Amanda Scott (7 page)

Toby Bell was unequal to the task of supervising the steward, but Anne had quickly seen that Malcolm did a poor job of running
the household. Her first, tactful attempts to instill a more orderly system had failed miserably, because Malcolm had taken
umbrage, whereupon Olivia, without discussing the matter, had taken his side.

“Because men always understand things better than women do, my dear, and Malcolm understands my needs perfectly. Although
I am sure that your odd notions answered well enough at home, Ellyson Towers is much older than Mute Hill House and not nearly
so modern in its ways. You must trust Malcolm, as I do, to know exactly what will suit me best.”

After that, Anne had resorted to more subtle methods, but she did not expect Malcolm’s attitude, or Olivia’s, to change.

Although Malcolm clearly resented her request now to attend to Eustace, the diversion served its purpose and she took Fiona
from the room without opposition.

“I loathe him,” Fiona muttered.

“Then tell your mother you will not marry him,” Anne advised practically.

“You know I cannot do that.” Fiona wrung her hands. “She would be so angry, Anne. You know she would.”

“I expect she would,” Anne agreed, “but it is less than useless to complain to me if you will not take a stand against marrying
him.”

“But don’t you think he is dreadful?”

“What I think butters no one’s bread.”

“But, truly, Anne, don’t you?”

“I think someone should have drowned him at birth,” Anne said.

Fiona giggled.

Anne added bluntly, “But it does not matter what I think, because no one did drown him, and so if you are determined to obey
your mother—”

“It is my duty, Anne. You know it is. Besides, one cannot say no to her.”

Anne knew that Fiona, at least, could not. “Then you must reconcile yourself to the marriage, if that is the only choice that
remains for you.”

“You know it is.” Tears spilled down Fiona’s cheeks. “What am I to do?”

“I have already given you the only advice I have, love, but I’ll try to think of something else that may help,” Anne said.
“In the meantime, I believe you are exhausted, and although you did lie down for a short time before dinner, I know you did
not sleep. I mean to ride this afternoon to shake the fidgets from my mind, and as always, your mother will be occupied with
her own concerns after dinner—”

“She naps, usually,” Fiona said.

“Exactly,” Anne said with a smile. “So you can enjoy a nice long sleep and no one will disturb you, for I mean to ask my Peg
Elliot to keep watch, and you know Peg can rout anyone who may try to disturb you.”

“Very well, I’ll try to rest, but I keep thinking about how close the wedding is. Two days from now, I shall be Lady Chisholm,
and I don’t think I can bear it.”

“Hush now, and come to bed.” Anne said soothingly.

Fiona obeyed, but by the time she was settled, Anne’s patience had nearly expired and the hour was far more advanced than
she had hoped. Taking only enough time to send a lad to the stables to order her favorite gelding saddled, she hurried to
her bedchamber to tell Peg what she had promised on her behalf and to change into her riding dress. The sky was still overcast,
but even if it opened up and poured forth in a flood, she was determined to have her ride.

Before going out to the stable, she made certain that, despite Eustace’s continued presence, Olivia had taken to her bed for
her usual postprandial nap. Reassured on that point, Anne was soon on her way.

An intoxicating sense of freedom filled her as she rode down into the dale and left Mute Hill behind. It was not by any means
the first time since moving that she had made the ten-mile journey between her aunt’s house and Ellyson Towers. The track
was well defined, her pony was swift and sure, and she was an excellent horsewoman who had come to know the way well over
the past weeks.

Not that Olivia approved of her solitary ventures. Indeed, the case was otherwise, and she would doubtless scold as she always
did when Anne rode to the Towers alone, but Anne knew she would do no more than scold her, so she could submit calmly to the
lecture and then go about her activities as usual.

Turning her thoughts to her cousin’s trouble, she tried to think of a solution, but none occurred to her. She disliked Eustace,
who was possessed of a licentious nature, too old for Fiona, and in Anne’s opinion, a man who would do anything he had to
do to increase his position, power, and wealth, and who would trample anyone in his path to achieve those goals. His recent
inheritance of the great Chisholm estates had, she believed, only whetted his hunger for more. And she did not think Fiona
would satisfy his other, more fundamental appetites, especially since he delighted in leering at or accosting maidservants
or even young women he merely suspected of being maidservants.

She certainly did not approve of forcing Fiona to marry him just to ally the Carmichaels with Chisholm wealth and power. For
Olivia to scheme with the previous Laird of Ashkirk to marry her daughter to his son was understandable, and doubtless many
would say it was therefore logical to want Fiona to marry Ashkirk’s heir, but at least Sir Christopher Chisholm had been of
a suitable age. Anne had never met him, but one had only to suffer the leers and other unwelcome attentions of his uncle,
as she had, to be certain the nephew had to have been a better man.

Such musings made the time pass swiftly, and as she neared the Towers, a break opened in the clouds, and slanting rays of
the sun sparkled on the grassy slope leading to the massive castle. It looked formidable from below, but Anne felt only the
comforting peace of homecoming.

Admittedly, the sun was lower in the sky than she had hoped it would be, allowing her a scant two hours to visit before she
would have to return. With such a short rest, her pony would still be tired, so she would not dare push it on the return trip
as she had in coming. Perhaps she should allow herself even less time at home.

When Catriona saw Lady Anne ride out alone, the answer to her problem presented itself. Anne wanted to stop her cousin’s wedding
to Sir Eustace, so Kit just had to meet Anne.

He would identify himself to her, whereupon she would take him directly to Fiona, and that would put an end to the wedding.
The plan was excellent, better than any of Claud’s, because Catriona would leave no room for error.

Anne’s intentions were admirable, but it had been a fortnight since her last visit, and she was eager to talk to everyone,
to be sure that all was well.

Rumors still abounded, as they had for months, that the English king’s armies hovered dangerously near, and that invasion
was inevitable, and she knew Ellyson Towers lay too close to the line for safety or comfort. But despite everyone’s fears,
the area had remained generally peaceful, with only a few armed forays taking place and those far from their part of the line.

Therefore, Anne had stripped off her gloves and cloak and lingered happily, enjoying familiar, pleasant conversation and the
company of folks who had looked after her home for her entire life. Her father’s steward having received no word yet from
Thomas Ellyson, despite messages sent to his family seat in Dumfries and to his house in Stirling, things marched along much
as they always had.

She was still sitting in the kitchen, enjoying a comfortable chat with the steward’s wife, when the steward put his head through
the doorway and asked if she intended to spend the night. “Because if ye dinna mean tae stay, mistress, ye’d best be going
soon. Darkness be a-coming earlier these days.”

Rising reluctantly, Anne said, “I know, and I should not have stayed so long, but in truth, I do not want to go. Were it not
that my cousin would suffer from my absence, I’d be tempted to stay here. Indeed, once she marries—”

“Nay, mistress, ye mustna move back here even then,” the steward said. “It isna fitting for a young lass tae live alone in
a place as vulnerable as the Towers be tae English Harry and his ilk, especially when we dinna ken friend from foe these days.
Ye’ll be going now, and I’ll send some o’ the lads along tae look after ye.”

“No, don’t do that,” she said firmly as she always did when he made such a suggestion. “I enjoy the solitude of these rides,
for I get too little of it at Mute Hill. Nearly everyone in these parts knows me, so I’ll come to no harm.”

“The clouds be thinning, and the moon be likely tae draw out a few reivers,” he warned. “They come from all parts, reivers
do.”

Anne smiled but got up obediently and let him help her don her cloak. As she picked up her gloves, she said, “I’ll not worry
you by staying longer, but it is still too early for reivers to be riding, and I shall reach Mute Hill before moonrise.”

He shook his head at her but did not argue. Danger abounded in the area, but all the servants at the Towers knew that Lady
Anne, despite her calm demeanor and ready smiles, always took her own path. Even the earl had rarely curbed her, and the plain
truth was that although her impulses often seemed foolhardy to others, she had never yet come to harm.

Catriona sighed with vexation. Everything was in train, and she had been gently encouraging Anne to linger, hoping she would
stay long enough at the Towers to suit the excellent plan. However, the steward’s influence was strong, and she dared not
interfere further. But it was not nearly late enough yet.

Anne’s luck was out. Thoughts of Fiona’s upcoming wedding still intruded upon her peace, and in pondering how she might persuade
her aunt to postpone that event, she failed to pay proper heed to the track ahead. Thus, and with dusk rapidly descending,
her mount stepped into a rabbit hole and came up lame.

Dismounting, she carefully examined the horse’s leg and hoof.

It did not seem badly hurt, but even a slight injury would be compounded if she continued to ride. With a sigh, she glanced
around, trying to determine exactly how far she had come and how much farther she had to go.

The clouds had dissipated, and although it was still light, she could see a scattering of first stars. The moon would not
rise for two hours or more.

“Here now, what d’ye think ye’re a-doing?”

Since her attention was focused on Anne, Catriona nearly leaped out of her skin at the sound of an unfamiliar masculine voice.
Whirling to face the speaker, she stared in amazement, because the angry fellow she confronted was unlike anyone she had ever
seen before. Although she was in alien territory, she had met other Border folk, including Maggie Malloch, and none of them
had had bodies through which one could see.

He was not transparent, exactly, but he was certainly diaphanous, for as he moved, she could see the outline of the brown
grassy hills behind him.

He seemed astonished, too. “Faith,” he exclaimed, “who are ye?”

“My name is Catriona,” she said, recovering her wits and smiling at him.

His eyes opened so wide that his eyelids nearly vanished. “But ye’re lovely.”

“Thank you.”

“But why did ye lame me lass’s pony?”

“She was going too fast.”

“But she must get home!” He flicked a finger toward the lame gelding.

“What are
you
doing?”

“Fixing him, o’ course. Ye canna be going about laming ponies. We ha’ rules against such as that.”

“Who are you, and why do you care what I do?”

“Me name’s Fergus Fishbait.” he said. “Hereabouts everyone kens me.”

“I don’t care if they do. I do not want her to ride, and in any event, since she does not know that you fixed the pony’s leg,
she will still walk, so that’s all right.”

“I’ll just put the notion in her head tae try it then.”

“She knows the pony stepped into a hole. She’ll not chance further injury.” She had taken his measure and was certain she
had more power than he did, but it would not help her cause if he complained to the High Circle about her tactics. She stepped
nearer, smiling again as she said, “It’s gey important, you see.”

“Why?”

“Because Lady Anne does not want her cousin to marry the man they are forcing her to marry, and I can help her stop that.”

“Aye? Ye can do that?”

“I can if you will help me. You are her guardian spirit, are you not?”

“I am,” he said, regarding Anne thoughtfully. “’Tis true she doesna want her cousin tae marry him, and I dinna like the man
much m’self.”

“Then you’ll not stop me,” Catriona said happily as she flitted over to the gelding and settled herself comfortably in its
mane. “Come along, Fergus Fishbait,” she said, patting the place beside her. “There is room for two, and you will not want
to miss what happens next.”

Grasping the reins high at the bit, Anne plodded on, muttering imprecations at herself for her carelessness both in lingering
so long and in not paying attention to her path, until she saw a thicket ahead in the gathering dusk. Remembering that the
track skirted the trees for a time before fording a brook at the foot of the hill, she realized she still had at least three
miles to go and sighed again at her foolishness.

Patting the horse’s nose, she muttered, “Walking serves me right, I expect, but I’m sorry that you have suffered, too.”

Ten minutes later, as she approached the ford, a noise from the thicket startled her, and before she could gather her thoughts,
mounted men galloped out of it and surrounded her.

“Sakes, lass,
now
see what ye’ve done,” Fergus exclaimed in dismay.

“Hush,” Catriona said. “Watch now, for this is just how I planned it.”

Anne peered at the men through the fast fading light, trying to find at least one among the half dozen or so whom she recognized.
They were a ragged lot, though, and she could not make out any familiar face.

“’Tis a fine looking pony, that ’un,” one of them said, sliding from his saddle to catch her by an arm.

“Unhand me,” Anne said firmly. “You would be foolish to harm me without first learning who I am.”

“Faith, lass, I dinna mean tae harm ye,” he said with a chuckle. “However, if ye’d like tae favor me wi’ one wee kiss, I’d
go tae me bed a happy man.”