Claimed By A Charmer (The Pith Trilogy) (24 page)

Isabel walked along the parapet
gazing in the distance, hoping to see Douglas’ return. Days passed, but no
message came indicating his return. She grew agitated, and missed him. It
became her daily constitutional to walk the parapet in the late afternoon.

“Isabel, what are you doing up
here?”

“Oh, Rachel, I didn’t hear you. I’m
watching for Douglas.”

“Watching won’t make him come any
sooner. Shall we go for a ride? It will keep you occupied at least for an
hour.”

“Aye, that might make me feel
better.”

Isabel went to fetch their horses,
while Rachel went inside to grab a warmer cloak. They met at the gate, and she
handed Rachel a mount’s reins.

“We shouldn’t go out there. Douglas
wouldn’t like it. He told me—”

“He’s not here, and since when do
you follow his dictate? We’ll only ride about the forest. Not afar. Come, it’s
a beautiful afternoon. Riding inside the walls would be boring.”

Against her better judgment, Isabel
followed Rachel through the gate. They rode for many minutes. The wind whipped
her face, making her cold, but she continued on. Since she and Rachel became
friends of a sort, she enjoyed spending time with her. With Candace’s
dispirited manner of late, she hadn’t been able to get her to cheer no matter
what she did. Isabel felt resilient riding, yet grew concerned when they set
off in an unfamiliar direction, not that she was familiar with his land.

“Where are we going?”

“I thought I’d show you the lovely
loch, just to the south. Not much farther.”

“I would like to see some of
Douglas’ land. It’s very beautiful here.”

“Aye, nothing like the useless
lands in England.”

“England has a beauty of its own.” Isabel
noticed the quietness of the forest. A sense of fearfulness rose within her
chest. She started to call out to Rachel when several men on horses came at
them from the tree line. Isabel tried to rein in her horse, and turn it around,
but the men flanked her, trapping her on all sides.

“Isabel, I found you at last. I
worried for ye, my sweet little sister.”

Isabel gawked at Nigel. He sat on a
horse two feet from her. She tried to nudge her horse backward, but the animal
wouldn’t move.

“I’m returning you to the asylum
where ye belong.”

“Let me go, Nigel. I’m married now,
and I shan’t return there.”

“I know about Laird Kerr. You’ll be
of better use at the asylum. Father is angry with ye, dear sister.” Nigel
reached for her, and pulled her forward. Before she could pull away, he bound
her wrists, and patted her cheek in a detestable manner.

Isabel glanced at Rachel with
pleading eyes. Rachel’s face flushed. Was she in on the deception? Isabel was
unsure. Nigel faced Rachel and leaned close to her.

“Return to Irving. Tell him I’ll
return after I deposit my sister at the asylum.” He grasped her hair. “I expect
you’ll give him my message and be there on my return.”

Isabel glared at her back, but for
some reason she pitied her too. It seemed she was Nigel’s cohort, but she
didn’t have a choice in the matter. Still, Isabel swore if she ever saw her
again, she’d stick her dagger in her black heart. She rode silently and hoped
Douglas would return home soon. Now back in her brother’s hands, she knew he
wouldn’t give up on his demented plan. She sighed, feeling despair.

Isabel was beyond tired after days
of riding. The image of the asylum came into view. She sat upon her horse with
her hands bound behind her. Her gown restricted her movement, and she was
unable to jump from the horse. She thought about throwing herself to the side,
but knew she wouldn’t fare well, and might even die performing such a folly. Her
only hope was Douglas. He would save her; she had no doubt, but she wished he’d
hurry. Nigel yanked her from her horse, and once again, she was shoved toward
the doors of the asylum.

Friar Whickham greeted Nigel,
giving her a glare.

“Well now, ye got ‘er back. I don’t
have any spare rooms at the moment.”

“Put her in with another. I can’t
stay, Freddy. I’ll come back for her later.”

Freddy nodded.

Nigel grasped her hair. She thought
she would faint and tried to pull away.

“Await my return, dearest sister.” He
pressed his lips against hers, and Isabel’s stomach hitched.

She spat on the ground. “You are
foulness, Nigel. My husband will kill you for this.”

Nigel laughed and strode to his
horse. Friar Whickham tugged on her arm and led her inside. The Friar unbound
her wrists and pulled her to the stairs that led to the rooms above. She was
taken to a different room and was all but thrown inside the darkened chamber. The
room was far worse than the previous one she’d been in. Her feet stuck to the
grime covered floors. She walked to the window and pulled the covering open. There
was no hope for escape from the second floor; the window held bars three inches
apart. She didn’t have a single weapon to use on the door or on Nigel when he
returned. She set her mind to think of something. Then a sound came from the
bedding.

She reached the bedside. Aghast and
confused, she found a girl tossing on the small frame. The girl looked
frightened and stared wide-eyed.

“Don’t be afraid. I’m Isabel, a
friend.” The girl nodded, but continued to move side to side. “Are you in pain?
Have you been hurt?” The girl shook her head. “Tell me what ails ye.”

“My b-babe is coming,” the girl’s
voice imbued with pain.

Isabel’s breath hitched. “Oh, Lord.
What should I do? Calm down,” she told herself. “You need to take deep breaths,
and calm down.” She took a deep breath without realizing it.

She tore fabric from her cotte, and
wiped the girl’s forehead. Soothing her with gentle words of encouragement, she
had no idea what to do. She hadn’t ever delivered a babe before, nor was she
privy to information, and she felt useless and hopeless. The girl bore down,
her hands fisted the filthy linen. After yelling several times, Isabel heard a
faint noise. She edged closer to the girl, lifted a babe, and held it in her
hands. A long cord stuck to the slippery babe. Isabel realized she had to sever
it. She looked around the room, and found nothing in which to use for the task.
The girl took her babe from Isabel’s arms and cried.

Isabel walked to the door and
banged on it. After a few minutes the door was opened by a guardsman. “Tell
Friar Whickham I want to see him.”

The man shut the door, and she
heard his steps retreat. Another few minutes passed before Friar Whickham came.

“Friar, I need food and water to
cleanse myself. I need eating utensils and clean linens. I’ll not lay on such
filth.”

“Pardon, my lady?” He seemed
dumbfounded by her request.

“You heard me. I want those things
immediately. If I don’t get them within five minutes, I’ll tell Nigel that you
treated me horrible and I shan’t submit to him. It will be your fault and he
will be angry.”

“But, my lady, he didn’t say to—”

“I will not be treated so. Get the
items now.” Isabel slammed the door in his face.

Several minutes later a knock came
at the door. Isabel didn’t let him enter, but she accepted the items from the
guard and closed the door. She took the dull-bladed knife and severed the cord
to the babe. It took minutes to release the babe from her mother, and she
knotted the sticky cord.

Isabel washed the babe and wrapped
it in one of the clean—if you could call it clean—cloths. After the babe was
washed and cared for, she worked on the mother.

She wiped the girl’s face “What’s
your name?”

“Romy. Thank ye, my lady for … I
don’t know what I would have done without you.”

“Please, call me Isabel. Your babe
seems content for now. How are you feeling?”

“I’m well, truly.”

“Let’s remove that sheet. I’ll have
them bring more clean linens.” She went to the door and banged again. The
guardsman came again and waited for her to speak. “Bring clean sheets. I’ll not
lay on such filthy linens.” The man nodded and returned a moment later with a
handful of sheets. He closed and locked the door again.

“My lady, why are you here?” Romy
asked.

“I’m being held here by my brother.
I’m not worried, my husband will rescue me.”

“Your husband?”

“Aye, I must have faith in him,”
Isabel said more to herself, than to Romy. When she finished stripping the
sheets and replaced them with clean ones, she motioned for Romy to lie back
down. She handed her the baby.

“You have a sweet baby girl, Romy. What
are you going to name her?”

Romy wailed. Isabel sat beside her
on the bed, patting her shoulder. “Don’t cry, it’ll be all right. I’m here with
you and I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Romy wiped her eyes and smiled
faintly. “I was sent here because I was to be married, but Lewis left me, and
didn’t show up for the wedding. My parents sent me here when they found out I
was carrying.”

“Oh, I’m sorry. I’m your friend
now, and you’re not to worry. We’ll get out of here, somehow.”

Romy looked down at her baby. “I
will call her Belle, after you. I don’t know what I would have done if you
hadn’t come.”

“Belle. She’s beautiful, and you
were so brave.” Isabel retrieved the food tray that contained various kinds of
breads, and some unknown items. “Let me take the babe for a while. You eat
something. You’ll need your strength.”

Isabel held the baby and couldn’t
help but fall in love with her. She was so light and sweet. She glanced at
Romy, and tried to see what color hair she had, but it was awful dirty. Darkness
didn’t allow her to see well. She had to get them out of there. If only Douglas
would rescue them. She didn’t know if he even knew she was gone. She hoped he
returned from the MacIver’s keep by now. Pacing the chamber, she cuddled the
baby. Romy ate and fell asleep. The babe whimpered, and she rocked her until
her eyes closed. She laid the baby beside her mother, and then she searched the
room for anything she could use. If Douglas couldn’t get to her in time, then
she would make her own escape.

Douglas and his men were tired from
riding for such a long time and his men expressed their glee at returning home.
He rode through the portcullis, dismounted, and handed his horse’s reins to a
lad. He met his mother on the steps of the keep.

“What’s amiss, Mother?”

“I haven’t been able to locate
Isabel. She’s been missing since yesternoon. Cedric sent a search out, and he
hasn’t returned.”

Douglas reached the table and
slumped in a seat beside the hearth. He placed his hands on his head. “Hell, I
should have known this would happen.”

“What?” His mother knelt beside
him.

“Cosh, she’s in danger.”

“Oh, Lord Almighty. Ye must find
her.”

Candace walked in the room. “Mother,
why are you crying?”

Shelagh couldn’t answer, so Douglas
told her to have a seat. “I’ve distressing news.” He took her hand. “Isabel is
missing, but I will find her. I promise.”

“Oh, Douglas. Why is this
happening?”

“There’s more, Candace, no one can
find Wills. We’re searching for him. His da was found killed.”

Candace cried, and his mother held
her. “Douglas, find them. I’ll take care of Candace.”

He kissed his mother’s cheek then
hugged Candace. With determined strides, he went to the garrison. Cedric came
toward him, his expression furious.

“Laird.”

“Have you found her, Cedric?”

“Nay, but I was told Rachel and
Milady went riding, the guard didn’t question it. They became friends. They
should have stopped them. ‘Twas my duty to protect her. I failed ye.” Cedric’s
shoulders slumped.

“It is not your fault.” He heard
shouts come from the bailey, and he ran through the doors of the garrison. The
sentry returned from their duty had found Rachel.

“What happened to her?” Douglas
flinched. Her face was swollen so badly, he barely recognized her. The poor
lass’ hair was cut off and her clothing ripped in shreds. “Get her inside.”

Cedric lifted her from the horse
and carried her inside. Fortunately, his mother and Candace had retired to
their chambers. Douglas had her put in his chamber, and sent Cedric for the
healer. He stood inside his room and waited. The lass took a hell of a beating.
If this was how she looked, he knew Isabel probably didn’t fare any better. He
wanted to run out and search for her, but Rachel might have vital information
on her whereabouts or who had abducted his wife.

The healer arrived and he waited in
the hallway until she came out. He told his mother about Rachel’s condition,
but she grumbled that she deserved it. The healer finally came out and told him
he could go inside.

He approached the bedside. She was
awake, but he couldn’t tell if her eyes were open.

“Rachel.”

She licked her lips. “Laird Kerr,
help her. I’m … sorry, so sorry.”

“Was it her brother, Nigel?”

Rachel nodded.

“Where did he take her?”

“Asylum.” Her voice broke.

“You know more.” Douglas leaned
toward her.

“I never meant to … Irving has
Wills, he’s under the sorceress’ spell.”

“That bastard. What kind of spell?”

“She uses spells, so Wills will
ally against ye. He doesn’t know himself. Ye must get to Isabel foremost,
Irving said Nigel will … hurt her.”

“I will, worry not.” Douglas
stiffened, knowing he’d finally found his foe. What fool plan did Irving
maintain? “What does he hope to gain by all this?” He waited for her to answer,
but she’d fallen asleep.

He strode from the room, not
speaking to anyone, and walked directly to the barracks. He told his usual
corps to ready. Douglas wanted badly to get Isabel to safety then he would
confront Irving. As he rode out, his heart weighed heavily in his chest. His
manner became so agitated that he didn’t realize how labored his horse was. He
slowed down.

His wife needed him, and he cared
for her so much that he felt hopeless for the first time in his life. Aye, his
sweet bonny wife, a lass who would get an ugly boar etched on her back for him.
He knew what she’d done, and wanted to wait for the surprise, so he hadn’t let
on that he knew. Still, he felt her show of love courageous. Now he had to
rescue her from hell itself, again. She should never have been put in such
danger, and he felt disheartened for letting it happen.

Douglas rode hell-bent toward
England, and the asylum. The men stopped their horses suddenly causing him to
turn. “Why did you stop?”

Gil pulled his horse next to his. “Laird,
we must stop to rest. The horses are winded and the men need rest. I know ye
want to get to Milady.”

“Damn it, Gil, I can’t rest, not
until I get to her.”

“You’ll not be able to help her if
you can barely stand. Come rest yourself for a short while.” Gil turned,
motioning for the men to take rest.

Douglas dismounted and handed his
horse to him. “We’ll ride out in a few hours.” The men made camp as he sat
quietly next to Gil.

“Laird, I know Milady will be well
when we reach her. She’s a skilled lass, Brendan told me how she uses a dagger.
Aye, she’ll be well enough, she can protect herself.”

“She may not have her daggers with
her. Gil, I can’t lose her.”

“I know how ye feel. Have you given
thought to Irving? He must pay for his misdeeds.”

“That bastard will pay. I’ll get to
him when I’ve gotten Isabel safely home. I will call up my allies, and he’ll
pay for the injustice his clan has caused all these years.”

“Mayhap ye should find out why he’s
done these things. Surely you want to know.”

“Aye, I do, but he’ll pay for
hurting my family.”

Gil nodded. “Irving’s always been
cowardly. ‘Tis unlike him to act so foolishly. I can’t help but think he has
someone telling him what to do, mayhap he’s the cohort.”

Douglas nodded. “I’ll consider
that.”

They became silent as they waited
for the men to take their rest. Douglas thought about his so-called
stepbrother. He was sure Irving didn’t know of his parentage. Mayhap he was
lied to, as he had been. Didn’t his father say that Donald fueled the feud with
lies? He should meet with Irving and find out what he knew or thought was the
truth. Could they put their father’s feud behind them? Could he be so
forgiving? Douglas didn’t think so, not now, not after the deeds Irving enacted
against Ellic, mayhap Bonnie, Wills, and most of all, Isabel.

Douglas wanted his wife back, and
to return to some rationale of peace. That was more important to him. Hadn’t
his father asked him not to take the feud into his heart? But he hadn’t
listened, he had revulsion in his heart then, learning who his real father was.

Don’t take Donald’s and my feud
into your heart.

He should have put it behind him,
and had done as his father asked. He closed his eyes to rest, but the only
vision that came to mind was that of Isabel. Her beauty and sweetness called to
him. Aye, he must get to her and soon.

Douglas rousted at Gil’s shove. “Laird,
the sun is coming up. We should be on our way.”

He ordered the men to ready. Fifty
men rode with him, and he knew the asylum had about twenty men guarding its
walls. It wouldn’t be too difficult to overtake them. He thought about his plan
of attack as he rode along.