Love's Ransom (17 page)

‘How far can we go, Sir, before we leave your land? Are we safe here?’

‘Yes, my boy, you are safe. All the men connected to Moyenstane Tower take turns at guarding the borders. Walter is in charge of them since Zander went away. One day you will be able to join them now you can ride and shoot. We may not be able to see them up there on the hill top but they will have seen us.’

The children played happily together while they set about collecting the autumn fruits and nuts. Isabella was delighted when she found some of the wild flowers and herbs which she knew Henry had used for various ailments. Eventually Sir William decided it was time to eat.

‘It is strange,’ Isabella said with a smile, ‘but we seem to eat twice as much when we are outside. I think Alex will soon be as big as his sisters.’

‘He’s a sturdy wee fellow,’ Sir William agreed. ‘Lizzie says he reminds her of me when I was a boy,’ he said proudly, ‘even though he does not have hair the colour ripening corn.’

‘Alex has my brother’s colouring,’ Isabella said defensively. She always felt nervous when people commented on her children’s looks. She was secretly relieved that her son resembled her brother and father as much as he resembled Zander, though already he had several of Zander’s mannerisms, the way he smiled, the arch of a curious eyebrow, or the mischievous grin when he had been naughty.

‘The girls are so fair they are almost silver in the sunlight,’ she said hurriedly to draw Sir William’s attention from his grandson. They are more delicately built.’

‘Aye, like Henry’s mother and her sister.’ Sir William sighed. ‘Henry was like them, too finely built for a man, or for motherhood,’ he added. For a moment Isabella thought his eyes held a stricken look.

They had almost finished eating when Sir William got swiftly to his feet. He stood shielding his eyes with one hand as he stared into the distance.

‘Thomas and Edward are on look-out up there today,’ he muttered. ‘But there are three men coming this way.’ He felt for his pistol and glanced at Duncan. ‘Do you carry your pistol with you, laddie?’

‘Y-yes, S-sir. Master Walter said I must keep it with me always when I was with Mistress Isabella. B--but S-sir, I’m better with the bow and arrows.’

‘Just be prepared in case I need you. Isabella we had better gather things together.’ He stood shielding his eyes and staring into the distance. Isabella got to her feet and followed the direction of his gaze. Her eyesight was better than his.

‘There are four of them,’ she said. ‘They are coming from the direction of the marshlands. It is the way I first came here. They are leading their horses as though they have ridden for many hours.’ Her breath was coming faster now. ‘It’s Sam. I’m sure it is Sam, and the smaller one is his grandson. See there is a very young man, and a tall bearded fellow…’ She turned to look at her father-in-law. He was staring, frowning impatiently.

‘Why are they walking so slowly,’ he complained irritably.

‘I expect they’re stiff and weary if they have crossed the marshlands. What news can they be bringing?’ She turned to Duncan. ‘You can put away your pistol.’ She smiled at him. ‘I have known Sam all my life. He will not harm us.’ Her beaming smile died for a moment. I hope he is not the bearer of bad news about my family,’ she said in a low voice. She turned back to watch the approaching figures. She saw the tall man look up. He had seen them. He began to wave.

‘I-I think it is…’ The golden hair and the beard glowed in the afternoon sunlight. ‘Is it possible? Did you expect…?’ She turned to stare accusingly at Sir William.

‘Expect what?’ he demanded impatiently. ‘Who? They’re waving at us.’

‘The big man - with the beard? Surely it is Zander? Surely you recognise him? But why is he coming from the marshlands? It is Zander! And Sam, Peter too, I think.’ She picked up her skirts and began to run to meet them, as eager and excited as a child. They too quickened their pace now, in spite of their bone weary limbs, but the tall man strode ahead, leaving his horse to follow obediently.

Forgetful of those watching Isabella ran faster. He opened his arms wide.

‘Zander, Oh Zander!’ she gasped with happiness. ‘Can it really be you?’ Zander’s arms tightened, holding her close against his lean, hard body while his mouth found hers in a long, hungry kiss.

Nell stared at her young Mistress, her mouth forming an O, while her eyes misted with tears. She knew how often Isabella had been overcome with sadness, despite her love for her children. Duncan’s eyes were round with surprise but when he would have followed Isabella Sir William gestured him to stay, although his own eyes never left the couple now locked in each other’s arms. His thoughts went back to the day he had returned after a long absence in Europe. He had looked forward to such an eager, warm embrace too. Instead he had been offered a hand shake and a cool cheek to kiss. His true love and her sister had been identical in physical form but there was no comparison when it came to love. He sighed, remembering how his heart had sunk like a leaden weight when he learned his beloved was dead. She had been forced to marry, been widowed, had given birth and died herself - all within three months.

It was Isabella who reluctantly drew away from Zander’s embrace as she became aware of Sam’s gaze upon them.

‘Zander you must hasten to greet Sir William,’ she whispered urgently. He nodded and slowly released her. ‘God, how I have missed you,’ he muttered, not quite under his breath. Isabella’s heart danced with joy and her colour rose in the familiar delicate blush he remembered so well. She moved and hugged Sam too and her cheeks were wet with tears as she felt his lined face. His own eyes were bright at the sight of her and the feel of her strong young arms. ‘He loved ye frae that day he first saw ye, lassie, coming frae the marshes,’ he muttered softly. ‘Brave and beautiful he said ye were, but Sir William Douglas had other ideas.’

‘Thank you Sam,’ she whispered softly, then looked over his shoulder at the two young men waiting patiently. ‘Can this be Peter? The little boy of my childhood,’ she said, looking at the handsome young man at Sam’s side.

‘It is, Mistress Isabella. This is his second visit, although he did not see you before. He and your sister Margaret are to marry when we return to Braidlands.’

‘That’s wonderful news,’ Isabella declared. ‘And what news of Mama and my brother Jamie? And who…?’ She gave a puzzled frown as she looked at the other young man.

‘This is Charles, your cousin, your Uncle David’s youngest son.’

‘Then I am pleased to see you cousin,’ Isabella smiled warmly. ‘You are all most welcome. You must be very tired, and hungry too.

‘We shall be glad to rest but we were given refreshments by the men who guard the pass. We rested a wee while but,’ Sam’s eyes twinkled, ‘but Zander was in a hurry to reach home. He did not expect to see you here, in the glen.’ Isabella turned and walked beside him to re-join the others while the two young men followed. ‘He says he has been away more than two years.’

‘Yes, he has,’ Isabella nodded. Two years and five months she thought silently.

‘He went on a sailing ship to eastern lands so he had not heard of Henry’s death until he reached Braidlands. Your mother showed him the letter Warden Herries brought from you after your husband’s funeral,’ Sam said in a low voice. ‘You were expecting a child. She was afraid the baby would not be born alive after such a shock? The poor lady has fretted for news o’ ye.’

‘The baby was small but healthy. Now he is a sturdy boy of twenty months and running everywhere.’ She smiled with pleasure. ‘He resembles my brother and my father, though his hair is a lighter brown and his skin is fairer. Come Sam you must meet him and my darling wee girls. You will not know the difference between them.’

‘I am happy for you, Mistress Isabella. Your mother will be very relieved.’

‘Has she sent me a letter, Sam? I shall write her a long letter for you take to her, but I hope you can stay for many days and give me all the news of my family,’ she added wistfully. ‘I have longed to see them all so often, especially since Henry died. He was such a gentle person and he knew even more about plants and medicines than dear Mama. She would have loved him like another son.’

‘Aye, I’m sure she would. She likes Master Zander too, and so does your brother. They are wishing they could make a road across the marsh to that you might visit, but I fear it is only a dream. When I was a wee laddie your grandfather talked of men who would dig wide ditches one day. He said they would fill with the black peaty water and leave strips of land dry, at least for part of the year. He had travelled across the sea and seen such things, but no man can control the tides. We have tried marking a path across the marsh but the ground shifts and the poles move or sink.’

‘But it would be wonderful if we could journey across the marshes and see my mother. She will never see my children.’

‘It would be too dangerous to take them over the marshes. Zander would not risk leading his mules across. He has cargo from the ship but he sent a troop of men with mules to travel round by the tracks. His is afraid they might be attacked and robbed but they are well armed.’

The food had been eaten or packed away and they were all ready to return to Moyenstane Tower by the time Isabella re-joined the children. Sir William and Zander were talking earnestly but Zander turned to her at once.

‘I see your two babies are growing into beautiful little girls,’ he said beaming at the twins. Mamie and Nettie stood holding hands and looking shyly at this strange man with the long golden hair and beard. Young as they were even they recognized his likeness to their grandfather, but who was he? Isabella moved to put an arm around each of them.

‘This is your Uncle Alexander. Say hello to him Mamie, and you too Nettie.’

‘And who is this young man?’ Zander asked.

‘He is our brother,’ Mamie said, reaching for Alex’s small hand. She was very motherly and protective.

‘Everyone knows that,’ Nettie said. ‘His name is William Alexander Jamie Douglas but we call him Alex.’

‘I see…’ Zander said slowly and his blue eyes met Isabella’s grey ones. ‘He is very like you Isabella, though his hair is a few shades lighter I think.’

‘The wee fellow is like your brother Jamie was when he was a wee laddie,’ Sam said .

Isabella wanted to shout aloud, ‘He is your son, Zander. You left your seed in me when you went away.’ Instead she summoned a smile and said ‘Walter and Anna will be so pleased to see you, Zander. We thought you might never return. Even Father Oliver had begun to despair for your safety. He sent messages with all the merchants who passed through the monastery. None of those who returned had met you, but a few had heard of you.’

‘We went to China. There are fortunes to be made for those who travel to the east.’ His eyes shone at the thought of the sights he had seen. He had almost relished the dangers in his misery at being parted from the woman he loved. ‘The ships are at the mercy of the weather but they are quicker than the camel route over land. The risk of being attacked and robbed as merchants pass through strange lands is even greater than being at the mercy of the wind and the sea.’

‘I see,’ Isabella said slowly, for she had seen the light of adventure in his eyes. Sir William looked intently from one to the other. He had known from the day Isabella arrived that Zander wanted her. He had seen his disappointment, chagrin even, when he knew she was to marry Henry even though Zander had only known her for the time it had taken to escort her the length of the Long Glen.

‘I didn’t know that Henry was dead until I visited your family,’ Zander said softly now.

‘He could not wait to return to have news of you all,’ Sam said. ‘We didn’t know if you and the babe had survived the shock of your husband’s death. Your mother is anxious for news too, Mistress Isabella.’

‘Alex is twenty months old now. I would have written but there has been no one travelling in the direction of Braidlands since the letter I sent with Warden
Herries, after Henry’s funeral. I longed for news too.’

There was great excitement when they arrived back at Moyenstane Tower with Zander and the travellers. News spread of Zander’s return and the following day Walter brought Anna and her two children down to visit. There was scarcely any time for Zander to see Isabella on her own. She seemed to be continually busy with the children – their children, he reminded himself, or she was supervising in the kitchens.

‘I have brought you spices from the east, Isabella. I know how much you liked them when Henry brought some back from the monastery. I will bring them to you in Henry’s medicine room when I have unpacked everything we brought across the Marshlands, but the silk and other materials were too bulky so I must wait for my men to arrive with the mules.

True to his word he joined her in the medicine room as soon as she was alone. He had brought ginger and cinnamon, vanilla pods and peppers and hot spices she had never seen or tasted before. He had also brought a lovely gold bracelet for Anna and a small silver bracelet for each of the twins.

‘Oh Mamie and Nettie will love these,’ Isabella said, her eyes shining.

‘And this, my dear Isabella, I have brought only for you,’ he said softly. ‘I knew Henry would not mind, and now I find he is not here. His death is still a shock to me, but you have never been out of my thoughts even though I believed he was alive.’ He drew out a velvet pouch. Inside it there was the most beautiful gold necklace Isabella could ever have imagined with three deep red rubies sparkling like living fire and each was in a golden filigree heart. ‘There is a bracelet to match,’ he said softly, ‘It is of many hearts joined together so it may be wiser for you to put it away for a while in case my uncle wonders why I should bring such gifts for Henry’s wife. I have many more trinkets I long to bestow on you but I know I must wait.’ He could not bring himself to tell her he had a problem and would need to leave again. Instead he said softly, ‘Turn around and allow me to fasten this around your beautiful white neck, dear Isabella.’ She obeyed and felt his lips gentle against her warm skin as he secured the necklace. She turned to thank him, her eyes bright with love and gratitude. It was inevitable when they were standing so close in the tiny room that their lips should meet in a long sweet kiss. The door was slightly ajar and Lizzie glanced in as she passed. She nodded her grey head with satisfaction at the sight of them locked in each other arms. Maybe happiness would return to chase away the shadows and lighten the young mistress’s steps again now that Zander was back.