April Holthaus - The MacKinnon Clan 02 (13 page)

Upon the tray was a slice of cheese, a piece of black bread and a mug of water. After not having a bite to eat in more than a day, Jacqueline avidly shoved the food in her mouth caring or not whether it was poisonous. After Jacqueline had filled her stomach with the offering, she climbed back down the stairs and laid down upon the rough dirt floor.

The cellar room was cold and silent. She assumed that this must be similar to how the dungeons at Carlisle were. Only she was tied with rope and not chains. Jacqueline twisted her wrists trying to loosen the rope from her thin wrists. Finally after pulling and tugging, she was able to slip one of her wrists out of the loop. With her free hand, she picked at the rope to remove it from her other wrist. Tossing the rope into the corner, she rubbed her hands and wrists. She could feel a slight the sting from the rope burn she had caused, but she was free from her bindings and that enough satisfied her.

Jacqueline awoke to the sound of commotion from above. The beams of light shined brightly down into the room which told Jacqueline that it was already morning. She felt her body involuntarily shake as she believed that the English had come.
This is it, Jacqueline. You must stay strong
, she repeated to herself over and over but something caught her attention causing her breath to seize. Tears involuntarily filled her eyes at the sound of the most beautiful voice, believed to be her Highland savior, Ewan. Pushing past the anger she had once felt, her heart fluttered at the thought of him being alive. It had been weeks since she had seen him; she could sense the anticipation coursing through her veins. If it was him, he was here to rescue her.

Nervously anxious, she stood up from the ground almost feeling the same intense excitement she felt when he had kissed her. How she longed to be in his arms and feel the comfort and security he gave by just being near her. As the trap door began to swing open, Jacqueline looked up towards her savage warrior, but her smile faded and she froze at the sight of the man looking down on her. For it was not the man she had expected. It was James.

Reaching down to help her up the stairs, he wrapped both of his arms around her. Jacqueline remained immobile. She had not expected to see him again. She was in shock and felt confused. Looking over his shoulder, she gazed at her three captives. Jacqueline stepped out of James’ embrace and took a step back, curious how James remained unharmed and had so easily convinced them to release her.

“Are you alright, my love? I am here now and there is nothing that can stop us from being together,” he said to her. Looking at Nial, he said, “You will remember our agreement.”

“Aye. We will be putting the knowledge ye gave us to good use,” he replied.

With teary eyes, Jacqueline looked between the two of them. What could James have bargained for? What knowledge? Putting one hand onto her aching chest and the other to her forehead she felt faint.

James held her arm and walked her out the door and down the cobble-stone path to a stone bench out of ears’ distance. Jacqueline steadied her breathing to prevent from swooning. James kneeled down in front of her and took her by the hands.

“How did you find me?” she asked.

“Oh my love, I have been following your trail since you have left England. After your brother banished me, I sent a message to my cousin in France. He offered us a place to stay where we will be protected from your brother. I have received your message from the abbey and hired these men to retrieve you. It was the only way. I thought the diversion would make your brother believe that you were dead or kidnapped so that we can escape without him following us. On my travels, I have secured a vessel to take us to France but we must leave at once.”

“But these men, how can you trust them? I have come across these men before. They are vile. They were planning on keeping me hostage until they collected their ransom.”

“I know, but I offered them something that they valued more than coin.”

“What was that?”

“The name of that Scot who had helped you. I bribed an old woman at an inn for his name. When I came across these men, they tried to rob me in the woods but I heard them talking about the beautiful blond that escaped them and I knew that they were talking about you, so I made a deal with them that they could not refuse.”

“You gave them Ewan’s name?”

“So that was his name? I only knew that he was a MacKinnon. Surprised really as that was the clan’s name of…well you know.”

“He wasn’t the barbarian that we have been made to believe. He helped me,” she said feeling defensive.

“You have no reason to be mad. You are with me now and never have to worry about him again.”

“I may not have to anyways. He may already be dead. He went off to war against our king and not many of them survived.”

“Well I am just grateful that bloody Scot did not take advantage of you or take your womanhood.”

“Of course he did not. He was well-mannered and kind and…” Jacqueline had never felt more confused than she did at that moment. She had wanted nothing more than to spend a lifetime with James, but over the past several weeks, the feelings she developed for Ewan were not ones so easily ignored.

“Come, my love,” he said as he helped Jacqueline stand and escorted her towards his horse. “Just think of it, Jacqueline. You and I married, sailing across the ocean to start our new life. What we have always dreamed,” James reminded her as he held her close.

Jacqueline smiled back at him. She had missed his boyish enthusiasm and spontaneous ideas. James jumped onto the back of his horse and helped Jacqueline climb onto the front. Holding onto the reins, they took off through the broken wooden gate.

Chapter 12

After only being gone for a couple months, Dunakin Castle no longer looked the same. Ewan stood on the hill looking down at his home, wondering how he should proceed. Telling his laird about the loss of his brother was no easy task, nor would it be to tell his two young lads about the loss of their father. Bram may have been Ewan’s cousin but growing up together he was just as much as his little brother as he was to Rory.

Ewan allowed the anger to build around his heart. He blamed himself for Bram’s death. He should have been there to protect him. He should not have been distracted. He should…stop making excuses. Ewan knew that Bram knew what he was getting into when he decided to go off to war. And he would not want Ewan to grieve his death. Instead, his life should be celebrated.

Ewan kicked his horse forward and began to trot down the hill towards the village below. He was greeted by many of the farmers working out in the fields. He made small talk but proceeded towards the line of crofts to the one on the end. He dismounted his horse and opened the door to the small dwelling.

“Ewan,” his mother cried out as she ran towards him and threw her arms around him.

Ewan stepped out of his mother’s embrace.

“It is good to see ye, son. I have been so worried about ye. Come now, ye must be starving. I just finished making yer favorite, venison stew. It’s good and fresh,” his mother said as she grabbed onto his arm and dragged him towards the table.

“I thank ye, mother but I must see Rory at once.”

“Oh, nonsense. Ye just got home and ye probably have no’ eaten a decent meal the whole time ye were gone. Ye will eat first,” she replied.

Even as a man, she still treated him as a bairn. Ewan did not mind her smothering. After losing his father and sister, he knew that he was all she had left. Not wanting to argue, Ewan agreed to sit down. His mother, Fallon was the only one that Ewan knew better than to argue with. With the Irish blood in her ancestry, she had such a mean streak that she could take on even the most feared warrior.  Coincidently, she reminded him a lot of Jacqueline. She too was just as stubborn and firm with her word.

Quietly they ate, even though his mother had asked him several questions. Ewan did not want to reveal what had happened to Bram until he spoke to Rory. He thought it was only right that he was told first. He also left out the part of meeting Jacqueline. Had his mother known that he had feelings for the lass, she would make Ewan search all over Scotland for her to marry the lass and bring her home.

Just as Ewan scooped up the last bit of stew into his mouth, a knock pounded at the door. Ewan stood up from the table to answer it. Swinging the door open there stood Rory. With one hand on the doorframe and the other on his chest panting, he remained speechless until he could catch his breath. His hair was tussled and sweat dripped down from his forehead.

“Ewan, yer home?” Rory struggled to say.

“Aye, My Laird. I just arrived. Are ye alright?”

“Aye. I need yer mother to come wit me. Annella said that it is time fer the bairn to come and she is asking fer her.”

Fallon grabbed her cloak and followed Rory and Ewan out the door. The three of them ran back towards the castle. Lady Kenna, Rory’s mother greeted them outside.

“Fallon, I will need ye to grab onto a basin of water and several cloths. Rory, until I can attend to Annella and make her comfortable, I will need ye to stay outside of the room.”

“Will she be alright?” Rory asked.

“Aye, of course she will,” she replied.

With Annella’s baby on the way, Ewan knew that it was not time to give account of what had happened to Bram. This was to be a joyous moment and not one to cause grief. Besides, Ewan figured that Rory had enough on his mind, for the moment. Rory and Ewan stood outside the door listening to the painful screams Annella was bellowing. Ewan watched as Rory nervously paced back and forth.

“She is no’ dying, My Laird. I am sure that ma and Aunt Kenna ken what they are doing and how to attend to Annella and the babe. Ye need to relax,” Ewan suggested hoping to give Rory some ease and comfort.

“Aye, ye are right. My ma said this may last for hours, maybe even days. I can use a drink,” Rory replied.

“I will go down to the kitchen and have Lil bring in some ale from the stocks.”

Rory nodded his head and sat down on the top step. Ewan knew that Rory would be determined not to leave the hall just in case Annella needed him. Ewan admired the love that Rory had for Annella. Since the day he met her, he was swept away. For years Ewan swore that he would never be caught up with the nonsense of love or marriage. All he thought he ever needed was a warm lass between the sheets when he felt the need to release himself. And for Ewan, finding those who were willing came easy. But now his heart ached for something else, a home and a family of his own. But Ewan knew that path wasn’t meant for him.

Heading into the kitchen, Ewan stopped Lil and asked her to fill up two mugs to the rim with ale. She left the room and came back with one mug in each hand. Holding them out, Ewan snatched them up and began his way back up the stairs. The foam from the top of the mugs dripped onto the floor as he walked up the steps. Once he reached the top, the hallway was bare and Rory was nowhere to be found. Slamming back his pint of ale, he looked up and down the hall, then looked at Annella’s door when he heard the cheerful sound of a babe crying.

Rory swung open the door holding up the naked babe in his hands and joyfully hollered out, “I have me a son.”

Ewan smiled back at the elated father as Rory ran down the stairs to share his blessed news. Ewan could hear him yelling out, “The babe is a boy” as the crowd of people in the bailey cheered for the birth of their laird’s son. Once the babe was introduced, Rory took his son back to his mother to nurse. Soon after, Rory returned to Ewan’s side.

“What a blessed day,” Rory exclaimed.

“Aye, My Laird. What are ye going to name yer wee bairn?”

“I was thinking of naming him after me father, Duncan.”

“That is a good name, My Laird,” Ewan said with distraction.

Rory raised his brows and gave Ewan a quizzical look. “Ewan, I have ken ye all my life. I can tell when something is on yer mind.”

“I dinna ken if now is a good time, my laird.”

“Ye ken ye usually call me Rory when we are alone. Now I ken somethin’ is troubling ye.”

Ewan hated the idea of being the bearer of bad news, but he knew that is was his responsibility to do so. “I am sure that ye heard by now about the battle at Falkirk.”

“Aye. I did. Heard it was a terrible loss fer us and fer William Wallace.”

“Aye, it was. We lost many men on the battle field. Good men.”

“Ewan?”

“I’m sorry My Laird. Yer brother was wit me on the battlefield. Fought wit his verra last breath. I tried to save him but I was too late. I blame myself and I would understand if ye were to blame me as well. I should have been there, protecting him.”

Rory looked down at his folded hands. Ewan could tell by his demeanor that he was mourning the loss of his brother and looked away. Suddenly, he felt Rory put his hand on his shoulder and lightly shook it.

“Then he died wit honor, Ewan and that ye should be proud. Bram left on his own will. He made his peace wit God. I dinna blame ye fer what happened. And neither should ye. Ye were no’ responsible fer him.”

Ewan lightly smiled but didn’t know what else to say. He thought that a ceremony would be a good gesture and would allow for those to say their final goodbyes and to give their blessings. Even though they had no body to bury, like many warriors who died before him, a cross would stand within the cemetery to honor those who had fallen.

Jacqueline and James searched the forest for any sign of a dry log. It had been raining for hours and the chill felt like it was creeping inside their bones. Turning over piles of leaves and digging inside shrubs, they managed to find a few that would at least get a fire going. Finding a dry spot underneath a tree, they placed the logs down into a pile. James took out a flint and lit one of the smaller branches to get the fire started. It did not take long until the flames took and began to burn hotter.

Jacqueline dug inside James’ bag and pulled out a wool blanket and a couple apples he had picked from an apple tree that they had passed. She laid the blanket down by the fire and sat on it crossing her legs. James came to sit next to her and grabbed onto one of the apples she held in her hand.