Chapter 41
“What were you thinking inviting Sir James into your bedchamber before your vows were taken?” Callum heard Holger accuse. More concerned about propriety than his sister’s own well-being. What a piece of work.
The chamber where Nella had been held when he entered the abbey, he now stood with her by his side. The Northman glared at his sister while Kameron – look at him – had his fists at his sides as if ready to fight in the northern lady’s honor. Future knight material for sure.
Dagny slapped her palms on her hips. “I am not daft, brother! Sir James forced his way into my chambers.”
Nella joined the conversation. “’Tis true, Lord Kolson.”
“Stay out of this, Lady Fawnella,” Holger warned.
The Northman dared to order Nella about? Yeah, it was time to set him straight. Callum stepped forward. Nella’s palm captured his, halting him.
Holger turned back at Dagny. “What would our sire say regarding your behavior?”
“Our sire forced me into that traitor’s care.” Her stance widened. “You truly believe I give a fig what he considers?”
“You shall be giving more than a ‘fig’, sister, when he unleashes his wroth upon you,” Holger threatened, and the young lady blanched.
“The scandal this evening will thwart any hope in a match! In a locked chamber with a traitor, no lady’s maid about.
The king’s court will feast upon the gossip then bolt from any offers for your hand no matter the dowry’s sum.
Who?” He threw his hands into the air. “Who would dare take you as a wife now? Dagny, you were locked in here with this peasant,” Holger declared, staring daggers at Kameron. “Nothing but one who is of low birth.”
That’s it! The talk regarding being a squire would not keep.
Callum declared, “He is to be a squire, my squire. Trained by the captain of the royal guard and once training is complete, a knight in the Kingdom of Scots.” Kameron’s eyes grew at the statement.
“In the chaos surrounding these last few days I had hoped to seek an audience in private with the lad to speak with him. Alas, the time is now to bequeath the request.” He turned toward the lad.
“What say you, Kameron MacKurryn? You have shown yourself more worthy in service than the one I am about to meet in a few hours.” He referred to the traitor who made his blood boil – Sir Sean.
“I… I would be honored, Sir Callum.” Kameron nodded eagerly.
Holger gritted his teeth. “Scotsman, everywhere I turn you grind my nerves.”
“Nae more than you do mine, Northman,” Callum countered before he inclined his brow at Sir Brayden, who darkened the threshold having seen to fetching the horses. “Lady Fawnella and I must take our leave for the stables.”
Nella moved only to close the door. Her expression was mixture of worry and determination. Something was terribly wrong.
“There is a grave matter we must all speak upon before we take our leave. Please forgive me, I could not relay this information earlier on the front entry. I fear the name of the ‘shadow lord’ who MacHarris met in the tavern with the late Sir James has been lost with Sèidrich. In the chronicle of Sèidrich’s arrival this eve he declared their ‘lord’ would not want Sir James kept alive.
He knew who the noble was in King Alexander’s court, but I could not… ”
Callum stole her hands at once. “Nae, you are not going to blame yourself for this. ’Tis I who should have taken him alive. A branch broke and I could not risk him alerting the other guards of the impending ambush. We shall find this shadow lord, we will.” The last words were cast in iron.
Holger broke in the exchange. “If this lord is so highly placed at court, then it is best he is dealt with at once.” You think? It was one thing they could all agree on.
The Northman darted his eyes between the young pair again before setting his glare back on his sister. “Where is your lady’s maid?”
“Sir James I believe laced her goblet with a sleeping tonic,” Dagny replied.
Holger opened the door and barked at the nearest guard standing outside the doorway, who dashed away at the demand.
“Fetch the old crone! She is not to abandon my sister’s side forthwith, as I shall be forced to take my leave of Lady Dagny once again.
” He swung his attention back at Callum, curling a menacing grin at him.
“I must venture with Sir Callum and Lady Fawnella.” Callum clenched his jaw tighter.
“Making certain all preparations are seen to, ensuring a flawless arrival for the Northern delegation by this traitorous lord being placed right in irons.”
Dagny stared at her brother a hard moment.
“Abandonment is a natural trait for you, brother. Lady Thyra would not be surprised.” Holger blanched while the Northern lady looked at Nella.
“I am certain you shall be immersed in the developments yet to come. However, I would be remiss in not mentioning my brother is well known regarding his many conquests. I also wager a guess you are one of those he seeks to add onto this list. When a moment presents, you best ask him about Lady Thyra.”
***
Luss moved at a slow thumping trot in the heavy darkness. Would they make Perth before dawn? What had been Sir Sean’s instructions if “MacHarris” had not appeared?
Callum’s jaw clenched tighter. Was not having his Nella ride with him adding to his overall grave mood? Aye, his arms felt void of life without Nella in them.
She rode alongside him upon Sir Brayden’s trusted charger. The knight with Kameron had hung back at Callum’s request, ensuring the clergy arrived at the abbey for the treaty signing safely and as a show of good faith by the Kingdom of Scots after Sir James’s horrific display.
If only it didn’t seem odd, her request. A heavy conflict by emotions crossed her face as they determined the way forth toward Perth.
At first, she had taken a step towards him and Luss then paused, her eyes fixated on the C upon his familiar chainmail tunic.
Darting a look at the Northman, she said it would be best if she rode alone; they could cover more ground.
It was true, yet the direction on how the decision had unfolded was strange.
Including Holger’s reaction. There had been a shadow-like smirk on his mouth at the sudden change by her.
“Callum,” Nella whispered, breaking his thoughts, “what do you consider may take place by Sir Sean’s hand if we are unable to reach the stables by dawn?”
Holger leapt the line. “Ack, he may slay the youngest MacCade or perhaps the king in MacHarris’s place or burn the whole fuking abbey to the ground, throwing our two kingdoms into war once more.” He heard Nella’s breath catch.
“Nella, mind the boulder!” Callum warned when a rock tall as he was on Luss appeared from the darkness.
Her attention, which had been on Holger for his dark prophecy, turned forward as she pulled her steed up before crashing into the rock. Pat. Pat. She rubbed the loyal beast’s neck after the stallion came to a stop like his hooves had sunk into a bog instead of the pine needles.
“Sir Sean shall do none of those things, my lady,” Callum assured, halting beside her.
He pointed at the vista which came clearer after a setting moon cast a glimmer in light their way, emerging from the clouds overhead.
“These nine boulders in this distinct circle are known to me. Perth is but a wee bit southwestward for us.”
“Aye.” She breathed the word by relief. “Callum, please take lead.”
He tightened his calves on Luss, and the stallion moved into a steady canter as they arrived at a meadow whose heathers appeared the same as a lavender blanket in the moonlight.
***
“My lady,” Holger muttered out of Callum’s earshot to her while they rode through the next woodland stretch, the pine scent thickening as the horses’ hooves kicked up the needles.
“I wished to commend you on your choice of riding alone,” Holger approved.
“It would be cruel for you to allow the Scotsman to think, even for a moment, that you favor him above all others.”
“I do favor him above all others,” she countered, then added, “He feels the same for me, Lord Kolson.”
“Naw.”
“Naw?”
“If he truly cherished you, wished for you by his side in all the times to come, would he not have asked that most important of all questions?” She swallowed hard. “I take it by your silence you know what I refer. Has your dashing gallant knight asked for your hand in marriage?”
“He… he has not.”
“There is your answer, noble he is, right into his very bones.” Holger picked at her emotional weakness like a festering scab.
“Perhaps he has realized the discord you and I have spoken about previously regarding your late husband’s sons.
The scandal which shall be bequeathed at King Alexander’s court will be immeasurable. ”
“If you mean to poison my resolve at staying by his side,” she enlightened in an iron tone, “you will be sorely disappointed. I turned away from him once, Lord Kolson. I have made my decision – never again. If he does not wish to marry me, I shall stay his lover, hidden far away if he asks this of me. The only way I would leave is if he asks me.” She vowed, “I. Will. Not. Turn. Away.”
“Oh, my lady, you say this now, but once reason, not passion, has surfaced, consider the alternative. I am offering you a chance at a fresh beginning.”
“At your side with my instinct in sense, I gather?”
“King Magnus’s kingdom would be honored to have you, my lady.”
“As I am certain you would be enthralled to have a richer light shone upon your deeds of capturing a fresh Scottish gestr to your side,” she countered. “What would Lady Thyra state upon so bold a measure?”
“Ah, I have been waiting for you to mention Lady Thyra.”
Callum pulled Luss up slightly so they were near again when she asked, “Who is Lady Thyra?”
“My wife.”
Callum’s head snapped around. “Northman, you are married,” he growled, “and yet you have been propositioning Nella at every turn?”
“That is what I do, Scotsman,” Holger clipped the reply back. “’Twas an arranged marriage. The lady has all the beauty of a muddied tree stump. Her wits are that of a rock. So, I find pleasure wherever I may. The Lady Fawnella is a most exquisite conquest.”
“Who is directly right here. You truly are repugnant, Lord Kolson,” Nella decried. “At every turn your palm has sought a way up my skirt, yet you fail to mention you are married! Dare I ask have you told any of your previous lovers you’re married?”
“Hell, no,” Holger retorted, “why bother?”
“Weasel.”
“Oh, my lady, ’tis all part of my charm,” he quipped back at her, “a charm we shall be speaking more upon once Sir Sean is seen to.”
Callum’s jaw, which came clearer when they rode closer, clenched.
Did she need to change the subject lest she retch on the Northman? Aye. “Callum, when we happen upon the stables, what shall be the plan to conquer the situation?”