Midnight Runner: A Novel

by Marilee Jackson

  “Thank you. I would be glad to join you, your highness.” Lady Nuala smiled happily as she followed the queen across the room.

  “Your highness,” Lady Nuala said, sinking into a low curtsy when she took the king’s hand, “it is so lovely to see you again.”

  “Yes, yes, we were so sorry to hear of your father’s untimely passing,” the king said distractedly as he watched the crowd. “We were so delighted that you and your brother could join us for the summer holiday. Excuse me, I see a friend of mine.” The king walked across the ballroom to greet a round man in mask that covered half his face.

  “Thank you.” Lady Nuala tried to hide her enthusiasm at being alone. Thank goodness he didn’t stay longer. I don’t want anyone making a fuss, she thought.

  Lord Niall Conell walked up behind Lady Nuala and spun her around. “May I have this dance, my lady?” He put his arms around her and held her close so she couldn’t escape.

  “No, you may not. Let me go,” she whispered as she struggled to free herself from his strong grasp without drawing attention to them.

  “I’ll let you go if you accompany me to the balcony. The king would like a word with you. And I have an old friend that is just dying to see you.” He tightened his grip on her.

  “Ow! All right, I’ll come with you. Just let me go,” Lady Nuala said, growling.

  “Lovely.” He dropped his arms from around her and grabbed her upper arm. “Let’s go have a visit.” He pulled her toward the balcony.

  * * *

  Isobail came through the doors. She spotted Lady Nuala and began to weave her way through the crowd so she could follow her mistress outside. A man stepped in front of Isobail, causing her to run into him.

  “Oh, I’m sorry.” She tried to step around him.

  “May I have this dance?”

  “I’m sorry. I’m a lady’s maid, and I’m not allowed to dance with the guests. Thank you anyway.” When she looked into his eyes, he ducked his head. There was something familiar about this man. “Have we met?” The man shook his head and moved to one side. Isobail glanced at him again as she stepped around him and continued to the balcony.

  The man kept himself at a distance, but Isobail knew he was following her to the balcony. Her heartbeat came quicker and she picked up her pace. When she got closer to the balcony, Isobail stopped. Lady Nuala was on the balcony with two men. Even though he was wearing a skull mask, she recognized Lord Niall Conell.

  “I would like you to meet a friend of mine,” she heard Lord Conell say. “Oh, wait. You’ve met before.” When the other man took his mask off, Lady Nuala screamed. The king turned his attention from his companion and took a step closer to watch the drama on the balcony. A scullery maid Isobail recognized from dinner stopped next to her to see what the commotion was as well. Now that he was unmasked, Isobail realized the other person was her mystery man, the one who watched her.

  “What are you doing here?” Lady Nuala was asking this man.

  “I came to save my daughter. Who knows what the notorious Lady Nuala has in mind for her?” He started to walk toward Nuala and she took a step back. “Moira, what do you want with Isobail? She is innocent.”

  “What are you going to do to me, Brian? You wouldn’t hurt me, would you? After all, I’m the mother of your child.” Isobail watched by the wall as Nuala shrank back in fear of this man that had always seemed so kind. Confusion furrowed her brow as she realized this Brian had just called her mistress Moira. Who’s Moira?

  “The child that you kept from me and then abandoned. Is that the child you’re talking about? The child I never knew. You never gave a second thought to our child until your past was brought into question,” Brian stated. Isobail could see the hurt in Brian’s eyes and her heart broke for him. “So now that she’s your lady’s maid, what are your plans for our daughter?”

  “Your daughter?” Brian and Nuala turned to look at Isobail. She didn’t realize she had said it out loud until everyone was staring at her. “I’m your daughter?”

  Nuala gasped. “Isobail, I’m sorry. I can explain everything. Please just go and wait for me.”

  Isobail violently shook her head. “I’m not going anywhere until you both tell me what’s going on.” Isobail was suddenly very hot. Sweat broke out on her forehead and her vision became blurry. What is happening?

  “I’m so sorry,” Lady Nuala was saying. “I never meant for any of this to happen. Isobail, I should have told you who I am. Brian, I should have told you about Isobail all those years ago. I’m sorry about everything.” Tears were starting to run down Lady Nuala’s face. “I was just afraid of your reaction.”

  Isobail couldn’t say anything. She just leaned against the wall with her mouth hanging open.

  “Afraid of my reaction? I loved you so much, Moira. I would have walked through fire for you and her.” Brian motioned in Isobail’s direction. “All I ever wanted was a family and you took that from me. All I ever did was love you.”

  “Brian, I’m so sorry for what I have done to you—to both of you.” Nuala motioned in Isobail’s direction. “It was never my intention. I’ve made a mess of my life, of your life, and now our daughter’s. Please forgive me?” she asked through tears. She turned her back to them and grabbed the rail around the balcony to steady herself.

  Isobail’s face was pale, and there was a loud roar in her ears.

  “Oh, Isobail,” Brian said, “this is not the way I wanted you to find out. I’m so sorry.”

  Brian was reaching out to take her hand when Niall hit Brian in the stomach with a candlestick. Isobail watched as Brian’s face became a mask of pain, and he crumpled to the floor at her feet.

  “This is all very touching,” Lord Niall said as he stepped around Brian. “But I really don’t care about any of you. I came to take care of my sister and so I shall.”

  Isobail felt impotent as she watched Niall grab Moira from behind. She had to do something, but she wasn’t sure what. Before she could get to Moira, strong arms picked her up and pulled her from the balcony. She was thrown over someone’s shoulder like a sack of grains.

  “Guards, someone has stolen my lady’s maid! Get him!” Nuala screamed, and Isobail watched her struggled in Niall’s arms.

  Knights armed with swords began to follow Isobail through the throng of onlookers. Trying to see what was happening on the balcony, Isobail twisted her head. She saw Lord Niall tighten his grip on Nuala so she couldn’t move. Brian was back on his feet, moving toward Nuala and Niall. Isobail watched in horror as Brian punched Niall in the face and Nuala was thrown to the floor. As the doors shut, Isobail saw Niall shove Brian and he fell backward over the half wall surrounding the balcony and was gone.

  36

  Let me go!” Isobail screamed, struggling to get free of her captor. “Let me go!” She began kicking him.

  “No! Ouch! Stop kicking me.” The man squeezed her tighter.

  “I’ll stop kicking you if you let me go. I can’t breathe,” she said as she began punching his back. Landing on a soft pile of straw, Isobail struggled to sit up. It was dark and they were inside, but she could smell horses. “Where are we?”

  “Stay here!” Her captor turned to peek out the door.

  “Who-wh-who’s there?” a timid voice asked from a corner of the darkness.

  “Derry, it’s me, Lord Niall’s servant. We met yesterday afternoon, remember?” the man explained.

  “You work for Niall?” Isobail screeched.

  “Be quiet.” He covered her mouth with his hand. “Do you want the guards to find us? Derry, there are some men chasing this young woman, and they want to hurt her. Would it be all right if we hide here for a few minutes?”

  “’Course it would. Anythin’ ya need.” Isobail heard some scuffling and then Derry was gone. The man let her go. She felt disoriented and tried to feel her way down a wall toward the small rectangle of light reflected on the ground.

  “Please let me go. I won’t tell anyone. Please?” she b
egged.

  “Whoa there.” He took her by the waist and pushed her back into the soft pile of hay. “Where do you think you’re going?”

  “Let me go! I need to go find Brian and Lady Nuala.” She kicked her assailant in the shin and began running for the door.

  “Ow! Iso, that hurt!” the man yelped.

  Isobail stopped midstride.

  “How do you know my name? Who are you?”

  The man stood upright and finally removed his mask. Isobail squinted in the darkness. “Blane, is that you?”

  “Well, it isn’t Saint Andrew,” Blane said with a touch of anger, rubbing his shin.

  “Oh, Blane!” She threw her arms around his neck and began sobbing. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you. What are you doing here? I thought you were off at sea.”

  “I had to come. I was halfway to Iasg when I felt like I needed to turn around. I couldn’t let Lady Nuala hurt you.” He stroked her back and breathed in the scent of her hair. “I would never let anything happen to you.”

  “She won’t hurt me! She has been nothing but kind to me.” Isobail took a step back and looked up into Blane’s eyes.

  * * *

  When Blane saw tears glistening in her eyes, making them look like pools of starlight, he couldn’t help himself. He pulled her into his arms and pressed his lips to hers. He wanted to make this nightmare end, to take away all of her fear and pain.

  The kiss caught them both off guard. After the surprise wore off they were reluctant to step back. Blane let go first. He wanted her to stay in his arms forever, where he could protect her and keep her safe.

  “But, Blane, what’s going on? They said they’re my—”

  Blane knew she couldn’t finish. How could anyone but the Blyths be her parents? Blane’s heart broke when he thought of the anguish she must be going through.

  “I promise I’ll explain everything, but right now we have to get you out of here before the guards find us.” Blane peered out the door, scanning the courtyard one more time. There were no knights or lights from lanterns. He saw nothing, heard nothing. Blane turned back to Isobail.

  “Okay, let’s go.”

  They stepped out of the stables and slowly made their way across the courtyard. There was no moon tonight and Blane was hoping that would help hide them until they made it to the forest. When they were halfway across the courtyard, they heard footsteps a few yards away from them.

  “There they are! Get them!” yelled a guard.

  Blane took Isobail’s hand and pulled her into the woods that bordered the castle grounds. They had been running for a few minutes when Blane pulled her into a cave. He waited until their breathing returned to normal. They had heard the guard pass by three times.

  “We’ll have a better chance of losing them if we separate,” he whispered. “I’m just glad they killed the boar that has been roaming these woods.”

  She shook her head and tried to follow him. “No, I don’t want to lose you.”

  “And I don’t want you to disappear like all of Lady Nuala’s lady’s maids do at some point.”

  “But—”

  Blane cut her off by pressing his lips to hers, and they heard the guard pass by again.

  “Run.” His soft whisper seemed like a shout as it cut through the pitch-black hiding place. “On my word, you take off running east. Find a safe place to hide, and then wait for me. I promise I will find you,” he said, his voice cracking with emotion.

  * * *

  After the nightmare Isobail had just endured, she knew Blane was the only person she could still trust. She waited, the silence surrounding her like a heavy blanket threatening to smother. “Run!” he shouted, and they took off in opposite directions.

  She ran until her throat burned and her lungs screamed for air. She stopped to survey her surroundings. An ancient tree had fallen and a large crack ran all the way down one side. She wedged herself inside the narrow space and pulled fallen branches over the opening. She waited for what seemed hours. Finally footfalls broke the silence. Terror grabbed her heart, which pounded, threatening to explode in her ears. She held her breath and waited to be found by those who would end her young life.

  37

  Horror struck Moira’s heart. Tangled in her skirts, Moira struggled to her feet, but she was too late to reach Brian. Moira’s heart pounded in her chest, and there was a thunderous roar in her ears. “Noooooo! Brian!” The roar was her own voice drowning out any other sound. Moira dove toward the rail. All that was visible in the darkness below were the white tips of the waves as they broke on the jagged rocks.

  “Brian!” Moira screeched into the darkness below. Heart pounding, she dropped to her knees and sobbed. “I loved you,” she whispered. “I still love you and now I’ll never be able to tell you. Because of Niall.” Moira stood up. “Because you killed him! You killed Brian!” she screeched, full of rage. Spinning around, she saw Niall grab the candlestick. There was only enough time to put up her arms in an attempt to block the impending blow.

  “Nooo!” Ceana screamed and flew after Niall, grabbing him by the feet and causing him to fall on his face.

  “Why you little—” Niall snatched a handful of Ceana’s hair and pulled. Ceana screamed in pain and let go of him.

  “Guards, seize them!” the king yelled, pointing to the Conells.

  “Your highness, this is Moira Agar,” Lord Niall said. “She is an orphan from Trom, and she is not, nor has she ever been, royalty. She changed her name, lied to my father, and probably murdered him. And now she is responsible for the death of the only witness that could testify of her origins.”

  “I didn’t murder our father,” Moira said, growling at Lord Niall. “If anyone did, it was you. You broke his heart time and time again with your heartless wickedness.” She tried to pull her arms free from her captor’s hands. “There was no foul play. He died of natural causes,” she said, beginning to sob. “But he is right. I am responsible for all of this. It’s entirely my fault. Brian didn’t deserve that. I should have told him about Isobail in the first place. He never would have come here if I had just had the courage to speak to him all those years ago. But you”—she looked at Niall—“you knew I would never harm Isobail, and yet you let him come along. You’re the one that knocked him over the edge. You would’ve killed me too if this wonderful girl hadn’t interfered.” She nodded toward Ceana, who was standing in the corner shaking and sobbing uncontrollably.

  “I have heard enough.” The king looked at Niall. “Don’t you think we are aware of Nuala’s past? Your father let me know about his past years ago. He was so happy to have a second chance with her. Get him out of here.” The guards dragged Niall through the crowd of spectators and out the doors.

  * * *

  When they got out into the fog-filled night air, Niall noticed there was no moon and an evil smile spread over his lips. He kicked the guard on his left in the thigh as hard as he could. The guard’s leg bent backwards with a sickening crack. He let go of Niall as he fell to the ground, yelping in pain. The guard on the right loosened his grip. Niall twisted out of the second guard’s hands. He turned and threw his shoulder into the guard’s chest, causing him to fall onto his back. Niall ran down the hill and disappeared into the fog as he crossed the drawbridge.

  The uninjured guard followed, but Lord Niall was confident he would lose him in the maze of alleyways once he got to town. He couldn’t believe his father had told the king all about Nuala. He knew if it hadn’t been for the stupidity of his father right now, he would be watching Nuala swing. Now he was going to have to come up with another plan to take her life. Maybe he would ship her to another country and then he could get back to his life. After all, he was still heir to his father’s wealth. He could send her away. People do it all the time. Scotland and Ireland were too close to Talamh Glasosh for his comfort, but maybe France or perhaps England. Then he could cut off her funding. She won’t survive the first winter!

  As he reached the
city of Dòmhail, Lord Niall could still hear the guard pursuing him. Turning down an alley and then another and another, Niall lost count of how many turns he had taken. Stopping to catch his breath, he listened carefully. When there was no sound of pursuers, he continued at a slower pace.

  * * *

  The king sent a patrol of two dozen guards into the city to aid in the search for Niall. They fanned out into the streets and alleyways to begin searching. Several masquerade guests, including Lady Nuala, waited in the courtyard with the king. Half an hour later, one of the guards returned to give a report.

  He bowed. “I’m sorry, your highness, but we can’t find him.”

  “How could you lose one man?” the king demanded.

  “I’m not sure how we lost him. I’m sorry, sire. It’s my fault. I take complete responsibility.”

  * * *

  A small group of guards were standing at the mouth of an alley just beyond Niall’s hiding place. Confidently smiling at his win, Niall was planning his trip to Iasg to obtain passage for Moira’s trip. Something warm and wet landed on his head. His eyes grew wide in revulsion when he realized what had just landed on him. His shout ripped through the midnight sky like a knife.

  “Gardyloo! Gardyloo! You are supposed to yell gardyloo before you throw your chamber pot out the window! You repulsive vermin, come down here so I can bash in your head!”

  All of a sudden, he felt arms grab him from behind, and he was carried up to the castle where the king waited.

  “Oh, that’s too bad.” The king laughed. “You would have gotten away if someone hadn’t thrown their muck on you.”

  This time Niall didn’t struggle as the guards took him all the way to the dungeons and locked the door.

  38

  Isobail held her breath as the footsteps wandered around her hiding spot a few times. When they came to a stop, she thought her heart would stop too.

  “Isobail,” Blane whispered and relief flooded through her. “Where are you?” he asked louder.