AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“They will, sir, we can be sure if it.”
“And meanwhile… ah, here is Robbie to greet us.” Blair paused to hug the older man and smiled at his heartfelt welcome home. “‘Tis good to be back, Robbie. Is all well here?”
“Aye, Laird. All is quiet.”
“Good. And did my prisoner arrive all right?”
“Ye mean the borders lass? Aye, she’s been here this last sennight.”
“I’ll take a bite to eat, then I’d like you to bring her up to my solar. I daresay a week in our dungeons will have impressed upon her that I mean business, if such were needed.”
“Dungeon, sir? I wasnae aware ye expected her tae be in the dungeons.”
Blair halted mid-stride. “She’s a fucking prisoner, an enemy, seized in connection with the murder of my kin and likely to die for her crime. Where else would she be kept?”
“Er, well, ye see, Elspeth—”
“Elspeth?” Blair growled the servant’s name. “How in the name of God does my cook come into this? At what stage did I appoint Elspeth Brodie custodian of my prisoners?”
“Now, Laird, ye know how she can be. It’s not easy to gainsay our Elspeth.”
“Butmyorders can be disregarded at will? Is that it?” Blair rounded on the hapless captain of his guards. “Am I not The McGregor? Am I not master here?”
“Aye, but—”
“Where is she then? If not safely ensconced in chains in my fucking dungeon, where may I ask has this English wench been housed?”
“In the guest chamber, sir. The one leading off your solar. Elspeth thought—”
“Elspeth thought? It seems to me that Elspeth thinks, and presumes, far too much.” He raked his fingers through his hair, dragging the inky black strands back from his forehead. “I want food, then have the girl brought before me. She shall soon be set straight as to her status here. Guest chamber indeed.” He stalked off into the keep, his temper barely in check as he took the stairs leading to his private quarters. Once there he glared at the door to the small guest chamber and seriously contemplated kicking it off its hinges. He might have succumbed to the temptation but for the timely intervention of the female he had placed second on the list of women with whom he had scores to settle.
Elspeth entered the room without knocking, bearing a tray of cold meats, bread, and various cheeses. One of her bevy of kitchen wenches followed bearing a jug of ale, and a panting lad dragged a large wooden bathtub across the floor.
“‘Tis good tae see ye home, sir. I have food here, and ale, and I shall have water brought up that ye may bathe.” She addressed him with a wide smile as though nothing at all was amiss. One would think for all the world that this infernal woman had not taken advantage of his absence to tuck up his despised enemy in the guest quarters next to his own. What on earth had possessed her?
“Put the food and drink down. I’ll bathe later. For now I’ll be knowin’ what ye’re thinkin’ of, setting up that treacherous English wench in my solar? Were my instructions nae sufficiently clear?”
“I wasnae aware of any instructions, sir. I merely acted as I believed to be right. The lass has been ill-used.”
“Has she? Has she indeed? Well, I daresay she shall feel somewhat more beset by the time I am done with her.”
“Ye should hear her side of it afore ye take any action, Blair. There be more tae this tale than meets the eye. That lass is as much a victim of her brother as the rest of ‘em.”
He considered taking issue with his servant’s use of his given name but decided to let that go on this occasion. He was not about to be deflected from the matter at hand. “I hardly think so. If she was, then she would also be lying dead, buried with the rest beneath the good green earth.”
“If it were up tae her brother then I daresay she would be. He beat the poor lass near enough senseless, did ye ken that?”
Blair paused as he reached for the ale jug. “He did what? Why?”
“Ye need tae be askin’ her that. Shall I fetch the wee lassie in now?”
He poured himself a mug of the frothy ale and drank deeply, as much to allow himself a moment to collect his thoughts as to quench his thirst. “Thank you, but I daresay I can manage to locate the wench. You may leave, Elspeth.”
“Now, Blair, I—”
“Elspeth, please be so good as to close the door on your way out.” He fixed her with a stony glare, and thankfully that was sufficient incentive to convince the meddling cook that he meant what he said. She bobbed him a quick curtsy and scuttled from the room, though she omitted to close the door.
Bloody woman!He slammed it shut himself, then stalked across the room to the door leading to the small guest chamber wherein Lady Roselyn, sister to the Earl of Ingram, awaited his pleasure.
