“Go out into the forest, men. Find this man’s companions. I assure ye that I am nay Hanoverian as he so likes to suggest. That man is responsible for Amelia’s kidnapping and I shall not allow him to get his hands upon her again. Let him in, my uncle and I can deal with him if trouble starts,” Feargan said.
Reluctantly he went down into the courtyard, followed by the guards who now pulled back the gates, revealing Lord Torbay beyond. For a moment the two men faced one another across the threshold, their swords drawn, as though each were preparing to strike.
“Feargan?” came a cry across the courtyard.
Amelia, Catherine, and Alexander now stood in the doorway to the keep, and upon seeing Amelia, Philip advanced through the gates.
“Put yer sword away,” Feargan growled, pointing his own towards Philip, who stopped dead in his tracks.
“Only if you will do the same. I am sure we can discuss this matter in a civilized manner,” Philip said. “Or would you run a defenseless man through in your own castle, like the coward you so clearly are?”
Feargan shook his head and replaced his sword in its hilt, as Philip did the same.
“We shall discuss this inside,” Feargan said, nodding to his men, who made their way out through the castle gates.
23
Philip followed after Feargan and the party returned to the hall, Amelia holding Catherine’s hand and casting furtive glances back at Philip, who looked grimly towards her.
“Now, Amelia,” he began, as soon as the ladies had seated themselves by the fire, Philip standing at the other side of the room, lest trouble should occur. “You are to come home with me immediately. Your father has ridden north to support the cause and I am to bring you to him and then we shall return to Workington Hall. You too, Catherine, it seems your kidnapper has at least acquiesced to your freedom, now he has discovered just what a fool he has been.”
Amelia simply turned away from him—she wished nothing to do with the man whom she had been forced by duty to agree to marry. Their courtship had been an entirely unhappy one, only made easier by the fact that they were rarely in one another’s company. Now that he stood before her she realized just how much she despised him and wished nothing more than to see him leave her alone.
“A fool?” Feargan said, his anger rising. “Ye think that I am a fool, ye should look at yerself. How dare ye come here and accuse me of kidnap, of being a spy, and of harboring treachery. When it is ye who have behaved without honor and in a manner so despicable that nay man should ever have anything to do with ye again.”
“What fanciful words these are. Fanciful words from a laughable man. You know full well that you have brought Amelia here to satisfy your own wicked intentions. I have come here in peace to speak with you man to man and to demand you return Amelia. If you do so then no further quarrel will be had and our association will be over,” Philip replied.
Feargan shook his head and laughed.
“Ye accuse me of kidnappin’? Amelia is free to go whenever she should wish. It is nae I who kidnapped her, is it Philip? It is ye who orchestrated the whole plan. Ye who had the poor lass snatched from the road, as we rode home from Cockermouth on that fateful evening. Ye showed such a pretense of worry, when all the while ye knew precisely where she was and what had happened to her.”
“It was ye who arranged for the men to take her to that horrible place and dae with her as they pleased, it was ye who sought to kidnap her and make it look as though it were I who had done so. Now ye come here to make it appear as though ye have rescued her from me, when it is ye she needed rescuing from,” Feargan said.
“What nonsense, of course I did not have Amelia kidnapped. What possible reason would I have for doing so? She is mine, she belongs to me, and I have every intention of taking her back. It was you who brought her here and have poisoned her mind against me,” Philip said, drawing himself up, and placing his hand upon his sword.
But at this Amelia stepped between them, turning to Philip with a look of rage upon her face as squared up to him.
“How dare you come here making such demands, Philip, and to have the audacity to accuse Feargan of having kidnapped me when you know full well that it was you who arranged the whole thing. I am no prisoner here and if I was, do you really think I would have asked Catherine here to stay? Or have been allowed by my ‘captor’ to do so? You are a fantasist if you believe your own words, a pure fantasist, and I wish for nothing more to do with you,” Amelia said.
Philip was enraged by her words and stepped forward as though he intended to strike her or pull her away. But Amelia stood her ground and for the first time in her life defiantly refused his commands.
“You think that I orchestrated your kidnap? What lunacy, what cause would I have? Amelia, you are coming home with me immediately. You too, Catherine, we shall join your father who came now to ride with the Bonnie Prince. There will be no more of this silliness. Whether a prisoner or not, you are coming home,” Philip said.
“No, Philip, I am not. It is you who will leave. Catherine and I will remain here. Now, unless you wish for Feargan to call the guards and have you thrown out, I suggest you depart,” Amelia said, and she turned her back on Philip who laughed.
“You stupid girl, you stupid, stupid, girl. Do you not know that I could soon have this whole castle overrun by Jacobites loyal to our cause? That I could have this… this so-called Laird, clapped in irons, whether guilty or not of kidnap? You are my betrothed, Amelia, and I do not allow my possessions to be parted from me so easily,” Philip replied, and he grabbed hold of Amelia’s arm as she let out a cry.
But as he did so a commotion in the passageway outside could be heard and the doors burst open, revealing Feargan’s men, dragging with them several others who were struggling to get free.
“These men, sire, forgive the intrusion, but these men were found skulkin’ in the trees near the loch, nay doubt waitin’ for their master to return. What have ye to say for yerselves?” the guard said, throwing the men down to the floor.
There were four of them, dressed in a similar manner to Lord Torbay himself. Their swords and weapons were stripped from them, their tunics torn from the scuffle with Feargan’s men. Feargan looked with interest at the men now kneeling before them. There was one in particular that he recognized and as he came to stand before them he took hold of the man’s chin and pulled his face close to his own.
“Aye, nae so bold now, are ye?” he said to the man, who scowled at him and made no reply.
“Dae ye ken this man, Feargan?” his uncle said, coming to stand next to his nephew, his hand on his own sword hilt lest any further trouble ensue.
“Aye, I ken him, ye see the scar on his forehead, the cross? ‘Tis unmistakable, it is this man, along with two others, who took poor Amelia hostage. I ken him at the house as I watched for her. He and the other went off for supplies and that was me opportunity to rescue Amelia. Come and see, lass, dae ye recognize him too?” Feargan said, turning to Amelia, who came to stand next to him and looked down at the pitiful man at her feet.
“Oh yes, I recognized him as soon as the men brought him in, a quite unpleasant character. I overheard them call him Barnabas Rudge, and he resides in a hovel somewhere near Cockermouth. How much did Philip pay you?” she said, wanting nothing more than to strike the man across his cheek for his treatment of her.
The man was silent for a moment and Amelia looked at Philip who sneered at her.
“What nonsense, this man is a member of the militia, an upriser, I hardly know him. He is not from Cumberland, he is of these parts, and will say as much if he deigns to open his mouth. Come then, man, speak, answer the lady’s question. We are all eager to hear these lies rebuffed,” Philip said, swaggering across to the fire.
“Ye ken I speak the truth, it was ye who kept Amelia hostage, wasnae it? It was ye I saw that mornin’ and ye who so misused her,” Feargan said, taking the man by the scruff of his neck.
He let out a whimper and
tried to struggle free but Feargan threw him to the floor and shouted for the guards to take him away.
“Put these pathetic excuses for men into the dungeons, and see to it that they are locked away until they see fit to talk, I have nay time for them,” Feargan replied. The four men were led away and Philip turned once more to Feargan with a sickly smile across his face.
“You would throw Jacobite soldiers into your dungeons, yet you claim not to be a Hanoverian spy? Do you not see, Amelia? The man before you is an impostor, he tells you one thing yet behaves in quite the opposite way. How can you possibly trust him?” Philip said.
Feargan placed his hand upon his sword, but this time it was Catherine who stepped forward, placing her hand upon Lord Torbay’s arm. He turned to her with a dismissive look, but she cleared her throat and began to speak.
“Perhaps it is time that you left, Philip. I am tired of all this fear and worry. Tell our father that Amelia is quite safe and that I am, too. Return again tomorrow when perhaps the situation will look clearer,” she said, looking Philip straight in the eyes, with an imploring look upon her face.
Philip was silent for a moment but then, to everyone’s surprise, he nodded and turned to Feargan.
“I can see we shall have no agreement now, but mark my words Galbreth, Laird of Loch Beira, the Jacobites shall know what you have done. I give you until the morning to do the right thing and release Amelia to me, else you shall feel my wrath and that of the others. As for those men, well, they may reside in your dungeons. They are nothing to me,” he said, and with those words he strode from the room, casting a final glance back at Amelia who now ran to Feargan and threw herself upon him.
“‘Tis all right, lass, yer sister has proved the voice of reason in this sad situation,” he said, putting his arms around her, “but I promise ye that whether it be the mornin,’ the noon, or the night, ye shall nae go with Lord Torbay if it be nae yer wish, ye hear me?”
Amelia nodded and gave him a weak smile before turning to her sister and embracing her, too.
“Goodness, Catherine, you were ever so brave to stand up to Philip like that. Wherever did you get the strength from?” she said, laughing a little as Catherine blushed.
“One just has to know how to handle Philip. Deep down I do not think he is that bad, really, but somehow along the way he has gotten rather lost,” she replied.
Feargan snorted.
“Nae that bad? Lass, take a look at him, the man is a villain and he had yer sister kidnapped by those vile men,” Feargan replied, shaking his head.
“But surely he did it for love of Amelia? Is not love a powerful force?” she replied.
But Feargan just shook his head and Amelia took hold of her sister’s hand and led her to the fire. The two began warming themselves before the flames.
“I do not think Philip knows himself at all,” Amelia said. “There is simply so much anger in his heart, perhaps it has marked the goodness in him, but I could never love him. Not now, not ever. I did not love him before all this sorry business and if he forces me to go with him I shall spend my life in unhappiness, of that I am certain.”
“Then you cannot go, whatever Father says, whatever Philip wants. Even if all the forces of the Jacobites descend upon us,” Catherine said.
“They could take me by force, but they could never take my heart from where I know it belongs,” Amelia said, and turning around she looked lovingly at Feargan. “My heart is here and I know now, more than ever, that is where it should be.”
* * *
Catherine left the room. She was determined to speak with Philip alone and did not heed her sister’s cry to remain. She caught up with him just as he was striding through the gate and took hold of his arm.
“Why do you do this, Philip?” she said, as he whirled around. “Why can’t you just find some happiness?”
“Catherine, don’t be foolish. You know your sister can’t stay here with that man, it is ludicrous. I would have thought you of all people would understand that,” he replied, shaking his head.
“But she is happy with Feargan, and she wants to stay,” Catherine replied.
“And what of my happiness? What of me? Am I to just be cast aside like this?” he replied, turning away from her.
“You could still be happy, Philip. We all could,” Catherine replied, and she watched sadly as he strode through the gate.
“Why can’t we all just be happy,” she said to herself sadly, and turning she returned to the hall.
* * *
As darkness fell around the castle Feargan, Alexander, Amelia, and Catherine huddled together in the hall by the fire. The wind had whipped up and there was a sense of foreboding hanging over them, as though they awaited a fate decided by others.
It was clear that Lord Torbay would not take no for an answer and the circumstances of his arrival had angered Feargan. How dare he come there, accusing him of being a traitor, a man without honor, when he himself had acted so treacherously against the lady he professed to love.
It was clear that Lord Torbay saw Amelia as a trophy and nothing more. A lady to be possessed, owned, and treated like property, rather than the beautiful, kind, and gentle person that Feargan had come so passionately to love.
He was just about to retire to his chambers, though he knew that sleep would not be forthcoming, when a knock at the door startled them all, and turning he found the jailer standing before him.
“Aye, what is it, man? Dae our guests give ye trouble? Perhaps they are unhappy at the way they are bein’ treated? Well, I have nay time for their complaints,” Feargan said, before the man even had time to speak.
“‘Tis nae that, sir, one of them wishes to speak with ye, he says it is urgent but that ye must promise to release the others,” the jailer said, standing tentatively before the Laird who laughed.
“Release them? So that they may go runnin’ off to tell our Jacobite friends tales of their mistreatment,” Feargan said, shaking his head.
“Hear what the man has to say, Feargan, Lord Torbay has already tarnished yer reputation to the Jacobite cause. I hardly think that a few words from a foot soldier will dae yer reputation any worse,” Alexander said.
Feargan sighed and nodded to the jailer who ambled off back to the dungeons and a few moments later the man with the scar across his forehead was brought before them. Amelia clasped Catherine to her, as though the memories of what that man had done loomed large in her mind.
“‘Tis all right, Amelia, this man will dae ye nay harm now,” Feargan said, advancing towards the kidnapper, who stood with his head bowed low. “Well, what have ye to say for yerself?”
“I… it was I, and I am ashamed of that fact. It was I who… who kidnapped the lady, on the orders of Lord Torbay. He promised me a considerable amount of money to do so, money he is yet to pay me. I have a family, hungry children, and a sick wife. The money would have helped us. I am not a bad man, sire, you must understand that,” the man replied, looking up imploringly at Feargan, who circled around him as he spoke.
“And why are ye telling me this now? Why nae earlier on when yer master was standing here? Are ye a coward?” Feargan said, his anger rising, as he caught hold of the man’s coat and pulled him close to his face.
“No, sire. But Lord Torbay has not kept his promises, and he has not paid me for what I did. I could hang for it, and well you know it, but I hate myself for it, sire. I never wanted anything to do with all this, it was the money, but please, don’t let me come to no harm,” the man said, starting to whimper, as Feargan let go of his collar and he fell back into the jailer’s arms.
“Pathetic, ye are nay better than yer master, and it is clear that he owes nay loyalty to ye either,” Feargan said.
“Then confront him with this man,” Alexander said.
He had been silent up until now, but rising from his place he came to stand before the man and looking down at him he addressed him.
“Ye have done a wicked thing, and it is up
to the good Lord in heaven to judge ye at the proper time, but ye can redeem yerself some ways by testifyin’ against yer master when he comes here tomorrow. Will ye dae that?” Alexander said.
The man nodded, but looked imploringly up at them both, his lip quivering.
“And… and if I do, will I be set free, sire? Please, I just want to return to my family, sire,” he said, and once more he began to cry, as Feargan shook his head in disgust.
“Ye shall be released, aye. But ye will prove that it was Lord Torbay who had ye kidnap this poor lass and ye will tell us in detail how this vile thing came about and why it was that ye were so instructed to dae so, dae ye understand me?” Feargan said.
Highlander's Hidden Destiny (Steamy Scottish Historical) Page 19