“Good luck,” Rose called softly. Robina let herself out the door and turned the key in the lock.
Elated at being offered help from an unlikely ally, Rose felt a glimmer of hope where none had existed scant hours ago. Dragon had no idea she was in Scotland and had probably sent men south to intercept her.It would take at least a sennight for his men to reach London and learn she was not there, and another sennight to report back to Dragon. By the time he thought to look across the border for her, it would be too late. In order to save Piers and Vella, she would be forced to enter into a bigamous marriage. However, if Piers’s and Vella’s lives did not depend upon her compliance, Rose would happily defy Murdoc’s ultimatum.
Rose’s stomach growled hungrily as the dinner hour approached. She had almost decided that Murdoc planned to starve her into submission when the door opened, admitting Gunn.
“What do
you
want?”
“Murdoc sent me to fetch ye. He wants ye to sup with us.”
Rose glared at him.“I prefer to eat in my chamber.”
Her answer seemed to please rather than anger Gunn.“He thought ye might say that and gave me permission to carry ye down if ye resist. I wouldna mind another feel of yer pert bottom beneath my hand.”
He reached her in two long strides, placed his meaty hands around her waist and started to lift her over his shoulder. Rose resisted, to no avail. She pounded her fists against his back as he upended her over his shoulder. When his hand settled heavily on her bottom, Rose’s warrior instincts took hold. She grasped the water pitcher by the handle as they passed the washstand, reared up and bashed him on the head.
Gunn shook his head like a bear, staggered, but did not fall. Rose took advantage of his confusion and slid from his shoulder. He was still reeling when she raised her chin to a combative angle and said, “That will teach you to touch me. I can find my own way to the hall without your hands all over me.”
That said, she turned and left the chamber with a regal toss of her head.
“Where is Gunn?” Murdoc asked when Rose entered the hall alone.
“He developed a sudden headache,” Rose said, trying her best to conceal her smile. “He should be along soon.”
“Sit down, lass. Father Baen has arrived. He has come a long way to wed ye to Gunn. Are ye ready to agree to the union?”
Rose shot a look at Robina, noted the slight shake of her head and decided to hold her tongue.
“My mind wavers,” Rose said as she sat down in the empty chair next to Murdoc.
Murdoc sent her a fierce scowl. “Gunn grows impatient, as do I. Father Baen can remain with us but a few days.”
“Entering a bigamous relationship is against the law.”
“The court in Stirling declared yer marriage to Dragon invalid.”
“Dragon will be furious when he learns you kidnapped me.”
Murdoc smiled complacently. “As soon as ye and Gunn are wed, my clansmen and allies will rally to me. Dragonwyck isna impregnable, ye ken. If Dragon willna give up Dragonwyck peaceably, we will lay siege and take it from him.”
“Your thinking is all wrong, Uncle. You seem to forget that Dragonwyck is on English soil, and even if you force me to commit bigamy, ‘twill be for naught. The king will do everything in his power to keep Dragonwyck under English jurisdiction.”
“I am not dense, niece. Tis common knowledge the king is in trouble with his marcher barons. England is on the brink of civil war, and John canna concern himself with Dragonwyck when discontented vassals threaten his throne. As for Dragon, he is a proud man. Think ye he will want ye once Gunn has rutted betwixt yer legs?”
Grimly determined, Rose vowed, “Gunn will never have me.”
Gunn chose that moment to stagger into the hall. “Where is she? Where is the bitch?”
Murdoc scraped his chair back and shot to his feet. “What happened? Ye look done in, lad.”
“Ask
her!”
Gunn said, pointing a damning finger at Rose. “The bitch is dangerous. I wouldna be surprised to find ballocks beneath her skirt.” He reeled forward. “Let me at her.”
“Sit down, lad, whilst I get to the bottom of this.”
Gunn sent a menacing glare at Rose as he collapsed into a chair.
“What did ye do to Gunn, niece?” Murdoc asked in a low growl.
“He put his hands on me,” Rose retorted, “so I decided to teach him a lesson.”
“The bitch bashed me in the head with a pitcher,“Gunn shouted. He groaned and clutched his head.“I want her now, Murdoc. I want to teach her how to behave.”
Murdoc looked at Rose with renewed respect. “Ye did that to Gunn? Yer a brave lass, but I always knew that.” He sighed. “Ye shouldna have hurt Gunn. He isna an easy man to placate.”
Rose opened her mouth to tell Murdoc exactly what she thought of him and his stepson but snapped her mouth shut when Robina loudly cleared her throat. Robina was right, Rose reflected. Angering the men would serve no purpose.
“When shall we hold the wedding, lass?” Murdoc said around a mouthful of venison. “It must be soon. As I said before, Father Baen will only be with us a day or two.”
“I canna wait that long to put my hands around her neck and my cock inside her,” Gunn grumbled.“We will wed today.”
Her frustration mounting, Rose slammed her fist on the table. “I will not wed Gunn.”
Rose sensed Gunn’s eyes on her but refused to acknowledge him. She had angered and embarrassed him, and his expression told her he could not wait to punish her.
“Yer forgetting, niece, I hold the upper hand. Ye want yer vassals to live, do ye not?” Rose nodded.“Then do as I say, and all will be well. After ye and Gunn are wed, yer vassals can carry my demands to Dragon.”
“What demands, Uncle?”
That he abandon Dragonwyck, of course.” He raised his hand. “Say nay more, lass. Yer constant chatter upsets my digestion.”
Rose lowered her head and concentrated on her meal, hoping that Dragon would not be too angry with her for leaving Dragonwyck and that his pride would not prevent him from coming to her rescue once he learned where to find her.
At last the meal ended, and Murdoc escorted Rose to her chamber. She began pacing, too keyed up to sleep. Night arrived; all was quiet within the keep. Her nerves on edge, Rose wondered if Robina had successfully freed her vassals. All she could do was wait and fret until Murdoc learned of their absence and all hell broke loose.
Rose was still awake in the small hours before dawn when someone scratched on the door. Though the sound was barely discernible, she nearly jumped out of her skin.
“Rose, are ye awake?”
Rose rushed to the door. “Robina. Why are you still here?”
The key rattled in the lock, and Robina stepped inside. “Yer vassals refused to leave without ye.”
“You were successful, then?”
Robina beamed. “Aye, but Piers wouldna leave without ye. He and Vella await us at the postern gate. Hurry, lass.”
“You should not have returned for me,” Rose said.
Tell that to yer vassals. Donna tarry, lass.”
Rose did not wait for a second invitation but followed Robina out the door and along a rush-lit passageway. Rose’s chamber was in a deserted part of the castle so she was not worried about Murdoc hearing them, but there were bound to be guards about. Fear gnawed at Rose as she followed Robina through the darkened hall.
“Where are the guards?” Rose hissed.
Laughter rumbled in Robina’s throat.“I put valerian in their barrel of ale. They will likely sleep ‘til sunup.”
Rose watched in silence as Robina disappeared down a dark passageway leading to the kitchen. When Rose attempted to follow, a large hand clamped down on her shoulder. She darted a glance behind her and saw Gunn, his face contorted with rage. She tried to free herself, but his vise-like grip held her fast. She was caught, but at least Robina had escaped.
“Damnation, woman!” Gunn roared. “Who let ye out?”
‘Let me go!”
“I asked ye a question. Who let ye out, and where did ye think ye were going?”
“Home!” Rose blasted. “Nobody let me out. I simply walked through the closed door. Did you not know? I am a witch.”
Gunn’s expression held a healthy measure of skepticism and a small part of fear. His grip, however, remained firm.
“Donna jest with me, Rose. Yer no more witch than lama warlock. What ye are is a bitch. My head still aches where ye bashed me with the pitcher.”
As he pulled her away from the passage, Rose darted a glance over her shoulder, relieved that Robina had not returned to help her.
“We will see how easily ye can walk through doors with a guard stationed outside yer chamber.”
Gunn walked up to a guardsmen slumped against a wall and nudged him with his foot. When he did not awaken, he shook him violently. The man looked up groggily, tried to rise, and fell back against the wall.
“What in the hell is going on here?” Gunn took a good look at the guard and spit out a curse. “He isna sleeping, he has been drugged.”
Gunn dragged Rose to the solar and pounded on the door. He continued pounding until a sleepy-eyed Murdoc, still pulling on his hose, opened the door. “God’s nightgown, Gunn, how can a man get a decent night’s rest with ye knocking down his door? What is it now? Is the enemy at our gates?” Then he saw Rose and came fully awake. “What are ye doing with my niece?”
“I caught her trying to escape. I donna know how she got out of her chamber and she willna say. Something strange has happened,Murdoc.I couldna awaken the guardsman in the hall. He appears to have been drugged.”
“Wait here,” Murdoc said harshly. He disappeared into his chamber and returned a moment later with the key to Rose’s door. “I still have the key. How did ye free yerself, lass?”
Her chin went up. “I walked through the closed door.”
“Ye have a wicked tongue, lass.” He handed the key to Gunn. “Take her back to her chamber and lock her in. I will get to the bottom of this, and when I do, heads will roll.”
A silent prayer trembled on Rose’s lips.
Please, God, do not let Murdoc catch Robina.
None too gently, Gunn returned Rose to her chamber and locked her inside. Daylight arrived; the sun moved high overhead. Rose’s attention sharpened when she heard noises echoing through the halls and a commotion in the courtyard beneath the window. Peering over the sill, she saw a large gathering of armed men. A moment later the door to her chamber crashed open and hit the wall with a loud bang. Rose flattened herself against the window embrasure as her uncle stalked toward her, his face a mask of fury.
“Robina did it! She let ye out of yer chamber, dinna she?”
“Nay, I told you—”
“Donna lie! Robina is missing and so are yer vassals. Gunn stopped ye from joining them, dinna he? They willna get far.I canna believe Robina would betray me.Ye better pray I donna catch her.”
He turned and stormed away, slamming the door behind him. Rose stared at the door, her knees quaking beneath her.
Roses are nature’s jewels, with whose wealth she decks earth’s beauty.
—Croly
Rose hated doing nothing while those she cared about were in danger. Unfortunately, there was no way she could stop Uncle Murdoc from intercepting Robina, Piers and Vella before they reached Dragonwyck. Though she had never known Murdoc to be brutal, there was always a first time, and it was all her fault. If they had not agreed to help her, they would not be facing danger now.
Rose heard the door latch rattle and swung around to face the portal. Her pulse racing, she glanced about the room for a weapon with which to defend herself. If she was going to escape, now was the time. The pitcher she’d used on Gunn had been replaced with another, and she grasped the handle, raising the pitcher high as she waited for the door to open.
When a gray-haired woman that Rose recognized as Murdoc’s cook pushed the door open and slipped inside, Rose lowered the pitcher and returned it to the washstand.
Thelma, what are you doing here?”
“I’ve brought ye something to eat, Rosie, lass. Murdoc gave me the key and told me to see that yer fed. I donna know what Murdoc is about these days,” she said, shaking her head. “He shouldna keep ye confined like this. And now he’s chased sweet Robina off. Robina is a good woman; Murdoc willna find another like her. I’m thinking Murdoc has lost his senses.”
She set the tray she carried down and clucked her tongue. “Murdoc can think of nothing but getting an heir, and Gunn can think of nothing but power. I’m thinking ‘tis Murdoc’s fault Robina hasna given him an heir. His seed may be plentiful, but it isna potent enough to make a bairn.”
“If you don’t agree with what my uncle is doing to me, will you help me escape?”
“I donna know, lass.” Her expression grew thoughtful, and then she smiled. “Mayhap ‘tis possible. Murdoc left men behind to protect the keep, two of them my own sons.”
A glimmer of hope lit Rose’s features. “Will they help me? Murdoc must be stopped. He has to be mad to believe I will wed Gunn under any circumstances. I am Dragon’s wife, and naught can change that.” A sud den thought occurred to her.“Is Father Baen still in the castle?”
“Aye, lass, he is on his knees in the chapel.”
“Can you bring him to me?”
Understanding lifted Thelma’s frown. “Aye, Rose, I’ll fetch him for ye.” She gestured toward the tray.“Eat something while yer waiting.”
After the cook departed, Rose sat down and sampled the food Thelma had brought. She was famished and finished everything on the tray. She seemed to be hungry all the time lately but didn’t have the time now to consider the reason for her increased appetite. She had her suspicions but set them aside for the time being.
Thelma returned with Father Baen a short time later. The priest, a tall, thin man, bustled into the chamber behind Thelma and smiled benignly at Rose.
“What can I do for ye, my child? I hope ye can explain Murdoc’s hasty departure. He knows I canna stay long. I hoped to wed ye to Gunn today.”
“Father, I cannot wed Gunn today or any day.! am already married. Did Murdoc not tell you I have a husband?”
The priest looked at Thelma for confirmation. When Thelma nodded, he scowled. “Murdoc said yer marriage to yer English husband wasna legal, that ye were already promised to Gunn.”