Chapter 38
Breathe, Nella, see this done.
Behind a shuttered doorway the sound from footsteps echoed, with a limp, while heading toward her and Kameron.
Kameron had already straightened his chainmail tunic a third time as they stood under the abbey’s entryway arch.
She fiddled again with her braid beneath the veil.
There was a true chance this Sir James could harm an innocent.
What if this had been a mistake thinking she could see this lady safe?
“Nella,” the familiar voice summoned from across afar up in the hay loft, watching them prepare to be received. “There is nae need to fidget with the wimple. You are the most astute lady or lord I have ever encountered. Summon your keen mind and instincts – these are your weapons.”
Her hand lowered before she glanced over her shoulder at the stable loft. She couldn’t see Callum in the darkness which now enshrouded them like a fog cast of onyx, but he could see her by the lone torch outside the door.
“I believe in you, Nella.” Love you too, Callum MacCade.
The snap by a tiny hinged peek hole in the upper portion of the larger door turned her attention back toward the solemn task.
Dark wide eyes peered through at them. Before she spoke, the door flapped closed.
No! Prior to stating a plea for entry was aired by her, the doorway gave a heavy groan from use before she saw the features belonging to the gaze – an elder monk.
“Good eve,” Nella greeted, flashing a smile.
The weathered face’s expression became warm as the brighter light from torches flanking the passageway behind him. “Good eve, my lady.” His words ebbed by a full yawn at the hour.
“My brother and I seek but a wee bit of shelter for the night.”
He looked behind them. “Shall you require someone to tend to your mount at the stables?”
“Nae, my brother has seen to such.” She produced coins quickly. “We would care to make a donation for your trouble of lodging us.”
The monk’s drowsiness forgotten, his lashes leapt wide at the heavy amount Callum had bestowed for the task. “How very kind of you both, if you would care to follow me.”
She glanced over her shoulder once again at the stables. “Find her, Nella,” Callum said, “then send for me.” She nodded then turned back toward Kameron, who held the door wide for her entry as the monk took the lead.
***
Callum’s heart palpitated as he watched Nella vanish behind the thick oak door.
“The lady shall be fine.” Holger’s words poked at him same as the straw at his ankles as the three of them were settled within the open loft doors eyeing the silent terrains.
“She had better be, Northman,” Callum threatened, “or I shall take it from your hide.”
Holger gave a snort in reply, sounding like a swine who slept in the pen below them outside the stable.
“Once Sir James is placed in irons where do we venture then?” Sir Brayden inquired.
“You will not care for it.” Callum darted his eyes at the friend just seeing a hint from the whites of his eyes in the heavy shadows.
“In an effort to make certain the northern delegation arrives safely to Perth, you shall accompany them with Lord Kolson, who shall also take charge of his sister’s care and Sir James in his shackles. ”
“What of you, Scotsman?” Holger questioned, an edge in his tone.
“My lady and I shall take our leave once Lady Dagny is safe.”
“You mean to steal her away,” Holger accused.
“I mean to keep our sovereign safe,” Callum retorted. “Have you forgotten our highest duty as Scots is to protect our lord king? Nella feels the same.” She did.
Holger demanded, “When was this discussed?”
“As we tethered Luss before the walk here.”
“Let us see how the matters progress.”
The “matters” had better progress flawlessly or that thick hide was going to be skinned with the dagger pressing his hip.
He remained silent, his eyes searching the structure before him.
The shutters were closed, same as his life had been the last time he was here.
He had paused for lodging years ago; alone and bitter and sad, thinking Nella had abandoned him.
How different time was now, same spot, completely fresh hope for the future.
His and Nella’s. Please let her stay from harm.
***
The outside had been deceptively small in appearance for the colossal interior which even held two sets of night stairs for the monks. No wonder the northern delegation had chosen this location for their rest.
“This is the only chamber we may offer.” The monk stood in the open doorway at the meager room.
Nella looked about. Already a full chronicle had been completed while they walked here.
It was so late, everyone was asleep; this had to be the reason for complete silence.
There must be another way to find Holger’s sister.
Turning toward the monk who began shuttering the door, she inquired, “Are there any other lady travelers about? I would so hope for a conversation while breaking my fast upon the morrow.”
“There is a lone young lady; alas, she has retired for the eve. However, aye, she shall be present most likely in the mornin’,” the monk replied.
Nella smiled at the monk who closed the door on his leave, but a defeated wave swelled over her emotions while Kameron gave word to her fear once they were alone. “If Lady Dagny is quiet then all hope shall be lost in finding her in this massive abbey with your prowess.”
A single candle on a rickety table did little to remove the worried expression on Kameron’s face while she nodded. “Let me complete another full chronicle.” Kameron sealed his lips, nodding.
She closed her eyes. Where? Where was the young lass?
“Leave the flour in the buttery, we shall fetch it first upon the morrow.” Not her.
“Please step back. you are standing upon my robe and it shall tear.” Nope.
Knock. Knock. The sound signature came from the end of this passageway.
Scrape. Door being answered which had been fisted upon.
“Why are you here once more, Sir James?” a terse lady’s voice rang out with an accent born from the Kingdom of Norway.
Lady Dagny Kolson! “My lady in waiting has yet to rouse, did you slip a sleeping tonic in her goblet at supper? I have told you more than once you are not welcome into my bedchamber till we are wed; alas, I find you—”
Slam. Her door shut. “Ow, you are hurting me, you ill-mannered and ill-tempered cur!” Slap! Had he just struck her?
“Kameron.” Nella’s eyes flew open then met the eager expression. “Lady Dagny’s chamber is along this passageway almost at the end. Sir James is there; he just forced his way into her chambers.” The eager expression turned into a snarl while his feet charged for the door.
“A plan, my lady?” Kameron asked, opening the door for her.
There was no one else on the passageway.
“I knock upon their door, attempt to greet the lady as a fellow traveler. You stand from sight till I bolt past Sir James who shall turn away from the door to face the chamber’s interior.
Then you smack him on the back of the head, knocking him unawares.
” Kameron’s hand quickly went for the thick pottery pitcher on a wobbly stand by the door. “Perfect, lad.”
She led them out while listening to Sir James grind out, “You dare strike me?” It was Dagny who had struck him.
She inwardly smiled. The lady did have spirit.
“Lady, my arse, I shall show you how to treat your soon-to-be husband. Then we shall see if you have the will to stand after I seat myself between your thighs.” The inner smile vanished as her jaw clenched. Oh, that was so not going to happen.
“Kam?”
“Aye?”
“Hit the bastard hard.”
She didn’t need to turn to know a grin was on the young lad’s lips. “Aye, my lady.”
As she took a shaky breath, her knuckles found the coarse wood twice. “Who goes there?” Sir James’s voice barked from inside.
“A fellow lady traveler who wishes to speak with another for but a moment, kind sir.” She choked upon the last two words.
The door threw open before revealing what one would think a handsome tall knight, with hair the same as wheat.
She had to raise her eyes to meet his. There was the cruel intent, written in the depths of his gaze like an adder hiding beneath a rock.
Get ready, Adder, the rock is about to crush your cruel traitorous arse.
A sly grin curled Sir James’s thin lips. “Perhaps the eve has improved after all.” If her skin could crawl it would have vanished from her bones.
She looked past toward the lady who seemed to be Kameron’s age.
Dagny had her brother’s gray gaze with sunlit hair.
The lady was wee in stature, but feet were in a wide stance like a shield maiden who was preparing to strike at her soon-to-be ex-betrothed.
Dagny’s features softened at once from the sight of her filling the doorway, and the embroidered gown she wore seemed to deflate from relief.
“Good eve, my lady,” Dagny greeted loudly. As if silently declaring, Don’t leave me here!
“Good eve.” Nella smiled then ducked under Sir James’s high arm which had been blocking the entry. Turn, bastard, turn away from the door and face the chamber’s center.
Crack! Kameron came into view as the thick pitcher landed dead center on Sir James’s skull once the knight had spun her direction. The traitorous knight’s eyes rolled into the back of his head before she leapt toward the side when he fell like a stone lining the walls. Success!
Turning, she discovered Dagny wore a… grin? “Well done, lad, that is a wish granted.”
Her eyes darted between the two while Kameron paused on the threshold.
“Kameron, shutter the doorway,” Nella ordered quickly.
The use in his full name snapped him back into the moment.
He nodded, kicked Sir James’s limp feet from the stoop, entered, then secured the door behind him.
“Lady Dagny,” she explained, “forgive the intrusion. Time is pressing. Your elder brother had sent me to ensure you are safe before he arrives to place Sir James in irons for treason.”
“Holger.” Her eyes grew. “He is here?”
“Aye, he is and I am an…” What was she? Not a friend nor lover. “Acquaintance of your brother’s, Lady Fawnella MacHearin. We feared Sir James would try to take you as a hostage if surrounded. I did not realize he…”
“Had forced his way into my chamber being a full monstrous toad in embroidered surcoat?” Dagny finished, and Kam gave a low chuckle at the description.
The Northern lady’s eyes fixated on the young smith immediately.
“Who might you be? Certainly, more knight in honor than Sir Toad here.” Kam’s face fell at her wonder upon his station.
“Kameron, my lady, simply Kameron, nae title,” he mumbled.
“Lovely to make your acquaintance, Kameron.”
Nella’s stare moved about. They needed something to tie Sir Toad up with… Her body and heart froze at a voice which rang a fresh chronicle.
“This is the abbey where the Northern delegation’s final respite was planned to be before the treaty.” No! It couldn’t possibly be him! How had Sèidrich escaped MacHarris? She swallowed hard, or had the Highland’s chief and his men-at-arms perished in a battle with the gallowglass mercenaries?