Plead Forgiveness: Betrayed Twice (Loyalty Series) (3 page)

Suspicious as to
why Paen bid her to go to the hayloft, Ella made her way up the wooden stairs
and saw Leif standing next to a blanket covered with food and drink. Relief and
joy reflected on her face. Paen soon joined them while Leif opened the wide
doors so they could watch the warriors train in the bailey.

She had always
enjoyed watching men train for battle, and today even more so because it gave
her a reprieve from conversation. Throughout the meal, neither Paen nor Leif
brought up topics that made her uncomfortable. Instead, they jest about the
warriors and Bowen, who led the training.

When they finished
the meal, Ella spoke to her companions. “Paen, Leif . . .thank you.” With them,
she did not have to say more.

During the
following days, the threesome worked with Righ, slowly socializing him with
others. Apollo played an essential role in this phase of Righ’s training, which
Ella explained to her two male companions.

“Righ spent the
bulk of his life around other horses. Apollo’s presence will ease some of his
anxiety.”

With confusion
lingering on his brow, Leif asked, “They are both stallion, will they nae
fight?”

Unlatching the
door to Righ’s stall, she answered, “Righ is younger then Apollo and accustomed
to being in a herd with other wild horses, including stallions. Since Righ is
so young, he is used to submitting to other stallions. Apollo will dominate him
and once Righ accepts that, he will follow Apollo’s lead.”

Paen took Righ’s
reins from her offered hand and said, “I am nae sure I like my horse being
dominated.”

“That is your male
pride speaking, not the common sense God gave you,” she said over her shoulder
as she went to fetch Apollo.

Paen snorted. Yet,
her boldness to speak to him in such a manner honestly impressed him. 
Most
women fear me, as they do Gavin, but Ella is fearless
.

Alone in the
enclosure, the two beasts instantly charged the other. They reared up on their
hind legs, sending their hooves slashing in the air. When Righ attacked, Apollo
deftly moved to the side, and then cornered him against the fence. Apollo kept
the younger horse contained until he calmed, then nudged it to show his
dominance. When Ella called for Apollo, Righ followed the older stallion.

“Paen, Leif, stay
where you are.”

The trio stood
separated around the enclosure, so neither she, Paen, or Leif were in close
proximity.

Ella stroked both
horses then offered them the caramelized sugar apple cubes, which they accepted
without showing aggression. As she walked over to Paen, both horses followed on
the other side of the fence.

“Now you try.”

Mimicking her slow
movements, Paen fed the two stallions and began to stroke their heads. He
turned toward Ella and asked, “Should I use the Latin commands ye use?”

“It will help his
progression, but if you rather-”

“Nae, I want to
continue as ye have done. Will ye teach me these Latin words? I only remember
‘good’ and ‘turn’.”

“Aye, I will teach
you the words.”

Paen lifted his
brows and said, “And more about training horses?”

She stared at the
hardened warrior who spoke with child-like eagerness. “Aye, I will teach all
that I know.”

An hour later, the
threesome headed to the village with Apollo and Righ in tow and Arth on their
heels. As instructed, Leif warned the villagers to keep their distance while
they worked with Righ in an attempt to socialize him. The villagers did as bade
with a smile, and waved at the odd group when they passed.

If anyone thought
it strange that Laird Gavin’s new wife, his bastard brother, and a stable boy
walked two gigantic stallions, with a wolf dog trailing behind, they did not
comment on it.

Unbeknownst to
Ella, Colban and his family had explained to the villagers why Laird Gavin
forced Ella into marriage. They also affirmed Ella’s heroic acts, generous
nature, and remarkable skills in healing. In response, the people of the
Macleod Clan disregarded her English heritage, and now eagerly awaited a chance
to welcome the amazing woman.

The threesome
returned to the castle at twilight, exceedingly happy with the day’s progress
with Righ. Unfortunately, their happiness ended the moment they learned who
awaited them in the main hall.

*

Paen and Leif
protectively flanked Ella when they entered the hall and greeted Lady Esme.

“Our priest has
explained to the king’s men that ye are my son’s lawfully wedded wife and that
ye will nae return to England. They brought with them a midwife to examine ye
and verify yer lack of virginity.”

“How did they know
to bring a midwife?”

Lady Esme
grimaced, but answered, “The King of England has dealt with similar situations
in the past. I am sorry, but ye canna refuse. They will allow me to be present
during the examination.”

One of the king’s
soldiers stepped forward, obviously impatient to finish the task.“Is this Lady
Ella?”

Lady Esme stepped
in front of her new daughter and glared at the soldier as she said, “Aye.”

The English
soldier gestured for the midwife to take the young woman above stairs and
examine her. He then turned back to Lady Esme and said, “If Lady Ella is still
a maiden, she comes with us and the marriage will be annulled.”

Mortified, Ella
followed the midwife and Lady Esme above stairs.

Lady Esme and the
aging midwife reentered the hall a short time later with confirmation that the
lady in question was indeed wife to Laird Macleod. The king’s party left, but
their presence lingered.

The great hall
filled with numerous Macleods for the evening meal, yet the mood remained far
from jovial. Seated at the head table on the dais, Lady Esme, along with Paen
and Tavish, spoke with Father Logan.

“She refuses to
come to the hall for the evening meal, but I canna say I blame her. Suffering
the humiliation of the midwife’s examination will hardly lift her spirits,”
Lady Esme declared.

With a look of
pity, Father Logan shook his balding head and said, “Aye, but we knew that King
Henry would send a midwife. Praise God, ‘tis over now. I would like to stay on
until Gavin returns. The lass may need to speak with me during this difficult
time.”

Lady Esme smiled
at their long-time priest, whom they shared with the Clan Mackenzie and a few
other neighboring clans. “Aye, Father, ye are always welcome here.” Her
attention turned to Maeve, who just returned from Ella’s chamber.

“How is she, Maeve?”

Wringing her hands
in her apron, Maeve answered, “The trencher of food I brought an hour ago
remains untouched. She just stares out the window, silent as the dead.”

Father Logan asked
Lady Esme, “When will Laird Gavin return?”

“A fortnight,
mayhap less. I pray Lady Eleanor and Sir James are with him.”

“We will all pray
for Ella and her family,” Father Logan said as he covered Lady Esme’s hand.

While the Macleods
continued in the hall, Ella sat in her chamber, feeling violated and disgraced.
Her thoughts turned from the horrible ordeal she had suffered with the midwife,
to her husband, the man who caused her torment.

I will never
forgive him, never trust him again.

Hours later, she
crawled into bed beside Arth, who already dozed. She listened to the rain
outside her window and later the rumbling of thunder. Unfortunately, sleep
eluded her. Feeling drained and lifeless, she opened her eyes the next morning
and saw early daylight spill through the window. She hastened through her
ablutions, dressed, and then left the chamber.

Paen and Leif
greeted Ella when she arrived at the stables.

“Thought ye get
started without us, did ye?” Paen teased as he came to her side.

“Here, we brought
ye an apple,” Leif said as he handed her the fruit.

Ella gave them
both a shy smile in gratitude.

*

Over the next few
days Ella, Paen, and Leif worked with Righ in the mornings, took long rides
throughout the countryside in the afternoons, and in the evenings shared a meal
with Colban and his family. Although Ella’s anguish persisted during these days
and her contagious smile all but disappeared, Paen noticed a few glimpses of
the once happy, carefree young woman. Cole and Obe, Iain and Helena’s two young
sons, brought life back into her eyes.

At four summers,
Cole, adored Ella’s playful nature, while his younger brother by two years
loved the way she tickled him.  The boys especially loved when she acted
out stories of dragons, using their parents or Paen as characters. Much to the
amusement of Colban’s family, she always had Paen play the evil dragon, and
after a few nights in this role, the hardened warrior soon became an animated
character. Paen often shook his head at her remarkable ability to enchant those
around her. He still could not believe that Ella, a mere slip of a girl, goaded
him into playing a fiery dragon to entertain two small lads and their family.

After everyone
retired, Tavish and Paen remained in the great hall, discussing the day ahead.

“Tavish, starting
tomorrow ye will take Lady Ella to the village and introduce her to the
families.”

“I would be happy
to, but did ye forget about Alice?”

Paen took a seat
next to his brother at the hearth and said, “Och, I thought she departed with
her brother.”

“Nae, she told
Maeve that Lyall will send for her when he joins another clan.”

Running his hand
through his hair, Paen asked, “Did Gavin have enough sense to tell Alice that
she is nae longer needed in the castle?”

Tavish took a swig
of ale before answering. “He told Alice she can work in the castle as a maid,
but will nae be needed in his bed.”

“I haven’t seen
her in the castle since we left in search of Gabriel,” Paen admitted.

“Gavin confined
her to the village until she is ready to work.”

“While she
occupied our brother’s bed, I ne’er once saw her lift a finger to help mother
or the other women in the castle. Do ye really think she will come?”

“Aye, she told
Maeve that Gavin will always have need of her skills. I fear she dinna plan to
relinquish her claim on our brother easily.”

Paen finished his
ale and spat, “She is a manipulative bitch, whose only skills are on her back
and using people to obtain what she wants. Let us hope ye and Ella dinna cross
paths with her.”

“Aye, I plan to
avoid her like the plague.”

“Good. I will be
with Ella in the morning and ye can take her around the village in the
afternoon. If ye have need of me, although I pray ye won’t, I’ll be training
the men in the bailey.”

Four days after
leaving the Scottish Highlands, the Macleods arrived at Westshire Abbey at
mid-day, exhausted from the grueling pace their leader had set, but eager to
see Sir James and hopefully Lady Eleanor.

The Abbott
escorted Gavin and his men to a private chamber, refusing to speak a word until
the thick wooden door closed. At that moment, Gavin knew Sir James had failed
to remove Lady Eleanor from Greystone.

Abbot Davis shook
his head as he said, “Laird Macleod, it grieves me beyond words to tell you
this, but last eve Baron’s Greystone and Montgomery apprehended Sir James and
Lady Eleanor riding along the cliffs that overlook the ocean. At a place called
spitting caves, the Barons, along with ten armed soldiers, ambushed my dear
friends before they crossed onto our land. Brother Daniels went to the
Greystone-Westshire border to offer assistance if needed. He hid in the trees
half the night and witnessed the soldiers creeping up from the woods, preparing
a trap for Sir James and Lady Eleanor.”

Walking to the
hearth, Abbot Davis put his hand on the mantel and bowed his head before he
continued, “Within a blink of an eye, they were hauled from the horses.
Montgomery tied Sir James’s wrists, and then pushed him to the edge of the
cliffs, while Philip threw Eleanor to the ground. The moon provided little
light, but Brother Daniels saw bruises and blood marring Lady Eleanor’s face. I
suspect Philip beat her severely over the last few days.”

The Abbott took a
deep breath, and then said, “Baron Greystone pulled out a dagger and thrust it
into James’s ribs. Eleanor screamed and rushed to aid her brother, but the
moment they embraced, the edge of the cliff crumbled beneath their feet. They.
. . they. . .” Tears streamed down the old man’s as he choked out, “They fell
to their death.”

Gavin’s
broad-carved face twisted in shock, then yielded to fury, hearing the two
people closest to his wife, her only family, were dead. He turned his back on
the occupants of the chamber, and then closed his eyes, trying to regain what
little control he possessed. He heard Bowen speak, but rage made him deaf to
the words.

“Did ye find their
bodies?”

The Abbott shook
his head and said, “They were carried into the caves that lay at the bottom of
the cliffs. We cannot even gain access to them in order to search for their
bodies.”

Stepping forward,
Nicholas asked, “Can ye lower a man by rope?”

“Nae, the rocks
that line the walls of the cliffs cut any rope lowered. Those who have
attempted were swept into the caves and their bodies never found,” Abbot Davis
explained.

Gavin’s controlled
ire, Bowen noticed, reminded him of the moment before a battle or storm, and it
is only a matter of time before his wrath is unleashed. He walked over to the
man he considered a son and said, “Let us leave, Gavin. Once Baron Greystone
learns of yer marriage to Ella, he is sure to send a message informing her of
the death of Sir James and Lady Eleanor. Yer wife needs ye now.”

Warily
approaching, Abbot Davis said, “Laird Macleod, Sir James left all his
possessions to your wife, Lady Ella. There is also the letter he wrote afore he
departed last eve. He loved her with all his heart, as did Lady Eleanor, and it
was their profound wish that she be safe and happy.”

“Happy!” Rancor
sharpened Gavin’s voice. “Think ye she will be happy learning her only family
is dead!” Towering over the distraught old man, he continued, “My wife would
have sacrificed her own life for Lady Eleanor and Sir James. Her only thoughts,
only concerns, are for them. And now. . .”

Walking over to
stand beside the Abbott, Nicholas turned to Gavin and said, “’Tis my wish to
stay here and investigate this further.”

“Why?”

“I would ken more
about these caves and the death of Ella’s loved ones. Being English, born and
bred, will also allow me to keep an eye on Baron’s Greystone and Montgomery.”

“Aye,” Gavin
replied tersely, then turned his gaze on the Abbott. “He will need lodgings.”

Ignoring Laird
Macleod’s offensive tone, Abbot Davis replied, “He is welcome to stay as long
as he wishes, and we will assist him in any way possible.”

Reining in his
uncivil behavior, Gavin put his hand on the Abbott’s shoulder and said, “My
apologies, Abbot Davis. ‘Tis a difficult time.”

“Nae apology is
needed, Laird Macleod,” the old man replied as he reached into his habit and
handed Gavin a missive. “Please, give this to your wife, along with my words of
condolences. I’ve explained what transpired last eve as well as what I learned
over the last few days.”

“What have ye
learned?”

“Baron Greystone
arranged a betrothal agreement between himself and Baron Stafford’s daughter. I
took the liberty of informing King Henry of Philip’s intention and duplicity of
arranging a second marriage afore his wife’s untimely death.”

Gavin asked, “How
did ye verify this?”

“I sent a message
yesterday to the priest who resides within Stafford. Instead of replying,
Father Charles arrived an hour after dawn this morn and confirmed the verbal
betrothal agreement. He penned a missive indicating what Baron’s Stafford and
Greystone intended, and sent it along with mine to the king. He penned a second
letter, word-for-word as his first, which I hold in my possession. Father
Charles will also see that the church learns the truth of the matter as well.”

“Ye have done us a
great service this day. I now understand why my wife thinks so highly of ye,”
Gavin acknowledged.

“She is our pride
and joy, and has been since she came into our lives. Please, take care of her.
She is a blessing in more ways than you know.”

“I vow to care for
her always and as she deserves.”

Outside the abbey,
Gavin spoke with Nicholas.

“Once I receive
word from Mackenzie, I will seek to avenge the death of my wife’s family.”

“Aye, and I will
be at yer side when the time comes. Until then, go to yer wife while I learn
more of what occurred last eve at spitting caves. I fear there is more to this
situation than we are privy to.”

“Aye, I agree. Learn
what ye can, but watch yer back.” Gavin paused, and then offered, “Mayhap, I
should leave half the men with ye?”

“Nae, they will
only reveal my presence here, for they look and speak like Highlanders.”

“They are
Highlanders,” Gavin retorted.

“Aye, and they
will do me nae good here in England,” Nicholas admitted.

“Do ye forget that
ye are a Highlander as well?”

“I can speak like
an Englishman if needed, and once I cut my hair and dress accordingly, a bodie
would nae suspect me as Scot”

Gavin nodded his head,
then took hold of Nicholas’s forearm and said, “Take care.”

“Ye as well.
Godspeed.”

“Until we meet
again.”

All but Nicholas
headed back to the Highlands to deliver the devastating news to Lady Ella.
Nicholas did not envy Gavin the task before him and hoped with time, she will
find some measure of peace among the Macleods.

When the pain of
losing her family lessens, will she be able to accept Gavin as her husband?
Does she ken that her husband is in love with her?