Dawn Annis

by Highlander's Ransom

  “She is in the far left room in the gallery space directly above the great hall.”

  Shane climbed the stairs and walked down the small hallway to a massive wooden door. His shoulders slumped. It had been a long day and it looked to be longer still before he could find a place to rest his head. He took in a deep breath, blew it out and rapped on the door lightly with his knuckle. His knock was quickly greeted by a maid who, by the surprise on her face, was expecting someone else.

  “Come in, my love,” a female voice from inside the room called through her tears.

  The maid looked at Shane, her faced reddening.

  Shane smiled down to her and gestured for her to lead the way into the room.

  “M’lady—” the maid began.

  Shane interrupted. “M’lady, may we speak for a moment.”

  Mary came out from behind the heavy drape covering the window. As soon as she saw Shane, she began to cry in earnest. Distressed, Shane stepped over to comfort her but stopped quickly. Running his hand through his hair, he tried to speak to the distraught woman.

  “Dinna worry, m’lady. I only want to talk with ye.”

  With this, the maid turned to leave the two alone. Because of his recent betrothal, Shane was within his rights to be without a chaperone.

  “Nay, woman. Dinna leave,” Shane directed, and then turned his attention to Mary. “I would have her stay or another to be with ye if ye prefer. I dinna want questions of yer purity later on.”

  Mary nodded to the maid, who sat down on a corner bench.

  Shane drew in a deep breath and relaxed a bit. He moved no closer to the girl.

  “I saw yer reaction to yer father’s announcement. It appeared to me perhaps ye have no desire to marry me. And I have to—”

  Mary interrupted Shane, speaking quickly.

  “Forgive me, m’lord. I am sure any lass would be blessed to be yers in marriage. I canna marry ye. My heart belongs to another. Had ye come a month later, I would not been here for my da to give my hand to ye.”

  Someone beat the door with a loud bang. Before the maid could reach it, the door flung open and a huge, very angry man rushed in.

  “What do ye think ye are doing in here?”

  Iain, quickly trailing the man, burst into the room as well.

  “My regrets, Shane. As soon as I found him one of his lads had already told him they had seen ye headed this way. He was gone before I could say a word to him.”

  Shane remained standing where he was. He moved no closer to the angry man, but he moved no farther from the woman standing before him. He would not yield. He was betrothed to her and he was the MacGregor. Regardless of whether he actually wanted to marry her or not, the man presumed too much.

  “I’ve run men through for lesser insults. Mind who yer speaking to,” Shane growled with his hand on the blade hanging from his side.

  The man stopped short of reaching Shane, but still stood firm with his chest heaving and his face red.

  “She is not yers to have,” he snarled.

  “Aye, she is if I choose,” Shane replied firmly.

  Mary watched the declarations with narrowed blue eyes. “I’m not cattle. Ye are both disgraceful. Speaking of me like I’m not standing right here. I’m not putting up the likes of both ye. Ewen, stand down,” Mary said, pointing her finger at him. Then moving her finger and gaze to Shane, she continued. “And, MacGregor, I will have a choice as well.”

  Shane looked from Mary to Ewen.

  “She’s a mouthy wench,” Shane said as he smiled at the man before him, breaking the tension.

  “Aye, she is. What’s a man to do. I was hoping a wee bairn in her belly would settle her down a bit,” Ewen replied with an equal grin on his face, relaxing as well.

  “Well, ye can all go to the devil. I’m not taking either one of ye,” Mary pronounced as she headed toward the door, her maid in tow.

  Shane stopped her by grabbing hold of her arm. Ewen stepped in front of the massive door.

  Ewen looked down at Mary trying her best to release Shane’s grip on her wrist, get past him, and out the door. Shane saw Ewen’s love for her and knew they would have to tread carefully.

  Mary stopped struggling when she gazed into Ewen’s eyes. His feelings were written so very clearly in his face. She turned to Shane with such ferocity, he dropped the hand holding her arm.

  “He isn’t to be hurt. Ye will let him leave,” she said fiercely, tears falling down her face.

  “Nay, lass, he is not to be hurt. Smooth yer ruffled feathers and listen to me. Quiet now. I dinna want to marry ye but I dinna want ye to be hurt either. I see yer feelings for each other. My heart, too, belongs to another. I need this alliance and yer da has made a condition. We must calm down a wee bit,” Shane said, gesturing for them all to sit down.

  Chapter 26

  Kate was busy clearing another area for more garden space. She was hoping to plant potatoes. It was a bit late in the year to be able to harvest them at full growth. However, she preferred the tenderness of young potatoes anyway.

  “Well, m’lady, I hope ye will be staying when the MacGregor returns. I would miss ye terribly if ye chose not to,” Henry said while he helped Kate put garden refuse into a pile on the far side of the garden’s edge to be burned. She dragged over a wayward bush they had dug up and added it to the pile.

  “Why would I be leaving? I have no reason to go.” Kate brushed the dirt and leaves off her skirt, puzzled.

  “’Tis fine, m’lady. I was hoping it would make no difference to ye.”

  “What wouldn’t make a difference?” Kate dropped another armful of weeds onto the pile. She stood, waiting for Henry to explain.

  “Well, himself taken a bride of course! ‘Tis just for the alliance. . .” Henry’s words trailed off.

  Darcey, also helping Kate, caught up to Henry and Kate and dumped her burden on the pile just in time to hear what Henry had said. She jabbed Henry, her dark look answering his startled one.

  Pain washed through Kate. A bride? Shane hadn’t mentioned the alliance would require marriage. He hadn’t mentioned marriage at all. She didn’t want to believe Henry’s words. “Are you sure, Henry?”

  “Aye, m’lady,” Henry said solemnly.

  Darcey then dismissed Henry, giving him the chore of mucking out the stalls in the stables for the compost.

  Kate’s knees went weak, she could hardly stand. Darcey led her over to sit down under the lean-to as she spoke softly to Kate, the words lost as her mind spun. Her world was crashing down around her. She sat there, her whole body shaking, trying to make sense of Henry’s pronouncement. After a few minutes, she straightened her back and raised her head. She shook, then looked to Darcey and gave her a brief nod. There were no tears in her eyes as she stood up and considered Darcey’s astonished face.

  Reaching her hand to Darcey’s shoulder, she briefly touched her hand and whispered, “Thank you,” then she left the lean-to and headed toward the hall.

  She wanted to cry. She wanted to rant. She wanted to die. Her new world had shattered in one brief instance. She held herself together. While she was stunned, this was a life and hurt she knew. To be abandoned time and again. To be used for what she had to give. Oh, she knew this indeed. The truly outrageous part to this whole debacle had been the past few, happy weeks she’d had with Shane. That was the wonder. Not this news. This news was to be expected if she had thought about it. She believed her love for Shane, and more particularly, his love for her was too good to be true. As it turned out, it was. Kate wanted to leave. She wanted to be as far away as possible. Her heart ached as she walked up the stone stairs to gather the few items she had brought with her.

  Smithers had seen Kate cross the courtyard and had recognized at once, something was wrong. He stopped Darcey,
who told him about the incident with Henry and his big mouth.

  “He just blurted it out if ye please. He told her of himself marrying for alliance. If I could’ve stopped him by wringing his fool neck I would’ve.”

  “Thank you, Darcey, for your kindness. Mayhap I will be of some help to the lady,” Smithers said calmly though he felt his anxiety rise.

  He was surprised as well. He, too, had not heard anything of this possible marriage. He knew the time had come to leave and as quickly as possible. He soon reached Kate’s room, knocked, and opened the door without waiting for a reply. He stepped in to see Kate packing. She had already been to her storeroom off the kitchen for her herbal bags. She looked up to acknowledge him. Smithers knew by the expression on her face they needed to leave at once. He gave her a brief nod and made his way down to the stables.

  He decided not to take the coach Kate had arrived in so short a time ago. He did not want to cause too much of a stir and draw attention to Kate and himself. If noticed, he simply wanted it to appear as if the two were riding out for a bit of air. He saddled two of the horses that had drawn her carriage and led them out in front of the hall doors. Once there, Kate met him with her bag and cloak. She had changed into the worn, grey kirtle she had been wearing when she had arrived, the first time she had met Shane.

  Smithers helped her up into the borrowed sidesaddle and handed her the reins. He mounted his own horse and slowly, they rode alongside each other past the inner gate and across the stone bridge. As they passed through the second gate, Kate turned back to see Seamus watching her go. Their eyes met. He did not try to call her back. He did not try to tell her it was a horrible mistake. He stood, leaning on his cane and sadly watched her ride out. She turned away from him. Away from the resignation she saw in his eyes.

  Kate and Smithers rode through the rest of the day. Once out of sight of the castle, they quickened their pace. She wanted to be as far away as possible before nightfall.

  Kate had said very little since they had left. She answered questions posed to her but didn’t speak otherwise. Smithers let her have her thoughts and the silence. She was hurting. Her quiet was a prelude to what would happen. Her feelings would give. The hurt would have its way.

  While he waited, Smithers had his own thoughts. He was disappointed in Shane. His anger would come later. He wrestled with how he misjudged the MacGregor so terribly. Smithers was sure Kate had found a man and a love that would make her truly happy for the rest of her life. He shook his head sadly. How could he have been so wrong?

  He glanced over to Kate to see tears streaming down her face. She wasn’t making a sound. The floodgates then finally opened and she sobbed. The awaited grief had come. Smithers, taking her reins as well as his, stopped both the horses and helped her down. He led her over to a grassy area under a small group of trees and sat down with her. He put his arm around her.

  Kate sobbed for the loss of Shane and for the loss of a love she had believed she had found. The tears would abate and then come again as strong as before. The years of hurt, torture, and neglect poured out of her. The sadness she had stored for so long came to the top. The devastation she felt. The years of disappointment, cruelty, and humiliation from her father and then Sidney found their way out. Then the tide of emotions Shane had awakened in her. The love she had found and now lost. A love she was foolishly willing to accept as real. She ached for his arms, arms that would never hold her again. Smithers held fast until at last the sobs dwindled and then slowly the tears stopped. He rocked her until there was nothing left.

  They sat under the trees for the better part of the afternoon. Occasionally, Kate would sniffle and hiccup. But she felt better, somehow lighter. The feelings were still there but the weight on her chest was not as acute. She walked down to a nearby stream and splashed the cold water on her face with her hands. She took the pins out her long hair and combed it out with her fingers. She quickly controlled the wavy curls and wrestled them back a top her head. She climbed back up the small hill where Smithers was waiting for her.

  “I think we had better go to Dumbarton to decide where we go from there. It is the only place I can think of and I want to go home.”

  Kate’s concern now was where and how were they going to live if Andrew had made good on his threat and taken control of the cottage. She had no help for it. They had to go somewhere. Had to have a place to start and she could think of no other.

  Smithers smiled at her and nodded. “It is good a place to get things back under control. It will give you a few days at the home provided Andrew has not come to the cottage. If so, well, we will cross that bridge when it comes.”

  As the mists started to settle upon the land, Smithers and Kate came to an inn in the village of Crianarich. Smithers helped Kate from her horse and throwing the reins of both horses to a boy, went in to inquire about rooms for the night. Kate stayed outside the inn watching the last rays of sun sink below the horizon. She waited quietly, speaking to no one. Soon, Smithers reappeared to guide her into the main dining room of the inn. They sat down at a table near the window. Kate sadly watched the comings and goings of the village dwindle as night descended. A serving maid came to the table. She set down a bottle of wine and cups.

  “I have something very important to discuss with you,” Smithers said as he poured the wine. “I have tried on several occasions. Now, the time has come.”

  Chapter 27

  Smithers began slowly as he let the memories come. He had spent quite a bit of time thinking of his story. Well, her story, really. Now the time had come and he wasn’t sure where to begin, yet he knew she needed to hear what he had to say.

  “I realize you are hurt. What Shane has done is without defense. He used you sorely and my heart aches for you. By your leave, I would recount a tale that is dreadful yet beautiful. It is your right to hear and I beg your consideration prior to any inquiries of its detail.”

  Puzzled, Kate agreed. Without his usual sarcasm and mockery, Smithers intrigued. This serious side of him she seldom saw.

  “I had a friendship with a gentleman by the name of James Powell, a long time ago. We had an occasion to meet in the West Indies. He was the captain of a ship, the Endeavour, a magnificent merchant ship. Captain Powell had come to the West Indies to trade for silks and spices.” Smithers paused, thought, and began again.

  “I am getting ahead of myself. I have never told you much of my past, my life before I came to work for your family, have I?”

  Kate shook her head. “I have been curious. I didn’t want to pry. You never shared.”

  “Well, I won’t bore you with the whole of it. I believe I have found a place to start.” Smithers smiled and took a sip of his wine.

  “I was sailing with Captain Edward Goucher, of the SeaStar. I was an experienced seaman. I heard the man who owned the SeaStar, Samuel Stephens, divided a share of the profits with his crew. The practice appealed to me and I persuaded Mr. Stephens and the captain to take me on.

  Intrigued, Kate smiled. She took a sip of her wine and leaned in for the tale.

  “In due time, we sailed to a West Indies port and the captain ordered the hold unloaded. As it happened, I was working close by when the mercer’s agent came to speak with the captain.

  “Captain Goucher’s reaction was odd. He hurried the agent off the ship. It was obvious to me Captain Goucher and his first mate had struck some sort of deal with the agent. I followed the scoundrel to the agent’s office and overheard the prices he was receiving for his goods. He was cheating Stephens and therefore the crew of their full shares. I confronted the bounder. Goucher’s plan was to overcharge the buyer while claiming to Samuel Stephens a loss of profit. He attempted a bribe for my silence.”

  Smithers paused to drink a sip of wine. The serving maid walked over with their food, placing it on the table. She returned shortly with bread and fresh b
utter. Kate took the linen napkin and placed it in her lap. As she took her first bite of food, she urged Smithers to continue his tale. Smithers took a bite of his meal. He chewed slowly.

  “I do not have a clue as to this story’s end but you have me fascinated. I know so little.”

  Smithers ate several bites of beef pie and with another sip of wine, he took in a breath and started talking.

  “Captain Powell walked in and quietly stood there. Goucher shouted through most of our argument, accusing me of lying. Telling all who would listen he’d had problems with me before and this was nothing more than revenge for my imagined ill treatment aboard his vessel. Demanding, I thrust out my hand. He angrily shoved the notes into my hand and stormed out of the office.”