Highland Challenge (Highland Generations Book 1) Page 15

  Mareal squared her shoulders and inclined her chin. “This is na a cordial visit, Kayden. I came because you demanded it, and what transpires is between you and I and no one else.” She scowled at his companion, but when he did not leave, she returned her attention to her cousin. “Where is Elise?” Mareal asked. “See her escorted back to MacCurtry Castle. I want your assurance she will be unharmed, and you may do with me as you wish.”

  “As spirited and outspoken as ever, I see,” Kayden spat. “Something I have oft thought needed to be rectified.” He turned to the man standing beside him. “Come and meet your bride, Clive.”

  Mareal swallowed hard against the rising lump in her throat, but managed to speak. “Bride? What nonsense are you spouting, Kayden? Where is Elise? I insist you bring her to me at once.”

  “Silence! I give the orders here, na you.” Kayden’s face contorted with anger, and his neck veins bulged as he stomped in her direction with his fists balled. “Sound off like that again and I will see your friend has her throat slit from ear to ear and her entrails are fed to the dogs.” He pinched her chin between his fingers and thumb. “Open your mouth, so he can see your teeth.”

  Humiliated, Mareal stood her ground, refusing to obey.

  Clive moved closer, affording Mareal a better look at the short, portly man, of about two score. While Kayden offered no formal introduction, one was not necessary. She had never met him in person before now, but she’d heard a description of Clive Billingsworth bandied about the keep. She recalled her father speaking of his diabolical nature on many occasions, and he proved to be as unattractive and revolting as she’d imagined.

  “Your description was accurate, my friend. She is a comely lass, but she does need breaking.” The man ogled her the way he would appraise a brood mare at auction, then cast a lascivious smirk in Kayden’s direction. “Not much meat on her bones to hold on to when I pummel into her, but she will warm my bed nicely.”

  “I am glad you approve,” Kayden said. “Her tongue wags far more than it should, but it is naught that a good lashing or two willna tame.”

  “There are other things I have planned for that mouth and talking is not one of them.” Clive fondled his groin as he thrust his hips in a lurid manner. “I will send for the clergyman in the morn.”

  “There is no need to wait for a priest,” Kayden replied. “Claim her tonight and see to the nuptials if, or when it suits you. Regardless, I dinna intend to go back on my promise. And expect you to honor yours to me. The support of your army for as long as it takes for me to regain my rightful place as laird of Clan MacCurtry.”

  “I am a man of my word,” Clive said. “Did I na provide the means by which you could poison your uncle and set up this takeover?” Clive puffed out his chest, an aggrandizing smirk crossing his lips. “Had the man you sent to MacCurtry Castle to pose as a kitchen servant not seen that his food was tainted daily, you would not have succeeded, and he would still be alive.”

  “Aye, it is amazing what a man will do when the lives of his wife and bairns are in jeopardy, but you also stood to gain from my uncle’s death,” Kayden hissed.

  “True, when we first discussed our agreement, a substantial amount of land and coin were part of the deal. But you never mentioned involving another powerful clan like the Frasers in the scheme. Killing Andrew Fraser, will bring their wrath down upon my head, so I will expect something more in return.”

  “The Frasers are no match for your army and what will soon be mine when I take my seat as laird of MacCurtry Castle,” Kayden countered. “We will squash them like ants beneath our feet if they dare to retaliate. We also possess something they consider valuable, and I am sure they willna risk losing it too.”

  Mareal gasped at the unfathomable conversation going on in her presence. While she remained uncertain, she suspected Elise was the valuable item to which her cousin referred, and his comments about her value with which to barter, confirmed that he had no intention of letting her go.

  You soulless Bastard! She struggled to keep a sudden deluge of tears at bay and to hold her tongue. Her father’s unexplained illness, and the inability of the healer to save his life now made sense. While not directly by his own hand, Kayden orchestrated the murder of her father so he could take his place as chieftain. He was an evil twisted scoundrel, and it sickened her to think he would stoop so low, and obviously felt no remorse for his sins or for what he was about to do.

  As for Billingsworth, if Kayden thought for one minute, she was going to marry that disgusting swine, he could think again. She would rather die than let him touch her.

  Driven by hate and jealousy, it didn’t surprise her to learn that Kayden planned to lure Andrew here so he could kill him. She wished there was a way to warn him off, but given her current situation, there was nothing she could do.

  Although tempted to speak her mind and tell her cousin exactly what she thought of him and his dastardly actions, she remained silent. Right now, she needed to protect Elise and not rile Kayden into harming her.

  “In your missive, you promised if I surrendered myself, you would let Elise go. It was me you sent your men to take, na her.” She tried to control the tremor of anger in her voice, but the more she learned about the despicable things her cousin was capable of, the harder it became. When Kayden laughed in response to her remark, his evil cackle cut through her like a dagger. “You gave me your word. Keeping Elise serves you no purpose,” she stammered.

  “I beg to differ with you. Having her here serves me well, and I have no intention of letting her go. You are a fool to think I would.” Kayden tapped his brow and appeared deep in thought before he spoke again. “Obviously, Andrew isna aware of my offer to exchange one chit for the other, or you wouldna be here alone. Which means he wasna at the castle when the messenger arrived, and is likely on his way here as we speak. Good thing we are more than ready for him.” He gestured at the large army of men assembled in the bailey, then at the archers and pots of boiling pine tar sitting in ready atop the curtain wall.

  “I should have known your word meant naught,” she spat.

  “Aye, you should. But with your soft heart and pathetic need to do the noble thing, I knew you would come. Even if Andrew refused,” Kayden snickered.

  “When we were bairns, I oft felt sorry for you and hoped someday the good in you would overshadow the evil, but Father was right when he banished you from the castle. You are a ruthless blackguard, and a disgrace to our family name.” The words spilled from her lips and she didn’t regret any of them. She’d have continued, but Kayden grabbed her wrist and squeezed until she whimpered in pain, then retaliated for the remark with a backhanded slap.

  “I should cut out your tongue and kill you, but I promised Clive a bride and am na finished with you yet.” Kayden called for one of the guards to return, and when he did, shoved her in his direction, causing her to stumble and fall to her knees. “Get her out of my sight afore I do something I will regret. Put her in the tower with the other one.”

  The guard dragged Mareal to her feet, then into the castle, and down a long dark corridor. She considered fighting him, but she came here to find Elise, and by going with him willingly, she hoped to accomplish her goal. How they would escape, she had yet to figure out.

  They climbed the stairs of what she assumed was the north tower, and when they reached the top, another guard greeted them.

  “What have we here?” The sentry lumbered forward, blocking their way.

  “Lady Mareal MacCurtry,” her escort said. “His lordship’s cousin is to be kept in there until he sends for her.” He pointed to a large oak door.

  “Has he decided what to do with the other one yet?” the sentry asked, then promptly slid a key into the lock.

  “She stays in there too. Kayden intends to use her as bait,” her escort replied. “Rumors being discussed about the keep are that once he has captured and killed Andrew Fraser, he plans to give her to the men, to do with as we wish.”

 
; “Something I will look forward to.” The sentry closed his eyes and groaned aloud. “It has been a while since we had a virgin to rut with and ravage tossed our way. I am sure it will be every man for himself, so mayhap, we could make certain we are the first.” He wiggled a brow and gestured toward the room. “If you know what I mean.”

  “What I heard has na yet been confirmed by his lordship. If you value your cock and your life, I wouldna get any ideas about defiling her without Lord Kayden’s say so. Watch the door and we will assume our positions at the foot of the stairs,” her escort said, then shoved Mareal into the room and slammed the door behind her.

  After taking a minute to clear her mind of the horrible picture elicited by the guards’ lecherous comments, she offered up a quick prayer of thanks—relieved that Kayden decided to hold them both in the same place. After vowing no one would touch or harm her friend if she could do anything in her power to prevent it, she moved away from the door. “Elise? It is Mareal.”

  “Och, what are you doing here?” Elise rushed to Mareal’s side and threw her arms around her neck, sobbing. “I know Kayden sent word to Andrew about my abduction, but I canna believe he allowed you to risk your safety like this.”

  “He doesna know about the missive, or my coming here.” Mareal eased out of her embrace. “But I am na concerned about me. What of you? Did Kayden harm you?” She noticed a bluish discoloration on the left side of Elise’s face, a small cut on her lower lip, and a rip in her gown. “Did he do this?” She gently touched Elise’s cheek.

  Elise dragged the back of her hand across her eyes, then lifted her chin. “He isna a gentle man, but aside from a few bruises, I am fine. He threatened to slit my throat if I dinna do as he ordered. After what I witnessed upon my arrival and given the menacing look in his eyes when he scowled at me, I believed he would make good on his threat if given a reason to do so.”

  “You were right to be concerned. Kayden doesna make idle threats,” Mareal said. “Aside from having you abducted and treating you roughly, what else did he do?” She prayed no one had violated her.

  “When he learned the man sent to MacCurtry Castle took me and na you, Kayden was furious and ran him through.” Elise hugged herself and lowered her gaze. “It was horrible. He never gave him a chance to explain afore he killed him. There was so much blood.”

  Visibly shaken by the ordeal, Elise was unable to hide the tremor of emotion in her voice and her hands were trembling as she spoke. Wishing there was something she could do to ease her fear, Mareal trapped Elise’s fingers between her own and gave them a squeeze. “I am so sorry this has happened, and you were forced to endure this deplorable place and Kayden’s wrath. But did he—”

  “Defile me?” Elise whispered. “Nay, thank the Lord. You have naught to apologize for. This is na your fault, Mareal.”

  “After Kayden’s recent threats to my life, what happened to the men in the forest today, and seeing the man I thought was Callum Forbes lurking about the hallway, I shouldna have sent you ahead to my chamber alone.” With downcast eyes, Mareal wrung her hands. “Had I na done so, they would have taken me as intended, sparing you from this nightmare.”

  “Or more than likely, they would have killed me before taking you,” Elise said. “Apparently, Kayden told them to leave no witnesses.”

  “That never crossed my mind.” While her assumption was entirely possible, Mareal still felt responsible for Elise’s capture and imprisonment. “I should have been more careful.”

  “Unless you are gifted with second sight, you couldna have foreseen any of these things.” Elise patted Mareal’s forearm, then furrowed her brow. “Kayden is a madman, and will stop at naught to get what he wants. But I am surprised to see you here. I dinna think he would be foolish enough to try to abduct you again so soon.”

  “He dinna come for me. I am here of my own accord.”

  “Why would you do that?” Elise’s eyes widened and she clutched a hand to her throat. “Surely you know Kayden means to stop you from marrying a man who will take your da’s place. Even if it means killing you.”

  “My cousin sent a missive intended for Andrew, saying he held you prisoner and would be willing to make an exchange. Me for you,” Mareal explained.

  “I canna believe Andrew would agree to such a thing, and dinna do his utmost to keep you safe,” Elise said.

  “Andrew wasna there when the messenger arrived, I saw the note and here I am.” Mareal gave her head a shake and blew out a heavy sigh before changing the conversation back to her cousin. “I should have known Kayden would not keep his promise to let you go. He hates Andrew almost as much as he does me. Now that he has you, he plans to use you as a pawn, a way to lure, then punish Andrew for getting in his way.”

  “He told me of his evil plans,” Elise revealed. “Kayden was livid when he first saw me, then decided the error could be to his advantage. He is a vile, wicked man.”

  “He killed my father,” Mareal blurted.

  “How? Your father was ill for some time, was he na?”

  “With the help of Lord Billingsworth, Kayden arranged to have him slowly poisoned. The fiend wanted it to appear like my da died from a mysterious illness that even the finest healer in the shire couldna cure. When in fact, Donella dinna have a prayer of saving him.” Mareal wiped a stray tear from her cheek, then lifted her chin. “All because he wanted to take my father’s place as laird.”

  “I am so sorry.” Elise hugged Mareal then stepped back. “If this is true, how did he poison your da without anyone knowing? Surely if Kayden was sneaking in and out of the keep, someone would have noticed him and mentioned it to your da.”

  “He claims to have spies lurking about MacCurtry castle who are willing to betray my father. Including a man who posed as a kitchen servant. Kayden threatened to slaughter his entire family if he dinna do his bidding, and slip the poison into my da’s food each day,” Mareal said.

  “Are you sure Kayden did this? Mayhap your father really was sick,” Elise pointed out.

  “I am positive.” After hearing the conversation between Kayden and Billingsworth, there was no doubt in Mareal’s mind. It explained so much about her father’s death, and how her cousin’s men abducted Elise without anyone knowing. “He openly admitted that he arranged to have my father poisoned and to threatening the man’s family. He is ultimately responsible for the murder of my father, and he plans to kill Andrew. We need to get out of here and warn him.”

  “There is naught I want more, than to get out of here and to warn Andrew. But we are prisoners in a tower, under guard,” Elise reminded her.

  “I am na sure how, but we canna just sit here waiting for Kayden to come for us, or for him to kill Andrew.” Mareal moved to the window and tugged open the shutters. She grabbed the bars and gave them a shake—not really surprised to find out the window was not a means of escape. Getting out of here would not be easy, but she refused to give up while there was a breath left in her body, and there was a chance she might save Andrew and Elise.

  “Kayden has plans for both of us as well and I willna let him win.” She didn’t have any idea what their next move should be or how to stop him. Nor did she see a point in telling Elise about her cousin’s plan to marry her off to Billingsworth, or what she heard discussed about Elise’s possible fate. “There must be a way out of here. We just need to find it.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  “Bastard!” Upon learning the identity of the man captured outside Billingsworth Castle, Andrew delivered a crushing blow to the bugger’s stomach. What have you done with my cousin Elise?” Normally, he would not hit a restrained man unable to defend himself, but this was no ordinary situation, and confronting the wretch he believed absconded with his cousin, fueled an intense fury he had never known before today.

  Doubled over at the waist and gasping for air, Callum did not reply. Nor did he make eye contact with Andrew.

  Furious, Andrew again fisted Callum’s hair and snapped his head back, for
cing him to look up. “Where is my cousin, Forbes, and what do you stand to gain from taking her?” He tugged the dirk from a sheath at his side, then waved it in Callum’s face. “Damnation, man, answer me,” he growled through clenched teeth.

  “I dinna take your cousin. We have never even met,” Callum sputtered, then sucked in a gulp of air. “But you got the bastard part right.”

  “Liar. I demand you tell me where she is. I dinna have time for riddles.” While Andrew feared the answer might not be what he wanted to hear, he needed to know. “Tell me if she is alive, and if so, where I can find her.”

  “I say you run the scoundrel through, then we storm the castle and find Lady Elise ourselves,” Seamus snarled. “Anything this blackguard tells you will likely be a lie. A man in league with Kayden, canna be trusted.”

  Andrew tucked his dirk under Callum’s chin, a drop of blood trickling down the blade. “I will give you one last chance to tell me what you’ve done with my cousin. Remain silent, and I will listen to Seamus. But you can rest assured it willna be a quick death. I will start by lopping off one bollock at a time.”

  “I told you my name, and will swear on my mother’s grave that I never took your cousin.” Callum returned Andrew’s scowl with equal intensity. “I am na now, and never was in league with Kayden MacCurtry. And while we have never met, I do despise him for the devil he is and what he has done,” Callum said. “I can also tell you that if you barge into the castle to rescue Lady Elise, you will be walking into a trap. Kayden is more than ready for you to strike.”

  “If you had naught to do with Elise’s disappearance, and claim you dinna know Kayden, what are you doing here and how do you know what goes on behind the stronghold walls? Why were you lurking around MacCurtry Castle after the funeral?” Confused by Callum’s declarations, Andrew lowered his blade and took a step back. “Why would you despise someone you have never met? Is it because Mareal’s father invited you to vie for her hand, and you hope to be the one chosen to marry her and become laird? Mayhap you see Kayden as a threat to your future leadership of the clan?” Andrew rapidly rattled off questions and comments, making it difficult, if not impossible to get a response to any of them. But when he paused to catch his breath, Callum finally jumped in with answers.