Highlanders

by Tarah Scott

  “Forgive me, Lady Rhoslyn,” Dayton said. “I could have waited until tomorrow to meet you. The truth is, I bring a gift for you, one I fear my brother might object to you receiving.”

  Their guard took a step forward.

  “All is well, Knight,” he said to the man. “I speak of a horse. An Arabian brought from the Holy Land.”

  “How could ye have known to bring a wedding gift from so far away?” Rhoslyn asked, and also wondered why the man was truly there. This, too, could have waited until tomorrow.

  He grinned. “I confess, I did not know. I bought the beast for myself. When I heard Talbot was to marry, I knew the horse should be my wedding gift.”

  “I am an able rider. I am anxious to see the steed.”

  “That must surely wait until tomorrow, my lady. To take you from the comfort of your chambers so early is a sin Talbot would not forgive.”

  And one he would not allow, Rhoslyn privately acknowledged.

  “I do not deny that I was anxious to meet you,” he said.

  “Were you?” Rhoslyn sipped her wine.

  “I wondered what kind of woman would eventually capture Talbot’s attention.”

  “I believe ‘twas King Edward whose attention I caught,” she replied.

  He laughed. “Aye, but Talbot is one to go only where he pleases.”

  Rhoslyn thought the opposite was true. He obeyed his king without question.

  Dayton finished his wine and rose. “Would you like more wine, my lady?”

  “Sheila will fetch it for us.”

  “Perhaps your guard would like more?” He turned toward the man.

  Dayton’s arm shot out. Sheila cried out as his fist rammed into the guard’s jaw. The man’s head snapped back. Rhoslyn leapt to her feet. The knight reared back, fist raised, but Dayton was quicker, and rammed a second fist into his belly, then another into his ribs. The guard swung. Dayton sidestepped and brought his clasped hands down with all his might across the man’s back. He slumped to the floor.

  Rhoslyn whirled toward the door as Sheila screamed. Iron fingers seized Rhoslyn’s arm and yanked her back against a hard body. She twisted wildly in an effort to break loose.

  “Lady Rhoslyn,” he said, “I swear, this is not what it seems.”

  Sheila screamed again.

  “Silence, woman,” he hissed to her, then said to Rhoslyn, “Please.”

  His hold remained firm. Sheila would provide no help. The girl now whimpered. Rhoslyn stilled, breathing heavily, and nodded. He released her, but stepped between her and the door.

  “This was the only way,” he said.

  Rhoslyn backed up two paces. She wished she had secured one of the daggers from the storeroom. “Only way for what?”

  “Edward commanded you to marry Talbot so that he could pay his debts with your money,” he said.

  “What is that to you?”

  “The king’s favor has turned my father’s attention to Talbot. Talbot even took my father’s name after Edward legitimized him. He is the elder brother, but that does not matter. He is a bastard. He has no right. I will not let my father disinherit me in favor of Talbot.”

  “Your family problems are not my concern,” she snapped.

  “But it is. Talbot’s marriage to you is what captured my father’s interest. He wants a grandson to carry on the St. Claire name.”

  “So give him grandsons.”

  His expression darkened and his handsome features twisted in resentment. “My father does not approve of the woman I would marry. He threatens to disinherit me if I defy him.”

  Rhoslyn felt a stab of compassion. “I am sorry, but I do no’ see how that concerns me.”

  “If you do not marry Talbot, my father will be forced to relent. I am here to help you escape.”

  “What? St. Claire’s guards will never let us pass through the gates.”

  “Surely, there is a secret passageway that leads outside the walls?”

  There was, but Rhoslyn hesitated to say so.

  “Tell me you wish to stay here and I will leave you in peace,” Dayton said.

  Was this not what she’d wanted? She had planned this very thing before St. Claire caught her in the storeroom. Rhoslyn couldn’t help a glance at the doorway that led to her chambers. She would give anything not to have to return to that room. How could she live here...sleep in that room where the ghost of her son couldn’t possibly have come to peace yet with death?

  “Decide, quickly,” Dayton said. “I have no wish to kill your guard, but if he awakens, I will have no choice.”

  “We must go directly to Banmore Keep,” she said.

  “Your grandfather’s home?” he said. “You will be safe there?”

  She wasn’t sure. Longford Castle would be better, but the battle between St. Claire and Aodh made that impossible. In truth, she feared her plans would be for naught. Short of Jacobus getting her with child, Sir Talbot could enforce the marriage. All that aside, something bothered her about Dayton St. Claire. The gentle light in his eyes when he first arrived had been replaced by a feverish look that bordered on desperation...or was it insanity?

  If she delayed or didn’t agree to go with him, would he kill Sheila? Might he kill her? That would solve his problems. Why didn’t he simply kill his brother? That too would end his problems. Was he capable of such treachery? Either way, she had to get him away from Sheila and the unconscious guard. There had been enough killing for one night. She could take him through the castle on a route that would get them discovered.

  “I will be safe in my grandfather’s home,” Rhoslyn said, then told Sheila, who cowered beside the table, “Fetch my cloak.”

  The girl rose slowly. “My lady, are ye certain you should go?”

  “Do no’ argue” Rhoslyn snapped. “Fetch my cloak from the chair.” She faced Dayton. “It is early yet. The servants should not yet be here to the third floor, but this night has been a strange one. Look and be sure no one is in the hallway.”

  He turned and started to the door. Rhoslyn took two steps to the fallen warrior and quietly slid his dagger from its sheath and slipped it into her cuaran along the inside of her ankle. She glanced at the warrior, then gave a prayer of thanks that his chest rose and fell with even breath. She rose and stepped away from the man. He would have a headache when he woke, but likely nothing more.

  The creak of the door sounded behind her. “There is no one in the hallway,” Dayton said. “Come, we must go.”

  Sheila stepped up, swung the cloak around her shoulders, and tied the cord.

  Rhoslyn grasped her shoulders. “Say nothing of this, Sheila. Do ye understand?” The girl nodded, wide-eyed. Rhoslyn pulled her into a hug and whispered, “Wake the knight when we leave.” She drew back and said, “Hurry back to my bed and stay there until someone comes. Say you do not know where I am.”

  Rhoslyn whirled and hurried to the door.

  * * *

  Thin curls of fog swirled about three approaching horsemen. Talbot assumed the one in the lead was Aodh Roberts. Of the two men who flanked Roberts, one carried a white flag of truce, the other a torch. Talbot shifted his gaze beyond the riders, past Roberts’ warriors, to the battlements of Longford Castle. Seward and the young Earl of Melrose must have watched Talbot’s approach, seen his and Seward’s banners. Each banner-man carried a torch to ensure the banners were recognized—a risky move, but he didn’t relish the idea of getting shot by a stray arrow if mistaken for one of Roberts’ men. There was, of course, the possibility they would shoot him on purpose.

  Roberts neared, then came to a stop a few feet from Talbot.

  “I am surprised to see ye here,” the Highlander said. “I expected you to wait at Castle Glenbarr for the good news that you are the new Baron Kinsley.”

  “Go home,” Talbot said.

  Roberts grinned. “So ye wish to kill the old man yourself.”

  “Kinsley is my wife’s grandfather. You will not harm him.”

  The Hig
hlander’s brows snapped downward. “What? Ye should be glad to rid yourself of the old man.” He snorted. “Save those words for your wife. She might believe you.”

  “Beware trying to deduce my thoughts, Roberts. Now, leave peaceably so my two hundred men may return to their beds.”

  Dawn inched across the horizon, but it was the torchlight that allowed Talbot to read the shock on Roberts’ face.

  “Ye have no right to interfere,” he snapped.

  “Think,” Talbot said. “Even if I allowed you to kill Seward, the Earl of Lochland would hang you for murder. He is your lord as much as Seward’s.”

  “Hang me? God’s teeth. Have Englishmen no bollocks? Here in Scotland we take what we want.”

  Lady Rhoslyn was right. Aodh Roberts was a man who would rather take what he wanted than work for it, laws be damned.

  “And ye have it wrong, St. Claire.” Roberts’ tone turned friendly. “Lochland will welcome you as the new baron. He understands you are Edward’s man.”

  Talbot suspected it was Roberts who hoped to ingratiate himself into Talbot’s—and Edward’s—good graces. Lochland wouldn’t be so eager to trade a willing Scottish vassal for an English knight.

  “Leave,” Talbot said.

  Roberts urged his palfrey so close that Talbot’s horse snorted and sidestepped. Talbot tightened the reins to still the animal.

  “Lochland willna’ interfere.” Roberts locked gazes with him. “Neither will you.”

  Talbot lifted a hand over his head and made a ‘come forward’ motion with two fingers. He didn’t have to look back to know that a hundred of his men separated from the shadows of the trees.

  Roberts’ eyes narrowed. Then he reached for his sword.

  Talbot had his sword out and had slapped the flat of the blade across Roberts’ shoulder before the Highlander’s sword left its sheath. He tumbled from his horse. His two men drew their swords in unison with Talbot’s men.

  Talbot leapt from his horse and pointed his sword at Roberts’ face. “Hold,” Talbot ordered the men. Then to Roberts, “You dare draw a weapon under a white flag?”

  The man’s face mottled with rage. “Are ye daft, man? Think what you have to gain by joining forces with me.”

  “What have you to gain?” Talbot demanded.

  “Longford Castle.”

  That was probably the most honest thing the man had said all night.

  “Then take it when Seward is not there.” Talbot sheathed his sword and stepped into his saddle. “You have until I return to my army to leave before I attack.” Talbot whirled his horse toward the trees.

  Roberts lingered a few minutes before leading his men past Talbot and his warriors. It was the Highlander’s way of saving face and letting Talbot know he wasn’t cowed. But leave he did. Talbot waited until the last of the men filed past before taking Iain and leading a dozen of his men and all of Seward’s men to the gates of Longford Castle under his and Seward’s banners.

  “Call up to your lord,” Talbot instructed Iain.

  “Kinsley,” he called up to the battlements, “’tis I, Iain. St. Claire is with me. He is a friend.”

  A moment later, the gate opened and Talbot led the men inside. They were met by half a dozen men, Seward, and a young noble Talbot assumed was Melrose. Talbot swung his leg over his horse’s rump and stepped to the ground.

  “What are ye doing here, St. Claire?” Seward demanded.

  The baron was a large man, almost as large as Talbot, still well-muscled and more vigorous than many men half his sixty-two years. Talbot liked the man, and respected his desire to marry his granddaughter to a Scotsman. Seward understood King Edward’s power grab. None of that changed the fact that the old baron had miscalculated in defying him.

  “You are damned lucky I came,” Talbot said. “Especially given that you went behind my back to try and marry my wife to this pup.”

  Surprise flashed in the old man’s eyes. The younger man reached for his sword.

  Kinsley’s head snapped in the boy’s direction. “Keep your sword in its sheath, Jacobus.” He then said to Talbot, “Where is Rhoslyn?”

  “Where she belongs, at Castle Glenbarr.”

  “Ye devil. You have no right to take her.”

  “Take her? A man does not take his wife. I made sure she was delivered safely to her home. I did not take you for a fool, Seward. What did you hope to accomplish?”

  “What do ye think?”

  Talbot nodded. “She is my wife. Nothing will change that.”

  Seward studied him. “You could have left me to fight my own battle. Why interfere?”

  “Because my wife would hate me if I did not help you.”

  “Your king would have been better served if ye had left me to my fate.”

  “It is short sighted to believe that your money has greater value than your life,” Talbot replied.

  “‘Tis more likely ye wanted my gratitude by appearing to save my life,” Seward said.

  Talbot grunted. “I imagine I could arrive with a heavenly host and not receive your good graces. If you wish, I will send Roberts back to resume his attack.”

  Kinsley snorted, then turned his attention to his captain. “I suppose I have ye to thank for interfering?”

  “Roberts had another fifty warriors on their way,” Iain replied without hesitation. “’Tis my duty to see to your safety.”

  “’Tis your duty not to conspire with the enemy.”

  “Are you truly set on pitting yourself against your granddaughter’s husband?” Talbot asked.

  “I was set on you not being her husband.”

  At least the man was straightforward. “I am her husband. Nothing will change that. You know that as well as I.”

  “I have no intention of dying anytime soon,” Seward said.

  “I am sure Lady Rhoslyn will be relieved to hear that.”

  “You dealt easily enough with that dog Roberts. Did ye threaten to bring down the entire English army on his head?”

  “He was caught between my men and yours. He was wise enough to recognize the weaknesses of his position.”

  Kinsley glanced at his warriors, who remained mounted. “Three of my men are missing.”

  “They died defending my wife. One of my men died as well. I expect you to pension his young wife.”

  “I am no’ obligated—”

  “You will pension his wife or I will take the money from your granddaughter’s store of silver, then find a way to replace it with a large piece of your hide.”

  “Ye will spend Rhoslyn’s money anyway,” Seward shot back.

  “I do not spend hard earned money unless necessary. I pray no necessity arises anytime soon.”

  Seward stared for a long moment. “If ye harm my granddaughter in any way—”

  “She is my wife,” Talbot repeated forcefully. “I will protect her, not harm her.”

  Chapter Five

  Rhoslyn hoped they would get no farther than the great hall before someone discovered them. Surely, some of Sir Talbot’s men had gone back to sleep there.

  Dayton stopped when they reached the dimly lit second floor. “Where is the passageway?”

  “In the scullery, there are stairs leading to the dungeon. From there, a passageway opens outside the walls.” She had never been a good liar. Did he believe her?

  “Act naturally,” he said. “We do not want to attract attention.”

  “This is a dangerous plan.” She feigned fear.

  “Aye, but I see no other way. You must escape before Talbot has an opportunity to consummate your union. Unless—he has not yet bedded you?”

  “He had to ride for Longford Castle. My grandfather is under attack,” she said, then wished she hadn’t answered so quickly. He might not have been so insistent upon helping her if he thought his brother had already consummated their marriage.

  “So I heard. I am surprised that he left any ends untied.”

  Was she an untied end? Even Sir Talbot’s remot
e manner didn’t make her feel so cold.

  Dayton frowned. “Perhaps it is best you not wear a cloak. Anyone we encounter is sure to wonder why you are dressed as if to leave.”

  “You are right.” She yanked the tie loose and swung the cloak from her shoulders, then tossed it near the wall. Cool air enveloped her and she shivered.

  “I will see to your comfort once we are away.” He pressed a hand to the small of her back and urged her forward. “You need not fear, my lady.”

  Rhoslyn realized her hand trembled. Curse her nerves. She had spent too much time in the peace and safety of the convent and her courage now flagged.

  “Are you well, Lady Rhoslyn?”

  His question startled her. Had she given away the truth in her expression? Surely, he couldn’t read her face in the meager light? Nay, but the man wasn’t stupid.

  “Forgive me, I am no’ accustomed to fleeing in the middle of the night.”

  “Aye, lady, I understand.”

  Rhoslyn heard in his voice the same charming smile he’d worn upon his arrival. That smile had gotten him far in life and he knew it.

  When they reached the stairs leading to the kitchen, Rhoslyn mouthed a prayer to Saint George that either someone worked in the kitchen or she could break free and reach the great hall.

  Dayton grasped her arm. “I am sorry.”

  She looked up at him. In the near-total darkness, she still couldn’t discern his expression. He shifted and her heart jumped. In the next instant, the back of his hand struck her cheek with mind-numbing force. Pain splintered across her face. She jerked with the force of the blow and fell forward. She crashed into a hard body and arms closed around her as the world went black.

  Pounding pain penetrated the darkness. Rhoslyn groaned, then winced at the way the sound reverberated against her skull. Where was she? What had happened? She couldn’t focus.

  “Do not move. It will be easier.”

  Rhoslyn jerked at hearing the deep voice and snapped open her eyes. Light bore into her eyeballs like a needle and she jammed her eyes shut with a cry. A hand grasped and gently squeezed her shoulder. The pounding in her head intensified. She gritted her teeth until the roar subsided to the duller sound it had been a moment ago.