Felix and Ronan nodded as Cleo and Hugh followed close behind them. Jude stole one last moment at the grave to mourn before rushing to Hugh’s side.
“Nay time to dawdle,” Jude said as he hoisted Hugh up to his shoulder. “Cleo, I ken yer leg stings, but ye must hurry.”
“I understand,” Cleo said grinding her teeth to hold back the pain in her leg. “I will be on your heels.”
They raced across the open field keeping a keen eye on the trees as they passed them.
Must make it to the castle. Canae stop for anythin’. If there’s a murder stalkin’ me son, me hope is the safety behind the walls of me home. But what if the fiend tries again?
9
Cleo watched as Jude’s guard rushed to his aide.
A large man with gray hair pushed through the crowd and stopped at Jude’s side.
“Oh, how I prayed for this day,” the man said kissing Jude on the cheek before doing the same to Hugh. “Where is Adam? Where is me son?” Jude glanced over his shoulder to steal a glimpse at the barren horse that Adam would have been riding.
Jude exhaled as he clasped his hand over the man’s shoulder. “Ian, I am sorry. Adam fell. It was most unfortunate, but rest yerself knowin’ he fell as a hero savin’ me son.”
Ian stepped back in shock. He shook his head as he scanned the faces around him. Ian’s eyes fell on Cleopatra and she could see the anger raging within him.
“Ian,” Jude said stepping to him. “This is Lady Cleopatra, the Earl’s daughter. Treat her kindly.”
Ian shook with rage as he lifted a trembling finger to her.
“This was yer fault,” Ian hissed as he charged Cleopatra. “Me son would be alive if the Earl had nae taken the boy.”
“Nay,” Jude said stepped in front of Ian. “Cleo had nothin’ to do with Adam’s death.”
“I daenae believe it,” Ian growled as Jude stood between him and Cleopatra.
“It’s true,” Felix interjected as he placed his hand on Ian’s shoulder. “I was there when it happened. The girl was with Jude while we went huntin’. A stranger took Adam’s life as he was protectin’ the boy.”
“Hugh,” Jude glanced to his son and nudged his head to the doors. “Get to yer room and stay there.”
Hugh nodded as the crowd parted for the boy. Cleopatra watched Ian as his eyes followed Hugh until he was no longer in sight. Swiftly, the old man turned and glared at Cleopatra. She dropped her eyes as she felt the daggers coming from the old man’s gaze.
“Mr. MacIntyre,” Ronan stepped forward to stand beside Cleopatra. “I understand yer pain. Adam was a loyal man and did his duty for our lands and Laird. Ye cannae smudge his name when he showed courage in the field.”
Ian stepped back from Jude. Cleopatra watched as the man crumbled from the loss of his son. She could only imagine the torture he was going through. Although she wanted to comfort Ian, she held herself back.
“I am so sorry for your loss,” Cleopatra said. Ian refused to look at her and she knew immediately that she would forever be the cause for Adam’s death in his eyes.
“Paige,” Jude shouted. A thin girl with strawberry hair and freckles rushed to Jude’s side. She bowed quickly before rising. “See Cleo to the room and call for the healer. Her leg needs attention.”
“Aye, m’Laird,” Paige said as she stretched her arm out to Cleopatra. Hesitating, Cleopatra took the servant’s hand.
“It’ll be all right,” Jude said. “Go with Paige.”
“Ye’re nae considerin’ lettin’ that girl roam the castle unattended?” Ian snapped as he glared at Cleopatra.
“She is a guest, Ian,” Jude said as Paige curled her fingers around Cleopatra’s shoulders and guided her to the Castle.
Cleopatra’s eyes widened as she looked about the stone walls. Tapestries and candles lit up the space making it far more welcoming that Cleopatra expected.
“Daenae mind Sir MacIntyre,” Paige whispered as she pulled Cleopatra to the staircase. “He will come around eventually.”
“What if he’s right though?” Cleopatra asked. “After all, if my faither didn’t have Hugh, then Adam would be alive.”
“Perhaps,” Paige said. “But that should nae concern ye now.”
Cleopatra limped up the stairs behind Paige. With each passing minute the burning in her leg was growing more intense.
“Here we are, Miss,” Paige said, stopping at the heavy door in the center of the hallway. Cleopatra walked to the door and pushed it open. Her eyes widened as she stepped into the large room.
On the far side of the room, she noticed a fireplace. It was far bigger than the little wooden stove she had in her old room. Her eyes drifted to the bed that was placed on the left side of the door with heavy curtains draped down the canopy. Cleopatra gasped to find elegant chairs and bookcases on either side of the fireplace.
“Is this my room?” Cleopatra asked. She couldn’t believe that such a room existed. Everything was far prettier and open than what she had been given before. Paige’s giggle caught her off guard. She turned to look at the servant.
“Ye look like ye’ve never seen a bedroom before,” Paige said. “Are ye nae the Earl’s daughter? Surely ye came from a much fancier castle than this one?”
Cleopatra dropped her eyes and shook her head. “Truth is, my father kept all the fancy things to himself. My room in his house was probably much like the one you sleep in.”
Paige gasped at the thought, yet her surprise faded as she studied Cleopatra. “Ye’re serious?”
“Yes,” Cleopatra said. “This room is more than I could have ever wanted. Please tell the Laird thank you. For I doubt I will be seeing much of him now that we are back in his home.”
“Take heart, Miss,” Paige said. “There is a reason he brought ye back here, I’m sure of it. But I must say, it is nice to have a lady back in the Castle. After his first wife passed, the halls have been neglected.”
“Oh, I don’t think that will be my role here,” Cleopatra said with a soft smile.
“Either way, Miss, is there anythin’ I can do for ye? M’Laird requested I fetch the healer, but I can get ye some scran if ye like?”
Cleopatra’s stomach rumbled at the thought of food and nodded. “That would be lovely.”
“I’ll be back soon, until then, make yerself at home,” Paige bowed to her and took off, closing the door behind her.
Cleopatra’s heart sank as she scanned the decorated room. She moved to the bookcase and scanned the books that lined the shelves. Although it seemed she had stepped into a dream, she could feel the shadows darken around her.
My father must have sent someone to come after us. After all, how else would they have known where we would be? And why else would he have let Jude walk out of the manor so easily?
A light tap on the door pulled Cleopatra from her thoughts. She cleared her throat and straightened her dirty skirt. “Come in.”
To her surprise, Jude pushed through the door. He looked weary as he walked in. His eyes scanned the room as he sighed.
“Is everything all right?” Cleopatra asked, trying not to go to him. Every fiber in her being wanted to rush to him and comfort him, but they were no longer in the wild. Here, he was Laird and she knew there were customs to obey.
“Aye,” he said as he walked to the dresser next to the bed.
“Are you certain? You look as if you have seen a ghost.”
“It’s been a while since I was in this room,” Jude confessed.
“Was this your wife’s old room?” Cleopatra asked, although she already knew the answer. Jude nodded somberly. “How is Hugh?” Cleopatra asked, trying to shift the conversation. They had been through so much that she couldn’t bear to see him so disheartened a moment longer.
“He is fine,” Jude answered. “Now that he is home, all will be well.”
“That is good to hear. I hope he hasn’t been too traumatized by the events.”
“It’ll take time, but he is strong,�
�� Jude said, stepping closer to Cleopatra. She could feel the heat of his body rolling off him and she reached out and clasped his wrist.
Jude’s eyes shifted to her hand. She knew there were no words she could say that would make the sadness in his face vanish, but still she found herself longing to make him smile.
“Like his father, I’m sure,” she said finding herself gravitating toward Jude.
“How is yer leg?” Jude asked suddenly as he stepped back from her.
“I should be right as rain in no time,” Cleopatra said as Jude extended his hand to the chair.
“Sit, let me inspect it,” he said.
Cleopatra’s heart fluttered as she moved to the chair and sat down. With her eyes locked on Jude, she watched as he carefully lifted the fabric of her tattered skirt to her knees. Her body shuddered as she felt his fingers drift over her calf.
Ever so carefully, he unwound the cloth. Cleopatra gasped as it peeled off the wound and sent pain coursing up to her knee. She tried not to recoil from his touch as he eased the last bit off her.
“Well?” she asked not ready for the answer. Jude’s face was stone cold as his eyes shot up to her face.
“Best wait for the healer,” Jude said. “At least ye still have yer life.”
“I’m sorry,” Cleopatra whispered. “I shouldn’t have run away like I did.”
“I understand why ye did it,” Jude answered as he rubbed her knee. The clearing of a throat caught them by surprise, and they whipped their heads to the door.
Standing with a leather bag was a young man with bifocals and a long black cloak. The man’s eyebrows rose as he spotted Jude on his knees. Instantly, Jude rose to his feet and stepped back.
“M’Laird,” the healer said bowing as the smirk on his face faded.
“Alex,” Jude said. “Take care of her to the best of yer abilities.”
“Of course, m’Laird,” Alex said, scrambling to Cleopatra’s side. Cleopatra watched as the young man lowered himself and snatched her by the ankle. He lifted her leg up and peered into the wound.
“What caused this?” Alex asked turning his attention to Jude.
“Wild dogs,” Jude answered.
“I see,” Alex mumbled as he lowered Cleopatra’s leg and turned his attention to his bag. “Well, let’s get ye fixed, shall we?”
Jude nodded as Cleopatra glanced at him. Her heart longed for Jude to stay, but before she could express her desires to keep him there, he had slipped out of the room without so much as a farewell.
“This is a bit nasty,” Alex said as he poured water over her wound. A burning sensation coursed through her leg, but before the pain could intensify, she found she had lost feeling in her toes.
“What are you doing?” Cleopatra asked. Alex glanced up to her as he pushed his glasses up to the bridge of his nose.
“We have to clean this and make sure it doesn’t get any more infected than it is already. Now hold still, this might be a bit uncomfortable,” Alex said as he lifted Cleopatra’s leg up and placed it on his shoulder.
Cleopatra grabbed the armrest and dug her nails into the fine fabric as she closed her eyes. Pain wasn’t an uncommon thing for her, but she had no idea what to expect as Alex worked on her.
“There,” he said finally after several painful moments. “Let’s get this wrapped up. Ye must nae move for at least three weeks. We want to ensure a full healin’ and rompin’ around will nae help it.”
“You mean I’m stuck here? For three weeks?” Cleopatra’s eyes widened as she tried to wrap her head around the news.
“Is that so bad?” Paige asked as she came into the room with a tray of food. Cleopatra could smell the sweet flavors of salted pork tickle her nose.
“All done,” Alex said with a smile. “Paige, fetch me that stool. She needs to keep her leg elevated for a bit.”
Paige sat the tray of food down beside Cleopatra and rushed to the corner of the room for the stool. Once the stool was under her foot, Alex closed his bag and stood.
“Nay runnin’ about,” Alex warned.
“But—” Cleo began as Alex shook his head daring her to say another word.
Cleopatra crossed her arms over her chest and pouted as Alex turned and headed to the door. Cleopatra shifted her head and noticed Jude lingering near the doorway. His lips curled into a half smile as he stared at her.
“How is she?” she heard Jude ask as Alex walked by him.
“She’ll be fine,” Alex answered, “if ye can keep her settled. There’s fire in that girl.”
“Daenae I ken it.”
10
Jude swallowed hard as his opponent stood before him, with his sword in the air ready to strike him down.
“Well then, what ye waitin’ for?” Jude asked as his lips curled up into a crooked little grin. “Attack me and get it over with.”
“I’m gettin’ to it,” Hugh said with a shrug. Jude watched as Hugh’s hands trembled under the weight of the mighty sword. Granted, Jude knew that Hugh could never hurt him. His son was too weak and scrawny to do any real damage. That was the whole point of the exercise, to build up the boy’s strength.
“Ye’ve already lost the battle,” Jude said. “I can see the doubt in yer eyes. Daenae look at me as yer faither, but as a bandit or perhaps even the nurse maid.”
“Faither,” Hugh chuckled as he dropped his blade a few inches before jerking it back into position. “Daenae be so cruel to the woman.”
“I’m nae. If anythin’ that was a compliment. The point is, anyone can be a threat. Ye have to ken when to act, son. Now, strike me.”
There was a dullness in his son’s eyes that made Jude doubt whether or not the boy would attack at all.
“Come on, ye can do it. Just as I showed ye,” Jude said, urging Hugh to move.
Keeping his eyes on his son’s footwork, Jude watched the boy step forward and thrust the sword into the open space between them. Jude instantly blocked the attack with a swoosh of his blade that nearly forced the blade out of Hugh’s hands. The sound of their metal crashing against one another was faint, but still for a boy of Hugh’s age, Jude found it impressive that Hugh was able to keep his grip on the hilt without losing control.
“Well done. Try again. Ye need to have more conviction in yer steps. Ye can appear to be weak, and that will give ye an advantage. Yer foes willnae expect ye to fight back. That’s were ye get them. Ye strike with force and precision, understand?” Jude asked as he double checked Hugh’s stance.
Hugh gave a sturdy nod as he stepped back into the starting place and double checked his feet, making sure they weren’t too wide from his hips. Hugh held the hilt tighter and sucked in a deep breath.
“All right then, give it a go,” Jude said.
Hugh lunged forward with such ferocity that the weight of the blade nearly caused him to tip over. Jude couldn’t help but laugh watching his son. He knew that the boy had not had much training and a pang of guilt pricked his heart. Jude knew he should have started training Hugh sooner. For if he had, Hugh never would have been kidnapped in the first place.
“Faither.” Hugh’s voice was barely a whisper, but it was loud enough for Jude to notice. Hugh lowered his blade to the ground as his arms trembled from holding the blade for so long.
“What is it?” Jude asked as he walked over to the bucket of water and scooped the ladle out to take a quick sip to quench his parched lips.
“What if I’m never goin’ to be as good as you with the blade?” Hugh asked and Jude’s head whipped over to see his son.
There was no denying the pain in the boy’s face and voice. It broke Jude’s heart to see his son doubting himself and he quickly dropped the ladle. Walking to Hugh, Jude knelt at his son’s feet. Slowly, he drew his eyes up to meet Hugh’s. Placing his hands on Hugh’s small shoulders, he sighed deeply.
“Listen,” Jude said. “It may be hard for ye to believe, but I too was once just a young lad, weak thing and it took years for me to become the ma
n ye see today. I look forward to the time when I see ye as a strong warrior and a man ready to lead this clan, but, ye must remember that it matters nae what weapon ye have in yer hands. The biggest weapon ye have is right here,” Jude said lifting his finger and pressing it to Hugh’s head.
“What makes ye great is yer mind. That alone is yer greatest weapon. Understand?”
“I think so,” Hugh said as Jude rose.
“Do ye think a man of me size could take down a man like Aiden?” Jude asked Hugh. “In all regards, he is bigger than me. Yet will that stop me from defeatin’ him?”
Highlander’s Wicked Temptation: A Steamy Scottish Historical Romance Novel Page 8