Warriors Of Legend (46 page)

John grimaced. “MacLeary seized Appleby. He…he gave your sword to Kate.”

Micah squeezed his eyes closed. “Then…she thinks me dead.”

“Aye.” He glanced at the men. “We need to talk, Micah.”

Micah nodded and dismounted, pausing when dizziness assailed him. John limped toward him.

“You two are quite a pair,” Hubert muttered hauling John’s arm over his shoulders. The three moved into the trees, sitting on a log.

“Micah, the reason why we are still alive is because Kate negotiated our freedom. She agreed to marry Stephan.”

“What?” Micah roared in fury.

“She thought you dead,” John said urgently. “Hell, I thought you dead.”

“How could she do this?” He stood and paced. Had Kate betrayed him after all? “She knows she cannot hand Appleby to MacLeary. Even if she thought me dead, she should have never agreed to this.”

“Micah, she did it to save our lives and that of your child.”

Micah froze, staring at John in shock.

“MacLeary does not know she is breeding. Kate knew if he discovered the child was yours, he would kill it when it was born. By agreeing to marry Stephan she hopes she can convince him the child is his.”

Micah shivered, imagining Kate with Stephan sent daggers of dread through him.

“MacLeary allowed her to keep your sword. She told me she is praying for a boy. She will teach the child about his father, and when he comes of age, she will give him your sword to drive through MacLeary’s heart.”

Micah returned to the log and sat, rubbing his eyes. His heart ached, he wanted to be angry at Kate for agreeing to marry Stephan but wasn’t. She was simply trying to save their baby and he could not fault her for that. He looked at the men through the trees. Because of Kate’s agreement, he now had a garrison again.

“John, how bad are we hurt?”

“Ten dead, eight more wounded.”

Micah rubbed his jaw. “That gives about thirty who can fight.” He glanced down at his arm then at John’s leg. “You and I will be at a serious disadvantage, my friend.”

“Aye, but the Scots aren’t doing so well either. That’s why we are on the road alone. MacLeary didn’t have the manpower to escort us out of the barony. I made sure he paid the price of taking Appleby.”

Micah managed a grim chuckle. “Good. All right, we’ve got to formulate a plan. Hubert, we might as well set camp, I’m not going to run into this blind. If we don’t do this right, then I’ll lose all chance of saving Kate. Gather the knights.”

Chapter Nineteen

To Kate’s relief, MacLeary and Stephan had too much work to worry about and left her alone. They sent for a priest but it would take a while for one who would agree to perform the wedding to arrive. Kate was certain none of the priests from Byland Abbey would bow to MacLeary’s scheme.

MacLeary took her at her word and allowed Kate retain the solar instead of being forced into the dungeon. The first day, after an agonizing night of tears and no sleep, she worked to hide as many of Micah’s things as she could. If MacLeary found them or realized how important they were to her, he would destroy them. She stored his sword, and with a shaking hand, removed the precious necklace Micah had given her.

But she could not bear to remove her wedding ring. Kate knew she should, when MacLeary saw it he would take it from her, and she wanted to keep it safe. Ultimately, the ring remained on her finger where it had been since Micah had placed it there.

Kate finished and hurried downstairs. Unlike Micah, MacLeary had conscripted all of the villagers and serfs from outlying farms, forcing them to work like slaves repairing the castle. Kate was one of them. She toted water from the well. MacLeary pushed the people hard, not caring who may be old or sick, injured or lame. He did not care how dangerous ice made the scaffolds. Kate knew MacLeary was not as confident in his scheme as he wanted to be. He had to prepare the castle to withstand yet another siege if Henry decided to send a knight like he had Micah.

Abruptly her heart twisted in her chest as her thoughts screamed his name. She staggered against the wall. Nausea rose within her and she fought it down. She did not dare give MacLeary any reason to suspect she was breeding. She had to stay strong for the sake of her child.

Resolutely she lifted her chin and walked outside. Another dismal gray morning greeted her, matching the anguish in her soul. She walked to the well and filled a large jug with water.

A mass of people crowded the bailey, working on a variety of duties. Foresters hauled timber from the woods, serfs of all sizes and age brought rock through the broken gates for the stone cutters, men repaired scaffolding, older children tended to animals trying to keep them out of the way. The chaos dizzied her. Scotsmen hovered over all of them, guarding, watching, and waiting to beat whoever failed to perform their duties.

Kate hefted the jug of water and winced against the twinge of pain that shot through her. She would have to be very careful not to overextend herself or she might lose the baby. She stepped forward. A hand reached out and gently took the jug from her.

“My lady,” a nasally voice said. “That is much too heavy for you.”

She blinked at the man beside her. He wore a heavy, tattered cloak against the cold, the cowl pulled so low she could not see his face. He walked with a sharp limp, his body bowed and stooped.

“Thank you, but I can manage.”

“Nay, lady,” he replied in his grating voice. He continued to walk toward the wall and Kate had no choice but follow him. If one of the guards saw her standing aimlessly, she would be beaten just like the serfs.

The man hobbled to the wall. Buckets, at the end of long ropes, sat on the ground.

“Water!” Kate shouted up to the battlements.

The one of the villagers pulled up the buckets. Kate reached for the jug but again the man’s hand stopped her. She looked up at him, seeing a wisp of long black hair fluttering from his cowl. Slowly the man lifted his gaze.

Deep blue eyes stared into hers.

Kate’s heart slammed against her ribs and the blood drained from her face.

Micah!
Her soul screamed, scarcely daring to believe the man before her was real and not an hallucination.

She opened her mouth but Micah quickly held his finger to his lips, warning her to keep silent. Her body quivered in frustration as she realized the danger he faced. If she threw herself into his arms she would give away his disguise.

Alive,
she mouthed, trembling like a leaf battered in a storm.

His lips lifted in the lopsided smile she loved so much and thought to never see again. He started to reach for her then stopped, glancing around the edge of his cowl. There were too many people, someone might see him.

Kate’s lungs burned for air, her ears buzzed and her lips felt numb. Her heart rejoiced and tears clouded her eyes. But how could Micah uproot MacLeary now? It didn’t matter, Micah was alive. She staggered back against the wall, her knees threatening to buckle.

Micah grabbed her arm to steady her. “Kate?” he whispered.

“Ho there,” a voice barked.

Micah stiffened again looking over his shoulder. Stephan strode toward them.

Kate’s thoughts scrambled. “Go,” she said between clenched teeth. “Go around to the south tower away from the construction, watch the window.”

“I love you,” he whispered hoarsely, then abruptly hobbled away, vanishing into the throng of people.

Kate squeezed her eyes closed, tears streaming down her face. “I love you too,” she murmured.

“Get up wench,” Stephan snapped, grabbing her arm.

Kate gritted her teeth and glared up at him.

“What’s wrong with ye?”

She knew she could not give Stephan any clue that Micah was alive and among them. “I fear…this is too much for me.”

Stephan hesitated scowling at her. “Yer face is gray,” he muttered. “Get inside. I’ll allow ye one day of rest, I canna allow more.”

“Thank you, Stephan,” she said, almost choking on the words.

He released her and Kate hurried into the keep. A quick glance over her shoulder told her Stephan had not followed her. She bounded up the stairs and ran to the solar. Kate quickly pulled Micah’s sword from its hiding place. Cautiously, she left her room, making certain no one saw her, and ascended the stairs to the south tower.

The archer slit was narrow but she could still see quite well. Her heart battered her ribs and soon Micah’s hunched form hobbled around the corner. He glanced repeatedly behind him then straightened and hurried forward, staring up at the tower. He stopped when he spotted her. Kate stuck her hand through the archer slit and motioned him to take a step back which he did. She shoved the sword through the archer slit and let it drop point first. The weapon impaled the earth and quivered slightly.

Micah quickly seized it and hid it in the folds of his cloak. He looked up and rewarded her with a brilliant smile. Kate blew him a kiss and Micah quickly turned and left. She breathed a long sigh of relief and leaned against the wall. Now what? What else could she do to assist Micah’s plan?

“Be ready for anything,” she muttered and returned to the solar then called for Marjorie.

***

Micah maintained his charade and walked with the foresters to gather more timber – foresters who were his men in disguise. As soon as they were far enough away. Micah’s men turned from the trail and melted into the woods where the remainder of his garrison lay in wait. Today had been a simple scouting mission to help formulate his plan.

Micah strode to John and Thomas who huddled on a snow covered log. Hubert joined them with a water–skin.

“How did it go?” John asked, his teeth chattering.

Micah regretted the lack of a campfire, especially for the wounded, but he could not risk MacLeary seeing the smoke. “It went well,” he replied and opened his cloak. He shoved the sword into the earth. “I found Kate and she gave me a gift.”

John’s eyes widened. “Glory.”

Hubert laughed. “Baron, your lady is remarkable.”

Micah grinned broadly. “That she is, Hubert.” But his humor faded. “It almost killed me to see her like that. Before she realized I was there…her eyes…never have I witnessed such haunted misery.”

John shook his head. “But she knows you are alive now and that will mean a world of difference.”

“Aye, as long as I don’t die tomorrow.” He winced, his hand covering his shoulder. His arm hurt terribly but at least the bleeding had stopped as long as he didn’t move it too much.

“So what’s the plan, Micah?” John asked.

He sighed and rubbed his eyes. “MacLeary has made a critical error in his rush to complete the repairs. By forcing the villagers to work, he has opened the door for our men to get inside.”

“Aye,” Hubert said. “He is gambling between speed and vulnerability. But since he believes you dead he thinks speed is more important.”

Micah nodded. “And you were right, John. The Scots do not have the manpower they need to defend the castle.”

John grinned. “I told you.”

Micah chuckled and crouched to draw the layout of the castle in the dirt. “MacLeary’s soldiers mostly lord over the villagers, forcing them to work. They are spread thin. Our men can wear cloaks to hide their armor and we will stow our weapons in the timber we haul. Once the timber is inside, our men can straggle in with the villagers who come and go.”

“Aye,” Hubert said. “We can’t go in as a group.”

“John, because of your leg, I will have you manning the wagon. Our men will gather their weapons one by one and move to key points in the bailey. When you signal me, I will give the order the attack.”

“When we draw arms, the terrified villagers will add to the mayhem and increase our advantage,” John said.

“Aye,” Micah replied. “I just wish I could get Kate clear of the fighting. MacLeary is forcing her to work as well, so she’s going to be in the bailey when we attack.”

“Is there anything we can do to get her clear right before the fighting starts?”

“I don’t know, John. Stephan watches her like a hawk. If I attempt to get her out, I may tip our hand.”

Hubert sighed, raking his hand through his hair. “Whoever is closest to her will have a duty to her first.”

“I intend to be that man, Hubert,” Micah said. “But we must hit the Scots hard and fast.”

John nodded. “Let’s inform the men, we have a lot of work to do before sunrise.”

***

The next morning Micah and four of his men, again disguised as foresters, entered the bailey. Already villagers bustled about. Micah directed John to stop the wagon near the other timber loads but far enough down the line so the workers would not disturb it for some time. He hobbled about, busying himself, but watching everything closely. His men, one by one entered the bailey and subtly retrieved their weapons.

Micah quickly spotted Kate again working at the well but this time he chose not to approach her just yet. She battled not look around her but he knew she watched for him. Her shoulders were tense and he was certain her nerves were as taut as bowstrings. He couldn’t really blame her. But concern rose within him. She appeared exhausted and drawn. Kate did her fair share of work as chatelaine but she was not accustomed to the backbreaking labor of hauling water.

He watched her pour the water into the buckets, returning to the well and gradually making a circuit of the bailey. By the time she finished one round, it was time to begin again, with no chance for a rest. Sometimes she would sag against the well and close her eyes. Micah debated on helping her again, she certainly needed it, but he feared drawing attention to himself.

The morning dragged on interminably. Micah had cautioned his men to take their time. If anyone was discovered, their plan would be ruined. He gradually worked his way closer to Kate. When the time came, he wanted to be next to her.

Shouts and laughter from the door of the keep caught his attention. Stephan stood with two of his cronies, drinking heavily. Micah gritted his teeth. Already Stephan lorded over his barony like some despot ruler. MacLeary traveled the bailey supervising the work with brutal efficiency. Micah was surprised that the laird allowed his son to ignore his duties when there was so much work to be done.