Claimed By A Charmer (The Pith Trilogy)

by Griffin, Kara

  “I’m so sorry to have come here. I know you are distressed about your daughter’s disappearance. I don’t mean to trouble ye, but I didn’t know where else to go.”

  “I’m sure we can help, if you would tell us what’s wrong.”

  “I’ve come to see Father Tomas about …” Isabel sighed. “Well, you might think I’ve gone crazed, but I must tell you all from the start.” Isabel motioned for Father Tomas to sit. They listened quietly as she told them, event to event, of the happenings since she’d met Douglas two years ago.

  “… and then he left them there. Those poor girls left to die, or tortured by Friar Whickham and the babies, who knows what happens to them. I have to go back even if I must do so alone. Please, help me, Father.”

  Father Tomas looked to Julianna. “Of course, we’ll help ye.”

  “You’ll not be able to rescue anyone in your condition, Isabel. I’ll take you to a chamber. Father Tomas and I will think of something. In the meantime, you will try to rest. You look too pale to me.” Julianna helped her to stand.

  Isabel wasn’t about to reject an order. The lady was so kind, and she tried to comfort her, when Isabel knew she had her own sorrow. She should be comforting her.

  Chapter Forty-One

  Douglas was beside himself. He knew Isabel had been too quiet and calculating. He should have known that she would do something rash. Nathaniel helped him search for two days, and he had no idea where she’d gone. He grew distant toward everyone. His only concern was to find his wife, and when he did, he was going to give her hell for putting him through this.

  “I swear I’m going to smack her delightful bottom when I find her.”

  Nate had been disappointed when he’d shown up for the wedding celebration to find his sister tone.

  “You will not. That’s my sister you’re talking about, although the idea has merit. Do you think she went to the asylum?”

  Douglas’ head snapped up. “Damn me, I didn’t think of that. She’s stubborn enough to.”

  “I’ll gather the men and we’ll ride there.”

  They left that day with Douglas’ and Nate’s entourage of soldiers riding along. When they reached the hellish confines of the asylum after riding for days, they stood transfixed. There wasn’t a person to be found, not inside, outside, anywhere. Even the small abbey behind the asylum was vacant.

  Douglas became dejected, and a cold bleakness settled inside him. He’d hoped she would be there, and he could at last vent his anger—rage was more like it. He leaned his head against his saddle as he stood beside his horse.

  Nate put his hand on his shoulder. “Maybe she went home.”

  “Where does she think home is?” Douglas’ frustration set in.

  “We’re not far from my keep, a few hours’ ride.”

  The men remounted and rode for Raven’s Hill. Nate called to his guard-post and the gates were opened, and they were told that Lady Isabel hadn’t returned.

  “Where the hell is she?” Douglas roared.

  “I have no idea. Let’s eat and regain our strength and we’ll set out in the morn.”

  “And where do you propose we look for her?”

  Nate had no knowledge. “We won’t stay here doing nothing. I doubt she’d come here, not after what our father did. She must have gone to somewhere she felt safe.”

  “Are you saying she didn’t feel safe with me? Now you are insulting me.”

  “Not at all, Douglas. Calm down, being surly won’t aid in finding her. Has she met anyone at your keep that would help her, someone she would feel safe with?”

  “All my clan would honor her.”

  “Did she befriend anyone unusual, someone that you wouldn’t think of?”

  “I don’t know, there’s my sister, my mother, and … cosh, Brendan. Mayhap she went to him. They became friends, but she’d have no knowledge how to get to him. He’s roaming the borders. She can’t have gone to him.”

  “Might I make a suggestion then?” Douglas gave him a sedate glare. Nate continued, “I say we ride back to your clan, wait there until we hear from her. She might even be there now. It’s obvious someone went to the asylum. Mayhap it was her. Where would she take the girls?”

  “Aye, she must have rescued the girls and taken them home. We’ll leave at first light.”

  *****

  Douglas was beyond chagrined. Almost a week had gone by that he’d been home, not a blessed word of his wife’s whereabouts came. He was so incensed that he had a frown plastered on his face from sunup to sundown. Even his mother hadn’t been able to get him to release his aggression.

  His mother touched his arm, and he looked up from his tray, pushing it away.

  “Don’t worry so, lad. She’ll come back.”

  “Ah, you have such confidence. Wish that I had. I just hope she is safe.”

  “I’m sure she is. Is her brother still here?”

  Douglas grumbled. “Aye, he won’t leave until she returns. I wish I told Isabel how much I loved her when I had the chance. Doesn’t seem likely I’ll have the chance now.”

  His mother gasped. “I just thought of a way you can show your love for Isabel. Why didn’t I think of this before? Aye, I know what you should do.” She whispered in his ear, and for the first time since returning empty handed without his wife, Douglas laughed.

  Nate and Gil walked inside and joined him.

  “What’s so amusing?” Gil asked.

  “My Mother has a strange sense of humor. What are ye thinking, Nate? You’re too quiet.” Douglas noticed his brother-in-law’s grim expression.

  “‘Tis the truth, women. I was thinking what a pain in the arse my sister is.”

  Burk entered the hall, wearing a sour expression that instilled a tightening in his chest. Douglas’ concern for his cousin became more worrisome as each day passed. He was almost afraid to ask what the news was.

  “I’ve a message from Julianna.” Burk thrust the message at him.

  “Has Bonnie been found?” Shelagh asked.

  “Nay, Milady Kerr.”

  Douglas read the message. All watched him as a multitude of expressions crossed his face, but he continued to look at the parchment. He finally lifted his head and laughed. “I know where she is.”

  “Where?” Shelagh, Gil and Nate asked at once.

  “Isabel is safe. She went to Julianna, and convinced her to send Father Tomas to aid the girls. Then she went to make sure they were safe at Parkville convent. Father Tomas took her to the Gordon’s.”

  Nate swore. “She was never one to await anything.”

  “I don’t know if I’m angry with her or not. Hell, she should have had faith in me. I was going to rescue the lassies after I finished …”

  “But you didn’t tell her that, she didn’t know what you planned. This is all your fault.” His mother frowned at him.

  “You’re aright, Mother. I know exactly what I will do.”

  Everyone looked at him expectantly, waiting for him to expand on his remark, but he didn’t.

  The evening meal was more joyous than that of previous nights. Douglas sat smiling, and ate heartily, his appetite returned. Many of his soldiers and clans-people attended the meal, and he was in a much better mood. He didn’t appear to be in a hurry to get to his ill disciplined wife.

  “Why are you not on your steed, riding to England? She’ll not send you a blasted invite.” Nate hadn’t stopped pestering since earlier that afternoon.

  “I’ll leave when I’m ready. Besides, she’s not going anywhere. Mayhap I’ll leave her to worry a bit before I go, serves her right for disobeying me.”

  “But, you didn’t tell her she couldn’t leave the keep. Did you?”

  Douglas laughed. “Nay, I didn’t, but a wife should know better than to leave the safety of her clan. I’ll make sure she follows that dictate in the future.”

  Nate grinned. “And how are you going to ensure that? My sister is disobedient.”

  “Aye, I love that about
her most.”

  “Shouldn’t ye go? Please, bring her home.” His mother hadn’t stopped badgering him either.

  “Mother, I suppose you’ll nag me to death, until I do. I know exactly what I am doing. I’ll bring her home, only she’ll want to come.”

  Shelagh smiled. “This is where she belongs, it’s her home and—”

  Douglas pushed his chair out, then strolled toward the door, and called to Cedric. “I want you to deliver a message to Laird Gordon.”

  “Where are you going, Douglas?” Nate shouted. “If you are going after my sister, I am coming, too.”

  “I’m not going after her. She’ll come to me. I’m going to see Lowrie.” Douglas’ voice held a tinge of arrogance.

  Shelagh walked to him. Her smile couldn’t be wider, her eyes twinkled. “Douglas, Lowrie?”

  “Aye, Mother, Lowrie.”

  “Does this mean you are going to—”

  “Aye, I’m going to show her how much I love her.”

  Douglas was taken aback when his mother suddenly threw herself in his arms, hugging him.

  Nate smiled at them. “But how are you going to get her to come to you?”

  “Nate, that’s just it, she won’t know she’s coming to me. It will be quite simple. I know you want to see her, you’re welcome to stay here until we return.”

  Nate nodded. “I’ll wait here. I do wish to see her before I return home.”

  “I’ll catch up with Brendan, and help look for Bonnie,” Gil said.

  “Aye, Gil, he needs your help now, more than I do. I’ll see you when we return and hopefully you will have found Bonnie by then.”

  Gil nodded and left. Douglas was overcome with anxiety to get to Lowrie. The sooner the deed was done, the sooner he could depart. Lowrie made haste in his chore and by nightfall, he had completed the task.

  Before Douglas left for his own secret location, Cedric relayed that his message had been delivered. All would be done as he ordered. He set out on his quest, driving his horse beyond its limit before stopping to rest. As he sat beside a large tree, watching his men take rest, he smiled thinking of his plan. Isabel hadn’t been cared for during her life. What kind of childhood had she had growing up with that whoreson of a father? She’d been on her own for such a long time, but she wouldn’t be alone any longer. He would reassure her of that. Aye, Isabel didn’t trust anyone, least of all him. It was time she started trusting him. It was time to tell her so.

  He rode through the walls of the Gordon’s keep and didn’t notice anything unusual. The guard waved him on, and Douglas watched the Gordon’s patrol head out for their nightly duty. He stabled his horse himself, as did the five men who rode with him. Instead of heading directly for the keep, he went to Scottie’s cabin.

  Scottie Gordon, Stan’s nephew and second-in-command, lived in a small thatched-roofed cabin. Hut was more like it, as small as it was. His wife, Anna, let him in at his knock. Douglas felt like a giant standing inside their small living quarters. He greeted him with a grin and Scottie motioned for him to sit and he poured him a taste of brew, the Gordon’s specialty, which had the smoothest taste in the Highlands. Douglas savored the small taste Scottie gave him and put his cup forward again. Scottie scoffed and filled his cup to the brim. He grunted his approval and immediately set to drink it.

  “You’re finally here. Does Stan know you arrived?” Scottie finally asked.

  “I haven’t seen him yet. You can tell him I’m here later.”

  He laughed. “I can’t believe you’re not running to the keep to see her. I’d be.”

  “I’m going to let her wait a wee bit longer.”

  “If she was my wife, well now, I tell you she wouldn’t have run away to begin with.”

  Douglas’ laughter clamored, which made Anna grimace. “Ahhh, but you see, Scottie, she didn’t run away, she was on a rescue mission.”

  “Stan said that he knew you’d have formed a plan to win her back by the time you got here.”

  “So Stan shared all my news with you, I see. Pour me another drink.”

  Scottie saluted him, his bulbous nose twitching when he sniffed his cup before chugging the contents. Douglas toasted him back then drank his drink. It immediately relaxed him, that and the fact that his wife was only a few hundred feet from him.

  Chapter Forty-Two

  Isabel had been at her Uncle Stan’s home for several days and still became melancholy when she thought of Douglas. Even Romy hadn’t been able to cheer her on the ride from the convent. Her uncle had been wrath that she hadn’t gone to him about Nigel, but she explained about her father and sending her to the Asylum. Uncle Stan bellowed his anger and told her she was wrong to leave her husband. Isabel cried and told him he was right, but she couldn’t fix it now. She listened to him for hours on end going on about the duties of being a wife, not that it mattered much now, since she wouldn’t be returning to the Kerr clan. She told him so and he scoffed, walking way.

  She came down early enough so she wouldn’t have to eat her breakfast with Uncle Stan’s soldiers and she could avoid him as well. Aunt Mabel sat at the table, applying a needle to a banner that she worked on. Isabel took the seat next to her and began picking food from the tray that sat in the center of the table.

  “How are you this morn, my girl?”

  “Good morn, Aunt Mabel. I’m fine. I just—” Isabel stopped in mid-sentence when Douglas walked through the door. Her eyes widened when he walked past her and he didn’t even stop to glance at her. Her brows furrowed with the view of his back, he went straight to the barrel. He picked up a clean cup from the side table, and dipped it.

  Isabel stared at his back, trying to sear him with her yes. She wondered what expression set his face, probably a blank one. All she really wanted at that moment was for him to walk to her, and kiss the breath out of her, but he didn’t. She wanted to yell at him for his rudeness.

  Douglas turned, and oh, aye, he had a blank expression. He walked to the table and picked up a piece of bread. Was he humming?

  “Douglas?”

  “Oh, Isabel, I didn’t see you there. Lady Gordon, good morn. I promised Scottie I’d go hunting. I’m late meeting him.”

  With that, he walked out the door. Isabel’s eyes dropped to her lap and she tried to understand what had just happened. He acted as though she was a stranger and he didn’t appear angry. She decided she wouldn’t ever understand him. She rose and ran to her chamber, where she cried her heart out into her pillow. She woke Romy and Belle with her sobs.

  “Isabel, why are you crying?”

  She couldn’t answer, just continued crying. Romy tried to comfort her, but there was no doing so. Her crying woke Belle, and the two of them wailed loudly. Romy picked Belle up from her cradle and left.

  When Isabel’s tears lessened and she only shuddered with her sobs, she threw the pillow to the end of her pallet. He didn’t love her, and he hadn’t come for her, nor did he care that she’d left. Well, she wouldn’t care either. Saint’s be praised, how was she going to do that? She’d never felt so isolated in her entire life. Even when she had locked herself in her chamber after the incident, she hadn’t felt so alone.

  Two could play that game, she reasoned. If he could act so uncaring and unaffected, she would return the sentiment. She routed through her satchel for her daggers, because she needed to release her pent-up frustration and wanted to spend the rest of the day throwing her daggers. She picked the largest tree in the forest, the one that most resembled Douglas. When she tired, she returned to the keep in time for the evening meal, and had to hurry, because the meal was being served.

  Isabel reached her chamber and changed her gown. She purposely wore the gown her aunt had made for her. She secured her coif with a tie that matched her dress. Once she was finished, she scoffed in disgust for even caring that he’d be in attendance and left to go to the hall.

  Sitting beside her aunt, she couldn’t look around the room to see if he was there, though she wante
d to. She concentrated on her meal, but she couldn’t resist, she turned her face and had an unobstructed view of him. He looked so handsome. She saw him turn to look at her, but then he turned his attention back to Scottie. He laughed at something and the rest of the men joined in.

  He could sit there and laugh till sunup. How could he be so unfeeling? He glanced at her again then smiled, giving her a lopsided grin. She scowled like the devil at him. Laughing, he returned his attention to Scottie.

  Isabel was asked to dance when the music began. She didn’t dare look to see his expression when she flirted shamelessly with her partner. She purposely placed her hand on the man’s hand. A flicker of fire crossed her eyes; she was determined to make him jealous. When the music ended, she stood next to his table and chanced a look at him. He acted unaffected by her behavior. She couldn’t resist, she stomped on his foot and walked away. Douglas’ booming laughter followed.

  Isabel was downright miserable. She had to tell her uncle that she couldn’t stay here, not while Douglas was here. Yet, there was nowhere else for her to go. She would insist her uncle send him away, this was her home, not his. Feeling a bit better, Isabel retired and readied for bed. She didn’t want to face tomorrow, for then she’d see him again. Isabel had the worst night sleep she’d ever had.

  Chapter Forty-Three

  Douglas had gotten the best sleep of his life, amongst the snoring men in the barracks.

  He knew her game, but he wouldn’t be swayed by that woman’s bait. Aye, he’d wanted to settle his fist in the man’s face who dared touch his wife. But he cooled himself by drinking ale, and watched her leave the hall with such angst the eve before.

  Now that this phase of his plan was over, he couldn’t wait to see what she’d do. He’d noticed the coif, and how her movements were practiced. Aye, she was back to being the ‘ladylike’ figure that he disliked. Nay, that wasn’t true. He did like those qualities about her too, but he liked the fiery lass she’d been when he was injured.