by Ria Cantrell
“Oh lass, the wedding…With all the confusion, it had nearly slipped my mind.”
Raising her eyes and meeting Caleb’s gaze, she said, “It seems ye’ are not the only one. I was thinking, I should go into town, to tell Father Duncan that we need to make it another day.” Caleb didn’t want the girl to do this by herself so he said, “Aye, lass, alright. I will go with ye’.”
“Ahh, that won’t be necessary. Ye’ have many duties to keep ye’ here. I can go myself.”
“Brielle, I will go with ye’. Besides, I need some provisions from the village.”
Caleb saw the look of broken disappointment in Brielle's eyes. He was reminded how she had been treated by her brothers and was pretty sure her life held many disappointments. He had hoped that now being with Rory, all that would be in her past, but Rory’s absence could not be helped. She had the look of sad acceptance like this was the norm and that she should not hope or dream too much.
“Brielle, he would have been back if he could.” Again her eyes lowered and she nodded.
“Lass, ye believe me, don’t ye?”
“I suspect if the want was great enough, he would have found a way. T’is not an uncommon thing. It is the way with men.”
“Not Ruiri, Lass. Not him! He is a man of honor.”
She just nodded and said quietly, “Alright, Caleb. I will ready myself to go to the village.” Brielle went to grab her cloak for the ride and Morag eyed Caleb.
He said, “Woman, dunna’ give me that fish eyed stare.”
“She is right. Ruiri should have known how important this was to her.”
“Aye, but perhaps he has been detained. Do ye’ see danger? Is there danger for my son?”
“I sense danger, but I dunna feel it on him. Not for him…for the girl. Something shadows her. It is apart from her, but it shadows her just the same.”
“But Ruiri is safe.”
“For now,” the old woman said mysteriously.
Closing her eyes and drawing into herself, Morag tried to feel the man who had been so much like her own son. After a few moments, she opened her eyes and said, “I dunna’ sense harm to him. He is deep in the Highlands, that’s all. Caleb, the girl is fragile. Her trust is too new. She doesna’ believe in her worth to Ruiri. She is yet to understand how much he needs her to fight the darkness that stays locked inside of him. Even now, that he is somewhat healed, it remains buried deep, ready to surface. He needs more time with her. She is his light. In time, her light will quell the darkness, but not yet. Only, she thinks she is of no value to him. We must protect her, body and soul, at any cost. For in losing her, we will surely lose Ruiri.”
Caleb understood about the darkness and despite the treatment Brielle had endured, there was only light about her. She had not let the evilness of her kin put out her light. He knew that now, after these weeks getting to know her, Caleb could only see that Brielle had a pure and loving heart. When Caleb caught the glimpses of the poison inside of Ruiri, it even frightened him at times, not because he feared Ruiri to be dangerous, but he feared that his son’s soul would never heal and no one could live with that sort of anguish. It was less about the sorrow and more about the guilt Rory carried like a banner before him. Brielle was so very good for him. Caleb knew in time, Brielle would heal and banish all the darkness within his son.
“I will convince her of her worth, Morag.”
******
During their ride to the village, Caleb noticed how very quiet Brielle was. Usually, she chatted easily but today, she was subdued and withdrawn.
After a time, Caleb said, “Brielle, the binding rite is a powerful thing. Ye’ are really already married to Rory.”
Brielle just answered, woodenly, “I know…it doesna’ matter. I was already a bride and that day was no more joyful than any other. I just miss him and want him to come home.” Caleb agreed and decided to share a secret with her. He knew she needed to hear it.
He said, “Ye’ know, lass, he has ne’re spoken those sacred vows to anyone…not even to Caitlyn.”
Brielle faced him and said, “Truly?” Caleb could see her sitting taller at that revelation. It wasn’t that she didn’t want him to have loved Caitlyn as much, but it meant so much to her that he had saved the Sacred Binding for her.
“As far as I know, girl. He was hand-fasted only, but the vows were not spoken. He was very young…mayhap even too young to be betrothed. He had not weathered a full nineteen years at the time. They had grown up together, from when they were children. But he is a man now. He has spoken those vows to ye’. I can assure ye', lass, those vows were not lightly given. Nothing Ruiri does is ever lightly done.” Brielle nodded; she had brightened visibly, although not completely.
“I just…just want him to come home safely.”
“Ach, Lassie, we all do.”
Caleb and Brielle went together to the old kirk in the middle of the village. Father Duncan’s smile helped soothe the hurt he knew Brielle would have felt in postponing the wedding. He joked about men and their warring ways. Brielle tried to smile but felt she had failed miserably, even after what Caleb had disclosed about their sacred vows. The elderly priest patted the crestfallen lass’ hand and assured her that when Rory returned, she would be a bride to be sure. Upon leaving the kirk, Brielle told Caleb she wished to visit the beasties in pasture. She wanted to spend time with the Brindle stallion again. Caleb tried to convince her to go with him to the village, but she insisted she wanted to have some time alone with God’s creatures. Caleb actually thought it would do her good to see to the beasties. He did not want her slipping into despondency, and he realized the fresh air and the visit with those beautiful animals was just the tonic for her. He agreed and told her that he would only be a short while and that he would meet her on his way back to the keep. He had yet to pick up some provisions and he wanted to see how Mara MacCollum was faring. His clansman had passed a year ago, leaving the beautiful Mara a widow. Caleb and Mara had forged a friendship born from shared knowledge of the grief that widowhood brought. The visit with Mara would give Brielle enough time to herself and him time to have a cup of tea with his kin’s widow.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Rory was tired. The MacDougals were proving to be a crafty lot. He and his brothers had chased them deep into the highlands and then when they had nearly caught up to them, a meadow had been torched. Rory was furious that they would waste perfectly good grazing land just for spite. They had spent most of the night trying to contain the blaze so that no other land would be devastated. By God, he was tired; bone achingly tired. Damn, he wanted to go home. Brielle was probably furious with him. Today he was supposed to have married her before God in the Christian Rite. He sat down to rest for a moment, leaning against a trunk of a tree. Running a hand through his soot streaked hair, he sighed. His brother Liam approached him and handed him a wine skin to drink from.
He said, “We should catch up to them tonight.”
“Damn them to hell, Li. I missed my bloody wedding.”
“Christ, that willna’ bode well with the lass. As sweet as she is, I suspect I wouldna’ want to provoke her temper.”
“I know. We are days away from home and we have yet to put a sword to one of these blasted MacDougals. Now, look at the waste from their folly. I swear to God, if I get my hands on one of them, and I will gut him.”
Liam clapped his brother’s shoulder. He said, “I know, brother. I am anxious to get home to my woman, too. But looking at this waste gives me the drive to catch those bloody bastards. They think to take our sheep and lay waste to the land…Oh I assure ye’, I want their hides right with ye’.”
Rory took another swig of the water in the skin, feeling it run cool down his parched throat. He leaned back against the tree. He closed his eyes and allowed his mind to drift to Brielle. Even thoughts of her were like a safe haven. He missed her so much and he ached to hold her.
I am sorry, Love. I hope ye’ can forgive me. Nothing! He didn’t h
ear her voice back in response to him. He sighed unhappily. He wanted a few moments to rest but as he began to drift off he felt it. It was a pain in his chest like someone was squeezing his heart.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Brielle was lost in thoughts as she watched the Brindle stallion. He was running alone, almost as if he was showing off for her. The wind in his beautiful mane sent a sail behind him as he ran at full speed. Seeing him run brought a smile to Brielle’s lips. He was such a rare and beautiful creature. At last he slowed and approached the fence where Brielle stood. He nudged her and she climbed onto the bottom log rung of the fence. She patted his neck and whispered something in Gaelic to him. She had tied her mare to a post so she could get to the brindle safely, but even so, the mare seemed agitated by his presence.
She soothed, “I know girl. He is beautiful isn’t he? But he is too beautiful and wild, girl. He will break yer’ heart.”
The mare whickered and sidestepped in a dance of tense nerves. The stallion nudged her again and she hugged his neck.
“Nay, I dunna’ feel like riding ye’ today.” Patting the beautiful horse, Brielle felt the restraint on her emotions give way. It was like it had the power to unleash all her pent up sadness.
Tears fell at the weight of the disappointment she had not even wanted to acknowledge. She felt like the years of disappointments were crashing down on her and she allowed herself to have a good cry. She had tried so many times to feel and sense Ruiri, but time and time again, she sensed emptiness. She did not know why she could not feel Ruiri. It was not like she felt he was gone from the world...just closed to her. Brielle thought that he probably did that deliberately to not worry her.
Brielle was so lost in her thoughts she did not hear another rider approach. Both the horses were madly pawing the ground and were highly agitated. By the time she realized the brindle and her mare were trying to alert her, it was too late. Turning around, she faced Jerome McManus, the henchman of her brother Roderick. His presence was unwelcomed and it only meant something horrid. He was as much of a madman as her brother was. She had always thought that he had murdered a young woman who went missing from her village some years ago. He had been seen with the girl before she disappeared. Now, standing before him, she felt fear fill her with dread.
Horror clasped her heart, squeezing it like a vise and her only thought was to run. She turned and tried to run from him, holding her skirts away from her ankles, but it was no use. Jerome rode her down and grabbed her into his saddle.
She screamed, “No! Leave me alone.”
“Yer’ brother wishes ye’ to come home. Ye’ have dishonored yer’ clan long enough.”
“I have done no such thing.”
“Oh, nay? Becoming the whore of Rory MacCollum has not caused dishonor to Campbell?”
“I—I am not his whore. I am married to Rory MacCollum.” As the words were out of her mouth, she regretted even saying them.
“Married! Hah! To the sworn enemy of yer’ clan? Ye’ arena’ married, to the Rabid Wolf. Ye’ are no better than any common whore and camp follower. At least they dunna' lie with the enemy. Rory’s other whore was quick to give ye’ up. She said ye’ cancelled yer’ banns just today. She was happy to tell me that news.”
Brielle guessed that the girl from the tavern had spread the gossip quickly and she did not doubt the girl would have done so for a coin. Brielle was her rival even though she had never even spoke a word to the girl. Brielle stammered, “We were married…by the old rite. My husband…”
“Husband! You stupid bitch, he used that ploy to get into yer’ knickers. When y’ wouldn’t give me a tumble, I thought it was because ye’ thought yerself’ better ‘an me and here it is because ye’ are a slow-witted slut.” Brielle was horrified. She tried to break free from his hold, but Jerome held her pinned, pulling her arms cruelly behind her. He said, “Dunna’ think to scream, bitch, or I shall be happy to gag ye’.”
“Ye’ canna’ take me. The laird will be …”
“That doddering old fool. He was easy to make short work of. Ye’ see, whore, I have been watching ye’ for sometime, thanks to the tavern wench.”
“What have you done to him?” Jerome laughed evilly.
“He willna’ be findin’ ye’.” Brielle felt nausea rising at the thought that harm had come to Caleb.
She murmured, “Oh my God…”
Harm had come to MacCollum and it was all her fault. Rory would never forgive her. He would think it had been a ploy all along and this time she couldn’t blame him. If she hadn’t been living among the MacCollums, this day would never have come upon them. Brielle began to weep. It was unfathomable that the powerful Laird of the Clan MacCollum was lost. She tried to struggle free but he yanked her arms so hard behind her, she felt like he had snapped them free of her shoulders. She cried out in pain and he cuffed her.
“Shut up.”
He rode out to a less traveled road, avoiding the village to prevent further scrutiny now that he had taken the girl. He tore a leather thong from his belt and tied her hands behind her back.
She felt her heart breaking in her chest and even though she knew Ruiri would probably blame her, she said, “Ruiri will find me…” and she tried not to think that he would find her, alright. And when he did, he would no longer love her. Worse, he would blame her for the harm done to Caleb and he would toss her aside, never to trust her again.
Would he spend his anger on her once again, if he thought she was to blame? What if he thought she had planned the trap carefully all along? That day, in the solar, he had said as much. She is a Campbell, she wishes to destroy me. His words sounded in her mind. How would she be able to convince him that she was innocent in this vile thing and that she would never hurt him? She loved him and she would never be part of the evil against him or his clan. She ignored the little voice that said he will never believe that. He loves you now. She knew his heart was newly opened. He had suffered so much because of what her brothers had done. His trust was newly formed and Brielle was convinced that trust would shatter at first chance. She would once again be his enemy, like a viper in a nest.
“I doubt ye’ are even worth the effort, but if he does, all the better. T’is high time yer’ brother finished that rabid Highland Wolf.”
Brielle gasped. Roderick did not care to have her back at Castle Campbell. He wanted to set a trap for Ruiri. She could not let that happen. She would sooner die than have him fall prey to her brothers’ evil plans. Of this Brielle was certain. Never would she put her Ruiri in harm’s way. Never would she let Roderick have a chance to cause more damage. Brielle tried not to think about the loss of Caleb right now. That was damage she could not prevent for Brielle knew that Jerome Mac Manus was a sadistic bastard who would have enjoyed hurting the Laird. She would grieve the man who had been so kind to her later. Now she needed to plan how to escape the fate that awaited her.
*****
Caleb rode to where he had agreed to meet Brielle. When he got to the pasture, he found her mare tethered and the brindle stallion agitated and rearing. Panic seized his heart. The girl was nowhere to be found. He knew she had been melancholy about the wedding postponement, but he was certain she would not have gone off by herself. He looked about and saw the tracks of a rider. Then Caleb knew. Brielle was gone, that was certain. Abducted! Dear God, someone had taken her and he was pretty sure he knew who. Campbells! Bloody Hell! Ruiri would have his hide. He was supposed to protect that girl. Never mind that Morag had issued uncertain warnings repeatedly. His complacency had possibly cost the life of his son's beloved once again to the Campbell scourge.
Caleb rode as fast as he could back to the keep. He would gather Shawn and they would search for the girl. He had to get his weapons and arm himself, because all he had with him were two dirks in his bootstraps. He hated wasting precious time, but he’d be of no help to the lass if he could not defend himself. He needed to arm himself to the teeth, knowing that those Campbells were dirty
fighters, fighters that knew nothing of honor. They knew nothing of family, so Caleb could not be certain they would not harm their own sister. In fact, in light of the old scars she bore, he was pretty sure not only would they harm her, they would likely kill her once they learned of her relationship with Rory.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Rory bolted to his feet. He could still feel the sharp pain in his chest. It was like a squeezing around his heart. Liam looked at him curiously. He had barely taken five minutes to rest and so Liam wondered at his sudden move.
“Ruiri, man, have ye' had an ill dream?”
“Nay. I must return home.”
“But the MacDougals. . .”
“MacDougals be damned. To hell with them! My woman is in danger.” Liam eyed his brother.
“It was probably just a dream. You must have dozed off for a second.”
Rory suddenly paced like a caged animal.
“Liam, she is in danger. I know it. I feel her, here,” Rory said, putting his hand over his heart. Liam stared at him and worried that Rory was just feeling fear because of what had happened before; which actually was not really like him, but still, his past could be clouding his instincts, filling his soul with fear.
“She is with Caleb. He will keep her safe.” But even as Liam said those words, he felt a chill of foreboding. What if Rory was right? He could not bear to think of some harm coming to that sweet girl. In a short time, Liam could see that Brielle had changed his brother’s life. She single handedly brought his brother out of that darkness he had carried for the past decade. Without trying to prove his point, Rory began gathering his belongings and packed them onto his horse. Liam knew what Rory had to do and he did not fault him in the least. Family first, then clan and country. Liam said, “At least take yer' men at arms.”
“Nay, t’will be easier for me to ride for home alone. Besides, ye' need their force behind ye'.” Rory turned an apologetic gaze towards his brother.
