The MacGuires, released from their momentary shock, climbed over the rubble and entered the inner courtyard with lowered swords. Lord Galloway and Nicholas both swept the women behind them.
“The castle… is burning.” Seamus MacGuire came forward, clothed in the green and blue of his clan’s colors. “Our cannon fire was not responsible, was it?”
“No,” Jane said, stepping from behind Nicholas. “Amelia and Clara were.”
“Amelia?” Seamus’s eyes widened.
A million questions crowded Nicholas’s thoughts, but he forced them aside. There would be time for questions later.
“You know the truth?” the aging laird asked.
“She told me.”
Seamus’s gaze searched the crowd of people gathered around them. “Where is she? Where is Amelia?”
Sorrow reflected in Jane’s gaze. “Amelia refused to leave the castle. Her anger forced her to seek revenge, but it was her fear that ultimately took her life,” Jane said softly. Nicholas could hear the regret and sorrow in her voice.
Seamus’s face turned red. “No!” he cried as he swung his sword at Jane. Nicholas blocked the strike, knocking the weapon from Seamus’s hands. David caught his arms and pinned them behind him.
The MacGuire men surged forward. Colin, Jules, and Bryce stepped between Seamus and his men, prepared to take on the clan with their swords at the ready.
“Stop,” Jane commanded. “There will be no more destruction this day.” Her angry gaze skewered each of the MacGuire men. “Has there not been enough loss already? Your kinswoman is dead. Bellhaven is in ruin. Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. Please, I beg you, withdraw before any more blood is shed.”
Seamus’s cheeks reddened as he no doubt fought to keep his anger in check. “Amelia is gone?”
Angus nodded. “I went into the flames tae rescue her, but ’twas too late for the poor lass.”
Seamus’s shoulders slumped. “I dinna want things to end like this.”
“Are they at an end, MacGuire?” Angus asked, surveying Seamus’s clansmen.
The angry murmurs of Seamus’s men sounded over the pop and hiss of the flames. Then, at a nod from their leader, they sheathed their weapons. Their voices died down.
David released the clan chief. Seamus stepped away and reached down, picking up his sword.
Jane’s men raised their weapons once more, but halted a moment later when the old laird slid his weapon back into its sheath. “As much as I want revenge for Amelia’s death, I fear we are more to blame for that outcome than you are. We must now be satisfied with the fact we have taken Bellhaven from you. Not in the way we had anticipated, but the castle is gone nonetheless. Because of this, the MacGuires consent to retreat. When the flames die down, we will return to claim Amelia’s body.”
Jane nodded, then lifted her chin. “Had I known about Amelia, I never would have kept her from you.”
Seamus’s face reddened once more.
Nicholas tightened his grip on his sword, prepared to step between them if the old laird moved a handbreadth.
A moment later Seamus’s shoulders slumped. “She was my granddaughter. I failed her. We all failed her.” On a sigh, the clan leader signaled his men back over the rubble. He caught sight of Clara and waved her to his side. “You had best come with us. I doubt you will be welcome here after what we tried to do.”
The girl followed behind Seamus, leaving the defenders of Bellhaven to stand alone amongst the ruin.
“Colin and I will see them off the Lennox land,” David said.
“Were any of our men hurt in the battle?” Jane asked as David and Colin disappeared over the rubble.
“A few are wounded, but those wounds will heal with time.”
Jane released a sigh. “I am grateful for that small miracle.”
“Come,” Nicholas said. He offered Jane a hand. “We should retreat to the outer bailey while the fire blazes. Distance will guarantee our safety.” Jane and Nicholas hung back to assist the others over the loose rock and gravel, until finally they made their way into the outer bailey.
“The outer buildings have yet to catch fire.” Nicholas felt a small catch of relief. All was not lost. He organized the female servants to pull water from the well, in preparation for the flames to come. In the meanwhile, he and the men dug a trench just outside the garden wall in an attempt to keep the flames from spreading.
When their work was done, Jane found her way back to Nicholas. He set his shovel aside and turned to watch as the tops of the trees in the garden caught fire, forming an arch of flames that hopped from one skeletal frame to another.
“Fear not,” he said in a calming tone. “The fire lines will hold. We will cling to what remains of Bellhaven for your sake.”
“Thank you.” Jane’s voice was raw from emotion as she stared at what had been the north side of the castle. All that remained was an empty shell that was being devoured by obscene tongues of red and orange and blue.
Burning branches from the trees fell to the ground and ash floated down around them, mixing with the ankle-deep snow on the ground. Silence settled. Nicholas pulled Jane closer against him when an explosion rocked the earth. Another explosion sounded, then another. As heat from the fire mixed with the cool stone, the stone expanded, sending stone and wood and debris to rain down upon them.
Tears rolled down Jane’s cheeks, leaving rivulets in the soot and ash that clung to her skin. “This castle has seen many wars over the course of its seven hundred years and now it is a ruin.”
Nicholas covered Jane’s hand. “But Bellhaven is not gone. The lands yet exist. And with care, you can rebuild and restock.”
Her hand turned and held tight to his own.
He gave her hand a squeeze, trying to impart warmth, comfort, anything that might strengthen her as they glanced at the sight of the flames.
“I am sorry, Jane, for all you suffered today.”
“Nothing lasts forever,” she said softly.
“You are wrong.” He tipped her face to his. “My love for you will last a lifetime, whether you choose me as your husband or not.”
Jane stiffened beside him. “In all the chaos, I had forgotten by this time tomorrow it will all be over.”
Before the sun set on Christmas Eve, Jane would have to choose one of her suitors to spend forever with.
The following morning, after bedding down in the stables for the night, Jane and her people stood in a new layer of snow. Despite the damage from the fire, the snow had a cleansing effect on what remained of Bellhaven. The once pink-gray stone that had been charred black last night was covered in a blanket of snow, softening the broken line of the battlements. In the apple grove, the scorched, twisted skeletons of the trees were covered in crystals of white.
Bellhaven no longer looked dead. It looked like it was sleeping, waiting to be reborn. She stood, back straight, absorbing the thought, letting it fuel her determination.
The MacGuires had come peacefully early that morning to find and retrieve Amelia’s body. They had taken her charred remains, wrapped in a shroud of white, with them for burial.
Amelia. Her sister. Jane shuddered at the memory of how the young woman had died. Things could have been so different for the two of them if only… Jane left the thought at that. There was no going back, no changing what had happened. She’d had a sister for a few moments, but now that sister was gone, along with all the mysterious attacks on her, Margaret, and Bryce.
Margaret and Bryce remained. They were her family now. The three of them could bond together and be all that each other needed. But would that bond include marriage to Bryce? Despite what her heart demanded, should Bryce be the logical choice?
“How do you feel?” Margaret gently touched Jane’s arm, interrupting her thoughts. “Is there anything I can do to help?”
“No.” Jane turned away from the ruins and shifted her gaze to the familiar faces gathered nearby. David, Jules, Colin, Lord Galloway, Bryce, most of the household s
taff, Angus, Ollie, Egan, and of course Nicholas.
Jane offered them the beginnings of a smile. Christmastide was one of her favorite times of the year. Despite the secrets that had been revealed last night, and the fire, she still felt a glimmer of the usual happiness that this time of year brought. If she forced the disaster from her mind, and truly looked at what was in front of her, she still had one of the greatest gifts of all—love. She had the love of her people, her family, and her suitors.
Her suitors.
“Today is the final day of the challenge. I know we had planned a melee for today, but given the circumstances I thought we would change things up a bit.”
“Cousin Jane.” Bryce stepped forward. “None of us expects you to continue with the challenges. We know the depth of your loss. Make your decision now. Any one of us who remains in the competition would accept you willingly. And the others will bow out graciously once you choose.”
“Thank you. That means a lot to me,” Jane said as she turned to address the others. She drew herself up as a sudden lightness came over her. Christmastide was upon them. It was the season of peace, of giving, and of joy. Despite the ruin that surrounded them, those gifts of the spirit could remain.
Jane smiled, a true smile—one that she felt from the bottom of her soul. “Your final challenge is to find whatever you can among the ruins of Bellhaven. Things we can use to make ourselves more comfortable. Find as many items as you can, but chose one to offer to me as a gift this Christmas Eve.”
David frowned. “We should stay with the others and help prepare the outer buildings before the pending storm lets loose.”
“Angus and Ollie are quite capable of organizing the other men to see to that task. Please, David, do this one last thing for me.”
“As you wish,” he said with a bow. “I could never deny you your heart’s desire.”
“You have two hours,” Jane said, before dismissing them to head off toward the ruins.
“I will help Ollie and Angus.” Lord Galloway pressed a kiss to Margaret’s lips, then he was gone, leaving the two women alone.
“Are you certain it was wise to send them off on a scavenger hunt when we could really use their help to rebuild a warm, safe haven?”
Jane remained silent while she waited for the men to be out of earshot. Finally she said, “We need the useful items they will find every bit as much as we need shelter. I also sent them away because I need time to prepare. Margaret, I need your help. I must find four gifts of my own to give to the men who I will not take as my husband. Please help me send them away with something with which to pursue their own dreams.”
Margaret’s eyes widened. “You know which of the five you will chose?”
“I do,” she said, then smiled at the words that slipped so easily off her tongue. “I will say those words again before the sun sets this day.”
“You shall reveal him to me this moment,” Margaret demanded in an excited tone.
Jane simply smiled. “You will have to wait and see like everyone else.”
Margaret growled. “I have my suspicions. But I will wait to be surprised with the rest of your people.” She took Jane’s hand in hers. “Come, let us find those gifts so that we can make certain this marriage happens as it should.”
Jane stilled as a thought suddenly occurred to her. “What about the minister? The wedding needs to be official.”
Her aunt smiled mischievously. “I sent for the man two days ago. He should arrive before noon.”
Jane laughed as joy bubbled up from her toes to greet the crisp morning air. “My heavens, a fortnight ago you would have had to drag me to the altar. Now I can hardly wait to get there.”
Margaret returned her smile. “It is odd how life reveals itself to us sometimes, is it not?”
Odd was not the word Jane had in mind. Miraculous seemed more suited to this event.
Miracles and Christmas Eve. Did it get any better than that?
Over the next two hours the sun had worked its way through the clouds to cast a bright white glow over the land. The sunshine helped fuel Jane’s renewed sense of purpose. Her suitors had returned from their hunt. They gathered in the outer bailey outside the stables and the kitchen. Lord Galloway, Angus, and Ollie had led the others in creating a new, temporary home with several of the useful items found during the competitors’ hunt—scraps of uncharred wood that could be used to build, furnishings that had somehow survived, several mugs, plates, an iron cauldron, along with various weapons and shields.
One by one the voices in the bailey fell silent. The earnest faces of her suitors and servants turned toward Jane.
She drew a steadying breath. “This is our final competition, which means it is time for me to say farewell to four of you. Choosing a winner was difficult for so many reasons. And I want you to know that those of you who I will not select as my husband will forever hold a fondness in my heart.” Despite her best efforts, her voice cracked with emotion.
Jane turned not toward her suitors, but to Lord Galloway with a smile. “I am so grateful that you came to this competition, and even more grateful that you found your own prize.”
Lord Galloway slipped his arm around the woman beside him, pulling her close. “Lady Margaret,” he said. His smile widened. “Soon to be Lady Galloway, is a treasure, indeed.”
Margaret blushed. “Oh, Hollister, you are embarrassing me.”
Jane knew a moment’s contentment that her aunt had finally found someone worthy of her love. Beginning her own life with one of her five other suitors would be much easier knowing her aunt was happy and making a life of her own.
Forcing her gaze away from the happy couple, Jane turned back to the other men. The time had come to say farewell. She reached behind her for the largest of the gifts she had gathered, then took her first steps toward David.
“I am the first to go.” He laughed, but it was a hollow sound.
She looked up at him, knowing her eyes were full of the emotion she was afraid to release. “Thank you for your strength, your skill, and your willingness to compete with the others for my hand. Having you here meant the world to me.”
David bowed and held out his gift to her. It was wrapped in a piece of linen that was gray with ash. “Open it,” he said, a half smile on his lips. “It will make me happy to know you have this with you when I am gone.”
Jane set David’s oddly-shaped gift on the snow-covered ground. She accepted his gift, unwrapped the cloth then smiled at the contents. Her dagger. “I cannot believe you found this in the ruin.” Filled with joy, she rose on her toes and pressed her lips to his. “Thank you, David.” Jane picked up David’s gift by the sides and stretched her arms out to him. “My gift to you.”
A high-careening squawk came from beneath the cloth-covered gift. David’s brows drew together as he pulled back the cloth to reveal a cage containing a sleek gray falcon.
“You are giving me Falco?” he asked, his voice filled with wonder.
Jane nodded. “Our finest hunter. I want you to have him because I know you will care for him and use him well.”
He flashed a grin filled with happiness. “I will.”
Jane went back to select another gift and moved to stand before Jules.
He groaned. “And I am to be the second to leave you behind.”
Jane saw the uncertainty in his blue eyes, the need, and it touched her deeply. She reached for his hand. “You are my friend now and forever. And I honestly believe there is someone out there for you who will love you as you deserve to be loved.”
“I have a gift for you this Christmas Eve,” Jules said.
He reached inside his sporran and withdrew a long metal chain, and suddenly Jane realized what it was he held. Her mother’s girdle. The rubies sparkled in the light of the sun. Tears filled her eyes when she looked up at him.
“Thank you.” The words were raw and the only ones she could force past the emotion clogging her throat. When she had sent them on their hunt, she
had had no notion of what they would find. That they had found two of the things most precious to her was more than she had dared hope for.
She batted at the tears spilling on to her cheeks, then lifted her closed hand out to Jules. She drew a breath and forced her voice into steadiness. “I had a very difficult time trying to find the perfect gift for you, Jules. What I ended up with is more symbolic than helpful, but I hope you will keep it with you to help you remember what it is you have gained.”
She opened her palm to reveal a small skeleton key. “This is the key to your new life. The past is gone. The future is what you make of it.” She stared down at the key, unable to look him in the eyes.
He touched her chin, tilted her face, and brought her gaze to his. “My dear friend, thank you for your role in helping me start anew. You were part of whatever forces transpired to set me free. That is your gift to me, the ultimate gift—freedom.”
Jane gave him a heartfelt smile. “Sometimes the world has to turn us upside down to show us what we need. What is truly important to us.”
Jules laughed. “I would like to try being right side up for a while.”
Jane thrilled to see the shadows vanish from his eyes. “You will find your way, Jules. I have no doubt.”
Jane felt a shiver of peace move through her as she returned to the gifts she had gathered and selected her next offering. She made her way toward Colin.
Regret shadowed his face for a heartbeat before his expression cleared. He straightened and offered her a nod. “I am honored to have been included among your suitors. I am only sorry I did not have more to offer you.”
“Do not think for a moment that your lack of a past has affected my decision at all.” Jane reached for his hand with one of her own, disturbed that he thought that was why she had failed to choose him as her mate. She stared up into his face, deep into his silver-gray eyes. “None of that matters to anyone but you, Colin. You are independent, resourceful, courageous, and one of the most beautiful men I have ever met.” At the admission, she felt heat rise in her cheeks.
Colin’s mouth turned up into a grin. “Admirable traits—and still they were not enough.”
A Laird for Christmas Page 25
