The Raven's Moon (41 page)

And the vision was coming true—the one that she had seen in the black stone, and Iain had glimpsed first in the placid surface of a puddle. Rowan, riding through a dark storm, shouting her name, chasing her in fury and desperation—both she and her twin had foreseen this. She felt a chill of fear for Rowan's life, Iain's too.

She turned back, her hands trembling on Peg's reins.

"He cannot reach you now," Simon growled beside her. "Not in this storm, with all these men guarding you. I'll send word to Blackdrummond that if he wants you back, he'd best bring me Iain Macrae and Alec Scott."

"Let me go," she said. "Please."

He laughed. "You wanted to be a pledge for Iain—well, here you are. And Rowan Scott will do whatever it takes, barter his own brother's life, to gain your freedom."

She did not answer, tucking her chin down against the rising fear within. The vision would complete itself once it had begun. Rowan was in pursuit, and that would lead to Iain's execution. Iain himself had predicted it.

And by marrying Rowan, she had brought the disaster that much closer.

Chapter 26

"Away, away, thou traytor strang!

Out of my sicht thou mayst sune be!

I grantit nevir a traytors lyfe,

And now I'll not begin with thee. "

—"Johnnie Armstrong"

"Rowan! Hold!" Hearing the shout and then hoofbeats, Rowan turned to see riders—and recognized Jock in the lead. He waited.

"Simon has Mairi," he said curtly as his grandfather approached. With him were Sandie and Christie, with Archie Pringle and Geordie Bell behind them.

"We know," Jock answered. "After Alec took Iain, the March wardens were furious. Simon blamed Tammie for it and named him an outlaw again. He sent troopers to catch Alec and Iain, but lost them."

"I lost them too," Rowan said. "But they rode toward Blackdrummond."

Jock nodded. "No surprise to me. But Simon will search there. He took Mairi in payment for Iain's escape—none of us could stop him."

"I'll stop him," Rowan growled.

"Every Scott and Armstrong, aye, and every Kerr, in this March would open a feud wi' him if he harms her."

"He will not have the chance," Rowan said. "I will have her back tonight. No man takes my wife for a prisoner and keeps her long—or his life, for that matter." He gathered the reins.

"Hold, lad." Jock paused. "Simon took her as a legal pledge in her brother's place. He has the right to keep her in custody and he can turn her over to the English warden to serve Iain's fate. He said she offered to do it. I doubt that, but—"

"Do not doubt it," Rowan muttered.

Archie rode. "Rowan–Simon sent me out to find you and give you your orders as deputy."

"Well?" Rowan snapped.

"You are to bring Alec and Iain to Abermuir, alive or laid out, Simon does not care. Bring them by sundown tomorrow, or he will take your bride to Carlisle."

Rowan gripped the reins hard. "I'll have her back tonight."

"She's guarded by fifty men on the road and a hundred more at Abermuir. You will not win her free out here."

"Here and now is best, as I see it," Rowan said coldly.

"If you snatch a legal pledge," Archie said, "you're on the wrong side o' the law. Best find Alec and Iain and trade them for your bride. It means betraying your brother and hers. I know. I'm sorry for it," he added.

Geordie came forward. "Forster likely will not accept the lass in her brother's place. Pledging is peculiar to Scots law. You could wait until Simon takes her to Carlisle, and get her back when Forster refuses her."

"I'll have her back now, if I have to take Abermuir apart stone by stone to do it."

"By hell," Jock said. "Your horse is weary. So are you. Have some sense. Get some food and think about this."

"You sound like Anna," Rowan said.

"The lass is safe for now," Jock replied.

"He's right," Sandie said. "Get dry first. Then we'll all go visit the warden, hey." He looked at Archie. "If you mean to go off and tell your warden that, by God, I'll make you a prisoner here and now. Someone will pay good ransom for you."

Archie smiled dryly. "None, I think. But I'll ride with the lot o' you, if there is room for one more." He looked at Rowan. "What Simon has done is not right. I'll not act as his deputy in this rough matter."

"I'm in agreement. I'll ride with you too," Geordie said.

"My thanks." Rowan nodded. "We'll go to Blackdrummond for now. Could be Alec and Iain are already there."

"The warden will look for them there. They'll hide for a bit," Christie said.

"He's right. But where?" Jock asked, frowning.

"After we're warm and fed, we'll think on it," Sandie said. "Come ahead, then."

Rowan listened, thoughtful. "You go on. I will be along soon."

Jock frowned, his gaze keen. "Be wary o' the phantoms that ride this road, lad."

"I will, sir." Rowan touched his fingers to his helmet brim. "If there are ghosts here, I will find them."

Jock nodded and rode off with the others. Rowan urged Valentine forward and headed for the Lincraig hill.

Dismounting in the yard outside the ruin, Rowan led the horse into the darkness of the crumbling building. He left the horse to nuzzle the wet grasses between the fallen stones.

Rowan moved forward with careful steps in the thick darkness. Reaching the entrance at back of the chapel, he stopped to listen. He heard only the rain and emptiness.

No other noise—and yet he knew they were here. Felt it in his gut, like a rope pulled tight. He began to descend the steps.

Nearing the crypt, he smelled a faint trace of smoke, like a candle recently extinguished. The silence had a vital quality, as if someone listened, or hid in the shadows.

"Alec," he said casually, "you never liked coming here."

"I've grown up," a mellow voice replied. "Greetings, Rowan. Have you come to arrest us?"

"Could be," Rowan answered as he stepped down into the chamber. A spark flickered from a scraped flint, and he smelled fresh smoke as Alec lit a candle. Rowan ducked his head to allow for the curve of the low vaulted ceiling, and moved toward the stone tombs that filled the middle space.

Alec stood beside the center tomb sculpture, watching him warily. Iain stood beside him and set the lit candlestick on top of the tomb, near the feet. The faint golden light cast flickering shadows around the small chamber.

Rowan stepped forward. His heart thundered inside his chest, his mouth dry, hands trembling as he faced his brother over the stone effigy.

"Rowan." Alec tipped his head in greeting, black hair sliding along his dark-whiskered cheek. "You saw our horses, then, inside the corner tower."

"I did not see them," Rowan said.

"Then how did you know we were here?" Iain asked.

Rowan kept his gaze directed at his brother. "I knew," he said simply. "There were always ghosts in this place."

Alec smiled, a wry pinch of his lips that Rowan knew well. His eyes crinkled, and the candlelight showed the brilliant color in his hazel eyes, deep green and brown ringed together. He had not shaved for days, and his beard stubble was dark and thick over the squared jaw and handsomely shaped chin. He shoved a hand through his unkempt black hair and smiled again, ruefully.

"Ghosts, aye," he said. "Say boo to my brother, Iain."

Iain nodded silently. His gaze, silvery gray, was very like his sister's—and was now keen and wary.

Rowan gave no hint of the turmoil inside as his blood pounded and his heart hammered. He fisted a hand to bring himself under control.

"What are your orders?" Alec asked. "I assume the crown and the warden have troopers looking for us. Do you mean to bring us back to enjoy the warden's own sense of justice?"

Rowan watched him as thunder roared and rain began to pound the walls, gusting through the cracks in the stone. He placed a hand on the cool limestone effigy of a long-dead lady. Cruel irony, he thought, to have the tomb of a dead woman between he and his brother now.

Suddenly he reached out, with force and speed, to grab Alec's loose shirt, pulling him forward over the tomb. Iain took a step toward them, alert to trouble.

"We have matters to discuss, you and I," Rowan said fiercely. "Then I will consider my orders."

Alec's expression was calm; his hazel eyes never wavered as he watched Rowan. Beside him, Iain stood tense and ready.

"Three years, brother," Rowan said, "I have thought about what you did to me. I wanted to find you, ask why you would do me such a betrayal. It was a coward's deed, to take my betrothed while I in prison and helpless to win her back."

He dragged Alec closer, his fist tightening on the shirt, his knuckles white, breath hard and fast. Still Alec said nothing. "But once I was free, I did naught—biding my time. I have not forgotten. I cannot forgive it."

"You stayed away when it was easy enough to find me at Blackdrummond, two years and more," Alec said huskily.

"I did not come back because I feared I would kill you."

The silence in the crypt was heavy, saturated with unspoken thoughts, anger, resentment—yet some other emotion caused Rowan to release Alec's shirt. He stood back.

"I feared I would kill you," he repeated softly.

Alec straightened, eyes darkened, inward. "I regret that Maggie and I did not tell you. But I cannot regret what we did."

"Maggie died," Rowan growled low. "I never saw her, never had the chance to speak with her about it. And you—you have a son o' her. A bonny son."

His voice nearly broke on the last word. He swallowed the bitter grief, as he had always done. But if he did not clear this demon from him, he would never find peace.

"Maggie asked me to keep it secret," Alec murmured. He touched the tomb sculpture, resting his fingers on the lady's folded, serene hands. "I agreed. She was a sweet lass. A man might do anything to see that smile."

"Sweet, or so I thought," Rowan drawled. "What would she keep from me? That she did not love me, but you instead? Did she prefer to wed the man that was there, than wait for the man who was in prison? She did not want to wed a criminal?"

"None of that. She knew you went to prison for me."

"And yet she wed you and did not wait for me."

Alec sighed and glanced up. "After your trial, Forster sent word that you would be executed. He sent your belongings home with the messenger, with word that the corpse would arrive soon. Maggie came to me and asked me to marry her."

"You could not wait until the body was buried?" Rowan asked sarcastically. "Maggie and I were handfasted. Was there no loyalty from the almost-widow?"

Alec frowned. "She was loyal, always. But... she pleaded wi' me. I could not deny her. We were wed the next day."

"Why?" Rowan demanded.

Alec met his gaze. "To give your son a father."

Rowan felt as if the blow was direct to the heart. He almost stepped back at the silent impact.

"Jamie?" he asked in a whisper.

Alec nodded. "She did not want you to know, when we heard you would die. After we heard the sentence was rescinded and you had been transferred for longterm custody, we were already wed. And Maggie said, what would be the use o' telling you that she was with child, your child, and wed to me? Maggie said it would only hurt you more. She was happy you were alive, and terrible distressed by what we had done. It was hasty, in hindsight. We talked of divorce once you were free—but that is uncommon and not easy, and we knew the truth would have to be told." He shook his head. "But it was not necessary. She did not survive the birth."

Rowan blew out a breath and shoved his fingers through his hair, looking at the woman's placid stone face. He had no words. He reached out, touched the effigy tentatively. No words.

"Without intention, Rowan," Alec said. "I am sorry."

Rowan nodded, swallowed. "Jamie is mine? You are sure?"

"Aye," Alec said gently. "I know it."