Bride of the Solway (31 page)

The butler made to leave.

'A moment,' Ross said. 'Tell Fraser to lay out my clothes. I shall be upstairs in a few minutes.'

The man bowed and withdrew.

'It has taken your man long enough to get here, Graham. I hope you will upbraid him suitably.'

'That will depend, sir. He had much to dispose of, along the way. He was left with the carriage and horses and the various valises. It will be interesting to learn how he dealt with all of those. And with James Elliott's men, too.'

'They were probably too busy trying to haul their master's body out of the quicksand to bother too much about a mere servant. It would have been different if they had been able to lay hands on you, or Cassie, of course.'

'
Mmm
. I'm sure you are right, sir. Now, if you will excuse me, I shall go upstairs and discover for myself what Fraser has been doing for the last two days.'

'Fraser! At last! I had almost given you up. What took you so long? And where have you left Morag? Miss Elliott needs her.'

Fraser turned back from laying out the clothes he was removing from Ross's valise. They looked much in need of pressing. 'Well, sir, I doubt I could have got here any quicker. Not without shooting those beggars from
Langrigg
so's
I could come across by the ford. Or drowning Morag in the Solway. She's a stubborn woman, is Morag, just like her
mistr
—'

Ross tried not to smile. 'It is not your place to
criticise
your betters, Fraser,' he said, trying to sound stern. It did not work.

'No, sir,' Fraser replied with a grin that said everything. He would continue to
criticise
his betters—in private at least—as he always had. Ross would be the only one to hear it. And Ross might well be the butt of it himself.

'I am just laying out your things, sir. They will need sponging and pressing, but you should be presentable by dinner time. How is the mistress? Er...Miss Cassie, I mean?'

'Not good.'

'Oh, dear. What—?'

'Never mind that now. Miss Elliott is safe here. Tell me. Where is Morag? What happened with Elliott and his men? Is Hera sound? What did you do with Elliott's carriage?'

'One thing at a time, sir. One thing at a time.' He began to fold Ross's small clothes, ready to put away. 'I left Morag at the inn at
Longtown
. It didn't seem sensible to bring her all this way, seeing as I didn't know for sure that you and the mistress was actually here. Besides, she's the devil of a woman when it comes to horses. And by that time, there was only the two of us and the two riding horses. I left the carriage at Gretna. Didn't want to be taken for a horse thief by driving it across the border.'

'You brought Morag across the border on horseback?'

'Aye, sir. And a more difficult task I've rarely met with. She don't like horses. Nor they don't like her, neither. In the end, I took her up behind me, for Hera would have nothing to do with her.'

'What did you do with the bags? Your horse could not have carried two, and the valises as well.'

'I tied them across Hera's saddle.'

Ross burst out laughing. 'She will not have thanked you for that. Very much beneath her dignity to be used as a pack animal.'

'Aye, and so she told me when she tried to kick me in the cods. Didn't miss by much, I can tell you, sir.'

'You shouldn't have been surprised, Fraser. A high-born aristocrat like Hera does not take kindly to being used like a menial. Did she.. .er.. .get you at all?'

'No, sir.'

'Hmm.
Honours
even then.'

'Aye.'

'I shall obviously have to go and make my peace with her. I had better make sure I have an apple or a carrot in my pocket when I do. But, enough of that. What of your pursuers? Did they catch up with you?'

'Not precisely. James Elliott was well in advance of his men. He got close enough to see inside the carriage. He has—had—a fine raking grey with a remarkable turn of speed. It's a wonder he didn't catch us sooner.'

'How did he know Miss Elliott was not in the carriage? Morag was supposed to make that hamper look like a cowering body.'

'Aye and she tried well enough. But the moment Elliott saw that you were not in the carriage, he knew that Miss Cassie could not be there either.'

Ross swore. Yes, of course he would!

'Elliott didn't even attempt to stop us. He just turned tail and raced back to Annan. I thought he might send one of his men after us, but he didn't.'

'No. He wouldn't. He needed every man to pursue us across the Solway.' 'But he couldn't get all the way across. The tide would have been coming in.'

'It was. But he had horses and we were on foot. He did get across and not so far behind us. If we hadn't happened on a place of concealment... Well, I won't think of that. We did find a place. And James Elliott did not discover us. He tried, though. He even sent his men back ahead of him, to escape the advancing tide. I presume they all got back safely, those ruffians?'

'Aye, sir.'

'You saw them?'

'No, sir. I would have been wrestling with Morag and Hera by then. But news travels fast. Everyone on the Scottish side of the Solway seemed to know how you had escaped. The news was all around, before nightfall. Even Elliott's accident.'

'Indeed? It's a wonder that the
rumours
have not yet reached
Whitemoss
, then. As far as Sir Angus is aware, we crossed in the early morning, not the evening. I would not have it noised abroad, Fraser, that Miss Elliott spent a night alone in my company.' He raised his eyebrows.

Fraser looked somewhat pained. 'You know you can rely on me, sir.'

'Yes, I do, Fraser. I
apologise
. I was not thinking. My concern for Miss Elliott's reputation made me forget just how discreet you are.'

Fraser nodded, mollified.

'It's too late to send you back to
Longtown
tonight, but I should like you to go to fetch Morag at first light tomorrow. I'm sure Sir Angus will lend me his carriage for the journey. He knows how much Morag's presence will reassure her mistress.'

'Is it wise to send me off, sir? Don't you need me here to help protect Miss Cassie? If her brother should come, he might—'

'But her brother is dead, Fraser, drowned in the Solway. You said you knew.'

Fraser shook his head. 'That's not how I heard it, sir. James Elliott was caught by the Solway tide, right enough, and his horse was swallowed in the quicksand. But the man himself survived. Those men of his may be the scum of the earth, but they're loyal. And they understand the quicksands. They pulled him out.'

'Oh, God! Cassie! He'll come for her!'

'That's what I was trying to tell you, sir. Elliott will be recovered enough now. He was only half-drowned,
more's
the pity. He'll be here any day. We need to protect Miss Cassie—'

Ross barely heard the last part of Fraser's impassioned speech. He was already throwing open the door and dashing down the corridor to the staircase.

Cassie! Where was she? He had last seen her going out into the knot garden. She would be safe enough there, surely? Even Elliott would not dare to attack her so near the house. But it was at least an hour, maybe two, since she had gone out. She might be anywhere by now.

He took the stairs three at a time and almost collided with the butler in the hall. 'Tell your master Elliott is still alive!' he shouted, pushing the man out of the way and racing for the garden door. A quick glance round told him that Cassie was no longer in the knot garden. He ran through it and out into the wood beyond. If Elliott had found her here...

It did not bear thinking about.

'Cassie!' he yelled at the top of his voice. 'Cassie! Where are you? Cassie!' There was no response.

Ross saw that Sir Angus was scuttling along the path towards him. The butler and a number of male servants were following.

Ross ignored Sir Angus's questions and simply took charge of the men. 'Spread out through the woods and search for Miss Elliott. She may be anywhere. It is imperative that we find her.' He told the men off in various directions. 'If you see any signs of intruders, come back at once and report to me.'

'Captain Graham! Sir!' Sir Angus was now insisting on being heard. 'What on earth is going on? My man gave me some incredible story about Elliott. Did he not drown after all?'

Ross shook his head impatiently. He needed to join the search. He needed to find Cassie. 'According to my man, Fraser, Elliott did not drown. He was rescued at the last moment. It will have been an ordeal, of course, and it must have taken him time to recover. But he has had two days now. I fear.. .I fear very much that he has taken Cassie.'

Sir Angus swayed on his feet. 'Oh, no. Not again,' he muttered weakly.

'I beg your pardon, sir?'

'Don't you see? Cassie's father took Elizabeth from my brother. Both of them died. Now James Elliott has taken Cassie from you.' He shook his head hopelessly.

'Don't give up so easily, sir. If he has her—and I cannot leave until I know for sure—I promise you that I will get her back.' With that, he started off down the path in to the wood. The remainder of Ross's vow was unspoken, but recognised by both.

I will get her back. Or die in the attempt.

'We could do with Captain
Rosevale's
cool head for this. And Sergeant Ramsey, too. With four of us, we'd be sure of success.'

'We'll just have to do the best we can, Fraser. We have two men, two horses, and four pistols. That should suffice. After all, we are soldiers, and they are only hirelings.'

Fraser looked sideways at his master and clamped his mouth tight shut.

'Now, do you have everything we need?'

'Aye, sir.'

'Good. Then let us be off. Sir Angus says we should catch the last of the ebb tide if we take the road to
Bowness
at the gallop. We may catch them on this side, if luck is with us. Our horses are fresh. Theirs cannot be, surely?'

'No, sir.' Fraser swung himself up into the saddle and was soon trotting off down the drive.

Ross ran a gloved hand down Hera's glossy neck. 'You've been much maligned of late, my beauty,' he murmured, 'I promise to make it up to you. But, for now, I need you to fly like the wind. Don't let me down, Hera.'

The mare whinnied, as if she understood, and danced around impatiently. It seemed that she could not wait to be off.

Ross mounted swiftly and gathered the reins. 'One beautiful lady after another,' he said aloud. It was almost a challenge to any fates who might be listening. 'And I swear that both shall recover their rightful place.'

Cassie bit and kicked and scratched and clawed. It was no use. James was so much bigger and stronger that he overcame her in the end. With help from the ever-present Tarn. And from James's riding cloak which imprisoned her limbs and muffled her cries.

The two men hauled her through the woods to where they had left their horses. One of them was Lucifer! Cassie could hardly believe it.

'Get her mounted, Tarn. But make sure you gag her. I'll no' have her shrieking like a wild thing.'

Tarn
produced a
cleanish
handkerchief to tie round Cassie's mouth. But he did not gag her at once. Nor did he tie her hands. Did that mean she might have a chance to escape?

'Your hands will be left free so you can control your horse, Cassie. The gag you may remove when we are well away from this damned estate. I'll tell you when. It will be well before we are likely to meet anyone who might remark on the state of you. Your reputation shall be preserved, even here in England.'

Cassie's eyes widened. Perhaps—?

'Be warned, my girl. If you try any tricks, you'll be bound hand and foot and thrown over my saddle bow. And I will shoot that vicious horse of yours.' A slow smile spread across his dark face. 'Yes, I would enjoy doing that.'

That smile sent a shiver through Cassie's heart. Given the slightest excuse, James would murder her beloved horse. She knew it was no idle threat. 'I will accompany you back to
Langrigg
,' she said quietly.