Love's Ransom (11 page)

‘Then please wear your steel jacket. She held up the sleeveless quilted jerkin which had a lining of many metal plates sewn together for protection to the upper body. It was less heavy and cumbersome than full armour.’ Henry gave in, knowing there was always the possibility of an attack, especially at this time of year when many reivers grew restless.

‘Isabella is right. Take your steel bonnet too. Tie it to your harness if you don’t need to wear it,’ his father advised. ‘Here are coins to buy food along the way.’ William handed Henry a leather pouch. ‘And keep these hidden well in case you need to buy your freedom,’ he added gruffly, handing over a smaller pouch containing gold coins. He knew some of the wardens and their underlings ignored the twelve hour rule of freedom to pass through. They took strangers as prisoners to gain reward, only allowing them freedom on payment of a hefty fine. He had no desire to see Henry imprisoned, or hung, for lack of money. Such things had happened often in his own youth, and more so in the time of his father and grandfather. The Douglas Clan had been far from blameless and memories were long and bitter. Henry smiled as he accepted the pouches. His father loved him, for all he was such a disappointment as a man.

That night when Isabella blew out the candle and snuggled beneath her bedclothes she was surprised how much she missed Henry’s presence, lying beside her in the darkness. He never touched her, or kissed her goodnight, and he rarely talked when he came to bed, even though they discussed many things during the day. The truth was she felt lonely up here at the top of Moyenstane Tower, even with Nell on the other side of the thick oak door. She was almost asleep when she heard a scrabble behind the panelling. She tensed. There was no moon tonight to light the way to the hidden entrance which both Henry and Zander used. She knew it was some distance away. She sat up and fumbled for the candle.

‘Hello?’ she called, keeping her voice low in case Nell should hear.

‘Hush, my darling,’ Zander whispered back, ‘’tis only me.’

‘I didn’t expect you tonight, Zander, but I am so happy you have come.’

‘I could not resist the temptation, knowing you were up here alone.’ There was laughter in Zander’s deep voice as he cast off his clothes and snuggled in beside her.’

‘I was feeling lonely,’ Isabella confessed. ‘I didn’t think I would miss Henry but I do. Do you think he will return safely from his journey to the monastery?’

‘Try not to worry, my love. Henry has been to the monastery twice before. He prefers to travel alone. For a man who shuns adventure it is strange he has no fear, but he avoids his fellow men whenever possible.’ He drew her into his arms and loved her tenderly. He wished with all his heart she belonged to him.

‘I cannot come to you every night while Henry is absent, my dearest. I must take my turn on watch. As it is Walter and Thomas wonder why I avoid being on duty on moonlight nights. It is not easy to creep silently from my bed when there is not a chink of light and Uncle William would demand to know what I was about if he heard me.’

‘I understand, Zander,’ Isabella whispered softly. ‘It would be dreadful if we were discovered. Henry has told me how ruthless his father can be if any man deceives him. She shivered and Zander’s arms tightened around her. He had already made up his mind to journey across the sea to Europe as soon as he knew she was safely delivered. He dreaded the birth. For the first time in their lives he was jealous of Henry. He would not be able to visit Isabella in her bedroom, and he could never claim the child as his. He knew how delighted and proud William Douglas would be to have a grandson bearing his name.

***

In 1605, in an effort to bring peace to his Border lands, King James had brought in a rule that a day of truce should be held each month. Wardens from the English Marches should meet their opposite number from the Scottish Marches and a jury of six from either side must be assembled to mete out justice. Sir William considered meeting every month was too often, except when there had been a spate of raids. These seemed to occur at certain times of the year, or after a bad season when families were hungry and stealing seemed the only solution, but there were always villains who enjoyed raping and pillage for the sheer hell of it, regardless of the misery they left behind. In his youth William Douglas had been a wild warrior himself, though he had never taken a woman against her will and he despised men who did. As a more mature man, and being responsible for both his clan and the wardenship, Sir William now agreed truce days should be observed and punishments agreed. Even so both he and Herries, his English counterpart, often delayed for several months, especially in summer when men, women and children were busy gathering in precious crops for the winter.

So when Sir Gordon Herries, sent two messengers requiring a truce day without delay William Douglas knew he would be unwise to postpone it, but he was reluctant to leave his home territory at this time. Henry was away from home. It was customary to be accompanied by several armed men when a warden went to the truce days, which were held close to the Border. Zander had become a natural leader for their own guards and he and Walter, now his son-in-law, usually accompanied him. He didn’t want to leave Anna and Isabella unattended in their present condition and he guessed Walter would be reluctant to leave his young wife. Consequently he sent word with Herries’s messengers that he would agree to the truce day if Herries was willing to travel to Moyenstane Tower. He would guarantee him and his men safe passage, though he could not vouch for the Kerrs or the Armstrongs.

The English warden owed him a favour but Sir William was jubilant when Herries agreed. William guessed he must be eager to rid himself of some troublesome rogues. It didn’t occur to him that he might be inviting trouble into his own domain. Many strangers gathered on truce days, merchants selling their wares, entertainers eager to earn a little payment, women who followed them, earning food and shelter any way they could. There were skilled craftsmen with saddles and boots, and armour but there were always thieves with an eye open for an opportunity.

When Neb Truddle heard of the forthcoming truce day he was jubilant.

‘It is fate,’ he declared. ‘I shall travel to Moyenstane for truce day and mingle with the crowd.’

‘To Moyenstane?’ his father echoed. ‘’tis Douglas country! Are ye mad?’

‘They hold the woman who should be mine. I shall find her and when I’m finished with her she will be glad to return here with me, wife or no.’

‘Neb, ye canna do this thing. Isabella Ellwood went of her own free will. She belongs to Henry Douglas now. She is his wife. They will protect what is theirs.’

‘Wife!’ Neb sneered. ‘I’ve heard he is still a milksop of a youth. He may never be a real man. I’ve heard he has neither strength nor will to master a woman.’

‘Whatever ye heard, Isabella belongs to the Douglas Clan now. They are powerful and ruthless, always have been.’

‘They may have her now but ye brought me up to believe “they may take who have the power, and they may kee
p who can.” Well I’m telling ye I mean to take her, aye, and when I have her I shall keep her. She will be my woman. She should always have been mine. She’s an Ellwood. Braidlands will be mine one day.’

‘Are ye forgetting she still has a brother? He’s grown into a fine man and he’s as well respected as his father was.’

‘Respect!’ Neb spat the word. ‘Respect didna stop ye killing his father.’

‘I wish to God your grandmother hadna filled your head with tales o’ the Ellwoods. She never wanted to marry my father. He raped her and carried her off. Anyway she was only second or third cousin to the Braidland Ellwoods.’

‘Faither, ye had ambition to get Braidlands once. Ye’re getting old…’

‘I beg ye no’ to go, Neb. I have a feeling…’ he pressed a hand to his chest, ‘I shall never see ye again if ye gang near the Douglas Clan.’

‘Have you been looking for signs again? They’ll hang ye for witchcraft if the rest o’ the Truddles hear ye.’

‘It isna witchcraft!’ his father denied. ‘But I know, if ye go ye’ll not come back. I’ve had dreams…A sign I tell ye…’

‘Ye’ve had too much o’ yon brandy we brought back frae the last raid o’er the border,’ Neb scoffed and went off to prepare for his journey. He would go alone and in secret so he could slip in and out of places unnoticed during the bustle of a truce day. He would not tell his father when he was ready to leave. He would creep from the house before dawn and be well on his way before he was missed. He frowned. The old man had changed lately. He kept imagining he had seen signs and omens and they were always about the devil and going to hell.

Neb was right. His father did not miss him until time for the evening meal when he did not come home. Joshua Truddle slept badly that night and rose early the following morning. He supped his gruel and called for one of the servants to saddle his horse.

Jamie Ellwood and his sisters were finishing their own breakfast when he arrived at Braidlands. The young man was immediately wary. His mother banished her daughters to the upper chamber, bidding them stay there until she called to them.

‘I come in peace Mistress Ellwood,’ Truddle protested. He sighed. He understood why she did not trust any member of his family but he felt a weight on his heart and he needed to unburden himself.

‘Where is Neb?’ Jamie demanded knowing the two Truddles were rarely seen apart. ‘Do you have men with you?’ He knew Sam had gone to his own cottage to break his fast after tending the animals but he wondered why one of the other men had not come to warn him of Truddle’s approach.

‘I came alone. Have you heard the Truce Day is to be held at Moyenstane?’

‘So far from the English border? Can this be true?’ Jamie frowned, wondering if this was another trick. Joshua Truddle seemed to have aged considerably since they last met.

‘Neb says ’tis so. He’s on his way there.’

‘He enjoys truce days I’ve heard.’ Jamie Ellwood nodded grimly, ‘especially when several hangings are expected. Why are you not with him?’ he asked, wondering what sort of trick Truddle was planning.

‘I warned him not to go. I didna know he had set out until yestreen. I came because I am feart for him, and for your sister. He still believes she should belong to him. He plans to mingle with the throng. When he discovers where she bides he plans to truss her like a fowl and hide her eyes and ride off with her when the crowds are watching the hangings.’

‘He’ll never get away with it!’ Jamie said, but his mother gasped in horror.

‘He wouldna listen. He thinks I’m getting old and soft but ’tis he who has a worm in his brain. Jealousy ’tis called. I’m feart I’ll never see him again. He wadna listen. I’m telling you for the sake o’ your sister. Ye must stop him.’

When he left Jamie was in a quandary. Were the Truddles playing a trick to get him and his finest men away from Braidlands? Had Neb Truddle set his heart on Marjorie when he could not have Isabella? She was still an innocent wee maid but she had all the signs of becoming a lovely woman. As had become his habit he called Sam into the house and discussed this development with his mother and the older man. He respected their wisdom and advice.

‘So ’tis true the truce day is to be held away frae the Border and to the north this month,’ Sam mused. ‘Neb Truddle is a foolish man if he thinks Douglas will not have his women guarded.’

‘Neb Truddle is a ruthless fiend,’ Mary Ellwood said with unusual vehemence. ‘If he got Isabella away from Moyenstane he would lose no time in defiling her, even though she is another man’s wife.’

Jamie frowned, torn between guarding his home and family, or riding after Neb Truddle. How could he be sure it was not a trick to entice him away again? He could scarcely believe any man could be so crazy as to try capturing Isabella from under the noses of the Douglas men, but truce days were notoriously filled with excitement and noise, strangers, entertainers, and Neb was sly as a fox.

‘’tis possible even the Douglas men may be distracted on truce day,’ Sam said slowly. ‘If we could warn them I’m sure Master Henry would guard Miss Isabella.’

‘I agree,’ Jamie said, ‘but I can’t be in two places…’

‘You stay here and guard what is yours, Master Jamie, in case it is a trick. Let me go across the marshlands and carry a warning. A letter maybe? If I leave at once I could be there before Neb Truddle, even though he will be riding faster when he is alone. He must cross the Debateable Land and that will be a danger to a lone man.’

‘The marshes are a greater danger,’ Mary said. ‘You cannot go alone, Sam.’

‘I could take Peter, my grandson. It is time he learned the secrets of the marshes and the signs to follow. He is a good rider since Master Jamie gave him a pony of his own.’

‘Peter is a fine boy but I don’t like the risks you will be taking,’ Jamie said.

‘I guided Miss Isabella safely across the marshes,’ Sam reminded them.

‘And brought me home the same way, fearsome though it was,’ Jamie agreed. ‘Very well, Sam, but I would not like to lose either you or young Peter. I will give you the token which Zander gave to me. It will grant you safe passage if the men on watch are strangers.’

‘Aye, I would welcome that, and we’ll carry a white flag to show we come in peace if they see us from a distance.’

‘Thank you, Sam,’ Mary Ellwood said quietly, and Jamie saw the relief in her eyes. He knew she did not want him to leave his home and his sisters in case the Truddles were up to their sly tricks, but they all wanted to protect Isabella.