A Highlander In Peril (Gunn Guardsman) (24 page)

And then Grey took up the story of how he’d met his wife.

“… Aye, that’s how Kenneth’s brother, Greer, died. A man targeted my lovely Bree, and he was defending her. Not a day goes by that I don’t thank him.”

She set her hand on Kenneth’s sleeve, who sat next to her. “I’m sorry he died for I know how saddened that must have made you to have lost your brother.”

“You’ve no idea,” Sean said. “Kenneth grieved for a long time until he met Elisa.”

“I wish we could visit so I can meet everyone,” Frances said.

Grey set his cup down on the table with a bang. “Aye, I say ye come after the next spring planting. I demand it, Sean. Bring your wife for the feast of Saint
Swithin’s Day.”

“If we’re able to, we will,” Sean said.

The feast ended, and several of the men took to cards and dice at the other end of the hall. He sat back and listened to Grey speaking of the treaty matters concerning King Alexander, and he told him about the meetings he’d attended.

“I’m going to say goodnight to Ermintrude,” Frances said.

Sean rose and kissed her cheek before she strolled off. He sat back and continued his discussion with Grey, comforted by the fact that she was indeed safe at this celebration.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Frances released the slack on her gown when she reached the top of the stairs. Ermintrude would likely be asleep by now, but still she wanted to say goodnight. The noise from the hall made her smile. The Gunn guardsmen were charming even though they appeared formidable.

Never had she seen such men, for they were tall and brawny, and she reckoned fierce when it came to arms. She was thankful they had come and felt much safer with their presence.

There was no one within the hallway and she hurried to the nursery. It wasn’t like Benson to leave his post, and she’d have to remember to tell Sean. When she entered, she expected to find Alice, but she wasn’t there. Ermintrude wasn’t within the nursery either.

Frances considered that Alice had taken Ermintrude for a small bite before bedtime. She’d go and see if they were in the kitchens. Likely Mistress Ina gave her daughter cake for which she’d get a tummy ache. How like the woman to ignore her wishes. But Mistress Ina was more grandmotherly, and Frances would just have to concede to her will.

Before she went to search for them, she decided to change into comfortable slippers because the ones she’d wore with her new gown hurt her feet. Frances stepped into her chamber and noticed the box sitting upon her bed. Instant fear shuddered through her.

She hesitantly stepped toward it. The box lay open and inside several large hairy spiders crawled at the bottom. But then she saw the shackles beneath their legs, and she gasped. A noise startled her and when she turned around, she saw him. Her heart thudded in her ears.

“Jacob, you gave me a fright. What are you doing up here? Where is Benson?”

“Oh, my lady, I sent him to retrieve the replacements for the night watch. I saw you up here alone and wanted to make sure you were all right.”

“I’m well, Jacob. I don’t know where Ermintrude and Alice are.” She dismissed the box and would tell Sean about it after she put her daughter to bed. The thought of leaving the spiders loose in their chamber gave her the shivers, but she was more concerned about getting her daughter to bed.

“Come, my lady, I’ll help you search for them.”

Frances agreed, and as they exited the back stairs, she grabbed a torch from the wall and held it. Night came and it was getting dark. Soon they’d not be able to see even the short path to the kitchens. There was no moon this night giving light.

She was about to head to the kitchens when Jacob stopped her. “I deem I heard something there,” he said, pointing to the dense copse of trees beyond the wall.

“The gates are closed. We cannot leave.”

Jacob held up a set of keys. “There
be a smaller gate, my lady, back here. Come, I suspect the maid took the lass out there.”

“Why would she do that?”

“I know not, but let us find her. The wee one might be in danger.” Jacob opened the small gate, which she hadn’t even known was there.

She trekked toward the trees and listened to the night sounds of owls and other foul that made noises at night. A light snow began falling, and even so she wasn’t chilled for her adrenaline raced through her, and she focused on finding her daughter.

With a tight grip, she held onto the torch, and tried to see ahead. Jacob walked behind her. She regretted now not going immediately to Sean. The entire situation gave her pause and unease.

“We’ll find her, my lady, just keep walking. Come I think I heard something over there,” he said, and gestured in another direction.

Frances was frantic to find Ermintrude, and so she walked in the direction he indicated. Jacob said nothing after that, just followed and remained silent. The more she walked, the more leery she became.

When she chanced to look behind her, she saw Jacob standing too close. He stood only inches from her and his gaze fearsome. It was a manner she’d never seen from him.

She drew in a breath to scream, but he set his hand over her mouth. Frances fought against him, but he held fast with his arm surrounding her torso. Though she kicked him and pinched his arms, she was unable to gain her release. She reached up to grab his face, and scratched a wound across his cheek.

Frances panicked and realized he was poisoning her. Her eyes burned from something in his hand which he covered over her mouth. She could barely breathe through her nose and her head began to spin. She went limp in his arms.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Sean ceased listening to Grey when his eyes kept darting to the entrance of the hall. Frances should have returned by now. He knew there was no need to worry, but whenever she was out of his sight, he couldn’t help it. He’d taken on such guilt for what happened to her at the last celebration, and for the loss of their child. And since, he’d made it his mission to be near her.

“Sean? What’s amiss?”

He returned his attention Grey. “What? Ah, nothing. It’s just … Frances should have come back by now.”

“I know you worry for her. I can see it on your face. Let us go and find her.” Grey rose, and signaled to the others with a shout.

“I’m sure it’s nothing, for I’ve the castle and grounds secure.”

“If your gut is telling you something is wrong, then something is. We learned that lesson about the age of ten on the field, remember?” Grey followed him into the hallway.

Sean remembered, for they’d been tested with sacks that were hidden behind wooden quintains. They had to choose the wall that concealed the sacks, and more often they got it right. Some of the young lads didn’t trust their gut, and more often got it wrong.

Sean noticed Davy had gone off, and two guards that should have posted the entrance were nowhere in sight. He wondered where they went and would surely give them hell for leaving their post. He led Grey to the stairs, and they reached the hallway. It was silent. Benson wasn’t posted outside his chamber.

“None of the guards are at their posts. Something is wrong.” A knot formed in Sean’s stomach, and he quickened his pace down the hallway.

Their chamber door was ajar, and he peeked inside, but Frances wasn’t within. He then looked across the hall and thought mayhap she went to see Trudy.

When he entered the nursery chamber, he expected to find the wee one abed, but she wasn’t amongst the coverings, and her maid, Alice, wasn’t in the chamber.

“Something is definitely amiss.”

“Mayhap they went to the kitchens?” Grey asked.

“I doubt it, but we’ll check. I don’t like this.” Sean retreated down the stairs, and went out the back exit of the keep toward the kitchens. He found Mistress Ina helping the cook clean up after the feast, and noticed the younger lads washing the pots.

“Mistress, have you seen Frances?”

“Oh, nay, my lord. She hasn’t been here.”

“Has Trudy or Alice? Neither
are within the keep.”

“Nay, neither has been here, my lord.”

Sean left the kitchens and paced outside. “It’s dark. Where the hell are they?” he shouted, panic beginning to set in.

Grey stood by watching him. “Come, we’ll begin a search.”

Inside the hall, Grey called everyone’s attention. “Frances and her daughter are missing. Come all, we need to search for them.”

The other men in the hall each hurried to the main entry of the keep, and Grey directed them to pairs and sent them off in different directions. Kenneth and Colm headed westerly, Duff and James easterly, and the remaining men sent to search various places.

Snow began falling earnestly and Sean looked up, letting flakes it his face. It would be cold this night and the urgency of finding them instilled even more dread within him. He and Grey set off to the stables. A stable lad readied their horses and brought them out.

When they rode through the gate, the snow began laying on the grassy surfaces. Grey followed him, and he headed north in the direction of the woods. Sean tried to hand Grey a cloak, but he shook his head so he set it in front of him.

Sean was weary and filled with anguish. Such emotion was foreign to him for he never had a reason to plead with God. At that moment, he’d bargain anything for their safe return. He winced at his thoughts. If anything happened to either of them, he couldn’t fathom what it’d do to him. He’d be lost, and the severity of the torment gripped his heart.

“I don’t want to lose her.”

Grey rode next to him silent, darting his eyes from the trees to the lane ahead.

“I didn’t expect to cherish her, but aye, I do. What am I going to do, Grey? If something happened to her …”

“I know how you feel, Sean, but let us think positively. She’s likely well and somewhere safe. We have to have hope.”

But Sean didn’t have hope. Something dreadful happened, and with all that they’d gone through these past few months, the demon caught up to them.

If only he knew who his enemy was, he’d have more faith, but alas he didn’t know, and that put him in a disparaging position. If he’d figured out who the culprit was, he’d be able to find her.

Desperation gave him newfound energy, and he hastened his horse’s pace and kept his eyes focused on anything that moved.

They rode through the night and found no sign of Frances or Trudy or her maid. Dawn crept forward ever so dimly as the sun was slow to rise. The snow fell heavier and fat flakes flew at his face, and covered the cloak he’d put on. As they approached the wall from the opposite end, Grey stopped.

“I see something … there,” he said, and pointed near the wall.

He and Grey dismounted and approached.

A body lay on the ground, covered with a layer of snow.

They knelt next to the body, and Sean moved the lass’ hair from her face.

“It’s Alice, Trudy’s nurse. She’s been killed.” Sean looked at her lifeless form, and kicked at the snow. He wanted to hurt something, someone,
anything. As angry as he became, he felt as though he’d swallowed a rock for dread sat heavily in the pit of his stomach. “Where the hell is my daughter?”

“We’ll keep looking for her.” Grey stood next to him, and set a hand on his shoulder. “The poor lass had a rope tied around her neck and it is still there, hanging loosely around her skin. The killer was in a hurry. She was strangled.”

He nodded, grasping the fact that the banshee didn’t have time to take her away like he had the others. Her eyes were open and the look of fright evident on her face. Sean tensed, fearing and knowing whatever boded for Frances and Trudy was just as, if not, more gruesome.

He turned and walked back toward his horse. Giving the news to Stephen and Maddie would be the most grievous thing he’d ever had to do. He’d have men come and take the maid to the cottage to await burial. Then he spotted a glow coming from beyond the trees in the darkness of its shadows. It was dim, but the light reflected off the trees.

“There’s a light there.” Sean dismounted and hastily walked toward the light. He spotted Trudy sitting in the snow, her white cloak as pristine as the icy wetness around her. If not for the lantern she carried, he never would have seen her. The lass blended into her surroundings. She sat talking to her cat, holding it in her arms. Sean wanted to weep with joy at the sight of her.

“Trudy, love, what are you doing out here?” He picked her up, and handed her lantern to Grey. “Where’s your Momma?” Sean assessed her for injury but didn’t note any, as his hands pressed her arms and legs. She shivered, and he set her inside his cloak and covered her.

“I can’t find Momma. He hurt Alice.”

Sean hugged her close, shaken, and yet relieved at the same time. “Who hurt Alice?”

“The man.”

“What man? Tell Da who you saw.”

“A bad man. Alice won’t wake. I tried to get her to. Och she’s tired.”

He held her in his arms, refusing to put her down. Sean headed for the keep and gave Grey a woeful glance. “Aye, she is tired.
Come, let us get you inside where it’s warm.” Sean reached the keep within minutes.

“Have men sent to fetch Alice and find out if any of the search parties found Frances,” Sean said to Grey.

He set off immediately.

Sean observed Davy, who returned and stood by his post. Neither of the two young guardsmen returned, and he wondered if one of them was the culprit that killed Alice.

“Davy, have Mistress Ina fetched.”

“Aye, my lord.”

He moved at a faster pace than Sean had ever seen. He supposed the way he’d snapped at the old man lent to his urgency.

He took Trudy to her chamber, and removed her fur cloak. It was then he noticed the gown she wore, which was akin to the one Frances
wore for the Michaelmas celebration. His daughter looked enchanting, and he wished he’d seen her in it under different circumstances.

“Aye, you need a rest,
wee love. Mistress Ina will come and stay with you.” He lifted the gown over her head and tossed it aside. After he pulled back the bed covering, he set her in the center and covered her.

“Will you tell me a story, Da? Momma always tells me a story. Where is she?”

Sean could’ve wept for all the sorrow that overcame him at that moment. “I can’t not right now. Just close your eyes, and when you awaken she’ll be here.” God how he hoped so.

She obeyed and fell asleep within minutes. The wee lass must’ve been outside through the night and should be exhausted. He set an extra covering over her and tucked the edges to ward off a chill.

Mistress Ina came and when she saw him, she stopped at the doorway.

“My lord, what has happened? I heard tell that Alice was killed. Tell me it is not so.” Mistress Ina wiped her eyes.

“Aye, I’m sorry, Mistress, but indeed she was. I’ve had her taken to a cottage and will inform Maddie and Stephen. I cannot find Frances and need to go and search for her. Will you protect our bairn?”

“Of course, my lord.
Go. I will stay with the wee one. Worry not for her.”

“Protect her with your life.”

“No one will hurt this bairn. I promise ye.” Mistress Ina pulled a chair near the door. “When ye return knock three times and I will open the door.”

Sean agreed and said, “I will have one of my comrades stay outside the door to protect you both.”

She nodded and Sean left. When he reached the entryway, he noticed Davy standing by his post as proudly as if he was up to the task of protecting them.

“Davy, I need you to keep watch of this door. Let no man enter who does not belong.” Sean handed him a dagger, one that surly would do the job should the old man need it.

Davy’s eyes widened, but then he nodded, after taking the dagger. “Aye, my lord, I still got a bit of muscle to me. I won’t let anyone in.”

He saw Grey standing with Kenneth and Colm outside the entrance of the keep. James and Duff had yet to return.

“Colm, will you stay here and protect my daughter. I’m going to find my wife.”

He didn’t wait for Colm to agree, and stomped the snow-covered ground, toward his horse. Sean rode hell-bent toward the village, and would incite the villagers to help him. It was time to find the banshee and put an end to this torment.

* * *

Shivers wracked her body as the cold penetrated her. Frances moaned when her mind began filtering what happened. She squinted at the flakes of snow that whipped fiercely around her.

Upon a log, she was stretched out, and she wasn’t sure she could move. Her legs crossed, and she lifted one, and set her foot on the ground. As she was about to repeat the gesture with her other leg, she felt something in her hands. Clasping it, she lifted the long thin object and saw that it was a bright crimson rose.

She was giddy as nonsensical thoughts intruded. Who would have such a rose this time of year? Obviously someone that tended them inside a conservatory. Who had a conservatory besides Queen Joan?

Her flummoxed mind kept rational thoughts a bay. She groaned when her back twitched and throbbed from the hard surface beneath her. Someone was nearby, and she heard the crunch of twigs beneath their feet in the snow. Now fearful, she stilled and hoped whoever was there wouldn’t hurt her.

The evildoer touched her face, and she opened her eyes to see Jacob standing above her. He repositioned the flower and her legs, and was walking around the log she lay upon. Frances’ body remained lethargic, she couldn’t move, as much as she wanted to.

“Ye won’t have to await long, my lady. He comes and then it will all be over. I’m sorry I had to bring you here.”

He sounded sorrowful, his voice pitched. Her mind began clearing, and as much as she stayed motionless, Frances was able to comprehend what he said. She moaned again for speech wouldn’t come forth.

“Don’t try to move for he likes his ladies in this position and will be angry if you are not. I should’ve killed
ye with the mixture, but aye you’re strong and your body is fighting it. He’ll be pleased he gets to kill ye himself.” Jacob continued to walk around her. “God, how I detest this.”

Frances turned her head and opened her eyes. She peered into the forest and saw a dark figure by the trees. Fear gripped her heart and twisted it. Only moments from now she’d be gone. He was coming to kill her.

A tear streaked her cheek and fell off the edge of her jaw to the frozen ground. The figure moved closer and she saw him clearly.

Alvin trod with care toward the encampment. He set a finger by his lips, telling her to be silent. Frances watched him lessen the space between him and Jacob. Alvin would not be able to take on a man such as Jacob, for he wasn’t skilled with weaponry or with fighting. Nor had he the strength to overtake the man.