The ladder shook and groaned but eventually, Wee William’s feet hit dirt. From where he stood, he estimated the hole to be at least ten feet deep and mayhap six feet wide. He held the candle out at arms length to get a better glimpse at his surroundings. Mostly empty shelves lined the walls of the cellar. A few dust covered jars and an old and dingy looking cloth made up the entire contents of the cellar.
Wee William let out a frustrated breath of air and looked around the small space but could find nothing of Aishlinn’s treasures.
“Nora!” he called up from the cellar. “Where be the treasures, lass?”
For a long moment there was no response. Finally David spoke. “She says they be behind the ladder,” he called down to Wee William.
Wee William took a step toward the ladder and held the candle out, looking for any sign of the treasures. He reached out a hand, but found no shelves or any space where anything could be resting or hidden.
“Nay,” Wee William shouted up to his men. “I find nothin’ here.”
He heard mumbled voices above him as he continued to look.
“She says there be a spot in the wall, behind the ladder, toward the floor.” David called down to him. “Ye’ll have to look a bit to find a loose stone. Ye’ll remove the stone and Aishlinn’s treasures be behind it.”
Rolling his eyes and cursing under his breath, Wee William bent to his knees. He reached around the ladder, best that he could within the tight confines, and felt for the loose stone. Nothing.
Irritated with wasting time, he shouted. “Send the lass down!”
He could hear a scuffling of feet and a muffled discussion taking place above him. Standing to his full height, he tried to wait patiently for Nora to appear on the ladder.
“I said, send the lass down!” he shouted up to his men.
Some time passed before Daniel replied. “The lass says to tell ye she’d prefer no’ to.”
Wee William’s brow knotted. “What the bloody,” he let out an exasperated sigh. “What do ye mean she prefers no’ to?”
Daniel cleared his throat before answering. “She prefers no’ to go into the cellar.”
Wee William shook his head, ran a hand across his forehead and let loose a low grumble. He climbed the ladder until his head popped through the opening and searched for Nora.
She hadn’t moved from her spot against the wall.
“Lass,” he began. His voice was gruff. “I need yer help. Now, come below and help me find Aishlinn’s things!” He hadn’t intended to sound so angry, but he had little patience left.
Nora shook her head and pressed her back more firmly against the wall.
“Lass,” he said gruffly. “Do no’ dally there! Come help me find Aishlinn’s things!”
She shook her head again, a bit more vigorously.
Wee William studied her more closely. Though he was a good six or seven feet from her, he could see her trembling and immediately felt guilty for being so short tempered with her.
“Lass, why will ye no’ come help me?”
She swallowed hard and seemed to be searching for words. Several long moments passed and Wee William was beginning to think she’d not answer him. Finally, she spoke, her voice cracking. “I do not like it down there.”
Her eyes connected with his, silently pleading with him to not push the matter further. ’Twas just a cellar, a place meant to store foods and other necessities. Why on earth was she so frightened?
“Please,” she begged, a definitive tremble to her voice.
Wee William held out his hand. “Lass, I need yer help.”
Nora swallowed hard again and appeared as if she were fighting some inner battle with herself.
“The stone is in the left corner, behind the ladder. I’m sure ye’ll find it,” she offered quietly.
Wee William let out a long breath. “Lass, we’re wastin’ time. Please, now, come help me.”
A flash of anger filled her eyes. “No,” she told him firmly.
“Why will ye no’ come and help me find the blasted stone?” The conversation was going in circles.
Nora stood a bit taller. “I’ve my reasons.”
She’d never been afraid of the dark until the past year. Until she’d married Horace and her life began to fall apart in huge, ugly pieces.
Nora looked into Wee William’s face for some sign of trickery or deceit. They’d already told her they were going to kill Horace and his brothers. What was to stop them from leaving her in the cellar? Nay, she did not want to die that way.
“M’lord,” she began, “I’d truly prefer not to go into the cellar. Keep looking and I’m sure you’ll find Aishlinn’s things.” The only way she’d go into the cellar was kicking and screaming.
Wee William took a step up the ladder and studied her more closely. He had no doubt she was afraid, mayhap of the dark, or mayhap of being alone in the cellar with him. He felt something tighten in his chest. He didn’t want the young woman to fear him.
“Lass, I promise I’ll no’ harm ye. And if it’s the dark ye be afraid of, lass, I’ve a candle.” He stretched his hand out a bit further.
Nora continued to look for some sign that he was being disingenuous. In the beginning of her marriage, Horace had fooled her more times than she could count or cared to admit. Months ago she had promised herself that she’d not let another man make a fool of her.
For inexplicable reasons however, she felt she could trust this giant man and his friends. They were all staring at her, looking perplexed by her refusal to enter the cellar. Their eyes held nothing but patience and concern. There wasn’t the disdain or duplicity that she often found looking at Horace or his brothers.
Nora swallowed hard and took a step forward, albeit on very shaky legs. She prayed inwardly that she wasn’t being played the fool again. She reasoned that had they wanted her dead they would have taken her along with her husband. They would have killed her already. Or worse.
Wee William let a slight sigh of relief pass through his lips when she approached. Nora knelt and looked him in the eyes.
“Do I have your promise that you’ll not leave me below?” she whispered.
His chest tightened again for now he understood the reasons behind her trepidation. She was afraid he’d leave her in the cellar.
“I do so promise, lass.” He smiled warmly at her before carefully stepping back down the ladder.
By the time Nora reached the bottom rung, her brow and upper lip were covered in sweat. Not from exertion, but from the undeniable fear that enveloped her. Her throat was tight and had gone completely dry. She paused on the bottom rung and prayed Wee William wouldn’t over power her, race up the ladder and pull it away before she had a chance to react.
After a time, she felt a large hand touch her waist. She took in a deep breath and waited, all the while her hands maintaining a death grip on the rung.
“Lass,” Wee William whispered. “I promise I’ll no’ leave ye.”
He would have sworn he could feel the fear emanate from her and hoped that she could hear the sincerity in his voice.
Taking a deep breath, Nora finally took the last step off the ladder and let loose her grip. She rubbed her sweaty palms on her skirts and turned around to face Wee William.
Above stairs, she had appeared small. But in the tight confines of the cellar Wee William could see that she was taller than most women. Even so, compared to Wee William, she was a wee thing. The top of her head barely reached his heart, which was at that very moment, pounding ferociously within his chest.
Trembling still, she looked up and stared into his eyes. “I do not like it down here,” she whispered, as if her trembling hands and fear filled eyes weren’t evidence enough.
“Then lets hurry and get Aishlinn’s things so we may get above stairs,” Wee William whispered as he offered her a reassuring smile.
Nora gave a quick nod and spun on her heels. She wiggled her way into the small space behind the ladder and in a matter of m
oments, had removed the stone, withdrawn a sack, and returned to Wee William.
She started to hand the sack to him, but thought better of it. Clutching it to her chest she eyed him suspiciously. He could not resist the smile that came to his lips. He could have taken that sack from her with very little effort.
“Ye can go first lass,” he told her as he nodded toward the ladder.
As if fearing he’d change his mind, Nora quickly raced up the ladder. Moments later when Wee William emerged from the cellar, he found her once again, against the wall, clutching the sack to her bosom.
“I thank ye, Nora, and I’m certain Aishlinn would thank ye as well.”
Nora gave a slight nod of her head to him. “I give ye my word, m’lord, that I’ll not tell anyone that Aishlinn lives.”
Daniel and David chuckled at the title Nora had bestowed upon their friend. Wee William cast them a look of admonition before turning his attention back to Nora. “I be no laird, lass. Just a man.”
He came to stand before her and Nora thrust out the hand holding the sack. Wee William took it, but continued to gaze at her face. Inwardly, he hoped that Horace and his brothers would make some grave error in judgment that would give good reason for Rowan to insure they’d not live to see the light of another day.
Wee William’s mind was a whirlwind of jumbled thoughts and images of mayhap placing a kiss on the lips of the woman standing before him. He cleared his throat and tried to think of something intelligent to say.
“Where will ye go now, lass?” he asked.
“To retrieve my younger brother and sister from Firth.”
Wee William’s brow furrowed at the mention of Firth. His good friend, Duncan McEwan had killed Desmond Walcott, the Seventh Earl of Perth last summer when the man had made the mistake of trying to rape Aishlinn -- a second time. Aye, ’twas good to know that man was dead, but who knew what kind of man had taken his place.
“Firth?” Wee William asked with more than a hint of alarm in his voice.
Nora looked puzzled by his alarmed tone. “Aye, Firth,” she answered. “Horace sent my brother and sister there the day after we married.” Her good eye filled with sadness and her face fell. It was plainly evident that the memory was not a pleasant one.
Wee William’s eye began to twitch. The more he learned of Horace, the more his hatred toward the man intensified. Horace was fond of sending innocent people to Firth. He’d sent his own stepsister, Aishlinn, there with no regard whatsoever to her safety.
“John is two and ten, and Elise is only six. I’ve not seen them in months.” She choked slightly on the tears that threatened.
“I do not know how they fair, William, but I made them a promise that someday, somehow I’d take them away from there.”
Nora took a step forward and placed her hand on Wee William’s arm. “I thank you, William, for making me a widow this night.” Her lips curved into a warm smile. “Now I can keep that promise!”
The thought of being a widow and retrieving her brother and sister seemed to energize her. She grabbed her cloak from the peg by the door and draped it over her shoulders, then grabbed her bundle of belongings from the bed.
“I will be forever in your debt, William.” Craning around Wee William, she cast a wide smile to Daniel and David. “And to you as well!”
She turned back to Wee William. “Please, extend my thanks and gratitude to your other men as well, William. You and your men were the answers to many prayers and I will never forget any of you!”
Wee William stood dumbfounded before her. She meant to leave, on her own, to retrieve her brother and sister from Firth. ’Twas more evidence that she wasn’t of sound mind. How did she intend to go about getting them out of the castle? Did she have any weapons, or plans, or help from someone?
“How do ye intend to get them out of Firth, lass?” Wee William asked as his mind searched for a way to delay her leaving.
“’Tis late and I’m sure all are abed. I’ve been in the castle several times and I know where they sleep. I’ll just quietly creep in and take them.”
It took a good amount of energy to suppress the urge to laugh at her naiveté. His men however, didn’t possess the same restraint. They snorted at Nora’s plan. She craned her head around to glare at their rude behavior. It was quite apparent that they weren’t impressed with her plan. Nor were they moved by her icy glare of reproach.
Nora added a curt huff before looking back to Wee William. “My thanks to each of you,” she said before turning around and opening the door. A gust of virulent wind thrashed into the room. Nora ignored it, lifted up the hood of her cloak and began to step out into the dark winter’s night.
“Wait!” Wee William said as he grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back. He was looking at her feet. “Ye have no shoes, lass!”
She cast him a look that said she thought him dimwitted. “Aye, I know I’ve no shoes, William.”
It was Wee William’s turn to look at her as if she were daft.
“Horace hid them the last time I ran away. But I care not about my own comfort. I have to hurry to Firth, straight away. Now please, will you kindly remove your hand from my person?”
What was it about the English no’ allowin’ their women shoes? Wee William wondered silently. He thought back to when Aishlinn had first arrived at Gregor, wearing a tunic and trews meant for a man and no shoes.
There was no doubt as to Nora’s sincerity or her intentions. Even if they were a bit naive and ill planned.
“Lass, we canna let ye go with no shoes. And we canna let ye go retrieve yer family with out so much as a sgian dubh!”
Nora blinked and cocked her head to one side. “What is a-a-” she tried to pronounce the word but fell quite short of it. “Whatever that is you said.”
“A sgian dubh. A dirk or a knife,” he explained. “Ye’ve no weapons and no shoes. In case ye haven’t noticed, it be winter. Ye’ll freeze to death before ye even make it to the castle.”
Nora shook her head. “I’m well aware of the fact that I’ve no shoes. I’m also well aware of the time of year.”
Daniel and David came to stand nearer Wee William and Nora. With arms crossed over their broad chests and the smiles on their faces, they seemed to be enjoying the conversation that was taking place before them.
“Then ye’ll agree, lass, that ye canna go,” Wee William smiled.
“I agree to no such thing, William. I must go. I told you, I have a promise to keep.”
“Yer feet will fall off before yer out of sight of this cottage.” He shook his head, bewildered by her obstinacy.
Nora rolled her eyes. “Nay, I plan on taking Benny. I’m sure I’ll be quite fine.” She started to leave the cottage again, only to have Wee William pull her back in.
He realized she was not going to change her mind. “At least let me saddle yer horse fer ye.”
“There isn’t a saddle.”
His eyes opened wide with surprise. “No saddle?”
Nora shook her head. “Nay. Benny isn’t actually a horse.”
Daniel and David looked at one another. The young woman was quite perplexing. “Then what is he?” David asked.
Nora cleared her throat and straightened her shoulders. “Benny is the ox Horace uses to plow the fields.” It didn’t really matter to Nora what kind of transportation she had, as long as she could get to Firth before dawn broke. It didn’t matter there was no saddle; a blanket would suffice.
“Ye intend to ride an ox?” Daniel asked for clarity’s sake.
“Aye, I do.” Nora answered tersely.
Wee William took a deep breath in and let it out slowly. “So ye plan to go out in winter’s night, with no shoes, no weapons, no provisions, and atop an ox to sneak yer way into a castle to retrieve yer wee brother and sister?”
When he put it that way, it did sound a bit imperfect. Nonetheless, she had to get to her brother and sister. She was a widow now, thanks to these fierce Highlanders. She was now free to
go wherever she wished and not worry about a husband whose favorite hobby of late seemed to be making her life miserable.
Free though she was, she wasn’t about to go anywhere without her family. Nora thrust her chin upward. “Aye, I do.”
Broad smiles came to Daniel and David’s faces as Wee William looked at them. Nora noticed an exchange of some sort taking place between the three men. ’Twas as if they could read one another’s minds.
“I do no’ think the lass be a Sassenach, Wee William,” Daniel said in English, his eyes sparkling in the candlelight. Nora thought he looked quite mischievous.
Nora knew the term Sassenach was not a compliment but a derogatory term the Scots used in reference to the English. She supposed he meant to compliment her and decided to take it as such. “Why thank you,” she paused. “What is your name, sir?”
“I be Daniel,” he said with a slight bow at his waist. “This be me brother, David,” he said, nodding toward his brother.
Nora could see the family resemblance. Both men were quite tall, though not nearly as tall as Wee William. They looked very imposing in their dark furs. They were quite similar in appearance. Both men had blonde hair that fell past their shoulders. But where David’s eyes were green, Daniel’s were a very dark blue.
“’Tis my pleasure,” Nora said with a curtsey.
Wee William grumbled. He didn’t like the way she smiled at his men. For some inexplicable reason he felt jealous. He let out a frustrated grunt. “If yer quite done with the social niceties, may we get back to the issue at hand?”
Nora smiled at Wee William. “Yes, m’lord,” she said with a short curtsey. “Again, I thank you for your concern. Now, if you’ll please excuse me, I must hurry.”
Wee William grabbed her arm again and let loose with a frustrated sigh. “Again, I be no laird, lass, just a man. And, I canna let ye do this alone.” He stopped her before she could begin another round of protests. “Ye canna go without shoes, horse, weapons, nor help. Me and me men will be honored to help ye get yer wee ones from Firth, lass.”
Nora looked confounded by his offer of assistance. “Why would you do such a thing?”
Wee William's Woman, Book Three of the Clan MacDougall Series Page 3