How to Blackmail a Highlander

by Michelle McLean

  Toward dawn, they spotted a lone rider in the distance, galloping like hell itself was on his heels.

  They were already dressed. But Philip paused to gather Alice to him and give her a long, lingering kiss. When they pulled apart, she gazed up into his eyes, neither one saying anything.

  Then he took her hand and led her below.

  “He’s here,” Philip said, not making it a question. John nodded. “Spotted a few miles away with a large group of men. He marches on Malcolm.”

  What men were at the manor were already scurrying to and fro, preparing to ride out.

  “He attacks Glenlyon?” Philip asked, somehow both surprised and not. “He’s a reckless lunatic, but I never believed he’d be so mad as to attack The Lion in his own lair.”

  John strapped his sword to his hip. “Aye, well I wouldna be surprised by anything that bastard did.” He caught Philip’s gaze. “But it ends today.”

  Philip nodded. “Agreed.” Then he looked at Alice, whose face had grown so pale it was nearly bloodless. Still, he was pleased to see she was steady on her feet, her arm around Elizabet’s waist.

  “You’re leaving?” Alice asked. She held her head high, though he could see the doubt and fear in her eyes.

  He glanced at John, who nodded. “We dinna have many men here,” John said, “though we must send who we can to Glenlyon to help rout the bastard. But we’ll no’ leave ye undefended. Half our men will stay, as will young William. I’ll need ye to help me lead our men,” he said to a startled-looking William, who nonetheless nodded solemnly at the charge he was given.

  Then John went to stand by his wife. “And I’ll stay to guard ye.”

  The love that shown from Elizabet’s face was almost painful to behold. She reached up to touch her husband’s cheek. And then she firmly shook her head.

  “You’ll do no such thing.”

  “Elizabet,” John said.

  “Malcolm needs you,” she said.

  “Do ye truly think I’ll be any good to him at all when my mind is here with you and our babe?” he asked, placing his hand over her belly. “Ramsay is here for you. I’ll no’ leave yer side until he’s captured or dead.”

  Alice met Philip’s gaze, questioning. He wrapped his arms about her. Before he could tell her that he’d stay by her side as well, she sucked in a deep breath, a fine tremor running through her body as she pulled away.

  “You must go,” she said.

  He frowned, his eyes searching her face for any sign of what she was truly thinking.

  “Ye dinna wish me to stay with ye?” he asked, reaching up to brush her cheek.

  She leaned in to his hand for a brief moment before straightening her spine and stepping away from him. “We’ll be fine here. We can’t deprive Malcolm of both you and John, and John must certainly stay here with Elizabet. They need you at Glenlyon. Ramsay and his men must be stopped before they can make their way here.”

  Every word she said was the truth, but it still felt like a rejection. One that stung much more than he dreamed possible.

  But before he could step away, a small smile touched her lips and she took his face in her hands, pulling him down for a kiss. One that had his blood roaring—that held the promise of so much more.

  She pulled away, but only far enough so she could bring his forehead down to hers. “You come back to me.” Her hands trembled on his cheeks, but she took a deep breath and stepped back. “We still have much to discuss, husband.”

  He laughed. “Aye, wife. That we do.”

  John motioned for him to follow, and he nodded. He pulled Alice close once more and kissed her hard and fast.

  “Stay hidden,” he said, fear spiking through him at the thought of Alice left to her own devices. “Listen to John. Take Elizabet, hide in one of the inner chambers, lock the door, and whatever ye do, stay there. No matter what.”

  “I’ll be fine, real—”

  “No.” He took her chin in his fingers and made sure she was looking right in his eyes. “Promise me. For once, do as I say. Go to our chamber, lock the door, and dinna leave for any reason. Do ye understand?”

  She blinked at him, and her jaw clenched beneath his fingers.

  He closed his eyes briefly and prayed for patience. Losing his temper would simply make her dig in her heels, and this was too important. She might feel safe behind these thick stone walls, but he’d seen sturdier places crumble.

  “I ken well enough what I’m asking of ye. Doing as ye’re told willna ever be something ye’re good at, I think.” He gave her a faint smile, and some of the tension eased from her. “But in this instance, ye must listen, Alice. And obey. Do not leave this house. Aye?”

  She nodded. “I will stay put and be right here waiting for you when you return.”

  He stared at her, wishing he actually believed that.

  “Philip,” John called.

  He glanced over his shoulder at his waiting kinsman and nodded. Then he grasped Alice by the back of the neck, pressed a kiss to her forehead, and turned on his heel, resisting the urge to look over his shoulder.

  She’d hide. She’d be safe. And she’d be waiting when he returned.

  To believe anything else was unthinkable.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Alice watched Philip ride out with a heavy heart. After all they’d been through, they’d finally seemed to come to an understanding. Or…perhaps they hadn’t. They still had so much to discuss. They seemed so different. She knew that hardly mattered when it came to marriage but, if she wanted a happy marriage, that rare and elusive thing, then working out their differences mattered a great deal. And if he never came back…

  She sucked in a breath, swallowed past the sudden lump in her throat, and turned to find Elizabet. There was a great deal to do to make sure those who were sheltering in the house would be protected.

  John mobilized the men who’d stayed behind. William was overseeing moving what women and children were in the house up to one of the inner chambers. Thankfully, there were not more of them. But enough.

  Rose was on his heels, berating him for something or other. Given the pained expression on his face, he’d heard more than an earful of her ire already. Alice would have to ask her maid for more details on what had transpired between them on the journey to Kirkenroch.

  Alice and Philip’s chamber had a small dressing chamber behind it that had only one small window set high in the wall and was cleverly disguised behind a tapestry. The women and children were ushered in there and hidden away.

  When John tried to get Elizabet to go inside, however, he ran into some resistance.

  “I can do more good out here,” she said, grabbing another old petticoat that they had begun shredding for bandages.

  “Elizabet, I canna stay here to guard ye. I must make sure the men are ready should Ramsay attack.”

  “I’m not asking you to. Go and do as you must,” she said with a sweet smile.

  Alice and Rose exchanged a glance and turned to hide their smiles.

  “I’ll stay and watch over them, my lord,” William offered. “Should we come under attack, I’ll make sure they are well hidden before any danger descends.”

  John hesitated but finally nodded. “I’ll be back as soon as I can,” he said to his wife, giving her a quick kiss.

  Elizabet watched him walk out and then sank onto the bed with a pained sigh. Alice rushed to her side.

  “Bess, are you all right? Is it the babe?”

  Elizabet tried to wave her off, but she kept a hand pressed to her belly. “I’m fine. A few small pains, is all. It’s nothing.”

  Alice frowned and rested her hand against her friend’s belly. She didn’t seem to be in the type of pain that Alice had heard accompanied childbirth, not that she’d ever seen it herself. But she didn’t think Elizabet should be experiencing pains this early. She still had a couple months to go before the babe was due. Perhaps the stress of the situation was causing it.

  She watched Elizabet c
losely, but aside from a few twinges that made her wince, she did seem to be relatively all right.

  They prepared bandages until there were no more to prepare, under the watchful eye of William, who took his guard duties very seriously. The sun climbed higher in the sky. But no word came from Glenlyon. Surely they should have heard something by now.

  Alice had finally gotten Elizabet to eat a small bite of food, though she did little more than nibble a piece of bread and nurse a cup of ale.

  “Damn,” she muttered. Alice looked at her in shock. She didn’t think she’d ever heard her friend utter such a word in her life.

  Elizabet was brushing at a wet spot on the front of her gown. “I’m afraid I’m growing clumsier by the day,” she said. She hauled herself out of her chair with a sigh. “I’m going to change.”

  William frowned. “My lord said that no one was to leave this chamber, my lady.”

  “I am going just to the end of the hall. I’ll be only a moment.”

  William glanced back and forth between Elizabet’s retreating back and the hidden door behind the tapestry. He’d been charged with protecting both, something that Elizabet was making impossible. He focused his gaze on Alice, and it was clear he wanted her to side with him and get Elizabet back into the dressing room. And with the promise to Philip ringing in her head, Alice knew she should follow his wishes.

  But the distress on Elizabet’s face pulled at her heart. Especially with the periodic signs of pain she tried unsuccessfully to hide. If the babe were to be born now, it would surely die. With the stress of the coming confrontation and the monster who’d been stalking her and John fighting his way to their door, Alice would do anything to keep her friend calm.

  “I’ll go with her,” Alice said. “I’ll make sure she hurries.”

  William’s frown darkened at that. “Forgive me, my lady, but both of you should be in with the other women. I really must insist…”

  But Elizabet was already out of the door, muttering about being uncomfortable enough without being wet, too.

  “I’ll look after her,” Alice promised, following her friend. “We’ll make all haste.”

  To their credit, they had Elizabet changed and in a clean gown in a few minutes. They were nearly to the door to go back to Alice’s chamber when they heard a shout from outside. Both women flew to the window. But their vantage point didn’t offer a view of what was going on. The sound of wood splintering downstairs did, however.

  “Was that the door?” Alice asked.

  Shouts and metal clashing with metal rang through the house.

  Elizabet’s face paled, and Alice reached over to take hold of her arm. “We need to get to the dressing chamber. Quickly,” she said, steering Elizabet to the door.

  “Yes,” she said. But Elizabet had taken only a few steps when she doubled over with a pained cry.

  “Elizabet!”

  Alice wrapped an arm around her friend and supported as much of her weight as she could. She had to get her to the hidden chamber before the shouts downstairs moved any closer. Alice helped her into the hallway. But they were too late.

  Two men stumbled to the top of the stairs, and Alice and Elizabet froze.

  One of them pointed to Elizabet and gave her a disturbing smile before loosing a roar. “She’s here, my lord!” he shouted over his shoulder. Then they both ran for the women, but they didn’t get far.

  William stepped out of Alice’s chamber with a shout and felled one of their assailants. The other raised his sword, and William swung his to deflect. A vase came sailing out of the chamber’s doorway, crashing into William’s opponent and distracting him long enough for William to turn and look at Alice and Elizabet. He shouted one word.

  “Run!”

  Terror flooded through her, rooting Alice to the floor until Rose came flying out of the chamber, sword in hand.

  “We need to go, my lady. Now!”

  She thrust a dagger into Alice’s hand and then looped an arm around Elizabet’s waist.

  Elizabet pointed at the far end of the hall, closest to her bedchamber. “The stairs there lead to the old kitchens. They are shut off for now, but we can get out of the house through the back.”

  Alice pushed aside the guilt that pricked at her. If she had listened to Philip, if she had made Elizabet go into the chamber instead of allowing her to leave the safety of the hidden room, she wouldn’t be dragging her friend through the ruins of an old kitchen on the run from a madman.

  Maybe she could find a place here to hide. Surely staying in the house would be safer than running into the woods. But a quick glance around didn’t offer any hope of adequate concealment.

  More shouts and clashing steel spurred them out the door. They stayed plastered to the wall of the house while Alice took a moment to gauge their surroundings. She couldn’t see the front of the house, but from the sound of things the main bulk of the fighting had moved inside.

  Alice sent up a quick prayer for the hiding women and children. And for themselves. Then she took up her position on Elizabet’s other side and she and Rose half supported, half dragged Elizabet into the small copse of woods at the back of the manor.

  They hadn’t gone far when the unmistakable sound of running footsteps came from behind them. Alice scanned the area, frantic to find a place to hide Elizabet. They couldn’t outrun whoever was hunting them. Not with Elizabet in her condition.

  The pounding footsteps came closer. More than one set. Terror set her heart to pounding so hard her head swam, but she fought it back. “There!” she said, finally spotting a bramble of bushes and ferns where they could conceal themselves. Or at least Elizabet.

  But it was already too late.

  Three men entered the clearing. Two men Alice didn’t recognize. But the third…

  “Ramsay,” Elizabet gasped.

  His gaze narrowed in on her, the cruelty and hatred emanating from him twisting his face into the visage of a demon.

  He took a step closer and stopped, eyes widening when he saw Elizabet’s burgeoning belly. He shook his head.

  “I’d heard the rumors. That you’d run off with that highwayman scum,” he said, nearly spitting out the words. “Your parents, of course, put it out that you’d joined a convent on the Continent. Penance for all your many sins, breaking our engagement not the least among them. Your father would turn over in his grave if he saw you now. Carrying the spawn of the criminal who destroyed his life and sent him to an early death.”

  “What?” Elizabet gasped.

  Ramsay gave her a cruel smile. “Oh yes, I suppose you wouldn’t have heard the news, buried away in this Scottish hovel. He died a week ago. Drank himself to death under the shame of his disgrace and debtors beating down his door. Add that to your list of sins.”

  Elizabet’s face paled even more, and Alice stepped in front of her, raising her dagger.

  “If her father felt the need to drown his own sins, that is on him. Elizabet is not the villain here. You are.”

  Ramsay laughed, and the sound sent an icy shiver down Alice’s spine even as it fueled her anger. He obviously didn’t see her as a threat. That would change if he dared take one more step in their direction. She spared a quick glance at his men. For the moment, they seemed content to wait for orders from their master and held their positions slightly behind him.

  “Lady Alice. I had hoped to find you here. In fact, I wished to thank you. The news of your marriage to a MacGregor heathen was the information I’d been waiting for. I’d wondered—when your rumored engagement was never announced, but your sister’s in your stead—if you’d followed in that whore’s footsteps and run off,” he said, jerking his head at Elizabet.

  Alice gasped, sickening terror rushing through her with such force she nearly dropped to her knees.

  “Didn’t see that one coming, did you?” he asked with a cruel laugh. “I was rather impressed, to tell the truth. Your parents came out of the whole mess spectacularly, putting it about that they’d intend
ed Woolsmere for your sister all along while you’d been promised to some obscure Highland laird. No one believes it, of course, but are too polite to say so, and so everyone saves face and lives happily ever after, eh?”

  Alice choked back burning tears. Not Mary. How could her parents do such a thing? Why would Woolsmere accept her sister after Alice’s betrayal? What have I done? She’d wanted to escape him but would never have sacrificed her sister to do it.

  Ramsay ignored her turmoil, acknowledging it with a knowing smirk as he continued spewing his hateful tirade.

  “I knew wherever you were, Elizabet would not be far off. And once I dispatch with this traitor, your parents will surely pay a handsome sum for your return. This day is turning out better than I’d hoped,” he said to his men, who laughed obligingly.

  Fury and guilt flashed through Alice, and she stepped forward, both hands grasping the dagger. This was all her fault. Philip had been right. She should have stayed home and married whom her parents had chosen like a dutiful daughter—no matter the danger or outcome. It should have been her burden alone to bear. Not Mary’s. Not Elizabet’s. The thought of never having known Philip made her heart ache, but at what cost had her moment of happiness come?

  “Where is John?” Elizabet asked, her voice strained.

  Ramsay raised a brow. “The last I saw your paramour, he was bleeding on the floor of this ruin you’ve been living in.”

  Elizabet gasped and swayed against Rose.

  “His mistake was in staying here and not riding to Glenlyon like the rest,” Ramsay said, clearly relishing Elizabet’s pain. “I knew he’d never leave your side. One of the stable boys was most forthcoming about where he was likely to be. Of course, I slit his throat anyway. Wouldn’t do to reward such disloyalty.”

  “You evil bastard,” Alice said, her heart and mind reeling.

  “Now, now,” he said, his tone placating, though his face had gone a strange mottled shade of red. “Such language doesn’t become a lady.” Then he waved his hand. “Enough of this. Take care of those two,” he said to his men. “Try not to damage Lady Alice too much. But leave the Lady Elizabet. She’s mine to punish.”