Claimed By A Charmer (The Pith Trilogy) (6 page)

Russ unwillingly agreed. “Very
well, I’ll get the message to her. Will ye be safe?”

“Worry not, but if I’m not here
when the Highlanders come, send them to the asylum.”

Russ nodded. “Aye, my lady, but—”

Isabel opened the door. “Go, Russ.”
She pushed him through the doorway, and watched him hurry down the hallway. After
closing the door, she locked it, and prayed for his safe journey.

She thought about her earlier
conversation with her father. Nathaniel was right about him being demented. He’d
send her to an asylum without reservation. She heard about those places. The
thought of being sent there frightened her. She must delay her father’s
decision, and get him to hold off sending her as long as possible. Russell
would deliver her message in time. Her fate depended upon it.

She thought about Douglas too, her
mind envisioning her last sight of him. He would protect her, she was certain. Her
heart attested that he was gallant. Isabel hadn’t heard from Candace since
they’d parted two years ago. Candace must not have married, because she hadn’t
sent for her. Isabel didn’t worry, because she was certain that Douglas
wouldn’t marry Candace poorly. She didn’t know why she felt that way.

Rubbing the back of her neck, she
looked at the bedding. She hadn’t slept much in the past weeks, and her eyes
showed the lack. She’d get rest once she was well away from this evil place,
that is, if Russ was able to deliver her message.

Streaks of redness lined the night sky like
cobwebs spun by the nocturnal spider.

The aura was a perfect setting for her
spell. She raised her hands, palms facing upward,

feeling the energy of the spirits and chanted,
“Sleep, sleep, warrior, as docile as a sheep.

When ye awake, you’ll not forsake, but will
remember me.”

Kerr Keep

Highlands, Scotland

Candace Kerr walked along the wall
of the keep, searching for the lavender flower she needed to make soap. She
traipsed around most of the morning, her attention focused on finding the buds.
She knelt, retrieving a purple flower, but it held fast to the ground. Yanking
hard, she fell backward and landed on her bottom. Laughing heartily, she
gripped the flower again. Suddenly, she heard a rustle in the brush.

“Pssst.”

“Who’s there? Come out.”

“Candace, ‘tis Russell.”

“Russell?” She became apprehensive,
and thought to yell to the sentry.

“I’ve a message from Lady Isabel.”

“Isabel. Is she well?” She moved
closer to the bush, and recognized the stable lad that had traveled with
Isabel. He had escorted Isabel to the Gordon holding whenever she visited. She
recalled her and Isabel laughing at his horrid poetry.

“Aye, she gave me a message to
deliver. Here, take it.” He shoved the parchment though the leaves of the yew
bush. “I must go, the sentries will see me.”

“Will you not await my reply?”

“There was no request for me to do
so.”

Candace glanced at the scroll then
looked back at the bush, but Russell was gone. She walked through the
portcullis and in through the doors of the keep.

Douglas sat with several men at the
trestle table. Colin MacKinnon, her favorite cousin, attended with several of
his warriors. He called a greeting, and she waved, but kept walking. She ran up
the stairs, taking two at a time until she reached her chamber. Growing worried
with each step, she hurried so she could read Isabel’s news. She removed her
plaid, threw it on a bench, and then sat at her table. Once she untied the
scroll, she flattened it so she could read it. Her eyes began tearing when she
read the lines.

My dearest
friend,

I desperately
need your aid. My father declared that I should submit to Nigel. He believes
I’ve already done so. I haven’t, nor will I. As I write this, I’m confined to
my chamber at my own behest. I know not if Nigel performed the act since he
struck me senseless, and he did reprehensible things. I’m frightened. Send
someone for me as we agreed, but don’t let on about the danger. We’ll continue
with the plan that I’m coming for your wedding. I hope that you are not wed,
and that you are betrothed. It’s my only hope to escape. I know you will save
me.

Isabel.

At the bottom, Isabel wrote:

My father is
sending me to Fairview Asylum. I’m to leave soon, though I’m trying to delay
it. Please make haste.

Candace’s hands shook by the time
she finished the missive. Her brows furrowed at the thought of Isabel’s plight.
She folded the missive and placed it inside a drawer. After she washed her
face, and tried to calm herself, she marched with determination to the great
hall.

Douglas was discussing a riff with
a clan north of their property. Their conference didn’t seem serious, since she
heard them laugh at someone’s jest.

“Nay, Douglas, you should curb the
Ferguson’s will. That man is a pain in the arse,” Colin said fervently, then
laughed.

She saw Douglas fiddling with his
goblet, his eyes looked heavy, as though he were tired. Perhaps she shouldn’t
ask him to retrieve her friend. But she had to; Isabel counted on her and he
was the only person she could ask. She couldn’t trust anyone else to handle the
matter; her friend’s safety was in jeopardy.

“Aye, he is. You have to admit he’s
not as bad as the Barclays. They’ve been seen raiding lately. Many were cast
out recently, and roam the countryside, wreaking havoc on other clans.”

Candace decided to interrupt. “Douglas,
I need to speak to you when you have a moment.”

The men ceased their conversation
when she spoke. All glanced at her. Most smiled, except for Douglas and
Brendan, who hardly ever smiled. Candace didn’t know how to ask her request.
Douglas would balk at traveling to England to retrieve her friend. She had to
figure out a way to gain his agreement. Even if she had to cry until the
morrow, she’d do so, as long as he agreed.

*****

Douglas yawned again, and set down
his ale. He wasn’t sure why he was tired, but he felt as though he could sleep
for a week. His sister stood afar, but he could tell she’d been crying, and her
face seemed long. He motioned for her to come forward.

“Aye, Candace, I have time. Come
and join us.”

She seemed bothered, and pulled at
her sleeve, a telltale action that he knew well.

“Nay, I would rather speak to you
in private. I can’t tell you what I … I must speak to you alone, it concerns a
personal matter.”

“Colin, continue without me.”

Douglas led her through the doors
of the hall. She seemed rigid as they walked along, and appeared to be working
out whatever she wanted to ask in her mind. He sensed her hesitation, which was
so unlike her, but he grinned at her strange manner. He loved his sister, even
though she’d been born of a different mother. His stepmother, Shelagh, took
care of them, and his home. Since his father passed, Douglas became responsible
for them. In fact, he’d introduced Candace to her intended husband.

Willard MacIver was a member of a
clan the Kerrs were allied to. They would marry in the spring, after the next
winter season. Candace seemed delighted about it, and his mother was fond of
the MacIvers as well. Mayhap she had a change of mind?

“You’re not having second thoughts
about wedding Wills, are ye?”

“Nay, of course not, I’m pleased to
be marrying Will. I do need a favor, Douglas, and I’m not sure how to ask. ‘Tis
a difficult task.”

Douglas noticed that she squeezed
her hands so tightly, her knuckles turned white. Why was she nervous? He yawned
again, covering his mouth, before he could speak.

“Just ask, lass. I won’t be angry.”
He gave her a grin to ward off her hesitancy. They stopped beneath a gnarled
oak, where he leaned against the trunk and waited. The shade from the dense
leaves cooled him. “Whatever it is, lass, I can’t help if you don’t talk to me.
What is it?”

“It concerns my friend, Isabel.”

“Isabel?” He pretended ignorance.

“You’ve forgotten her? She’s the
lady I visited at the Gordon’s. You met her when ye came because father …” she
didn’t finish, and lowered her eyes.

He knew she disliked speaking of
their father’s death. It was still too difficult to accept.

“That was almost two years ago, I
cannot believe you remember her.”
Isabel
. He remembered her all right,
but wouldn’t own that he did.

“We made a promise to each another.
I’ve been remiss, and now must see to it.”

His sister’s smile made him
lighten. “What kind of promise?” He knew better than to agree before he
understood exactly what it was he would undertake.

“I swore to send for her when I was
to marry. I need you to bring her here.”

“You want her to come here? Why?”

“We promised to be at each other’s
weddings. She’s my best friend. I need her.” Candace pulled at the sleeve of
her gown, the fabric would likely tear.

He noticed the action and frowned. “You
have your clan. Ye don’t need her.” He folded his arms across his chest,
shaking his head.

“I do need her.”

“I cannot leave now. If I go, it’ll
have to await the spring, before your wedding. Mayhap in March, that will give
you plenty of time to visit before you marry.”

Candace lowered her gaze to the
ground. He took her arm, and felt her stiffen. She began weeping, and damn it
all, he couldn’t help but be swayed by her tears.

“Candace, you know I cannot abide
tears. Please, don’t cry.”

“I can’t help it,” she wailed. “You
must bring her here right now. Please, Douglas.”

“I cannot. You don’t understand,”
he conjured.

“Why won’t you do this for me? I
hardly ask anything of ye. Just this wee boon, surely you won’t let me down.” Candace
cried harder.

He pulled her into his arms. Putting
it like that, what could he do? “Nay, I won’t let ye down, lass. If it means
that much to—”

“Aye, it means much to me. When
will you leave? This day, on the morrow?”

She clasped her hands around him in
delight. His sister’s enthusiasm touched him, and he smiled.

“I’ll leave on the morrow. Mayhap
Brendan will go with me. It shouldn’t take too long.”

“Just bring her back quickly, no
matter what happens. Bring her back. You promise?”

He nodded and before he could speak
a word, Candace pulled from his embrace and ran inside the hall. He sensed that
she tried to flee before he changed his mind. He wondered about her strange
comment. No matter what happens? A yawn overtook him, and he wondered why he
felt so tired. He strode leisurely inside, feeling dumbfounded at his easy acceptance.
She gained his promise with very little effort. Cosh, his sister knew how to
sway him. It only took five minutes—surely he should have made her plead for no
less than ten minutes.

“What did she want?” Colin asked.

Douglas slouched in his seat,
leaning his head on the high back of the chair. “She wants me to bring her
friend, Isabel, here for her wedding.”

“Is that all? Why was she so
concerned?”

“I know why,” Brendan said.

Douglas glared at him, and closed
his eyes. His eyes were so heavy, he didn’t like the feeling. He felt sluggish,
or mayhap drugged.

“Well, brother, why don’t you
enlighten us?” Colin asked Brendan.

“Because Douglas is going to have a
hard time.” Brendan scowled.

“Who’s this lass that he’s going to
fetch?”

Douglas opened his eyes and saw their
curious looks. Hell, even Brendan grinned, if you could call it a grin. He
didn’t like their banter, and would not stand for being the butt of their
jests.

“Brendan, cease, faigh muin. I’m
not going to have a hard time. I’ll retrieve her for Candace’s wedding, and
you’re coming with me.” He told him in a tone that commanded, though he’d
intended to ask.

“Aye, I wouldn’t miss this. Of
course I’ll go,” Brendan said. “Gil, you’ll come along.”

“Aye, Brendan. I’ll protect his
rear; you can protect his front.” Gil laughed.

“His front will need protecting on
this mission,” Brendan replied crisply.

Colin laughed at their jests.

Douglas felt chaffed by their
banter, but he didn’t show any reaction. He recalled the lass’ conduct, and
didn’t look forward to seeing her again. What a falsehood. Mayhap he did look
forward to meeting her again. He didn’t know his own mind, but he promised
Candace that he would retrieve her, and he’d not rescind it now.

He grew somber, remaining quiet the
rest of the night. Barely able to keep his eyes open, he considered retiring
for the night. His friends drank deeply from their cups, and jested about the
training earlier that day. He watched his sister motion to Rachel Dunmore—the
Dunmore’s own cousin, who from accounts was captured by Cedric on a Dunmore
raid.

Douglas observed them, and he
sensed that Candace must not have liked what Rachel said, because she frowned
intensely. He sat too far away, and couldn’t hear their words, but he wasn’t
one to intervene on his sister’s matters unless she asked. As he dismissed them
from his thoughts, he looked across the room.

“We’re leaving at first light. I’m
going to bed.” He could hear his friend’s laughter as he walked toward his
chamber.

Douglas lay in bed contemplating
the mission. Why couldn’t he have said nay? But he couldn’t deny his sister’s
request. Now, he had to fetch the hellion and bring her to his home. He wanted
to leave and get it over with. He visualized the kiss they’d shared in the
stable. His body grew stiff thinking about her bonny face, and the way she had
felt in his arms. Douglas had watched her assess him in the stable, and at the
time, his body reacted to her boldness when her eyes raked over him. Damn, but
she’d enchanted him, yet she had been dauntless when he’d confronted her. He’d
never met a lady who hadn’t backed away from him. He’d decided to pacify her
anyway, being the gentleman he was. That certainly hadn’t lasted long and
against his better judgment, he kissed her.

His intention to kiss her senseless
only caused his own mindless state. He didn’t know why he had deepened the
kiss, but he intended it to be hard, hot and swore to intimidate her. Her
reaction was quite the opposite of what he’d imagined it would be. She had pulled
him closer, wanting his kiss. Damned if that didn’t make him harden with need. He
wanted the minx, more than any other. Lord, but she could kiss. It took him a
few minutes to get over that fact. He remembered standing in the stable for
several minutes trying to gain control.