She felt like screaming with frustration. Damn it, damn it, damn it! She wasnotgoing to give in!
The one ray of light in this whole horrible mess had come that afternoon. She’d been forced to sit with Rodric in the great hall whilst he entertained Rory—forced to play happy families even though it turned her stomach—and she’d been feelingfrightened and hopeless when out of nowhere Deryn Stewart had walked in.
Her heart had soared at the sight of him, the fear had receded, and instead she’d felt a huge welling of...something. She’d known him for what? A few hours? And yet there was something about him that lifted the despair and filled her with hope.
But that too, had ended in disappointment. He’d come to see if she was okay after their ordeal together yesterday and as he’d wished her well in her new life, Maddy had desperately tried to tell him what was really going on and that she was desperate for help.
But then he’d walked out and the last of her hopes had turned to ash.
She was alone. There was nobody here who would help her. If she wanted to escape—and shewouldescape, damn it!—she was going to have to do it on her own.
There was a market going on outside the castle walls. She could hear the hustle and bustle, the bartering and the bickering, even though she’d not been allowed out to go and join them. But it meant that there was lots of coming and going, lots of crowds that she might be able to lose herself in. If she could only shake off her guards.
She stood and began walking across the courtyard towards Rory. Suddenly she made a great show of twisting her ankle and went down with a cry. She grabbed her ankle and moaned in pain.
“Mama?” Rory said, jumping off the standing stone he’d been climbing, and coming over to her. “What’s wrong?”
“My ankle!” she cried. “I think I’ve sprained it!”
The noise alerted the guards. One of them came ambling over and looked down at her, one hand resting on the pommel of the dagger hanging at his hip. “My lady?”
“Agh!” She wailed. “I need a doctor! I’ve sprained my ankle!”
Just as she’d hoped, the guard leaned down for a closer look. Quick as a flash, Maddy grabbed the dagger out of the man’s scabbard then kicked him between the legs as hard as she could. He went down as though he’d been shot, rolling around in a ball.
Maddy grabbed Rory and pushed him behind her just as the other guard came hurtling over. She brandished the dagger at him.
“Don’t come any closer!”
This was as far as her plan went. She had no idea what to do next. The second guard seemed to realize this as he gave a wide grin.
“Gonna stick me with that are ye, my lady?” he asked. “I dinna think so. Please, put it down and dinna let yerself get hysterical.”
The condescension in his tone made her want to throttle him. “Come any closer and I’ll show you just how hysterical I can be!”
The guard reached out to grab her arm. She slashed with the dagger, but he evaded it easily, knocked the weapon from her hand, and then twisted her arm up behind her back, pulling her close against him and whispering in her ear. “Now that was a stupid thing to do, my lady. Laird MacKay willnae be pleased when he hears of this. I’m sure he’ll think of a fitting punishment.”
“Let me go, you bastard!” she yelled.
“Let her go!” Rory cried. He pummeled his little fists against the man’s legs but the man only grinned. “Play time’s over. Back inside for both of ye.”
He began dragging Maddy towards the garden gate. She tried to fight but the way her arm was twisted up her back made it next to impossible. She hated being helpless. It was not a sensation she was used to. It filled her with rage and fear inequal measure. She saw the gate drawing ever closer, like a dark mouth that would swallow her up.
No, she thought desperately.No. Help me someone, please.
There was a sudden grunt behind her and the guard’s grip vanished. She spun and saw the guard slumped on the ground, eyes rolled back in his head, clearly unconscious.
Another man was standing a few paces away, staring at Maddy with a concerned look on his face.
It was Deryn Stewart.
“Are ye all right?” he asked her. “Did he hurt ye?”
She was too shocked to speak and just opened and closed her mouth a few times. “What?” she managed at last. “What are you doing here?”
He stepped closer and took hold of her forearms. His skin was warm, his hands calloused. “I need ye to answer a question, lass,” he said, his voice low and urgent. “And I need ye to answer me honestly without fear of reprisal. Are ye safe here? Is marrying Rodric MacKay yer choice?”
She felt tears welling in her eyes and gulped to stop them falling. She would not cry! “No,” she said, shaking her head. “Oh heck, no! Why would I want to marry that bastard?”
