Chapter Seventeen
The bridge that was supposed to be about a mile downriver had turned into a day-long odyssey to find another bridge that wasn’t completely broken down in order to cross the River Tweed into England.
Argyle and Brendan had given up an entire day of travel because of a destroyed bridge. They’d ended up traveling all the way to Kelso and crossing there before having to travel all the way back to Castle Questing with a horse that had turned up lame just as they’d made the Kelso crossing.
Frustrated, tired, and hungry, they approached the gates of Castle Questing just after sunset, but the gate sentries had no intention of admitting two lone Scots even though Argyle had been clear about their relation to the House of de Wolfe.
Even then, the gate sentries were leery until they sent for Jemma, who had been in the great hall overseeing the meal because Jordan, William, and Kieran were dealing with the passing of Talus du Reims. Jemma wasn’t happy to be pulled away from the great hall, but at the mention of who was at the gates, morbid curiosity pulled her out of the hall and to the gatehouse where the portcullis was down.
It didn’t take her long to recognize her nephews.
The portcullis lifted.
“What in the world are ye doing here?” Jemma demanded as they came through. “And why are ye traveling at night? Have ye no sense, lads?”
Argyle was leading his lame horse while Brendan wearily dismounted his.
“We were caught up in the trouble in Coldstream,” Argyle said. “We were going tae cross there, but the village was overrun so we were forced tae cross in Kelso, but my horse hurt his leg. Can I have a servant take him tae the stables and tend him?”
Jemma began barking orders as well as any battle commander and men came running.
In fact, it was widely known that she was feared even more than her husband was.
Two servants came to take both Argyle and Brendan’s horses away and the weary Scotsmen started to head towards the hall, but Jemma didn’t move.
Because she didn’t move, they came to a halt.
“Ye dinna answer me,” she said, looking between them. “Why have ye come?”
Argyle glanced at his brother before answering. “We risked trouble with the reivers tae come here, Auntie,” he said. “Do ye not think it’s serious?”
“That’s not an answer.”
“It’s the only answer I can give ye. I’ve come tae speak tae Annie directly.”
Jemma’s eyebrows lifted. “Annie?” she said. “Why? Who has sent ye?”
Argyle shook his head. “I can only tell her,” he said. “Where is she?”
Jemma frowned. “Argyle, what’s this madness about?” she said. “Who sent ye with a message for Annie?”
“Robbie.”
“What does he want?”
“I can only tell Annie.”
The conversation was becoming circular and Jemma eyed her nephews. The sons of her brother, Cord, they’d always been shifty. She’d never much liked them, to be truthful, but they’d clearly braved hazardous travel to get to Castle Questing, so whatever the message was, it must be important.
So they said.
“Then ye go intae the hall and eat,” she said. “I’ll bring Annie and ye can tell her with a room full of witnesses tae ensure ye dunna do anything stupid.”
Argyle was offended. “What would we do?” he said. “We came tae relay a message because Robbie asked us tae. We risked much with The Bones running about. Aye, we heard it was them. And now ye think we’re going tae assault Annie? That we’ve come all the way tae Castle Questing tae do that?”
Jemma didn’t back down. She pointed to the hall.
“Get in there,” she said. “And stay there. Dunna leave the hall. If I come for ye and found ye’ve left, I’ll tell Kieran and he’ll have every Sassenach soldier at Castle Questing hunting for ye.
I dunna have tae tell ye what will happen when they find ye. ”
Argyle grunted with frustration, waving a hand at her as if to wave her away, but he and Brendan headed dutifully towards the hall as Jemma headed towards the keep. Neither man turned around until they were very nearly to the hall and, then, it was Brendan who looked over his shoulder.
“Is she still there?” Argyle asked quietly.
Brendan faced the hall entry. “Nay,” he said. “She’s gone tae find Annie. Or tell Kieran that we’ve arrived. There’s no telling with her.”
Argyle could smell the roast mutton and it was making him hungry. “We stay the course,” he muttered. “We tell Annie that Robbie is ill and she must come home.”
“But she mustna tell anyone.”
“They’ll never let her leave with us if she does.”
The scheme was set and on the brink of being executed. They’d come too far to back away now. With Annaleigh in their possession, they could force Ian Scott to do anything they wanted him to do.
And that’s exactly what they intended.
But the key would be getting her out of Castle Questing without anyone knowing. Much would depend on her loyalty to her brother and his wish that his illness be kept secret.
Very shortly, they would know…
One way or the other.