Chapter Nineteen #2
“So you traveled all the way from Forestburn by yourselves?”
“It was not so difficult, except we had to steal bread this morning.”
“We were hungry,” Cade explained helpfully.
“Aye,” Roman looked at his companion for moral support. “Do you think we should get money and go back and pay the man once we have rescued you?”
Stephen was dumbfounded. After a moment, he closed his eyes against the vision of Roman and Cade traveling alone on unsafe roads, stealing bread to eat. It was too much for him to take at the moment. “God have mercy,” he muttered. “Thieves.”
“We are not thieves,” Roman said adamantly. “We were hungry. We will pay the man when we get money, I swear it.”
Stephen couldn’t help it; he snorted. The whole thing was so ridiculous.
On one hand, he was so deeply touched that he could not put it into words.
That these two young men should risk themselves for him was beyond comprehension.
Yet he was so furious with them that he thought, perhaps, fury alone would see him break from the chains just so he could get his hands on them.
He was torn, tormented and injured, a volatile combination.
“Boys,” he said hoarsely, struggling to stay calm.
“While I appreciate your bravery, you should consider yourselves lucky that I am tied up. If I was not, you would suffer the beating of your young lives for this stupidity. You will leave immediately and go find Tate. I am told he is near the Whiteadder Bridge. Get out of here while there is still time.”
Roman looked flattered, frightened and indignant at the same time. “But… we cannot leave you,” he insisted. “We can find a way to release you!”
Stephen tried to shake his head, restricted by the chains. “Roman de Lara, if you do not leave here immediately, I will break these chains that bind me and beat you within an inch of your life. And when your father finds out what you have done, he will do the same.
Roman was taken aback by the attitude. He looked at Cade, who gazed back at him with equal shock. He looked back at Stephen, baffled, before determination overtook him and he shook his head firmly.
“Nay,” he said. “I am not leaving. Cade and I are going to help you.”
Stephen began to work himself up into a righteous rage. “So help me,” he muttered, “if you do not leave immediately, I will thrash you so soundly that you will not be able to sit, ride or otherwise use your buttocks for an entire month. You will not disobey me.”
Roman was intimidated, that was clear. But he was also resolute. “Nay!” he stomped his foot. “I am not leaving. Come on, Cade!”
He grabbed Cade and they dashed off, out of Stephen’s line of sight.
He could hear their footfalls fading away, panic such as he had never known filling him.
He almost shouted at them but didn’t want to attract any unwanted attention, so he kept his mouth shut.
Exhausted, dehydrated and injured, he could only stand in the stocks and fume, wondering what those two brave, foolish boys were going to do.
Tate or no Tate, he was going to blister Roman’s backside if he got out of this situation alive.
And Cade… it was not such a glorious beginning for him and his new son.
But he greatly admired the lad’s courage.
After several long and frustrated moments, he suddenly began to laugh.
He didn’t know why, but he found the entire circumstance humorous.
He figured, at that point, he must be losing his mind.
Only an idiot would laugh at what the boys had done.
But insanity didn’t reduce the fear he felt for Cade and Roman.
*
“That’s what the man said,” Kynan’s voice was grim above the sounds of Joselyn’s weeping. “At least he allowed me tae remove Jo-Jo. Ye can be grateful fer that small mercy.”
Tate stared at Kynan, not particularly surprised at the message the man bore, before turning away to collect himself. He was, frankly, sickened at the news, something he’d feared but had not allowed himself to fully entertain. Kenneth, however, was not done with the interrogation.
“De Velt said that Moray ordered Stephen drawn and quartered?” he repeated, his voice deep and threatening.
“That does not make any sense. Stephen is a minor knight. ’Tis not as if he is an earl or viscount and holds any particular significance.
He is simply a knight given a duty by the king.
It does not make any sense that Moray would want to make an example out of him. ”
Kynan was wary of the bulldog of a knight with the blond hair and ice-colored eyes. Kenneth had managed to thrash him about fairly well when he was in the vault and the questions Kenneth asked were not properly answered.
“Be that as it may, those were Moray’s orders,” Kynan kept a distance from him.
“At dusk on the day after tomorrow, Stephen is tae be executed and his body scattered throughout the border as a message to all those who oppose David’s rule.
More than that, it’s meant tae scare the English.
After what happened tae Tommy and Willie Seton, Moray has prepared shock tactics of his own. ”
“But Stephen had nothing to do with my brothers’ deaths,” Joselyn was sobbing.
“He said that he was Tommy’s guardian until the end.
Knowing my husband as I do, I know that he must have been greatly saddened by Tommy’s death.
He is a man of deep compassion. He does not deserve what Moray plans for him. ”
She was growing increasingly hysterical and Tate wriggled his eyebrows at Kenneth, who took the hint. He went to her, putting a big arm around her shoulder to comfort her. But she didn’t want to be comforted and when she tried to pull away, he grasped her firmly and forced her to look at him.
“Jo-Jo,” he said, his voice softening. “Nothing has happened to Stephen yet and as long as I have breath in my body, I swear that nothing will happen to him. I understand that you are upset. We are all upset. But we are also seasoned warriors and if anyone can get Stephen out of this, Tate and I can. Do you understand me?”
Eyes watering and nose red, Joselyn nodded once. “A-Aye.”
Kenneth smiled faintly. “Good girl,” he murmured. “Do you believe me?”
Again, she nodded, struggling to calm. “I do,” she hiccupped. “But… but he was so badly beaten. There is no knowing what they have done to him since I have left. What if…?”
Kenneth shook her gently. “Listen to me,” he interrupted.
“I learned long ago that it is a waste of time and energy to worry over things you cannot control. As long as Stephen has an execution order, they are more than likely leaving him alone at this time. They would not want him to die before his appointed time and risk upsetting Moray. Therefore, there is no reason for you to be upset right now. In fact, it would be better for Tate and me if you were calm. We are trying to think of a way to free Stephen and cannot think clearly if we are constantly concerned over your mental health.”
By this time, Joselyn’s tears were gone completely. She swallowed hard, nodding to his words. “I am sorry,” she whispered. “I will try to be calm, I promise.”
“I know you will,” he squeezed her arms gently. “Your bravery helps us face what we must.”
She wiped at her nose daintily. “Thank you, Kenneth. Stephen is fortunate to have such a good friend.”
Kenneth’s smile returned and he patted her gently on the cheek, understanding why Stephen loved this woman so. She was very sweet and definitely beautiful.
“You are welcome,” he said softly, giving her a wink before turning to Tate and, when he was sure Joselyn couldn’t see him, rolling his eyes with relief.
Tate caught the expression from the normally expressionless man and suppressed the urge to grin.
He watched Joselyn a moment as she struggled to compose herself.
He was, in truth, wondering how in the world they were going to get Stephen out of Berwick in spite of Kenneth’s words of confidence.
John Randolph, the third Earl of Moray, was an extremely powerful man in Scotland.
If the orders for Stephen came down from Moray, then there was little chance that someone superseding Moray could counter the command other than the king himself. Unless….