“Yes, indeed. When both my own son and Isla were very young, we Musgraves, with a little help from you,” and he nodded to the noble who raised his glass. “We English saw to it that the only remnant of the Armstrong clan along the border is a burnt-out castle and a ‘bonnie lass’ now in our own keeping. But what shall we do with her?”
There came all manner of wicked shouts from below, as the nobles and their men stamped their feet and cheered. Isla was undeterred, and she looked defiantly out at the see of English faces. How she hated each and every one of them, and how she wished she could take a sword to them each in revenge for her parents.
“Marry her off,” one of the nobles cried, and laughter once more went up around the Great Hall.
“Why, that is precisely what I intend to do with her. This evening, I am happy to announce that my own son, of his own choosing, of course, has decided to wed Isla Elliott. The two of them will be married tomorrow, and it is for that reason that I have called you all together tonight. Not only do we celebrate our victory over the Elliotts, but also that final victory when, through marriage, we will wreak such humiliation upon Alistair Elliott that he will be a broken man before he is a dead one,” Sir Percy said, and there was much shouting and raising of glasses in response.
The feast now began, and a steady stream of nobles and men came forward to congratulate Howard and Isla on their betrothal.
“You have chosen well, Howard Musgrave, she is a fine-looking girl,” one man said, catching hold of Isla and turning her face forcefully towards him.
“Yes, certainly a pretty thing. Though she has some manners to learn too,” Howard replied.
“A woman can be taught such things. Even a Scot,” the man replied, laughing, as Isla scowled at him.
But she knew she must endure this, and again she smiled to herself at the thought of the bloody nose they were about to deal Sir Percy and his son. The raucousness of the English feast was becoming intolerable though, and eventually she asked if she could be excused.
“You may be excused when I say so,” Sir Percy said, draining his claret glass and calling for more.
“Though she will need her rest before the wedding, father,” Howard replied, and his father nodded.
“Yes, you did not think it would be so soon, and I am sorry your father will not be there to witness it. Perhaps I shall bring you his head upon a pike as a gift in the coming days,” Sir Percy said, laughing.
Isla’s anger rose, and despite herself, she grabbed Sir Percy by his tunic and pulled him up as he dropped his claret glass in surprise.
“My father will have a pike driven through ye before his time is spent,” she said, as Howard grabbed her and pulled her back.
“Take her away,” Sir Percy said. “What you see in her, I do not know. There are any number of girls you might marry. English girls with something to them and not filthy little wenches like this. Begone now and see she is locked in for the night. I shall have no more outbursts, and Isla,” and he looked her straight in the eyes, “remember, you have lost, your father lost, your clan has lost. The borders are lost to me. Do not forget it.”
Isla made no reply, and Howard led her away, past the ranks of English nobles who sneered and called out to her with their filthy cries and lewd comments.
“You would do well to show respect, Isla. I am marrying you, and you should be grateful for that, the alternative is far worse,” Howard said, once they were out in the corridor.
“The alternative? To be kept here, a prisoner or a slave like ye have kept poor Lena these years past,” she replied, shrugging off his hand from her arm.
“Lena came here of her own accord, and she is treated well enough. As you will be if you are an obedient wife and conduct yourself with the decorum of a noblewoman. Do you understand me?” he said.
“If ye think I will be so easily cowed into submission by ye, then ye are very much mistaken. If ye want to marry me, then ye shall have to drag me kickin’ and screamin’ down the aisle of the chapel, and I shall raise such a merry hell as to make ye wish ye had never considered it,” Isla said, turning to him with a look of utter hatred in her eyes.
“The alternative, Isla, is for you to know a life of hardship here, and just because you are the daughter of a Laird, do not think I will not see to it that your life is made hard and unrewarding,” he said, and he took her forcibly up by the arm and led her up the stairs towards her prison.
“One day, Howard Musgrave, I will see to it that I have my revenge upon ye, mark my words,” she said, as he fumbled with the key in the lock.
“Then perhaps you would be better off dead, along with your friend here,” he cried, and flinging open the door, he pushed her roughly inside as Fraser leaped up and rushed to her side.
Howard slammed the door and locked them back in before Isla had a chance to respond, and she began to sob in Fraser’s arms as he held her close to him and comforted her.
“‘Tis alright, lass. Ye are safe now,” he said.
“We will neither of us be safe before we have left this accursed place,” she said.
“Dinnae fash, lass. It will nae be long before we have done so and be safe across the border. We must trust in Lena,” he replied.
“Aye, we must,” she said, nodding her head. “She is our only hope now.”
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Neither Isla nor Fraser slept well that night. They were uncertain when, or even if, Lena would come. She had warned them that it would only be possible to attempt their escape if she could sneak away from the kitchens. The feast would mean that she was required late into the night, and even then, there would still be much activity, as the servants prepared for the wedding celebrations the next day.
Isla had removed the wedding gown and put on her old clothes. It would be cold outside, and neither she nor Fraser was properly dressed, for his cloak had been taken from him when he was made a prisoner, and he had on him only a tunic. They had lain down together to sleep, and Isla had put her head on Fraser's chest, his arms around her.
She felt safe with him and dreaded the thought that if they were not successful in their escape, she would be made Howard’s bride. But far worse than that was the fact that they would no doubt kill Fraser and make an example of Lena, too. It was a risky thing to attempt, and she knew she would be forever grateful to him for coming to her rescue and ensuring she was not alone. If it were not for Fraser, then Lena would never have revealed her past and would never have been persuaded to help them escape.
“I cannae sleep,” she said, as the two of them rolled over awkwardly into one another, and Fraser let out a sigh.
“Me neither, lass. I just keep thinking of how this could all go wrong,” he said, holding her tightly to him and kissing her forehead.
“And if it does, what shall become of us,” she replied.
“Dinnae think like that until it happens,” he said.
He was always an optimist. She’s noticed that about him in the past days of their captivity. To Fraser, there was always a bright side to look upon. She wondered if it had something to do with his healing hands. She had been fascinated to watch the way the old woman had found such peace and comfort from his touch. She too, felt that way as he held her. In his arms, it was as though nothing could ever hurt her, and she would always be safe and protected. She never wanted him to let her go, and she longed for the day when the two of them could declare their love openly for one another and marry with her father’s blessing.
The shock of learning that her own adopted father was Fraser’s father by blood had quite overwhelmed her. But it had also made her understand just what it was that so attracted her to Fraser. He was a kindred spirit, one who came from her own line and kind. She had fallen completely in love with him, and the wicked alternative in Howard Musgrave had done much to confirm that fact. The two were as different as possible for any men to be, and she almost felt sorry for Howard, whose wicked ways and self-entitlement would surely mean that no woman
ever came truly to love him. But she did not feel sorry enough for him to stay behind and let him make her his bride. She intended to deliver the bloody nose she had always longed to give the Musgrave’s, and tonight was the night they would do it together and be victorious.
She was just drifting into an unsettled sleep when the sound of the key turning gently in the lock roused her. Fraser had sat up, too, and as the door opened, their faces were illuminated by the candle which Lena held aloft.
“The way is clear now, I think. Or as clear as it is going to be on a night like this. Now, put these on,” she said, handing them each a long traveling cloak which she had tucked under her arm.
“I wondered if ye would come,” Isla admitted, for a part of her had still wondered if Lena would stay true to her promise.
It had been a request far beyond that which was their due, yet Isla had sensed that Lena would have done anything to help the son for whom she had held the flame of love these long years past.
“It will be dangerous, lass, and I am still certain we shall be caught. But this is nae life, and ‘tis nae life to see ye married to such a wicked man as Howard Musgrave has grown to be. I would rather take my chances and escape with the both of ye than remain any longer under this roof,” she said. “Take these too. Ye may be hungry,” and she handed them each a small loaf of bread from her pockets.
“Dae ye have some swords in those pockets too,” Fraser said, laughing as Lena smiled.
“My brave son, I wish I did for I am sure ye would wield one well,” she replied, smiling at him.
She held the candle up for them as they made themselves ready, and with every creak or sound which came from the castle, she flinched, looking around her lest they had been discovered.
“The guests were late to their beds after the feast, and there was much rowdy behavior in the corridors,” Lena said, “but ‘tis quiet now and perhaps we shall make our escape without being seen.”
“We will make our escape, mother. I promise ye,” Fraser replied.
“Is that how ye honestly think of me, Fraser? After all these years?” she asked, taking his hand.
“‘Tis strange to have one mother and then realize ye have two. I will never forget my parents, the MacGinns. They were good to me, and now I realize just how good. But I can think of ye as a mother too, and I hope my mother gives her blessing on what I am about to dae,” Fraser said, and he turned to Isla and knelt before her.
Isla gasped, but he looked up at her and smiled, taking her hand in his.
“Isla, tonight we may flee across the border, or we may die trying to dae so. But either way, I wish ye to know how much I love ye, and that I will always love ye. In life or in death, I will love ye, and so before we face life or death together, I must ask ye, will ye marry me, Isla?
“Aye, Fraser, I will marry ye, and there is nae one in this world who will stop me. Nae my father, nae Howard Musgrave or Percy Musgrave, nae anyone. I love ye too, and ye have more than proved yer love for me by comin’ to this accursed place and rescuin’ me. Whether we live or die, ye have my heart, and I will gladly take yers too,” she replied.
Fraser stood, and the two embraced for a moment, as Lena smiled before them.
“I would embrace ye both, but I fear then we would lose the light of this little candle, and we shall need it to find our way. Come now, we dinnae have much time. It will be light soon, and we must be well away before then, else we shall stand nae chance of escape,” she said, ushering them towards the door.
Isla took one last look around the little room, which had been her cell these past few days. How good it felt to escape it, for until one is locked away, freedom is taken for granted. She had stood and watched the birds at the window soaring high up into the sky and wished that she too could take flight and fly away. Well, now she was, and she took hold of Lena’s hand as they made their way down the corridor towards freedom or death in trying.
* * *
Lena blew out the candle at the end of the corridor and dropped it to the floor. They’d have to pick their way through the darkness now, as any strange light might attract attention. She knew the castle better than most of its occupants, and she led them quietly down the spiral staircase.
“Keep very quiet,” she whispered as Fraser stepped onto a particularly creaky floorboard.
From doors on either side of them came the sounds of snoring, and Isla held her breath as they crept down the stairs. At any moment, they might be discovered, but she was not afraid, even there in the darkness, for she had Fraser at her side, and she knew that he would protect her come what may. She was ready to fight too, and she would readily do so if the need arose.
But, after what seemed like an eternity, they arrived at the bottom of the stairs. The door before them was shut, and Lena took out a key and scrabbled with the lock.
“‘Tis always a stiff lock, this,” she whispered, as the sound of the scraping key echoed around them.
“Be quick,” Isla hissed, “I think I can hear voices behind.”
The three of them froze, as from up above, there came the unmistakable sounds of two men talking, their footsteps echoing on the stairs. Instinctively, Fraser pushed them back into the darkness of the passageway, and they held their breath as the voices came nearer.
“Why did you not bring a candle, you fool, I can see nothing,” one voice said, and the sound of him stumbling on the stair came from above.
“I thought there were slits in this tower. Slow down and hold onto the side; we will be at the bottom in a moment,” the other replied.
They were nearly at the bottom of the stairs now, and Isla, Fraser, and Lena shrank back against the wall. They were inches away from the men, who were now fumbling with their own key in the door.
“This lock is stiff,” one said.
“Here, let me try, why we have to go on guard duty now I do not know, the captain should keep the same soldiers on until dawn,” the other replied.
The sound of the lock giving way now came, and the door was opened, revealing the starry sky beyond. It was fortunate that neither of the men turned around, for they would have seen the faces of Isla, Fraser, and Lena reflected in the moonlight. The door banged behind them, and the key was turned in the lock. The three of them let out a sigh of relief, and Lena leaned against Isla.
“I dinnae think I can dae it; I am sorry,” she said, beginning to cry.
“Lena, listen to me. Ye can dae it, and ye will. Give Fraser the key now, come on,” Isla replied.
And with a shaky hand, Lena handed the key to Fraser, who began to work the lock, which soon gave way.
“I have it, come on now,” he said.
“Nae, ye two go without me. Take the key, I will say ‘tis my fault I lost it. Cross the courtyard and through the rose garden. Ye will be safe,” Lena said, clutching at Fraser.
“Nae, mother. We have found each other, and I am nae leavin’ ye here in this accursed place. Ye come with us, or we all stay, ye hear me?” he said.
She paused for a moment and began to sob.
“Lena, I promise ye that ye will have a new life with us across the border. A better life. The life ye deserve, and the son ye deserve,” Isla said. “Now come on, we must make haste, for dawn will break soon, just like ye said. Please, ye have helped us, now let us help ye.”
Lena breathed a deep sigh.
“Aye, I am sorry I will come. I am a silly woman; it is just that all this is very strange to me. I have nae set foot outside the castle in all these years, but yes, I dae deserve a better life with ye and my dear son,” she said, taking Fraser’s hand in the darkness.
Cautiously, they opened the door and stepped out into what they knew not, only the hope of freedom ahead.
Chapter Forty
The courtyard was dark, though the faintest hint of dawn was in the sky above, as though the sun were just rubbing its eyes and stirring from slumber. No guards were on the gate, but above them, on the parapets of the battlements, several w
ere patrolling.
They had not noticed the door into the tower opening, and Isla, Fraser, and Lena slipped out into the shadows and paused by the wall that the apple cart had stopped by just days before. It felt like a lifetime ago, and Fraser could not help but wonder if his mother was right about the futility of all this.
He had gotten in by only a chance, and now to get out seemed a chance too great to risk. They would have to make their way around the walls and into the castle gardens, but, at varying intervals, the guards patrolled above. Soon, it would be too light to hide in the shadows, and if they went together, then they would surely be seen. Isla had put her hand into Frasers, and the three of them edged to the final part of the wall, which lay in shadow, hardly daring to breathe as they prepared for their next move.
A Highlander Forged In Fire (Scottish Medieval Highlander Romance) Page 20
