Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
Amelia woke from her fitful sleep long after dawn had broken. As she pushed herself up, the laughter and conversation from the keep’s residents filtered in through her window. Scrubbing a hand over her face, she slid out of bed.
The only thing she’d been able to think about since supper last night was the way that Darragh’s lips had felt against hers and the gentleness of his touch.
It was so unexpected, and she was now even more confused about this man.
Her mind had screamed at her to push him away, yet her body had arched into him.
Even after he’d left the room, something primal had longed to follow him and demand they continue.
“I daenae even recognize meself,” she scoffed under her breath, mindful of the guards outside her door. “Perhaps I’m goin’ mad. I must be. Nay person is meant to be caged for so long.”
When she paused, her ears straining to ensure she hadn’t spoken too loudly, she realized that she could no longer hear the guards.
Usually, they carried on conversations while they stood watch.
She was never able to pick out the exact words they were saying, but she was always aware of their presence.
Slowly, careful to keep her footsteps light, she walked to her door.
Pressing her ear against the wood, she listened for any signs of life.
There wasn’t any conversation nor the shuffle of feet against the cobblestone.
She stayed there for a long time, drawing on the patience from her stint in the tower, but she didn’t pick up on even the rustle of clothing.
“Is anyone there?” she asked, straightening out.
When she didn’t get a response, she tested the latch. To her surprise, it gave under her touch. Then, centimeter by centimeter, she opened the door.
Me guards are… gone?
Not quite believing her eyes, Amelia took a single step into the corridor. Looking left, then right, confirmed her suspicions. For some reason, her guards were absent.
She furrowed her brow and put her hands on her hips. While this looked like freedom, it didn’t feel like it. In fact, it felt like something was terribly wrong.
“Jinny!” she called when she couldn’t make sense of the situation for herself, wishing to quell the panic that threatened to mount in her chest. “Jinny, are ye nearby?”
“Aye!” Jinny said, her head appearing from around a corner. “I’ve been sittin’ in this alcove watchin’ the guards trainin’. Perhaps ye’re ready to break yer fast? I can help ye get dressed, or if ye’d like, I can bring up a tray. I ken that yer ribs were botherin’ ye yesterday evenin’.”
The maid’s excitement and quick speaking were enough to make Amelia’s head spin. Instead of parsing through the chatter and responding properly, she asked, “Where have me guards gone?”
“Ach, Laird Fraser dismissed them when he left the castle at dawn,” Jinny replied with a smile. “He’ll be away for several days on estate matters, but before he left, he gave clear orders that ye are nae longer confined and that ye may move freely within the keep.”
“I see,” Amelia murmured, a swirl of emotions bouncing around within her.
“I will bring yer meal to yer chambers,” Jinny said decisively when Amelia said nothing else. “Then, perhaps ye’d fancy a walk in the gardens. I can accompany ye if ye’d like.”
“I daenae ken if I’m well enough for a walk,” Amelia observed, though she wasn’t being entirely truthful. Despite now having the freedom she was desperate for, she felt dismissed. “I may be feelin’ up to it tomorrow, though, if the offer still stands.”
“Of course, it will,” Jinny said with a brief but enthusiastic bob of her head. “Shall I fetch the healer to check yer injuries?”
“Nay,” Amelia said, taking a step back into her room. “Me pain isn’t what’s botherin’ me.”
Jinny examined her face, and for a moment, Amelia was sure the maid would press her for answers. When she said, “Aye,” and began to walk down the corridor, Amelia let out a slow breath.
She retreated into her quarters, walking over to the window seat. Outside, people still hustled to and fro. She could be amongst them if she wanted. She’d been given permission.
Had he granted this on any other day, perhaps I’d feel differently.
But now, after the kiss they’d shared that had made the ground beneath her feet unsteady, it felt like a compromise. What transpired between them wasn’t something he truly desired. Allowing her this freedom was a firm message that they could not allow that to happen again.
She traced the grains in the wood she sat on, her fingertips light over the smooth wood. With a quiet sigh, she told herself that she should be relieved. Trusting a man with her heart was even more treacherous than trusting him with her safety.
That did nothing to fill the emptiness that settled in her chest.
“Ach, what is wrong with me?” Amelia muttered under her breath, rising from her seat.
She paced the room, the nervous energy flowing through her demanding to be felt. And, as she did, she realized that she was listening for Darragh’s footsteps right outside. The corridors remained stubbornly empty.
* * *
The faint smell of peat smoke and ink filled the chamber. Darragh scanned the scattered reports in front of him, accounts of the hunt’s dismantling. In the past, he may have been grateful for the attention to detail, but now, he knew that these pages could be filled with false claims.
“The supply stores have taken a significant blow,” Alexander, a senior advisor, said. “And yer only explanation is raids?”
“It has been years since we were in the field,” John, another advisor, reminded him. His eyes slid between Darragh and Ewan. “Though I was under the impression that bandits had become easier to deal with over the past twenty years.”
“I believe the two of ye are focused on the wrong issues,” Ewan said from his place by the hearth, his arms crossed over his chest. “Aye, the supply routes have been takin’ a hit, but with the discovery of the hunt and the network that extends far past what we dismantled, the safety of our women and girls has taken precedence. ”
“Ye’d save a few lasses over ensurin’ yer people are fed?” Alexander challenged.
“Ye speak as if the trade routes that have been targeted are carryin’ somethin’ other than luxury goods,” Darragh said, his tone brokering no room for argument. “Me people are fed. They may nae have access to their jewels and imported pickles, but they’ve plenty of wheat.”
Alexander shrank back, but he held Darragh’s gaze as he said, “I am simply concerned for the flow of coin. The merchandise that has been intercepted was worth a significant amount of gold. It’s nae good for the ledgers at Fraser Keep.”
“So long as me people are fed, I cannae care about the ledgers,” Darragh replied, ice cold.
“Allowin’ anyone to suffer, especially on me lands right under me nose, is more unacceptable than nae havin’ riches.
” He tapped his finger against the parchment directly in front of him. “The last tower wasnae empty.”
Silence settled over them immediately. Alexander and John exchanged uncomfortable glances while Ewan stared at the two of them. Darragh was aware that his man-at-arms felt nearly as much guilt as he did over the massive oversight.
“A survivor?” John finally said when he found his voice.
“Aye,” Darragh replied, keeping his expression carefully neutral.
“How was she missed?” Alexander asked, the question coming out stilted.
Darragh’s jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing. “The report that I received declared the structure cleared. I decided to search the premises meself one last time. While I was there, I found her.”
The two of them, along with the members of the council who had yet to speak, went still. None of them pressed any further. They understood that this was a failure that rested in the hands of everyone in the room.
“She refuses to give her full name. Just Amelia,” Darragh continued after giving the room a moment to process the words. “Refuses last name. Refuses family. Refuses assistance unless forced.”
He felt Ewan’s eyes on him and knew that he’d picked up the irritation that colored the edges of his voice. “Forced captivity will do that to a person.”
“Forced captivity does many things,” Darragh said, turning to face Ewan properly. “It doesnae erase identity.”
“Unless she wishes it does,” Ewan countered quietly.
The statement landed with devastating force. Darragh nearly continued the argument, but this was not something to be discussed in front of his counsel. He cleared his throat, looking around the table.
“This meetin’ is over. We will discuss more in the comin’ days.” He took one last look at the faces of the men at the table. “Understood?”
“Aye, Me Laird,” they all said in unison.
Darragh waited until the room had cleared before standing and walking over to Ewan. When he stopped in front of him, he said, “Education. Bearing. Amelia is nae lowborn.”
Ewan nodded. “Ye think she is hidin’ from someone.”
“Aye,” Darragh confirmed, certain now. Her admission the night before, along with her behavior up until that point, left no room for him to doubt it.
“And if she is?” Ewan said, his face stony, seemingly ready to receive orders.
“Then we assess that trouble,” Darragh replied. Silence fell over them as Ewan processed the declaration. After a beat, he added, “Send word to Laird McGowan to visit with Flora Morgan.”
“Flora Morgan,” Ewan repeated slowly. “Ye think she kens the lass from the prison.”
“Nay,” Darragh admitted. “Amelia hasnae mentioned any other lasses that were bein’ held, and none of them mentioned her, either. But perhaps Flora has a way of reachin’ those that daenae wish to be reached.”
The feeling of her body against his flashed in his mind. That was just one thing that she’d tried to keep from him. She’d been so honest as she’d returned his kiss, but he was sure that his retreat, though it was the best choice for both of them, would close her off once again.
For a long moment, Ewan said nothing. He simply watched Darragh, arms still crossed over his chest. Finally, he said, “This troubles ye.”
Darragh’s body tensed, his jaw tightening before he forced it to relax. “This is unfinished business, Ewan.”
He meant the words as they left his lips, but they felt flat to him.
This had to be business, though. It wasn’t guilt that drove him, nor failure.
Men were using his lands to hold women prisoners and hunt them down as though they were game.
And the fact that someone of noble blood had been held as well meant that there was at least one more man who needed to be taken care of.
But now, he could feel the weight of her grey-green eyes looking at him not with gratitude but with accusation.
“Have the riders leave by dawn,” Darragh said roughly, intending to dismiss Ewan.
Ewan stayed, though. His gaze became even heavier, an eyebrow raised skeptically. “Or ye could simply ask her what she needs.”
Darragh turned away then, walking over to the window overlooking a courtyard. As he watched the men below, he said, “She doesnae trust the question.”
“And what about ye?” his man-at-arms pressed. “Do ye trust that yer plans will be able to reach her?”
“Nay,” Darragh answered quietly, the admission almost paining him.
Ewan exhaled through his nose, the sound amused enough to be mistaken for a laugh. He turned, walking toward the door as he said, “This will nae be solved with strategy alone, Me Laird.”
Darragh didn’t reply, his mind already creating contingencies.
If speaking with Flora didn’t work, perhaps Jinny would be able to get Amelia to open up with some guidance.
The maid was incredibly persistent, and he’d yet to see her look deflated at Amelia’s withdrawn nature.
Or perhaps he could begin a survey of each laird in the surrounding areas.
Surely someone would have noticed Amelia was missing.
That might take time, but at least it would give me somethin’ to focus on. I cannae wait for her to tell me who she’s hidin’ from. That could give them time to come for her.
With a final sweeping gaze, Darragh turned and left the same way Ewan did. His plans continued coalescing in his mind, but he couldn’t get either of them to account for the way that Amelia unsettled his certainty. And that, more than politics, was what truly concerned him.