Elizabet shrugged. "Some evil canna be explained."
Fear for Tynan bludgeoned Alenna’s senses, quickening her heartbeat as they headed toward the Black Tower. "We’ll find him before we go to the donjon and see the baron."
"Alenna! Elizabet!" Caithleen rushed up to them, gasping. "Ye must come at once. Tynan and Dougald are goin’ out of the castle walls to negotiate a truce with the Ruthvens. Tynan almost came to seek ye out, but I said I would find ye."
Alenna felt a warm sensation in her chest at Caithleen’s words. She exchanged glances with Elizabet.
"So the man told at least part of the truth," Alenna said.
"Where are the men now?" Elizabet asked Caithleen.
"Hurry. They are waitin’ at the outer bailey for us."
When they reached the outer bailey, Alenna saw the two knights upon their huge horses. Garbed in their chain mail, Tynan and Dougald had yet to don helms.
Caithleen and Elizabet hurried toward them, but Alenna hung back, her steps slow. A weight settled on her shoulders like an anvil. If Tynan left the castle, he might not come back. To think of Tynan in danger shook the foundations of everything she felt, like a great earthquake. Tell Tynan to go and she may never see him again, dead or alive. Her steps quickened. He must go. His life, when it came down to it, was in more danger here in the castle.
Dougald dismounted from his horse as Caithleen ran to him. As Dougald gathered Caithleen into his arms and kissed her with abandon, Alenna felt the anvil around her neck grow heavier. She stopped in her tracks. Obviously absorbed in each other after a single night of passion, Caithleen and Dougald appeared made for each other. She envied their impetuosity.
She sensed someone staring at her. Elizabet stood next to Tynan’s horse and looked back at Alenna. But it wasn’t her gaze that penetrated Alenna down to the bone.
Tynan sat upon his horse, back ramrod straight, the chain mail and accessories sitting on him like fine clothes on a gentleman.
The power of his attention reminded her of what had happened last night and this morning. If she lived to be a hundred, she’d always remember the touch of his hands on her body, the strength of his arms, and the incredible ecstasy of making love with him. More than that, she would never forget the way he looked at that moment. A greedy fire burned in his gaze, as if he could devour her with one look.
Slowly she walked toward him. When she reached him, Elizabet stepped away and spoke with Caithleen and Dougald.
If Alenna expected Tynan to jump down from his horse and take her in his arms, the way Dougald had embraced Caithleen, she was wrong. Instead he gripped the reins with his gauntlet-clad hands, and gazed at her with hot, lambent eyes.
He cleared his throat. "We are to be gone a day or two. ‘Tis several miles to Ruthven’s castle, and we dinna ken what will happen when we get there."
Composure she’d worked hard to hold on to threatened to crumble. She abandoned her pride and tears once again filled her eyes.
Her turmoil was so great it seemed to cut off her air supply. "That horrible man in the dungeon said the baron means to have you killed."
Tynan’s eyes narrowed into dark slits. Slowly he dismounted, coming down close to her. Alenna wanted to step back, didn’t want to smell the masculine scent that had wrapped around her in passion not so long ago. Yet she didn’t move. As he clasped her shoulders, his heavy gauntlets felt cold and impersonal. Yet when he leaned down to whisper in her ear, she felt a shiver of pure feminine reaction dance through her body.
"Speak softly of this matter," he said, the warmth of his breath tickling her ear. "There are other things the baron may have done. He may have murdered his mistresses, including Florie."
Alenna gasped, and he brought her a little closer. "Ask me not how I ken. There is no time now. But ye must not let anyone ken that ye ken the baron has done these things."
"No, I won’t," she whispered back. "But if you leave … I … I fear for the safety of the castle."
Pain seemed to tug at one corner of his mouth. He nuzzled his face into her hair and brought her flush against his chest. "I dinna want to leave ye here alone, Alenna. I fear for ye."
His words, spoken in a soft hush, challenged her defenses. That this strong warrior actually cared enough about her to show fear stunned her. Immediately she had to reassure him. If he worried for her too much, his own safety might be jeopardized.
"I’ll be fine."
Brushing his lips against her cheek he said, "Dinna do anythin’ to put yerself in the baron’s path."
Could he read her mind? She couldn’t tell him she planned to ask the baron for Clandon’s release.
Instead she asked, "Will you take care?"
As he put his arms full around her waist, she dared herself to look into his eyes again. She tried to read what she saw there. Ice and fire. Pain and glory. He’d seen it all, and there was no one she believed more capable of coming back alive.
"With Dougald by my side, all shall fair well," he said.
"Without you here, the castle will be defenseless," she said again, knowing that her words meant nothing.
"Nay. We have left all the foot soldiers and knights here."
But I would feel safer if you were here. Like I do right now, in your arms.
Tears pricked at the corners of Alenna’s eyes, and she propelled them back with an effort. She couldn’t let him see her cry.
"What if it’s true and the baron means to hurt you? What are you going to do?"
"Then, when I am sure that my friends here are safe from the baron, I will leave here forever."
Another pain punctured her soul. "Where would you go?"
"I dinna ken. Anywhere I wad no be haunted by …"
When he didn’t complete his sentence she waited patiently. Still, a minute went by in silence.
"Haunted by memories?" she asked.
"Aye." He closed his eyes for a moment.
As he opened his eyes she thought she perceived a smoldering intensity, like hot need. He leaned closer … closer …
No!
She couldn’t let his lips touch hers. If she did she’d never be able to let him go. Alenna pushed against his chest, aware of Elizabet’s speculating stare. Tynan let her go and abruptly remounted his horse.
Dougald still held Caithleen in his arms, his hands caressing her hair, his gaze deeply locked with hers. A trickle of happiness for the couple managed to lighten Alenna’s disposition.
"Dougald, ye had all night and half the day for that," Tynan growled. "Let us be off."
Dougald gave Tynan a grin, kissed Caithleen passionately, then disengaged himself from her clinging arms. Tears fell steadily down the young woman’s face, and the sight of the girl’s sadness caused the lump in Alenna’s throat to swell.
"We will stay together, all three of us," Elizabet said. "At my lodgings. Then the men shall have no more worries about our safety."
"I will worry yet, but ‘tis a good idea, I’m thinkin’," Dougald said as he mounted his destrier.
As Tynan and Dougald started toward the gatehouse, the portcullis was drawn up, and they rode through to the barbican. As he left, Tynan turned slightly to look at Alenna, his expression as bleak as a storm-filled sky. She gathered her last perception of him deep into her memory and stored it in a safe place. When she lost sight of him, her heart beat fast, drumming in her ears, and for a second she wondered if she might faint.
Elizabet waved to the departing knights, but Alenna couldn’t even move. Stunned by the force of her feelings, she barely breathed. What if Tynan was killed? What if—
"Alenna," Caithleen said at her elbow. "All will be fine."
The three women looked at each other with equal parts despondency and confusion.
Alenna now understood the agony passing through a modern soldier’s wife or girlfriend when her man went off to an uncertain fate. Disquiet ate at Alenna’s gut like worms. She knew if anyone could survive the savage land outside these gates, Tynan could,
but that didn’t make his departure easier.
Caithleen wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and straightened her spine. Though her eyes glittered with tears, she firmed her expression. "I will get my things out of Dougald’s chambers. We can than then move into Elizabet’s.
"I will go with you," Elizabet said.
"Nay. I will meet you at your rooms."
Alenna and Elizabet watched Caithleen as she dashed away into the crowd milling about the outer bailey.
"She needs time alone," Elizabet said simply. "Let us go to see the baron. Are ye sure this is what ye want to do? Ye know Tynan has tried pleadin’ with the beast?"
For several seconds Alenna didn’t reply. She tried to inject the bright, unusually warm day into her emotions. She took a deep draught of the breeze pouring over the walls of the castle. Even the sanctity of nature had little effect on her at this moment.
Alenna gave considerable thought to what she planned to do. Meeting with the baron was a dangerous proposition, but she had to do something to free Clandon without Tynan’s assistance. "Tynan can’t help me anymore."
"I ken what happened to the pair of ye. I saw when ye left last night that ye were dyin’ to be in each other’s arms."
A blush tinged Alenna’s cheeks. Any thought of being with Tynan, any memory of the wild lovemaking they’d experienced last night and this morning made her flush. Struggling to forget what an incredible experience it had been, she turned and walked off. Elizabet immediately came along beside her.
Alenna dodged a boy and a hound as they raced by her. The boy laughed as the dog pranced about his heels. "Clandon needs us now."
"Aye, but are ye sure ‘tis the best way to go about it?"
"We’ve discussed it and didn’t come up with any other choice. Would you have me wait until he’s been in that dungeon for God knows how long?"
Sighing heavily, Elizabet said, "Nay. I wadna. Nor wad I think that I’d been so wrong about ye."
Alenna stopped walking. "Wrong about me?"
"I saw Tynan and ye in the vision, plain as the mornin’ sun. Ye were together and ye had a child in yer belly. And Tynan looked at ye with love in his eyes. Just as he loves ye now."
Alenna made a scoffing noise. "He doesn’t love me."
"He does."
In frustration Alenna began walking again. "We talked about this earlier."
"But ‘tis no like a vision of mine to be this mighty and yet be so wrong. I’m sure of his love for ye."
Alenna’s laugh mocked. "His love? Impossible. The man can’t love me because he won’t love me. I should have known. I should have realized that what he felt … what he felt was only physical. But no, I had to weave a dream around him."
"‘Tis more than a dream, lass."
Ignoring her statement, Alenna plunged ahead. "He won’t love me because he’s still caught in his fear. Afraid that he’s some monster and that loving a woman … making love to her is her seal of death."
"Can ye blame him for thinkin’ so? Most common in any man to wonder if an evil eye had been placed upon him."
Alenna stared at her friend. "Tynan isn’t any man. He’s amazingly … modern for someone of this time. Sort of."
Elizabet’s lips curled in a smile. "Tynan is no different from any man who has suffered in his life." Elizabet took Alenna by the shoulders. "All of us have our clooties. ‘Tis the little bairn in him that canna make the bad dream go away. Night after night it haunts him. I’d hoped ye were the one woman that could break him free, lass."
"No. He’s on his own. I tried. I talked to him. I shared my …"
"Your love with him? Did ye tell him ye loved him before he left?"
When Alenna didn’t answer, Elizabet continued. "He may be a fine, braw man, but he’s just a man. And they dinna always say what they feel. Aye, he’s much afraid of what will happen. But that only shows that he loves ye. To him, the way to protect ye is to keep ye from him."
Alenna’s anger and tears mingled. She knew if she didn’t take a deep breath into her lungs, the tears would flow and the anger soon after. She’d never felt so weak in her life as she did at that moment.
"But he’s beating himself up over things in his past he had no responsibility for. His mother, Mary, and Florie died at the hands of other men. Tynan isn’t like that. He’s … he’s gentle and he’s …" She shook her head vigorously. "I can’t love him. I can’t." She remembered the garnet ring sitting in the box at the Black Tower. "I’ve the means to leave this time. But I won’t love him and then leave."
Elizabet made an exasperated noise and released her hold on Alenna’s shoulders. "What is this canna? He canna and ye canna … pift! But I’ve seen ye both do many a brave thing. Ye are bolder than any lass I’ve seen, goin’ to the baron right now … goin’ to the dungeon to see Clandon. Life is short and ye must take what love ye can when it comes yer way, or forever regret it."
Something in the small woman’s eyes and tone reflected that she’d done just such a thing. Taken life by the bootstraps, hauled herself up more than once, and plunged straight ahead. Had she also loved and lost?
"What’s worrying you, Elizabet?" Alenna asked.
"I fear I’m loosin’ my way with me daughter." The words came out clipped and sharp. "Johanna, as ye have seen, was no at home this morn’."
"Yes," Alenna said cautiously.
"She left last night without me hearin’ her."
"Oh, no." As Tynan had tried to pound into her skull, plenty of dangers lurked in this environment. A young girl like Johanna would be defenseless among the night predators. "If she’s in the castle, we should be able to find her."
"‘Tis what I hope."
"Then after I’ve seen the baron, we’ll search for her."
As much as Alenna wanted to leave this century, too many things remained unfinished. She couldn’t depart without knowing Johanna was safe and Clandon was free. Once their security was assured, she could forget this experience like a bad dream and return to where she belonged. Though leaving Tynan behind would burn like a fire from hell, she forced the pain away and moved onward.
When they reached the donjon, they found the guards pliable to letting them enter when Elizabet gave them a steady gaze. Undoubtedly the men believed the concept of the evil eye … or perhaps Elizabet did have other powers one could only guess about.
Alenna and Elizabet ascended to the third floor chambers and entered the large sitting room. As always, the room was cold. Elizabet waited while Alenna went to baron’s bedchamber door and knocked.
A girlish giggle came from within the room. Seconds later another sound came to Alenna’s ears as clear as day. Johanna’s voice.
* * *
CHAPTER 20
Shocked, Alenna turned her gaze to Elizabet.
"Johanna is in there," she whispered. "I heard her voice."
Elizabet’s lips firmed, disgust and outrage covering her normally gentle features. "The vile bastard."
Before Alenna could stop her, Elizabet knocked loudly. "Johanna!"
"Elizabet, don’t!" Alenna hissed, fear doing a deep spiral in her breast.
"I willna let that bastard take my child. I willna let him do to her what he did to me."
"Elizabet—"
The door swung open abruptly, and Elizabet took a step back.
The baron stood in the doorway, shirtless. Beyond him, Johanna lay on his bed, covered with a plaid. Her smile resembled a cat that had been caught licking the cream.
Alenna felt her stomach do a slow, nauseated turn.
With perfect composure the baron lifted one eyebrow and then glowered. "How dare you come blasting into my chambers? Can you not see I am busy?"
"How could ye do this to her? How could ye!" Elizabet cried.
"I’ll do as I damned well please."
Elizabet’s face turned purple with a rage Alenna had never seen before.
"That is my daughter, ye bastard—" Elizabet tried to push her way past him but he bloc
ked her. "How could you do this to your own—"
He gave Elizabet a hard shove. Sprawling backwards, she lost her balance. Alenna gasped and reached for her, but she fell hard against a table and struck her head against the floor. Alenna heard a sickening crack.
"Oh, my God!" Alenna gasped, kneeling next to the prone woman.
"Mathair!" Johanna shouted, jumping from the bed.
"Leave the slut be!" The baron snatched at Johanna’s arm and held her back.
Alenna searched for a pulse in Elizabet’s neck. That’s when she saw the small trickle of blood come from Elizabet’s nose. "Oh, God."
She looked up at the baron, who stood in the doorway and made not a move to help, nor showed any remorse.
"Well, well," he said. "Who would have thought she would be jealous of her own daughter."
He laughed, and the cold, hard sound slid over Alenna’s skin like a reptile’s tongue. She shivered, unsure what he spoke of and not sure she really wanted to know. Alenna tried again to locate Elizabet’s pulse and then leaned over to listen for a heartbeat. A sigh of relief came from her throat when she heard Elizabet take in a breath.
Alenna looked up and saw Johanna take a length of bed covering, wrap it around herself like a toga and attempt to walk past the baron again. This time he let her go.
A sob came from Johanna’s throat as she dropped down next to her mother.
"She’s alive, but she may be badly hurt," Alenna said. She looked at the baron, hoping to appeal to any sense of charity left in the man. "We need to help her."
A thin grin parted his lips. "She’s not worth it—"
"Damn it, just help me get her to the bed. Then send for help."
Fear spiked in her when she realized what she’d just done. She half expected the man to kill her on the spot. Instead, her sharp words had the effect she’d hoped. Despite the baron’s vile personality, preying on the weak made him overconfident. Alenna tired of playing soft games with this low-life.
He reached down and picked up Elizabet, his expression stone harsh. Alenna held her breath until he placed her on the bed. Johanna shuffled to the bed and climbed up to sit on the edge. Tears rained down the girl’s face, and for the first time Alenna saw vulnerability in the shallow, petulant girl.
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