Plead Forgiveness (Loyalty Series) (42 page)

Extending his arm, Bowen asked, “May we escort ye two
beautiful ladies back to the castle?”

“Aye,” Ella replied as she took his proffered arm.

Seated atop Paen’s shoulders, Thea bent her head over
his and asked, “Why dinna ye ask to escort me back to the castle?”

“Because fool, ye are too small to loop yer arm with
mine.”

With a giggle, she suggested, “Ye could walk on yer
knees.”

“There is a better chance of ye carrying me on yer
back than me walking on my knees with yer arm looped in mine.”

Paen and Thea continued to banter all the way to the
castle, while Bowen stopped to speak privately with Ella.

“Ye taught those boys a valuable lesson this day.”

“Ye heard?”

“Aye, we heard,” he admitted with a grin. “It was also
clear that someone has taught ye how to wield a sword.”

“Aye,” she confirmed with indifference.

When she did not elaborate, Bowen assumed it was Sir
James who taught her, so quickly changed the subject. “Will ye be joining us
for the evening meal?”

“Nae.”

“Ye canna hide in yer chamber forever. Avoiding a
problem will nae make it go away.”

She was thoughtful for a moment, her gaze on the
ground as she confided, “I don’t know what else to do.”

“Live,” he said with intensity. “’Tis what yer aunt
and uncle wanted for ye. They kenned the consequence of their actions.”

“What do you mean?”

“Yer Uncle James told us how much he and his sister
loved ye. Such fierce devotion is admirable.”

Tilting her chin up, Bowen continued, “Their only wish
was for ye to be safe and happy. They dinna want ye to return to England, even
if it meant their lives. Sir James was very clear on the matter. He adamantly
wanted ye to stay here and believed his sister would agree.”

“Aye, she would have.” Silent for a moment, Ella then
asked, “Would Gavin have done the same if my uncle protested?”

“Aye, but yer uncle dinna protest.”

Ella began to pace, kicking at the dirt like a child,
then spat, “Gavin still broke his word to me. Twice!”

“Aye, he did. But, the first time he dinna ken ye or
yer circumstances. The second, well . . . ye wouldnae agree to the marriage
otherwise. Ye are a wee bit stubborn.”

“You are right, I would nae have agreed,” she
grudgingly admitted.

“If the danger of losing yer family had nae been
there, would ye have wanted Gavin for yer husband.”

“I don’t know.”

“’Tis something to think on mayhap,” he suggested as
he patted her hand. “Let us return to the castle afore my wife has my head on a
pike. She worries for ye night and day, ye ken.”

“She has a kind heart.”

“Aye, that she does lass.”

Slowly over the next fortnight, Ella started to ease
back into life with the Macleods. Although she still refused to speak with
Gavin or eat meals in the hall, she did take up the duties of healer and began
training the horses her uncle had bequeathed to her. Yet the moment her heart
began to mend, she was hit by another devastating blow that shattered the
sparse remains of her fortitude.

Raindrops splattered into the bailey like blood
dripping from a mortal wound the afternoon Ella returned to the castle from
tending Father Logan’s chest ailment. Sheer black fright swept through her when
she saw Apollo being taken across the drawbridge by two English soldiers. One
man was from Greystone, the other, Montgomery.

Icy fear twisted around her heart as she dropped her
satchel and bolted full speed to her beloved Apollo.

“Nae . . . Stop,” she screamed, running towards the
drawbridge. “Please, stop them! Apollo is mine! You can’t take him, please!”
She continued to cry out, even as Gavin’s strong arms enveloped her.

“Nae, Ella. They have his deed of ownership and the
right to take him.”

Fighting to free herself from his grip, she spat with
indignation, “Nae, Aunt Eleanor bought him and she gifted him to me.”

Beyond fury, beyond rage, Gavin somehow managed to
explain, “Her gift to ye was without Phillip’s consent. Phillip legally owns
everything that belonged to yer aunt. I’m sorry, Ella, but-”

“Nae,” she wailed, going wild in his arms. “Please,
Apollo is my best friend. I love him. Philip will kill him just to spite me! He
is all I have left and I will get him back!”

“Listen to me. I promise-”

Ella broke loose, and then with a fiery glint in her
eye said, “Never speak those words to me, for your promise means naught.”

She bolted for the stables with the intent on taking
Righ, the only horse fast enough to catch up to the soldiers.

Edric barred her way as she reached the stables, and
regretfully said, “I’m sorry lass, but ye canna go after them.”

She pounded on his chest until he finally grabbed her
wrists and pleaded, “Please, this is the last thing I want do to ye.”

Like a whirlwind, Ella broke free and sprinted to the
fence that enclosed the field where the horses grazed. Without slowing, she put
two hands onto the high wooden rail of the fence, then vaulted over with agile
grace.

Watching motionless from the bailey, Gavin and Paen
took in her mad dash to rescue her beloved horse. Her best friend. And her pain
tore at both their hearts.

Without looking at his older brother, Paen said,
“Gavin.”

Gavin did not respond at first, instead he watched
Edric and Tavish chase his wife down for long moments, until they finally had
to tackle her to the ground.

Without taking his eyes off the disturbing scene, he
said, “Aye, go and bring him back by whatever means necessary. I will nae let
that bastard continue to wreak havoc on my wife’s heart.”

Gavin watched Paen ride over the drawbridge on Righ’s
back with confidence that his brother would return with Apollo. The pair of
English soldiers were more than likely ordered to kill the horse, leaving the
animal’s mutilated body on Macleod land. It would completely destroy Ella.
And
that I will nae allow.

A short time later, Edric stood in front of his laird
with Ella unconscious in his arms. Gavin took his wife’s beautiful, unmoving
body into the shelter of his embrace as he listened to Edric explain.

“I think she fainted, Gavin. She was fighting like a
wild cat, then all of a sudden her body went limp. Scared ten years off my
life, thinking I hurt the poor lass.”

“She scarcely eats of late, though it has been
improving, it renders her weaker than norm and much too thin.”

“Aye, I agree,” Edric confirmed. He then noticed that
Paen was not in sight and asked, “Ye sent him?”

“Aye. My wife has had enough taken from her.” With
that said he turned and stalked off to the castle, leaving Edric and Tavish to
stare in his wake.

Night had fallen when she awoke and noticed Gavin
standing by the window, staring out into the darkness. Anguish rained over her
remembering Apollo and her fight to get him back from the Englishmen.

“Get out,” she ordered.

He turned and faced her for a moment, then without
comment left her chamber. Her despair was too great to be affected by his
woeful expression. He allowed Apollo to be taken, and then had his men stop her
desperate attempt to save her horse. It was unforgivable. And now she was left
with nothing.

An hour before dawn then next morning, Ella was
abruptly woken by Gavin, who carried her from the bedchamber.

“What are you doing? Where are you taking me?”

He ignored her icy tone and futile struggles as he
said in an emotionless voice, “Be still and quiet.”

The command was given my Gavin the warrior, not Gavin
her husband. Ella instantly obeyed as a chill went down her spine. Unable to
fathom where he was taking her until she saw this mist covered stables. His
brisk walk, solidified her fear.
Dear Lord, he’s taking me back to
Greystone. He wants to be rid of me.

She began to struggle in earnest, scared beyond
belief.

“I won’t go back. Nae, I won’t.

He stopped with a bewildered expression as she
pleaded, “Don’t take me back to him, please.”

Within the blink of an eye, Gavin put her down then
took hold of her shoulders and asked, “Ye think I am taking ye back to Greystone?”

“I . . . I only cause others death and sorrow. ‘Tis
nae wonder you want me gone. I . . .”

Her bowed head was raised with gentle fingers.

“Ella, never speak those words again, for they could
nae be further from the truth. And ken this, wife, I will ne’er let ye go.
Ne’er!”

Relief washed over her as she was wrapped in his
invisible warmth. He wore an intense, but secretive expression when he stroked
her cheek, making her feel safe and wanted.

“Then why . . .?”

Lightly taking her hand, he said, “Trust me.” When she
was about to argue, he dragged her along and said, “Nae, ye stubborn woman,
dinna argue.”

Just before reaching the stables, Paen walked out
holding the reins to a dark colored horse. Her horse.

“Apollo! Apollo!”

At seeing his master, Apollo jerked the reins from
Paen’s grip, and then trotted over to her. With his large head, he nuzzled her
body while she crooned in his ear.

“I thought I’d never see you again. I thought you were
lost to me forever. My best friend, how I’ve missed you.”

Paen dusted himself off as he walked over to Gavin and
said, “They made camp just over the Macleod border, intending to kill the
beast. When I arrived the Greystone soldier was leading Apollo away to do the
deed.”

Gavin was barely listening to his brother’s explanation,
focusing solely on his wife’s joyous reunion with Apollo. After a few moments,
he asked, “Did ye kill them? Truth be told, I would nae be angry if ye did.”

“Regrettably, nae,” Paen said with a smirk. “I offered
a fat purse to Greystone’s man, Hugo.”

“What of Montgomery’s man?”

“Hugo said he would gladly tell his lord that the
horse was dead. Both men are quite young, and neither wanted to do the deed or
see it carried out.”

“And they will tell their lords that they carried out
their orders?”

“Aye,” Paen chuckled. “Hugo mentioned how poorly
Greystone treated Ella, and that it was nae right to kill her horse. He also
spoke of her gift for healing, and that on many occasions she had aided him and
his family when others would have turned away.”

“Aye, that dinna surprise me.”

“I ken what will, though,” Paen proclaimed. “Hugo
threw the purse back to me and said that it would have made him sick to kill
the animal Ella adored.”

Visibly shocked, Gavin said, “I dinna believe an
Englishman would refuse money from a Scot.”

“Since Sir James’s death, his former commander, Hugo
has nae wish to continue serving Greystone. Especially now that so many good
men were dismissed from service because of their strong loyalty to Sir James.”

“Pray tell me, why did Hugo carry out Greystone’s
order to reclaim and destroy Apollo if he dinna want to serve the man any
longer?”

“Hugo has neither the money nor connections to leave
the Greystone.”

“How did it end?”

“I gave the young pup back the pouch of money and told
him to get himself to Wakefield Castle and tell Baron Thornton that the
Macleods sent him.”

“Good. I believe the years are softening ye, brother,”
Gavin said with a smile on his face.

“Nae the years, but yer daft wife.”

“Daft,” Gavin said with raised eyebrows.

Paen chuckled, “With nae thought of herself, she
fought Edric, leaped over a fence with the grace of a deer, and then had to be
taken down by two Highland warriors. Aye, Gavin, daft, but verra spirited.”

“Ye would have done the same for Righ.”

“Ye ken me well,” Paen replied, then in a solemn tone
added, “I’m proud to call her sister.”

Gavin smiled at his brother before his focus returned
to his approaching wife. She embraced Paen, who in turn hugged her with
brotherly affection.

With his arms around her, Paen whispered in her ear,
“It was yer husband who sent me.”

Stunned, Ella abruptly pulled away, and then saw the
sincerity in his eyes. She hesitantly glanced over at Gavin, who stood with his
arms crossed over his chest, staring at her with a benevolent expression.

When her appreciative eyes locked with his, Gavin knew
Paen had given him the credit for the return of Apollo. It was not her
gratitude he wanted, it was that radiant smile of hers. He was content to see
her happy, so afore she could offer the needless words of thanks, he turned the
conversation to her attire.

“Wife, as much as it kills me to say this, yer lack of
dress is undesired at the present moment.” He took off his plaid and said, “Let
us cover ye. I dinna care for others to see ye without-”