The Chase (4 page)

“What think you?” Rolfe asked. They all stared at the lush and flowering vegetation
revealed.

“The gardens are empty. Should they be?” Blake glanced over his shoulder. The bishop was
craning his neck, peering inside even as he shook his head.

“Nay. The servants or lay sisters should be tending them at this hour. Lady Elizabeth
Worley runs St. Simmian's, and she is a fair virago of a woman who would put up with no”

“Look you,” Rolfe said, cutting off the bishop. “There are baskets scattered about. 'Tis
as if they had been working and left suddenly.”

“It sounds worrisome.” Little George's rumble drew Blake's attention to the fact that
every single man who rode with them had dismounted and was crowded around, trying to peer
into a sanctity they would normally never get a chance to see.

“Oh dear, oh dear, oh dear.” The bishop shook his head, his eyebrows turned down in
concern. “Something is not right; something is simply not right.”

“You said many seek sanctuary here. You do not think someone actually broke in and” Rolfe
left the rest of his theory unsaid.

Blake pushed the gate the rest of the way open and started resolutely inside. 'Twas one
thing for the little Scottish wench to flee from marrying him; 'twas another for someone
to steal or harm her. He would not stand idly by and see that done. 'Twas not in his
nature.

Seonaid was a bit surprised by the wariness on the other woman's face. She was a redhead,
her skin pale and powdered with a light sprinkling of freckles. Her face was blotchy from
crying and scrunched up in distrust as she watched them approach. Pausing before her,
Seonaid glanced uncomfortably away. She wanted to turn around and leave but simply could
not. 'Twas due to her one failing; in her heart, Seonaid was soft. 'Twas a fault she and
her brother had worked hard to eradicate over the years. They had failed at the task. She
could not walk away from an injured animal or man, could not ignore cries of pain, and
could not leave the Englishwoman to sob her heart out as she had been doing.

“Yer Lady Helen. I'm Lady Seonaid,” she announced abruptly by way of a greeting.

“Lady Seonaid? Aye, Sister Blanche mentioned you to me.” There was relief on her face as
the woman got to her feet. The emotion turned to surprise as she took in Seonaid's height
and realized she was a good foot taller than herself. “You have been here two weeks, have
you not?”

“Aye. I be attemptin' to avoid marryin' an English dog,” Seonaid announced with feigned
boredom.

Helen looked startled, then started to laugh. “And I am endeavoring to escape marriage to
a Scottish pig.”

“Nay. Really?” Seonaid grinned, then asked, “Well, why did ye no go to an English abbey
then?” Helen grimaced. “'Twas in Scotland I escaped. I sought the closest haven I could
find.” “Oh, aye.” Seonaid nodded. “Well, never fear, ye'll be safe here.” “Aye.” The word
was one of agreement, but her expression was doubtful.

When Aeldra shifted on her feet beside her, Seonaid suddenly recalled her cousin's
presence and grimaced at her own bad show of manners. “ 'Tis rude I am. This is me cousin,
Aeldra. She insisted on accompanyin' me here to keep me safe should I run into trouble.”

When Helen stared at the woman in question, Seonaid turned to examine Aeldra, seeing her
as the other woman must. Her blond cousin was her opposite in coloring and height, shorter
even than Helen herself. Seonaid supposed her cousin's insisting on accompanying her to
“keep her safe” would sound odd to anyone who had never seen her fight, but Aeldra was a
wildcat in battle.

“She's a fair bloodthirsty wench,” Seonaid felt she should explain. “An' nimble too. Show
'er,” she suggested.

Nodding, Aeldra turned as if to leave the chapel, took several steps away, then suddenly
did three backflips in a row. She landed facing Helen on her last spin, a small knife
drawn and at the Englishwoman's throat.

“Oh, my,” Helen breathed faintly.

Seonaid and Aeldra both laughed as the smaller woman stuck her blade back in her deerskin
boot.

“Can you teach me that?”

Aeldra shrugged. “ 'Tis fair impressive to see, but no verra helpful in a real battle. An
archer would ha' shot me down in mid-flip 'ere I ever got me dagger near yer neck.”

“Oh. So you will not teach me.” Helen's shoulders drooped. Seonaid and Aeldra exchanged a
glance. “But I could be teachin' ye something a bit more useful,” Aeldra said. Helen's
attitude brightened at once. “Truly? Would you?” “Aye.”

“Oh, my, that would be marvelous. Then should Cameron come for me, I could defend myself.”

Seonaid's eyes widened. “Cameron? Lord Rollo?”

Helen grimaced. “Aye”

She considered. “I have heard nothing to say he be so bad. Now, the man I was to marry,
he's a dog of the first order.”

“Who were you to marry?” Lady Helen asked curiously. “Sherwell.” “Lord Blake Sherwell?”
“Aye, do ye ken him?” Seonaid asked.

“Aye. Well, nay, I have never met him, but I have heard of him. They call him the Angel.
He is said to be fair handsome, and quite charming. 'Tis said he has the looks of an angel
and the tongue of the devil, and betwixt the two could have lured even Saint Agnes to his
bed.” Helen frowned. “Why would you not wish to marry him?”

“He be English.” When the woman looked taken aback, Seonaid threw her an apologetic smile.
“Well, 'tis no just that he be English. He's a cur as well.”

“Oh.” Helen hesitated, then asked, “Have you met him?”

“Nay, but me father kenned his father. They were once friends. 'Twas why the marriage was
arranged, but then the earl showed hisel' to be the cur he is an'...” She shrugged.

“What did the Earl of Sherwell do?” Seonaid pursed her lips. "Well, now, I dinna rightly
ken, but it must have been something fair rude, for

me father has hated him ever since an' curses him at every opportunity.“ When Helen
continued to frown and seemed about to comment, Seonaid shifted uncomfortably and asked,
”Why are ye fleein' Lord Rollo? S'truth I have heard naught against him."

“Aye.” Helen's expression darkened. “ 'Tis sure I am, you have not. He hides his true
nature well. He fooled even my father, so much so he agreed to the marriage, but on the
way to Cameron Castle, I overheard him talking with one of his men. We had stopped to make
camp for the night and they thought I was sleeping. They were discussing how he planned to
end the marriage as quickly as he could once we reached his stronghold, so that he could
marry another woman.”

Seonaid raised her eyebrows. “If he planned to end it anyway, why marry at all?” “For my
dowry. My father is quite well off and was generous with my dower.” “But, if he ends the
marriage, he canna keep the dower.” “He could if the marriage ended because I had died.”

“Nay!” Seonaid gaped at her. “He wouldna!” Helen nodded grimly. “Did he say so?”

She nodded again. “They were discussing how best to do it. They could not decide between
breaking my neck and throwing me down the stairs to make it look as if I broke it in the
fall, or breaking my neck in the woods and saying I fell off my mount.”

“The cur!” Turning to her cousin, Seonaid gestured. “Can ye imagine, Aeldra?” Aeldra shook
her head. “Nay. 'Tis lucky ye truly werena sleepin'.” “Aye,” Seonaid agreed. “What did ye
then?” “Nothing at first. I had to continue pretending to sleep so they would not know I
knew of their plans.” “Oh, aye.”

“But soon as I had the chance, we escaped.” “We?” “My maid was with me.” “Was?”

“Aye, well, I sent her toward home to tell my father. Once he realizes Cameron's plan, he
shall come to my aid at once.”

“But what if they catch her afore she reaches him?”

Worry crossed briefly over her face, then she shook her head. “Nay. I set all the horses
free ere we left.”

Seonaid and Aeldra shared a glance; then the smaller Scot arched her eyebrows. “How did ye
manage to do all that? I ken well no Scot would sit about while ye packed, let loose their
beasts, an' fled.”

“Aye, well.” She hesitated, then said, “Had they been able to stop me I am sure they would
have, but my maid, Madge, has a special knowledge of herbs. The morning after I overheard
them talking about killing me, I told her what I had heard and that we had to escape. She
made the sup that night and drugged it so they fell into a deep sleep. While they were
unconscious, we packed, let loose the beasts, and fled. I sent her on home alone and made
my way here, trailing a second horse so they would think she traveled with me. I made sure
they could follow my trail. They will not even need bother looking for it. Madge will make
it back home and bring Father to me.”

“Ye deliberately left a trail for them to follow?”

Helen nodded. “Well, if I had headed home with Madge, they might have caught us up 'ere we
could reach there. They would know I knew of their plans. They would make sure I could not
escape again, and most like have seen to the killing at once, on the spot.”

“Aye, I ken, but ye dinna have to leave them a way to trail ye here, did ye?”

“I wished them to follow me to be sure Madge would reach my father safely,” Helen said
plaintively. “Besides, I feel sure once he is made aware, all will be well. At least I
did. I thought surely I would be safe here, but now I am not so certain.”

Seeing the slight tremble to her lip and afraid she would burst into tears again, Seonaid
hurried to reassure the woman. “Oh, aye. 'Tis safe ye are here. No even a murderin' dog
like Rollo Cameron appears to be would dare storm sacred ground. An' even did he, the
abbess wouldna let him in. Ye're safe here 'til yer father arrives. As am I.” Still seeing
the fear on the Englishwoman's face, Seonaid searched about in her mind for a way to
distract her. “We werena doin' ought. If ye have time, mayhap ye'd like Aeldra an' I to
teach ye a thing or two about defendin' yersel'?”

“Would you? Oh, that would be grand. I realized not how ignorant I was of such things
until I found myself in danger. I dearly wished I knew how to handle a sword the night I
lay listening to Rollo's plans for me. I would have sat up and run him through on the
spot.”

“Come then, we'll move to the garden, where there's more room.” Seonaid led the way to the
chapel door and pulled it open. She started into the hall, froze, and stepped back, her
hand moving automatically to her empty scabbard.

“What is it?” Helen asked anxiously when Seonaid eased the door closed and wheeled to peer
about the room.

“Come.” Expression grim, she grabbed the smaller woman's arm and urged her toward the left
side of the dim room, sure Aeldra would follow without question.

“What is it?” Helen stumbled along at her side. “What did you see?”

“I saw a man in the hall.” Pausing by the first tapestry, Seonaid released the woman and
pulled the mammoth decoration away from the wall. Sensing her plan, Aeldra moved up in
front of her and slid behind the image of Christ on the cross. Seonaid peered at Helen.

“Get in,” she ordered. When the woman hesitated, she grabbed her arm again to urge her
forward. “Aeldra shall protect ye from the other side. I shall be on this side.”

“But why would I need protecting?” She stilled halfway behind the tapestry and whirled to
face her. “Was it Rollo you saw?”

Seonaid shook her head. “I didna' recognize the man, but 'twas a plaid he wore, an' since
we are the only two seeking sanctuary here and the man who seeks me is English...” Letting
the rest of the sentence fade, she shrugged.

Helen needed no further explanation. Panic wreathing her face, she slid the rest of the
way behind the tapestry, leaving just enough room for Seonaid's larger frame.

“How do you think they got in?” the Englishwoman asked as the tapestry settled against
them. It was not flat and would not hold up well as a hiding spot under close examination,
but Seonaid was hoping it would not need to. With the dim lighting in the room and the
gory images on the tapestries, she hoped whoever searched would simply give a quick glance
and leave. Seonaid was not willing to confront the enemy without her sword, especially
when she did not know their numbers. All she had glimpsed was one man, but he had been
standing sideways at the end of the hall, talking to someone she could not see. Or several
someones.

“There was no warning. I heard no cries or screams. Think you they” Helen's frantic words
came to an abrupt halt when Seonaid reached out and covered her mouth with one hand.

“Lesson number one in defendin' yersel',” she hissed. “When one is hidin', she must remain
quiet, else there is no use to hidin' at all. Do ye ken?” When she felt the woman nod in
the dark, Seonaid eased her hand away, then stiffened as the chapel door was opened.

'Twas dark and stifling behind the tapestry, the air heavy with must and dust. Seonaid was
straining to hear footfalls, but the silence was as heavy as the dust behind the image of
Christ.

Releasing the breath she'd been holding, Seonaid drew a fresh one, then immediately
covered her mouth and nose with one hand. She had inhaled dust, and a sneeze was forcing
its way to life. Silently cursing, she bit her lip and pinched her nose in an effort to
distract herself, or at least delay the sneeze. Sweat had broken out on her forehead from
the effort when she finally heard the soft click of the door. Her explosive sneeze
immediately followed, and Seonaid stepped out from behind the curtain, waving a hand in
front of her face to remove any traces of dust still clinging to her skin. Aeldra and
Helen followed.

“Damn me! That one near blew me head off.”

“ 'Twas close.” Aeldra eased to the door and pressed an ear to it briefly. Apparently not
hearing anything, she inched it open enough to peer out with one eye. “ 'Tis clear,” she
said quietly as she closed the door.

Nodding, Seonaid gestured her back. “What are we going to do?” Helen asked as Aeldra
rejoined them. Seonaid was silent for a moment, then frowned. “We need to get to our
rooms.”