The Highlander Without a Bride (10 page)

CHAPTER
THIRTEEN

Through her blurred vision, for her eye had begun to swell greatly
and the tears continued to flow, Kaye quickly gained the stables and cautiously moved between the stalls to the one that held her trusted gray mare.  She quickly saddled the beast and released the lead from the wall as she quietly exited the building.  Quietly, she walked the horse out of the darkened shed and breathed a slight bit of relief for she was still undetected.  Although no one was immediately about at this late hour, she walked her mare cautiously in the near darkness, praying she would stay unnoticed and fervently hoping she would be allowed to make her escape.

S
he neared the drawbridge and stopped in the shadows as she peered intently around and looked for any movement.  With trepidation in her heart, Kaye wondered how she would make it beyond this point, her only hope for freedom was that it had been left unguarded for the night.  Spying no one immediately about, she quickly and silently crept forward.  As she came even with the wall, she felt a movement near as the sentry stepped out threateningly before her. 

Kaye's
heart beat wildly, knowing with a certainty that he would not allow her pass as she understood that he would simply raise the alarm and she would be forcefully returned to the keep.  For long moments the fear rose within as she waited expectantly, until Kaye realized that he stood quite motionless before her.  With puzzlement, she gazed further through the darkness and with a start recognized the face of the man before her, for it was the soldier named Thomas.  He was the very same one that had been injured by the dark men in the forest, the very same one that she had tended his wound.  For an extended time he simply stood staring down at her, gawking at her obvious injuries with a true sadness reflecting upon his face.  With a resigned sigh, he stepped away from her and turned his back upon her and moved from her side.  He silently provided her the permission she needed to pass into the night.

Whe
n he made no effort to stop her nor sounded any type of alarm, Kaye hurried her mare as quietly and as quickly as she could over the worn wooden planks of the drawbridge.  Only a slight echo could be heard from her mare's hooves as they resonated lightly into the otherwise silent night.  She breathed a heavy sigh of relief as her horse finally stepped upon the grassy field, feeling her freedom ever so near. 

Kaye
mounted her mare realizing a new fear for she had never been unaccompanied, especially in the dark and had never ridden alone outside of these gates.  But she knew her options were few and there was no going back now for she knew that her life truly depended upon her successful and now
solo
escape.  With resolution and a deep breath, she walked her beast forward and away from her terrors and away from her life, hopeful that no one would realize she was gone for a very long time.

When she had crossed the valley and began to move up the other side
of the rise, Kaye felt a bit of luck was on her side for the night was clear and the three-quarters moon shone brightly above.  It emitted a slight light that illuminated her path faintly in the otherwise darkened night. 

Being far enough from the gate for no one to hear the mare
's quickened hooves, Kaye finally gave her animal its lead as she slightly squeezed the sides of her beast with her knees.  She lowered her head over the animal's mane, encouraging her on as her horse began to move quickly down the path and into the darkened woods beyond.

Kaye
galloped quickly and as fast as she dared in the dark down the worn dirt path in what she could only assume was in the direction of her parent's home as the fear lay heavily within her breast.  It was nighttime and she knew that if she kept up this pace and was successful in her directions that she could reach the Devon estates at least a few hours before the dawn was fully upon the land.  With that in mind, she continued onward knowing her beast was young and strong and she herself would do whatever it would take to escape the prison she had found herself within.

Kaye
rode hard into the night, following the darkened path and was quite thankful the trails were well traveled and had not come across any forks in the road.  After riding for a few hours into the night, she drew in a nervous breath as she crossed the knoll where their party had been accosted just a few short weeks ago.  She quickly pushed those painful memories from her mind and breathed a sigh of relief, for she knew now that not one of those dark men still lingered.  She was also thankful for she understood she was in the appropriate area and not too far from her home.  She quickly moved forward and within the hour, she found herself exiting the large oaks and out onto the grassy fields as she made her way quickly towards her cousin's home.

All the while that she had ridden, she contemplated and developed a plan
and conceded that there were few options left open to her.  She understood that she could not go home for she could not bring this down upon her father even though she knew his estates were at risk.  She reasoned quite fairly that if she were to go to him, she knew that he would take her in but this could prove to be most dangerous.  Kaye would be placing the Lord Devon in a most precarious position for he would have to choose between his daughter and the laws that bound him to his king.  She did not wish to bring her burdens further upon her family and if they did not know she had been there, then her father could protest his ignorance for she realized he could never lie.  She rationalized that his lack of knowledge of her whereabouts was simply the safest for him.

Kaye understood most miserably that she had but one option in her mind and that was to
wake Matthew and beg him to take her north and to Scotland where she could seek refuge with her sister Bridget.  She hoped she could hide in the Highlands and far away from England for the Hann men would surely never go looking for her there.

Kaye
reached her cousin Matthew's home in what she determined to be just a few hours before the dawn.  With a sadness upon her heart for what she would ask of the only one she dared trust, she left her horse by the front steps and dismounted as quickly as she was able.  Once she gained her sure footing, she rushed up the stone stairs and moved into the great hall within.  In the near darkness, she traveled steadily toward the familiar second story rooms as she quietly moved down the hallway to where she knew Matthew slept.

She stole into his
darkened chamber and paused briefly as she listened for any sounds or movements within as the thundering of her own heartbeat reverberated forcefully within her ears.  As Kaye stood silently within the room she could hear his deep breathing and knew he was in full slumber upon the bed.  She moved quietly from the doorway and neared his side as she laid her slight hand across his mouth as she whispered in his ear.

"Matthew, it is Kaye
.  Please, I need your help!"

Matthew immediately was fully
awake as he instantly moved to a sitting position and looked through the darkness to his dear cousin Kaye.  He immediately reached over to the table next to his bed to strike the taper that resided there. Once the small light had flickered and illuminated the corner of the room, he turned to take in the full view of his beloved cousin and gasped in horror as her face came clearly into view.  His breath caught as he looked upon her cut and bloodied lips, the purple marks upon her chin and the long and jagged cut upon her cheek.  By this time, her eye was blackened and now fully swollen shut.

"
Who did this to you?"  He whispered harshly.

"Please Matthew, I do not
have time to explain.  I need your help. Can you please take me to Bridget?  I must get away now.  I fear they are close behind me and I cannot be discovered…especially here."

When Matthew neither moved no
r said anything, Kaye continued with desperation in her voice.  "I cannot go to father and involve him.  I am just so sad that I have to ask you…but I am begging you, please Matthew take mercy upon me and my plight…"

He looked at her deeply
spying the wetness of tears as they accumulated within her eyes.  With a sadness in his heart he conceded that he could not refuse this woman and would do anything either she or any of her sisters would ever ask, for they were the only family he had and he loved them dearly and would always do his duty by them. 

Matthew
nodded his head stiffly and conceded he would agree to whatever she wished and hoped that Bridget's family would indeed take her in for so much was unknown of the Highlanders. He quickly rose and dressed as he added his swords and other weaponry at his side and his bow across his back as he placed his long and black cape over all.  He returned to the table and blew out the small candle as he restored the room to near darkness. 

As he moved swiftly
through the darkened chamber, he grabbed Kaye's hand as he squeezed it gently in silent support as they walked quietly and quickly out the door and down the hall where they descended the stairs to the great chamber below.  He left Kaye briefly alone as he ran to the kitchens and filled a bag with breads and cheeses and the rest of the provisions they would need for their long journey.  Together they left the keep as Kaye gained her mare's back and Matthew quickly disappeared into the stables to ready his own mount.

Without speaking, he
led his horse galloping back the way he knew she had come, wishing there was another trail and hoping she was not being followed too closely behind.  As he looked back to ensure she was near, he was more than a little surprised at what he saw.  He had lived his entire life with this one and knew of her talents and he had known that horsemanship had surely not been one of them.  Kaye now sat regally upon her horse as she moved quickly and adeptly, easily keeping the pace that he had set and unlike the woman that he had always known. 

Matthew
glanced at the beast that she was upon that was much larger than any he had ever seen her ride before.  The way that she handled the animal, her graceful hand and confidence upon the mare's back made it obvious she had learned and changed much since she left the Devon estates just a few short weeks before.

For more than an hour they continued to
gallop quickly as the darkness would allow until they were able to take the fork in the path due north that would lead them to Scotland and eventually to the Bruce estates.  A slight sigh of relief came over both of their worn bodies, for they knew they would now not cross paths with the Hann family.  They were not foolish enough to believe they were completely out of danger for the Hann's could still catch them from behind, but it was a welcomed reprieve nonetheless.

The sun began to change the
early morning sky from a shade of gray to mauve and then to blue as the day began to make itself known.  As the world became alive all around them, Matthew looked once again over at Kaye as they traveled quickly upon their steeds.  As he gazed towards his cousin, there was a sadness in his eyes and an anger within his chest for what he saw.  A sickening feeling flooded through him for the full exposure of the beating that Kaye had obviously taken.  He could not imagine anything that would warrant this for he knew her most thoroughly and understood she had the sweetest of dispositions and the kindest of hearts.

The two riders
continued to gallop quickly throughout the morning, unspeaking, with one simple goal in mind and that was to put as much distance between themselves and England as they possibly could.  They only stopped once beside a stream to refresh themselves and their horses as the sun reached its apex.  After a short while of respite, they continued as they galloped hastily and forever in a northerly direction.

As the
first evening began to descend upon them, they stopped within a small grove of trees directly adjacent to the road they had been traveling.  Matthew pulled the food from the bag as Kaye lay down on her cape upon the ground.  She had only eaten a few morsels when he realized she was already fast asleep as she finally allowed her body to succumb to its exhaustion.  

Through the impending darkness,
Matthew looked lovingly upon her, Kaye's face badly abused but still acknowledging she was as beautiful as ever.  His heart broke for what she must have endured and fervently hoped that she could trust him enough to disclose what had truly happened.  For he felt nothing but a genuine sense of duty to help her anyway he could, but would be of little assistance once they reached their destination if he did not completely understand the circumstances. 

With a gentle hand he
pushed a stray lock of hair from her face as she continued to sleep deeply.  So beautiful a woman and so complex a life she found herself in.  Matthew was so confused for the decision she had made those few weeks ago to wed the unknown lord and more perplexed yet to see her sudden appearance at his bedside. 

With a
desperate feeling upon his heart, he was determined to protect her even if the Bruce Lord rejected her, regardless of her reasons.  For she was a gentle woman and so undeserving of this fate. Matthew looked upon her sleeping form then with a sigh, covered her fully with her cape as he attempted to protect her from all the harm that had befallen her and to shield her from the cool night's air.