“Seven, and three more were injured.” The man looked down at his arm. Because of his black clothes, Charlotte hadn’t noticed a large gash.
“Did all four brothers attack you?” Lord Bard’s nostril’s flared.
“No sir,” the man hesitated.
“How many?” Lord Bard’s voice came out in a growl.
“Just one.” The man’s voice was almost a whisper.
Lord Bard looked back at her. “Which brother was your champion?”
She looked at him not answering, but he grabbed her hair and yanked hard. “Graham,” she whispered.
“The Fairfields are an annoying bunch. While many have sold their lands and surrendered their livestock those fools keep fighting. They have been a thorn in my side.”
Charlotte’s eyes widened as she gasped. The Fairfields’ troubles were caused by the marquess?
“Kill some livestock, scare away the peasants, lay some misfortune at their door and the lords fold. All of them, except for the Fairfields.” He grabbed her by the hair again, yanking her up.
“You have also proven troublesome but once we are married, you will fall in line.” He gestured to several servants standing by the door.
“Wash her and dress her in a manner befitting a marchioness.” His voice boomed and the servants scrambled to do his bidding.
“I will never be your wife.” Her lips curled over the words.
“Careful girl. You will do fine with me if you learn obedience. Your father should have done a better job of teaching you. We will deal with him soon enough. I am not a man who likes to wait to inherit his titles.” He shoved her toward a servant, and she stumbled, her legs barely working, her hands still tied.
A servant caught her. She looked back at Lord Bard, but he had already turned to his men. They spoke in hushed tones and she couldn’t catch a word of what they said.
Another servant stepped to Charlotte’s side, and the two carried her into the giant fortress that was to be her prison.
The main hall was as cold and formidable as the exterior of the castle and Charlotte’s body was now racked with shivers. Even in the heat of the summer this place was frozen and desolate.
The servants veered off the hall to a back staircase, where they carried her up and up and up the stairs. The climb seemed endless.
Finally, they stopped at a door and the man to her left pulled out a large set of keys. They clanked as he opened the lock and the door swung in.
Blessedly a hot bath had already been poured and the male servants left as the female servants began bathing her in the hot water. Lord Bard had been right. The blood was difficult to wash and her skin was scrubbed pink to remove it all.
Charlotte was dressed in a fine wool gown. It told her that the day would be no warmer than the night, as the sun began to peek its first rays into her only window. So, she was facing east.
Her hair was dressed, pulled tightly back and coiled up so no strand could escape. It was in stark contrast to her normal loose style. The sun coming through her window burned her eyes, a reminder that she had barely slept the night before.
While she desperately wanted to escape, she needed some rest to make that happen. Neither her mind nor her body would work correctly in its current state.
Lord Bard entered the room. He surveyed her appearance. “You are terribly beautiful. I don’t know when I have seen a lady more comely than you.”
She arched her eyebrows. Normally a scathing retort would have left her lips but she was exhausted and frightened. So she said nothing.
He stepped closer to her. His thumb touched her lips. She shivered with revulsion and fear. “You will be mine,” Lord Bard gritted out.
Charlotte turned her head away unable to look at his hard face and beady eyes any longer. His lips curled into a hard thin smile as he grabbed her chin and forced her to look at him. “Just so you don’t get any ideas, you will have a roommate. The priest will be here at first light tomorrow morning to make us man and wife.”
Her eyes grew large with fear. That didn’t give Graham much time. A sob escaped her.
His smile grew. “You could do worse than a marquess.”
“I don’t see how that is possible,” she sneered.
He smacked her hard across the face and she staggered back. “Obedience,” he growled.
Charlotte’s eyes filled with tears, but she refused to let them out. Lord Bard walked to the door and ushered a soldier inside who took a chair next to the window. She was sure another would be stationed just outside the door. Lord Bard turned back to her. “Eat and get some rest. I want a beautiful bride for my wedding day.”
With that, he was gone. He left the door open and for a wild second, Charlotte thought she could escape. But before she could even take a step, a line of servants came in bearing trays of food. Part of her wanted to refuse the marquess’ hospitality, but she would need her strength. She ate until she was full.
When she was done, the soldier stepped out, and servants changed her into new night clothes. Apparently she had been dressed for Lord Bard’s brief visit. She lay down in the giant bed and fell fast asleep.
STEALING A LADY’S HEART
CHAPTER SIX
Graham, however, did not sleep at all. As the men disappeared from view, he raced back through the woods toward his family. There was no use chasing men on horseback. Besides, he knew where they were taking her. He cleared the woods and picked up speed as he neared his brothers. They ran towards him. “Ready the wagon. Swords, bows, muskets, rope, hooks, any other weapons you can find.” Graham shouted as he slowed momentarily.
“Nick, get any northern nautical maps you have. I’m sailing for Oronsa Island.” Then Graham took the stairs two at a time and sprinted down the hall to his room where he threw open the chest at the end of his bed.
A master blacksmith had helped him forge a sword using metal that had been a gift from his instructor. He had never used it before because he had never owned a possession like this in his life. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen until he met Charlotte, but he would trade this sword for her safety in a heartbeat. It didn’t matter that she could never be his. It only mattered that she was safe and happy.
Nick raced into the room, grabbing his brother by the arm. “Graham, you don’t have a boat.” Nick raised his eyebrows to emphasize his point.
“I’ll get one.” He walked out of the room and headed back down the stairs.
Will caught up to him. “This is suicide. You can’t storm a castle by yourself.”
Graham paused for a second in the entryway. “I can’t leave her with him. She was under our protection, and we are men who do right.” Graham straightened his shoulders. “I am going after her.”
Graham’s father approached his three sons. “You’re right, Graham. We can’t leave her with that man, but I am afraid of losing you to the Marquess of Huntly. We could wait for the Royal Guard. You would have more strength with numbers. I fear dark forces are at work.” His father’s face crumpled in front of him.
“We can’t wait that long; it will be too late. I’ll find a way, Father.” Graham started to leave again, but Nick stopped him. He looked into his brother’s eyes.
“Father, I’m going with him. He’ll never reach the island without help sailing.” Nick clapped Graham on the shoulder.
“I’m going too,” Tom called as he joined the group. “You can’t storm a castle on your own.”
“Aw bloody hell, I’m in! I’m sorry, Father, but I can’t leave my brothers to do this alone,” Will said.
Their father nodded. “It is right and good that you do this together. Now hurry, she doesn’t have much time.” His words held promise, but his face held the anguish of a man who might lose all four of his sons.
“We’ll bring her back.” Graham grabbed his father’s hand and gave it a squeeze.
Baron Fairfield nodded as Graham walked through the doors of the manor to finish preparations.
Twenty m
inutes later the Fairfield brothers set out from the manor on horseback. They were heading for the coastal town of Workington. They knew the roads well and even traveling at night, they would arrive in an hour. The four men rode like the wind down the dark paths.
Graham tried to focus on this leg of the journey instead of worrying about the mission as a whole. Getting to the castle was only the first hurdle. He had heard stories about the giant monstrosity that was guarded by soldiers. How would he find Charlotte?
He cast these doubts aside. He would have to find a way.
Dawn was just breaking when the brothers arrived in Workington. They housed their horses at a familiar barn before making their way to the docks.
Nick had a friend who owned a small vessel. His brother had collected all the coin they had between them. He left the bag of money and a note for his friend who would arrive at the docks with no vessel to fish. Graham hoped the money was enough.
The brothers quickly loaded the supplies from the wagon onto the boat and then Tom took the last horse to the stable while Will stretched out in the bow. “I’m going to get some sleep,” he called, then placed his hat over his face.
Tom quickly returned and the brothers set sail. The wind was aiding their ocean journey. Nick tapped him on the shoulder. “We’re making good time. You should rest.”
“I can’t sleep,” he said.
“Try. It will only help Lady Beaumont’s rescue.” Nick patted his brother again.
Graham closed his eyes. All he could see was Charlotte’s face as she was hurtling down that rope. He prayed Charlotte was still alive. Fear gripped at his belly. Not even in the Napoleonic Wars had he been this afraid.
By midday, the brothers reached the castle. It loomed in the distance, seeming to rise out of the ocean. Nick sailed their vessel around the shore giving the castle a wide berth. As he moved around the east side, Graham could see puffs of smoke rising from the east tower of the monstrous castle. “She’s there.”
“How do you know?” Tom’s eyebrows drew together.
“It’s the only tower with a lit fire. He’s a classic villain. Locking the damsel in the tallest tower and all that.” Graham’s hands were on his hips as he assessed the structure.
Nick tacked the boat in towards the castle and hid it in an outcropping of rocks. The brothers ate some food while Graham stared again at the tower.
“What are you thinking?” Will came up beside him.
“There is a beam sticking out just below the window. We do precisely what they did. We tie together the ropes and lower her out the window. Instead of sliding down a line, though, we’ll fashion a pulley.”
“I can throw it up. But what if she isn’t there?” Will’s face tightened.
“She’s there,” Graham affirmed as he straightened his shoulders. “Can you get it on the first try? The bigger problem is not alerting the guards. She is sure to have several.”
“I can get it first try, but the problem is that you’ll be alone. If we sneak into the castle, we could stick together.” Will’s muscle worked in his jaw.
“Thank you, brother, but that is risky too. The castle is gigantic and finding our way could take us hours. Four out-of-place men, we are likely to be discovered. We will sneak her out the window.” Graham stared at the opening. “We will wait till we have the total cover of darkness.”
Night fell and the castle grew quiet. The four Fairfield brothers stood at the bottom of the east tower. Puffs of smoke slowly twirled up into the sky.
Will held the long rope. He had tied an anchor to one end to add weight for throwing, but it would make a horrible racket if he missed.
“Back up,” he whispered to his brothers.
The brothers did as they were told. Will’s great arm heaved the anchor into the air. For a breath, Graham thought it would bash into the castle. But the anchor sailed smoothly over the beam and the weight of the hunk of metal pulled the rope back down into Will’s grasp.
“Impressive.” Tom stepped up to help his brother untie the anchor and tie the rope into a loop.
They double looped the rope around Graham’s waist. He gripped the rope above him. Tom, Will, and Nick grabbed the other end and began to hoist Graham up through the air.
Graham quickly reached the beam and heaved himself up. He slowly stood and peeked into the window. Directly in front of the window, a guard was sound asleep in a chair. On the other side of the room lay Charlotte. Even from across the room he could see the gentle rise and fall of her chest and the golden curls that spilled around her.
As gracefully as he could, Graham inched through the window. He slowly put one foot down, careful not to touch the guard. His foot was an inch from the guard’s boot. He shifted his weight and shimmied his foot farther from the man. Using his hands on the window frame to brace his weight, he set his other foot down. He gently pushed with his hands until his weight was on his feet. The guard snorted and Graham held his breath.
The man continued his rhythmic breathing again and Graham sighed. He had killed several men during the attack but this was different. He would not hurt a sleeping man who could not defend himself.
Softly he walked over to the bed. He sat his weight down next to Charlotte. She looked even more beautiful up close. Long lashes rested on high cheekbones. Her skin was a perfect pearl color with a hint of pink in the cheeks. Her full red mouth puckered and Graham was tempted to plant a soft kiss on those glorious lips. He gave himself a shake. This was not about his feelings for her. This was about her safety.
Graham softly shook Charlotte, but she didn’t awaken. His eyes narrowed. He looked back at the sleeping guard and he began to understand. He saw heaps of food on the side table. It must be poisoned with a sleeping draught. He walked back to the guard and pushed the man to the floor with his boot, then pushed the chair to the side. This man would give him no trouble.
Graham strode back to the bed and gathered Charlotte in his arms. Then, crossing the room again, he reached out the window and grabbed the rope. He plastered Charlotte to his body. He looped it around his and Charlotte’s waist, then between their legs.
Charlotte didn’t even stir and Graham shook his head. He was glad she wouldn’t see what they were about to do but it required a great deal of strength to accomplish.
Straddling the sill, he had one foot in the room and one foot out on the beam. Graham couldn’t balance on the beam while holding Charlotte so he was going to have to throw himself out and hope his brothers were watching to pull the rope taut.
He made eye contact with Will and then rocked one, two, three and out the window he flew with the sleeping Charlotte strapped to his chest.
They were seventy-five feet off the ground and for a split second he thought his brothers wouldn’t pull the rope. But suddenly the rope jerked taut and Graham angled his feet towards the wall to keep from crashing into it.
His feet hit the wall but he bent his knees to cushion their jump. Graham breathed a sigh of relief. Then Tom, Nick and Will began lowering them to the ground.
Graham’s feet touched the earth and Tom began unwinding them from the rope. He worked quickly. They left the rope where it was. It didn’t matter now if Lord Bard knew how they had gotten her out. They needed to get off the island fast. The four brothers sprinted towards the boat. What was important was putting as much distance between them and the island as possible. Charlotte still slept soundly in Graham’s arms.
Will climbed in first and Graham almost tossed Charlotte to him as he hurtled over the side. Tom jumped in behind Graham, and Nick gave the boat a heaving push just before jumping in.
“Head straight for the Scottish Coast. We’ll find horses and supplies, but we are defenseless on the open water,” Graham hissed as Nick caught the wind with the sail and headed for the shoreline.
“We’ve lucked out. The wind has shifted directions for us,” Tom called over the rush of the water.
Graham’s face was grim. Luck would get them to the coast before
Charlotte’s absence was noticed. Will passed Charlotte back to him and she stirred in his arms. She licked her lips, bringing Graham’s attention back to her glorious mouth. The sea air and distance from the castle seemed to lift her sleeping potion.
She opened her eyes. She licked her lips again and then blinked sleepily a few times. Then, seeing Graham, Charlotte gave him a soft sleepy smile. Graham felt attraction like a bolt of lightning shoot through his body.
“You came.” She reached up touched his cheek with her hand.
“Of course.” He smiled back, her beauty taking his breath away. His hands were wrapped around her and he was suddenly aware that she wore only a nightdress. He could feel her incredibly small waist. Her breasts were crushed up against his chest.
She curled her hand into his hair and pulled his head to hers, their lips softly touching. From that small touch, Graham felt heat spread down his body. He was instantly rock hard.
Charlotte pulled away, their lips breaking contact. Her eyes were gigantic. “I thought I was dreaming.”
Even in the dark, Graham could see her cheeks flush bright red. “My apologies,” Graham gritted out. He could have cursed himself. Charlotte would never be his. He was foolish to forget that even for a second.
Charlotte started to respond, but suddenly a dark shadow blocked out the moonlight. A massive schooner was headed right for them.
Graham lifted his head from the beautiful woman in his arms. “How far to the coast?”
“Quarter mile, maybe a half. There is an outcropping of rocks!” Nick pointed to their left and aimed the sailboat in that direction.
The other ship came closer and Graham could see the men in black on its deck. “It’s them!”
Will grabbed his bow and the largest arrow Graham had ever seen. The other ship flew across the water towards them; it would be on top of them in less than a minute.
Tom got out his tinderbox and an oil rag. He lit the rag almost instantly and handed it to Will, who wrapped the flaming rag around a gigantic arrow.
Once Upon A Regency: Timeless Tales And Fables Page 92