A Highlander In Peril (Gunn Guardsman) (27 page)

“Your Grace, I was told Armstrong left the keep, my lord, earlier. The gatekeeper said he saw him leave soon after the Gunns entered.”

“Damnation! I bid the gatekeeper to hold him here,” the king shouted. “Have him found and returned. Send men after him immediately.”

“I must go.” Sean didn’t wait to be dismissed. He hastened to the exit and the rest of the Gunns followed. He said nothing to anyone, and quickly reached the stables where he and his men’s horses awaited.

“Do you deem he’s on his way to hurt Frances?” Grey asked.

“Aye, where else would he go? We have to hurry, he’s not that far ahead of us.”

“We might be able to catch him,” James said.

“I sure as hell hope so.” Sean mounted his horse and rode toward the gate. All his fears came to fruition as he sat there awaiting the rising of the gate. Frances’ life was in jeopardy.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

As the day wore on, Frances busied herself with household chores and spent time with Ermintrude. Her daughter was pleased that Alvin had come to the keep. She was gladdened too, and Alvin appeared to like living there. Ermintrude seemed to like having a big brother around. When Sean suggested he stay with them, she fell in love with him even more so.

At first, Alvin wasn’t keen to the idea, but said he was willing to give it a try. Frances gave him a chamber on the first floor, near the back exit of the keep where it was more private. Alvin kept to himself until Sean bid him to attend their nightly suppers. After that first night, she saw him more and more in the main hall and around the castle.

She sat next to Ermintrude, who petted her cat, and her daughter asked Alvin to read her another story from the bound book. With her daughter entertained, she left her to Alvin’s good care and that of Lillia, her new nursemaid.

Frances grew nervous and worrisome the more the day drug on. It lasted forever, and she was wont to have it over. Sean likely would not return until the morrow or mayhap the day after. She hoped he’d at least send word as to the happenings. Frances couldn’t wait to hear the news.

After pacing a good ten minutes, she decided to get some air. She took the steps and found herself standing by the barbican door, and opened it. Before she’d step outside, she returned to her chamber to don a heavy cloak. She pulled it around her and clasped it at the neck.

Frances returned to the hallway and went through the door to the crenellation wall. Standing there, she watched the field far from above, where snow covered the hills as the sun did little to melt what lie there.

Winter’s fierce chill lent the air with a crispness. Her breath clouded and she pulled her cloak around her.

The door suddenly closed with a bang and she turned to it. The wind must’ve blown it closed for there was a strong gale along the wall. No one was there, and so she turned back to the view. It was beautiful the way the setting sun played on the snowy field.

As much as she hoped to see Sean riding the field on his way home, it was vacant. Frances was caught up in the scenery and didn’t hear the man approach until he grabbed her and pulled her back against him.

She let out a surprised gasp and turned to see Adam Armstrong holding her forcibly.

“What are you doing here? Release me,” she said in an icy tone.

“You know well right why I’m here. Did your husband kill Jacob? Did he?” He squeezed her hard against him.

“I do not know. I suppose, but he didn’t speak of it.” Frances gripped his forearm to keep him from pressing too hard against her stomach. He was hurting her, but she wouldn’t let on that he was.

“Nay?
Do you know how long I’ve waited for you? Two years I courted you, and like all the others, you rejected me.”

She didn’t respond, and knew well enough to keep quiet. The man was deranged. He pulled her away from the wall and leaned against the stone, his breath harsh in her ear.

“If you’d accepted me, I wouldn’t have to do this.”

“What? Do what?” An edge of panic came and her breath rasped, causing streams of fog around them.

He tilted her chin back with a dagger, its sharp edge almost cutting her skin. Frances held as still as she could, but her eyes widened and she breathed softly so he wouldn’t cut her. Tears streaked her cheeks as they came freely.

“You knew I wanted you and yet you wed that barbarian from the north. Aye, you knew. You all knew. I tried to warn you by killing Winifred, but did you heed my warning?”

Frances couldn’t move and didn’t try to. Her heart ached hearing such foulness from him. She saw a glint from the field afar and hoped and prayed that Sean had come home. But from where she stood she couldn’t see well, and there was no way he’d return so soon. She was destined to die, for there’d be no help this time.

“Ah, Winifred.
She would’ve been a sweet diversion until I could have you. Then that maid, Sabine, aye she caught me inside the keep near your chamber. I had to do what I did else she would’ve given me up. You see, my love, what I have done for you? All for you?” His lips pressed against her ear, and the vigor of his breath heated her skin.

A lump the size of a hen’s egg formed in her throat. Frances gasped when he raised his forearm to rest beneath her breasts. With her back to his chest, he gripped her tightly, holding her in place. She thought of fighting him, but with the dagger pressed so against her, she’d be killed before she could strike.

“Ahhh, so lovely,” he said, petting her hair. “You were meant to be mine. I had to take Reina for she would’ve warned you about me. Aye, she knew it was me and had seen me in the woods with the maid.”

“Why…?” Frances couldn’t form words to ask the questions that wracked her. She regained a bit of gumption and said, “You could have any woman you wanted.”

Adam’s lips grazed her cheek, his breath foul with the odor of drink. “Ah but not you, my love. You’re too sweet for that highlander. I won’t let him have you. I vow Reina was a worthy bed partner, aye and fucked like a wild woman. Och she wasn’t you. I imagine you’ll be good bed sport, won’t you?” He shifted the dagger, scraping it on her skin. “The night I came for ye, your maid got in the way. It is just you and me now, my love. Alone at last.”

“We are not alone,” she uttered in a breathless whisper.

“Ah, but we are. Your husband is in Edinburgh on his fool’s errand. We’re finally together as I always knew we would be.” He gripped her face, pinching her cheeks, the dagger pressing her skin.

A creak sounded from the door, and Frances heard it as if it were as loud as someone chopping wood. Adam didn’t seem to hear it and she knew she had to distract him. If someone came to save her, she’d do what she could to assist.

“Aye, you and me,” she said, and stopped resisting him. Frances relaxed and ever so slowly he released his tight hold on her. His arm remained in place, but slackened.

“Tell me the truth,” he said, gliding a finger over her bottom lip. “You didn’t wish to wed that man.”

She shook her head, but would never speak such a false statement no matter what. Frances tried to get him to leave the wall so his back would be to the door. She twisted and tried to break free and he turned with her. Adam spied the wall and looked downward.

“For so long, my love, have I been courting you. Your first husband … Robert accepted his fate that day. Aye, he knew too that you would be mine. He did his best to protect
ye, but he was no challenge for me.”

“You killed Robert? Why?” She would keep him talking, and hoped someone would come soon. Her legs weakened, and she desperately wanted to be away from the monster. Nevertheless, she clung to him, keeping his attention on her.

“You didn’t love him. I knew. I saw the way you looked at him. He cared not a whit for you either. I rid you of the nuisance, my love. Do I not get a kiss for such a good deed?” He puckered his lips.

Frances wanted to toss her supper to the ground. He was vile and every wretched blasphemous name she’d ever heard came to mind.

At once, Adam was torn away from her, and Frances fell back against the low barrier. Her head was on the other side of the stone barrier, and when she turned, she saw the depth of the wall. She started spinning from the height and hastened away. When she reached the stone wall of the keep, she noticed Sean and all the Gunn guardsmen standing there.

Adam was held by his neck by Sean. Frances wanted to run to him and throw herself in his arms, but he looked fearsome. She slunk back and out of the way.

“You dare touch my wife?” Sean gripped him by the tunic and forced him back to the low barrier wall and then pushed him over. Adam’s feet dangled high above the expanse of the air below and his eyes widened with trepidation.

“Don’t throw me over, don’t. I beg
ye. Mercy.”

Sean fisted the material of his tunic and held him. Adam’s feet hit the wall and he tried to climb back inside the crenellation. But Sean wouldn’t let him and kept him out as far as his arms would reach.

“Mercy? I have none for the likes of you. Look at her. Look! She will never be yours. You will never hurt her.”

Adam’s voice became sorrowful, “I won’t, I vow. Just pull me back.”

“Where’d you put the lass, Reina? Tell me or I swear by God, I’ll drop you like a hot skewer.”

Adam huffed. “I … I left her by the loch, near her father’s land.”

None of the Gunn guardsmen spoke until then.

“Colm and I will go and find her, Sean,” James said, and they left the rampart.

Grey approached. “Just toss the bugger and be done with it. He’ll be dead by the time he reaches the ground. Why bloody our swords?”

“Nay, nay, I beseech
ye. Don’t. Anything but that.” Adam continued to try to gain the wall, but Sean shook him.

“Such a death would be too good for him,” Duff said. “Bring him over so I can thrust my dagger in the fiend’s heart. I don’t mind a wee bit of blood on my dagger.”

“Nay, I want to pierce the fucker with my sword,” Kenneth said. “Let me do the honors, Sean. He won’t be hurting any lassies any longer. That I vow.”

Sean pulled Adam inside the wall and tossed him to the stones. Frances swore he’d stomp on the man, but he remained still, his legs braced and his arms folded by his chest. He appeared formidable and fearsome.

She wanted to go to him, but kept by the wall, wary to intrude. Now she knew what James meant about when Sean was angered, for she’d never seen him so riled or frightening.

Adam slouched on the stones. He sniveled and wept, keeping his eyes averted.

Sean pulled his sword free and turned to his friends. “No one shall have this honor but me.” When he turned back to Adam, he’d gained his knees and was about to flee, but Sean thrust his thick sword, and it went clear through Adam’s stomach.

Frances turned away, for she wasn’t wont to see such a horrid thing as a man being killed. Even though she knew Adam deserved it, seeing a man dying was such a tormenting thing.

She heard the gnarled shout from Adam, and then opened her eyes to see the other Gunns move forward. Frances held her stomach and tried not to look.

Then she felt Sean take her in his arms. “Are you harmed? Did he injure you?”

“Nay, he didn’t. I’m well.” She hugged him in return, so happy he’d come. “I feared you wouldn’t return.”

“I knew he was coming to you and I never rode so fast in my life.”

“That we can attest to,” Grey said. “Fire was after his arse and I deem he practically killed his horse with wanting to get to you.”

Frances didn’t retort, because all she could do was look in her husband eyes. He’d calmed somewhat, but she caressed the tension in his arms. “I love you, Sean Gunn.”

He squeezed her close and grunted. “Come, let us inside. Duff, Kenneth, you’ll remove the rubbish?”

Kenneth leaned forward and grabbed at Adam’s garments. Before anyone moved in to assist him, he pitched Adam’s body over the crenellation. The
Gunns stood and looked over the wall, the only sound she heard was the wind.

“Done,” Kenneth said, and hastily swiped his hands as if attesting he was finished his task.

“Retrieve the remains and toss him off the same cliff as his brother was laid.” Sean put an arm around her back and led her inside.

Frances couldn’t stop shaking, and even as the warmth of their chamber penetrated, the images wouldn’t recede. “I never ever influenced him. I didn’t deem his affections ran that deep. He was deranged, wasn’t he?”

“I can’t blame him for loving you, Frances. His actions, aye, and he deserved to be killed. You do know that?”

“I do and I don’t fault you for killing him. I’m pleased to know Winifred, Sabine, Reina and Alice are vindicated. I do deem you were kinder than I would’ve been.”

“For that, Frances Gunn of Hume, I love you.”

She laughed.
“Only for that?”

“Mayhap a bit more than that.
Verily, I’ll never allow harm to come to you. Even if saving you sends me to the hereafter.” He kissed the side of her face. “You swear you’re unharmed. If he hurt one hair on your head …”

“Nay he didn’t. I hoped you would come and so I tried to keep him talking. He killed Robert.” Frances saddened at the thought that Robert died trying to protect her. She never would have expected that.

“I can’t say I’m displeased because if he hadn’t, you wouldn’t be mine and yet …”

“I shouldn’t feel such guilt, but I do. I hope Robert understands.”

Sean nudged her chin, and kissed her tenderly. “I’m sure he does.”

Ermintrude ran into their chamber and jumped upon the bedding. “Da, Da, Alvin made me a new story book. Aye, the one Momma
gaved me is filled.”

Frances took the small book Alvin made for her and sniffled. She tried to abate the tears that threatened to fall, but emotion still clogged her throat. “It’s lovely. Did you thank Alvin?”

“Aye. Da will you tell me a story of your adventures?”

“Aye, I’ll tell you of the
Selkie in our sea. It’s a wily creature and only a few have ever glimpsed it.” Sean took Ermintrude from the bed and hugged her. He appeared so different from the man out on the crenellation, who just held a man at death, from the man who took his sword and … Frances shook the image away.