Seize The Dawn (30 page)

Isobel would have seen to it by now that the "rumor" about her Scottish lover was well circulated. Edward would be the final judge in this matter, as Alain was a beloved subject of his new brother-in-law. Edward would be incensed that any loyal Englishwoman would willingly fall to a savage, heathen, rogue of a rebel outlaw—a man in the service of the loathed Wallace.

She was condemned, without being tried.

For a moment, her heart beat too quickly. Gregory had seen Brendan. He was alive and well. Still fighting with his ragtag band. His head would remain on his shoulders no longer than hers.

He would come for her, she thought whimsically.

No. She was not worth Scotland to him. Nothing was. Her own family, in command of guards and sizable troops, dared not help her lest they all be cut down. He mustn't come for her ...

She prayed then that she would be long gone before he ever appeared. Not even he could stop what was to be, though he had stopped her often enough ...

That thought caused her to look to the window. She gazed back to her bed, and wondered if she couldn't rig a rope of bedding once again, and make it to the courtyard. If she could do so ...

Yet they
would
kill her if she did not!

Chapter 15

Brendan lay in wait so long that it seemed the branch of the oak would give way with his weight. But they had set the trap; whatever time it took, they were in position, and there was nothing to do but stay silent, and let the time pass.

At last, when twilight was nearly gone, he heard the approaching horses. From across the road, Eric signaled to him. He returned the signal. A whisper went through the branches.

They might well be abetted in this scheme by the deplorable state of the road. The Romans had long ago carved it, on their few prods into Scotland, before they decided that the riches to be gained were not worth harrying the warlike people of the north. Since Alexander's days of peace, wars and lack of funds had let the roads worsen from what the weather itself was likely to effect Deep grooves marred the road; it had rained, so the terrain was slippery and dangerous.

He listened; felt the oak vibrate. They were not coming quickly, but the horses were heavily laden with the riders in the armor. He wished they would opt for a little more speed, but with night coming on, they would not do so.

The horses came closer and closer.

They paused; Brendan swore, listening. Someone asked if they shouldn't stop for the night, but the lead rider replied tersely. "Nay, we'll not bed in this forest!"

"We are armed men against a handful of outdraws—"

"We'll not stop until we've cleared the forest!"

The horses came on again. Brendan's heart began to beat faster. He could see faces in the trees, all tense. They waited. The horses moved with a greater speed.

They reached the trees—and the all but invisible ropes stretched between them. Three horses in the lead; they immediately went down, screaming and shrieking in panic. One of the great animals backed into the others, causing another group to bolt. They, too, were caught in the web set to trip them in the road.

Screams and shouts went out; more horses floundered; men, in a panic, were caught beneath them. The others scattered, seeking the danger that only then leaped down upon them.

It was not to be; the felled Englishmen were left to flounder, those still horsed were dragged from their bolting mounts. They were heavy in their armor, awkward in the confines of the woods. Though they outnumbered the Scots, and gave good battle, they were caught, as if in quicksand. Men were trampled as many of the horses managed to bolt; others were slain as they gave fight. And when it at last appeared that they had the advantage, Brendan shouted out, "Surrender! Your lives will be spared."

"Nay, you heathens will cut our throats!" Cried one man. "Men! Cowards, wretched dogs, stand tall against these ragged outlaws, fight!" He rushed Eric, who sidestepped him, and indeed, neatly slit his throat before he could turn and take Eric down with his sword.

"Gilly,
Lord Gilly."

In a body, they lowered their weapons. "We're curious, Lord Gilly. Why is such an esteemed body of men moving southward?"

Brendan leaned on his own sword. "Lord Gilly, I beg to differ. Scotland lies yonder, so if you are not headed to fight us, that was surely your previous activity."

Gilly shrugged beneath the weight of his armor. "The lady is loved in her land. She must be taken, for the king's justice."

But he had heard enough. "We'll have your armor, gentlemen, and your clothing. A few of these fine, stalwart fellows will see you north; no man who holds the peace will be harmed. Your families will be notified, and we will gladly see that you are ransomed home. Lord Gilly, I will have another word with you, and quickly!"

He took the man down the lane while Eric ordered the knights to help one another off with their mail. The few squires in the company came forward, and the clanking of the steel seemed very loud in the night.

"I need to know everything you know about this situation," Brendan told Gilly. ' 'The count is definitely dead? Why is the lady accused? How many men are at Clarin, and beneath whose authority have they come?"

"The Duke of York sent out the sheriff, Sir Miles Fitzgerald. He has, if I understand correctly, ten men beneath him. Apparently, at the count's death, the symptoms of his illness suggested poison, and an examination of the body was demanded." Gilly stared at him a long while. "It was a sad duty, but one to which we were called to obey. I knew the lady's father well; a fine man. I remember the countess as a child, sitting upon his lap while he read stories from around the world. It is a tragedy that she should come to such an end."

"Aye; we would have brought the number to fifty." He cleared his throat. "We were a trained fighting force." He sounded confused, as if he still weren't sure himself how they had managed to fall to a small number of outlaws in the forest.

"This is news I am deeply grateful to have," Brendan told him. "I'll see that you are ransomed quickly, and that you and your men are detained in the best comfort we have means to offer."

Gilly bowed to him in acceptance. Brendan moved back to the body of his men. Eric had the armor gathered, the men's tunics taken, and the situation well in hand. "Off to the north you go, good fellows," he told the Englishmen, striding for one of the horses. Liam was assembling the men to move back along the trail, the way they had come.

Brendan paused, breathing deeply. "Aye!" he muttered. Then he sighed. "I'll take care. I'll ride like no madman. I will come up with a plan."

He did. It was littered with the men who had fallen. Hagar, a huge Scotsman, kneeled sadly by the head of one of the horses brought down. The animal had broken its leg. Hagar was much fonder of animals than people—especially Englishmen. With tears in his eyes, he took the horse's head, smoothed its nose, and in an instant, broke the animal's neck, ending its pain.

The following morning, Eleanor was working with the sheets she had gathered when a firm rap came at her door. Composed, she cast the sheets on the bed, covered the knots with a pillow, and walked to the door.

Miles Fitzgerald stood just outside. ' 'My lady, I am heartily sorry, but an escort would arrive in a day's time. It is my duty to bring you to London. I have no choice but to bring you to justice for the murder of your husband."