Chapter Twenty-Three
Later that night, with Tynan on the lookout for Lady Currie, Lilia slipped out of the manse and ran into the stable yard.
Moving swiftly, she ran straight for the stables, rushing inside only to find Brody and Angus talking quietly in one of the stalls.
When Brody looked up and saw her, he came out to greet her.
“My angel,” he murmured, sweeping her into his powerful embrace. “God, it’s good tae finally see ye alone.”
Lilia’s arms were around his neck. “It is,” she agreed. “We’ve not had a moment alone since The Cal. Brody, why did ye agree tae come here? I canna believe ye would agree tae come with Lady Currie when ye know…”
He cut her off gently, kissing her to silence her. “I have a plan,” he said quietly. “Ye dunna think I’d come here blindly, do ye?”
She eyed him curiously. “A plan? What plan?”
Brody knew she wasn’t privy to his reasons for coming, the plans he’d made with Cam and Isadora and Titus and Clegg. She didn’t know any of it, so surely, she thought he must have lost his mind. Quickly, he pulled her into the stall as Angus, grass in his teeth as usual, wandered out.
“Where is Angus going?” she asked. “He’s not going tae tell anyone we’re here, is he?”
Brody pulled her down onto the hay. “He’s going tae watch for any sign of Lady Currie or anyone else,” he said. “I told him tae pretend he doesna know me. Did ye tell Tynan not tae know me?”
“Aye. But others saw ye the first time I brought ye here. They might give ye away.”
He shook his head quickly. “Angus has told them not tae. Seems no one likes Lady Currie, so they’re willing tae keep the secret.”
Lilia felt a little better. “I hope so,” she said. “I know Lady Currie never saw ye so we dunna want her tae know ye’re the man that Colly said I was fornicating with.”
“What about Colly? Did she recognize me?”
Lilia shook her head. “I dinna know,” she said. “I’m not entirely sure she ever got a good look at ye, so ye may be safe.”
“I hope so,” he said. His gaze drifted over her, drinking in the sight of her. He felt whole again when she was in his arms. “But it willna matter if she did or not. We’re leaving tonight, for good.”
Her eyes widened. “We are?”
He nodded, kissing her hands. “Aye,” he said. “Lady Currie paid sixty pounds sterling for me, but Clegg gave it all back tae me with specific instructions – I’m tae return it tae Laird Currie and leave this place with ye.”
Lilia was bewildered. “Return it tae Laird Currie? I dunna understand. Why?”
He could see that she wasn’t following him.
“Listen tae me,” he said with quiet urgency.
“It seems that Clegg and Laird Currie are old friends. Clegg doesna like Lady Currie; he feels that she brings shame upon her husband with her behavior, which she does. Clegg has given me the money Lady Currie paid for me tae return it tae her husband, but he wants us tae flee Hawkhill after I do. That way, Laird Currie has his money returned tae him and Lady Currie is left with nothing. Ye’re safe, I’ll be safe, and Lady Currie will be sorely disappointed. ”
Lilia’s hand was over her mouth in surprise. “Sir Clegg has done this for ye?”
“For us,” he said softly. “Better still, when this situation is over, Clegg has asked me tae return tae The Cal as a trainer of men. A doctores. Lilia, he’s offered me a position there. A position of honor with people I respect.”
Lilia was starting to understand. She smiled at him, thrilled to hear what had transpired. “Is it true?” she gasped. “Brody, that’s wonderful news. I’m so very proud of ye.”
His smile faded as he looked at her. “Are ye?” he asked. “It’s been so long since someone has been proud of me. Ye canna imagine how long, my angel. ’Tis good tae hear it.”
Her smile broadened. “Of course I’m proud of ye,” she said. “It seems that a good deal has happened since the last time I saw ye.”
That was an understatement. “Very true,” he said.
“But good things. Except for Lady Currie and her lewd intentions, all good things. But in the end… mayhap everything happened the way it should. Had Lady Currie not set her cap for me, I would still be at The Cal, still trying tae earn money for yer freedom. Who knows how long it would have taken?”
Lilia could see his point. “I suppose,” she said. “I simply canna believe that so much good has come from this. What do ye intend tae do now?”
Brody released her from his embrace. “Now, I intend tae seek Laird Currie and return his money and pay off yer debt, so I want ye tae pack whatever ye need and be ready tae leave right away. Will ye do that?”
Lilia could hardly believe what she was hearing. “Aye,” she breathed. “Oh, Brody… I can hardly believe it. I’ll finally be leaving this terrible place.”
He kissed her gently. “I intend tae take ye out of here before the evening meal, so we must hurry. We’ll leave as soon as I give Laird Currie his money back.”
“But what about the two pounds for my da’s debt?”
Brody grinned. “Cam loaned it tae me,” he said. “He and his wife. I’ll pay back every pence and then some, so Laird Currie will receive exactly sixty-two pounds for my freedom and for yers. I have all of the money with me in the trunk I brought.”
Lilia was so anxious that she took him by the hand and began dragging him towards the stable entry.
“Laird Currie’s solar is by the manse entry,” she told him.
“He’s always there. There is no other place he’ll be.
Go in through the front of the house and it’ll be the first doors ye see. Great, carved doors.”
Brody nodded. “Give me an hour and meet me back here. We’ll leave from the postern gate where no one is watching.”
They had just reached the doors and Lilia turned to him, throwing her arms around his neck forcefully enough to knock him off balance.
“I canna believe this is happening,” she said. “I’ll be here in an hour. But be kind to Laird Currie… he’s a nice man. What his wife does tae him is cruel beyond measure.”
Brody cocked an eyebrow. “Then mayhap he’ll easily take his money back and wish us well.”
“Without his wife finding out before we’ve left.”
That was the unknown factor in all of this and Brody knew it. All of this had to be done without Lady Currie becoming wise to it. That’s why he wanted to get it over with so quickly. The sooner they were out of Hawkhill, the better for them both.
“Be discreet when ye pack yer things, my angel,” he said quietly. “The last thing we want is Lady Currie becoming wise tae what is happening.”
Lilia nodded solemnly. “I will be very cautious,” she said, moving for the stable door. “I’ll see ye soon.”
He nodded, blowing her a kiss as she slipped from the stable and out into the cold winter’s day.
He wisely waited a nominal amount of time before departing himself, taking an entirely different path and heading for the foyer of Hawkhill where his big trunk awaited.
Locked and solid, no one could steal the contents.
Laird Currie was soon to be in for a surprise.
*
Colly could see that Lady Currie was in a snit.
She’d known the woman her entire life, so when Lady Currie’s mood shifted, Colly was alert to it.
Moreover, it hadn’t taken a genius to figure out that the woman was upset because she’d heard her screaming, like everyone else at Hawkhill, in a manner that suggested she’d been grossly displeased or insulted.
Or both.
Colly poked her head out of Lady Currie’s bower in time to catch a glimpse of the big warrior making his way down the stairs, leaving Lady Currie so angry that she was kicking the table in Colly’s chamber.
Colly, of course, had no idea why Lady Currie was in her chamber, only that she was. Timidly, she entered, watching Lady Currie kick the table until the leg buckled. Even then, she kicked some more, growling and bellowing.
Colly stood by the door in fear.
“M’lady?” she said hesitantly. “Can I help with anything?”
Lady Currie wasn’t finished with her tantrum. She kicked the buckled leg until it broke from the table, which fell forward and clipped her foot. Howling, she hobbled over to the bed and sat heavily, rubbing her injured toes.
“I purchased his contract for Hawkhill,” she said angrily. “I am the Lady of Hawkhill, am I not?”
“Ye are, lamb.”
“And everyone here must obey me.”
“That is true.”
“Even the soldiers.”
“Aye, they must.” Colly came into the chamber and quietly shut the door so they’d have more privacy. “What happened with yer new warrior, lamb? What did he say tae make ye so angry?”
Lady Currie looked at her. “He did not say anything,” she said. “But he refused to… he refused everything I asked of him.”
Colly frowned. “He canna do that,” she said. “Ye’re the lady of the house.”
“He says he only answers to my husband because it was my husband’s money that purchased his contract. Have you ever heard anything so outrageous?”
“Nay, lamb.”
“He says he has a wife and he must be faithful to her. What rubbish!”
She was shouting by the time she was finished. Colly had a feeling that was why Lady Currie was so angry, this warrior she seemed to be obsessed with who saw no attraction in her.
But Colly was sly and conniving. That was something inherent to her.
So was the desire to ease Lady Currie in any given situation.
When the woman was hungry, she fed her. When she was angry, she soothed her.
She had an idea of how to soothe her and force the new warrior to Lady Currie’s will all in the same breath.
Grasping a stool, she pulled it up to the bed and sat down next to Lady Currie as the woman rubbed her foot.
“I think I know why he willna bend tae yer will, lamb,” she said quietly.
Lady Currie snorted. “That is no secret,” she said. “I already told you that it was because of his wife.”
“I think I know who the wife is.”
Lady Currie glanced at her in disbelief. “How would you know who his wife is? You’ve not been to the Ludus Caledonia with me.”
Colly shook her head. “I dunna have tae go there tae know,” she said. “I believe his wife is here, at Hawkhill.”
“Here? You’ve gone mad.”
“I believe his wife is none other than Lilia.”
Lady Currie stopped rubbing her foot. “Lilia?” she repeated, perplexed. “Our Lilia?”
Colly nodded firmly. “I’ll tell ye why I think so,” she said. “Do ye remember a couple of months ago when Lilia brought a man here tae Hawkhill, a man she said saved her from the assault when she lost yer sausages?”
By this time, Lady Currie’s rage had cooled and she was looking at Colly warily. “I remember,” she said. “The same man you said she was fornicating with.”
“The man who tried tae beat me when I discovered it.”
“I remember that,” Lady Currie said. Then, her eyes widened. “Are you telling me that Brody was that man?”
“Think about it, m’lady,” Colly said, grasping her wrists to emphasize her point. “When was the first time ye saw Brody at The Cal?”
Lady Currie was trying very hard to put the pieces of the puzzle together. “Just a short time ago.”
“But ye never saw him before I caught Lilia fornicating.”
Lady Currie shook her head. “Nay,” she said. “Clegg told me that he was a new recruit.”
“There ye have it,” Colly said. “Mayhap he and Lilia have planned this all along. He went tae The Cal just so ye would pay attention tae him. Mayhap they even wanted ye tae bring him here.”
“But why? He’s refused me since I first saw him. Why would he want to come here?”
“Tae be with Lilia, of course!”
Lady Currie’s mouth popped open. “He did not bring his wife with him,” she said. “He told me he left her at The Cal because he did not want to bring her here. But what if she was already here?”
Colly nodded firmly. “Now ye understand, m’lady. No doubt, the warrior and Lilia are planning something terrible. Mayhap they plan tae kill ye and the laird!”
Lady Currie looked at her with both fear and shock. “Is it true?”
Colly patted her hand. “Before ye do anything, let me speak with Lilia,” she said. “I can force her tae tell the truth. She might not tell ye because she doesna fear ye, but she fears me. I know I can force her tae tell me everything.”
Lady Currie was clearly bewildered by it all, realizing that her new warrior and one of her maids could possibly be married. Had they set a trap for her? She never would have believed it from Lilia, but Colly seemed convinced.
“Are you certain he was the same man Lilia brought here?” she asked. “Lilia has never been disloyal to me, Colly. I find this all quite shocking.”
Colly stood up, pulling her to her feet. “I will find out,” she said confidently. “I want ye tae return tae yer chamber and wait for me. I am going to find Lilia and get the truth out of her.”
Lady Currie allowed Colly to lead her to the door. “Colly, if this is all true, then I understand why Brody has refused me, but Lilia… why would she not tell me she had married the man? Why keep it a secret?”
Colly opened the chamber door. “Because she is a deceitful liar,” she said.
“I have been telling ye for two years that Lilia is not someone ye should have around ye. When she confesses the truth, ye must dismiss her. Better still, send her tae another house far away. Mayhap ye should send her tae yer father’s house where she can scrub the floors from dawn to dusk.
Send her far away so that ye will have all of Brody’s attention.
With his wife gone, surely he will submit tae ye. ”
Lady Currie liked that idea a great deal. Had she finally found the key to Brody’s submission? She nodded as if, finally, she had hope in the situation.
“Speak with Lilia and come to me when you are finished,” she said. “If the woman is guilty, then you will bring her to me. I want to hear it from her own lips.”
“I shall, m’lady. Not to worry. Colly will tend tae everything.”
“Make sure you get the answers to your questions. Do not let her be evasive.”
“I willna, lamb. I promise.”
As Lady Currie disappeared into her chamber, Colly felt great satisfaction. Whether or not Lilia was guilty wasn’t the issue. Colly intended to wrangle a confession from her one way or another because this was what she’d been waiting for.
Hoping for.
Lilia was finally going to fall.