Surrender (44 page)

Or was it her dagger?

o0o

The tension in the keep for the next three
days was enough to ignite a fireplace. The men were careful not to
tweak Graemme's nose, after Brian's comment the first morning.

Bewildered as Graemme stalked away, Brian
shook his head. He rubbed his jaw as he wobbled up from the middle
of a mud puddle. He jiggled his legs to shake off the excess mud
and looked at Colyne.

"All I did was ask if the kiss was worth
it."

Each day, Elyne broke her fast after she had
her stomach under control. There was no danger in running into
Graemme late in the morning. At the noon meal, they were coldly
polite to each other. Graemme took his last meal of the day
elsewhere. He didn't come to their bed to sleep, either. It pricked
Elyne's temper for Elspeth was also missing.

Ysabel pried it out of Colyne that Graemme
had his meals sent to the soldier's barracks. He swore Graemme
slept there, too, but Elyne doubted it. His cock was too lively to
go without a good swiving every night since they'd married. She
didn't believe he'd stop now.

Each day, someone told her how much they
liked her hair, for her curls reached her shoulders. The women were
tired of the long time it took to wash and brush it, much less the
work to braid and twist it around their heads. They asked their
husbands if they could cut their own hair, but the men were like
Graemme and forbad it.

Grunda gave Elyne a light sleeping draught
each night to keep her from walking the parapets. After the third
night, the old woman thought it worked well enough Ada didn't have
to sleep across the doorway.

o0o

Whenever her father, Sir Malcolm, was away,
Elspeth blushed and acted coy when her gaze met Elyne's. Ada and
Ysabel were constantly at Elyne's side so the sly hellion wouldn't
try to prick Elyne's temper.

Even young Gille tried to bring a smile to
her face when he'd bring Squat to spend some time with her. He'd
been teaching the dog tricks, to make her laugh. Having his widened
legs aided him to sit for the longest times. If she ignored him,
Squat would hold up a paw and wave it, wanting her to reach out and
grasp it. He fetched whatever Gille threw. If it was a stick much
longer than the dog, he lifted his head high and pranced, trying to
lift it off the ground.

Elyne smiled and pretended everything was
normal, but she was sick at heart. She missed her verbal sparring
with Graemme, missed his teasing and even her anger when he treated
her like a simpering woman. Most of all, she missed his loving. A
big lump formed in her chest when she saw his back disappear around
a corner of the keep. He avoided any contact with her.

When night fell, she took her draught as
usual. She slept peacefully. One night, she dreamt of walking
through the darkened keep and going out into the orchard. Someone
took her hand to lead her. 'Twas Muriele in a brown cloak. She knew
it was her friend because blond hair blew from beneath the hood.
She didn't talk, just kept beckoning her on.

They came to a hole in the wall hidden from
within by brush piled against it. Muriele pulled the brush back and
pointed for her to go through. Someone called to her, but Muriele
let her hand go and shoved her shoulders, telling her to run or the
black wolf would tear out her throat. She scrambled through and ran
for all she was worth. She tripped over a fallen log and heard his
snarls close behind her. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw
Muriele stab the wolf. With her heart pounding, she ran
hand-in-hand with her friend. Finally, a ruined castle appeared
ahead of them. As they came close, something struck her from
behind.

Her dream ended.

Graemme awoke immediately when he heard
something strike against the outside door to the men's tower. Not
only did something hit once, but it kept a steady beating. And
whining. Why, it sounded like a dog running at the door and leaping
at it. What animal could be so crazy?

Squat! It had to be him. Graemme bolted up
from his pallet and hurried to the door. He must have opened it
when Squat had started his leap, for the door swung inward and
Squat landed with all four paws smack in the middle of Graemme's
belly. He grabbed the little rascal before he could fall to the
floor and hurt himself.

"What the Hades is the matter with him?"
Brian asked. His voice blurred with sleep.

"Bring a torch. Looks like he's injured
himself. Blood. All over his chest." Graemme cradled him and moved
close to the light Brian had fetched from outside the door.

"Poor little guy. He must have tangled with a
bigger dog," Brian said.

Other warriors woke and crowded around, for
they all liked the friendly little misshapen ball of fur.

"Looks like a knife wound to me," one man
said as he pointed at blood welling from the dog's shoulder.

"Aye," Graemme grabbed his sheet and tore off
a piece to hold against the wound. "Grunda will know what to
do."

Though all had stitched other warrior's
wounds when they didn't have a healer handy, none had ever tended a
dog afore. They didn't have far to go. Only to the door again, for
Grunda appeared out of the darkness. Guards were lighting torches
all over the wall walks and the bailey.

"Elyne is missing! I woke yer father. He's
already started a search."

"Why did ye not come to me first!"

"Because, fool, he was closer within the keep
like ye should have been."

"I will tend the dog. Not all is his blood.
'Tis also from someone else. Check first for Gille," she
ordered.

"I just came from the postern gate," an out
of breath guard said. "Someone has used a heavy blade to break a
hole in the oldest part of the wall alongside the gate. 'Tis not
very thick there to allow for the gate. They had it well-covered
with brush, from the looks of it. Found this caught on a rough
piece." He held up a small piece of thin fabric.

Graemme grabbed it and held it to his nose.
Heather!

"Get yer weapons! Someone has taken my
wife."

Graemme didn't bother with being neat. He
wrapped his kilt around him like it was a blanket and held it there
with his sword belt. Sitting on a cot, he stomped into both boots
at the same time. By the time he took two breaths, he sheathed his
sword, strapped a dagger onto his thigh and started for the
door.

"Take Squat with ye." Grunda's voice was
commanding. "The wily little dog isna cut deep. He must have shied
away in time. He's come to lead ye to Gille and will help hunt for
Elyne." Her eyes grew foggy and everyone stilled. They knew she was
seeing something none of them could.

"Look for the ruins of a castle. One who was
dead has returned to seek revenge. Hurry, for he will be enraged
that perfection has been blemished."

Graemme didn't argue or ask for an
explanation. Barking frantically, Squat ran out into the
darkness.

Graemme and ten of his men followed
behind.

Elyne's head hurt. When she opened her eyes,
she could hardly see. Everything looked dark. She was terribly
uncomfortable, so she wasn't in her bed. Why, she was standing
against a damp, cold wall! Devil take it! She'd been walking in her
sleep. This time, she knew she was in deep danger and 'twas likely
no one would find her in time.

A cold fist squeezed her heart, and her back
felt as if a family of spiders crawled up it.

Her arms were above her head. When she tried
to move them, chains clinked against a moldy stone wall. She felt
someone's presence. And heard tinkling laughter.

The hated Elspeth! What was she doing here?
For certs, she wouldn't be laughing if she, too, stood chained to a
wall.

"Ye made it so easy for me."

Out of the shadows, the woman in the brown
cloak came close. With a sweep of her hand, she threw back the hood
and revealed the blond hair Elyne dreamed was Muriele's. She
remembered wanting to get away from Graemme's painful presence in
the keep and crawling through the hole in the wall at the woman's
urging.

"There was no wolf chasing me, was
there?"

"Nay. Only a young fool with hair as light as
mine."

"Gille! Ye didna harm him, did ye?"

"If ye call plunging my dagger in him is
harmful, then yes, I did. With great satisfaction. He was trying to
stop ye."

Elyne surged forward, until the chains jerked
her to a halt. The shackles around her wrists cut into her
skin.

Elspeth laughed again then put her finger on
her chin and tilted her head, pretending to think. "Oh, and the
ugly creature ye're so fond of got in my way."

Elyne cried out in anguish for the loss of
the young man and the dog. Both had shown her loyalty and love
since she'd met them.

Before she could ask any other questions,
someone carrying a torch descended the crumbling steps into the
dungeon. He thrust the torch to Elspeth and came close. His hair
was as light as Elspeth's and his face too comely for any man. Her
mind went through all she knew of Magnus and Clibrick Castle. Her
eyes widened in shock and she shook her head to make sure she was
seeing aright.

"Ye're Feradoch. But ye were dead when ye
left Clibrick. Ye had no heartbeat!"

"Does this feel like a dead man to ye?"

He came over and brought his face close to
her. He grabbed her chin to hold her steady and plunged his tongue
into her mouth. Elyne tried to pull away but couldn't. She gagged,
for after Graemme's kisses, this was no kiss but a vulgar
intrusion.

Feradoch's hand on her forehead slammed her
head back against the wall.

"That's for not returning the greeting." He
scowled in the dim light and reached out to touch her hair. "Bring
the cursed light close!"

His pupils dilated when he grabbed her hair
and felt over it, looking for braids. He grasped a handful and
pulled her head down to see the back of it.

A crazed look came over his face. Veins in
his neck stood out in livid ridges as he shrieked. He struck her
across the face with such force her head slammed into her right
shoulder.

"The bastard has cut yer hair to thwart me!"
Grabbing her face again, he forced her to look at him.

"What did ye do to deserve it? Were ye so
foolish to tup another man? Mayhap the pretty youth Elspeth
killed?"

"I cut it myself! Mayhap ye'd best ask who
yer leman has been tupping the last sennight!"

He snarled, turned and backhanded Elspeth
across her cheek. She held tight to the torch as she went flying
against the far wall.

"Get back here with the light." He kicked out
at her to hurry her. Elspeth pushed away from the wall and came
close.

Elyne expected to see tears, hatred or some
expression of horror at his striking her, but she had a rapturous
look instead. Was the woman crazed?

"Hold the fire close. I will see what
pleasure she will bring us." His voice changed from harsh to silky.
He moved his feet restlessly. "Let us see if her hair is as dark
and fiery around her slit as on her head."

When Elspeth held the torch close, Feradoch
grasped Elyne's thin smock with both hands and ripped it from her
body so swiftly it created a cold draft. To her shame, her nipples
puckered.

"Ye are anxious for me," he gloated and
reached out to cup both breasts and squeeze.

"Ye are as crazed as yer leman if ye think ye
can take Graemme's place. Ye make my skin crawl."

Elyne gathered all the courage she could and
spat at his face.

His fist hit her jaw. Though her ears rang so
loud a thousand birds could be chirping in her ears, she imagined
she heard a shout of rage.

She welcomed the blackness.

Graemme followed Squat, holding back his
horse so the dog's little legs could keep ahead of him. When the
dog veered off the path into the bushes, Graemme spotted Gille's
body no more than 200 feet from the castle walls. Sliding off his
horse, he was on his knees by the young man afore Brian or Colyne
could join him.

Blood covered Gille's chest. He breathed a
sigh of relief, thankful the blade had struck a rib and deflected
it from entering the young man's lungs. His breathing sounded
labored, but his eyelids flickered open.

"My Lord," he whispered, "I'm sorry. The
small woman fought like a wild creature."

Squat came close and licked his face, causing
his lips to twitch in a strained smile.

"I thought she'd killed the wee one."

"I'll have to leave ye, but the men will get
ye to Grunda." Graemme pointed to two men who ran over. "Bind his
wound. Take him up in front of one of ye and get him to the old
woman. She'll have him aright in no time."

He forced a smile down at the young man. "Ye
did a verra brave thing, lad. Yer lady will thank ye for it when I
return with her."

He had his foot in a stirrup and was onto his
mount by the time he finished speaking.

"Brian, let Squat go. He'll lead us to
Elyne."

They rode as fast as the little dog could
smell the tracks. Squat's legs were lagging when they came to a
rise in a hill. Off to the right they saw the ruins of a castle.
Only the outer walls of the keep and the lower part of a tower
remained.

"Pick the dog up and dinna let him bark,
Brian. Stay within the woods and go as quietly as ye can." He
motioned to two men at the time, sending all eight to surround the
ruins. Once they were in position in the woods, they got off their
horses, drew their swords and quietly made their way into the
ruins.

Graemme inched up the crumbled part of the
tower. When he came to an opening leading beneath the earth and saw
flickering light coming from it, he motioned to Colyne to follow.
Never had he walked so stealthily when his body urged him to run,
for he knew Elyne was below.