Chapter Twenty Six
“Welcome home, Lady Josselyn,” Ian said softly.
Jo let his words penetrate her mind as they approached the gates of Toonan.
Her heart raced. “I wish the passageway from the treasure room had led to another place within the castle itself.” Once more, her gaze scanned the looming battlements.
She swallowed hard. “But now everyone will know that I’ve returned. ”
“The passage had to leave away from the castle for yer father to have smuggled in the treasure unseen.” He squeezed her hand. “If ye’re not ready to return to yer people, we can go back to the forest and use the tunnel in the well again.”
She shook her head. “That will take too long.” Reaching for his hand, she stopped in her tracks and looked up at him.
“They will all believe I’ve returned for good.
I cannot abandon them again. I know that when ye married me, ye may not have fully understood that I come with the responsibility of caring for an entire clan, but they are my people. ”
A gentle smile upturned Ian’s lips. He cupped her cheek. “If ‘tis me yer worried about, don’t be. Jo MacVie, I don’t care where we go, all I ask is that ye take me with ye.” He gestured toward the keep, it’s turrets beckoning to her. “If Toonan is yer home, then ‘tis mine as well.”
“But what about the Messenger and being a merchant?”
Ian raised a brow at her. “Let’s solve one problem at a time.”
She nodded in agreement and blew out a puff of air. “All right.” Squaring her shoulders, she narrowed her eyes on Toonan. “Then, let us go quickly. Everyone must be made aware of the traitor in their midst.”
Ian took her hand, keeping pace alongside her. “I’m warning ye now. I’m likely to kill him.”
Jo plowed ahead, her brow furrowed with determination. “Not if I do first!”
When they reached the gate, Jo approached it without hesitation.
She’d promised her mother never to walk through the gates alone, and she’d kept that promise.
She glanced up at Ian, whose long, wild red hair shone in the sun.
His sky-blue eyes were alight with determined strength.
Feeling the full force of his support, she looked up at the battlements expectantly.
“Make yerselves known,” shouted one of the guards, peering down from above.
Jo took a deep breath. “I am yer lady!”
The man’s eyes narrowed on her the instant before they flashed wide. “Lady Josselyn!”
The warriors along the wall gathered close, gaping down at her.
“Is it truly our lady?”
“Can it be?”
“Open the gates!”
As the portcullis started to rise, Ian squeezed her hand. “Thane is unlikely to surrender to yer authority but know that I will protect ye and yer people from his treachery.”
She thrust her shoulders back, her head held high. “I’m not afraid.”
She’d been tested time and again, and she’d survived.
Her struggles had only made her stronger.
And beside her stood a good man with limitless courage.
Her father would have respected her choice in a mate, despite the humbleness of his birth, because of the merits of his heart and mind.
And she did not doubt that her people would embrace Ian’s goodness.
And together, they would heal her clan and bring Thane to task.
A tremor of excitement shot through her, and her breath hitched. “I love ye, Ian.”
A sensual smile curved his lips. “And I ye.” He leaned down and kissed her, his lips soft and tender.
A moment later, the outer guard, a band of half a dozen men, passed through the gate. Motioning for the others to stay back, one man broke away from the group and approached her. The moment she saw his rugged features and creased brown eyes, a surge of emotion rushed up her throat.
“Captain William!”
Brows drawn, he hurried to her and dropped to his knees. “Lady Josselyn.” He looked up at her, the struggle and uncertainty of the last two years painfully etched on his face. “We’ve searched everywhere for ye...We thought ye were lost or...dead.”
She leaned over and wrapped her arms around the captain’s neck. “I’m all right.”
He stood, hugging her close. “All is not lost!” Her feet lifted off the ground. He spun her once around before setting her feet back down. “What of yer mother?” he said, his voice low.
Her chest tightened. She shook her head in answer.
He inhaled sharply, his nostrils flaring, as he closed his eyes against the ill tidings. “May she rest in peace,” he murmured.
She squeezed his hand.
“I had hoped...” The captain’s words trailed off, but he cleared his throat. “Now is not the time for sorrow.” His face brightened. “Before we grieve, we must rejoice!”
Smiling, Jo stepped back and took Ian’s hand. “Captain William, this man is my husband, Ian MacVie.”
William’s eyes widened. “Husband?” Then he dropped to one knee. “’Tis an honor.”
Ian rubbed the back of his neck, his ears turning red. “Ye needn’t kneel.” He clasped William’s arm and pulled him to his feet. “I am a man of action, no different than ye or any other warrior.”
The captain smiled. “Welcome to Toonan, my laird.”
“Laird?” Ian blurted, flashing Jo a questioning look.
“Ye’re my husband.” She winked at him. “Ye’ll get used to the title.”
“With yer permission, my lady,” the captain began, “I would like to give ye an entrance into the courtyard worthy of the moment.”
“Of course,” Jo said calmly, although her stomach fluttered as she looked at the men over the captain’s shoulder, smiling at her and speaking together in low voices.
The captain put his hands on her waist before he looked to Ian. “Do ye object?”
Ian held up his hands. “She is her own mistress. Ye already have all the permission ye need.”
The captain smiled and met her gaze. “Are ye ready?”
She nodded, then squealed as he lifted her high in the air and settled her on his shoulder.
The men nearby cheered and led the way through the gate into the baily, where a crowd of her kinfolk had already begun to gather.
“Our lady has returned,” the captain shouted.
The crowd erupted into a frenzy of cheers. Her gaze darted in every direction, spying familiar faces beaming up at her, and the moment her feet hit the ground she was surrounded by her people. Tears streaming, she embraced those whom she’d not seen for so very long.
“Ruby!” Jo’s heart soared as she spied her dear friend pushing through the throng to reach her.
“My lady!” Ruby sobbed and threw her arms around Jo’s neck.
Jo clung to her. She tried to speak but her voice was choked by tears. Finally, she blurted, “Ye’ve no idea how much I missed ye!”
“I thought I would never see you again,” Ruby cried. “I thought ye were dead, we all did!” She jerked away, her face flushed with emotion. “Oh, my lady, wait until Thane finds out ye’ve returned!”
Jo’s heart sank. She stumbled back, pressing her hand to her chest. For the briefest of moments, surrounded by her beloved kinfolk...
she’d forgotten the steward’s treachery.
It came back in a rush that stole her breath and made her legs quake.
“Ian!” Faces swam in front of her eyes. She clutched Ruby, scanning the crowd.
Never had she been so happy for her husband’s great height.
Pulling Ruby behind her, she made her way through the sea of well-wishers, greeting and hugging her way to Ian, who was in deep conversation with William.
Noting the serious expressions on both their faces, she knew they were already discussing Thane.
At her approach, Ian took her hand and pulled her close. “Thane has left with a band of men.”
Her eyes flashed wide. “Where has he gone?”
Captain William drew closer. “He claimed to know who betrayed yer father.”
A sick feeling twisted her stomach. “Who has he accused?”
“Abbot Matthew of Haddington Abbey.”
She sucked in a sharp breath and turned, meeting Ian’s gaze. “But...how...”
Ian expelled a long breath. “I have spoken to William at length, and I believe Thane hopes to regain favor with Baron Wharncliffe by handing over the leader of the Scottish rebellion.”
William nodded. “I knew something was the matter when Thane told me to gather my men. He barely looked me in the eye. And one moment he was muttering something about striking another deal, and then the next, he was shouting about the corruption of the Church and bringing the traitor to heel.”
Heart pounding, she seized Ian’s hand and started to pull him toward the gate. “This is all my fault. I’m the one who mentioned the abbot’s name to him. We must ride!” She looked to the captain. “Assemble our warriors!”
“Wait,” Ian said, calmly. “We mustn’t be rash. Thane left here with at least ten men.”
“We’ve other warriors,” she urged him. “We must ride before he gets too far ahead.”
“Ye don’t want to pit yer people against each other, Fergusson fighting Fergusson.”
“But surely, they will heed me, and take my word over Thane’s. The fighting will be over before it starts.”
“He has been their leader for more than two years now, my lady,” William warned. “’Tis too risky to attack without jeopardizing innocent lives.”
“Also, ye need yer warriors here to defend the keep, just in case I’m wrong and Thane tries to return,” Ian added.
Captain William dropped to one knee in front of her. “My lady, he will never pass through the gates of Toonan again, this I vow!”
Jo took a deep breath and met Ian’s gaze. “What are we going to do?”
“We ride north and find Ramsay and the other rebels.”
“But what about the Abbot?”
“The abbey has no defenses. He’s as good as taken, but Thane will not hurt him. He’s too valuable.” A hard glint entered Ian’s eyes, the gentle giant, once more, yielding to the fierce warrior. “To save the abbot, we must call upon the Saints.”
A shiver shot up her spine. “Who are the Saints?”
A sideways smile curved his lips. “I’ll explain as we ride.”