Chapter 4
Chapter Four
Jamie leaned a hip
against the balcony and watched the bustle of activity in the
courtyard below. Servants were busy loading supplies into a wagon.
Grooms scurried around saddling horses. Men in the rough garb of
the Highlands stood embracing their wives and children. Entire
families had gathered to bid their men goodbye.
Once he had gained the ear of the Gordons,
Jamie was amazed at how easy it had been to convince them of the
need to follow him. This task Brice had given him was surprisingly
simple. With the Gordon swords to back him up, they would ride to
Edinburgh and dispose of the queen’s enemies. Within a fortnight
they would all be safely back in their strongholds, their lives
returned to normal. He could then summon a council of all the
Highland lairds, to form a united front behind their queen.
He touched a hand to his stiff shoulder. It
had been worth a few cuts and scratches to see this matter
successfully concluded.
Below, a ladies’ maid shrieked when a trunk
fell from the wagon, spilling its contents. Jamie craned his neck
to watch. Within minutes it was repacked and lashed firmly to the
back of the wagon. But not before Jamie had glimpsed a rainbow of
frothy petticoats and gowns. He felt a rush of impatience. Lindsey
had no business accompanying them. Did Douglas Gordon have so
little control over his offspring that he would endanger his only
daughter’s life rather than say nay to her? The poor fool must be
mad. This was not some frivolous jaunt in the countryside to visit
the queen. This was dangerous business. Did not his dearest friend
lie near death because of the threat to the queen?
Annoyed, Jamie strapped on his scabbard and
tossed his cloak over his shoulders. Sheathing his sword, he tucked
a dirk into his waistband and two more into his boots and went in
search of his host.
Douglas Gordon stood in the center of
activity in the courtyard, a sea of calm amidst the chaos. He
looked up as Jamie approached.
“I would speak with you about your
daughter.”
At the anger that roughened Jamie’s tone,
Douglas swallowed his smile. “Aye, lad. Say what is on your
mind.”
“This journey involves treachery and deceit,
and could very well end in a battle to the death.”
“Aye.”
Jamie stared at the placid old man and felt
his temper rise a notch. “It is no place for a tenderhearted
woman.”
Douglas stroked his beard and gave a vague
nod of his head.
Jamie brightened. “You agree?”
“Aye, lad.”
“Then will you tell your daughter that she
cannot accompany us to Edinburgh?”
“Tell Lindsey?” The old man gave him an
incredulous look before saying, “I can see that you know little
about women, lad, and nothing about Lindsey. My daughter is not
about to calmly sit by the fire warming the hearth until her men
return. Mary is her queen as much as yours, Jamie MacDonald. It is
an honor and a privilege to bear arms in the name of the crown.
Would you have me deny my own daughter that which I would permit my
sons?”
“But you agreed that it was no place for a
female.”
“Aye. If she were any other female but
Lindsey.” His voice roughened with emotion. “Every father wishes to
cherish his children and protect them from all harm. God knows I
tried with Lindsey. But now I’ve learned ’twould be folly to
believe such a thing can be done in this world we have
inherited.”
At Jamie’s look of disbelief he said,
“Lindsey grew up in a household of men. She has been taught to
wield a dirk with the best of them. Besides,” he added wistfully,
“I gave my word on her mother’s deathbed that I would not consign
the lass to a life alone. At my side she will stay—” his voice
roughened with emotion “—unless a proper man claims her for his
wife.” He studied Jamie’s stormy countenance and said firmly,
“She’ll not be left behind. Lindsey will accompany her brothers and
me to Edinburgh.”
He glanced beyond Jamie and his tone became
surprisingly soft. “Ah, lass. Is all in readiness?”
“Aye, Father.”
A bit breathlessly, Lindsey approached them.
She wore a dark green velvet riding gown and matching cloak lined
with ermine. The fur-lined hood framed her lovely face in a most
becoming fashion. At the sight of her Jamie felt his blood run hot
and blamed it on his temper.
“It was difficult to decide which gowns would
be appropriate for Holyrood, since I have little need for fashion
here in our fortress. But Moira and I chose carefully.”
“It is wise of you to pack carefully my
lady.” Jamie could barely keep the sarcasm from his tone. “ ’Twould
be a sad day indeed if you were asked to defend your life in a gown
that did not meet the queen’s approval. Worse, we would not want
you lying dead in the muck in a gown that did not befit the
solemnity of the occasion.”
At the venom in his tone her mouth dropped
open. A torrent of oaths she had learned from her brothers rushed
to mind. “You priggish, son of a snake—” She glanced at her father
and saw the warning light come into his eyes.
Oh, if only they were alone, she would lay
this imperious oaf open to her sharp words. It was only with the
greatest of self-control that she managed to hold her tongue.
Turning to her father Jamie said curtly, “By
your leave I will inspect the supplies and wait with your men until
we are ready to begin the journey.”
Hearing the emphasis he placed on the word
men, Lindsey watched him walk away with a look of fury. “I can see
that the Heartless MacDonald is overjoyed at my presence on this
journey, Father.”
“Aye. So it would seem.” Douglas Gordon gave
a deep sigh. He would have to keep these two busy and far apart
during the journey. Else they would chew each other into little
pieces before reaching Edinburgh. “The lad means well. But he does
not know us yet, lass. We will give him the benefit of some time in
our company.”
Time. Fuming, Lindsey crossed to where a
groom held the spirited horse she had requested. She had dismissed
a sidesaddle in favor of a more comfortable man’s saddle. Pulling
herself up, she arranged her long skirts over her exposed legs and
took the reins from the groom. Glancing across the courtyard she
saw Jamie MacDonald glowering at her. She tossed her head in a
gesture of defiance. She had spent enough time in his unpleasant
company. She needed no more.
At a command from Douglas Gordon, the chosen
men mounted and formed a double column. A mere dozen men would
accompany their party to Edinburgh. The rest of the clan and all
the assembled families would remain within the walls of the
fortress, prepared to defend it until the return of their
leader.
Douglas and Jamie rode between the two
columns, inspecting weapons as they rode. Jamie showed no emotion
as he passed Lindsey, who was holding aloft a bejeweled sword. The
fierce weapon seemed incongruous in the hand of one garbed in
softest velvet and ermine. She would have been better disposed to
bring along a dainty needle and thread. Mayhap she could sew their
enemies’ hands to their sides. He stifled a smile at the humorous
thought.
When they reached the head of the columns,
Douglas and Jamie gave a nod of satisfaction. Each member of their
party was properly armed. All weapons were honed to a razor’s edge.
Turning, they watched as the riders nudged their horses into a
trot. As Lindsey’s mount pranced by, Jamie felt another rush of
heat. The damnable woman brought out the worst in him.
When their company reached the edge of the
forest, Jamie took up a position in front while Douglas Gordon
brought up the rear.
Jamie’s heart kept tempo with the horses’
hooves. With very little effort, he was on his way to Holyrood,
where he would avenge the attack upon his queen and Brice Campbell.
Cresting a hill, he paused and watched as the long column of riders
passed him. At the sight of a pretty face framed by a hood of
ermine, he frowned. He did not look forward to making frequent
stops on their long journey while the lady paused to repair her
toilette. He would be quick to remind her, with every pause in
their progress, that she was keeping them from their duty to their
queen. Or, he thought with a grim smile, he could urge the others
on ahead while the lady made her frequent stops. Mayhap then her
father would realize his folly.
Jamie’s hand tightened on the reins. Nay, he
would offer no further objection, he decided with sudden fury. He
would not want Douglas Gordon’s beloved daughter to face the
dangerous journey with her hair or gown mussed. For the sake of
unity he would hold his tongue and let this spoiled, foolish lass
have her way.
A silvery shadow slipped from the cover of
the forest. “Wolf,” Jamie called, pleased to see his bedraggled
companion. The hound fell into position behind Jamie’s mount.
* * *
Jamie pressed a hand to his lower back and
cursed his aching muscles. Those few days of rest had made him
soft. Already his body was protesting the long hours spent in the
saddle.
Bringing his horse to a halt, he drew his
cloak tightly around him to ward off the rain. Lifting his plumed
hat he wiped the moisture from his brow and squinted up into the
raindrops that pelted him. Judging by the steady throb of his
shoulder and the dark clouds that filled the sky, the rain would
not soon end.
The column of horsemen slogged past, heads
lowered against the downpour. As one hooded figure passed him, he
forced himself to sit straighter in the saddle. It would not do to
have the female detect any weakness in him.
It occurred to Jamie that their company had
not made a single stop since their journey began. He experienced a
sudden flash of guilt. If his muscles were protesting, how much
worse would it be for Lindsey? Yet the lass, to her credit, had not
once asked to stop and be allowed to rest.
Wheeling his horse, he raced past the riders
and signaled to the leader to halt.
“We will take shelter beneath those trees