She turned to Seonag with dismay. “Is this true?”
Seonag looked at a loss for a minute and then shook her head and admitted unhappily. “I’m sorry m’lady. I …” She let her breath out on a sigh and admitted, “After the last attack and your sister’s arrival I—” She grimaced and confessed, “I just plain forgot all about the man.”
Kate made a snorting sound and arched her eyebrows at Annabel as if to say, Will you let her get away with this? Annabel ignored her. She was going to let Seonag get away with it, because she too had forgotten about the man. How could she punish Seonag for something she too had done?
Annabel turned abruptly and swept from the room, uncaring that the linen she wore billowed out around her like a cape. Her mind was racing. What was she to do? She could not allow MacKay to be banned by the merchants. Dear God, Ross would be so disappointed in her.
“I’ll help ye kill her,” Seonag announced, following her into the master bedchamber and closing the door.
The words made her pause and blink. It actually took Annabel a moment to understand who the maid was talking about, which was surprising since moments ago she would have enjoyed choking the life out of her trying older sister. Truly, Kate had unintentionally given Annabel everything she hadn’t known she desired with that one act of running off with her lover. Yet now she seemed bent on ruining and destroying everything Annabel had gained.
However, the news about the merchant had driven her worries about Kate from her mind. The truth was, she only had to put up with her sister until she grew tired of taking her nonsense and her conscience could withstand kicking her out and sending her elsewhere. Had Kate even tried a bit to be a good person, just a bit, if she were just a little less selfish, a little less unpleasant … Well, Annabel would have put up with her and given her a home for life. But Kate was a stranger who seemed to love to touch and rub up on her husband, abuse the servants and torment Annabel. The voice of her conscience was quickly growing faint in her ears. To the point where choking the life out of her sister with her bare hands and being dragged to hell by the abbess was beginning to look attractive.
“We’ll tell everyone her stable boy returned for her and then bury the body in Angus’s herb garden,” Seonag continued, and then pursed her lips and said, “He may even help with the task. She has complained and insulted his cooking so much he is ready to take a cleaver to her anyway—”
“Seonag,” Annabel said wearily. “Kate is the least of our worries right now.”
The maid goggled at her. “Are ye mad? She ruined yer gowns, is driving the laird out of his marriage bed, and—”
“Aye, but Kate will be gone as soon as our mother agrees to take her in. But—”
“Well and surely she’s takin’ her time about that,” Seonag interrupted with disgust. “She probably no more wants her than we do and will no’ answer at all rather than say so.”
Annabel felt her heart lurch at the suggestion, but simply said, “The point is that Kate is a temporary problem, whereas do we lose the merchants, they could be gone for years, even decades. And then when they do return they will charge even more exorbitant prices than they already do because they will know we are desperate.”
“Aye, but what if yer mother does no’ agree to take Kate?” Seonag asked, apparently more concerned with that than anything else.
Annabel rubbed her forehead with frustration and then shook her head, and teased, “Well, then you can offer to help kill her again and then I may accept.”
“Right.” Seonag relaxed, a good deal of her anger slipping away. Expression solemn, she then asked, “What shall we do about the merchant?”
“I am going to have to go down to the inn and bribe him,” Annabel said grimly.
“Bribe him with what?” Seonag asked with concern.
“What does a merchant like best?” she asked dryly, and answered, “Coin.”
Seonag frowned. “Will the laird allow it?”
“My husband gave me the chatelaine keys and free rein to do as I saw fit,” Annabel murmured, remembering when he’d done it, and thanking God he had. “He also gave me the coins that were part of my dower and said to use it to buy a new wardrobe. And he gave me the freedom to see to Kate as I saw fit. I shall use part of it to bribe the merchant if necessary.”
Seonag nodded, relaxing a bit, but not completely, and then she said thoughtfully, “Then all we need worry about is getting ye past Gilly and Marach and out of the castle so ye can get down to the village. They’re still under orders no’ to let ye leave the keep.”
“Aye,” Annabel said with a grimace. The men had been following her about again ever since Ross had regained consciousness. Not that they’d not followed her about while he was unconscious, but then she’d at least been able to order them to go away when they became too much of a nuisance. Now, they were her shadow.
“I can help you with that,” Kate announced and both women turned to peer at the girl now standing in the open bedchamber door.
Annabel nearly snapped at her for entering without knocking, but instead merely scowled and said, “I am surprised Gilly and Marach let you enter without knocking. Fine guards they are.”
“They are not out in the hall,” Kate said, pushing the door closed.
Annabel’s eyebrows rose at this news. “I wonder why. They are always waiting in the hall in the morning.”
“Ah … well,” Seonag said, wincing slightly. “They were on their way up here when ye headed to yer sister’s room. But they got one glimpse o’ ye rushing naked up the hall, turned on their heels and returned to the trestle tables below.” She tilted her head, considering briefly, and then said, “I’m thinking the laird may ha’e had a talk with them about what he did and did no’ want them doing after that business when they thought they should accompany ye in here fer yer bath.”
Annabel supposed that was possible, but simply turned to Kate in question, willing to listen, but still angry enough that she wasn’t expecting much from the girl.
“First off, I should like to say I am sorry, Annabel.”
That made Annabel’s eyebrows rise. Not the words so much as the solemn tone to Kate’s voice. She was not whining or trying on tears; she sounded serious and sincere as she continued, “I am afraid I have been behaving badly out of jealousy.”
“Jealousy of what?” Annabel asked with surprise.
Kate rolled her eyes at the question. “What do you think, Bel—” She cut herself off before finishing the old nickname, which had to be a first. Sighing, she took a deep breath and said, “I followed my heart and ran off with Grant, and it all fell apart. I did not think it through, obviously. I thought—” She sighed. “It doesn’t matter what I thought. The end result is I am now a ruined woman who ran off with someone who was beneath her socially, and then was tossed aside like so much waste. I am homeless, husbandless, dependant on your charity and a laughingstock or fool to most people.”
Kate paused briefly, perhaps hoping Annabel would assure her that wasn’t true, but Annabel held her tongue and waited to hear what else she had to say.
“And in the meantime, you married the man I was supposed to and have the life I would have had if I hadn’t been so foolish. You who have no training at running a castle, are running this one. You who do not have a clue how to rule servants, are doing it and in such a manner that those servants adore you. You have a home, wealth, and a husband and people who love you.” Her mouth tightened and she shook her head. “You have everything I wanted, and the worst part about it is that you only have it because I foolishly threw it all away.”
She shook her head. “I am angry and have been acting badly because of it,” she admitted. “But I have been taking it out on you when the truth is I am angry with myself for my own foolishness.” Kate paused, took another deep breath and said, “I am terribly sorry for it and hope someday you can forgive me.”
Annabel was silent for a moment, unsure how she should respond. She wanted to believe he
r sister had realized the error of her ways and would behave differently now, but it would take some time to trust in that. It would be nice if that were true, however. Then perhaps they could have a real relationship. She would like to have a sister again, but it was hard to believe that the selfishness and nasty streak Kate had displayed was so easily shed.
Finally, she simply said, “I hope so too.”
“What’s yer idea fer getting m’lady down to the village?” Seonag asked when the two sisters continued to stare at each other.
Kate glanced to the maid, resentment flashing briefly across her face at her daring to ask, and then the expression was gone, and she said, “You shall tell Gilly and Marach they may as well relax at the table because we have a good deal of sewing to do to repair the gowns I cut up, and then you shall send that chest”—Kate pointed to the one in which Annabel’s gowns had resided before she’d taken them—“down to Effie in the village claiming it holds the gowns that were in such bad shape you did not think they would do, but now have reconsidered and want her opinion.”
“Effie works here in the castle now,” Seonag pointed out with a frown.
“She did not come this morning,” Kate responded promptly. “The maid who attends me said she was feeling unwell.”
“She was under the weather yesterday,” Annabel explained when Seonag looked displeased. “I told her if she did not feel better today to stay home and recuperate. I guess she felt no better.”
“Oh.” Seonag nodded.
Annabel turned to Kate and said, “I do not see how that is going to get me out of the castle.”
“Because you will be in the chest,” Kate answered simply.
“Oh, nay,” Seonag protested.
“Aye,” Kate insisted. “ ’Tis perfect. You and I shall stay in here and cover for her absence, talking and laughing and saying her name a lot as if she is here. Meanwhile, we shall have servants carry the chest down and put it on a wagon, then deliver it to the village and carry it into Effie’s house. Once they leave, Effie will open it and Annabel can walk to the inn to talk to the merchant. ’Tis not far,” she pointed out.
“Nothing is far in the village,” Seonag said dryly. “But how would she get back to the castle?”
“She can ask that Fingal person or someone else to bring her back,” Kate said with unconcern. “I am sure he would be happy to. Then he could get another free meal while here.”
Annabel eyed her sister silently. Apparently, her effort to change her ways didn’t include not insulting people.
“I do no’ ken,” Seonag said with a frown.
“You do not have to,” Kate responded sharply and glanced to Annabel, eyebrows raised. “What do you think?”
“I think it might work,” Annabel admitted quietly. “Certainly, I can think of nothing better.”
“Good.” Kate smiled, suddenly looking happy, young and relaxed. “Then you had best get in the chest while Seonag goes and gets some servants to take it to the village.”
As Seonag headed for the door, Kate added, “Make sure you tell Gilly and Marach that we will be sewing so they may relax if they like, and that you are just fetching some servants to send a chest of gowns that need repairing to Effie to work on while she is home.”
“I ken what to say,” Seonag assured her grimly as she opened the door.
“Hmmm.” Kate walked to the chest and opened it. “In you go, sister. We had best make sure you fit in it before the servants come to take it away.”
Annabel almost hoped she wouldn’t fit and they would have to come up with something else. The idea of being squeezed into an airless trunk while bumping along in the back of a wagon was not very appealing. But it was only a short ride to the village, Annabel assured herself a moment later as she curled herself inside the large trunk and Kate closed the lid. God, she hoped it was a short ride. She had never had an issue with small spaces, but this was something else. She was so scrunched up she could barely catch her breath, and was relieved when Kate immediately opened the trunk again and she could sit up.
“I shall watch the door for Seonag’s return to be sure we have some warning and the servants do not just barge in and see you in the trunk,” Kate said, walking to the door.
“Thank you,” Annabel murmured and then got out and hurried over to the small chest in the corner of the room on the far side of the bed. It was where Ross kept jewels and coin, and where the sac of coins her father had handed over on their marriage resided. Her dower, which had been originally intended to be Kate’s dower, sat on top. Annabel opened it intending to take just a portion to use to bribe the merchant, but Kate suddenly said, “They are coming. Two big men are with Seonag. Hurry. Back into the trunk.”
Taking the bag with her, Annabel closed it as she rushed back to the trunk and curled herself inside again. Kate immediately hurried over to close the lid for her.
Annabel then waited … and waited. All she could think was that time passed terribly slowly when you were uncomfortable, because it seemed like forever before she heard the murmur of voices. She heard Seonag’s voice first and then Kate’s. A moment later male voices joined them and Annabel sucked in a breath as the trunk she was in was suddenly lifted and jarred about.
Annabel knew exactly when they reached the stairs, for she suddenly found her head tilting downward and her body sliding toward it, squishing her head against the panel of the trunk. Damn, that had hurt, she thought when the trunk evened out again. A moment later, she decided that pain had been nothing compared to being tossed onto what she presumed was the back of a wagon. Her entire body was jarred and jolted about at that, and Annabel had to shove the bag of coins into her mouth to keep from crying out.
The ride to the village was a piece of pastry in comparison. It was uncomfortable and seemed to last a long time, but at least she wasn’t being tipped onto her head or thrown about. When the wagon stopped, she braced herself for what was to come, but several minutes passed before anything happened at all.
After a moment, Annabel thought she heard a muffled pounding and the sound of male voices, followed by Effie’s much higher one. Of course, they’d knocked to be sure she was in and then explained what they had for her, Annabel thought, and then she was tilted toward her head again as the chest was lifted down from the wagon. But it was only for a moment this time and then the chest swayed slightly as she was carried into what she hoped was Effie’s cottage.
Annabel shoved the bag of coins into her mouth in preparation and groaned low in her throat as she was set down with a jarring thud. She then took the coins out of her mouth again and strained to hear what was happening. She thought she heard heavy footsteps moving away and a door closing, but then there was silence … a long silence.
It was only then that it occurred to Annabel that Effie might not open the chest right away. What if she left her there for hours? The idea was untenable. Annabel bit her lip, but then called out, “Effie?”
The silence continued, but there was a different quality to it this time, a sort of waiting feel.
“Effie, do not be alarmed, ’tis Lady MacKay,” she called, making her voice a little louder.
“M’lady?” she heard, muffled through the chest, and then a bewildered, “Where are ye?”
“In the chest, Effie. Could you open it please?”
“In the—what the devil are ye doing in there?” Her voice grew louder as she drew closer.
“I shall explain as soon as you let me out,” Annabel promised.
“O’ course, just let me … do ye ha’e the key?”
“What?” Annabel asked with bewilderment.
“Fer the lock on the trunk. I need a key,” Effie explained and Annabel’s mouth would have dropped open had she the room to do it.
“There is no lock, Effie. Just flip the hasp up off the latch and open it.”
“Nay. ’Tis locked,” Effie assured her.
“Kate, you dolt,” Annabel muttered with disgust, wondering even as she said it i
f this was a true accident or another way for her sister to take out her anger on her.
“What was that?” Effie asked.
“Nothing,” Annabel muttered.
“Oh.” There was a pause and then Effie asked. “What should I do? Should I fetch the blacksmith? Fingal could probably—” She paused mid-word and then said, “Just a minute, me lady, someone is at the door. Wait here, I’ll be right back.”
Annabel grimaced. There was very little else she could do but wait, she thought with irritation and then listened as Effie shuffled off, her footsteps growing fainter as she moved away. A moment later Annabel heard the murmur of voices and then a thud as something hit the floor. Frowning, she strained to hear what was happening and then gave a start when someone pounded on the chest.
“How are you doing, sister?” a voice sang out.
“Kate?” she said uncertainly.
“Aye.”
Annabel sighed with relief. She must have realized she’d accidentally locked her in and had somehow slipped away to let her out. She heard the scrape of metal on metal and as the chest was opened, Annabel said with relief, “Thank goodness you came. I was beginning to think—”
She paused momentarily as the lid suddenly lifted and light rushed in, briefly blinding her. Blinking rapidly, Annabel waited for her eyes to adjust and then released a little sigh and started to smile once she could see again. That smile died abruptly though. Her sister was bent over the chest smiling brightly, but it was the man standing behind her that made Annabel’s eyes widen with horror. She recognized him at once as the man who had repeatedly attacked her.
“Belly, meet my husband, Grant,” Kate said cheerfully. “Grant, meet my, fat, ugly sister.”
Lynsay Sands Page 24