The Heather Moon (42 page)

"Rabbie!" Tamsin exclaimed.

He waved them both ahead of him. "Through the yett, now. Archie said ye're to go to yer chamber until he comes inside, lass. I am to see that Rogue's Will waits elsewhere."

"Elsewhere? You mean the great hall. I'll wait there with him," Tamsin said. They rode beneath the overhanging iron teeth of the raised portcullis and through the tunnel arch cut in the width of the outer wall. The gate opened on a small courtyard, heavily sloped at one side, where the keep itself loomed huge and massive in the darkness. A few torches, ringed in the mist, spilled pools of weak light over the damp cobblestones.

Another man ran forward as William and Tamsin dismounted. He nodded in response to Tamsin's greeting, and led their horses away. William turned, his glance sweeping the shadowed yard, the huge keep, the small stable and other wooden outbuildings set up beneath the encompassing wall.

While Tamsin spoke with Rabbie Armstrong, William circled a little where he stood. He watched the man walk the horses into the stable, and turned again to see an older man come out of the keep and proceed down the wooden steps that led from the doorway, placed above ground level. He moved slowly, as if with age, and waved to Tamsin.

"I willna go to my chamber like a wee bairn," Tamsin insisted to Rabbie. "I'll stay with our guest, wherever he is to be put. Dinna look so horrified. Ah, there is Uncle Cuthbert come to greet us properly. He will tell us what this is about, if you willna do it."

"Och, Tamsin, be a good lass and do what ye're told," Rabbie said. "Ye dinna want to go where this laddie is going."

"And where is that?" William asked, turning toward him.

"Och, well," Rabbie said. "To the dungeon, then."

William realized that someone stood behind him in the same instant that he felt a heavy blow to his head. He heard a scream, and knew it was Tamsin. He wanted to ask her what was the matter, but the cobbled stones rushed upward to meet him.

Chapter 25

He's casten him in a dungeon deep

Where he cou'd neither hear nor see;

He's shut him up in a prison strong

An he's handl'd him right cruely.

—"Young Beicham"

Tamsin watched the fire blaze in the hearth and fumed to herself. She spun around as her father and Cuthbert came into the great hall, where she had insisted on waiting. Equally insistent, Rabbie had kept her from leaving the room by standing at the door, a truculent, grim guard. Now he moved aside as the two men entered. Archie crossed the room with a heavy stride, and Cuthbert walked more slowly.

"Da, how could you order William taken down and thrown in the dungeon?" Tamsin cried. "Uncle Cuthbert hit him so hard he went down in the courtyard! Dear God—"

"Eh, he's nae hurt. I just saw him," Archie said. "He's awake now, and there's nae harm done to his bonny face, if ye fret over that. He's shut in a dark cell, where he belongs."

"I thought you had high regard for the son of Allan Scott!"

"I did," Archie said. "But nae more." He sat heavily in a large chair that was angled toward the hearth. "Tamsin, are ye well? Are ye unharmed?"

"Fine," she snapped. "And you?"

"Well enough." He looked at her, and his gaze seemed to soften for a moment. "Yer hair looks bonny, all beaded and twisted-like."

"Th-thank you," she said, flustered. His regard for her, and the simple fact that she had missed her father and her home, confounded her for a moment, despite her anger.

"Is that the sort o' confinement Scott o' Rookhope offered ye? Maids to dress yer hair?"

"'Twas... pleasant there," she said. "I came to care a good deal for his mother and sister, and his wee daughter."

"And him? Rookhope himself? I will hope ye dinna care for that scoundrel," he growled, looking away.

She stared at him, still astonished by his complete change of heart regarding William Scott. She had wanted to surprise him with the news of her marriage. But he was surly and angry, and she could not mention her situation until she saw William, and learned what had happened to alter Archie's opinion of him.

"Ye sent a paltry word to me through Sandie Scott, only that ye were at Rookhope, and thanking me for a bundle o' gear." Archie's tone was petulant and reproachful. "'Tis all I knew of ye the full fortnight ye were gone."

"I would have sent a letter, but you dinna read. I didna hear from you either," she added.

"Busy," he said, "with that foul list. And with learning about Will Scott and Musgrave. Fiends all."

She fisted her hands on her hips. "I dinna understand this. Why do you say that? And why did you order Will Scott put in your prison? A fortnight ago, you thought rather differently about him!"

Archie glowered at her, but she saw a hint of sadness in his eyes too. "A fortnight ago, I thought he was like his father in more than his bonny face! I had him taken down because he's a scoundrel," he growled.

"No more than you! Less, in fact!"

"Hah! Ye were the one told me he was a ruffian, when I wouldna believe it. But ye've changed yer song, I think." He turned away to scowl into the fire. "And I want to know why," he muttered.

Tamsin rounded on Cuthbert. "How could you hit Will like that?" she demanded.

"'Twas the best way to get the task done," Cuthbert said, seated in a chair near her father. His thin face and silver hair reflected the firelight as he turned to look at Archie.

"This is foolishness! I want him taken out of that dungeon!"

Tamsin said. Archie stared into the fire and ignored her. "Then I'll do it myself!" She stomped toward the door.

"Rabbie," Archie said.

Rabbie, waiting by the door, stepped forward and took her arm. He pulled her back toward the hearth, where he pushed her down on a bench by the table. She shrugged his hand away. Rabbie stood nearby, arms folded over his chest.

"Ye willna go to him," Archie said. "I suspect there's been enough o' that at Rookhope."

"What has happened, Da?" She felt confused and frightened. "Why did you hurt Will? And what have you done with Musgrave?"

"Jasper's in the dungeon too," Archie said. "English side. We put Rogue's Will on the Scots side, just to be safe. I want nae Border treason on my head when all is done."

"What do you mean to do?" she demanded.

Archie sighed. "Pour us some wine while ye sit there, lass," he said gruffly. He gestured toward a clay jug that sat on the table beside a stack of wooden cups. "And have some yerself. 'Tis watered. Ye have nae head for the stronger stuff, nor ever did."

Tamsin huffed a little in exasperation, but turned to pour the wine, handing a cup to her father. Rabbie and Cuthbert each took a cup too, but Tamsin did not fill one for herself.

"Now what of William?" she asked Archie impatiently.

Archie frowned, looking into the fire. "I was wrong to trust that lad," he said. "And I am rarely mistaken about a man's character. I liked him well and thought him the equal o' his father. But ye were right about him, lass." He took a sip, and paused to shake his head.

"I was right?" Tamsin asked, bewildered.

"He is a treacherous sort, as ye tried to tell me when first ye laid eyes upon him. I've proof o' that now. He and Jasper Musgrave are involved in a heinous scheme."

She gasped, and felt a sensation like falling, like losing strength suddenly. She had hardly thought about Musgrave's scheme, or William's role in it, for days. The newborn flare of her feelings for William, and her growing affection for his family, had taken all of her attention. She had relied on a blithe trust that William and Archie would work that matter out. How foolish of her, she thought now.

"Heinous?" she asked hesitantly.

"Wicked," Archie said. "But this night, I've seen to the matter myself. They're both in my dungeon, and there they will stay. It may be I'll hang them myself," he mused.

"Hang them!" Tamsin stood, knees trembling.

"Or it may be, I'll let the Privy Council do that. See ye," Archie added, "Jasper doesna know he's in my dungeon." He smiled slyly, glancing at Rabbie and Cuthbert, who grinned.

Cuthbert leaned toward Tamsin. "Musgrave thinks he's in the hands o' the Privy Council," he said. "We'll have a confession out o' him soon, that sneakbait! Yer da is a canny man!"

"I dinna understand," Tamsin said faintly, sitting again.

Archie rubbed his hand over his jaw. "We captured Musgrave when he was on his way here. Riding alone, the auld fool, because Arthur was too drunk to come wi' him."

"And that was yer da's doing, too," Cuthbert crowed.

"Tell me what happened!" Tamsin demanded.

"Arthur Musgrave told us his father's plan, and 'tis a naughty thing indeed," Archie said. "We had to stop Jasper from completing his scheme. So we ambushed him, bagged his head, and tied his hands. I didna speak, for he knows my voice. We rode him all over the territory, and then came here and went round the walls till we were nigh exhausted."

"Why would you ride around the tower?" she asked.

"To make him think he was on a long journey!" Cuthbert said.

"We went around Merton Rigg for hours," Archie went on. "Rabbie told Jasper that he was the regent himself, and that Jasper's wicked scheme had been discovered. Hah!" He sat back, grinning. Cuthbert hooted with laughter, and Archie and Rabbie joined him.

Tamsin gaped at them, then stared at her father. "You have Musgrave down in the dungeon, fooled into thinking he is somewhere else, under the custody of the regent?"

"Aye," Archie said, grinning. "He wouldna be so frightened if he knew he was at Half Merton! He pleaded for his head to stay on his neck, he did!"

"Begged mercy of the Scottish regent—me!" Rabbie said.

"Hoo! Hoo!" Cuthbert guffawed. Archie and Rabbie slapped knees and punched shoulders and laughed with him.

Tamsin folded her arms over her chest and glared at each one in turn. "Swine drunk," she said. "How else would you come up with such a prank? Jasper Musgrave has been a naughty scoundrel, aye, but this is a cruel trick indeed!"

"We're nae drunk," Cuthbert said, recovering. "Well, nae that drunk." Rabbie snickered, and Cuthbert grinned again, but quickly went serious under Tamsin's stare. "We had but some July ale at an inn in Kelso."

"And we paid good coin for it," Rabbie said. "Arthur Musgrave downed enough ale to make a dozen swine drunk."

Archie sat straight, his demeanor more serious. "'Tis how we learned about Musgrave's scheme. We were out collecting the signatures for the list—"

"The list of Bordermen willing to help King Henry?" she asked.

"Aye," Archie said. "We saw Arthur Musgrave bemoaning himself, cupshot and alone. We sat down and ordered more ale and let him think we were his comrades. He's just lost his bride to Jock Scott o' Lincraig, who stole her away and married her himself. A neat trick, that. And a fine reiver, I've heard. I thought to approach Jock one day about taking ye to wife, lass. Too late."

"Aye, too late," Tamsin said decisively. "Go on."

"We bought ale for Arthur until he was as fou as any man I've ever seen. After a while we learned a good bit from him."

"And what does any of this have to do with William Scott?" Tamsin asked. "I want him brought out of that dungeon. If you dinna do it soon, I will do it myself, I warn you."

"Lass," Archie said, "listen." He looked at Cuthbert and Rabbie, who had grown as solemn as Archie. "Archie Musgrave said that his father and William Scott are part of a plan designed by King Henry himself, the greatest scoundrel in all England."

"What plan?" Tamsin nearly shouted out of frustration.

"Jasper and Will mean to snatch our wee queen out o' Scotland and give her over to King Henry's custody," Archie said.

Tamsin stared at him, stunned. "That isna true," she said after a moment. "That canna be so."

"Has Will Scott told you different?" Archie asked.

"He's told me naught. But he wouldna do such an awful thing." She folded her arms to show her conviction. But her gut spun uncomfortably inside. Why had she not pressed William for better answers to the puzzle of Musgrave and his scheme? Had she trusted him in that matter only because he drew her to him, like a lodestone luring a bit of iron?