Medieval Ever After (62 page)

Brodie didn’t answer right away. He crossed his arms in front of his chest before he spoke. “Alex, are you sure this is what you want to do? You know it could cause a war if MacDonald believes ‘tis us.”

“Aye, I understand your concern, but I cannot walk away. I saw the bruising around her eye and on her throat.”

“Mayhap she fell.”

“The missive from the stable master says the laird beats her. How can I walk away from an innocent lass? Someone has to help her.”

“Is this what da would have done?” Brodie stared into his eyes.

Alex didn’t look away. “Aye, without a doubt. You know our father would not walk away from such a thing. Do you no’ remember the night he and our mother sat and talked to the three of us about women and how they should be treated? Our brother knew how serious da was. Robbie ne’er made a joke through the entire conversation. ‘Tis near impossible for him.”

Brodie chuckled as he looked up at the clear blue sky. “Aye, I do remember. Never have I seen Robbie so serious.”

“He knew how important it was to them both for us to take our leadership of Clan Grant seriously.”

“You mean your leadership?”

“Nay, da said we are all leaders for the clan, no’ just me as laird.” Alex rubbed the sleep from his eyes, deep in thought. “Had you seen her, you would not be able to walk away. ‘Twas only the fear of starting a clan war that made me leave the keep without her. I could not deliberately start a clash.”

“Then why deliberately start a clash now?” Brodie asked with a raised eyebrow. “What has changed?”

“A plea from someone privy to the old laird’s business. Clearly, the MacDonald trusted his stable master. If she were my daughter, I would hope someone would help her.”

Alex decided to conceal the strongest reason he was going back, because it held no logic at all. A pair of ocean blue eyes had haunted his sleep last night and he would do anything to stop the fear that had gripped them.

His brother sauntered over to his horse, swung his leg up and mounted in less than a second. “Aye, let’s do it.”

RESCUED BY A HIGHLANDER

CHAPTER FOUR

Madeline slowly trudged
up the hill, returning to the keep after her lessons with the wee ones. How she loved her time with the children. They were always so sunny and bright, always so willing to work hard. She envied them their innocence.

From her vantage point, the keep had the same strong appearance it had always possessed, but nothing was the same once she stepped inside. The powerful stone walls now kept her imprisoned—not protected. She gazed out over the outside walls, wishing her knight were out there somewhere. The sun dropped against the horizon.

Alice had tried to keep her in her chamber, but it dampened her mood to stay in there alone. She needed the young ones to keep her going. Truth was, she did hope for many of her own bairns, but to carry a bairn, she would need to get close to a man. She thought of the few men she remembered from the Grant keep. While she recalled how Brenna and Jennie had loved their brothers, Maddie had never had a good relationship with any men except for her father and Mac, Alice’s husband.

If only her parents were still with her. Under their protection, none of this would have happened, but they had been gone two summers. She missed them so much. How she wished she could talk to her mother again just once. Her father had been so kind and gentle. She missed the long afternoons they would spend riding horses and how her mother used to lull her to sleep by brushing her hair before bedtime. Every day had been wonderful back then, but now many of her days were nightmares. She had nowhere to turn, no one to trust but Alice and Mac.

No sense looking back
, Madeline thought. She slowed her pace, trying to ease the pain from her bruised ribs. As she reached the keep, she held her breath and glanced around, hoping to avoid Kenneth. She had not seen him since the last beating. Earlier in the day, she had gone to the kitchens to go over the menus with the cook, hoping good food and drink would appease her brother for a time.

She stepped inside the door without seeing him, but before she could feel any relief, she turned toward her chamber and immediately slammed into him.

“Ah, Maddie, how are you feeling today? Better?” Kenneth asked with a grin on his face. “Must be time for another one of our talks, or have you changed your mind about the Comming?” Kenneth leaned in toward her, coldness deep in his eyes.

“Nay, Kenneth, I have not changed my mind. I will not wed him.”

Kenneth grabbed her arm and pulled. “You will do as I say, Madeline, and if I have to beat you until you cannot walk, I will,” he ground out, pinching and twisting the tender skin on the inside of her upper arm. Madeline bowed her head to draw the strength not to scream. All had gone quiet in the great hall, and warriors and servants alike had turned their heads away, not wanting to witness the cruelty Kenneth was inflicting on their beloved Madeline.

“Do not go far tonight, Madeline, I think we need to talk again.” Kenneth’s lips curved into a smile as he roughly let her go. “As always, I look forward to it!”

Madeline turned and proceeded toward the stairs, making sure to pause and greet each servant she passed. He could beat her all he wanted. She would not do his bidding. When she reached her room, she slipped quietly inside and lowered herself to the bed.

Only then did she let the tears flow.

What recourse did she have, after all? Her parents had taught her to respect her elders. But try as she might, she could not please Kenneth. His harsh treatment of her had started way before the Comming had asked for her hand. She did not understand it.

Her father had never raised his hand to any woman. Why was Kenneth so vicious? Was it the usual way of the world? Did most men treat women callously? After all, the Comming was no better than Kenneth, and she had noticed peasants slapping their wives on occasion. Thoughts of her knight in armor danced through her head. But would such a man beat her into submission as well?

Mayhap her mother and father had protected her from the cruelties of the real world. If that were true, she wasn’t certain she wanted to be part of that world. At least she would be protected from such ugliness if she joined a convent, and according to her mother, orphaned children abounded in such places. Perhaps she could care for them as her life’s vocation. Their innocence and trust needed to be protected.

She needed a plan. Somehow, she had to get away.

Help me, Papa, help me.

***

According to the map, the secret passageway started in a cave in the woods and led deep into the MacDonald keep. Alex and Brodie tied their horses in a small clearing not far from the place indicated on the map. They had left his guards a distance away to watch for anyone’s approach. They crept quietly through the trees, surveying the area for signs of the entrance, speaking little as they searched diligently through the forest. Alex crinkled the map in his hand, uncertain how far they were from the MacDonald castle, and stared into the dark night lit only by a wee moon visible through the trees. The black soot he wore on his face for protection itched, but he refrained from rubbing it off.

“Here, Alex!” Brodie called out.

As Alex reached his brother, Brodie started to tear at overgrown branches and vines. “I think this is it.”

“This map had best be accurate,” Alex said as he climbed through the brambles and peered into the darkness. He and his brother yanked on the old wooden door. Rusted hinges creaked as they tugged. The door finally gave way and they crept inside, lighting a torch to see what they could discover about the passageway. After they removed massive amounts of cobwebs, a tunnel beckoned in the dark off to the left. Alex’s heart pounded fast in his chest. The sounds of running critters echoed throughout the cavern. As they carefully made their way, intent on their mission, neither of them spoke. Bristles of the unknown crept up the back of Alex’s neck, forcing a shudder. But visions of the bruises on Madeline’s porcelain skin propelled him onward.

When they reached a split in the tunnel, Alex checked the map under the torchlight. Following the fork to the left, they inched along until they were close enough to pick up sounds from inside the castle. But while they could distinguish voices, they could not make out any words. Alex motioned for Brodie to stop.

***

Madeline relaxed in her chamber, trying to rest even though she knew it was only a matter of time before Kenneth came looking for her. No matter how many times he hurt her, she vowed to remain strong.

“Do not get up, lass,” Alice said as she patted Madeline’s shoulder. “That nasty man is looking for you again. I think we can keep him away for a few more days if you stay abed.” A knock sounded on the door. Egan, Kenneth’s second in command, yelled out, “Bring me the lass!”

“Stay there, Madeline, I will send him away,” Alice whispered.

Madeline climbed out of bed and grabbed Alice’s hands. “It is no use. I will go with him. Kenneth’s rage only increases if he’s made to wait.”

“But you will be stronger in a few days. Don’t go with him yet. Who knows what he will do to you this time?” Alice sounded almost frantic.

“I am coming, Egan.” Madeline turned and lifted her chin. “I will be fine, Alice. I must do as my stepbrother bids me.”

Madeline followed the hulking brute down the dark hallway and the stairway that led to Kenneth’s command room off the great hall. Egan shoved the door open when they arrived. Sidestepping the disgusting man, she strode into the room, her shoulders back and her head held high. Her eyes met her stepbrother’s with conviction. She would not give him the pleasure of seeing her fear.

Kenneth stood behind a large table covered with various tools. She had been whipped before, but she had never seen some of those tools. Long ones, short ones, pokers, dirty ones, tools that turned her stomach just to look at them. She had no idea how they were to be used. Raising her gaze to meet her stepbrother’s, she saw the rage and the madness boiling inside him. Madeline sucked in her breath as she stared down at the table once more.

“Well, what say you, Maddie? Are you ready to marry the Comming?” he asked as he picked up a horsewhip from the table.

Maddie thought very hard before answering. She had never told him about the rape. Mayhap if she did, he would allow her to stay. But Kenneth never had any interest in her feelings or her happiness. He seemed to care for nothing and no one. His horses all had marks on their flanks from frequent whippings. He kicked any dog that got in his way. And he had no more regard for people than he did for animals.

He had not always been this way. Their father had been able to control him. But no one had been able to reach him since her parents’ death. His twisted actions were escalating. She was sure Kenneth would not offer her any compassion, regardless of circumstances. Telling him about the Comming would only give him another reason to humiliate her. Nay, she would not allow Kenneth that pleasure. Sweat broke out on her forehead as Kenneth caressed the horsewhip. But she refused to cower before him. She would remain strong. “Nay, Kenneth, I will not marry him,” she said, daring to lock eyes with him.

Kenneth’s grin grew as he peered over the table. “We will see how long it will take for you to change your mind. The Comming will be here in a few days with a priest, and you
will
marry him. You will not leave this room until you agree. ‘Tis up to you how much pain you withstand. Egan, get another guardsman in here immediately.”