Chapter 2
CHAPTER TWO
T he rope dug into her slender frame as the horse thundered across the glen. But as painful as it was, Elspeth Munro – or Elsie as those close to her called her – had bigger things to worry about. Like the fact that she had been snatched by a madman only moments before her wedding vows.
Refusing to show even a hint of fear, every muscle in her body tensed as she did her best to cling to her pride. While she had fought with all her might earlier, her words had fallen on deaf ears, and thus she remained stoically silent while desperately trying not to let her imagination run away thinking about what was going to happen to her.
Of course, she knew who her captor was. In fact, that was the very reason she struggled to contain her fear. Laird Keane Mackay was notorious for his cruelty and remorseless vengeance. It had been one of the reasons she had not been able to leave Laird Gunn’s castle without a heavy guard present with her at all times.
On those occasions, Elsie had thought her betrothed was a little obsessed, until one afternoon, when she had balked against leaving with four or five of his men, Laird Gunn had taken her to the side and opened her mind to what Laird Keane Mackay was actually capable of.
“The man is evil and full o’ hate. Tae get tae me, he has already slaughtered more than fifty men. Dae ye think he willnae dae the same tae ye?”
His words had more than shaken her, and since that time, Elsie had not said another word in opposition to her constant guardians. But she now realized that Laird Mackay was far too clever, and instead of trying to snatch her while she was surrounded by strong men, he had taken a far easier option, for she could hardly have those same men accompany her to the altar.
Not that she had ever wanted this marriage to William Gunn. It had been her father who had chosen the alliance. A decision made in her absence and without her consent to strengthen both clans, she a pawn in their game of politics. Still, the thought of being wrenched from that unwanted future and thrust into an even darker fate filled her with both despair and anger.
As they approached a small village ahead, Laird Mackay’s grip on her tightened, as if, now that the horses had slowed from their thunderous gallop, he feared she might make an attempt to throw herself off it. Surely, he knew the rope would prevent that from happening.
Or maybe, he’s making certain, now that he has ye, that there’s nay chance of ye escaping.
As that thought passed through her mind, Elsie was hit with inspiration.
I dinnae have tae jump. I just need tae get someone’s attention.
Immediately, she began scanning for villagers, her eyes trying to catch the attention of those they passed in hope that, by her expression alone, they might realize that she was with this madman against her will.
First, an old couple standing by the doorway of their cottage looked up at the strangers. Pleading wordlessly, Elsie opened her eyes wide, and subtly nodded her head. Please, help me. While the old man squinted, clearly as blind as a bat, the old woman lifted her hand to wave, a crooked smile forming on her lined face. Clearly, neither of them had any clue what she was trying to convey.
Elsie then imagined what she and Laird Mackay must look like, she in her wedding gown, and he, broad as a house, in peasant’s clothes, with his arms wrapped securely around her, hiding the rope that bound them. His Viking-like looks were striking, as much as she hated to admit it, and thus, from anyone else’s viewpoint, they were a couple just passing through, travelling with their companion.
But she could not give up hope.
I have tae try. I must. I must or I might be dead by the time this day is through.
They passed more villagers, and Elsie tried again. The laird shifted and she jumped a little when she felt his lips against her ear.
“Continue what ye’re doing, and I’ll kill every single one o’ them, and then ye,” he whispered, his tone menacingly low.
She froze at his words, terror coursing through her. Had it been any other saying such dreadful things, she might have questioned their conviction. But this man already had blood on his hands, and thus, she had no doubt of his capabilities.
Could she really live with herself, being the cause of innocent people dying?
Indeed, she could not, and thus keeping her eyes straight ahead, she did not look at one other person. Soon enough, they were through the village and, passing the final house, Elsie nearly breathed a sigh of relief.
At the same time, however, she felt a hopelessness wash over her, for as they left the village behind, any chance of a quick escape or rescue faded with it. Her stomach clenched and her heart thumped at the thought of the fate that awaited her. She had hardly lived her life, and with the unknown ahead of her, and a feeling of unfulfilled sadness, she had to wonder if she would see another day after this one.
As the sun finally descended, the evening breeze brought with it a coldness and, involuntarily, Elsie shivered. A moment later, she found a blanket being tossed in her direction.
With her eyes wide with surprise, she glanced to her right. Laird Mackay’s companion looked at her and then nodded at the blanket. “Put it round yersel’.”
“What the devil are ye doing?” Laird Mackay growled.
“She’s cold,” his companion came back. His voice was calm, showing that he was not at all fazed by the laird’s anger.
“She’ll be a lot colder where she’s going,” the laird spat.
Elsie gasped at his words, for it was the first admittance of his plans. Fear soared through her, her pulse quickened, and, even with the blanket now wrapped around her, her body trembled.
She was going to die. Likely dumped into a shallow grave, her body covered with cold dirt, and then left to rot where no one would ever find her.
That had been his plan all along. For a while she had had a sliver of hope that, given he was travelling so far with her, he might only hold her captive. Now, she knew her fate. She would never see the light of tomorrow’s dawn.
Half an hour later, a fire in a clearing up ahead caught her eye. Several men were sitting around it, but turning and catching sight of them, they called out.
“It’s the laird.”
Elsie quickly realized that these were Laird Mackay’s men. Men who had been in the chapel, who had fought Laird Gunn and his men, while Laird Mackay had snatched her and escaped.
After dismounting, the laird grabbed her at the waist and lifted her down off the horse. Turning to his companion, he said, “Go and see the men, and get yersel’ something tae eat. Oh, and…”
The laird stepped away from her, and leaning into his companion, he whispered something in his ear.
His companion gave Elsie a long look before nodding and turning towards the group around the fire.
While earlier she had been resigned to the fact she would die, now her heart suddenly thumped in her chest again as she and the laird were left alone. Her body began to tremble as her thoughts ran through her mind.
This is it. He is sending his companion away so he can kill me here with nay one looking.
But as terrified as she was, Elsie grasped onto the last sliver of her pride. If she was going to die, she was going to hold her head up high, for she had done nothing to deserve such a fate. Jutting her chin out, she looked the laird directly in the eye, challenging him to do the same.
He gazed at her for a moment, and then took hold of the blanket she held tightly in her grip. Shaking it out, he then threw it around her shoulders.
Elsie was once again surprised, then her brow furrowed in confusion.
“Let’s go,” he growled, taking her by the arm and leading her around the camp, separating her from the others.
For a second, she had not understood, but clearly, she had got it wrong. The laird was not going to do the deed where she stood. Instead, he was leading her away from the others to kill her.
When he finally brought her to a stop, Elsie kept her head high, readying herself for her end. But Laird Mackay only remained standing there, looking at her. His calmness was both unnerving and extraordinary. How could a man about to commit such an atrocity show no emotion at all?
Taking his dirk from his belt, he stepped forward. Elsie held her breath, her heart thumping in her chest and her body trembling, betraying her brave facade. Still, she tried with all her might not to show him fear, even as she could feel tears prickling in her eyes.
He grabbed her wrists, and unable to help herself, Elsie closed her eyes.
This is it. I am tae die here.
But then, as she remained standing, waiting, she suddenly felt the binds around her wrists loosening. Blinking her eyes open, she glanced down and noticed that he had sliced through the rope. While she rubbed the soft flesh where it had dug into her skin, the laird tossed it to the ground.
Confusion once more rushed through her mind as she tried to understand what was happening.
Is this some kind of trick? Can he nay take me life if I am bound?
Behind him, one of his men approached and held out a skin of water and a portion of bread to her. Elsie was now entirely confused.
Is this me last meal? What is going on? This doesnae mak’ any sense.
But then, her brows furrowed and she eyed the offered food with suspicion. Shaking her head, she refused to take it. If the man was going to kill her, she would make him feel it. She was not going to make it easy for him by eating poisoned food or water.
The laird was watching her closely, and with a sigh, he said, “Poisoning someone who is already at me mercy would be beneath me.”
The words were spoken with grim indifference and she thus felt no relief. Instead, she felt a further chill run over her as he continued.
“Ye are here fer one reason, and one reason only,” he said, his voice as cold as ice. “I must avenge me faither’s death and make Laird Gunn suffer, as I have suffered. As me clan has suffered and me men have suffered. Yer death will annul the alliance between Gunn and yer faither, which will weaken and humiliate him. Nay man wants tae be remembered as a person who cannae protect his woman. But the loss o’ the alliance will destroy him more. And that is exactly what I intend tae dae. Destroy him.”
His brutal logic shook her to her very core. He would murder her, just to get back at Laird Gunn. Granted, she realized by his words, that Laird Gunn must have killed his father, but the lack of emotion the man possessed about taking another’s life was astonishing.
The laird sighed and dropped his gaze. “I ken this is unfair. I ken ye have caused me nay hurt, and thus…”
But he did not finish his sentence. As she watched his expression, she was certain she saw something flash across his face. Hesitation, perhaps. A flicker of doubt in his conviction. She had to use that. She had to try.
“Ye are right, me laird,” she replied quickly, trying to keep the tremble from her voice. “I have nae caused ye any harm. I am simply a pawn being used by me faither and Laird Gunn tae align the clans. I would never bring any harm tae anyone, and tae me knowledge, never have.”
Driven by a deep-seated instinct for survival, she was desperately trying to shift the course of her fate with her words, trying to appeal to something within him, anything that might change his mind.
“Surely, me laird, ye, in yer wisdom could afford me a chance at life. Ye are avenging yer faither’s death, which is honorable, but surely, taking an innocent life isnae honorable at all.”
Elsie jumped with fright when the laird took a swift step forward and grabbed her hand. Once more, her heart thumped in her chest, as he, only inches away from her, glared down at her. She had been so certain she had seen something in him, but maybe her words had fallen on deaf ears.
Oh, God, please. Please have mercy. Clearly, ye are pained, but ye dinnae have tae be cruel.
Her thoughts rushed through her mind as though he might hear them, but, of course, he could not. All her begging had proven useless, and perhaps now, it really was her end. And yet, the man just stood there, gazing at her.
Elsie tried to read his expression, desperate to see if her words had made any impact at all. And then, his gaze softened, only slightly, but it softened all the same. Perhaps there was some hope after all.
After another moment, he dropped her hand from his. Elsie kept her gaze on him, certain that something had shifted in his eyes, as though he had gained some clarity, or made a decision.
“Ye are right,” he said. “Ye hold nay fault here. Instead, I propose an alternative.”
Oh, thanks be tae the gods.
“Rather than taking yer life,” he continued, “I will marry ye.”
What?
Her eyes flew wide and her mouth fell open as she gawked at him in astonishment. So stunned was she, she did not know how to react at first. Emotions rushed through her as she tried to assimilate his words, and eventually, she could not decide if she felt relief or horror. For she was now going to keep her life, but at what cost?
His words were like a heavy strike as she absorbed the twist in her fate. She had never wanted to marry Laird Gunn, but to be forced to marry Laird Mackay, to be bound to a man so ruthless and cold was going to be a living nightmare, a prison she could never free herself from.
And then, as she was standing there, thinking about her fate and the strange turn her life had suddenly taken, a further realization washed over her.
I will never be his wife, nae really. I will spend me life being used as a weapon. A weapon he can wield against Laird Gunn and me own people. A lifelong sentence with nay end.
And yet, it is that, or death.
And thus, she was stuck between a rock and a hard place. Her life had hardly been a delight, but never had she been pressed with two such dreadful choices. She could try to run, but Elsie had no doubt he would hunt her down and certainly kill her. And if she did run, where would she go? Her family would think she had been ruined, and thus, they would refuse to take her back. Besides, she couldn’t face the shame of returning and facing their judgement. Especially not from her father, who already deemed her worthless.
I have nay choice. I have naewhere tae go.
The bitterness of that realization burned through her, and in that very moment, hate grew in her heart for Laird Mackay. She might be still alive, but he had ruined her life forever. Perhaps death would be a better option after all.
Ye are better than that. Besides, things change. Lairds go intae battle, dae they nae? Or even better, Laird Gunn will want his own revenge. Dinnae be so quick tae give yer life, Elsie. The future isnae yet set in stone.
“Fine,” she finally spat. “But there is a provision tae me agreement.”
“Which is?” he pressed, eyeing her carefully.
“Ye will never bed me,” she snarled firmly.
There might still be a chance that, if she did escape, she might be able to return to her clan. But only if she was not ruined. Of course, there was little chance that the laird would heed her word, but she had to try.
To her utter surprise, Laird Mackay burst into laughter. Elsie did not understand his reaction at all but was somewhat grateful that her demand had not evoked his anger again.
“As ye wish,” he said eventually. Which surprised her even more. “I dinnae need a wife tae fulfill me. Besides,” he said, sneering at her “when ye are yearning fer me, ye can ask me and I’ll share yer bed.”
Elsie could only feel disgust at his arrogance, and clenching her teeth, she scowled at him.
Like that is ever going tae happen.