A Year & a Day (47 page)

Sim took up the tale. "Many joined Wallace in rebellion. We did not, but we were in sympathy and let them have a few sheep to keep them from starving. Later on, when the arms went missing from the forge, we knew who had taken them. A group of shepherds and homeless men who had been ill-treated banded together to aid Wallace any way they could. Under cover of dark they stole food, arms, anything that wasn't nailed down. We closed our eyes to the theftand didn't sound the alarm."

Lynx's face hardened. "The baggage train from Carlisle that was set upon?"

"I swear we had no knowledge of it," Ben vowed. "Only now do we realize we should not have talked openly about Dumfries with other shepherds in the dales."

"Get to Jane for Christ's sake!"

Sim's voice cracked with emotion as he tried to explain. "Two shepherds we knew sought refuge from their English lord. They swore they had barely escaped a hanging. We hid them in my house because Ben's wife was ailing and Jane was staying with her. The next morning,Jane was gone and that paper was nailed to the front door of the castle."

"That's all you know? Where did these shepherds come from?"

"Torthwald, my lord."

Lynx closed his eyes to blot out thought of Fitz-Waren, but 359

it only brought his cousin's menacing image into sharp focus. "Lock them up," Lynx bid Montgomery. "If one hair on Jane's head has been harmed, you'll wish I had hanged you."

******************

not admitted immediately, they stormed the castle and hanged the guard on the gate.

There was only a token number of Fitz-Waren's men at the castle, leftthere to guard the treasures taken from the Palace of Scone. It did not take Lynx de Warenne long to make the men talk. They admitted that a red-haired young woman had been brought in by two shepherds, but Fitz-Waren had taken her away two days past. They swore they had had no hand in the kidnapping. They vowed they were cavalry officers loyal to John de Warenne and would never do aught to harm the governor. No amount of torture made them change their story that they had no idea where Fitz-Waren had gone.

The pain they suffered was naught compared with the agonizing torment Lynx de Warenne endured. Fitz-Waren was evil incarnate and Lynx dreaded what he might do to Jane. His sole hope lay in the fact that she was valuable as a hostage only if they kept her alive.

De Warenne would not remain under Fitz-Waren's roof, so they set up camp outside the castle, building fires to cook their food. The horses too needed a rest before the knights set out again on their quest to find William Wallace.

As Lynx sat staring into the campfire, his food almost untouched, he tried to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. He hadn't the faintest idea where William Wallace was hiding. His whereabouts was the closest guarded secret of the common people of Scotland. De Warenne knew he needed an intermediary, but no one came to mind.

Lynx's only option seemed to be to rejoin John de Warenne's army and learn if the governor's spies knew where

Wallace was. Lynx stood up to order his men to break camp, when suddenly an idea came to him.

He had always suspected that the Church of Scotland was behind William Wallace. Lynx was willing to bet his sword arm that Robert Wishart, Bishop of Glasgow, would have no trouble contacting Wallace.

At the bishop's palace in Glasgow, de Warenne left his men in the courtyard while he went inside with only his squires. After half an hour of cooling his heels, Lynx de Warenne grabbed a churchman by his cassock. "Tell Wishart that Lynx de Warenne seeks audience. If he doesn't show his face now, I'll torch the place."

In a few minutes Robert Wishart entered the room. De Warenne knew any man with enough guts to defy Edward Plantagenet and aid the king's enemy would not cave in to threats. Without saying a word, de Warenne handed the parchment to the bishop.

Wishart read what was writ there. "I take it you are the Earl of Surrey's heir?"

"I am, and the lady who Wallace holds hostage is my wife."

"You want the church to appeal for her return, my lord?"

De Warenne struck his mailed fist on the carved refectory table, marring it forever. "I want the church to cut out the bullshit!"

"I have sworn my Oath of Allegiance to King Edward's peace. I cannot contact William Wallace for you," Wishart said flatly.

"But you know someone who can," de Warenne said cynically.

The Bishop of Glasgow raised his hands in acquiescence. "Return tomorrow evening, after dark."

******************

had gotten through the last twenty-four hours without spilling blood. His temper was in

shreds, his gut knotted with sickening fear for Jane, and his patience had all run out.

With his hand on his dagger, de Warenne followed a black-robed priest through a maze of corridors and entered a chamber dimly lit by a few votive candles. The priest vanished and de Warenne stared unblinking into the shadows. A brawny figure stepped forward into the light and he found himself face-to-face with the Bruce.

Thirty-Three

Afoul oath fell from de Warenne's lips. "Curse you, Robert, why am I not surprised that you are in league with both sides?"

"Only for Jane would I expose my position like this."

"Take me to Wallace tonight. If that scum has harmed her, he's a dead man!"

"I'll see Wallace; I'll get Jane back. Since you're not exchanging John de Warenne for her, I'll have to pay whatever price he asks."

"I'll pay his fucking price, it'll be more than he ever bargained for! Just take me to him."

"You are too incensed. Violence would be the only outcome if you dealt with him yourself."

"I'm coming," Lynx stated implacably.

"It would put Jane in jeopardy."

"She's already in jeopardy—it was Fitz-Waren who sold her to Wallace!"

"Then save your retaliation for him," the Bruce said bluntly. "Lynx, I know you are a facile negotiator, but you can't handle this one." The Bruce knew it would take more than money and he didn't want Lynx to be faced with the moral dilemma of betrayal.

"Then I'll just be one of your men. I'll stay back with the others; no one will recognize me." When Robert Bruce still looked unconvinced, Lynx added, "I swear I won't interfere!"

A sharp bark of laughter fell from the Brace's lips. "Liar! At the least provocation you'd have a knife at his throat."

"Then he'd better not provoke me."

"All right then," Robert agreed against his better judgment. "Just wear leathers, a hauberk, and a helmet. No colors or devices, we can't ride in flying a Bruce banner. Meet me in two hours at the Great Western Road."

"I'm not that gullible; I'll stay with you now."

The next two hours were taken up by secretly transferring a cardoad of silver bars from a Bruce stronghold in Glasgow to the bishop's palace. Wishart obliged the Bruce with a signed receipt.

The Bruce party of ten rode six miles along the river to Clydebank where they were stopped and asked for a password. When Robert Bruce satisfied Wallace's men that he represented no threat, they were allowed to proceed toward Dumbarton. Lynx was amazed, since the castle of Dumbarton was governed by the Earl of Montieth, who had sworn his allegiance to King Edward.

Again they were stopped and made to wait in the predawn darkness. As the first hint of light touched the sky, a lone rider galloped toward the center of an open field, and the Bruce, unarmed, was allowed to ride out to meet him.

"I've been expecting ye," Wallace began.

"Is the lady unharmed?"

"Do we get John de Warenne?"

"That is impossible. Even if he were willing, Lynx de Warenne could not hand you the Governor of Scotland. He is too well guarded."

"If I hold his wife, he will find a way," Wallace stated flatly.

"If there was any way to seize the governor, don't you think Fitz-Waren would have found it, instead of stealing a helpless woman?"

"If ye won't give me the governor, why are ye here?"

"To negotiate a price . . . once I've seen that the lady is unharmed." The Bruce did not want Wallace to know Lady Jane held a special place in his heart.

"What price?"

"Five thousand pounds sterling." It was a great deal of money. Enough to buy weapons for a small army.

"Be serious, man," Wallace said with contempt.

"I have information as well as money, but first you must produce the lady so that I know she is unharmed."

Pale eyes stared fiercely into dark ones and the Bruce knew he must not be the first to lower his gaze. He decided a threat would not be amiss. "If aught has befallen Jane de Warenne, it is not Edward Plantagenet you must fear."

William Wallace turned in the saddle and raised an arm toward the castle. "I'll bring her out so ye can see for yerself, but then she goes back inside."

The Bruce sat waiting in silence, far more worried about the actions of the man behind him than the one before him. Presently, a mounted guard led out a girl on a shaggy pony. Her blazing hair streamed behind her in the early morning breeze. Robert felt a deep pride when he saw the set of her Celtic head.

She sat dry-eyed, her back as straight as a ramrod. Jane showed none of the surprise she must be feeling that he had come rather than her husband. Then he saw her gaze travel across the field to where his men sat waiting.

Jane saw him immediately. No other man sat a horse quite like Lynx de Warenne. Her inner turmoil, so at odds with her outward calm, swirled like a maelstrom. At one and the same time she wanted him close, yet wanted him far removed from this terrible ordeal. Jane felt the helpless impotence he was experiencing watching her, and knew he was only a heartbeat away from spurring his horse to her rescue. Jane knew if she did not look away from him, she would lose total control of her composure.

She swung her eyes back to Robert just as the morning sun appeared and reflected off his helmet.

She felt suddenly strange and dizzy, and when she blinked her eyes she saw that Robert Bruce was wearing a golden crown. Almost immediately, Jane realized she was experiencing a vision. As she stared, she saw that he wore not only a crown, but splendid coronation robes. Robert Bruce was a king! And beside him Jane saw a crowned young woman who was obviously his queen. Jane's hand went to her

head to dispel the queer dizziness and the next thing she knew, her mounted guard was leading her pony back toward Dumbarton Castle.

When Lynx de Warenne saw the small, proud figure of his wife astride the pony, he felt weak with relief. He wanted to make a sign to her, but managed to restrain the impulse. The sweat trickled down his spine from the effort it took. As Lynx watched her, he was consumed by a helpless impotence that almost unmanned him. When he saw her hand go to her head as if she were unwell, he rose up in his stirrups to gallop,across the field. Then his heart plummeted as he watched her being returned to the castle and he knew that the deal was not yet done.

William Wallace waited until his hostage was secure, then he turned back to the Bruce. "What information do you have?"

"Information about John de Warenne. Information that will allow you to take him yourself if you are clever enough," Bruce challenged. "Is it a deal?"

"Perhaps," Wallace said, nodding.

Bruce knew it would be a stalemate unless he risked all. "The governor is on his way to Stirling.

He commands a force of forty thousand." Bruce saw Wallace raise his shaggy head and his pale eyes went wide in surprise. "If you get there first you'll be able to choose the strategic ground. And once again, Percy's baggage train should be easy pickings—he joins Cressingham at Roxburgh. That's all I can give you besides the five thousand sterling."

"Make it ten thousand and ye've bought yerself a hostage . . . when the money's delivered."

"It's already delivered." Bruce showed him the receipt signed by Wishart, Bishop of Glasgow. It was for ten thousand pounds sterling.

"Ye anticipated me." Wallace grimaced and raised his signal arm once again.

This time Robert Bruce saw that Jane rode out alone. He handed William Wallace the receipt. "I'll throw in some free ad-

vice. Don't place too much trust in Comyn. You are an idealist who seeks to make vassals free men. Comyn has immense land holdings—an end to the feudal system would not be in his best interests."

Robert Bruce took hold of Jane's bridle and the pair of riders trotted slowly across the open field to where his men waited.

"Thank you, my lord," Jane murmured.

"Do not thank me. It is your husband who will pay the ransom, but don't mark his presence until we are safely back in Glasgow; if they knew de Warenne was here, they'd have another hostage."

******************

cheer as the dozen men in leathers accompanying Lady Jane rode into the inn yard. Taffy rushed forward to aid her from the saddle and was rewarded by a tremulous smile.

Lynx de Warenne was almost overcome with emotion as he strode toward his beloved wife. The tenderness he felt at the sight of her brought a lump to his throat that prevented him from speaking. He dropped a gentle kiss upon her brow and then wrapped her in his arms and held her against his heart. He knew he would protect her with his life from this day forward and cherish her with his heart and soul.

Lynx bade Taffy take her upstairs, then he embraced Robert Bruce and thanked him sincerely.