Plead Forgiveness: Betrayed Twice (Loyalty Series) (2 page)

In the chill of the
early morning, while the skies yet slumbered outside the window, Gavin saw that
sleep finally claimed his wife. Crouching down beside the bed, he pushed back
the golden tendrils that lined her face. With tender lips, he kissed her
forehead and whispered, “I pray yer heart will forgive me, little one.”

Ella woke suddenly
when she heard the chamber door open, then close. She hastily scanned the
chamber, only to discover Gavin’s absence. She searched for a plausible
explanation, and then flew out of bed. Sliding the bolt back, she tried to open
the door and discover it locked from the outside.

This mighty blow
only added to her misery. Gavin had locked her in the chamber and never
intended to bring her to England. He lied to her yet again.

“Damn you to hell,
Gavin! Open the door!” When the door remained locked, she cried, “How could
you? You and your vow of honor mean naught! You are dead to me! Do you hear
me?”

When her screams
and threats went unanswered, she collapsed to the ground with her back to the door.
Unexpectedly, she heard retreating footsteps. Gavin listened, and then took his
leave without bothering to explain or even attempt to apologize.

Ella’s hatred for
him would be beyond words if Philip or Baron Montgomery killed the only two
people who loved her. How could she continue to live with him, as his wife,
knowing that his coercion of marriage brought their death? How is she going to
endure the days knowing the danger Aunt Eleanor and Uncle James face?

For the next hour,
she remained on the floor contemplating the future. She then decided to
complete her ablutions and dress. She winced at the soreness between her legs
and cursed Gavin again as she clothed herself with her newly washed boy’s
attire.

She refused to
wear any of the beautiful garments Lady Esme and Eva gifted her with, which
hung in the open wardrobe near the stone hearth. She hardened her heart by
erecting barriers of scalding fury.

Lady Esme’s
presence in the chapel last eve confirmed that she knew her son’s intent. The
entire family, along with his guard, probably knew his plans to wed her, even
against her wishes. She wanted nothing from them, no clothes, no pity, and no
care.

Walking over to
the window, Ella gazed out on the thick copses of pine and fir that formed an
impenetrable boundary around the loch. The cloudless sky mixed with the early
morning rays and reflected off the sparkling water. Yet, even that brilliant
scene did not lighten her mood. She felt like a caged animal, denied all
freedom beyond the walls of her chamber. Pacing in front of the hearth for over
an hour, she finally heard the bolt on the opposite side of the door removed.
When she whipped it open, Arth stood alone in the corridor and greeted her with
his usual enthusiasm.

The midday sun
shined brightly overhead when Ella left the keep with Arth by her side. Walking
through the bailey, she noticed the sympathetic looks cast her way. She all but
ran the rest of the way to the stables, wanting only to be left alone and
oblivious to the shadow that followed in her wake.

From the moment
she left her chamber, Paen followed, cautiously keeping his distance. He
understood grief and pain, and would allow Ella her solitude for the moment.
Nevertheless, he intended to stay close to guard and protect her, even from
herself.

He did not know if
she would attempt to run away or head to England in an attempt to save her
family. 
She dinna seem daft, but women defy all logic and reason when
overcome by emotion.

He did, however,
anticipate that she would head straight for the stables to see Apollo, which
proved most accurate. Actually, he welcomed the excursion to the stables. The
night before, Leif demonstrated Ella’s methods as well as his wild beast’s
astounding transformation. Although Righ did not allow him near, Paen hoped to
use the horse’s training as an excuse to get close to Ella.

Paen had always
been an excellent judge of human behavior. He noticed what others were blind
to, but never reached out to help someone other than his kin. With Ella, he
wanted to help her, not because she was now kin, but because she deserved
happiness. Her beauty and compassion took his breath away, as did her
intelligence and integrity. Secretly, he wished he had been the one she ran to
after the battle with the English.

Paen thought back
to the moment when Ella had thrown herself into Gavin’s arms; fully trusting
the warrior, who a scant moment earlier, killed her attacker with brutal,
ruthless conviction. She had witnessed Gavin slaughter her countrymen, giving
evidence to the tales spun about him as the ‘Spawn of Satan.’

Unlike any other
female, Ella saw through all the brutal stories told and retold throughout
Scotland and England. She saw the real Gavin. A man plagued by his father’s
sins, but possessed a heart and soul as pure as her own. He had never seen his
older brother look more at peace, more content, more determined than when he
held her in his arms.

Paen believed that
he had witnessed the moment they fell in love, when their two souls recognized
each other and merged as one. However, great difficulty and more pain lay on
the horizon for Gavin and Ella. He could feel it in his bones and stood
helpless against it.

Leif, the lone
occupant of the stable yard, filled the water troughs when Paen arrived. He
silently made his way into the stables and the sight that greeted him tore at
his heart.

Ella stood with
her head bent to Apollo’s, gently stroking his neck and whispering inaudible
words to her beloved friend. Paen assumed she spoke of her grievances. He soon
realized his mistake when he moved closer. Ella whispered prayers for her
family and their safety, as well as Gavin and his men.

While he waited
for her to finish her prayers, he remained hidden from her sight. Alas, Arth
discovered his presence and jumped up to greet him. At the same moment, Leif
entered the stable and then raised his eyebrows in Paen’s direction.

Leif broke the
silence the way all children do, with complete ignorance to the true nature of
her discontent.

“Good Morning,
Milady! Do ye wish to go riding? I can saddle-” Paen halted the lad’s words
with a swift cuff to the back of his head.

Paen rolled his
eyes at the stupidity of Leif’s statement. Ella would be sore from losing her
maidenhead last eve, and had no wish to endure a painful ride.

Attempting to
change the topic of conversation away from riding, Paen said, “Lady Ella, my
thanks for yer efforts with Righ. I wish to learn and continue the training
that ye have started with him. He is a magnificent animal, but his previous
master abused him severely.”

“How long did his
previous master have him?”

“I dinna ken, but
suspect not long,” he replied and saw her piqued interest. “On the way to the
Highland fair, a local clan captured and sold him to a rich merchant on opening
day. The merchant boasted to all who listened that he could break the wild
horse within three days. After the first day of witnessing his methods, I snuck
into his tent and persuaded him to sell the horse to me.”

“And your methods
of persuasion were?”

Paen grinned at
how perceptive she is, and then answered, “A blade to his throat made him quite
willing to sell Righ.”

His ruggedly
handsome face transformed with that smile, dramatically lessening his usual
surly demeanor. Ella smirked in approval.

“You should have
taken a whip to his backside, but a blade to the throat is still good.”

Amusement
flickered in Paen’s eyes when he met her gaze. “’Tis good to see that ye dinna
lose yer spirit.” Stupidity is contagious, he thought the moment he said the
words.

Her eyes instantly
darkened like angry thunderclouds when she asked, “Did you know of your
brother’s plan to force me to wed?”

“Aye,” he said
without expression or hesitation.

The knowledge
twisted and turned inside her chest as she spat, “Then the devil can take you,
too.”

When she tried to
stomp past him, Paen stepped into her path and waited for her to look up. When
he saw her angry glare, he said, “Anybody can become angry-that is easy, but to
be angry with the right person and to the right degree and at the right time
and for the right purpose, and in the right way-that is not within everybody’s
power and is nae easy.”

The tenderness in
his expression surprised her, as did the recognizable quote. “Aristotle.”

He nodded.

“He has always
been my favorite of the Greek philosophers,” she admitted.

Paen heard the
thawing in her tone.

“Aye, mine too.
When I returned from fostering with the English, my rage was so great that
Gavin suggested I speak with our priest. He often quoted Aristotle, Plato, and
Antisthenes.”

Ella’s anger
slowly subsided when she confessed, “The monks at Westshire Abbey often quoted
the same philosophers. When I showed interest they began my education.”

“I dinna think it
common practice for monks to educate females,” he stated.

She knew the
age-old argument that the church proclaimed women inferior and that their minds
were as weak as their bodies.

With defiance, she
proclaimed, “’Tis not common, but after a year working within their walls and
absorbing their knowledge about horses, they realized that my mind is not weak.
Since I knew how to read, they had me study manuscripts on Greek philosophy,
which we would discuss while we tended the horses. Since Aunt Eleanor trained
me as a healer, they offered to continue my education in Latin for the purpose
of reading the anatomy and medicinal practices of the Greek and Romans.” She
did not elaborate that her mother had actually been the one to teach her the
difficult language.

“I am impressed
they recognized a woman’s mind is just as keen as a man’s,” Paen stated, hoping
to appease her defensive tone.

She gave a
sidelong glance of utter disbelief before asking, “You agree with educating a
woman?”

“Aye, I do. Lady
Esme raised me since the tender age of five summers, and her intelligence far
surpasses most men. During the reign of my father, she single handedly kept our
food stores full, our accounts organized, and our production of goods
profitable.”

Paen saw that his
words enthralled her, and had a similar effect on Leif, who had not been part
of the Macleod clan at the time.

“My father’s enemies
made it difficult by seeking retribution with constant raids against our clan.
We lost many men and women, as well as numerous herds of cattle and sheep.
‘Twas my mother’s idea to have the cattle drovers and sheep herders move the
animals each night to the Macleod-Mackenzie border. The ploy duped raiding
clans into believing our livestock belonged to the Mackenzies.”

Clearly confused,
Leif asked, “Were ye nae afraid the Mackenzie would pilfer our cattle and
sheep?”

“My father would
have ne’er attacked such a powerful clan, thus they ne’er raided our land.”

Turning to Ella,
Leif explained, “The Mackenzies have always been a force to be reckoned with,
or at least ‘tis what my father says.”

Instantly
uncomfortable at the mention of Clan Mackenzie, Ella turned the story back to
the impressive Lady Esme. “Your mother is indeed brilliant for coming up with
such a clever ploy. I can now understand why the Macleods flourish with good
tidings.”

Pride filled Paen,
at hearing Ella praise his mother’s clever scheme and the wealth the Macleods
accumulated since the death of his father. He wanted Ella to feel proud of the
clan she married into, but now, she felt only bitterness and betrayal. 
At
least she dinna hide in her chamber, bemoaning her fate and crying useless
tears
.

“Nae more talk of
my mother, women’s intelligence, forced marriages, or dead philosophers. ‘Tis
time to work with my stubborn mule of a horse. That is, if ye are willing to
help me?”

“Aye, of course,”
she replied without hesitation, and then turned to Leif. “While I work with
Paen and Righ, can you see to Apollo. I fear he becomes quite disagreeable when
he is stabled for long periods. He is used to helping me train horses.”

“How?” Leif said.

“You will have to
wait and see, my young friend.”

“Aye, Milady.”

Turning back to
Paen, she stated, “I must check on Colban before we begin.”

More than pleased
that she wished to continue as healer, Paen offered, “I will escort ye to his
cottage.”

Paen stood in awe,
watching the warm greeting Ella received when they entered Colban’s cottage.
Helena embraced her as if she were a long lost sister while Colban, in a
fatherly manner, insisted on speaking with her in private.

“Bring my healer
to me, and then be gone!”

Before rushing
out, Helena mumbled threats to starve Colban while Paen defiantly crossed his
arms over his chest.

With a smirk, he
said, “Ye can be quite nasty, old man, like a disagreeable bairn.”

Not in the least
bit intimidated by the warrior before him, Colban responded, “Ye are naught but
a highly irritating young whelp who has over stayed his welcome.”

A genuine smile
transformed Paen’s face when he responded, “Welcome am I?”

“Nae, but out of
respect for the lady, I attempted to be polite,” Colban admonished.

Paen quickly
realized the old man’s intention. Colban had raised Boyd and Iain, his younger
brothers, as well as his own two daughters to maturity. He now, with Ella,
returned to the role of paternal protector. Paen did not fault him, since the
older man had a hand in raising himself.

On more occasions
than he liked to remember, Paen found himself at the stable master’s cottage
after a fight with his father. As always, Colban had welcomed while his wife,
Beth, tended to the bruises inflicted by his sire.

“I will remain
outside,” he said with a nod of approval. “Take as long as ye like.”

Although surprised
by Paen’s easy acceptance to leave the cottage, Ella had learned that Colban
held much more respect than that of a simple stable master. Once alone, the
older man signaled for her to sit in the stool next to the bed.

“’Tis always a
pleasure to see ye again,” Colban said in a gentle tone.

“You as well. How
are ye feeling this morning?”

“My leg is healing
just fine and well ye ken. I rather talk about ye and how ye are fairing.”

She managed to
shrug and say, offhandedly, “I take it you know I am now married to Gavin.”

“Aye, I also know
why ye were reluctant to marry our laird.”

“Not reluctant,
completely against,” she replied sharply.

“Aye, this I ken,
too. But tell me this, if ye did go back to England and marry this Montgomery
fellow, what would become of yer aunt?”

“Philip assured me
that Aunt Eleanor would be safe.”

She displayed her
innocence quickly clearly, Colban thought. “Is Philip a man of honor?”

The absurdity of
that statement almost made her laugh, instead, she answered honestly, “Nae.”

“Yer aunt has nae
given him children,” Colban pointed out. “I’m told that Sir James acted as the
king’s watchdog these past five years, yet is nae longer in service at
Greystone, Aye?”

Distraught that he
knew so much, she asked, “Who told you?”

“Ye dinna answer
my question, lass.”

“It’s true, all of
it. Now, who told you?”

“That dinna
matter. What is important is that Philip intended to rid himself a barren wife
once ye wed Baron Montgomery. I am surprised he dinna have the marriage
annulled years ago.”

“If Philip
annulled their marriage, he would lose both his title and land. King Henry
awarded Greystone to him upon his marriage to Aunt Eleanor and the death of her
father.”

Pleased at the
direction of the conversation, Colban probed further. “If yer aunt died, would
Philip retain the title and land?”

“Aye,” she
whispered slowly. The full impact of his words hit her like a lightning bolt.
Philip intended to kill his wife once Sir James completed his five years of
service at Greystone. She had been completely ignorant of her guardian’s
scheme.

Colban covered her
trembling hands and gave words of comfort and advice for the future. He cared
for the bonny lass and hated to see the dismay in her eyes. The days ahead
would be difficult for her, but in his heart, he knew that she belonged here
with the Macleods.

Ella departed
Colban’s cottage an hour later, feeling more confused and angry then she had
when she entered. 
Would Philip really kill Aunt Eleanor so he could
remarry and produce an heir?

Philip had always
seemed fond of Lady Eleanor, treating her with respect and kindness. Only when
she interfered on Ella’s behalf did he raise his voice, and sometimes his fist.

At only a score
and six years of age, Aunt Eleanor still had her youth. Philip enjoyed having a
wife that made men envious, yet rarely took her to court, preferring to show
her off only at Greystone.

Paen walked
silently beside her as they made their way to the stables, giving her time to
absorb the recent revelation. He saw the fresh wave a pain that engulfed Ella.
Her hands shook and her eyes glazed over with renewed hatred. During her
conversation with Colban, he sat by the open window and had heard everything
within the cottage. The older man did Ella a kindness, he thought, by revealing
the truth.

Ella remained
silent as she gathered the items needed for Righ, and then only spoke to give
Paen instructions.

Understanding that
she needed time to assimilate the truth, Paen did not take offense to her
brusque manner. He followed her directions without comment and after two hours,
Righ finally accepted him.

As soon as Leif
arrived back at the stables with Apollo, Paen sent him up to the castle for
food and drink so Ella did not have to eat in the hall. Leif arranged their
midday meal in the hayloft that overlooked the bailey.