Highland Treasure

by Lynsay Sands

  Rory stood silent for a moment, and then nodded and raised his head. “Ye’re right, o’ course. I beg yer pardon fer snapping.” His gaze slid to Elysande as if to include her in the apology. When she continued to glare at him unappeased, he shifted uncomfortably, and then turned back to Mildrede with a sigh. “Ye mentioned this Robbie coming to fetch us to take us out the back gate?” he asked. “Is it behind the stables?”

  When Mildrede appeared confused by the question, Rory suggested, “If so, mayhap we should wait fer him there. Just in case the soldiers decide to bring their horses back here and stable them while they search on foot,” he added.

  “Nay.” Mildrede shook her head and said, “I mean, aye, there is a gate to the alley behind the stables. But Robbie is to lead ye to the gate at the back o’ the city using the back streets. ’Tis just before the castle.”

  Elysande noted the way Rory glanced to Conn, who frowned briefly before admitting, “I’ve ne’er heard o’ such a gate.”

  “Well, ’tis hardly information we bandy about,” Mildrede said dryly. “And we’d certainly not be telling Scots, when ’tis there for the women and children to slip out through should the Scots invade. In fact, Robbie and the others were reluctant to let you know about it now, but I convinced them ’twas for the greater good if it saved the king. And I assured him that Lady Elysande would not let you reveal it to anyone else,” she added, and then clutching Elysande’s hand she asked anxiously, “You’ll make sure they don’t tell anyone, won’t you?”

  Before Elysande could respond, Rory said, “We vow on our lives that none o’ us here today will reveal the presence of a back gate to Carlisle.”

  When Mildrede nodded, but still looked anxious, Elysande suggested, “If ’twould make you more comfortable, we could always have Rory and his men go out the front while Robbie leads Tom, Simon and I out the back. De Buci’s men should not be interested in a group of Scots on their own. ’Tis me they are looking for,” she pointed out. “And once outside the wall we could wait for them in the woods and go from there.”

  “Oh.” Mildrede brightened at the suggestion. “That would be perfect.”

  “Nay,” Rory said at once, scowling at Elysande for the suggestion. “How can I guard ye if I’m no’ with ye?”

  Elysande scowled right back, but did say, “Fine, then the others can leave Carlisle through the front gate, and you can come with us. Blindfolded.”

  Rory’s mouth opened, closed, and then he growled, “I canno’ guard ye blind either.”

  Elysande nodded easily, but asked, “Are there hidden gates or secret passages into Buchanan castle?”

  Rory stiffened, his chin jerking up and mouth compressing.

  “See,” she said when his mouth stayed tightly closed. “You will not even admit to having one. How can you expect these people to happily show you theirs?”

  “She’s got a point,” Alick said with amusement.

  “Fine,” Rory growled. “Then Conn, Inan and I will go through the back gate blindfolded and with Tom, Simon and Elysande leading us. Alick, you take Fearghas and Donnghail out the front gate. Wait for us just inside the woods to the north.”

  Relieved he understood, or at least was willing to cooperate, Elysande moved past him to his horse and removed one of the bags.

  “What are ye looking for?” Rory grumbled, moving to join her.

  “The leftover plaid,” she said, opening the sack and digging around inside. “We can use it to make blindfolds.”

  “Right,” Rory muttered, sounding pretty grumpy. Elysande decided to ignore him. She was a bit put out with him and the way he’d snapped at her anyway.

  It didn’t take long to find the plaid and quickly slice off three strips to use as blindfolds. Mildrede then peeked out the door to be sure the courtyard was empty, before waving them out and hurrying around behind the stables to a stone wall with a gate in the center of it. While Elysande and the others followed, walking their horses, she opened the gate and peered out, then waved them through.

  “M’lady.” Mildrede rushed to her side as Elysande prepared to mount in the alley.

  “Aye?” she asked, pausing.

  “Here.” Mildrede thrust out the bag she’d been clutching. “Fruit pasties to break yer fast. ’Tis why I was so hard to wake—I was up late baking them. I wanted to give you all a fine treat to break your fast before you left,” she admitted, and then added, “And there’s cheese and bread in there too to eat later, and a bladder of ale as well. Hopefully there’s enough for everyone.”

  “Oh, Mildrede,” Elysande murmured, accepting the bag and then hugging her impulsively. “Thank you. That was kind and I know the men will appreciate it. I certainly do.”

  Mildrede was flushed and smiling shyly when Elysande released her, but her smile fled under wariness when Rory joined them.

  Elysande was a little wary herself until Rory took the woman’s hand, and said solemnly, “Mildrede, I apologize fer snapping earlier. Ye’ve been a fine host and a good friend to us helping us this way. In fact, ye’ve saved us all this day with yer cleverness in enlisting yer friends to help us. Thank ye.” He then bent and kissed her hand, bringing a bright-red blush to the woman’s face and a flustered look to her eyes.

  “Oh, well, that’s . . . you just keep her safe,” she finished finally as he released her hand. “Lady Elysande is a fine woman, with a most important mission.”

  “Aye, she is,” he agreed solemnly. “And I vow I will keep her safe, and I’ll bring her back to visit when ’tis all over as I promised,” Rory assured her.

  “Oh, good.” Mildrede beamed at him, and then glanced past Rory and sighed with relief. “There is Robbie now. He’s been out telling the others what to do.”

  “The others?” Rory asked with a wince.

  “Aye. The other shop owners who know about Lady Elysande,” she explained. “He and Elizabeth have been visiting them all to warn them de Buci’s soldiers are here so they know that, when asked, to tell them they did see an Englishwoman and two soldiers here or there, but always on the streets closest to the front gate. I thought it best to keep de Buci’s men busy running in circles far away from where Robbie is taking ye.”

  A startled laugh slipped from Rory, and then he grasped Mildrede by the shoulders, lifted her off her feet and gave her a loud smacking kiss on the cheek. “Ye’re a wonder, Mildrede,” he said with appreciation as he set her down.

  Her hand pressed to the cheek he’d just kissed, Mildrede breathed, “Oh, my,” and then hurried off to consult with Robbie the blacksmith.

  Rory watched her briefly and then moved over to talk to Conn. It seemed like he’d barely left when Mildrede led Robbie over to her.

  “Thank you for your assistance,” she said before either of them could speak.

  “My pleasure,” the blacksmith rumbled, nodding his head politely. He frowned as he took in the damaged side of her face. “Ye should maybe cover that, m’lady. We don’t want anyone taking note of ye and mentioning to de Buci’s soldiers that they saw a woman what looked like she was beaten passing through.”

  “Oh, aye.” Elysande felt herself flush with embarrassment and quickly pulled the top of her plaid over her head and around to cover the bruised side of her face. “Better?”

  “Much,” he said, and then glanced around at the men waiting. “Mildrede said three of the Scots are going out the front gate and the other three will come with us blindfolded?”

  “Aye.” Elysande nodded. “The Buchanans did not wish to leave us completely unguarded so agreed to blindfolds. My men and I will lead them.” Offering him the strips of plaid, she said, “We will use these to cover their eyes.”

  Robbie took one and held it over his eyes, then grunted with satisfaction and relaxed a little. “That’s fine, then,” he said as he handed back the strip of plaid. “Which are your men?”

  “Tom and Simon there are English soldiers from my father’s castle,” she said, pointing them out.

  Rob
bie nodded as he glanced at them and then shifted his gaze over the Scots, before saying, “The others can ride with us for the first couple of lanes, but when we turn toward the castle, they should head the opposite way toward the gates. The three men coming with us don’t have to put on blindfolds until we reach the church.”

  “All right,” Elysande murmured.

  Grunting, the blacksmith started back the way he’d come.

  Elysande stared after him blankly, and then glanced to Mildrede uncertainly, unsure if she was to follow or not.

  “Robbie’s a man of few words,” Mildrede said with a reassuring smile. “But he’ll get ye safely out of Carlisle, m’lady.”

  “I am sure he will,” she said, managing what she hoped was a convincing smile in return.

  “Ye’d best go,” Mildrede added gently when she still stood there. “I’ll be praying for ye.”

  “Thank you.” Swallowing a sudden thickness in her throat, Elysande gave her another quick hug, and then grabbed her mare’s reins and started reluctantly away. She was actually unhappy to leave Mildrede behind. The alewife had reminded her of her mother in some ways, and Elysande had enjoyed working and talking with her. She’d even found herself smiling on occasion since arriving in Carlisle and now felt as if she was leaving that behind.

  “Are ye all right, lass?” Rory asked as he fell into step beside her, leading his own mount.

  “Aye,” she said sadly, and then cleared her throat and told him, “Robbie said Alick and the others should go with us until we turn toward the castle.”

  “I heard. So did Alick and the others,” Rory assured her, and then they both fell silent and kept their attention on Robbie, watching for any signal that there might be trouble ahead, or that they should hurry. But after a moment, he said, “I truly am sorry fer snapping at ye, lass. I was just a bit overset by waking to the news that the English were here. I ken ye’ve been worried this verra thing might happen, but I was sure we’d avoided them by using this route. And the knowledge that I put ye at risk with me arrogance upset me.”

  “You have not put me at risk, my lord,” Elysande said quietly. “If anything, I have put you at risk by requesting your escort.” She briefly fell silent, and then because she didn’t want him to ever feel guilty should they fail at their escape, she added, “And I want you to know that, should the worst happen, and de Buci does catch or kill me, I do not hold you responsible. This game was weighted in his favor from the start and just grows more so by the day.”

  “Elysande, I’ll no’ have ye talking like that. Ye sound like ye’re already resigned to being captured, but I’ll no’ fail ye. I’ll— Wait,” he interrupted himself suddenly, and caught her arm to stop her. “What mean ye the game grows more weighted in his favor by the day?”

  Elysande shrugged. “I just mean that by now de Buci has no doubt sent messages to the other lords involved in his murderous plot, and they too will be desperate to kill me. There are probably now several armies presently scouring England and Scotland in search of me.”

  “Good Christ,” he breathed with realization.

  “Robbie’s wanting your attention, m’lady,” Tom said suddenly from behind her, distracting them both.

  Elysande glanced toward the blacksmith, and then started walking again, moving more quickly as Robbie waved them forward.

  “This way. Try to keep up,” the man added, leading them down another street.

  They followed, making sure to stay close behind him this time until he stopped at the corner and gestured for them to wait as he walked forward and surveyed the next area. They all tensed a little when a man rushed up and held a brief conversation with Robbie, glancing repeatedly toward them as he did.

  “Is that no’ the potter who made the handleless cup fer us?” Rory asked with a slight frown.

  “Aye,” Elysande said as she returned the nod the potter sent their way before he hurried off. “He must be one of the shop owners Mildrede talked to who are helping to keep the English busy. Mayhap he had news to aid Robbie.”

  “Hmm,” Rory murmured, and then took her elbow to urge her to move again when Robbie waved them forward once more, but took them down a different road.

  “Damn, I can hardly believe it,” Rory said with wonder after the fourth such incident where someone rushed up to talk to Robbie and their path was changed.

  “What?” Elysande asked with a faint smile. “That so many English would work together to help us?”

  “They’re helping you, lass. And yer men, perhaps. They’re only suffering us as a necessary evil,” Rory assured her, and then said, “But what is hard to believe is that Mildrede could put together a small army o’ shopkeepers and others to work as a unit to get us out o’ here. She should have been a man.”

  “Aye, she’d have made a fine warrior,” Conn agreed from behind them.

  Elysande smiled at the words, and told herself to remember them so that she could tell Mildrede if she survived this. She was sure the woman would get a hearty laugh from it.

  Shortly after that, Robbie announced it was time for the group to split up. Rory nodded and asked Elysande to hold his mount’s reins as he had a brief word with his brother. She waited patiently as the four men grouped together briefly, and then they broke apart and Rory watched Alick, Fearghas and Donnghail ride off before returning to Elysande’s side and taking back the reins to his horse.

  “They’ll be fine,” he assured her, but she knew he was the one who was worried.

  “They will be fine,” she responded. “They are three men alone. De Buci’s men will not bother them.”

  “Aye,” Rory muttered, and ushered her after Robbie as the blacksmith led them in the direction of the castle.

  They were all silent after that, but Elysande didn’t miss how often Rory glanced over his shoulder, and suspected the other men were doing the same thing. They were all tense, and obviously worried about someone coming up behind them. Elysande was a little less so, but only because she was looking forward and noted many of the people they passed were standing about doing nothing but watching the road behind them, and nodding reassuringly at her as if to say all was well. She had no doubt they were more of Mildrede’s army, keeping an eye out to see they made it safely away.

  “The church.” It was all Robbie said as they walked along the wall next to a building that looked more like a cathedral to her. But she understood his meaning and pulled out the three strips of plaid she’d tucked up the sleeve of her gown and handed them to Rory, Conn and Inan.

  Chapter 9

  “How are we going to do this?” Conn asked, accepting his blindfold, and then warned, “I’m no’ holding Tom’s or Simon’s hand.”

  Elysande bit her lip at the consternation on the man’s face as he said that, and then suggested, “I can lead you.”

  Conn relaxed at that and nodded, but now Rory was scowling. “Nay. I was going to have ye lead me.”

  “I have two hands, I can lead you both,” she said with exasperation. “But Tom will have to take the reins of my horse. You will both have to hold on to the reins of your own mounts though.”

  “And I’m left to hold Simon’s hand,” Inan said with disgust.

  “Well, ’twill be no picnic for me either,” Simon snapped with irritation.

  “I can lead him.”

  Elysande glanced around with surprise as the draper’s wife rushed up, a little out of breath as she made that offer.

  “Elizabeth,” she said, smiling at the woman and reaching out to clasp her hand and squeeze it gently. “Thank you so much for warning Mildrede about the English soldiers. You have saved us all.”

  “My pleasure, m’lady. We all must do our part to help ye save the king,” she assured her, squeezing her hand back. “I was just coming to let you know the other men made it out through the front gates just fine. The English paid them no attention at all.”

  “Oh, good. Thank you for letting us know,” Elysande said.

  “I thought
’twould ease your minds,” she said, grinning, and then glanced to Inan and added, “But now I’m here, I’d be pleased to walk this young fellow to the gate if ’twill help.”

  “Aye. I believe it just might. Thank you, again,” Elysande said with amusement as Inan nodded fervently and moved to the older woman’s side.

  “I thank ye too,” Inan assured her. “’Tis always a pleasure to walk with an attractive woman, and definitely preferable to holding hands with that ugly sod.”

  “Ugly sod?” her soldier protested, and then rolled his eyes. “I’ll remember you said that the next time you need my help sneaking out of an English city.”

  Inan smirked at the words. “Since we’ll be in Scotland shortly, that will no’ be an issue.”

  A sharp whistle from Robbie silenced the two men and drew their attention to the blacksmith.

  “Blindfolds,” he growled, glancing anxiously around. “They cannot keep the soldiers busy forever.”

  “Of course,” Elysande murmured, and handed her mare’s reins to Tom before turning expectantly to Rory, Conn and Inan.

  “Will wearing blindfolds no’ draw attention to us?” Inan grumbled even as he tied his on.

  “’Tis fine,” Elizabeth assured him. “Most people know what’s going on, and the rest think Scots are strange anyway. ’Twill be fine.”

  Elysande had to bite back a laugh at Rory’s, Conn’s and Inan’s disgruntled expressions at the suggestion they were thought strange. Although she suspected Rory’s countenance had more to do with the increasing number of people who knew about them and what was happening than with the insult. It did seem to trouble him a great deal.