The Chase (23 page)

“I shall take care of this for you,” Lady Wildwood said. “Trust me.”

She turned and started out the door, and Seonaid stared after her for a minute before
turning to Aeldra and Helen. The three women peered at each other uncertainly for a
moment, then moved as one to follow Iliana's mother below.

“ 'Tis settled then,” Angus Dunbar decided. “We shall head out the morn after next. Ye and
Seonaid will ride with us into England, then split off and head to Sherwell.”

Blake shifted with displeasure on the trestle table bench but did not refute his
father-in-law's words. He really had no desire to travel with Lord Rolfe, the bishop, Lady
Wildwood, Angus, Sister Helen, and the king's men, as well as the small army Angus was
taking with them to travel into England but could think of no excuse to avoid it. He
wished he could. Sleeping out in the open with all those people about was bound to dampen
his love life.

He smiled to himself wryly at the thought. Much to his surprise, he was rather enjoying
married life so far. Despite their ill-favored beginnings, he and Seonaid appeared to be
getting along now. It still shocked him that she had not tried to battle her way out of
the keep when it was announced that the wedding would take place right away, and his worry
that she would had apparently been obvious, for Lady Wildwood had approached him to assure
him all would be well. He didn't know what the woman had said to his betrothed, but
whatever it was had worked, and Seonaid had stood silent and complacent for the ceremony.
And as for last night...

Blake had discovered that, while Seonaid could be hard and cold as steel, there was a
surprisingly soft and vulnerable side to her as well. In truth, she was turning out to be
a fascinating mass of contradictions. She was also as uninhibited a woman in bed as he had
ever met, which gave him hope that marriage might not be as bad as he'd feared. In fact,
he was enjoying it so far.

Unfortunately, as uninhibited as his new bride was, he suspected even she would balk at
engaging in anything with her father snoring but feet away.

“And after ye and Seonaid split off and head fer Sherwell, the rest o' us will continue
south toward court,” Angus finished with satisfaction.

“Until you need to split off from the group to see Sister Helen home,” the bishop pointed
out, and Blake wasn't surprised to see his father-in-law grimace at the reminder. He was
fairly sure the man had no desire to take over Seonaid's promise to see Sister Helen home
but was using the excuse as a way to remain close to Lady Wildwood for as long as he
could. The man's feelings for the woman were plain for all to see.

“Aye,” Angus said, disgruntled. “Wherever that may be. I wish Margareter, Lady Margaret,”
he corrected himself. “I wish she'd hurry about fetchin' the girl back here so we could
find out where exactly that is. I'm thinkin'” He paused suddenly and beamed a smile over
Blake's shoulder. “Ah, there ye are. Thank ye fer fetchin' her, Lady Margaret. Now, Sister
Helen, we're plannin' the journey into England and need to know where yer home is.”

Blake glanced over his shoulder to see that Lady Wildwood had indeed brought the girl
down. Seonaid and Aeldra also accompanied her. Blake's gaze slid over his wife, a small
smile tugging at his lips as he examined her in her braies. She had a different pair on
today. They were faded and worn and obviously several years old, the cloth fitting more
snugly than the pair he was used to seeing her in. They outlined and defined every curve
from her waist down and put Blake's mind to thoughts of dragging her back abovestairs.

It was going to be a long journey until they reached England and could separate from the
rest of the group.

“Actually, my lords,” Lady Wildwood said, drawing Blake's attention, “Lady Helen is from
Bethencourt, and I fear getting her safely home may be trickier than you had thought.”

Blake was slow to understand her words. His gaze slid to the nun in confusion, and it was
only then, on his second glance, that he realized she looked different. She was no longer
wearing her head covering. Instead, she had pulled her long red hair back into a knot
similar to the one Seonaid wore.

“LadyHelen?” Lord Rolfe asked slowly. “Lady Helen Cameron, nee Bethencourt,” Lady Wildwood
said, then settled on the bench beside Angus,

and explained to the men how the women had pulled the wool over their eyes.

Blake felt satisfaction claim him when Seonaid settled herself on the bench at his side.
He listened with interest to the tale Lady Wildwood was revealing. His gaze kept sliding
to Lord Rolfe as the woman talked, and he grinned inwardly at the emotions crossing the
other man's face. Irritation not that she wasn't a nun, but that he had been led to
believe she was. Outrage over Cameron's intentions, and determination to see her safe.
Blake suspected the other man was about as good as wedded to the little redhead. He had
noticed the man's protective behavior to her throughout the journey here, and the way his
eyes had always seemed to trail the little nun. He'd suspected the man was attracted to
her and had pitied him, but now things had changed, and he wasn't surprised when Lord
Rolfe said, “Then I shall be the one to see her safely home. The king is a friend of
Bethencourt; he would wish it so.”

“Now jest a minute there, lad,” Angus interrupted grimly, obviously not wishing to lose
his excuse to remain close to Lady Wildwood. “ 'Tis me daughter who made the first promise
to see her safe, and I shall take on that burden, as I said. 'Tis me responsibility.”

“Gentlemen,” Lady Wildwood interrupted quietly, bringing silence to the party. “I think
you are focusing on who Helen is and forgetting something more important.”

“What's that?” Angus asked with a frown.

“As Seonaid pointed out to me abovestairs, there is the Cameron to worry about. He will
hardly wish Helen to return safely to her father and tell all. His head will be on the
block should she manage it. He will be desperate to stop her. The men who attacked in the
woods would have trailed you all here, and by now there may be a small army of Camerons on
its way, if they are not here already.” She allowed that to sink in. “And then there is
her father to consider as well. If Helen's maiddid manage to ride all the way to southern
England on her own, and he has heard what has happened, he too may be under threat.”

“You are right,” Rolfe said with concern. “I shall send a messenger to him at once. If the
maid hasn't reached him, the message will inform him of what has happened. Either way, I
shall instruct him to stay within Bethencourt and to keep any Camerons out until we reach
him.”

“We?” Angus asked grimly.

“Helen and I. As things stand, a large party would simply draw Cameron's attention.
'Twould be better if Helen and I were to sneak out on our own, perhaps with her disguised
as a boy. Then we can head for Bethencourt.”

Angus was frowning over this. Obviously his plan to use Helen as an excuse to remain close
to Lady Wildwood would not work if Rolfe rode alone with Helen. On the other hand, taking
the girl with the larger party would put Lady Wildwood and the bishop in jeopardy. They
could take most of the men and brave an attack by the entire Cameron clan, as Duncan had
done when he had ridden out after Seonaid, but after the attack and siege of Dunbar, he
was reluctant to leave his home vulnerable again.

The sudden bang of the great hall doors slamming open interrupted the silence as everyone
turned to see who had entered. Recognizing the messenger hurrying across the hall, Rolfe
stood to meet the man and accepted the scroll he carried. He broke the seal on the scroll,
unrolled it, and read the missive with a frown.

“The messenger I sent to the king with the news of Lady Wildwood's presence here 'ere we
left for St. Simmian's arrived safely. He is ordering me to escort Lady Wildwood to court
posthaste to discuss 'matters of great import.'”

“Whatmatters of great import? ” Angus asked suspiciously. “And why the rush?” Diana's
mother asked. “No doubt he knows Greenweld is dead by now too,” Rolfe muttered. “News
moves quickly.” “So?” Lady Wildwood asked warily.

“On Greenweld's death, you became mistress of both Wildwood and the neighboring Greenweld,
my lady,” Bishop Wykeham pointed out quietly.

“Aye.” Rolfe scrubbed the hair back from his face with irritation. “And with Iliana as
your only heirand she married and installed here at Dunbarhe no doubt wishes to see you
remarried. Preferably to someone with more than one heir to step in and take over each
estate.”

Margaret turned a horrified glance toward Angus. He stared back at her, stunned for a
moment, then rose to his feet roaring, “The hell he will!I am marrying Margaret. In fact,
I am doing so right now. Bishop, get yer Bible.”

“Now just a minute,” Lord Rolfe protested. “You cannot marry Lady Wildwood against her
will.” “It is not against my will,” Margaret said quietly. “I wish to marry Angus.” “But,
I cannot let you marry him. The king”

“Has not sent orders against it,” Blake interrupted with amusement. He rather thought the
pair would make a fine couple. Blake had noted a distinct difference in his father-in-law
since returning with Seonaid and suspected it had to do with Lady Wildwood's influence.
The two were obviously in love, and the woman was softening him. The Dunbar had even taken
Blake aside to tell him that he intended to rectify the old rift between himself and the
Earl of Sherwell.

“Aye, but” Lord Rolfe began, and Blake interrupted again.

“He has not sent orders regarding anything except that Lady Wildwood travel to court. Does
he have plans to marry her off, he should have said so. I see no reason they should not
marry. Then the laird can take some of his own men, along with the king's men, and see
hiswife and the bishop to court, leaving you free to slip away with Helen and hightail it
to Bethencourt,” Blake pointed out slyly. “Then you two can collect her father and make
your way to court to meet up with them.”

“In fact,” he added, “their leavetaking might be a good diversion for you. They can parade
out of Dunbar slowly so that the Camerons, if they are hiding out there, will watch and
eventually can see that Helen is not among them. Meanwhile you can take Helen and slip out
through the secret passage in Seonaid's room.”

“That may work,” Duncan murmured, speaking up for the first time. “Lady Helen could leave
disguised as a boy as ye suggested, and I could arrange horses to be waiting fer ye at the
end o' the passage. Ye could slip away undetected.”

Seonaid watched the men pack Lady Wildwood's trunks onto the back of the cart and shook
her head in wonderment. She had no clue what all the woman had in them, but Lady Wildwood
had insisted they were all items she would need at court. Lady Dunbar, she mentally
corrected herself. Her father had married the woman the night before. She was now
Seonaid's stepmother.

“ 'Tis glad I am we're no travelin' with them,” Aeldra murmured suddenly, and Seonaid
nodded in agreement. She did not mind long journeys as a rule but was used to traveling
with a small army of men, and without a wagon of trunks to slow her down. The cart of
goods Lady Margaret was taking with her would force the party to travel at a snail's pace.
Not that Seonaid supposed her father was in any rush to reach the English court. He would
no doubt have to face the English king's wrath over their marriage, and there was nothing
to rush back for. Duncan already all but ran Dunbar in deed, if not in name, and could
tend it well enough in their father's absence.

“Seonaid.”

She turned to find her father approaching and offered a smile.

“Lady Margaret and I will stop at Sherwell on our way back from court to see how yer
gettin' along, and to tell ye how things went with the English king,” he announced, his
gaze shifting to the men preparing the wagon and horses for their journey. Then he glanced
back. “I still think 'twould be better were ye travelin' with us at least til we reached
England, but that stubborn husband o' yers refuses, so...” He shrugged, then turned away
to yell at one of the men to make sure everything was tied down.

Seonaid smiled to herself while his back was turned. She and Blake were not traveling
aloneAeldra and Little George were to accompany thembut they would not be joining her
father's party after all. The change had come about during her father's wedding to Lady
Wildwood. Iliana and Duncan had been standing near Seonaid and Blake during the ceremony,
and the smaller woman had commented that her father-in-law and soon-to-be stepfather
looked very handsome in his newly cleaned and mended gold doublet and braies. The doublet
had sported a hole from the arrow her father had taken until Iliana had taken care of it.

Blake had grimaced at the woman's comment and muttered that the manshould look good in his
doublet and braies; the outfit had cost him a small fortune. He had then turned to tell
her what she already knew, that he had traded her father the outfit for his plaid,
explaining that he had wished to wear the Dunbar “colors” while traipsing across Scotland
to avoid as much trouble as he could while he hared after her.

Iliana had appeared confused by this news, Duncan had burst out laughing, and Seonaid had
bit her lip briefly, then taken pity on her husband and explained that he had been
misinformed: Scots did not have clan tartans. When he had argued the point, assuring her
that everyone in England knew clans had specific tartans, she had sighed and informed him
that everyone in England was wrong.

It had taken some talking to convince him, and then he'd been irritated to learn that he
had been so foolish as to give up his new doublet and braies to her father under false
pretenses. Seonaid couldn't really blame himher father's plaid was rather malodorous, and
she was always relieved when he took it off. Blake was rather relieved to be free of the
thing himself. And before he could become too upset over the matter, Iliana had soothed
him by offering to sew him a new doublet and braies for their trip home.

Blake had accepted the offer gratefully, claiming he would rather wear English clothing on
English soil. But even with the small army of servants she had asked to set to the task
with her, the outfit would take Iliana two days to create. This news hadn't seemed to
bother Blake. In fact, she suspected it rather pleased him to announce that they would
just have to wait the extra day and give up the chance to travel with the others.