Rumors Among the Heather

by Amanda Balfour

  When the fighting and yelling stopped, Matthew found himself held in vise-like grips by two of the men, and facing the sudden appearance of Geoffrey Hamilton. The nattily dressed doctor pranced around the little group holding Matthew, with his chest puffed out and his hand on the hilt of his sword. No one bothered to ask him where he had been when the fighting started. With a sneer on his face, he stared the crowd into silence.

  He crowed, “Look here, me lads. We have in our midst one Matthew MacDonald, the biggest Jacobite of them all. He doesn’t look so formidable after all. MacDonald, where’s your prince?” Geoffrey taunted. “I’ll tell you where he is. He’s trying to leave Scotland with his tail between his legs like the whipped dog he is. What do you think of your Highlanders since Cumberland put the run to them?” He began to laugh like a banshee in the moonlight.

  White hot rage speared Matthew’s body. He struggled and broke free from his captors and lunged at Geoffrey. They had to pry his hands from Geoffrey’s throat before he could be pulled off him. Once subdued, the crowd beat him to the ground mercilessly, with Julie shouting for them to stop. She tried to enter the fray, to throw her body over Matthew’s, but was jerked backward.

  The other men chimed in menacingly. One spoke up, “Do we hang ’em now? I’d like to see his aristocratic carcass swing from the nearest tree. There's an oak tree with a good sturdy limb back at the gaol.”

  “I want to see him swing as much as you men do, but we must wait until I can deliver him to the king in person. I’ll send a message right away. Meanwhile, we’ll keep him locked up with around the clock guards. The only way he can escape is down the cliff side, and it would mean his certain death. This slippery eel won’t escape.” Geoffrey smiled.

  A cheer rose up from the mob. Caps were tossed in the air, and men danced around Matthew and Julie like pagan savages.

  Julie caught her breath when she saw the hatred and the state of drunkenness evident in each man’s face. She saw the hungry, consuming look of power in Geoffrey’s eyes and knew Matthew did not have a chance. It had been a trap all along. How else could Geoffrey have known where to wait for him?

  Before Julie could pull her thoughts together, a big, greasy man with dirty hair and a scraggly beard grabbed her. She struggled to get free, but he held her close. She could smell his unwashed body, and the odor of stale whiskey permeated his being. She fought to control the nausea rising in her throat.

  The crowd’s roar calmed to a murmur as all eyes turned on them.

  “What’ll we do with ’er, Hamilton? The boys could use a wee bit o’ fun. We’ve been waiting in yon bushes a long time,” he said with a lascivious look.

  Julie tried to shrink back against the boat as his grip lessened, but the man pushed her out into the crowd. They passed her roughly from man to man before tossing her at Geoffrey’s feet. A smile crossed his face briefly, and Julie feared what he would do.

  “Now, lads, there’s plenty of rum back at the gaol to make up for any inconvenience you might have suffered this night. As for this little lady, why, she’s my ace in the hole. How do you think I knew this big fish would fall into our net tonight? I couldn’t have done it without her.”

  Julie continued to stare at him in horror until she could regain her voice. “Geoffrey, what…” Julie could not finish.

  Geoffrey picked her up and lowered his head until she felt his hot breath in her ear. He whispered, “Keep your mouth shut, or you’ll find yourself the sport of these men.” He sat her down on his knee and held her tightly around the waist.

  He motioned for them to take Matthew away, but not before Matthew looked back with the hurt of a thousand wrongs on his face and emptiness in his eyes. Julie stared at him and watched his growing belief that she had betrayed him. This hurt more than anything thrown at her so far. How could he believe she would betray him? She saw her last hope for happiness being dragged away. She worked free of Geoffrey and turned around to face him.

  “Geoffrey, why did you say that? I’ve never helped you and would certainly not betray Lord Bonnleigh,” Julie said with despair coating her voice.

  “I had to say something, or they would have taken you too.” He looked at her and winked. “Let’s just say it was for the old times, my dear,” he purred. “Besides, if anyone enjoys your favors, by the English king, it ought to be me. You’ve kept me dangling on your string long enough. Do you know how hard it has been to keep my hands off you? Don’t play the innocent with me. You knew I wanted between your legs, and you enjoyed making me dangle after you.”

  She watched his face turn hard. His gaze raked over her, burning holes into her flesh. She scarcely recognized the man standing before her. Involuntarily, she shivered and brought her arms tighter around her chest.

  How could she ever have thought herself in love with him?

  “You better get back in your boat and over to the island before it’s too late. My fine comrades in arms might decide they need more sport. I might just have to pull rank on them. Why can’t you show me a little gratitude? Give me a kiss for old times? Perhaps I spoke too boldly or out of turn, but after all we’re alone and the time for coyness is past. I’ll give you some time to think it over, but you’ll come to me.” Geoffrey raised one brow. “By the way, why does it matter to you what becomes of Lord High and Mighty Bonnleigh, or what he thinks? Unless… Yes, yes, I’m beginning to see. The way you looked at him. That’s it, isn’t it? You’re in love with him,” Geoffrey pressed.

  Julie refused to speak, and Geoffrey scowled before speaking again.

  “Go back to the island and think about what I’ve said. I’ll give you time to think it over but don’t take too long. I’d hate to send someone to fetch you.”

  Julie still said nothing. And she did not look back as she pushed her boat into the tide and hoisted the small sail.

  His voice reached her over the crashing waves. “You loved me once and you will again! I won’t be deprived of your favors much longer. Remember you’re mine, Julie Hastings!”

  Julie did not even take in her sail as she hit the shore of the island. She jumped out while the boat still moved across the sand and hurried to the castle. With daylight racing after her, she did not have much time. She did not care how much noise she made. Her only thoughts were of getting help. She pounded on Ribble’s door that much harder until a bleary-eyed Ribble threw it open.

  “What the h—”

  “They have him. They took him right on the beach. They’re going to hang him, and he thinks everything is my fault. What am I going to do?”

  Ribble shook his head, perhaps to clear away the cobwebs of sleep. “Who’s got him? What happened? Calm down, lass, and speak slowly.”

  Julie took a deep breath and began again. “They were waiting for him when he met me on the beach. My guess is someone on the island signaled them. Geoffrey Hamilton is their leader. They’ve taken him to the old gaol. They said something about a cliff and around the clock guards until they could transport him to London where they’ll hang him. Ribble, we can’t let them hang him. We have to do something!”

  Julie wrung her hands and paced the hallway. Her breath, which had been coming in short gulps, began to calm down. When the panic subsided, weariness took over her body.

  “Calm down, lass. Remember the bairn. We’ll think of something, don’t you worry. We can’t talk here. Go on up to the schoolroom and I’ll be along as soon as I’m dressed proper, and after I see what is going on in town,” Ribble said.

  Hours went by as Julie waited for Ribble to come to her, but it was close to dark before she heard a knock on her door. She threw the door open, grabbed him by the arm, and drew him into the room.

  “What have you found out?”

  “I don’t hold out much hope of a rescue while he’s in the gaol. It’s extremely well guarded. Maybe on the way to London,” he said with a lack of hope in his tone.

  “Matthew said the redcoats are everywhere. They’d hunt us down like animals. We’ll have
to do it while he’s still here. Surely there’s some way. We can’t let him hang,” Julie cried in desperation.

  “It could be done, but the odds are not in our favor. If’n I was a betting man, I wouldnae give a tinker’s curse for our chances. They plan on leaving for London in three days.”

  “We don’t have much time, so what’s our plan?” Julie asked anxiously.

  “Hamilton’s very cautious. He keeps the key to the cell around his neck, and he never takes it off. There are two guards at all times in front of the gaol stairs leading up to his lordship’s cell. Their one weakness is not checking on him regularly because they think the cliff side is impenetrable.

  “Some way we will have to get the key, distract the guards, and get the cell open before the alarm can be sounded. The relief guards are all there at the gaol just below his cell. If we could get him out and away for several hours before he’s missed, we might have a chance.”

  Undaunted, Julie asked, “What about the cliff side? Can it be scaled or is it as impenetrable as Geoffrey said?”

  “It can be scaled, but you have to know exactly where to get a toe hold. I climbed it several times as a lad, but it’s been quite a while ago,” Ribble added with a slight grin.

  “Then we’ll scale the cliff and get him out that way. It would be some time before the guards even realized he had escaped if we did it in the middle of the night,” Julie said, hanging on to the thin thread of hope.

  “There’s only one window and it leads into the hallway in front of his cell, but the opening is so small. We would need a wee person. A full-grown person could not possibly get through. Even then the person would have to have the key, and he couldnae leave by the same way. The guards would still have to be distracted for his lordship to get down the steps and over the side,” Ribble said, unraveling the thread Julie gripped tightly.

  “I’ll get the key if you can find someone to squeeze through the opening. If it’s the only way, then we’ll have to do it,” Julie said. She stood up with a sense of purpose in her heart.

  “It’ll be extremely dangerous. It could mean our own tailored hangman’s noose, but if you want to try, I’m game. I don’t know where I can find someone to go through the opening. I can’t trust many people these days. Since the redcoats are everywhere, the ones I can trust are too frightened to help anyway. There are traitors all around us. Even here on our own island,” Ribble spat out in disgust.

  Ribble no sooner spoke than Ian ran through the doorway. “I’ll do it,” he said with childish enthusiasm. His face glowed, and his eyes sparkled with excitement.

  “Ian, this isn’t a game. If we’re caught, we would all be hanged. They wouldn’t balk at hanging you. Your uncle would never approve. It’s much too dangerous,” Julie said firmly.

  “But I want to do it for my uncle, no matter the consequences. I’m not a child, you know. I’m small enough, and you said you needed someone you could trust. You have to use me or else let Uncle Matthew hang. I know I can do it,” Ian insisted stubbornly.

  “Ian, it’s out of the question. I know you want to help, but no, no, we cannot risk it,” Julie said.

  “Master Ian, Miss Hastings is right. We cannae use you. There’s a good chance we’ll be caught. Climbing the cliff is dangerous in its own right. We’ll have to think of something else.”

  “Ribble, there must be someone we could trust. Someone small who knows the cliff.”

  “I don’t know who to trust. You guessed right that someone signaled from the island when you left to meet with Lord Bonnleigh. Even if I could trust someone, where would I find someone small enough?” Ribble asked. He ran his hand through his hair in frustration.

  “You can’t find anyone else. You have to use me. Please, for my uncle,” Ian pleaded.

  Julie looked at Ribble, and she could see the same thoughts were running through his mind. Here stood their best hope. They would have to use him. He was the right size, and they could trust him. They had no other choice. The determined look on his face said nothing would stop him from coming along—with or without their permission.

  “The sooner we get him out the better. Our best bet would be to try tomorrow. What do you think, Ribble?” Julie asked.

  “Aye, the sooner the better. There is much to be done.”

  “How will Ian get up to the window? He’s never climbed anything so steep, and he wouldn’t know how to scale the cliff. We don’t have time for a climbing lesson,” Julie pointed out.

  “When you get the key and give it to me, I’ll put Ian on me back and take him up the cliff myself. He can unlock the door, return the key to me, I’ll climb back down, and hand the key to you to give back to Hamilton. What I dinnae understand is just how you plan on getting the key? Everything hinges on that accursed key.”

  “I’ll pay a visit to Geoffrey and charm my way in. I don’t think he’ll refuse me, but just in case, I’ll need a fancy red dress and some laudanum.”

  “I can get you the red dress,” Ian spoke up suddenly. “My mother had a beautiful one. It’s packed away in the attic. She used to wear it to dinner when important people came to visit us.”

  “Sounds perfect. Then it’s settled. Thanks, Ian. I promise to take good care of it. Did you find out where Geoffrey’s staying?” she asked Ribble.

  “Given his new position of importance, he’s moved into the warden’s old quarters at the gaol. He’s not about to let such an important prisoner out of his sight.”

  “We’ll meet tomorrow at Leddie’s Crag after lunch, and then we’ll plan out the details,” Julie said in a whisper. Her co-conspirators nodded their heads, and each went back to his room.

  * * *

  Matthew slowly stretched his aching limbs. His jailers had thought it prudent to beat him again before leaving him to his fate. His head pounded when he sat up and tried to stand. He laid back down on his bed of hay and tried to relax and get his bearings. Gingerly, he tried to stand up again and steady himself.

  Steadily increasing waves of nausea and pain racked his body. He managed to get to his feet, and pins and needles ran up and down his legs, but he would not sit back down. He continued to put one foot in front of the other. With each step, the pain eased a minute amount until he could walk around his cell without too much effort.

  He explored his face. It felt puffy and everywhere he touched hurt. He tried to open his eyes. His right eye refused to open, and the other eyelid barely moved. The memory of last night and what happened on the beach crept back into his mind. He again saw Julie as Hamilton pointed to her and named her his agent. He heard her half-hearted attempt to deny the accusation. His last memory of her had been of Hamilton with his arm around her waist.

  That hit Matthew like another blow to his stomach. He winced in physical pain at the thought. He kept wondering how he could have been so wrong about her, and why she did it. His frustration made him angry, and he began to pace faster and faster until he heard the creaking of the rusty hinges. This signaled the opening of the door leading into the cell area.

  Geoffrey Hamilton swaggered over to Matthew’s cell and ran one long slender finger slowly across the bars until he came to a halt at the left wall. He stepped back a couple of steps, and the two adversaries stared at each other like two rutting elk.

  Hamilton arrogantly sneered. Matthew met his stare with one of white-hot anger and cold contempt.

  “As you’ve probably guessed, Lord Bonnleigh, you’ll be going to London to stand before King George, where you’ll be sentenced to hang, no doubt. I shall personally deliver you to the king himself,” he said while examining his fingernails.

  Matthew said nothing. Geoffrey cleared his throat and continued, “You’ll be served bread and water once a day. It’ll be enough to sustain you, but not enough to give you the strength you’ll need to cause trouble on the way to London. And in case you didn’t know it, I feel I should tell you that you’re my ticket to a knighthood and possibly an appointment as the king’s physician. Put all th
oughts of escape out of your mind. I’m not about to let you slip through my fingers. You’ll be under constant guard. None of my men would hesitate to shoot you. You’re wanted dead or alive. Either way I get my share.”

  “Your high-minded patriotism to the king overwhelms me,” Matthew mocked through clenched teeth.

  Geoffrey seemingly ignored his remark before opening his mouth to speak. “When I set up my practice in London, I shall, of course, have Julie with me. You needn’t worry about her. I’ll take excellent care of her. With her to warm my bed, I need never be at a loss for amusement.”

  Geoffrey’s barb hit its mark within Matthew. He could barely contain his rage. “Aren’t you married, Hamilton? What does your wife think about this addition to your household?”

  “She doesn’t know about my plans for Julie yet, but I will be discreet. Julie and I were once engaged. Did you know that? She wouldn’t have told you, I don’t suppose. My good luck to meet her here. Of course, I couldn’t afford her then, but after I deliver you, there can be no stopping us. A fancy piece like her will be expensive, but I’ll soon have the brass, thanks to you,” he finished with an ugly sneer.

  Matthew thought, So it comes down to money in the end. Why am I surprised? Why did I think she would be different? The older I get the more of a fool I become!

  “Does she know about your plans for her?” he asked out loud.

  “Who do you think helped me set this all up? Women being what they are, she’ll warm my bed with you gone.” He threw this last barb at Matthew and left the cell area laughing.

  Anger and frustration built within Matthew to dangerous levels. If Julie had been within reach, he would have strangled her, but instead he beat his fist against the wall of his cell until he drew blood. His anger spent and his strength sapped, he collapsed on his worthless bed and remained motionless, staring at the ceiling.