One & Only (22 page)

From the force of his push, Bree
landed on her hands and knees. She was inside a room with no windows. It was
obscure and dank. Her knees hurt from hitting something hard. She felt odd
shapes under her and she gripped something. When her eyes adjusted to the
darkness, she held the object up and made out a large bone. Instantly, she
tossed it away.

She screamed in terror at the
thought she’d held someone’s bone in her hand. Backing up, she bumped the door
and tried to find a handle. There was none. She pounded on the wood.

“Let me out, please, let me out!”
Her words gave out as her pleas died in her throat.

Bree could hear them laughing on the
other side of the door.

“Please.” Her plea went unanswered.
“Please.”

She stood by the door and could make
out a chamber. No windows could be seen and yet as her eyes adjusted more to
the darkness, she could see many bones and skulls lining the floor. A sick
feeling overcame her and she couldn’t help gagging. The stench inside the room
was unbearable.

Then an atrocious thought came to
her. How were these poor people killed? An image of MacWilliams throwing a bone
at the door came and Bree gagged again. Surely they hadn’t done the imaginable
to these poor souls.

Bree couldn’t move. She kept near
the door hoping they would let her out. Her voice had given out from screaming
and crying. Raspy now, she called out in an inaudible voice. After a few hours
of torment, finally the door opened. The old woman stood on the other side.

“Go to your chamber, go, lass, afore
they return. Hurry.”

“Thank you.” If she wasn’t afraid of
harming the woman with a hug, she’d wrap her arms around her in gratitude, for
letting her out.

She didn’t stay to question the old
woman, but fled the hall and hurried to her chamber. Bree hastily went to the
basin and washed her face and hands. Filth covered her garments, and the
beautiful gown Elaina had given her was ruined. But that was the least of her
problems. She had to get out of this castle.

The door burst open and MacWilliams
strode in. She’d forgotten to latch it. He stalked her through the room, and
Bree kept moving away from him. Her nerves tensed her and tightness came to her
chest. Scared and beyond sense, she continued to avoid him. Yet he stood a few
feet away, almost close enough to reach out to her. He had a bizarre crazed
look on his face and Bree suspected he would pounce on her.

With that thought in mind, she
spotted her satchel next to the bedding. As she neared, backing up as he
stepped toward her, she hoped she could reach inside and take hold of the
dagger Greer had given her.

MacWilliams cornered her. “You’re a
fine looking woman. It’s been a long time since I had a comely woman who looks
as good as you. You’re to be my wife. I have come to claim my husbandly
benefits.”

“Please, I don’t …” Bree ceased
talking when her voice faltered.

He petted her hair. “I won’t hurt
ye. Did we scare you, locking you in the chamber?”

“Aye,” she said low.

“Aw, pretty lass, don’t worry. You
won’t go in there again. I want to see you.” He began pulling at her gown,
tearing the beautiful bodice.

Bree fell to her knees and tried to
refute him by curling up so he couldn’t have access to her. His body came at
her, and she fell back against a trunk that sat next to the bed. Taking the
dagger from her satchel, Bree gripped it tightly. The object felt heavy in her
hand. She wasn’t one to ever use a weapon, but knew she must.

“Ah, ye want me too, lass?”
MacWilliams was demented. He wrestled with her clothing and she fought him from
lifting her skirts when she felt his slimy hand on her calf.

When he tried to kiss her, Bree had
no choice. She brought the dagger down as hard as she could and thrust it into
his back.

MacWilliams gasped. He scowled and
gave a crazed look, his eyes dark with fury and disbelief. Still, he had enough
strength go grip her neck and tightened his hold to choke her. His weight was
substantial against her, and she couldn’t push him away.

He continued to paw her with his
other hand, and then she yanked her dagger from his back and thrust it again
with all her might. Bree kept thrusting the blade, mindlessly. It must have
struck him in a significant spot, because finally he ceased moving. His open
eyes stared at her. The pressure from his hand lessened and then it fell away.
She took deep garish breaths.

He was dead.

Bree shoved him away from her with
shaking hands. MacWilliams rolled on to his stomach, upon the floor. Her breath
hitched as she stared at his unmoving form with the dagger sticking from his
back. She’d killed him. Unable to stop herself, she gagged and bile came out of
her mouth. She wiped her lips with her sleeve and cried.

All she wanted at that moment was to
be away – be in a kitchen somewhere making a delicious meal. She’d hold a spoon
and would stir the pottage or whatever she was making … Aye, a nice fat candied
goose with all the trimmings. Bree considered she’d gone mad thinking such
thoughts.

The terror of what she had done
convulsed her stomach and she heaved at the form lying nearby. Bree scrambled
back and tried to gain her footing, but she fell backward and hit her head against
the edge of the doorjamb. Stinging tears and flashes came to her eyes and
everything blurred.

CHAPTER twenty

Gordy reached the Ross holding in
the wee hours of the day and quickly dismounted, leaving the steed untethered,
and ran into the castle. He wanted to impart what he’d heard, and would only do
so to the king as he was bid.

From the amount of people still
milling around the great hall, he knew the king still resided at the Ross’
keep. It was late enough that all should have taken to bed. But many of those
in the hall were men who played card games and drank ale and wine.

Gordy looked around for Laird Ross
or one of his laird’s guards, in hopes they could tell him where to find the
king. He saw them standing at the end of the hall, their face reflecting a grim
mien.

“Greer, I have returned.” Gordy’s
breath rasped from his mad dash inside the hall and his quick search for them.
“Where is the king?”

“He’s sitting yonder at the table
there,” he said pointing in the king’s direction. “Where is milady?” Greer
grabbed his shirt and pulled him forward. “You left her there?”

“I had no choice. The king bid me to
report to him. I came with the news so he would release my laird. Milady needs
him.”

Greer released his tunic and said
low, “What news have ye to report?”

“Come with me. I could use support
whilst I give my news to the king.” Gordy led the procession to where the king
sat and he bowed before looking at him.

“Lad, you have returned. Have you
news?”

“Aye, my lord, I do.”

Laird Ross stood and told them to
follow. Gordy trailed behind the king and the Gunn guardsmen trailed behind
him. They entered Ross’ solar and the king turned as soon as the door was
closed.

“Tell me, what news do you bring?”

Gordy swallowed his fear and began,
“My lord, milady told me to pretend I was deaf so I might overhear about the
revolt or anything that might help us learn who is behind the threat.

“Ye see, women are the best spies,”
the king said.

“MacHeth does conspire against ye,
but he is not the leader. There were another man there, Domnall MacWilliams. He
wants your crown, my lord.”

The king growled and fist punched
his hand. “I should have known. MacHeth deems himself to be laird of Ross, but
he doesn’t have the wherewithal to go against you, Donal. And he gets MacWilliams,
that dog, to covet my crown so he can gain his wont through MacWilliams.
MacWilliams declared long ago that he had rights to the crown. His rights are
nil and he shall not prevail in this attempt.” Alexander wasn’t listening; he
paced before the group, deep in thought and then stopped and waited for Gordy
to continue.

“They have forces all ready on the
way to confront your soldiers, sire. Said they would revolt at Kinloss. But I
fear for milady.”

He went to the door and called forth
his man-at-arms and gave direction to send messages to his armies and allies.
He turned back to them and said, “We will thwart these banshees who aim to take
my crown! I must go to Kinloss immediately.”

Gordy stepped forward, blocking the
doorway, and had blatantly forced the king to wait and attend him, blocking his
hasty exit. It took much courage to step in front of the king, but he had no
choice. His laird’s lady was in danger.

“There is more, my lord. MacHeth
told milady that she wasn’t a Mackay, that she were born a bastard.”

“Albrey is not a Mackay,” the king
said low. He laughed in a mocking bellow.

Gordy nodded. He was afraid the king
would strike him when a look of anger overtook his face. Gordy stepped backward
and noticed the Gunn guard standing behind him in full support.

“I heard rumors, but … I cannot deal
with this situation now. I must depart to meet this rebellion. Donal, you can
release Gunn when I am gone. Have him go to the lass. Then you both shall meet
me on the field. I expect ye both there posthaste in support. I am away.”
Alexander sauntered from the room and with a bang to the door disappeared.

“Let us release your laird,” Ross
said.

Gordy walked with the Gunn guard and
followed Ross out of the chamber. Through the castle’s great room, they marched
with conviction and all those quickly moved aside. He was proud of his laird’s
guard, for no other was as fiercely dedicated or as commanding.

When they reached the underground,
they all stood near the bars, Donal unlocked the gate and called to Grey.

His laird was sitting on the floor
with his back to the wall. When he saw them, he got up and walked through the
opening without a word to anyone. Greer handed him his sword and other
belongings the king’s men had taken.

His laird didn’t bother sheathing the
sword, but held it tightly in his hand. He kept going, taking the steps to the
upper level. He did not speak and or wished to be spoken to. Gordy had to run
to keep up with him. His laird shoved several knights out of his way as he made
his way through the great hall.

The Gunn guard followed and each
looked more ireful than he’d ever seen them. His laird reached the hall exit
and went out the door. He kept walking until he reached the stables and
motioned for his guard to mount their steeds.

Laird Ross stood before the entrance
of the keep in the courtyard waiting for them to ride through. “Grey, await.”

“Donal, I won’t forgive this.” Grey
sheathed his sword, raised himself upon his horse, and didn’t show any
expression.

“Grey, what could I do? My hands were
tied. I couldn’t go against the king. Come now, don’t go away surly.”

“If anything happens to Bree,
consider yourself at war. If I have to war against every god dammed clan in the
Highlands, then I will.”

“She will be well. I have faith.”

“I don’t have as much faith as you.”
Grey shouted out his war cry, turned his horse, and trotted through the
courtyard and past the walls of the gatehouse until he was riding down the hill
into the thick forest surrounding Ross land. It was there he stopped and waited
for his men.

“Tell me, Gordy, is Bree all right?”

“I know not, Laird. When I left she
was well. She bid me to leave her. I rode posthaste to come and get you. I fear
for her. That place is hell on earth.”

Grey nodded. “Come, let us ride.
Gordy, tell me what happened. How did my lady fare?”

Gordy sat upon his horse and rode
next to his laird and explained all that had happened. He also told them how
Bree was fearless.

“Of course, milady is fearless,
she’s a Gunn. She’s going to wed our laird,” Greer said, trying to make light
of the situation. But none of the men heeded his jest. A serious mien came over
them. The guard wore fierce expressions.

“Och Laird, there is one wee thing I
need to tell you.” Gordy wasn’t sure how he would take the news that milady was
not a Mackay. “MacHeth told milady that she wasn’t a Mackay, that she were born
a bastard, said he was there the night she was delivered to Lady Mackay. He’s a
swine and needs killing.”

“God Almighty! Cosh, if that don’t
beat all.” Grey nudged is horse. “Well, it doesn’t matter to me if she is a
Mackay or nay. Let us go and kill the devil.”

* * *

At the rendezvous location, in the
dense forest adjacent to the MacHeth holding, Grey met up with his soldiers.
Nearly one hundred men had come, bearing arms and ready to take the castle by
force. Something wasn’t right. It was too quiet.

As they approached, there didn’t
seem to be anyone protecting the walls or the entry gatehouse. The Gunns were
able to walk through the portcullis and then on to the main keep without
sounding an alarm.

Duff greeted him. “Laird, we seen no
one leave since we got here. Been watching for nigh on two days.”

Grey frowned, assessing the
structure of the building. “They must be using the tunnels.”

“Let us go and retrieve milady,”
Gordy said.

“This is strange. Gordy, were there
many here when you left?”

Gordy stood by, shaking his head.
“Nay, Laird, MacHeth had sent many of his men to the fray all ready. There
weren’t men remaining when I left to deliver the message to the king.”

Grey realized that it was likely too
that MacHeth and MacWilliams had gone to the battle as well. At least he could
get Bree and take her to safety before he would go and confront them.

Inside the hall, no noise came from
within the structure. It seemed vacated as well. But Grey had a gut feeling
someone was there. He saw an old woman hiding behind a chair. She was frail and
looked to be starving.

“Come, we won’t harm ye and only
seek answers.”

The woman stood, and even so didn’t
rise up much. “Why have ye come?”

“I am looking for the lady.”

She nodded. “Aye, she be here, up
there,” she said, pointing upward.

Grey left the woman and only bid his
guard to follow. Duff, Greer, Kenneth, Colm, James, Sean, and Gordy took the
stairs with him. He bid Gordy show him which chamber Bree was placed in. When
he reached the door, he hesitated, listening for sounds from within. But there
were no sounds and all he could hear was the stiff wind outside thrashing the
castle and whistling at the turrets.

He opened the door, having to shove
it hard to get it to open. Grey looked ahead and saw a body lying on the floor
next to the bed. A good amount of blood stained the floorboards. He whistled
low. The man had been done in.

Greer stopped Grey with his hand.
“That’s your dagger, Laird, sticking from his back. I gave it to milady for her
protection.”

Grey approached the body and yanked
the dagger out, swiping it a few times on the dead man’s tunic to clean off the
blood, and then handed it to Greer. When he turned, he saw her. She lay on the
floor behind the doorway, and appeared to be harmed, mayhap dead. His breath
caught in his throat and all the anguish of all the years he’d been without her
came back to him in a rush. She couldn’t be harmed. He couldn’t be without her
again.

Kneeling next to her, he touched her
face and moved aside some of her lochs of hair. Her eyes fluttered. “Bree, are
you … can you sit up? Speak to me. Are ye hurt?”

“I can’t cook supper this night,
Cait. I don’t feel well.” Bree closed her eyes again.

Duff knelt next to him. “Think ye
she’s gone addled?”

“From the look of it, she put up a
fight.” Grey was sickened by the thought she’d had to defend herself and kill
someone. The poor lass. He held her in his arms and smoothed her hair. She
looked like hell. Her garments were torn and blood covered parts of her. “Bree,
come now, awaken. Are you all right?”

“Grey,” she whispered. “Don’t let
them eat me.”

He frowned at that. “No one wants to
eat you, sweetheart. Who is the man?”

“MacWilliams.” Bree closed her eyes
again and slumped in his arms.

“Milady has a good knock on ‘er
head,” Duff said. “I can see the rise. What do ye think she meant by that?
Mayhap she is a wee bit addled.”

“God Almighty. I deem she’s gone
through hell, that’s what I think.” Grey stood, gently lifting her, and handed
Bree to Greer. “Hold her for me.” He unsheathed his sword and walked toward
MacWilliams’ body. Once there, he looked down at the swine shit and knew what
he had to do. With both arms on the hilt of his sword, he brought it down and
hacked at the man’s head. It took only three attempts to behead the swine. Then
Grey stripped his plaid from his chest and rolled MacWilliams’ head in it.

His guard watched with pride, and
when he was finished the task, he handed the baggage to Kenneth. “Go with Sean
and deliver this to King Alexander.”

“Shall we tell him who it’s from?”
Kenneth asked.

“Nay, the Gunn plaid will tell him.”

Grey wanted to get out of the
stinking castle and get Bree home. There, he would see to it she was taken care
of and never put in harm’s way again.