Chapter 7
Madison’s eyes narrowed. She had gotten a glimpse of the castle, but it was too short.
So short in fact, that she glossed right over seeing it in the first place.
Sleep clawed for her to come back, begging at the edge of her mind to lull her back to the cradle of darkness.
Madison would have gladly accepted such an offer had it not been for the shimmering lights over her head.
The stars twinkled as if they were brand new, come out of their hiding place to light up the whole world. Her heart skipped as her mouth parted. She’d never in her life seen anything so dazzling. It was right out of one of her books she was so fond of.
“This is yer home?” she asked, feeling rather small as the barge slid across the top of the water, barely disturbing the refection of the stars. It was all too pretty for her to take in. The balconies and turrets that kissed the heavens greeted them like a welcoming hand shake.
“Well, what do ye think? Tis nae so bad of a place to be held captive, is it?” Theodore said.
She bobbed her head, uncertain how to answer his question.
The castle was far bigger than anything she had ever seen before.
It encompassed the island with the main house perched in the center.
Madison counted three rings of torch lights, a massive compound if there ever was one.
“This place is huge,” she muttered, completely taken back by the fact that she was on a boat, going to the island in the middle of the loch.
If she had to go through this much effort to get to the place, far too many people would be witness to her feeble escape attempt.
No, she was stuck the moment she had been brought onto the barge.
“Aye, ye’d think a man could lose himself in a place like this,” Theodore said.
His voice was husky and low. She wasn’t certain if he was trying to keep his voice down so others couldn’t hear them, or if maybe there was something about his home he cherished.
“Ye’ll find that these walls are a lot closer than ye think.
Even the walls here have ears, best remember that. ”
“Was this yer home growin’ up?” Madison asked as she marveled at the sheer size of the castle against the inky backdrop. If it weren’t for the fact that Theodore was there, she would have believed it all to be a dream.
“Aye,” he answered. It was then she could hear the malcontent lacing his tone. “Suppose outsiders will never see it the way I do. But then again, I wouldnae want that knowledge passed to anyone, friend or foe.”
The boat slipped on through the placid waters barely disturbing the reflection of the starry sky.
Madison didn’t know what to say, not when there was so much to take in.
She glanced at the laird with suspicion as she pondered his angle.
Surely there had to be some reason for his kindness.
Men certainly were never just generous unless it suited them.
And she was certain there was something he wanted from her.
What it was, she couldn’t figure out and for a moment, wondered if she really wanted to know.
“Ye look as if somethin’ has ye troubled.
Are ye gettin’ seasick? I thought I was goin' slow enough through the water. Just hang yer head off the edge if ye feelin’ like yer goin' to… well, lose yer stomach,” Theodore said as he took as step back from her.
She glanced at him bewildered. His recoil was far more dramatic than she had expected.
“I’m fine,” she said as her stomach started to tighten into knots. “It’ll pass.”
“We’re almost to the island. Just a bit further.
If ye can hold off till then, I’m sure Edith will have somethin’ for ye to ease yer stomach,” Theodore encouraged as Madison felt the barge shift.
Theodore had picked up the pace, causing the boat to cut faster through the water.
The rocking was far more intense than anything a carriage could do.
She cupped her hand to her mouth and tried not to think about the rocking of her insides.
“Do we have to go so fast?” she asked as she closed her eyes wishing that the nausea would pass.
But she knew the only way was for them to stop.
She peered through the slants of her eyes.
The castle that seemed so far away was towering over them, threatening to swallow them whole as the came to the dock.
Tossing the line to the dock, Madison watched as Theodore secured the vessel from both ends. Only when there was absolutely no chance of the boat going anywhere, did he reach down and pluck her from the boat.
“Ye really daenae have to do that. I can walk, I promise,” she huffed as his eyes narrowed. He shook his head.
“Go on and wiggle yer toes for me,” he suggested with an arch of his eyebrow. Madison swallowed hard, trying to force the lump of uncertainty down her throat. It would be a bitter rock to swallow, but she would do it if it meant she could enter the castle with her dignity and pride intact.
Madison pursed her lips into a tight line and concentrated on her toes. No matter what she did, nothing worked. It didn’t matter if she reached down to wiggle them herself, nothing would get them to move.
"See, ye need a healer. Luckily for ye, we've got the best one in all of Scotland," Theodore boasted as he carried her up the steps to the front entrance.
Madison's pulse kicked up. He wasn't even breathing hard, carrying her as easily as if she weighed nothing. His arms—solid as iron around her—made something unfamiliar stir in her chest. For the first time in longer than she could remember, she felt... safe.
The thought sent a tremor through her body. She hoped he would think it was the cold betraying her, and not her nerves even as heat rushed through her cheeks causing her to turn from his side gaze.
Then the next moment, her attention was stolen by the astonishing castle before her.
Then the castle stole her breath. Intricate knotwork spiraled across the stone archway above the entrance—Celtic designs so detailed they could have been carved centuries ago, perhaps even in the time of Robert the Bruce himself.
She realized she was gaping and shut her mouth, forcing her attention back to him.
“Is that so?”
“Of course ye’d have somethin’ to say about that,” Theodore said with a hint of irritation. Madison didn’t know whether to take offense or not. The last thing she wanted to be was a burden to someone.
“What does that mean?” she asked, trying not to let his words sting. But it was too late. What was said couldn’t be unsaid, no matter how much it pained Madison.
“I was just sayin’ that ye’ve shown to be a very spirited lass. Ye have an opinion for everythin’. And it shouldnae have surprised me that ye would have somethin’ to say about this matter as well.”
“Oh, so ye live by the motto that a woman should be seen and nae heard, is that right?” Madison asked as she noticed how he wasn’t even breaking a sweat carrying her.
Her heart ached to think of how much she had changed over the year.
Captivity certainty changed a person, but Madison found herself wondering just how much of herself she had lost.
“Nae at all,” Theodore answered. “I was merely statin’ the facts that have been presented to me. Ye’ve spoken on every topic. And even now, ye’re as feisty as ever and all we are doin’ is chattin’. Ye do ken the world is nae always against ye.”
“Easy for someone who lives here to say. I bet ye’ve had everythin’ ye’ve ever wanted handed to ye.”
His grip around her tightened as she felt a jab of resentment flow out of him and crash into her.
She felt every pulse of her heart as it rattled her entire being.
He was like a giant carrying her off to her doom.
Despite his size, there was a vulnerability to him that lingered just past his blue eyes that had her questioning everything about him.
She glanced to the hallway as they turned into the passage and started down the narrow stairwell.
“Where are ye takin’ me?” she asked breaking the silence before it could grow to be a wedge between them.
“I’ve told ye, the healer. She’ll ken what to do to get yer leg right. Ye’ll see that she’s very skilled. She helped me father once.”
“And where is yer father now?” she asked as dread sprang up like a weed determined to snuff out any hope that could spring up within her.
“Dead,” he answered in a very cold tone. Maybe the irony had caught up with him before he answered, or perhaps it was something he didn’t care about. But for Madison, it wasn’t very reassuring he was taking her to the best healer.
“Well,” Madison finally said once they turned into the corridor and pushed through the oak door. “That’s reassurin’.”
There was no masking the sarcasm that laced every word she spoke.
The truth of the matter was, she needed healing and only the most skilled would be able to re-set the leg properly.
The thought of having to walk with a limp or a crutch for the rest of her life pained her more than what the pain was to her leg and foot.
“Daenae get me wrong,” Theodore said as he placed her carefully on one of the tables next to the fire. “She’s a lovely lady. Ye might think she’s a bit scattered, but trust me when I say, the woman kens her herbs. Just daenae judge a book by its cover.”
Madison’s heart quickened. There was something amiss.
Either the healer wasn’t who he said she was, or she was and didn’t look the part.
Madison braced herself as the side door opened, crashing into the back wall.
A round woman waltzed into the room with a small wicker basket on her arm.
She stopped and took one look at Theodore before throwing her hands to the sky.
“If the lass is with child, best tell yer mother first. I’ll nae see her till then,” Edith said as she barely took two glances at Madison before turning her attention to the items in her basket.
“She’s from the hunt,” Theodore said. It was all the explanation Edith needed to drop everything she was doing and give them her full attention.
“Ye poor thing,” Edith said as she rushed over to Madison’s side. In the orange glow of the fire, Madison could get a clear view of the healer. She was an older woman with a streak of gray racing through her red hair. The wrinkles under eyes gave Madison the impression sleep eluded her.
“I’ll have the bath drawn for ye and get ye cleaned up. Then we’ll go on and take care of the rest,” Edith suggested as Theodore stepped back to let the woman work.
“Ye’ll find her leg injured. I think it is broken and needs a brace of sorts,” Theodore said much to Madison’s chagrin.
The healer arched her eyebrow as she moved to the foot of the table.
Madison’s heart fluttered as Edith pulled back the tattered bits that was a skirt revealing Madison’s frail and brittle form for the world to see.
“I daenae think the laird needs to be here for this bit,” Edith said as she quickly pulled back the fabric to hide Madison’s leg. “I will call ye when I have her mended.”
“See that ye be gentle with her. The lass has been through more than we could ever imagine,” Theodore said as he moved to the door.
“Aye, me laird, she’s in good hands.”