Beneath a Highland Moon (The Highland Moon Series 1) (4 page)

Chapter Two

Driven by the harsh winds off the North Sea, rain pounded against Jillian
's bedchamber window.
Several hours had passed since her confinement, and she'd spent much of that time pacing the floor and thinking.
She knew with a certainty that if anyone could take back Lochstorm from Gordon MacRae, Kade could.
The other Highland clans were well aware of the strength of Ravenskull and its young laird.
With its many loyal and well-trained warriors, no one dared oppose the MacLachlans.
She just had to think of a way to convince him to help her.
It'd been a long time since she'd thought so much about Kade—only because she'd not allowed herself to. At one time, he'd been the utmost person on her mind. She smiled to herself, remembering the first time they'd met.

At the age of fourte
en, Jillian had accompanied her father to Edinburgh Castle. He'd gone there to hold court with King James—as was customary in those days. Laird MacLachlan happened to be there, along with his son, Kade, who was three years older than Jillian.
Her father had introduced the two of them, and Jillian had been quite taken with the tall, handsome lad with the black hair and dark eyes surrounded by long lashes such as she'd never seen.
He'd smiled down at her and Jillian had been certain everyone far and near had heard her heart pounding against her chest.

Her bedchamber
door slammed against the wall.
Startled, Jillian gasped. One of Gordon's men blocked the doorway. "Have you no manners at all?" she said "'Tis customary to knock before entering a lady's bedchamber. You'd best remember that."

Roderick stepped a
round the guard and limped into the room.

"
Roderick," she exclaimed with both relief and surprise.
When Fergus had dragged her away from the great hall, with Roderick still lying on the floor, Jillian hadn't known just how badly injured he truly was.
She'd been afraid she might never see him again.

"
MacRae gave him permission to see you," said the guard.
"Make it quick," he barked at Roderick before closing the door and returning to his post.

"
I've been very afraid you might be dead by now," she said, making a quick visual examination of his injuries. Black and blue bruises almost entirely covered his face, but thankfully the cut on his head had stopped bleeding. "When I think of all the pain you endured at the hands of those barbarians, I want to weep. The injury that concerns me most is the one on your head. Have Mairi make you a poultice.
I don't wish to see you get an infection and die."

"
Much thanks for your concern, Lady Jillian. But you must remember that this face of mine didn't get all of these scars by staying away from the front lines.
I've been in more than my share of battles, but I promise to see the healer as soon as I'm able to do so," he said, motioning for her to follow him to the outer wall. There he whispered,
"I've put much thought into this, Jillian, and as much as I dislike saying it, I believe someone at Lochstorm has been feeding information to MacRae for some time."

She nodded.
"Aye, I wondered as much for several reasons. Gordon seemed to ken with certainty that Ian hadn't left Lochstorm.
And only someone with knowledge of the guard rotation would've been able to catch them unaware. I hope we're wrong, for
I don't wish to believe that anyone that I ken would do such a thing to their own people."

"
Aye, m'lady, but the enticements of wealth and position have turned many a previously loyal man's head.
The question is, now that they're here, what's to be done to get rid of them?"

Jillian sighed loudly.
"Well, one thing's for certain. We're in no shape to do it alone. The entire garrison of Lochstorm is in the dungeon.
Gordon assured me that no one was killed, but I don't for a minute believe him. And I feel certain the villagers are so frightened they'll come nowhere near the castle. Why did Gordon allow you to see me after ordering you taken to the dungeon?"

His face split into a wide grin, his swollen lip causing him to sudde
nly wince. "MacRae, in fact, sent me here to convince you 'twould be in your best interest to go along with what he asks—especially since you're to become his wife." He rolled his eyes toward the ceiling and shook his head. "He firmly believes that if you comply with his request, the lad would become easier for him to control. Of course, you ken that I believe you should do no such thing, but agreeing to address the matter with you at least gave me the chance to see you and make certain you'd not been harmed in any way."

She nodded.
"Much thanks, Roderick. How does Ian fare?"

"
Don't fash yourself, m'lady.
I can assure you that Winnie is making certain Ian is well cared for."

"
Aye, I ken she is, yet I can't help but fear for his safety.
He's so young. And we've both suffered such a great loss with Papa's death happening so recently.
He needs me now more than ever," Jillian said, blinking back tears.
How she ached to hold Ian in her arms and cover his wee sweet face with kisses.

"
The lad is giving Gordon a fit.
He'll not go along at all with his wishes and constantly begs to see you. I can hardly bear to listen to his pleading. My worry is that Gordon will grow tired of the lad's disobedience and beat him into submission."

Jillian
paced back and forth in front of the window, wringing her hands, the awful image of Gordon striking Ian racing through her mind.
It made her sick. Jillian stopped beside the table and picked up a handful of purple heather that Ian had gathered for her a few days earlier, now falling apart in her hands—like the rest of their world.
"Ian doesn't yet understand people like Gordon MacRae."

"
Nay, not yet he doesn't, but he'll learn soon enough if we're not able to reclaim Lochstorm.
MacRae is planning on taking Ian for a survey of the lands, along with myself to show him the borders. I believe the lad is much too young for such a large undertaking, and I said as much.
Gordon only laughed in my face, telling me 'twas not any of my affairs and that if I didn't like it, I could go stay in the dungeon. I decided 'twould be better for me to appear to give in. That way at least I might be able to learn what is going on in that devious mind of his. And I'd be able to keep an eye on Ian, as well."

Anger w
elled up inside Jillian, and her fists bunched at her side.
At that moment she could've very well clawed Gordon's eyes out, if but given the chance. "Make no mistake, Roderick, he has his own selfish reasons for whatever he does. I'm not so naïve as to believe that sooner or later—after he's gotten his greedy hands on my dowry—I'd not fall victim to some unfortunate accident, which is what everyone suspects happened to his poor first wife. Then there'd be no one left to oppose him, other than a small lad, who'd also one day be disposed of."

Roderick nodded in
agreement. "Aye, 'tis true. We're dealing with a dangerous and ruthless man. It seems that for the moment, at least, our hands are tied, and we remain at his mercy."

Jillian sat down on the settle beside the fire, and patted the
seat beside her. After he joined her, she lowered her voice to barely a whisper.
"I ken of someone who can help us."

His e
yebrows rose inquiringly. "Who?"

"
Kade MacLachlan."

His mouth dropped open and he slowly shook his head in disbelief.
"I'll allow that he is more than likely the most powerful laird in this part of the Highlands. And it's a well-known fact he has the full support of his clan rallying behind him.
But, m'lady, just how do you intend to convince him to overthrow MacRae?
He's no reason to want to involve himself in MacRae affairs."

Jillian rose from the settle, and walked over to the window, taking a long moment before she spoke.
"I'll give him a reason," she said matter-of-factly.

"
What might that be?"

"
Me."

Roderick stared at her, complete surprise on his face.
"Jillian, what are you saying?"

"'
Twas but four years ago that Kade cared a great deal for me.
He even went so far as to ask my father for my hand in marriage. But, of course, Papa had already betrothed me to Innes Ramsey, who turned out to be naught more than a thief, a skirt chaser and trouble for his whole clan.
After Papa found out the truth, it grieved him greatly that I was to become the wife of such a man—at his own doing.
Of course he never would have said so, but I believe he was relieved when Innes was killed in that skirmish with the MacLachlans a week before we were to be wed."

"
Aye, I remember it well." He nodded.
"Your father confided in me once that he had made a grave mistake in betrothing you to Innis. But still, that was some time ago."
MacLachlan is most likely wed and has bairns of his own. In fact, if I recall correctly, his father wed him to a French lass, the only daughter of a wealthy merchant."

She looked out the window, watching the rain dance
across the top of the dark, gray water of the loch far below. "Aye, he wed," she said quietly, vividly remembering how—upon hearing of his marriage—she'd excused herself from the table and run to her bedchamber. Jillian had thrown herself across her bed, crying as if her heart were broken. And in truth it had been. Feigning an illness, she stayed in her bedchamber for near a week. "His wife died in childbirth two years ago—along with the wee lad she birthed."

"
Och! I had no knowledge of this," he said, drumming his fingers against the ornately carved arm of the settle. "Why didn't he come for you after the Ramsey lad was dead?"

She shrugged.
"I always assumed that by then he was already betrothed, for they wed soon after."

Roderick nodded.
"If indeed this idea you have of going to MacLachlan for help works, just how do you intend to leave Lochstorm and reach Ravenskull to speak with him?"

"
I've conceived a plan.
Be ready, Roderick, for I'll need your help in order to make it work. You and Winnie are the only people I trust with our lives, and that is exactly what I'll be doing.
I'll send word of what I need through Winnie. Since I'm not allowed to go down to the great hall to eat, Gordon should eventually allow her to bring food to my bedchamber. If he intends to wed me, surely he'll not let me starve to death."

"
Have a care, my lady," he said, his brow creased with worry.
"Whatever decision you make, I'll stand by you.
Just let me ken what you need and I'll do whatever it takes to make sure 'tis yours."

Jillian smiled. S
he could always count on Roderick—just as her father had. "Aye, that I already ken, but if I do succeed in making my escape, you and the others will be left to face Gordon's rage."

"
Och, don't worry for us.
We'll deal with whatever happens. At least we'll ken through it all that you're doing everything within your power to get us the help we need."

She returned to her place on the settle and to
ok his hand, calloused from many years of wielding a sword. "Much thanks, Roderick. But be assured that I'll not desert my people. If Kade no longer wants me and refuses to help us, I'll have no other choice than to return to Lochstorm—without Ian—and wed Gordon. I'll ask Kade to allow Ian to stay at Ravenskull. But I'll cross that bridge when I have to. Now I'm thinking that mayhap you should go.
He might become angry if you stay too long and not allow Winnie to bring me my food. I can but pray he will, for I also must discuss this plan of mine with her, and besides, I'm hungry. There are many preparations yet to be made, and I've much to think about before I proceed. In order for Ian and I to have time to get to Ravenskull, our disappearance must go unnoticed for as long a time as possible. Please tell Ian that I love him.
Tell him to stay strong, and that all will be well."

"
If MacRae allows no food brought to you, I'll somehow make certain you don't starve." He walked toward the door and turned around.
"And I'll tell Ian what you asked me to, but I'll also tell him that he has a very brave sister."

Tears welled up in Jillian
's eyes. "Much thanks, Roderick.
What will you tell Gordon about the outcome of your visit?" she asked, greatly fearing for his wellbeing.

Roderick smiled.
"The truth. That you said you had much to think about," he said grinning, as he pulled the door closed behind him.

Jillian sighed. When she was a
child, her bedchamber had been her favorite place to retreat from the hordes of people that always filled the castle.
Now it'd become her prison.
She gently stroked the tapestry hanging above the settle, tracing the scene of several children playing with a spotted dog. She smiled as she thought of the many months it took for she and her mother to finish it.
The very next year—a week before Jillian's nineteenth birthday, her mother had died giving birth to Ian.
She never blamed her brother for her mother's death and neither had her father.
They both cherished him as an extension of their mother's love.