Chapter 7 #2
“You wouldna really hurt her, would you?”
“Aye, I would. For ’tis forced I am to marry her, and I dinna like being forced.”
“But ’tis no’ her fault,” Niall insisted. “She has no say in this, either!”
“Your father is no’ considering that, so I willna, either,” Jamie said darkly.
Such vindictiveness was beyond Niall, and he was getting more and more frightened. “You have no’ seen my sister, MacKinnion. She is a rare beauty. Truly, you would be pleased to have her for your wife.”
“Lad, you dinna ken,” Jamie replied coldly.
“It doesna matter if she is the most bonny lass in all of Scotland; she’s her father’s daughter, and I’ll make her suffer for being that.
After I wed her and take her home with me, she’ll never leave my castle.
She’ll be locked in a tower forever. I’ll visit her twice a day, once to beat her and once to rape her. That is the life she will live.”
There was only silence, and after a while Jamie said, “You’ve naught to say, Niall Fergusson?”
“If I thought you’d really treat my sister so, I’d have to kill you.”
Jamie laughed. “You’re welcome to try, if you like. But you ken you’ll be cutting your own throat and your sister’s and even your whole family’s. You won’t kill The MacKinnion and live long enough to tell about it.”
The trapdoor slammed shut. Jamie’s mouth tightened in a snarl. Taunting the boy had not relieved his smoldering rage.
Before an hour had passed, the trapdoor opened again, and Niall poked his head over the opening. Jamie shrugged. He had known the boy wouldn’t keep the story to himself. He was too frightened.
“So you’ve confronted your father, have you?”
“Nay. ’Twill do no good to try to change his mind. And I told you, he’s no’ happy with me right now. He’d no’ listen to me one way or the other.”
Jamie relaxed. The boy had not come back to call him a liar. He still didn’t know the sister he feared for was safe from Jamie.
“So what has brought you here again, lad?” he asked.
“I canna face my sister tomorrow, knowing what I know,” Niall said miserably. “I canna bear it that she’ll be suffering. You’ve confirmed what she already believed about you. ’Tis why she’d rather die than go to you.”
“You think I’ll let another wife of mine kill herself?” Jamie snapped. “She’ll no’ die. I’ll see to that!”
“I wonder which is better,” Niall responded brokenly.
“You’ve a lot to learn, lad,” Jamie sneered. “Where there’s life, there’s hope.”
“You dinna give me much hope,” Niall said, but plunged ahead anyway. “I’ve come to plead with you no’ to hurt my sister for what was none of her doing. Please.”
Jamie was touched. The boy had courage. And he loved his sister.
“You listen to me, lad, and listen well. I’ve no sympathy for this sister of yours. ’Tis your father you’ll have to plead with. I’ve no choice in this matter, not really.”
“You’re wrong. You could treat her fairly if you wanted to.”
“But I don’t want to. Why should I? I’m naught but a savage, remember?”
“Then I canna let you wed her.”
“If you’ve a way to stop it, lad, you have my gratitude.” Jamie gave the promise lightly, for he was past hope, and he couldn’t take the boy very seriously.
“I’ll let you go,” Niall stated after a pause.
“What’s that?”
“I’ll let you go,” Niall said firmly. “’Tis the only way. You’ll be gone, and she’ll be safe from you.”
Jamie jumped up. He could hardly contain his sudden excitement. “Are you serious, lad?”
“Did I no’ say it?”
“When?”
“Now, while the tower sleeps.”
Without further ado, the ladder came sliding through the opening. But it stopped just short of Jamie’s outstretched hand, then snapped back several feet.
Jamie was beside himself with disappointment. “’Tis a cruel game you’re playing, lad?”
“Nay,” Niall assured him. “But I’m remembering what you said about getting your hands around my neck. You’ll no’ kill me when you’re free, will you?”
Jamie laughed. “You’re no’ to fear, lad. If you get me out of this tower, you’ll have my friendship for life.”
The ladder slid all the way down, and Jamie climbed it quickly, stiff though he was. The boy was gullible to believe him, yet Jamie had meant what he said. If he could safely escape Tower Esk, he’d owe the lad, and he wouldn’t forget that.
“Och, but you’re bigger than you seemed,” Niall said, awed, when The MacKinnion was standing next to him.
“And you’re as wee as I supposed,” Jamie grunted. Now that he was out of the dungeon, he wanted to get away. “If you’ll just show me where the stable is—”
“Nay, you canna go there!” Niall gasped, already regretting his decision. “Men sleep in there. You’ll be discovered, and I will have risked all for naught.”
“I’ll no’ be leaving without my horse, lad. But dinna fear. I’ll kill no one unless I have to. I’m out of that hole, and I’ll no’ be put back in it.”
“But the alarm will be given.”
“It doesna matter, lad. Once on my horse, they’ll never catch me. Ah, lad, you worry over minor things,” Jamie said as he started moving through the storage area toward the stable. “I’ve told you I’ll no’ be caught.”
Niall was right behind him. “’Tis myself I fear for, MacKinnion,” he admitted reluctantly. “You’ll be gone—but I’ll be left here to take the blame.”
Jamie turned around sharply, and Niall nearly ran into him. “You’re welcome to come with me, lad.”
“I’m no’ a traitor!” Niall said, aghast. “What I did I did for my sister’s safety. Otherwise, I’d no’ have let you go.”
“I know that,” Jamie said softly. “And, in fairness, there’s something I must tell you. Your oldest sister, she wasna—”
Jamie didn’t have a chance to finish his confession because light appeared on the stairs nearby, and Niall pulled him back between two large casks of meal.
“Niall,” a girl’s voice called out. “Niall, if you’re down there, answer me. Niall!”
“Who is it?” Jamie whispered.
“My sister. She probably went to my room and found me gone, so she’s looking for me.”
Jamie straightened from his crouched position. “I think I’d like to see the lass who warrants such devotion.”
“Nay!” Niall panicked and held on to Jamie’s arm for dear life. “She’ll scream if she sees you. She’ll give you away ’afore you even reach the courtyard. You’ll be trapped down here, and without a weapon.”
“I suppose,” Jamie relented. “And now that you mention a weapon, I’ll be needing one.”
“I’ll no’ help you there, MacKinnion. ’Twould be helping you kill my kin. That I canna do.”
“Aye, you’ve done enough. I’ll make do.” Jamie had seen a board he could make use of once the way was clear to mount the stairs.
But the light on the stairs was still there. The girl didn’t call again, however, and after several moments, the light dimmed, but only a little. Then there was another voice at the top of the stairs, and Jamie steeled himself.
“What do you here at this hour?”
Jamie heard Niall groan.
“And who is that?”
“My cousin William.”
“Will he come down here?”
“I dinna know. Shh!”
“Well, cousin?” The man spoke again.
“I was…’tis none of your affair, Willie!” the girl snapped.
“Gone down for a peek at your future husband, eh?” William chuckled.
“I’d no’ go near him, and you know it well.”
“No,” William conceded, but added spitefully, “you’ll be seeing him soon enough—when you wed him.”
“You’re a bastard, and no mistake, William MacAfee!” the girl hissed. “Let me pass.”
“You still didna answer. What were you doing out here?” William’s tone was sharp.
“I couldna sleep. I went for a walk.”
“Sure you werena trysting with MacDonough ’afore the betrothal’s broken?”
“If I was, that is none of your affair! Many things are none of your affair!”
The light moved away, but it was several minutes before the man’s footsteps moved away, as well. “Your sister doesna like her cousin, eh?”
“Nor do I,” Niall replied bitterly. “’Twas his idea she be given to you, and for spite. He wanted her for himself, you see, but she wouldna have him. The arrangement with you was only for spite.”
“And The MacDonough’s here? Your cousin said she might be trysting with him. Would she?”
“She wouldna do that!” Niall replied indignantly. “She doesna even know her betrothed. But aye, he’s here. He came this evening.”
“You know I have a treaty with Sir Alasdair,” Jamie chuckled. “If he’s here, he’ll no doubt be blamed for setting me free.”
“You think so?” Niall asked, hopeful for the first time.
“Aye. Your father would naturally suspect a MacDonough ’afore a Fergusson.”
“But The MacDonough doesna know you’re here.”
“He could have overheard talk. Cheer up, lad. And dinna take the blame unless you have to.”
Jamie picked up the board, and Niall led the way to the courtyard and pointed out the stable and gatehouse. “They should all be asleep,” Niall whispered.
“You’d best be off to bed yourself, lad. If the alarm is given, you dinna want to be found outside your own room. I just hope they won’t know I’m missing till morning.”
“I’ll no’ see you again then, will I?” Niall said regretfully.
“Nay, lad, ’tis doubtful we’ll meet again. You’re a brave one, Niall Fergusson, and no mistake. I won’t forget you.”
“And you’re a mean one, James MacKinnion,” Niall returned with a grin. “I won’t forget you, either. You wouldna have made me a good brother-in-law, but you’re a fine enemy.”
“Or perhaps a friend,” Jamie said, and tousled the boy’s dark red hair. “I meant what I said about that. But I’m off now. Truly, I hope you dinna suffer for my freedom.”
“Maybe I willna have to. As you said, The MacDonough is here and will be suspected. My sister doesna want to marry him anyway, so I’ll no’ mind if he takes the blame.”
Jamie laughed. “Always you have your sister in your thoughts. And I never even learned her name.”
“If my father didna tell you, I’ll no’ do so. Goodbye to you, and Godspeed, MacKinnion.”