Medieval Ever After (65 page)

Maddie leaned against Alex and heaved out a sigh that shot straight to his heart. They didn’t travel far before he could tell she’d finally relaxed enough to fall asleep. He could feel her even breathing against his chest, a rhythm that settled him for some reason, something that made him incredibly happy to just be sharing this time with her and feel her trust.

He knew she didn’t give her trust easily, which made it even more special.

RESCUED BY A HIGHLANDER

CHAPTER SIX

Maddie gazed over
the fields ahead to a huge castle, stunned by the size of it. The stone structure sat atop a small hill, a tower gracing each corner of the main building. Battlements connected the towers, and she could just barely make out warriors pacing the walkway.

There appeared to be both an inner and an outer bailey. Surrounding the outer bailey was another wall to protect the castle’s residents. The defenses were strong. She would be safe at Alex’s keep, and more to the point, she would
feel
safe, something that hadn’t happened for a long time. If Kenneth or the Comming came for her, they would not get to her easily.

The beauty of the land surrounding Alex’s home took her breath away. The keep sat in the middle of a large valley, and a small river would its way through the trees that surrounded it. Forests of pine and oak trees flourished in the periphery of the valley. Carefully tended fields were tucked between the forest and the keep walls. A small tranquil loch was nestled beyond the fields to the left, next to a field of heather.

Alex’s breath warmed her neck.

“What do you think, my lady?” he whispered.

“Laird, it is beautiful. How pleased you must be to have such a magnificent fortress.” She sighed as she turned to gaze into his eyes. “It is not at all like my home.”

Alex drew her closer, and without quite understanding why, Maddie rested her hands on his arm. They rode the rest of the way in silence, but the gentle intimacy between her and the laird filled her with a sense of longing. She felt no desire to flinch away from him, and serenity enveloped in her soul for the first time in two years.

There were a number of thatched cottages both inside and outside the keep walls. People came out of their cottages to greet them as they passed, sending curious looks her way. As they approached the outside wall, a horn sounded and the heavy iron portcullis rose for their entrance. Madeline’s nerves were rough edged. She was uncertain how she would be received. Would Brenna and Jennie remember her? Would they welcome her?

Dusk descended as they rode their horses into the outer bailey. Alex rode next to Brodie, and he slid off his horse once they were inside. He reached for Madeline and slid her down his body very slowly. Her first instinct was to push him away, but she was beginning to trust this man.
He probably did that to keep from
hurting me
, Madeline thought. His hands lingered at her waist, supporting her until her strength returned.

“Careful, lass,” Alex whispered. “You have been in the saddle for a while.”

“Thank you, but I am fine,” she said as she straightened, their closeness lost.

Alex tossed the reins to the stable boy, took Maddie by the elbow, and started toward the keep. Two women raced toward them from the steps of the keep. It could only be Brenna and Jennie.

“Maddie!” shouted the younger of the two as her wee legs carried her straight into Maddie’s arms. Alex’s little sister Jennie embraced her hard enough to make her legs wobble.

“Be careful, Jennie!” Alex yelled.

Every face in the vicinity turned to stare at him.

Maddie recovered quickly. “It’s all right, Laird Grant. She is excited—and so am I. ‘Tis wonderful to see my old friends.”

Brenna’s face broke into a warm smile “What a surprise, Maddie! We were not expecting you.”

Maddie turned to look at her with tears in her eyes. “I am very grateful your brothers came for me when they did.” She leaned over to embrace her friend.

“You know we are happy to see you, Maddie, but has something happened?” Brenna whispered in her ear. “Is that why you are here?” She lowered a comforting hand on to Maddie’s back, causing her to cringe away in pain.

Alex reached over to move his sister’s hand. “It has been a long ride for Lady Madeline. She needs tending. Please take her upstairs and see to her wounds while Brodie and I fetch some food.”

“Oh dear! Forgive me, Maddie. We will go to my chamber. I think we have much to talk about.”

Once they were all inside the great hall, Brenna quickly located her maid. “Fiona, please prepare a bath in my chamber and send a platter of food up with Jennie.” She steered Maddie toward the stairs and motioned for her sister to go with Fiona.

Alex’s voice followed them. “She is to be in the chamber next to mine, please.”

If it were any other man, she would not be happy with the laird’s statement, but for some odd reason, this pleased her. She’d be safe with Alex Grant nearby.

But Maddie had to admit, there was more to it than safety.

***

Alex and Brodie headed for the dais and grabbed tankards of ale. Their brother burst into the room moments later and joined them.

“Well met!” Robbie exclaimed. “I hear you have brought a lass with you. What happened? Was there trouble with the reivers?”

Alex relayed the details to Robbie, ensuring he missed nothing. The brothers were all close in age—Alex was eight and twenty summers, Robbie six and twenty, and Brodie five and twenty—so they shared an especially close relationship. Alex valued both of their opinions, and he considered himself lucky to have his brothers living with him.

Brodie shook his head, “I don’t know how a man could treat a woman so, Robbie, when we caught Kenneth MacDonald whipping the lass. Fortunately, he and his guards were called out of the chamber, or it would have been the two of us against the three of them. Alex’s thoughts were murderous when he saw what they were doing with the lass.”

Brodie and Robbie both turned to Alex for his response. “‘Twas their good fortune to be called out of the room, else they would be dead now. Aye, I would like to put my sword through Kenneth’s heart, and I will not hesitate to act when I see him again.”

The three brothers sat at the table as the serving maids brought in trenchers of stew and dark bread.

“When do you suspect that will be?” asked Robbie. “Were there witnesses? Were you followed?”

“I do not think they saw us,” Alex said as he speared the meat in the trencher. “I do not wish to bring danger upon our clan, but that man is a menace. His keep was in a shambles and his servants feared him. I do no’ have good feelings about Kenneth MacDonald. I expect he will seek revenge when he discovers we have his sister. ‘Twould be a mistake to wait for him to act. ”

Brodie glanced at Alex, concern etched in his face, “Mayhap if we send a message to the king, he will handle it.”

“It will be a fortnight before the king gets the message, and who knows if he will act on it. We must make our own plans,” Alex said as he speared another piece of meat. “That bastard will not touch Madeline again as long as I am laird here in Dulnain Valley.”

***

Maids brought a tub to Madeline’s chamber and filled it with buckets of steaming water. As the bath was being filled, Brenna helped her remove her torn gown. She wadded up the bloodied clothes and gave them to her maid. “Burn them.”

Madeline turned her back to Brenna. The moment she saw the welts and bruises all over her body, Brenna gasped out loud. “By the saints, Maddie, what has happened to you?”

Maddie could not speak. She quickly climbed in the tub in the hopes of preventing Brenna or the maids from seeing all her scars, keeping her body covered with her hands. It felt strange to be unclothed before anyone but Alice. The shame and humiliation she bore from the marks of her stepbrother’s ill treatment were almost too much to bear.

The permanent scars he had given her had only been seen by Alice. The old woman had tried to use special herbs and salves to prevent permanent scarring, but to no avail. Kenneth had known what he was doing. Maddie blushed when she thought of the reason Kenneth had given her those scars. It would humiliate her for anyone to notice them.

“Brenna, I have no other gown. We left in a hurry. I was not able to gather my things.” Maddie glanced at the confused look on Brenna’s face. She sighed and lowered her head. “My stepbrother beats me because I have refused to marry the man he has chosen for me.”

“Och, Maddie,” Brenna squeezed the water from the linen cloth over her friend’s wounds. “I am fortunate my brother is laird here. Alex is a kind and patient man. Many call him harsh, but his heart is soft.” Silence descended over the chamber for a few moments. Finally, Brenna spoke again. “Surely my brothers could have let you grab a few things, Maddie.”

“Nay, I was in Kenneth’s command chamber when they grabbed me, and I am thankful for their timing. In fact, I have not properly expressed my gratitude to your brothers for bringing me here. Niles Comming, the man Kenneth wishes me to marry, is worse even than my brother.”

Brenna turned away from her friend, but not before she saw the tears in Maddie’s eyes. “Hush now. We shall talk of this later. You are exhausted, poor thing. Fiona, get my salve and some clean linen strips for her wounds. Maddie, I have plenty of gowns you can wear. You are a bit thinner, but I think they will do until we can make you some gowns of your own.” Brenna helped her wash her long golden locks and then arranged them atop her head, away from her wounds.

The door creaked open and Jennie proudly carried in a platter of cheese and bread. Maddie jumped instinctively and rose out of the tub, only settling back down when she realized there was no danger. Jennie set the platter down on the chest near the bed, but the moment she saw the bruises and wounds on Maddie’s body, she clutched her belly and ran out of the room.

***

Alex and Robbie turned their heads as they heard the small feet pounding down the stairs. Jennie ran toward them, tears pouring down her cheeks. She threw herself at Alex and wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Oh, Alex,” she sobbed as she buried her face in his chest.

“What’s wrong, little flower?” he asked, stroking her back.

Jennie picked her head up and managed to squeeze out, “Maddieeee.”

Alex continued to rub her back, murmuring to her softly until she was able to catch her breath between sobs. “Alex, someone beat her. Maddie has bruises everywhere. I saw her in the tub for her bath. She is bleeding, too. How could anyone do that to her? She is so nice. I love her!”

Alex wiped the tears from Jennie’s face, “I know, little flower, but I will not let anyone ever beat her again. Do you trust your brothers to protect you and Brenna?”

Jennie nodded emphatically.

“And now we will protect Maddie, too.”

“Thank you, Alex and Brodie, for saving my friend.” Jennie gave them each a kiss on the cheek.

“What about me, squirrel?” Robbie asked, pointing to his face.

Jennie grinned and leaned over to give him a kiss, too. “And thank you, Robbie, for protecting Brenna and me.”

Though he was gentle with Jennie, who settled onto his lap, Alex stared at his brothers over his wee sister’s head. The thought of the bruises and welts on Madeline’s tender body made his blood boil. He didn’t need to explain to his brothers what the storm in his face meant.