The Lowlanders raced toward them with theirswords raised.
Tess watched in amazement as Colin’s mencame out of the shadows of the trees like men possessed. The firstvolley of arrows cut down the first line of Lowlanders, and therest soon felt the cutting edge of Macpherson steel.
Colin, with a quick glance at Tess, turnedmurderous eyes on the large man who was moving toward them.
“He is the one,” she managed to whisper,pushing herself upright. “He…killed my father.” She fought the fogblurring her vision and tried to focus on Colin as his swordclashed with the murderer’s. Sparks flew into the night as the twomen fought ferociously.
Leaning her weight on the tree, Tess forcedherself to her feet.Don’t let him get hurt. Please, God. Don’tlet any harm come to him.
Blow after blow, the ringing sound of steelfilled the glade, but then in horror she saw Colin trip. With hissword flashing upward in the torchlight, the Lowlander steppedforward to deliver the final blow. With all her strength, Tesspushed away from the tree and threw her weight against Burnett’sside. He stumbled forward and fell across Colin.
Tess watched the Lowlander’s body twistsharply when he hit the ground, and then lay still.
She blinked and looked over at Colin, whowas on one knee and covered with blood.
And then the world went black.
CHAPTER 19
From the magnificent view out the high window, Tessadmired the lush and fertile farm lands, the broad expanses offorest, the rocky upland moors surrounding the Border stronghold.She was in Roxburgh Castle, scarcely a two hour ride from Ninestaneand a place where Colin knew she would be safe. Roxburgh belongedto Ambrose Macpherson, his uncle, Colin told her. She looked up atthe clear blue sky and breathed in the fresh spring air.
“Are ye ready to take yer meal now?”
Tess turned and smiled at the housekeeperwho was ushering a servant with a tray of food into the room.
“Ina, you don’t need to be serving me likethis. I am well enough to come and take my meals with everyone elsein the Great Hall.”
“Well, Master Colin’s orders were for ye tofollow the abbot’s advice and stay in bed this week.” Thehousekeeper started arranging the food on a table near the window.“I let ye out of bed, but ye are weak and need to get yer strengthback before he returns.”
Before he returns.
She loved the sound of those words. In hermind she saw him, returning from Stichel where he’d taken LadyEvelyn.
Tess stared at the distant hill. DavidBurnett was dead. He had died when he’d fallen on Colin’s dagger.The same night, Ninestane Castle had come under siege by Colin andthe company of Macphersons that he’d gathered from Roxburgh Castle.With their leader dead, there had been little resistance. Butdealing with Evelyn had been more difficult. Tess’s mother hadbecome wild upon hearing the news. Crazed with grief, she wouldhave jumped from the tower to her death if Colin hadn’t physicallyrestrained her.
Scotland’s Council of Regents, in Berwickfor a meeting with English officials, had decided Evelyn’s fatethat same week. She was to be sent away where she could bring noharm to anyone and live out the rest of her life in solitude.Evelyn herself had chosen the convent at Stichel.
Tess had been recovering at Roxburgh throughall of this, and her mother refused to see her or talk to her. Astranger seemed to have inhabited Evelyn’s body since Burnett’smurder. She was a madwoman who claimed she’d never had eitherhusband or daughter. But she was at peace with the sentence she’dbeen given. She planned to grieve her dead lover for the rest ofher life.
“Now, ye don’t want to get me in troublewith that handsome lad now by falling ill again, do ye?”
Tess turned away from the window and smiled at thehousekeeper. “He is coming back today, isn’t he?”
“That is what I hear.” Ina started serving thefood.
“She is not giving you any trouble, is she?”
Colin’s voice made Tess cry out in joy. “Youare back!”
He opened his arms, and they met in themiddle of the room. He whirled her about and kissed her before shehad a chance to say another word. They had only seen each other infleeting moments this past week. And she couldn’t believe how muchshe had missed him.
It was a long time before Tess pulled out ofhis embrace. She looked around the room and found Ina had alreadyslipped out.
“Thank you…for everything.” She hugged himagain fiercely.
“Your mother seems comfortably settled inthe convent.”
“Thank you,” Tess whispered sadly. “This is one partof my life that I would like to forget. I don’t want to think backabout my mother’s deceit…about her hatefulness. I don’t think Iever want to come back to the Borders again.”
