A Witch's Tale (36 page)

“Gavin
would not do this! You forget he saved me once!”

“Yes,
once! And it cost him nothing but a few words and the wave of a sword, as I
recall! Some hero you have there, wife!” Rohan raged and eyed her with disgust.
“You credit him for some softness for you still? He would do his duty in this,
Madeline, for his honor and his damned king! I will kill him if he dares try to
take you.”

“Mayhap
it won’t come to that?”

“The
men leave us for Edinburgh soon,” Rohan said quietly, not answering her. “They
will return with news of a ship. We go as soon as we get passage arranged for
all the men and the horses. I’ll not leave Goldwyn behind.”

Madeline
stared at her husband in growing concern. “You are serious about this?”

Rohan
smiled and his hand caressed her cheek. “For you I would give up king and
country. They cannot get to you in France. We would be free there.”

“You
would be an outlaw, Rohan!”

“I
would be far worse without you by my side. I remind you I have French
ancestors, wife. Even de Mortaine has ties to France. I’m an Irishman at heart,
so don’t question whether or not I’ve thought this through,” he said somberly.
“I would rather spend the rest of my days running with you, than live without
you.”

Madeline’s
eyes were filled with stunned amazement. “You have thought it all through on
your way here, haven’t you?”

“I
might have overlooked some small details,” he said smoothly and chuckled at her
disapproving look. “Come, we have to get back on the road. We wait for Sir
Markham and Sir Kildare before we leave for Edinburgh. I would rest for a time
before we run for our lives.”

Madeline
allowed him to rein in her mount and followed him to the stream where his men
loitered. They all looked delighted and relieved to see her. Burroughs was
overwrought, with tears in his eyes. She was overwhelmed with their obvious
concern.

“You
gave us a horrible fright, my lady!” Burroughs fussed, holding Lady Blythe in
the crook of his arm. “What were you thinking running off? You might have run
into rebels!”

“I
did run across some rather uncouth men,” she said and ignored her husband’s
indrawn gasp. “They were pleased to leave me be. I think they still chase their
own tails in the field.”

Burroughs
had no idea she meant what she said and smiled with relief. “We have found you
now. How do you feel about us fleeing for France, my lady?”

“Try
not to look so delighted of it, Burroughs,” she chided. “This is no lark! You
cannot come back! Surely you have thought this through?”

Burroughs
looked away and appeared sad. “My family has not seen me since I was a lad of
seven, nor have they bothered, my lady. I am Scottish as well, and don’t see
myself a traitor at all. This injustice against you must be rectified. We have
all sworn fealty to Lord Rohan. We go with him.”

“There,
do you see?” Rohan said as she shook her head. “I do not coerce them into this,
Madeline. They know what this means to them all.”

“What
of the men you left behind at Rothford?”

Rohan
grinned. “They all desired to stay there. As I said; I forced none of the men
to come with me. We take our chances in France, wife.”

Madeline
didn’t know how to feel by such a show of loyalty to her cause. For so long it
was just her and Minerva running, then just her. Knowing she had friends and
family was a comfort. Rohan loved her. The thought made her heart soar. To know
he felt the same for her made her eager to get to the keep and share her
secret.

Rohan’s
men were chomping at the bit to leave the place they rested. The woods were
quiet, if not for the chirping of birds in the distance. The constant threat of
pursuit made them hasten to remount. She rode in front of her husband, content
they had only one more day until they arrived at his holding there. Then, as he
said; they would be running for their very lives. She knew Gavin would come
after them. It pained her to know she caused them all such grief.

Their victim has once
again fallen,

to the cruelty of
their conclusion.

In the little town of
Salem,

their beliefs are
mere confusion.

~Anonymous

Gavin
walked through the manor at Rothford and cursed under his breath, knowing Rohan
fled with Madeline rather than trust him to plead her case with the king. He
was given the task of running the witch and the traitor to ground now. He liked
neither duty.

The
men were outraged. Gavin could hardly refuse his king. His green eyes filled
with distaste. He knew where they fled. He gave them a five day head start
before he went to his former keep in Scotland. The thought of taking Madeline
to the tower sickened him. Few left there alive after they were examined by the
courts. He’d not see that happen to her, but he could hardly refuse this duty.

Thoughts
of the Viscount of Lunley made his eyes flare. The man was Madeline’s half
brother, the one who brought the charges forth and demanded Madeline be held
accountable. Without the baron or his son available for questioning, King James
had no choice but to follow through on the original death warrant. The writ was
brandished by Father Belsay when he arrived at Lunley’s insistence.

There
would be no trial for Madeline, no question of anything at all. Rohan was right
to take her and flee. Gavin knew real pain to think of her burning to her
death. His continued feelings for his fair witch made him linger here, allowing
them time enough to get away. His smile grew wide to think of his king’s
reaction should he come back to court empty handed. He wasn’t overly concerned.

“You
know where they go,” Alastair said as he joined him, looking around the manor
with a pained look. “Do we give chase now, my lord?”

“We
wait for a few days,” Gavin said and saw Alastair sag with relief. “If Rohan
has any sense, he will take her and leave the country.”

“You
could not get the king to relent?” he asked in despair.

“It
is out of his hands and in the church’s,” Gavin said in disgust as he walked
down the hallway of the upper level of the newly restored manor house. “He will
not intercede on her behalf, even to please me. We both know how he feels about
witchcraft. He will not stop this.”

Alastair
looked aggrieved. “I’ll not raise one hand to stop them, my lord. I warn you
the men have all said the same. They have no stomach for this.”

Gavin
nodded sadly. “That is why we let them get away. I have no wish to battle Rohan
over this. But, it must appear we try to do the king’s will.”

“When
do we leave?”

“We
leave at the end of the week and we ride slowly. That should give them enough
time.”

“Vivienne
will not know what to think of all this,” Alastair mused, thinking Gavin’s
sister would be in the middle of all when Rohan and his men arrived there.

“My
sister will make them welcome. That is the least of my worries. Strathmore has
pressed his suit and rides for the keep too,” Gavin said in disgust.

 “You
did well to send that courier bird to warn her he was coming.”

“I
fear for the man’s life should he force the issue.”

“Let
us hope Rohan dispatches Strathmore to Hell and saves us the trouble. I would
not see him leave Scotland alive, my lord. Do not think he didn’t have a hand
in destroying Rivenhahl.”

Gavin’s
eyes filled with rage to know his enemy burned his home to the ground. He and
his wife were now displaced and took rooms at court, a place he despised.
Without funds and on the king’s tolerance, he had few choices but to do as he
was bid. He looked about the manor with a considering glance.

With
Rohan having run off, Rothford was now under his protection. He could bring his
wife here until their residence was rebuilt. It was a better alternative than
being in the middle of the court intrigues waging now.

“Strathmore
has much to answer for,” Gavin replied and gazed at his friend with an
implacable look. “I don’t intend to let him leave alive.”

****

Madeline
would have recognized the stone keep in the distance anywhere from Gaston’s
stories. It was a grey stone structure, ancient in looks. The stone was blacked
in some places and overgrown with ivy. Smoke billowed from cook fires within
the inner bailey. She glanced up at Rohan and he smiled encouragingly down at
her.

“I
told you I would have you here before dusk, Madeline. I’m in need of one of
those comforts we discussed miles ago.”

She
giggled and snuggled against his chest. “You require more than your fair share
of comforts, Rohan. You would bleed me for every comfort you could get from my
magic.”

He
chuckled and leaned down to kiss her briefly, his dark eyes flashing. “What
were you reading in that book? Did you find a spell to fix all this?”

She
frowned and looked away. “I hoped to find the means to change Lady Blythe back
before we sail. I have found nothing.”

Rohan
kissed her forehead. “I like her better as a cat, my love.”

“Her
coming back would solve many problems, Rohan. Strathmore would have no foothold
in Rivenhahl. They would be stuck with one another.”

“It
appears we are stuck with her, my love. Just hope she doesn’t have her litter
before we arrive in France. Burroughs is up to his armpits in cats now.”

She
giggled as she looked back to see the young man bearing Gerwin and Lady Blythe
in the bag about his neck. “He doesn’t appear to mind.”

Rohan
chuckled as he twisted in the saddle to see his squire. “He adores you, my
love. Bringing your pets was his idea.”

“How
long will it be before your men get back?”

“It
should take three days or more, give or take. I don’t dare go into the city
until we sail. I am well known there, my love.”

“Are
you concerned we will be stopped at the port?” she asked in worry, blue eyes
wide.

“Madeline,
we don’t know what we walk into there,” Rohan replied with a frown. “I find it
unlikely you are regarded as such a threat the king would cut off every port or
avenue out of the country. We know Lunley wishes to see you caught. For that
alone; I’m questioning whether the Viscount sets a trap for us.”

“How
can he know where we would go?”

“Madeline,
I knew where you would go when I found you gone,” Rohan replied. “It was the
logical avenue of escape. Lunley knows we are in Scotland by now. I would wager
he sends a man in wait for us. Edinburgh is the closest port to the keep.”

“Robert
is much like Lady Agnes. He won’t stop.”

“That
is why we leave, my love. I’d not see you burn to please that man,” Rohan said
with a fierce look in his dark eyes.

“Lady
Mary has no hatred for me,” Madeline mused. “Why do Sybilla and Robert still
seek my death?”

“Who
can say? It is likely they blame you for everything that has gone wrong in
their lives.”

“No,
it is more than that, Rohan,” Madeline replied and frowned. “Minerva said a man
hired by the Viscount of Lunley has been the one who pursued us all these
years. It makes no sense. My father left me nothing when he died. I am no
threat to them, yet still they seek me. Why?”

Rohan
shook his head. “Hatred needs no reason, Madeline.”

“No,
this is more than hate, Rohan. My brother has gone to great expense to find me
these last ten years.”

“He
will not succeed,” Rohan declared harshly.

Madeline
shivered as they crossed the mist-enshrouded meadow. It began to drizzle. She
saw a small figure running across the parapets in the distance to raise the
alarm at the sight of them. She looked up at her husband, still unsure of his
plan to flee to France. Robert could find her there. He could find her
anywhere. She would never be safe while he lived to seek her death.

****

“Patience,
Lord Lunley, you will have the girl as soon as we arrive,” Lord Strathmore said
as they rode down the main road towards Scotland. “The king knows de Mortaine
has no intention of doing his duty, despite his orders.”

“My
hirelings should have arrived in Edinburgh by now,” Robert Lunley replied and
shrugged. “They will not get away.”

“Why
do you seek your half sister, Lunley?”

“She
is a witch! She cast her foul curses upon my family. I will seek vengeance when
she burns for her wickedness,” he fumed vehemently.

“A
witch eh? Well, that is a better reason to muster than your father leaving her
half his wealth, is it not?”

The
viscount glared at his companion as the large party of riders moved down the
road. He held his tongue, wondering how the earl came by such knowledge. Not
even his sisters knew of it. They thought he received all of their father’s
wealth. No, he’d betrayed them all and left half to Madeline and her mother.
With Alessandra gone, he need only see his half sister dead to claim the other
half of the fortune held by tight-fisted bankers in London.