Ann Carr

by Loyal Warrior

  Just then Colin joined them and shaking his head he didn’t need to add anything. He’d not found the boy either.

  “We’ll take one last look around the farms and then head back to the castle before the gates are closed”, Duncan shouted, not yet ready to admit defeat.

  As one, the three men spun their horses in opposite directions and spread out to check the fields one last time.

  Duncan was the last to return home. When he arrived at the stables Colin and John were already waiting for him, the stable hands had already taken care of their horses so the three men were now alone in the dark dwelling.

  “No sign of him anywhere” Colin piped in, his voice sombre. Duncan had already shared his suspicions with these two men, trusting that word would spread no further. After all he still had no proof to condemn the boy.

  “Chances are we’ll have more luck tomorrow though”, John piped in optimistically; ignoring the sour looks sent his way.

  “I think he’ll be long gone, if he wasnae, he’d be back here by now” Duncan injected, “we’ll have to try and track him tomorrow. Hopefully there will still be some tracks left after all of this rain”.

  “And when we find him?” Colin asked.

  “Then I think we’ll all have a little talk! Get to the bottom of this once and for all!”

  “Elizabeth won’t be happy!” John decided to play devil’s advocate.

  “No! But she’ll have to get over it. My people are far too important for me to just ignore what has been going on for her sake!”

  “You want me to take Shadow for you Lord Duncan”, old William appeared out of the shadows as though he was part of them. None of the men had heard his approach, they had no way of finding out how much he had overheard, but none were worried. William would keep quiet, they could trust his discretion.

  The three men hurried through the driving rain towards the sanctuary of the castle walls. As soon as they had stepped foot inside of the dry building John pulled them to one side before they could walk into the dining room. Glancing around to make sure he couldn’t be overheard, he smiled in satisfaction when he noticed no other people in the dimly lit hallway. With a lecherous grin on his face he dipped his hand into his pocket and pulled out a small scrap of pristine white material edged with a frilly lace. Holding out the piece of fabric he waved it in front of Duncan and Colin’s face, giving them a good view of what he had gripped in his hand.

  “I take it ye and yer wife are getting along better than ye have these past few weeks!” John gave Duncan a knowing wink.

  “I dinnae know what yer talking about!” Not wanting to think about his wife, Duncan pushed John’s hand out of his face and set to walk away.

  “I found this in one of the stable stalls this morning, lying on top of the hay.” Again he waved the piece of fabric in question, “I assume the two of ye had an enjoyable ride in the stable?”

  “Oh speak in plain language! If ye have something to say then spit it out!” Duncan was trying to hang onto the last of his patience.

  “Obviously ye and she had an assignation there this morning. Look what ye left behind!”

  “That scrap of material could belong to anyone! I wouldn’t like to think how many assignations take place in my stables!” he laughed.

  “But how many women wear such fancy petticoats?” John asked in a sing-song. “I for one am happy to see the two of ye getting along again and...” he was cut off in mid-sentence when Duncan ripped the cloth out of his hand, and was left standing slightly dazed as he watched Duncan’s back recede into the darkness.

  “I dinnae think he was in the stable this morning” Colin inserted into the silence.

  “But Lady Elizabeth wouldnae have...” lost for words John couldn’t quite bring himself to finish the sentence. He had acquired much respect for the new Lady Campbell and didn’t even want to contemplate such things.

  “Oh stop being a fool John!” Colin declared in exasperation, “we both know she would never sleep with another man!”

  “But who could it have been?”

  “According to ye, no one but Lady Elizabeth! I think ye’ve condemned the lassie my friend!”

  “Oh no! What have I done?” he moaned.

  “Perhaps ye'll start thinking about what you say before you open your damn mouth!" Colin shouted and he too marched away into the darkness leaving John standing in the hallway alone.

  Chapter Thirty

  Elizabeth retired to bed earlier than usual that night in the hope that sleep would help to calm her anxious mind. She had spent the day alternatively worrying about Duncan and then about Richard. Not wanting Duncan to find her brother and then wishing Richard would just return home. She had not seen either one of them since her fateful argument with Duncan earlier that morning, she’d been so certain that they would return in time for their evening meal, but neither man had. Every time someone had entered the large dining hall her eyes had rushed expectantly in their direction, only to be disappointed every time. Her worrying had also rubbed off on Ewan who too was worried about his father’s absence. Impulsive child that he was, Ewan had wanted them to go out in search of his father. Only her repeated assurance that he would return eventually managed to calm the boy somewhat. After they had picked unenthusiastically at their own meals she had suggested that they retire to bed early so that they could be up early in the morning to see Duncan before he left to go about his jobs.

  Leaning on her side now, Elizabeth stretched over to blow out the candle beside the bed. As she inhaled the bedroom door was flung open on its hinges, a cold draft of air gushed through the room extinguishing the small flame before she had time to exhale and do it herself.

  Duncan closed the door plunging the room into dark shadows, she couldn’t see his movement. But rather felt his presence beside the bed before the room was once again lit up by the candle which had just been extinguished.

  “Did you find Richard?” she asked the question upmost in her mind.

  “I dinnae give a damn about Richard!” he blistered, “I want ye to explain this!” and he threw a scrap of fabric onto the bed beside her.

  Nonplussed, she picked up the material, not quite understanding its significance, not knowing what he expected her to say on the matter, so she uttered a simple “no”.

  “Dinnae lie to me Elizabeth! It’s a piece from one of yer petticoats! It was found in one of the stalls in the stable! Does that help to jog your memory?” he spat out sarcastically.

  “No. Why ever would....” then she jumped to her knees as the implication of what he was suggesting finally sunk in, “why you bastard!” she took an enraged swing at his head which he easily caught in his own hand.

  Struggling, she rose to her feet so that she was standing on the bed towering above him. “You let me go Duncan! You let me go right this minute or so help me....!” she ranted, swinging her other arm without aim, “you tell me, all knowing one, who am I supposed to be sleeping with huh? Tell me Duncan! Tell me!” she screamed.

  “I dinnae know” he yelled back, “but there’s no denying that this is yers!” he once again held up the offending piece of cloth, “and there’s only one explanation for how it got there!”

  “Well I’m denying it! That does not belong to me! Go check all of my petticoats for tears if you don’t believe me! Go on! I’ve got nothing to hide!” She jumped off the bed and raced over to the trunk where her petticoats were stored, yanking open the lid, she bent over to pull out as many garments as possibly, throwing them all around her on the floor, “Here! Is it this one?” she picked up another, inspected it and threw it to the ground, “or this one?” another followed, then another.

  “Ok! Enough Elizabeth! Enough!” He took her shoulders in his hands to calm her, to try and bring her out of her hysterical ranting. “Calm down Elizabeth. I believe ye. God help me, but I do believe ye!” he groaned, pulling her into his arms and burying his face in her hair. Oh Lord! But he’d been so stupid to even think that she would do
something so sneaky, so underhand. “Shh, sweetheart, shh” he soothed.

  Effortlessly he lifted her into his arms and walked to the bed where he tenderly set her down so that she was sitting on the edge, legs dangling over the side, not touching the floor. Kneeling down before her he reached out and tilted up her chin so that he could read the emotions in her eyes.

  “Oh Duncan!” she whispered, eyes swimming with unshed tears, “how could you ever think I would do such a thing” and then for the second time that night she lost control of her actions and broke down into deep racking sobs. Immediately Duncan pulled her back into his arms, needing to sooth her, he held her for what seemed like an eternity, until eventually her sobs subsided.

  Clinging to him, Elizabeth felt emotionally battered; all of her energy just seemed to ebb out of her being, leaving her limply hanging onto him. How could she both hate and love one man so much? She felt sure she would never understand the emotions he evoked inside of her but she was too exhausted now to even try.

  “Come on sweetheart”, Duncan rose and settled her down so that she was once again lying in bed.

  “No! Don’t go!” she reached out as he began to walk away from her.

  “I’m not going anywhere, I’ll be back before ye know it” he promised as he undressed before he climbed into bed beside her and blew out the candle plunging the room into blessed darkness. Then he pulled Elizabeth into his arms to hold her close.

  “You’re sure you believe me Duncan?” she needed to clarify so that there was no chance of any misunderstanding.

  “Aye lassie, I believe you Elizabeth. I’m sorry that I ever doubted ye”, slowly, rhythmically he rubbed the smooth skin of her back.

  “Good”, taking a deep breath, she continued, “because I’ve got something I need to tell you. Something I’ve been trying to tell you for weeks now”, she paused, trying to gain some more courage, she wasn’t sure what his reaction was going to be.

  “What do ye have to tell me Elizabeth? It sounds serious.”

  Laying her hand on her still flat stomach, she confided, “I’m expecting a baby Duncan. Your baby grows inside of me now”. She held her breath, waiting for his response, every heartbeat pounded in her ears as the silence stretched out between them. Tears once again sprung up in her eyes but she was determined not to let them fall, “You do believe me Duncan? That this baby is yours?” she whispered into the engulfing silence.

  Chuckling, Duncan rolled Elizabeth onto her back and whispered joyously, “Yer with child! There’s really a child in here?” he lay his own hand on top of her stomach in awe.

  “You’re O.K with this” Elizabeth whispered between the tears now streaming down her cheeks, she took his face in her hands, wanting to feel his expressions, share his reactions.

  “Definitely!” he leaned down and planted a rough kiss on her surprised lips. “How long have ye know?”

  “A couple of weeks” she confessed.

  “What? Why did ye not tell me when ye found out?”

  “Because, in case you’ve forgotten, conversation hasn’t really passed between us since Richards’s arrival! How was I supposed to tell you when you wouldn’t stand around long enough for me to say it?” There was a hint of censure in her voice. Both ignored it, not wanting to spoil the moment by bringing up past actions.

  “I guess ye want an apology?” he hedged.

  “Would I get one?” she asked.

  Laughing, he shook his head.

  “How about an explanation?”

  “What is there to explain? I dinnae trust yer brother and I resent his being here!” Holding up a hand, he haltered her retaliation, “Now. I dinnae want to argue Elizabeth. Not now when I’ve just learned that I’m gonna have another son!”

  “Daughter!” she corrected automatically.

  “We’ll see!” he laughed light heartedly, happier than he had been for a long time.

  “Oh! You really are an arrogant so-and-so! As if you have any say about the sex of our child!” she chided.

  “I know that Campbell’s have only had male children for the last one hundred years or so! So yes! I am confident but not arrogant my love!” he explained.

  “But there’s always a first time! I’ll laugh so hard at your shock when I give birth to our daughter!” she teased.

  “I wouldnae count on it sweetheart! Now dinnae ye think ye should get some sleep, I’ve heard that women in yer condition need plenty of rest”.

  “Humph! My condition indeed!” She rolled over to a more comfortable position, “you just want me to sleep so that I don’t argue back!”

  “Ye could be correct sweetheart!” he shifted so that their bodies were touching from head to toe, his arm thrown across her waste. Sighing he sunk into the mattress, knowing that it wouldn’t be long before he was asleep.

  “What about Richard? Did you find him?” Elizabeth twisted to face him, worry in her voice.

  “No!” he rolled her back to her previous position, “Let’s not talk about him tonight”.

  “But if he isn’t here he must be hurt somewhere!” she continued.

  “Or more likely, he realised we’d figured out his tricks and rode back to his home before we caught him!” there was steel in his voice.

  “I know you won’t believe me Duncan, but I promise you, Richard isn’t responsible for the things that have been happening around here lately” she defended.

  “The evidence is too damning Elizabeth, I have no doubt that it is him. I had hoped I was wrong, which is why I never mentioned anything to ye before today. On top of all the evidence, how can ye explain his absence? No Elizabeth, I have no doubt!” He replied tiredly.

  “What will you do when you find him? You won’t hurt him will you?” she asked anxiously, afraid for her brother.

  “I can’t make any promises, but for our sake I hope that I don’t have to kill the laddie” he said with feeling.

  “I really can’t believe that he is capable of what you’re accusing him of”, she whispered.

  “That’s because ye only see the good in everyone, sweetheart.”

  “You think I should only look for the bad?”

  “No, I think ye should prepare yerself that everyone’s capable of evil actions”.

  “Yourself included?”

  “Especially me, Elizabeth?” he warned.

  “I don’t believe that Duncan. You’re a good man!” she disagreed.

  “Dinnae go putting a halo on me! Ye’ll only be disappointed when it slips off!” he felt uneasy with her belief in him.

  “It might slip a little, but it’ll never fall off completely” she said with utmost certainty, a smile touching her lips.

  Sighing at her blind faith, Duncan pulled her close, “ye put too much faith in me, sweetheart!”

  "No, just the right amount" she disagreed and with those words on her lips she drifted into a deep contented sleep, safe in her husband’s arms. He followed her into the dreamlands quickly after, wondering at his great luck at having found this woman beside him.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  It was mid-morning the following day before Elizabeth saw Duncan again, the day was wet and cold and Elizabeth had been forced to spend the morning inside of the castle walls keeping warm in front of the roaring fire flicking in the hearth. She had intended to follow Duncan and his men in their search for Richard whether they liked it or not. He was her brother after all and she had a right to be there when they finally found him. She still found it difficult to believe that he would betray them, that he would betray her, but she couldn’t hide from the fact that all of the evidence did seem to point in his direction.

  Before she had reached the door to follow, a heaving sickness had taken hold and she’d been forced to spend the best part of the morning with her head over the commode. Elizabeth cursed her own weakness, now wasn’t the time for her own body to decide to work against her. Eventually, after what seemed like an age, the sickness had subsided enough for her to make her way d
own the stairs where she had collapsed blissfully into the chair in front of the blessed heat from the fire. It hadn’t taken long before she had dropped into a fitful doze, too worried about what the day would bring to be able to sleep peacefully.

  Now Duncan knelt before her, shaking her ever so gently, concern etched across his face. “Elizabeth?”

  “Oh!” she jumped, body on full alert, causing her to spring up straight in her chair. Her sleep fuzzy brain took slightly longer to figure out where it was. “Did you find him?” she demanded as soon as she’d gained all of her senses.

  Duncan’s laughter echoed through the hallway, “I was wondering how long the confusion would last?” he stroked her forehead, which just heartbeats before had been creased with wrinkles.

  “You’re evading my questions again which means you don’t want to tell me the answer. Did you have to kill him?” she gripped his hand in both of hers, willing him to give her the answer that she wanted to hear.

  “What do ye think?” came gently, but she knew the question was important.

  Staring into his fathomless eyes, searching for the answers, Elizabeth involuntary shook her head. No, he hadn’t killed her brother; instinctively she knew this without needing to hear the words.

  “Well?” he prompted, already knowing the conclusion she had come to but needing to hear her say it.

  “No” this time she shook her head emphatically, “you didn’t kill Richard”.

  “Thank ye” he inclined his head, not realising until this moment just how much he craved her trust in him.

  “So where is he?” she twisted around in the chair, unable to stay still any longer, worried for her brother.

  “I dinnae know Elizabeth. We’ve been searching all morning and havnae found any sign of him so far, his tracks must have been washed away by the night’s rain. I cannae even tell ye which way he left, but I think we both know where he is headed.” at her nod he continued, “If he manages to make it back to the border without any mishap, then he’ll be back home before tomorrow morning. And safe!” he added for her benefit.