Chapter 2
2
“ E xcuse me, but can ye tell me how much longer I have to stay in here?” Astrid asked, poking her head through the crack in the door. She glared defiantly at the guard standing outside.
“Till the Laird says otherwise,” he responded.
With a brisk flick of his wrist, the door slammed shut in her face.
Stumbling back, Astrid shook her head, appalled by his rudeness. She glanced at the old man resting peacefully in the bed. His breath rattled with every inhale. As much as she wanted to help him, she knew it was only a matter of time before he left for heaven.
“Ye’re to come wit’ me,” a maid said the second she burst through the door.
Astrid nearly jumped out of her skin at the opportunity to get out of the room.
“Can ye at least tell me where ye’re takin’ me?” she asked as she followed the maid through the dimly lit corridors of McFair Castle.
Her chest tightened as the echoes of her footsteps mingled with the soft murmurs that drifted from the rooms they passed. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end as the maid flashed her a smile.
“To yer room, of course,” the maid answered cheerfully—which was a stark contrast to how Astrid was feeling. “The Laird wants to make sure ye have a place to lay yer head while ye’re here.”
“And ye wouldnae happen to ken how long that would be? Do ye?” Astrid implored as she tried not to pay any heed to the eyes that lingered on her longer than she liked.
She didn’t like being the center of attention. A few side looks were enough to make her nerves spike.
“I cannae say, I’m sorry. But I can tell ye that ye are very important,” the maid said, giving her the side-eye as if questioning her Laird’s judgment.
Astrid couldn’t blame her. She was a street urchin, with ragged clothes and all. There was no denying or hiding her status. The dirt smudges on her cheeks and the tangles in her hair betrayed her.
“Och, I dinnae think so,” Astrid said as she tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear.
“Well, who am I to say what goes on in the Laird’s head? But ye must be very skilled to be here.”
Yet, when she looked over her shoulder, the sight of her armed escort reminded her all too well that she was no guest, but a prisoner under the ruse of hospitality.
The weight of the situation settled on her shoulders like the heavy steel plates that the guard behind her was wearing. For a moment, she wondered how she was ever going to escape this place. The guard was formidable and far taller than her. Yet, she couldn’t deny the urge to flee.
As they approached a door embellished with intricate carvings of Maple leaves and stags, the maid paused and turned to Astrid. She flashed her a warm, welcoming smile before reaching for the handle. “This shall be yer chamber. The infirmary is down the hall. And if ye turn left, ye’ll find the kitchen and the rooms of the kitchen maids.”
Astrid’s heart raced as she stepped into the room. Its stone walls were adorned with rich tapestries that gleamed in the flickering candlelight. Although the space was undeniably beautiful, it felt like an all too familiar gilded cage she had been trapped in before.
“And when may I return to the village?” she pressed, her voice stronger than she felt as she glanced at the maid and then her armed escort. “I must collect me belongings. It is imperative that I?—”
The guard glared at her as he paused at the threshold. His very presence filled the frame.
He shook his head, his piercing blue eyes fixed on her. “I’m afraid ye’ll nae be leavin’ this room, lass. The Laird’s orders are very clear. For yer safety as well as the castle residents’, ye’re stayin’ put.”
Astrid felt her frustration rise as she clenched her jaw. “I have things I must collect. Ye dinnae understand. I have a life I simply cannae leave behind, nay matter who asks.”
The guard’s expression softened for a fleeting moment, a hint of empathy flickering in his eyes. “I understand. Truly, I do. But the Laird will have me head. Nae to mention that the Laird sees threats where ye may nae. So, this isnae just about yer safety, lass, but also the safety of the residents of the castle. I cannae let ye wander about. Ye understand, do ye nae?”
Her heart sank as she realized the gravity of her entrapment. The walls of McFair Castle loomed large, and the whispers of its history wrapped tightly around her like the chill of a Highland mist.
Lifting her chin, she dared to ask, “And what if I choose to leave anyway?”
Her heart pounded in her ears as she waited for the hot flash of a strike across her face. But the guard only stepped closer to her, the gentleness vanishing from his eyes. “Then ye’d face the wrath of the Laird. And believe me when I say that he’s nae one ye want to cross.”
Astrid turned her back on him and moved to the window. She braced her hands on the cold stone ledge as she stared out at the sprawling hills that stretched toward the horizon. The village, a warm hub of glowing lanterns and thatched roofs, lay beyond the tree line. Such a short jaunt. She wondered if she could make it there and back without being caught.
With a spark of hope in her heart, she turned away from the window. Folding her arms over her chest, she stared at the guard. She wished she could wipe the smirk off his face as she realized that her room was higher off the ground than she had anticipated.
“And if ye’re thinkin’ about fleein’, ye’ll find that I’m faster than I look.”
Astrid stepped back as he closed the door, trapping her in the room. She ran her fingers through her hair as panic and desperation clawed at her.
“This cannae be happenin’,” she muttered as she glanced at the sparsely furnished room.
The only comforts she could find were a modest bed and a rickety chair near the fireplace. But as her gaze fell on the bed, an idea came to her mind. This room was far bigger than the one she had in the village, and if she stayed here, then surely she’d be under the Laird’s protection.
The thought bounced around in her head, defying logic and reason. Swallowing hard, she considered her options. If she stayed here and maybe even blended in with the servants, then maybe he wouldn’t find them.
She pulled in a long, deep breath as she glanced at the door. There would be no going out that way, which left her with only one escape route.
An icy finger of terror trailed down her spine, stealing the very warmth of her blood. She mustered every last ounce of her courage and bolted to the bed. She stripped the bed of its linens with a frantic determination while keeping her eyes on the door. The last thing she wanted was for the guard to come in and catch her red-handed.
The fabric was coarse yet thick. With each knot she tied, hope brewed and swelled within her. Her fingers worked quickly, fueled by her urgency.
The night was falling quickly, and she had a promise to keep. Her head snapped toward the door when she heard the sound of heavy boots. Terror gripping her, she paused and waited. Straining her ears, she listened for any clues that someone was about to enter. When the boots retreated down the hall, she resumed looping and twisting the fabric until the makeshift rope was complete.
“I must be insane,” she whimpered as she peered out the window to gauge the distance to the ground.
She threw the rope out the window. Then, she grabbed the chair and jammed it beneath the door. She knew she didn’t have much time, and she had only one shot to make her escape.
“Now or never,” she whispered to herself as she steeled her resolve.
She grasped the sheets tightly and began her precarious descent. Her hands trembled as she wrapped the fabric around her arms. The drop made her head spin. Terror shot through her like thunder.
She did not dare to look down. Inch by inch, she climbed down with her eyes squeezed shut. The wind howled over the drumming of her heart.
“And just what do ye think ye’re doin’?”
Her ears perked up at the sound of that husky voice. Her eyes popped open, and she looked at the open window. Leaning out while holding her makeshift rope was Laird McFair. His eyes were wild with fury as he began pulling the sheets back up.
Astrid panicked. She couldn’t go back to the Laird, not when the village was so close. She loosened her grip on the sheets. The wind whipped her wild hair as the ground rushed toward her. Ignoring the sharp pain in her ankle and shin, she forced herself to stand up.
She looked up at the window and couldn’t help but notice that the fury in the Laird’s eyes burned hotter. His determined glare forced her to keep moving, despite the pain in her ankle.
“Ye’ll nae get away so easily!” he shouted.
His voice was closer than she had anticipated. She glanced over her shoulder to gauge where he could be. To her surprise, he’d jumped out of the window and was racing after her.
Unable to outrun him, Astrid would have to outmaneuver him.
Under the silvery light that haloed the trees and bushes, Astrid raced to the village. Her heart pounded as she darted from shadow to shadow, the Laird’s heavy footsteps echoing behind her.
Ahead, Astrid spotted the narrow path that wound through the shrubs and high grass. There was her chance.
With every ounce of her willpower, she pushed herself forward, her feet struggling to move faster.
Suddenly, two steel bands wrapped around her torso, and she tumbled to the ground. What little air she had in her lungs whooshed out of her as the edges of her vision grew hazy. But she didn’t allow the darkness to enshroud her. She fought to remain conscious and threw her head back.
The groan behind her made her lips curl. Twisting and flopping like a fish out of water, she wiggled out of the arms that had her pinned to the moist soil.
“Let me go,” Astrid hissed as she clawed for her freedom.
The Laird’s fingers curled around her ankle. He might as well have put her in shackles.
At that moment, Astrid realized that she had no choice but to surrender.
The Laird climbed over her limp body, effectively preventing any further attempt at escape. Astrid couldn’t help but notice his precision as he moved. He was careful not to touch her unless he needed to.
Despite the situation, she marveled at his gentleness. He could have been rough with her. He could have thrown her over his shoulder and carried her back. Yet, he didn’t. His hands only pinned her to the ground as hard as he needed to. He was calculated and in absolute control. The other men Astrid had encountered were never as aware of their strength and usually left their marks on her to show it.
Still, he was a wall of solid muscle that anchored her to the ground. She tested his strength and intentions once more.
“Let me go.”
“I dinnae think so,” he panted.
His warm breath fanned her cheek as he leaned in. The rise and fall of his chest as he tried to catch his breath was soothing. Slipping a hand under her arm, he flipped her onto her back. Astrid’s eyes widened as she stared at him.
“Ye can run as far away as ye want, lass, but ye cannae escape me. I can track ye down on a cloudy day.”
“Ye dinnae understand,” Astrid said as she tried to buck him off.
But the longer he pinned her, the less angry she felt. It was almost as if the earth itself was soaking her ire and desperation, leaving her nothing but a hollow shell of her former self.
“I have to go.”
“Aye, right back to the castle. Ye ken, I thought I saw something honorable in ye when ye were first presented to me. Had I kenned it was treason I was sensin’, I never would have let ye near me faither.”
“Ye think me a traitor? Never, Laird McFair. I’m nae a traitor,” Astrid said, her voice thick with emotion.
Out of all the things she had been called before, a traitor had to be the one that stung the most.
“Ye’ve done nothing to show me otherwise,” the Laird hissed.
The ire in his voice rattled her to the core. She trembled with fear. The penalty for treason was death .
Astrid’s heart rate quickened. If she was gone, then who would take care of her ?
Gulping in the air, she desperately racked her brain for a plan. Somehow, she had to get out of this mess and get back to the village.
She swallowed hard and studied the Laird. He arched an eyebrow as if he too were studying her and considering his options.
If there was one thing Astrid understood about men, it was their insatiable desires. She swallowed hard. She couldn’t be certain if the spark she glimpsed in his eyes was lust. If it was, he didn’t let on. But if that was the only way he’d loosen his grip on her, she’d take the chance.
“Are ye plannin’ on kissin’ me?” she asked, despite the trepidation coursing through her.
His reaction didn’t disappoint her. Shock and confusion flashed across his face as a spark of mischief danced in his eyes.
“Dinnae tempt me,” he warned, his voice a low rumble that sent a shiver down her spine.
It wasn’t a shiver of revulsion, but of pleasure, and it unnerved her. She glanced at his fingers curling around her arm. Her stomach wasn’t churning. It was as if his touch did not affect her.
For a fleeting moment, Astrid let herself hope.
She studied his hand on her and the way he pinned her to the ground, yet she was not afraid of him. In fact, she found herself wondering if he’d be strong enough to protect her. Perhaps if she stayed in his castle, she’d be safe from the dangers outside.
“Ye shouldnae have run,” he growled as he pulled her to her feet. “Was I nae lenient enough with ye?”
“Please, Laird McFair. I must get to the village,” Astrid pleaded, tears welling up in her eyes.
“And what’s so important in the village that ye’d defy a laird and risk yer life by climbin’ out of a window?” the Laird asked, his blue eyes boring into hers.
“Come wit’ me, and I’ll show ye,” she said, her tone defeated. “There are things that ye dinnae understand, Me Laird.”
Astrid kept her mouth shut as she led him to the village. She could feel his stern gaze on her, questioning her sanity as they passed by the houses on the outskirts of the village.
“What is this place?” the Laird asked as she slipped between two houses.
She glanced behind her, wondering what he thought of it all. When they got to the back of the alley, she pulled back loose boards and slipped into the hole between the crates of goods. She moved quickly through the dark till she came to the opening and then stepped into the light.
“Mel?” she called, craning her neck to spy around the boxes just as the Laird stepped into the small space behind her. His presence filled the area more than their bodied did.
Astrid didn’t dare look at him. She didn’t want to see the shame and pity in his eyes.
“Astrid?” a small, fragile voice called out.
Astrid dropped to one knee and opened her arms as the little girl rushed toward her.
“I thought ye werenae comin’ back,” the girl whimpered as her little arms failed to wrap all the way around Astrid.
“Hush now, it’s all right. See, I’ve come back just as I said I would. Right now, though, I have someone I’d like ye to meet,” Astrid said as she rose and turned to face the Laird. “Melody, this is Laird McFair. Laird McFair, this is me daughter, Melody.”