Gabriel cried out in pain.
Edith was shocked. She wasn't expecting such a drastic move, nor the furiousness that Bran exploded into. It was as if his fuse had been lit and now this was the explosion. She looked at Gabriel, twisting and in pain. Cameron immediately grabbed Bran and pulled him back.
Bran paced back and forth like an animal, staring Gabriel down while Cameron took charge.
"I think we have heard enough. For now, I think I can safely say that it is of the utmost import to keep this man locked behind bars. Let us return upstairs," he said as he put his hand on Bran urging him toward the exit.
"You bitch! You'll pay for this!" Gabriel shouted.
This brought tears to Edith's eyes. It terrified her. If he behaved this way behind bars, what would he do if he ever got free?
Days passed. Edith found herself settling in and adapting to her new world. Things were still hard, especially without modern amenities, but she found that she could get on without it. It was just an inconvenience. She had found some routine to her days and that was a bit comforting if anything.
However, what she couldn't stop from happening were the nightmares that she consistently had every night.
It was the same horrible dream of being chased in dark castle corridors. Gabriel would come for her, and he would find her, then try to kill her after having his way with her. It was a nightmare that made her wake up in a cold sweat with her heart pounding. But sometimes if she were lucky, Bran would appear in the dream and rescue her.
Moving out of bed she drank generously of the stout wine until she nodded off to sleep again. Even the heavy dinner feasts that she'd begun to look forward to every night in the grand hall we're not enough to keep her asleep throughout the night when the dream would wake her up.
Besides the recurrent nightmare, she found herself stumbling through this new time. Every now and then she found herself looking for her cell phone or wanting to look up something on the internet, forgetting just for a little while that those things did not exist. Edith also couldn't come to terms with what her future held for her. Maria had adapted very well and married into royalty and basically became a queen. But Edith didn't want such a thing, she wanted her normal life back because she couldn't see how she could possibly fit in, in such a strange time and place.
Every now and then she wondered what would have happened if Gabriel had been the only one to go through the door and she had hidden in the catacombs. Then he would be the one stuck in time, gone forever, and she would be back home with her family, oh how she missed them. But thinking about these what if scenarios only made her more frustrated.
The scenarios often came to her as she laid in bed trying to fall asleep. Just a few hours earlier, she had gone through this list before falling asleep. It took quite a bit of wine to make her sleep that night because the entire castle was on edge. There was a storm on the horizon, and everyone had been busy boarding up windows and taking the animals to higher ground. Boats were being secured on land instead of in the water. In fact, there was no dinner feast that night in the grand hall, instead she ate alone in her room because not even Maria was available to keep her company. She had to hand it to Maria for being a modern woman and taking part in the logistics of the castle. She seemed blessed to have found Cameron, a man who didn't shy away from the opinion of women and he seemed to love her very much.
Bang.
Edith snapped up in bed with the loud sound waking her up. Had she imagined it?
Bang, Rumble. There the sound went again. She got to her feet and moved to the window, opening the shutters. A hard wind and rain hit her, almost knocking her back. She held onto the wall and looked out over the ocean. A bolt of lightning seem to hit the surface of the water itself with a loud bang and rumble, and she realized that this was the noise that had awakened her.
The ocean was angry. Through the rain she could see just how tall the waves were, and no boat would be able to go up against it. The loud crash of the waves hitting the island sounded terrifying. She leaned out just a little, trying to look down, but it was difficult to see at the height that she was at. A flash of lightning lit the area allowing her to get a glimpse of sea water accumulating around the castle in areas that were normally dry.
"That cannot be good," she said.
Edith closed the shutters, which was a struggle in itself. Finally securing the latch, she moved away from the window realizing that she was soaked all the way through. The Scots might be used to such storms, but she wasn't. Walking to the fire, she put on another log and stroked the fire until it grew bigger. Then she pulled off her night shift and set it on a chair near the fire to dry. A blanket wrapped around her from the bed, would have to do for now. Allowing the warmth of the fire to dry her wet hair and her wet toes she sat and listened to the storm. She thought that she could hear the commotion of raised voices, but couldn't tell if it was thunder or people. The castle was on an island after all, and although this allowed for protection from the enemies, it also made it vulnerable to the sea like any other island.
Knock. Knock.
"Edith. Are you awake?" Maria said through the door.
Edith pulled the blanket tighter around her and walk to the door and shouted, "I am. Maria?"
The door unlocked from the outside, and Maria strode in.
"What happened to you? You're all wet," Maria said getting a look at her.
"I opened the window to see how bad the storm was and didn't realize how wet I was getting. It's pretty bad out there, but I assume that this is normal?" Edith said.
"In the time that I've been here I have not seen a storm like this. My husband says that it is really, really bad. That is what I've come to tell you," Maria said.
"What? Is somebody hurt? Bran?"
Maria's brow rose and her lips quirked up for half a second and then she shook her head and frowned. "No. Not hurt. But the castle grounds are flooding, the catacombs and the dungeon. It's only an inch or two of water, but it could get worse."
"The dungeon? You mean the prison where Gabriel is?"
"Yes, exactly. Luckily, these Scots are quite advanced and have lived on this island for a long time. Men are hard at work using hand pumps to pump the water out of the castle, but if the storm lasts an extensive amount of time, the prisoners might have to be moved."
"Moved? No, that can't happen. I mean I understand why it needs to happen, but you cannot trust Gabriel. I trusted him and look where it got me!"
"I understand. That's why I came to tell you myself. He doesn't know where you are in the castle. So, for now, you do not walk the halls no matter what. Of course, your door has been locked from the outside, but if you hear your name being called, do not answer, alright? You know what I sound like, as well as Bran and Cameron and we will have no need to call out to you, so we will knock on your door and we will have a key. Other than that, you do not make a sound, is that understood?"
"But what happens if he finds me? I'm no match for him. He will find me, Maria, and he'll kill me. I cannot defend myself," Edith said getting worked up.
"He will not find you." Maria put her hands on her shoulders trying to calm her.
"But I know he will."
"Just stay in your room. I cannot stay here I have to go help with the logistics of helping my people and my husband. Do not make a sound and I am locking the door behind me." Maria made her way to the door.
Edith continued to panic. She knew that she was no match for Gabriel or any other bandit. She listened while the door locked with the key Maria had. Looking around the room, Edith grabbed the fire poker and held it with shaking hands knowing very well that she wouldn't be able to use it as a weapon if she needed to because she was shaking too badly.
The storm raged on. Edith put on her clothes, her modern clothes, and boots. If she had to run or fight, she knew that she couldn't do it in a massive dress that she could barely walk in. Not to mention that she didn't know what was going to happen and it felt more comfortable
to be in her own clothes.
Then, there was nothing left for her to do but sit and wait. The storm seemed to grow louder, and the sound of water was becoming more and more evident. Edith began to wonder if this was a hundred-year storm or something of that caliber since the castle should be built to withstand regular storms, but according to Maria, her husband the Laird had said it was really bad. The thought of Gabriel being let out of the dungeon and moved somewhere else frightened the hell out of her. The only solace that she had was that she had walked around the castle herself and had gotten lost in the labyrinth of corridors. That would make it difficult for him to find her.
One hour went by, and then another. She had no concept of time, but it was not yet dawn, so she knew it was still the middle of the night.
"It is I, Bran!" His deep voice accompanied a pounding on the door and startled her.
Edith recognized the thick Scottish brogue as his and knew there was no way that it could be Gabriel trying to fool her. "I'm awake!" she said with a knock on the door. Then stepped back.
The rattling of keys let her know that it indeed was someone with keys to her room. The door opened and Bran swiftly moved inside. He slammed the door shut and locked it. Edith noticed that he had his short broad sword in hand.
"What is it? What's happening?" she said.
But he didn't answer her, instead he moved across the room, grabbed one of the chairs and pushed it underneath the door latch, bracing the door. This only made Edith a lot more nervous. Bran was soaking wet. His white tunic was clinging to his muscular body, and water dripped from his hair.
"Bran?"
Finally, Bran turned to look at her, getting a good look. "Why are you dressed like that?" he said looking at her clothes.
"Never mind that. Why is your sword drawn? What is happening," she said.
"Your husband and some of the prisoners have escaped. They killed two of the guards when we were relocating them to the dryer areas of the castle."
"What! Oh no! He will find me!" she cried. "I can't believe it! I knew it! I knew he would get loose! He's going to kill me!" she sobbed.
Bran took two huge, quick strides to her and pressed his hand over her mouth, quieting her. This only made Edith panic even more. Her eyes grew wide.
"He will find you if you scream like that. Keep your voice to a whisper, is that understood?"
She nodded her head yes. Only then did he remove his hand. Edith took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves.
"He won't hurt you as long as I am here. That is why I have come to protect you. You are now under my protection. Then he grabbed another chair, faced it toward the door, and sat down, as though he was expecting Gabriel to burst through the door any moment. Edith could see that every muscle in his body was tense and ready for battle.
"You've come to protect me?"
"That is what I said, is it not? The Laird and all of our guards are combing the castle corridors and every room. Then they will comb the grounds, that is, the areas that are not under water at least. I do not trust any guard to put as much effort into protecting you as I myself would. That is why I am here. A guard might not wish to lose their life for an outlander, especially one from York.
"Oh. I understand. Thank you for coming," she said.
Edith looked at the door, feeling terrified and uneasy. She moved to the table and poured herself a glass of wine, but her hand was shaking the whole time. Pressing the cup to her lips, she drank deeply. In a second cup she poured wine and then handed it to Bran. He took it from her and drank it down quickly.
"If by chance he finds this room, you will need to do exactly what I say. Are you prepared for that?"
"What? I can try. This isn't normal for me. I'm not normally in this kind of danger, swords and whatever."
"If he comes, you will back into that corner there, and arm yourself with that piece of iron, the wand for the fire. You cannot get hysterical. You will see blood, most likely his. You must keep your wits about you. If he comes toward you, you run him through with that fire poker. Brace the end of it against the corner of the wall, and he won't be able to get near you, is that understood?"
"Yes," she said, her voice barely a whisper as she nodded. She was on high alert. The adrenaline was rushing through her body now more than ever. Not only was her monster of a husband roaming the castle looking for her, hunting for her, but she was also locked in a room with a man who continued to show his chivalry and bravery to her in ways that she had never experienced before from any man. And now that man was soaking wet, with his sword in his hand ready to die for her. How much longer would she have to sit here with him, looking at him, wanting him.
Chapter 17
Edith couldn't believe what was happening. Her nightmare had become a reality. Gabriel was loose, and if he found her, he would be chasing her through the castle corridors just like in her dream. If he found her, he would not let her go and she would not live through the night. She knew very well his anger now that she had seen it when he'd hurt her the way that he did simply for disobeying him on the night of their honeymoon. She knew he would do far worse after the anger that had been piling up inside of him while being in the prisons.
"How much longer? Will someone let us know if they've recaptured him?" Edith said, sitting down on the bed. Then she stood up and moved to the window but could not look out with the shutter's barring it, and she didn't wish to be soaked through again. So she walked over to the fireplace.
Bran was fairly quiet and tense, with his eyes focused on the door, and he didn't answer her nervous questions.
Edith paced the room. The sounds of thunder and crashing waves only added to her anxiety. Having Bran sitting on edge as he watched the door only made her more anxious. She knew he was listening for sounds out in the corridor outside her door, but there were none, except for the occasional group of guards walking by, on the lookout for Gabriel and the bandits.
But as Edith thought about it, she felt some sense of relief. She decided that Gabriel wouldn't stick around to look for her, no matter how angry he was at her, after killing a couple of the guards. He valued his own neck and freedom more than her. At least, she hoped that was the case. Sticking around to get lost in the castle would guarantee that he got caught again and that would mean he would be locked up, never able to take control of his own life again. Surely, he'd rather be free than come after her, right? So, she took a little bit of comfort in thinking that he'd made his way out into the elements as soon as he could, instead of looking for her.
A part of her felt terrible and evil for thinking that perhaps he would get into a fight with the guards and be killed. She hated that he had turned her into someone that vile but thinking of that gave her a sense of relief, something she was not proud.
"Will you have a seat already, lass. I cannot bear to have you walking back and forth so," Bran said breaking the silence.
"Well I have a hard time sitting still knowing that the monster I married is out there looking for me just to kill me, sorry," she said sarcastically. But in truth her feet were getting tired, so she sat down on the bed.
She noticed that Bran shifted a little in the chair, as she did so. A thought moved through her mind, did her sitting on the bed make him think of sex? Because it did for her, something else that she was not proud of. But it was not her fault, there was an attractive Scottish man bravely guarding her life, which was a turn-on she'd never thought she would experience in modern life especially after her husband showed his true colors to be someone who wanted to harm her and control her.
"I do not know why any woman would agree to marry a man such as him. Why did you?" Bran asked.
"I didn't know what kind of man he was. He was pretending to be someone else. He was charming, sweet, and said he loved me. I never saw his temper like you saw until our wedding night. The words he said to me that night, or down in the dungeon are not anything close to what he had said to me before we got married. Anyway, it wasn't until we arrived here
in Scotland, that he turned into a monster."
"No, Edith." He gave her a brooding look. "He has always been a monster. I know men of his kind, and I know girls of your kind who are too naive to see it. You want to be in love so badly that you block out all the bad and only concentrate on the good."
"What?" Edith blinked at him, shaking her head. "That's not true. And I am not naive…"
"Yes, you are, lass. You are naive and young. You have barely lived long enough to know what people are truly like. And look at what has happened. Now you need protection. How you have lived this long, I do not know. Your modern time must protect women like you greatly in order for you to survive. If you had been raised here, you would not need such protection," he said annoyed.
"Ugh! how dare you say such things like that about me. I am twenty years old, I will have you know. I'm an adult and I'm not naive." Edith felt like stomping her foot but knew that would just prove him right.
"You are as naive and as dumb as a goat, lass," he said.
Edith had had enough. She stood up and move directly in front of him. But standing this close, she realize that he was still taller than her even though he was sitting down. But she was so heated by his words that she was not going to back down. She pointed a finger at his face and said, "Take that back. I am definitely smarter than a goat! You don't know what he was like. You could never know because you are cold-hearted and could never be romantic and charming even if you were trying to fake it."
Bran groaned in frustration. "Take your finger from my face. You do not talk to me like that. I am the Tanist and hold a higher position than you could ever have."
"I don't know what a Tanist is and I don't care. You insulted me and I'll insult you back."
"Lower your voice…"
"You take back those words or I'll—"
Bran stood up in front of her in one swift move. Once again, he put his hand on her mouth, and the other hand around her waist, pulling her to him. His face moved close to hers as he whispered in a hoarse voice, "What did I say about being quiet. Your temper will be the death of both of us. You are leading your husband here with your shouting. You are as dumb as a goat, and this proves it."
Kiss A Highlander: A Scottish Time Travel Romance (A Highlander Across Time Book 2) Page 8