Enchanted Lover (14 page)

“Laird Jared said we should get rid of the body
before mornin’.”

“Aye, while he goes back to bugger the Innes bitch.”

“Pretty one, that.”

“Aye, so. Bet she’s bustin’ his balls right now.”
Both men laughed. “Let’s to it.”

Asilinn’s heart lurched in her chest. She felt the
litter lift off the table. “He’s a heavy bastard,” one of the men commented.

“Dead weight.” They laughed again.

She was forced to cling to the dead body to keep from
knocking against the sides of the coffin. The two men jostled their package
down one more flight of steps and out the door. Asilinn could feel the cool,
night air right through the slats in the box. They walked for some time winding
this way and that until she smelled the moisture-laden air near the loch.

“Harry, grab some twine and tie the lid on,” one man
called. A third man began a dialogue with the two men holding the litter.
Asilinn could hear rope stretching around the makeshift coffin. They were tying
it tight—she was bound inside the box with the corpse.

“Feels awful heavy,” one of them commented. “What are
you doin’ with him?”

“The laird said to take him outside the walls beyond
the lake and bury him in an unmarked grave.”

“A few stone in the box and you could save yerselves
some diggin’. I got a boat would do the trick.”

“He’s heavy enough. Get the boat. I dinna feel like
diggin’ tonight.”

Her dream—she was to be drowned with a dead man. This
was a punishment from God for her foul behavior. She could not even cross
herself in the tight space. But if she could reach her dagger stuck fast in her
waistband, she may have some hope of freeing herself before all was lost.

Asilinn fought to concentrate on her task. She felt
the rise and fall of the tiny skiff across the choppy waters of the lake. If
her dream was right, she would sink rapidly—the dagger was her only hope to
free herself. It seemed an eternity before she was able to grasp the hilt.
Suddenly the men stopped rowing.

“We’re almost to the other side. If he washes up, it
will be over there along the woods. No one will find him.”

“If Laird Jared finds him, I wilna stay to face his
wrath.”

“Would you rather be diggin’ half the night?”

“No, let’s be about it.”

The boat rocked when the two occupants stood and
shoved the coffin into the water. Asilinn felt the whole thing sway as they
tossed it over the side. The icy water took her breath away—the heavy box
spiraled toward the bottom of the loch. Frantically she fought to free herself
before her fingers were too numb to work the knife. After what seemed like an
eternity, she managed to shove her dagger through the crack in the lid and cut
the rope. She struggled to break free of the anchor still pulling her downward.
Her lungs were burning from lack of air. Thick, cloying peat floated in the
depths of the lake surrounding her.

Just when she thought she could not last another
second, the lid burst open and she was finally free of her dead companion.
Kicking her legs hard, she fought her way toward the surface no longer caring
if the men in the boat saw her. At least they would probably take her to her
husband to receive her punishment. Left on her own she feared she would die
from exposure before she ever found her father and Ian.

Her head popped up and she inhaled sharply over and
over until she caught her breath. The men in the boat were some distance away
with their backs to her. They rowed hard back towards the castle. Glancing
around she saw her struggle had brought her within swimming distance of the far
shore. She silently thanked Ian for forcing her to give up her fear of water
and learn to swim. Taking a deep breath, she swam for the shore.

As soon as Asilinn stumbled out of the water, she
realized the seriousness of her predicament. If she didn’t find her father’s
encampment quickly, she would freeze to death. She momentarily debated shedding
the wet clothing, but didn’t think she would be warmer naked.

There was a trail going into the woods but no
campfires glowed in the darkness to light the way. If it weren’t for the full
moon, she wouldn’t be able to see at all. Having no other recourse, she set out
upon the trail heading into Burnum Woods. Within minutes, her feet and hands
were going numb from the cold. She pushed herself onward. She didn’t know how
long or how far she had walked. With each step, her progress became more of a
struggle. She stumbled every few steps and sometimes she fell and had to pull
herself back up to her feet.

As she tripped once more, her resolve broke. Asilinn
could barely feel the warmth of her tears on her cold face. She lay on the
frigid ground in a haze wondering how long it took to die from exposure. A dim
drumming sound broke through the fog of her morbid musings. In the distance,
she heard hoof beats coming down the trail toward her. She tried to get up but
her frozen limbs would not move the way she wanted. She could hear the rider
approaching. He drew closer and closer until he rounded the bend and she saw
his silhouette in the moonlight. It looked like the dragon lord had come to
fetch her. Even he was a welcome sight in her desperate circumstance. At least
he wouldn’t let her die.

“Jared,” she called, but her voice came out like a
shallow whisper.

The rider pulled up barely missing running her over.
He dismounted and bent over her. “Jared,” she mumbled again. It was not Jared’s
voice that responded to her call.

“What the hell? Lady Asilinn?”

She crawled away from him, but he was lifting her
into his arms. She stared dumbfounded into the dark eyes of Liam MacLean.

“You’re freezing.”

“Aye,” she whispered. He put her on his horse and
swung up behind her. She felt the warmth of his body heat as he wrapped his
cloak around both of them. Clinging to him, she buried her head in his muscular
chest.

“Are you daft? You canna escape my cousin and his
confounded peace plan.”

“Where are you taking me?” she asked, still shivering
uncontrollably.

“To Dunbocan.”

“No, take me to my father.”

He looked down at her, his dark eyes glittering in
the moonlight. “I canna do it, Milady.” He spurred his horse to flat out run
toward the castle gates.

Asilinn lost consciousness for a while. When she
woke, her rescuer was barking out orders to a stable boy to fetch her husband.
He carried her into a stone cottage near the stables. The heat hit her in the
face when he took her inside.

“Ah, you’re awake now. I suppose I should be glad,
though ‘twould solve considerable problems to have you dead.” Asilinn struggled
away from his grip as he set her on the floor before the fire. “Take off those
wet clothes before you freeze to death,” he ordered. He turned his back.

She wanted more privacy but she knew he was right.
She had to free herself from the cold, wet clothing sucking all the heat out of
her body. Asilinn tried, but her stiff fingers wouldn’t work at all. After
several minutes, he glanced over his shoulder.

“Do you need help?” he asked his dark eyes
unreadable.

She started to cry. “I canna do it.” Asilinn broke
off sniffling as her savior came close and used his big hands to try to free
her from the tangled mass of wetness surrounding her. Muttering a low curse, he
grabbed the bodice of her simple gown and ripped it right down the front. The
door to the cottage door burst open. Her husband stood in the doorway glowering
at the man who helped her disrobe.

In two strides, Jared crossed the room, grabbed Liam
by the shoulder, and pushed him away from her. “Liam! What the bloody hell are
you doing?”

Jared had Liam by the throat and threw him back
against the wall of the cottage. “I found your wife wet and half frozen on the
path to Burnum Woods.” Liam straightened. Asilinn could see the defiance in his
eyes. “She canna get those wet clothes off alone. I suggest you help her.” He
wheeled on his heel and left the cottage.

Jared turned to Asilinn his eyes lit with a deadly
threat. Coming over he finished the job Liam had started, leaving her clothes
in a wet pile at her feet. He looked her over carefully and reached over to
touch her chest. “God’s teeth, I am cursed.” Wrapping a length of plaid around
her, he picked her up and carried her back outside. Instead of heading for the
main entrance of the castle, he was going around the stable. Asilinn didn’t
care where he took her. She closed her eyes and dropped her head against his
shoulder. At this moment, she didn’t care if she lived or died.

But shortly the steamy warmth of the Dragon’s Spring
made her exhausted body stir. Jared had taken her to the bath and even now was
stripping his plaid from her.

“Are you awake enough to bathe yourself? I think the
warm water will help. Asilinn, can you hear me?”

“Aye,” she nodded. With difficulty, she slipped into
the warm bubbling water and let out a moan of delight. God help her, she might
survive this madness.

“Do you need help?”

“Nay, Milord, I can manage.”

His face turned hard as he observed her trying to
recapture the heat her body had lost. “And can I trust you to stay here alone
or will you be gone when I return?”

“You know full well I dinna have the strength to
leave on my own.”

“I was not expecting to be drugged and find you
gone.”

She swallowed hard and stared at him. “I only wished
to stay with my father until the peace is made, Milord.”

He snorted and left the room. When he returned a
short time later, he was carrying some dry clothes. “Have you recovered enough
to leave the bath?”

She nodded grimly and stepped out of the pool. He
threw her a drying cloth and watched her from a distance while she dried off.
Donning the clothes he offered, she wrapped her wet hair in the cloth and came
to stand beside him.

“I am ready to accept my punishment, Milord.”

He said nothing, but hoisted her again into his arms
and carried her up the secret passage to their room. Her heart skipped a beat
when she saw it—on the floor by the bed was a long chain with manacles at
either end. Dear God, he meant to chain her. In his eyes, no less than she
deserved.

“I see I am to be punished.”

“I told you so, Asilinn.” Setting her down in the
chair by the fire, he threw more chunks of dried peat on the fire and sank into
the chair facing her.

“Tell me all that happened.” His jaw was set in a
hard line.

Asilinn closed her eyes and drew a deep breath before
gazing once again at his angry face. She told him everything and he listened
showing no reaction to any of her tale. “And that is all, Milord,” she
finished. She had been drying her hair by the fire while she talked and now
turned her full attention to her task to avoid his cold stare.

He stood abruptly and came closer to tower over her.
Grabbing her jaw, he forced her to look at him. He ran one finger over her
lips. “You seduce me into trusting you with your tender mouth and run from me
when the moment is passed. I should know well enough not to trust a woman, but
you—you with your sweet innocence—I almost believed….”

She wondered if he referred to the intimate service
she had given him or to what he saw as her false words. There was no way to
tell and she would not ask. “I’m sorry, Milord. I only sought to return to my
clan until the peace is set.”

“You knew I would not permit it!”

“Aye and I was forced to sneak away.”

“You could not obey your husband?”

It had never entered her mind she must obey him. She
supposed it must have shown on her face, for he snorted and turned from her.
She jumped when she heard the chains rattle. He hooked one manacle to the tall
bedpost and dragged the chain across the floor. Stopping by her chair, he
stooped and locked the other end around her slim ankle.

Asilinn stared at him dumbstruck. “You chain me to
your bed?”

“Be glad, fair Asilinn, I didna choose the dungeon.”
He shook his head and sighed. “Finish drying your hair and get to bed before
you get chilled again. I’ll not have a dead wife to spoil the peace.” With
that, he left her alone in the tower. She could hear his footfalls heavy on the
stairs as he made his way out of the tower.

Asilinn rose, grimacing while she tugged the heavy
chain across the floor and climbed on the bed. Pulling herself up, she was able
to see how the bedpost attached into the framing holding the curtain. No chance
of dislodging it. She sank wearily to the bed. She was too tired to consider
anything else. Jerking the covers around her, she snuggled into the bed and let
sleep overtake her.

***

After a restless night alone in his old chamber,
Jared found his time occupied with the pressing business of investigating the
attack on Laird Innes. Not anxious to tell Asilinn of it before getting more
information, he left early with Liam and Keith to survey the site of the
attack. Even though he believed Asilinn’s account of what had occurred the
night before, he found himself reluctant to leave Liam at the keep while he
rode out. Now his cousin rode with him his expression dark and sullen.

They reached Burnum Woods as the sun came full across
the ridge bathing the trees in the first rays of dawn. The woods lay still in
the early morning light filled with the scent of pine and Mountain Ash. Jared
inhaled deeply savoring the freshness of the air. If the task at hand was not
grim, he might enjoy the ride.

As he studied the tracks in the damp earth, he
spotted what he was looking for. “Look here.” Jared pointed an area where the
ground was torn up by dozens of hoof prints. “This must be where the attack
took place.”

A further examination showed the attackers had come
out of a dense thicket on the left hand side of the trail. “It appears they lay
in wait and attacked,” Jared said. “Another trail leads in from behind the rock
outcropping.”