Chapter Six
“I can’t wait a minute longer.” That night, Linnette decided she was ready to leave Castle Whitby forever.
“My lady, I will miss you,” said Paulina, handing Linnette the bag of clothes and a little food that she had packed for her.
“I will miss you too, Paulina. And remember, just say you know nothing about what happened to me. That way, you will be protected.”
“But what about Brom? I’ll feel horrible if he is caught and punished.”
“He won’t be,” she assured her handmaid. “I’ll make sure he comes right back as soon as he delivers me into Duncan’s hands.”
“Be careful, my lady.” Paulina hugged her.
“There is nothing to fear,” she told the girl. “Everyone is sleeping and won’t even know that Brom and I have sneaked out the postern gate. And by the time of the wedding in the morning, I’ll already be on my way to the Highlands with the man I love.”
Linnette opened the door and looked both ways up and down the corridor.
Then, not seeing anyone, she hurried out of the keep and to the stables, where Brom would be waiting for her with a saddled horse.
She released a deep sigh and took one more look back at the castle.
“I’m sorry, Mother,” she whispered. “And I will miss you more than you know.”
“Where have you been, my lady?” whispered Brom as soon as she’d reached the stable. “I have been on edge all night just waiting for you.”
“I wanted to make sure that my father and Lord Payne were asleep before I left. Now hurry. We’ve got to go because Duncan is waiting for me.”
*
Duncan paced back and forth inside the cottage, waiting for Linnette to arrive.
“God’s eyes, Duncan, ye are goin’ to wear a hole in the floor if ye dinna sit down,” North said from the table.
“Somethin’ is wrong, I can feel it in my bones.” Duncan continued to pace. “I’ve got a very bad feelin’ about this.”
“I could have told you that!” North picked at the bones from the rabbit that they’d consumed for dinner. “And one small rabbit does nothin’ to satisfy the hunger in my achin’ belly.”
“We’ll be back home soon.” Duncan opened the door and peered out. “Bid the Devil, the fog is thicker than ever tonight.”
“It’s always that way on the moors. Ye should ken that by now.” North grabbed the stub of the lit candle and made his way over to Duncan. Once there, a gust of wind blew out the flame. At the same time, the sound of a woman wailing drifted to them on the breeze. “Blethers, what was that?”
“Och, ye’ve finally heard it, then?” asked Duncan.
“It sounded like a lassie…wailin’.”
“Yes. So, now do ye believe me about the legend of the moors?”
“Mayhap we should go sit back down inside and wait for Lady Linnette.”
“Nay. I am goin’ out to meet her. Get yer things, North. We’ll find Linnette and head back to the Highlands tonight.”
“Actually, I canna wait to get out of here. I’ll collect my things.”
It was just minutes before Duncan and North were atop their steeds and heading slowly through the fog, as they traveled over the misty moors.
The feeling of death hung in the air tonight.
The moonlight was only visible on occasion when it broke through the clouds, and that only made it even harder to see.
“We should have brought a torch,” suggested North.
“Nay. It would only be like a beacon to anyone who might follow Linnette here tonight.”
“If she has a torch, they’ll see that light, so what does it matter?” asked North.
“She won’t have one. She kens better than to leave a trail for anyone to follow.” Or at least Duncan surely hoped so.
“How are we goin’ to find her out here?” North’s head moved back and forth as he tried to see through the fog.
“Be quiet and we’ll listen for the sound of her horse. She should be here by now.” Duncan stopped his horse and held up his hand. They sat there for a short while just listening. Finally, North spoke.
“I hear hoofbeats. It’s comin’ from over there.”
“Nay, that isna the way to the castle. It must be someone else.”
“Och nay!” said North, his eyes getting wide.
Duncan turned to see a rider coming through the fog. A black cloak billowed out in the breeze as the man came closer. And when the moonlight spilled down, they could see that the rider had broad shoulders…but no head. “Ye were no’ jestin’.”
They were about to ride in the opposite direction when shouting was heard coming from the direction of the castle.
“Duncan?” called out a woman.
“Linnette, we are over here,” answered Duncan. Then he turned toward his friend. “Come on, North. Let’s go get her.”
“What about…him?” North nodded at the headless rider.
“He’ll go away if ye ignore him. I hope.
Now hurry.” Duncan rode fast, managing to find Linnette and her stableboy, thankful they were all right.
“Linnette!” He was about to jump off his horse to greet her, when several more people came through the fog with lit torches and stopped directly behind the horse that held Linnette and her escort, Brom.
“I knew the stupid wench would lead us right to him. Look, Whitby, her secret lover is a damned Scot!” Lord Thomas Payne rode up with Linnette’s handmaid sitting in front of him holding a torch.
Duncan could see that Paulina had been beaten and her face was stained by a black eye.
Lord Whitby was behind Lord Payne on a horse of his own.
“Paulina!” Linnette gasped and her gaze shot over to her handmaid.
“I’m so sorry, my lady,” cried Paulina. “But he kept beating me until I told him the truth.”
“It’s not your fault. He’s an evil, wretched cur!” Linnette shot daggers from her eyes at the despicable man.
“Now, that’s no way to speak to your future husband.” Lord Payne scoffed.
“You’re not going to be my future husband because I wouldn’t marry you if you were the last man in the world,” hissed Linnette through gritted teeth.
“Whitby, something needs to be done about your feisty daughter. Come here, wench, and I’ll teach ye to keep that pretty little mouth of yours shut,” he said to Linnette. Lord Payne pushed Paulina off the horse and to the ground. The girl and the torch landed on the soggy earth.
“Nay! Paulina!” Linnette hurriedly dismounted and ran over to help her handmaid.
“Ye bastard,” Duncan ground out. “Ye seem to see nothin’ wrong with hurtin’ a lassie. Well, I’m goin’ to have to teach ye a lesson, I guess.” He unsheathed his sword and so did North.
“Nay, Duncan,” pleaded Linnette. “I don’t want anyone to die here tonight.”
Payne started laughing. “No one but two blasted Highlanders will die. Boys, kill them,” he commanded with a wave of his hand in the air. Four of his men appeared from the mist atop their horses with weapons drawn.
“Father, make this stop,” shouted Linnette.
“Payne, you are only going to start trouble and we don’t need another war with the Scots,” said Lord Whitby. “I’ve had enough of you and now regret I ever betrothed my daughter to you. I can see it was a mistake.”
“Shut your mouth or I’ll have my men take you down as well,” bellowed Payne.
“I will not! I have remained quiet for too long and will no longer tolerate you. I refuse to allow you to marry my daughter.” Lord Whitby unsheathed his sword and held it high in the air.
“Then this will be a battle to the death, I guess.” Lord Payne didn’t seem to care about anyone but himself.
As Payne’s men moved forward, something else took all their attention.
“Stop that wailing,” Payne commanded Paulina.
“That is not my handmaid,” said Linnette. “It is the woman of the legend. The one who lost her lover right here on the moors.”
“Nonsense. There is no such thing.” Lord Payne wrinkled his nose.
“My lord?” came the voice of one of his men. “I think she might be telling the truth.”
“She lies,” growled Payne.
“Then what is that?” asked another of his men.
*
Linnette looked up to see the headless horseman appearing through the fog.
He looked spookier than ever with his cloak flowing in the breeze, and his sword grasped in his hand.
His horse reared up and when it did, all four of Payne’s men turned their horses and sped out of there as if the Devil were on their heels.
Linnette looked over to see her father’s eyes widen. Still, he did not move. Payne just laughed.
“It’s obviously some stupid trick. There are no such things as ghosts,” said Payne. “But if so, I’ll take them down either way.” He rode after the headless rider, waving his sword and yelling. Linnette looked over to Duncan, but he was gone and only North was still there.
“Where is Duncan?” she asked, not able to believe he’d desert her at a crucial time like this.
“I’m…not sure,” said North with a shrug, looking totally shaken like the rest of the men from seeing the headless rider.
“I told you ghosts are nothing to fear.” Payne came riding back to them, sitting high on his horse, obviously proud of himself and his courage against a ghost. “Anyone else want to come for me? How about you, Highlander? Or you, Whitby? I’ll take you both on at once and kill you both, I swear.”
“What about…him?” asked Brom from atop his horse, not having said a word until now.
“Who?” Payne turned around atop his steed. “You again, ghost man? I’ll cut you down.” He rode hard and fast toward the headless horseman, but something was different from before.
Linnette slowly stood, watching the confrontation unfold.
This time, the ghostly figure didn’t seem transparent, but solid.
She couldn’t see through him. He seemed so real!
The fog rolled in around him and his cloak billowed out in the breeze.
His shoulders were wide under his cloak, and of course he had no head.
He held his sword tightly in his fist as he moved forward.
Then, when he and Payne met, their swords actually clashed. It sounded so real that Linnette thought she was hearing things. Payne cursed and turned back to the rest of the living, holding his shoulder. Blood leaked down his tunic from his wound.