Claimed by a Savage Scot (The Lairds’ Forbidden Passions #2)
Chapter 1
CHAPTER ONE
Pluscarden Priory, near Elgin, Moray, northwest Scottish Highlands
“Phew, the weather is certainly warm for the time of year, even indoors,” Catriona Grant murmured to nobody but herself as she stood working at one of the herbarium’s long tables.
With a stone pestle, she pounded rhythmically at the fragrant clutch of fresh medicinal herbs in a large mortar, grinding them into a satisfyingly smooth, green paste.
She enjoyed the work of preparing medicines and helping the nuns heal the sick as much as she did cool tranquility of the herbarium, where she could let her thoughts roam without censure.
So when that tranquility was abruptly shattered by a loud bang behind her, she dropped the pestle and almost jumped out of her skin.
She turned and was taken aback to see the door flung wide open and none other than old Sister Mairi rushing into the room.
At eighty-two and with a bad case of arthritis, the tiny woman was now bearing down on her at startling speed.
That was worrying, although not as much as the unfamiliar tight expression on the gentle old nun’s face.
Somethin’s wrong.
“Sister Mairi, whatever is the matter?” she asked, rushing to meet the woman. Mairi clutched her hands in her dry, papery ones and tugged at them, pulling her towards the door.
“Torcall Sinclair is the matter, lassie,” Mairi answered bluntly. “He’s somehow heard a rumor that yer braither’s got ye hidden here with us. He’s sent men tae find ye.”
Torcall Sinclair!
At the sound of the dreaded name, Catriona’s heart thudded painfully in her chest. The danger that had felt so distant only moments ago, almost forgotten after five years despite being the reason she was at the priory, suddenly leapt into life in front of her as if it were the monstrous man himself.
Just the thought of him was so terrifying, her knees threatened to give way beneath her.
“Oh, dear God! Has he really come fer me after all this time?” she managed to gasp, for her throat was closing up in panic.
Mairi shook her head. “Nay, that accursed devil’s nae here himsel’ yet. But a rabble of his men have just ridden intae the courtyard out front, so he’s likely nae far behind.”
Cold with fear, she did not resist when Mairi gripped her arm with surprising strength and pulled her out into the long corridor outside. Turning right, she hurriedly started towards the rear of the building, heading for the far stairwell, towing Catriona behind her.
“Sister Glennis is goin’ out tae talk tae them, distract them while ye escape. Now, hurry up and follow me, lass!”
“Escape?” Catriona exclaimed, stunned. Familiar guilt stabbed at her, and she tried to slow and pull away from Mairi’s grip.
“Sinclair’s men are here because of me. I’m the one puttin’ ye all in danger just by bein’ here.
I’ll nae abandon ye after ye’ve all protected me fer so long. I must stay and help.”
But Sister Mairi would not let go and kept on dragging her forward. “Yer braither gave us strict orders tae get ye tae safety if Torcall Sinclair ever came here lookin’ fer ye. We’ll obey them, and so will ye. Now, hurry, lass.”
The mention of her brother and her longing to be reunited with him after five long years apart immediately overcame Catriona’s guilt at escaping and leaving the nuns to face Sinclair’s brutal mercies. Besides, she was honor bound to obey Duncan’s orders.
“Where are we goin’?” she asked, suddenly breathing in an acrid scent that caught the back of her throat. Glancing up, she gasped to see tendrils of smoke curling along the ceiling. Fire!
“Sister Mairi, there’s a fire!” she exclaimed, truly shaken by the reality of it.
But Mairi only gave a sharp nod in acknowledgement and continued on down the corridor, away from the encroaching smoke and the seat of the commotion.
“Aye, I expected as much, the wicked men have set the place afire. Even more reason to hurry now, lass,” she said matter-of-factly.
A few moments later, Catriona startled when the church bells next door suddenly erupted into a frantic cacophony, adding an air of alarm to the reverberating pounding coming from the front doors. Mairi, however, appeared not to hear them.
“What is that awful noise? It sounds like someone’s tryin’ tae batter down the front doors,” Catriona asked.
“That’s because that’s exactly what it is, lass. Sinclair’s men are impatient tae get inside and search fer ye,” Mairi replied.
Catriona went cold and quickened her pace. Sinclair’s men were breaking in to hunt her as if she were an animal!
By this time, the previously empty hallway had rapidly become a scene of chaos.
Doors stood open along its length, knots of clearly agitated sisters and novices clustered around them.
The anxious buzz of female voices joined the cacophony of steady thumping and a low roaring Catriona feared was the fire gaining ground.
“Dinnae stop,” Mairi told her, pushing through the bottleneck, keeping a tight hold on Catriona’s arm as she pulled her through the crush. They reached the end of the long hallway and veered off down the stairs.
From that point onwards, they steadily descended to the sub-basement, where the smoke had not yet penetrated. Eventually, they emerged onto a wide landing in front of the entrance to the priory’s crypt.
A small shrine to the side held several burning candles. Sister Mairi took one of them as well as an unlit half candle.
“Ye’ll need it. ’Tis pitch black in the tunnel, lass. I ken how scared ye are of the dark,” she said, gesturing for Catriona to open the vault door.
The vast, echoing vault was the final resting place of twelve former abbesses, whose stone coffins lay on plinths in neat rows that stretched away into resolute darkness. The flickering light provided by Mairi’s single candle barely touched it.
Catriona’s eyes were immediately drawn to a faint matching glow coming from the other side of the vault.
She drew in a sharp breath of fear. Someone as yet unseen was standing over by the opposite wall, which was crammed with memorial plaques for the dead.
“Is that one of Sinclair’s men?” she whispered, her feet slowing.
Mairi jerked her forward. “Nay, that’s the Maither Superior waitin’ fer us at the tunnel entrance,” she informed her, speeding towards the light. “Come along.”
Surprised yet also relieved by the knowledge, Catriona hurried after her.
The Abbess was indeed waiting for them. “They’ve set the byre afire,” she told Sister Mairi with supernatural calm.
“May they burn in hell,” Mairi cursed under her breath. Catriona watched as the Abbess produced a large iron key from inside her habit and press it into Mairi’s hand.
“Ye ken what tae dae, Mairi,” the Abbess said, nodding to the old nun, who wordlessly pressed a carved stone rose on one of the plaques. It popped open to reveal a hidden keyhole. Mairi slid the key into the lock, turning it swiftly and tugging the edge of the plaque.
It opened like a door onto a hole in the wall, and mind-numbing blackness beyond. One peek inside struck terror in Catriona’s heart.
The women started as loud male shouts, crashing doors, and thundering footfalls echoed from the upper floors.
“They’re gettin’ too close. Go, Catriona, while ye still can!” the Abbess urged her, shoving her towards the tunnel entrance.
Befuddled by mounting panic, Catriona hurriedly murmured a few inadequate words of gratitude to them both before climbing awkwardly into the tunnel. The musty air made her sneeze, and the gritty floor felt rough against the thin soles of her house slippers.
“Good luck, lass, I’ll miss ye. God bless ye and keep ye safe,” Mairi said, her voice cracking as she passed the lit half candle through the gap to Catriona.
“Thank ye.” Catriona took it gratefully, shielding the fragile flame with her cupped hand. It would be a blessed relief to have the small light with her while navigating the tunnel’s stultifying darkness.
Without it, despite the lure of her brother’s presence, she feared she might go mad before reaching the end.
“I’ll write as soon as I can,” she promised, hearing her voice break, feeling tears pressing at the back of her eyes.
“Dinnae be afraid, Catriona, dear,” the Mother Superior told her, anxiety edging her soft tone. “Hurry along now. We’ll pray fer ye, and God will protect ye. All will be well, ye’ll see.”
The little door began closing, shutting out the light. Panic leapt in Catriona’s breast, her heart thumping as the Abbess added, “Remember, just follow the tunnel where it leads ye for a short while. A man will be there waitin’ fer ye at the end. He’ll protect ye and escort ye tae safety.”
The door shut completely. In the circle of weak, flickering light from the candle, Catriona shivered at the sound of the stone plaque swinging closed, sealing her in.
Think of Duncan, she told herself, pushing down her fear as best she could. Finally, with a final steadying breath, she set off hesitantly into the darkness.