by Lynsay Sands
"The gardens are empty. Should they be?" Blake glanced over his shoulder. The bishop was craning his neck, peering inside even as he shook his head.
"Nay. The servants or lay sisters should be tending them at this hour. Lady Elizabeth Worley runs St. Simmian's, and she is a fair virago of a woman who would put up with no--"
"Look you," Rolfe said, cutting off the bishop. "There are baskets scattered about. 'Tis as if they had been working and left suddenly."
"It sounds worrisome." Little George's rumble drew Blake's attention to the fact that every single man who rode with them had dismounted and was crowded around, trying to peer into a sanctity they would normally never get a chance to see.
"Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear." The bishop shook his head, his eyebrows turned down in concern. "Something is not right; something is simply not right."
"You said many seek sanctuary here. You do not think someone actually broke in and--" Rolfe left the rest of his theory unsaid.
Blake pushed the gate the rest of the way open and started resolutely inside. 'Twas one thing for the little Scottish wench to flee from marrying him; 'twas another for someone to steal or harm her. He would not stand idly by and see that done. 'Twas not in his nature.
*
Seonaid was a bit surprised by the wariness on the other woman's face. She was a redhead, her skin pale and powdered with a light sprinkling of freckles. Her face was blotchy from crying and scrunched up in distrust as she watched them approach. Pausing before her, Seonaid glanced uncomfortably away. She wanted to turn around and leave but simply could not. 'Twas due to her one failing; in her heart, Seonaid was soft. 'Twas a fault she and her brother had worked hard to eradicate over the years. They had failed at the task. She could not walk away from an injured animal or man, could not ignore cries of pain, and could not leave the Englishwoman to sob her heart out as she had been doing.
"Yer Lady Helen. I'm Lady Seonaid," she announced abruptly by way of a greeting.
"Lady Seonaid? Aye, Sister Blanche mentioned you to me." There was relief on her face as the woman got to her feet. The emotion turned to surprise as she took in Seonaid's height and realized she was a good foot taller than herself. "You have been here two weeks, have you not?"
"Aye. I be attemptin' to avoid marryin' an English dog," Seonaid announced with feigned boredom.
Helen looked startled, then started to laugh. "And I am endeavoring to escape marriage to a Scottish pig."
"Nay. Really?" Seonaid grinned, then asked, "Well, why did ye no go to an English abbey then?"
Helen grimaced. " 'Twas in Scotland I escaped. I sought the closest haven I could find."
"Oh, aye." Seonaid nodded. "Well, never fear, ye'll be safe here."
"Aye." The word was one of agreement, but her expression was doubtful.
When Aeldra shifted on her feet beside her, Seonaid suddenly recalled her cousin's presence and grimaced at her own bad show of manners. " 'Tis rude I am. This is me cousin, Aeldra. She insisted on accompanyin' me here to keep me safe should I run into trouble."
When Helen stared at the woman in question, Seonaid turned to examine Aeldra, seeing her as the other woman must. Her blond cousin was her opposite in coloring and height, shorter even than Helen herself. Seonaid supposed her cousin's insisting on accompanying her to "keep her safe" would sound odd to anyone who had never seen her fight, but Aeldra was a wildcat in battle.
"She's a fair bloodthirsty wench," Seonaid felt she should explain. "An' nimble too. Show 'er," she suggested.
Nodding, Aeldra turned as if to leave the chapel, took several steps away, then suddenly did three backflips in a row. She landed facing Helen on her last spin, a small knife drawn and at the Englishwoman's throat.
"Oh, my," Helen breathed faintly.
Seonaid and Aeldra both laughed as the smaller woman stuck her blade back in her deerskin boot.
"Can you teach me that?"
Aeldra shrugged. " 'Tis fair impressive to see, but no verra helpful in a real battle. An archer would ha' shot me down in mid-flip 'ere I ever got me dagger near yer neck."
"Oh. So you will not teach me." Helen's shoulders drooped. Seonaid and Aeldra exchanged a glance.
"But I could be teachin' ye something a bit more useful," Aeldra said.
Helen's attitude brightened at once. "Truly? Would you?"
"Aye."
"Oh, my, that would be marvelous. Then should Cameron come for me, I could defend myself."
Seonaid's eyes widened. "Cameron? Lord Rollo?"
Helen grimaced. "Aye"
She considered. "I have heard nothing to say he be so bad. Now, the man I was to marry, he's a dog of the first order."
"Who were you to marry?" Lady Helen asked curiously.
"Sherwell."
"Lord Blake Sherwell?"
"Aye, do ye ken him?" Seonaid asked.
"Aye. Well, nay, I have never met him, but I have heard of him. They call him the Angel. He is said to be fair handsome, and quite charming. 'Tis said he has the looks of an angel and the tongue of the devil, and betwixt the two could have lured even Saint Agnes to his bed." Helen frowned. "Why would you not wish to marry him?"
"He be English." When the woman looked taken aback, Seonaid threw her an apologetic smile. "Well, 'tis no just that he be English. He's a cur as well."
"Oh." Helen hesitated, then asked, "Have you met him?"
"Nay, but me father kenned his father. They were once friends. 'Twas why the marriage was arranged, but then the earl showed hisel' to be the cur he is an' ..." She shrugged.
"What did the Earl of Sherwell do?"
Seonaid pursed her lips. "Well, now, I dinna rightly ken, but it must have been something fair rude, for me father has hated him ever since an' curses him at every opportunity." When Helen continued to frown and seemed about to comment, Seonaid shifted uncomfortably and asked, "Why are ye fleein' Lord Rollo? S'truth I have heard naught against him."
"Aye." Helen's expression darkened. " 'Tis sure I am, you have not. He hides his true nature well. He fooled even my father, so much so he agreed to the marriage, but on the way to Cameron Castle, I overheard him talking with one of his men. We had stopped to make camp for the night and they thought I was sleeping. They were discussing how he planned to end the marriage as quickly as he could once we reached his stronghold, so that he could marry another woman."
Seonaid raised her eyebrows. "If he planned to end it anyway, why marry at all?"
"For my dowry. My father is quite well off and was generous with my dower."
"But, if he ends the marriage, he canna keep the dower."
"He could if the marriage ended because I had died."
"Nay!" Seonaid gaped at her. "He wouldna!"
Helen nodded grimly.
"Did he say so?"
She nodded again. "They were discussing how best to do it. They could not decide between breaking my neck and throwing me down the stairs to make it look as if I broke it in the fall, or breaking my neck in the woods and saying I fell off my mount."
"The cur!" Turning to her cousin, Seonaid gestured. "Can ye imagine, Aeldra?"
Aeldra shook her head. "Nay. 'Tis lucky ye truly werena sleepin'."
"Aye," Seonaid agreed. "What did ye then?"
"Nothing at first. I had to continue pretending to sleep so they would not know I knew of their plans."
"Oh, aye."
"But soon as I had the chance, we escaped."
"We?"
"My maid was with me."
"Was?"
"Aye, well, I sent her toward home to tell my father. Once he realizes Cameron's plan, he shall come to my aid at once."
"But what if they catch her afore she reaches him?"
Worry crossed briefly over her face, then she shook her head. "Nay. I set all the horses free ere we left."
Seonaid and Aeldra shared a glance; then the smaller Scot arched her eyebrows. "How did ye manage to do all that? I ken well no Scot would sit about while ye packed, l
et loose their beasts, an' fled."
"Aye, well." She hesitated, then said, "Had they been able to stop me I am sure they would have, but my maid, Madge, has a special knowledge of herbs. The morning after I overheard them talking about killing me, I told her what I had heard and that we had to escape. She made the sup that night and drugged it so they fell into a deep sleep. While they were unconscious, we packed, let loose the beasts, and fled. I sent her on home alone and made my way here, trailing a second horse so they would think she traveled with me. I made sure they could follow my trail. They will not even need bother looking for it. Madge will make it back home and bring Father to me."
"Ye deliberately left a trail for them to follow?"
Helen nodded. "Well, if I had headed home with Madge, they might have caught us up 'ere we could reach there. They would know I knew of their plans. They would make sure I could not escape again, and most like have seen to the killing at once, on the spot."
"Aye, I ken, but ye dinna have to leave them a way to trail ye here, did ye?"
"I wished them to follow me to be sure Madge would reach my father safely," Helen said plaintively. "Besides, I feel sure once he is made aware, all will be well. At least I did. I thought surely I would be safe here, but now I am not so certain."
Seeing the slight tremble to her lip and afraid she would burst into tears again, Seonaid hurried to reassure the woman. "Oh, aye. 'Tis safe ye are here. No even a murderin' dog like Rollo Cameron appears to be would dare storm sacred ground. An' even did he, the abbess wouldna let him in. Ye're safe here 'til yer father arrives. As am I." Still seeing the fear on the Englishwoman's face, Seonaid searched about in her mind for a way to distract her. "We werena doin' ought. If ye have time, mayhap ye'd like Aeldra an' I to teach ye a thing or two about defendin' yersel'?"
"Would you? Oh, that would be grand. I realized not how ignorant I was of such things until I found myself in danger. I dearly wished I knew how to handle a sword the night I lay listening to Rollo's plans for me. I would have sat up and run him through on the spot."
"Come then, we'll move to the garden, where there's more room." Seonaid led the way to the chapel door and pulled it open. She started into the hall, froze, and stepped back, her hand moving automatically to her empty scabbard.
"What is it?" Helen asked anxiously when Seonaid eased the door closed and wheeled to peer about the room.
"Come." Expression grim, she grabbed the smaller woman's arm and urged her toward the left side of the dim room, sure Aeldra would follow without question.
"What is it?" Helen stumbled along at her side. "What did you see?"
"I saw a man in the hall." Pausing by the first tapestry, Seonaid released the woman and pulled the mammoth decoration away from the wall. Sensing her plan, Aeldra moved up in front of her and slid behind the image of Christ on the cross. Seonaid peered at Helen.
"Get in," she ordered. When the woman hesitated, she grabbed her arm again to urge her forward. "Aeldra shall protect ye from the other side. I shall be on this side."
"But why would I need protecting?" She stilled halfway behind the tapestry and whirled to face her. "Was it Rollo you saw?"
Seonaid shook her head. "I didna' recognize the man, but 'twas a plaid he wore, an' since we are the only two seeking sanctuary here and the man who seeks me is English ..." Letting the rest of the sentence fade, she shrugged.
Helen needed no further explanation. Panic wreathing her face, she slid the rest of the way behind the tapestry, leaving just enough room for Seonaid's larger frame.
"How do you think they got in?" the Englishwoman asked as the tapestry settled against them. It was not flat and would not hold up well as a hiding spot under close examination, but Seonaid was hoping it would not need to. With the dim lighting in the room and the gory images on the tapestries, she hoped whoever searched would simply give a quick glance and leave. Seoniad was not willing to confront the enemy without her sword, especially when she did not know their numbers. All she had glimpsed was one man, but he had been standing sideways at the end of the hall, talking to someone she could not see. Or several someones.
"There was no warning. I heard no cries or screams. Think you they--" Helen's frantic words came to an abrupt halt when Seonaid reached out and covered her mouth with one hand.
"Lesson number one in defendin' yersel'," she hissed. "When one is hidin', she must remain quiet, else there is no use to hidin' at all. Do ye ken?" When she felt the woman nod in the dark, Seonaid eased her hand away, then stiffened as the chapel door was opened.
'Twas dark and stifling behind the tapestry, the air heavy with must and dust. Seonaid was straining to hear footfalls, but the silence was as heavy as the dust behind the image of Christ.
Releasing the breath she'd been holding, Seonaid drew a fresh one, then immediately covered her mouth and nose with one hand. She had inhaled dust, and a sneeze was forcing its way to life. Silently cursing, she bit her lip and pinched her nose in an effort to distract herself, or at least delay the sneeze. Sweat had broken out on her forehead from the effort when she finally heard the soft click of the door. Her explosive sneeze immediately followed, and Seonaid stepped out from behind the curtain, waving a hand in front of her face to remove any traces of dust still clinging to her skin. Aeldra and Helen followed.
"Damn me! That one near blew me head off."
" 'Twas close." Aeldra eased to the door and pressed an ear to it briefly. Apparently not hearing anything, she inched it open enough to peer out with one eye. " 'Tis clear," she said quietly as she closed the door.
Nodding, Seonaid gestured her back.
"What are we going to do?" Helen asked as Aeldra rejoined them.
Seonaid was silent for a moment, then frowned. "We need to get to our rooms."
"What for?" Helen peered from one woman to the other when Aeldra nodded.
"Me sword." She grimaced. "The abbess took it away. Aeldra's too."
"But if she took them away--"
Aeldra shrugged. "We took 'em back. Pinched 'em while she snored away in drunken ignorance."
"In drunken--? Nay! The abbess drinks?"
"Aye." Seonaid did not appear the least concerned by the fact. "She can toss it back like the best of warriors."
"Aye." Aeldra grinned.
Helen shook her head at the raw admiration in both women's voices.
"Come along, then." Seonaid followed Aeldra toward the door, then suddenly stopped and wheeled on Helen. "Mayhap ye should wait here. We could come back for ye."
"Nay." The Englishwoman shook her head firmly. "I feel safer in the company of you two ladies than I have since overhearing Lord Rollo's plans for me. I wish to stay with you."
Seonaid pursed her lips and considered her for a moment, then nodded. "All right, then let us go." She gestured to Aeldra, who still stood by the door. The smaller woman pressed her ear to the wood surface, then frowned and turned quickly back.
"Someone comes."
Cursing roundly, Seonaid grabbed Helen's arm and hurried her back to the tapestry. She paused there just long enough for Aeldra to slide behind it, then shoved Helen in and quickly followed just as the door opened.
Chapter Three
Seonaid pressed herself against the wall and cursed the fates for allowing this to happen when she didn't have her blade. She held her breath and tried to listen to what was happening in the room but could hear no sound over the pounding of her own heart. When the silence seemed to go on interminably, Seonaid opened her mouth and took a cautious breath, remembering well what had happened the last time she had breathed in through her nose.
After several minutes of silence, she decided whoever had opened the door must have merely peered in and moved on. Seonaid was about to tug the tapestry aside and slip out when a scuffling sound reached them. Someone's foot had knocked against one of the pews. Had their hiding place been discovered?
"Lady Seonaid?"
She stiffened at the whispered query from the other si
de of the tapestry, then tugged it aside as she recognized the voice.
"Sister Blanche!" Her gaze shot about the empty room; then she grabbed the woman's hand and tugged her behind the tapestry with them. "What do you? There are men in the abbey."
"Aye, I know." Sister Blanche sighed. "I have been looking for you for near half an hour to warn you. The Englishman is come."
Seonaid blinked in the darkness behind the tapestry. "Nay. They are Scots."
"Nay. I saw them when they crested the hill; 'twas Englishmen. They carried the king's banner. 'Tis sure I am."
"Ken you many Englishmen who wear plaids?" Seonaid asked, and sensed the woman's shock in the darkness.
"Plaids?"
"Aye, the man I saw wore a plaid."
"A plaid? Nay." She shook her head fervently, stirring up the dust. "You must be mistaken."
"He stood not ten feet away, Sister. His knees were naked, I tell ye. 'Tis Scots who have breached the abbey; 'tis why we've hidden Lady Helen. 'Tis the Cameron, I'm sure. We must see her out of here. Ye ken what'll happen to her if she falls into Cameron's hands."
The silence following her announcement was long and thick; then Sister Blanche began to move. She was out from behind the tapestry in a heartbeat. Following her, Seonaid watched with amazement as the woman began to tug at her clothes, dragging the habit off with little thought or warning.
"What are ye doing?" she asked with amazement.
"I left the door unbarred," was Sister Blanche's grim answer. "Mother Elizabeth ordered it. She hoped your Englishman would take you away. She is still upset about her crystal. And Sister Meredith."
Seonaid cursed. She had knocked the abbess's crystal decanter from her desk on her first day here. She had tipped her scabbard backward to avoid hitting a glass on a table beside the desk only to knock over the decanter instead. As for Sister Meredith, Seonaid had been kneeling at the altar saying her prayers when the good sister had walked by, tripping over her feet, which--in truth--did stick out farther than anyone else's. Sister Meredith had broken her ankle as she fell.
"I am sorry," Blanche said with obvious distress. "She ordered me to watch for your betrothed's arrival, empty the garden, order everyone to the big chapel, and unbar the door. I could not refuse her order. She threatened to return me to England in shame. I did think to warn you, but I could not find you." She glanced at Helen as the woman slid, white-faced, out from behind the tapestry. "I thought they were Englishmen," she said plaintively, guilt flushing her own face as she took in the other woman's fear. Then she shrugged her own feelings impatiently aside and pushed her dress into Helen's hands.