Page 25 of A Laird and a Fugitive

Chapter 10

Caroline gazed helplessly at the windows and the doors leading to the outside. After learning why Ryan wanted to marry her, she felt more compelled to swiftly flee the Keep, not that it would have done much good. It seemed as though she was trapped in a loveless marriage, no matter where she ended up.

The guard led her through shadowed hallways and winding staircases to a small room. There was another guard stationed outside the door, who nodded and grunted as a greeting. This guard pulled out a key that was attached to his belt by string and opened the door. The darkness threatened to swallow Caroline whole. The other guard took her arm and pushed her in. Then the door was locked.

It took a few moments for her eyes to adjust to the lack of light. Because of their earlier attempt to escape, she and her sisters had been placed in a room without windows. They had been allowed a blunt candle, but the flame was already fading.

“Caroline?” Tara asked with hope in her voice.

“Aye, how are ye feeling?”

“Better now. The medicine hae worked wonders,” Tara replied.

“I’m glad tae hear it.”

“Is that what we’re gaeing tae talk about? After everything that’s happened? Caroline, we need tae finish our earlier conversation,” Nessa broke in, speaking sharply as always.

Although they had spoken a little about the situation earlier, they had not been able to speak freely because the healer had been around.

“There’s naething more tae say.”

“There’s everything tae say! Ye promised tae be his wife?” Nessa’s voice rose with shock.

Although Caroline couldn’t make out the exact expression on her face, she knew Nessa well enough to picture the incredulous form.

“I dinnae hae a choice! The bandits hae ye in their grasp and Tara hae been dragged away. What was I supposed tae dae? Be selfish and let them hae their way with ye?” Caroline yelled back, tension getting the better of her.

Tara whimpered at this, but quickly pushed herself off the bed and got in between Nessa and Caroline.

“Dinnae fight! We hae spent tae long fighting and there’s nae sense in it. We are nae gaeing tae accomplish anything if we’re fighting. We’re supposed tae be in this taegether. Instead of being angry with Caroline, we need tae help her get out of this,” Tara said.

“I can help her and still be angry with her,” Nessa replied sullenly. Caroline heard footsteps pacing around the room.

“Nessa, ye are good at these things. Is there a way tae escape?” Tara asked, trying to shift the conversion to something more practical.

“I dinnae believe sae, nae for years anyway. I’ve tried all the stones and none of them are loose. There are nae gaps in the floor, nae even for a mouse. The only way out is the door.”

“And that’s being guarded religiously,” Caroline added. “I noticed that the key is attached tae a string around the guard’s waist.”

“Perhaps there’s a way for us tae get the guard’s attention. What if we told him that one of us hae fallen ill? When he comes in, ye could try and detach the key,” Tara suggested.

“Even if we did, what’s the point? We would be back in the forest again, and he would come after us. He’s hardly gaeing tae let his bride escape,” Nessa said pointedly.

Caroline exhaled deeply, shaking her head. “It’s hardly as though I like the situation,” she muttered.

“Ye could hae denied him. Ye ran away from home because ye dinnae want tae be forced intae marraige, but now ye accept it willingly?”

“Nae willingly. I accepted tae save ye. And I hope that I can still save ye. I will dae everything in my power tae make sure ye and Tara are safe.”

“Or maybe the Laird hae won ye over. Is that it? Are ye ready tae abandon our quest for freedom because ye hae seen a side of the Laird that ye like?” Nessa taunted Caroline.

Tara gasped and rebuked Nessa, while Caroline threw her hands up in the air. The truth was that the remark did hit quite close to home, but, of course, she wasn’t going to tell Nessa and Tara about the touch she and Ryan had shared, nor the lingering look that passed between them. Naturally, partly this was because she didn’t know what to make of it herself. It wasn’t long after this that Ryan had changed his nature again and become more bestial.

“It’s naething like that, and ye would know that if ye listened tae me,” Caroline said.

“Then tell us because it seems as though ye are starting tae keep secrets from us. Is there anything else that we should know?”

Every word that Nessa said dripped with hostility. It was hard to believe that a few hours before this they had been locked in an embrace, weeping together. Their love ran so deep that it did lend itself to hostility as well.