

"Well, Elyne, had they been after Muriele,
they would not have left. I think 'tis time ye married and had
bairns to keep yer adventurous nature busy."

"But I don't want to marry him! For certs, he
is
the man who ruined Muriele's back."

"I'll talk to her. It should set yer mind at
ease." He looked at Chief Broccin and saw his rare nod of
agreement.

"Aye, do. I would be less fearful if ye find
she fares well." Elyne could not expect anything more.

When Ranald and his men arrived back at
Raptor's drawbridge several days later, the sun hovered over the
horizon. Riding behind one of the men was a woman in a long, black
cloak. Wind whipped golden hair with flecks of brown from beneath
her hood. It swirled around her face. An unfamiliar face. Elyne's
heart sank, for there was no way Muriele had changed that much in
little over eighteen months.

Elyne stared. She did not recognize the
woman. What she did recognize was the anger on Ranald's face. His
eyes sparked with fury, causing wherever he gazed to heat.

Once they had dismounted and were within the
keep's great hall, Ranald finally spoke.

"Muriele was gone and this lass was in her
place. Elyne, see she has a place to sleep tonight. Once she's
settled, come to the Chief's solar. We need to talk.

The woman looked exhausted. Pity welled in
Elyne's heart. From her haunted eyes and white face, Elyne saw she
was more than a little frightened. Whatever had happened, for
truth, Graemme was behind it!

As she led the exhausted woman to her
bedchamber, she tried to put her at ease.

"I am Elyne of Raptor, daughter to the Chief.
Come, ye may share the room with me this night. Did, uh, my brother
say how long ye will reside with us?"

"Thank you, my lady. He did not. I am
Ysabel.

"Ye look much like Muriele, the woman taken
from the convent." Elyne couldn't help but stare at her. "Where did
Sir Graemme find ye and how did ye come to agree to do such a
thing?"

"I know nothing of Sir Graemme. The one who
found me in a village at Stow was named Sir Magnus."

"Ye dinna look like a village woman. How came
ye to be there?"

"I lived at a castle near Clibrick until two
years ago. A band of unruly men whose leader looked to be one of
God's angels, raided the castle. He killed my husband. When they
had their fill of me, they turned me out." Shame and sadness
pinched her face. She blinked, trying to keep her tears from
falling.

"Why did ye not seek help at Clibrick?"

"I heard the man who killed my husband
bragging he had everyone there under his heel. Instead, I spent
many months making my way to the Lowlands. I settled at a village
in Stow."

"The man who found ye, did he force ye to
work for him?"

"I had recently arrived in the village and
lived with an old man and woman on a farm. I had no talents other
than with the sewing needle. People in the village's canna waste
their earnings on clothes. Truthfully, though, this Sir Magnus paid
me well for the deception. He even provided farm animals for the
old couple. I cared not for the coins he gave me. It was enough to
again be treated and dressed as a lady. Even for such a short
time."

Elyne's heart melted on seeing tears slip
down her cheeks.

"Ysabel is a lovely name. One not often
heard."

"Tis an old family name." She stopped and
looked around her. "I have heard of the Black Raptor. I feared he
would throw me in the dungeons when he arrived."

"Nay. My brother would never be so cruel."
Elyne gulped, for indeed, Ranald had once tortured a man then
tended his wounds to see he lived to remember what he had lost. To
her, such a thing was beyond cruel.

When they reached Elyne's bedchamber, she
directed Ada to bring water for Ysabel to bathe. Elyne laid out a
cotton smock and a soft, green tunic for her to wear. "Fresh
clothing and a good meal will lift yer spirits. I will have a tray
sent from the kitchens for ye."

Elyne hopped from one foot to the other,
anxious to meet in the solar to find out what had happened.
"Cleanse yerself and relax. After ye have eaten, go to bed and
rest."

Before Ysabel could answer, Elyne was out the
door and closing it. When she found a guard posted there, it
surprised her. She didn't stop to question why. She'd find out soon
enough from Ranald.

Elyne burst through the doorway of her
father's solar and skidded to a stop. The white cloth on the table
fluttered. The tapestries and banners around the room flapped
softly. There was not a hint of a breeze through the window
opening. The castle doors remained closed, too.

Ranald paced back and forth. One look at his
tight face gave her the reason why. He was more than upset. He was
angered.

Were he any more so, the cloth and all the
food atop it would be flying to the floor.

Elyne stopped halfway into the room.

"Father, I told ye I should not wed Graemme.
He may not have stolen Muriele away but this dreadful Magnus did.
They are Highlanders. Would ye wish me to marry into such a cruel
clan?"

"Graemme did naught wrong." Chief Broccin
snorted and glared at her.

"But Muriele is now on her way to be tortured
or worse!"

Elyne was beginning to get a sinking feeling
her troubles with wedding Graemme were not over. "This Magnus who
stole her away. Who is he to Graemme?"

"His brother."

"He has a brother?" Elyne's heart gave a
sickening lurch.

"Aye. Two years his senior."

Believing she could save Muriele, she had
given herself to Graemme. For naught! Naught but insults! Bile
surged to her throat. She wanted to heave. Swallowing, she took a
deep breath. Realizing Ranald studied her with an appraising eye,
she tried to appear only curious.

"Graemme never said anything about him, did
he Father? Perhaps his brother stole Muriele to protect her from
Graemme?"

"I already told ye, Graemme had naught to do
with it," her father's voice rose in irritation.

"Still, I willna marry a man whose brother
treated a woman crudely as any unruly serf."

"He didna, lass," Ranald broke into the
conversation before it became any more confusing. "Your Graemme and
his brother Magnus didna harm Muriele. 'Twas Magnus' foster brother
Feradoch who did."

"Bleh!" She glared at Ranald. "Dinna call him
my
Graemme."

"He will be," Chief Broccin warned. "This
doesna change the vows. Finding his brother to protect Muriele is
the reason he could not marry right away."

"Both Graemme and his brother are worthy,
Elyne," Ranald said. "Their only flaw is they are more honorable
than most men."

"How can ye say such when this brother
kidnapped Muriele?"

"Magnus is a good man. Too worthy for his own
happiness." He paced over to the window and looked out at the
bailey below. "He made a vow it is impossible for him to keep."

"Huh! No more impossible than mine, I'll
wager." Elyne sucked her teeth. "What was this impossible
promise?"

"When he was a youngling, he and his foster
brother Feradoch of the Gunn's, made a blood vow to revenge each
other if one of them was dealt a terrible wrong." Ranald turned,
his arms crossed over his chest. His voice lowered. "The Gunns
claimed Muriele entered a handfast with Feradoch"