Plead Forgiveness (Loyalty Series) (16 page)

Gavin asked, “How did ye learn this?”

“Once I saw Philip depart the castle, I requested an
audience with Lady Eleanor and explained my presence at Greystone. She confided
to me that Lady Ella took Gabriel to the abbey, and from there would be aided
by Sir James to Scotland. She also said that when her husband ordered that the
lad be whipped for-”

“What,” Gavin roared. “He dared to-”

“Nae, Gabriel was not whipped,” Warin quickly
corrected. “Lady Ella willingly took his punishment, knowing the boy would not
survive such a brutal lashing. It was said that your nephew tried to escape,
and his punishment was to be five lashes.”

Stunned beyond measure, it took Gavin a moment to find
his voice, and when he did, it was a thunderous bellow.

“Then why does she have ten bloody lashes on her back?”

Warin flinched, then replied, “Lady Ella’s
husband-to-be decided to give her five more for interfering with Gabriel’s
punishment.”

“Did she know that she would receive five extra lashes
for protecting Gabriel?”

“Aye. She covered his body with her own, held his
hands as each lash came down. Never pleaded for mercy or cried out.”

Gavin could not believe what he was hearing. She
sacrificed herself for a Scot, one whom she had never set eyes on before that
day.

He tilted his head back and closed his eyes, then
asked, “Did Lady Eleanor explain why she would do such thing?”

“Aye, she said that Lady Ella knew Gabriel would not
survive the punishment. I spoke with many within the castle. They all say the
girl has a kind heart and generous nature. On more than one occasion, she has
taken the punishment meant for another. Now, we must hurry. Baron Montgomery’s
men are near, and will attack within the hour.”

“Is their lord among them?’

“Nae.”

Gavin ran back to camp with Warin and Paen close on
his heels, then yelled out orders to his men before grabbing Ella and Tavish.

“Stay close to the horses and out of sight. They will
attack from the south so ye will see the battle. I dinna ken how many, but if
‘tis more than 15, ride north and dinna stop until ye reach Macleod land.”

Gavin pulled Tavish in close. “I need ye to protect
Ella. I want nae harm coming to ye or her. Do ye understand?”

“Aye, I will protect her with my life,” Tavish
responded, knowing this was an honorable duty.

“I want ye safe as well, dinna be foolish. Remember
what I taught ye.”

Turning to Ella, Gavin cupped her face with both
hands. “Ye will retrieve yer dagger and bow from my saddle.” With that said, he
kissed her with all the fear and possessiveness he felt for her, and then left
to prepare for battle.

Concealed within the dense foliage of the forest a
quarter of an hour later, Ella and Tavish watched in horror as the Macleods
attacked Montgomery’s men with ruthless determination.

It was obvious to Ella that the slow and cumbersome
English soldiers were no match for the quick and agile Highland warriors.

“They are amazing,” she said in awe. “I have never
seen such fierce warriors.”

Tavish smiled with pride, then said, “Aye. The
Macleods are reputed to have superior warriors with keen battle instincts.”

Suddenly, another wave of Montgomery soldiers entered
the fray, tipping the scale four to one in favor of the English. Both sides
fought on foot, the Scots wearing only kilts and jerkins, while the English
wore chain mail armor.

“Tavish, we-”

“We must leave, I ken.”

With her bow in hand, she turned to face Tavish, and
then stated, “Nae, we must fight.”

He stared at her with disbelief. “We?”

“Aye, we. I’ll not allow Montgomery’s men to slaughter
the Macleods. They are attacking their back like cowards, ‘tis nae honorable.
Now go, they have great need of your sword. I will do what I can from here.”

He watched her go down on one knee, notch an arrow in
her bow, and then let it sail through the air with surprising accuracy to
pierce the neck of an Englishman.

Tavish was shocked at first, then smiled. “Aye,
milady. Yer wish is my command.”

Bellowing the Macleod war cry, he rushed into battle,
bringing his claymore down on an English soldier about to strike Paen from
behind.

Praying she did right by the Macleods, Ella slammed
all of her arrows into the ground so they would be easier to grab, and then
began her own attack on the English. Her next shot found shelter in the chest
of an Englishman about to severe Osgood’s head from his body. Her aim was true
as she let loose arrow after arrow, quickly killing one soldier after another.

When Gavin saw Tavish fighting by his side, he
silently vowed to tan his arse black and blue for disobeying his command.
Wielding his broad sword with intense fury, he slashed through the chest of yet
another man just as an arrow flew past him.

He assumed the arrow was meant for him until he turned
and looked down. The arrow was embedded in the heart of an Englishman, whose
sword was still raised as he fell to his knees a few paces away. He berated
himself for not guarding his back better, then looked to see who had just saved
his life.

His heart all but stopped at the sight of Ella
wielding her bow on the outskirts of the battlefield. Her next shot killed a
soldier who hid amongst the tree, waiting to strike Nicholas who fought two of
his comrades.

With acute anxiety and immense pride, Gavin watched in
awe as she defended the Macleods against the English. Dread quickly replaced
wonderment when he saw a dark shadow of a man appear behind her.

Just as Ella notched her last arrow, her bow was
viciously yanked from her hands by an English soldier towering over her. She
flinched when he swung her weapon above her head, slamming it against the tree
adjacent to her. Shards of wood splintered around her like falling snow as she
removed her dagger from her boot. Heedless of the consequences, she lunged
towards her assailant with the blade aimed at his chest.

Anticipating her attack, the English soldier
ruthlessly seized her wrist and twisted it until the fragile bones threatened
to break. As he intended, she released the dagger.

“Bitch! I’ll teach you to attack your own,” he growled
out, then ruthlessly backhanded her.

Pain exploded in her cheek and eye, leaving her dazed
and her vision blurry. She was no match for his massive size and overpowering
strength, but she refused to surrender. She fought like a wildcat, clawing and
kicking, cursing the beast of a man to hell.

He half dragged, half carried her further into the
woods, and away from the battle.

“Fight me all you want, for I promise I will nae be
gentle whist I take you like the whore you are. Did you enjoy spreading your
legs for dirty the Scots? Nae matter. You will be well used by the time we
return to England.”

Once out of sight from the battle, he threw her to the
ground, and then straddled her waist. His rough hands tore her tunic, chemise
and bandages off her upper body until she was bare from the waist up.

Ella thrashed around like a wild animal, trying
desperately to free herself from the abominable creature. Panic-stricken, she
screamed when with one hand he pinned both of her hands high above her head.
His bulky weight held her immobile, making it harder and harder for her to
breath. His body smelled of ale and sweat, and his breath was foul and rank.
Greasy, ebony hair touched her face as he leaned over and brutally crushed his
lips to hers. Violently, she turned her face away, and thought she would gag
when his hard, thin lips began sucking and nibbling on her neck. He squeezed
her breasts savagely, making her wince in pain.

Her desperate struggles and whimpers excited him,
making him more aggressive to have her. He began frantically trying to rip her
breeches down, but was prevented from doing so by her continuous kicking and
twisting. Infuriated, he raised his hand again and slapped her hard,
effectively making her body go still.

Gavin heard her scream as he raced through the woods,
determined to kill the bastard who dared to touch her. As he broke into a small
clearing amidst towering trees, he knew nothing could have prepared him for the
sight of the English beast mere moments away from raping Ella.

Bloodlust consumed him. The violence that dwelled
within, that for years he had hidden from others, erupted. His rage was
unrestrained when he grabbed the vile man atop her and hurled him through the
air. The English soldier slammed hard into the trunk of a tree, and then
crumbled to the ground.

Gavin took one look at Ella lying half-naked, bruised
and bloody, then turned to kill her attacker. With claymore in hand, he slowly
approached, giving the animal time to gain his feet and draw his sword.

“Ye must be Laird Macleod,” the soldier laughed.

Gavin did not respond, just continued to stalk the man
as a predator stalks its prey.

“You will pay for interrupting my pleasure. Before I
kill you, I will let you watch me spread her creamy thighs and-”

He had intended on making his death slow and painful,
but that was before he heard the man’s crude words. The man could not die fast
enough, Gavin decided.

The soldier was no match for the Highlander’s superior
size and strength, nor skill and stamina. His claymore whistled through the air
repeatedly, slicing through the man’s arms and chest. It all ended when the
last blow severed the Englishman’s head, leaving the body to crumble to the
ground in a bloody heap.

Gavin’s breathing was labored as he stared down at the
man he had slaughtered so ruthlessly. And he found himself terrified to turn
and meet Ella’s eyes. She had just witnessed the savage way he had fought and
killed. No longer would she look at him with hope and trust. Disgusted with his
actions, she would recoil in fear, never knowing that it would inflict a mortal
wound to his heart.

Hesitantly, he turned and saw her. She was kneeling on
the ground with her arms pressed tightly to her bare chest, and only breeches
remained on her fragile body. Blood trickled down her cheek, and he could see
bruises already forming. And she was motionless, staring at him as if he were
not real. He then saw Warin kneel by her side and try to put his cloak around
her slender shoulders.

Startled, Ella flinched when someone attempted to
cover her with a cloak. Her eyes went wide with fright seeing the Englishman.
She jumped to her feet and tried to run, but was halted when the man seized her
wrist. New terror lit her eyes as she recklessly tried to yank free from his
grip.

“Nae, milady. I will nae harm you. I wish only to-”

“Nae . . . nae! Don’t touch me!” All she knew was that
he was English and he would not let her go.

“RELEASE HER NOW, WARIN!” Laird Macleod’s command was
instantly obeyed.

Gavin expected that she would run to Apollo, her
fiercely protective friend, or mayhap one of his men. She did neither.

With tears streaming down her face and her arms
covering her breasts, she sprinted towards him.

From the moment their two worlds collided, Gavin had
been attracted to Ella’s face and form. Attacked by the boars and recently
whipped, her strength and courage only increased his ardor. Later, it was her
integrity and wit that seemed to push him to the peak of desire. Afore the
battle, when he learned that she had taken the whipping meant for his nephew,
he believed it was her generous heart that made him care so deeply for her.

The sight of her wielding her bow, displaying her
loyalty to him and his men, made him realize he was in danger of losing his
heart.

But when she ran to him with such trust, even after
watching the brutal way he had killed his enemy, the truth dawned on him. And
her fate was sealed.

All he could do, with the profound weight of the
moment heavily upon him, was to open his arms and welcome her with his body. He
held her tightly, needing desperately to feel her close as she buried her head
in his chest. He brushed the side of his jaw against her hair, and then felt a
surreal contentment the likes he had never known before this day.

Her body trembled uncontrollably, as she cried his
name.

“Gavin . . . Gavin . . .”

“Aye, love.”

“You came . . .you came for me?” Her voice was muffled
with her head still buried in his chest.

“Aye, little one. Always will I will protect ye. . .
now and forever.”

A short distance away Warin stood speechless until the
other Macleods approached.

“Why does she fear me?”

Paen roughly grabbed the cloak from his hand, and then
tersely replied, “Yer English.”

Warin was perplexed. In an arrogant manner, he said,
“Aye, as is she.
He
kidnapped her, yet she runs to him rather than to
the safety of her kinsmen.”

Rage filled Paen. He grabbed the front of Warin’s
tunic, pointed at Ella, and then screamed, “Look! Look at what they have done
to her, what her kinsmen have done to her! They ripped off her clothes, beat
her, and then tried to rape her.”