One & Only (20 page)

The king stepped next to Gordy,
towering above him, as tall as he was. “You’re a mite scrawny for a Gunn.
Haven’t got your brawn yet, have ye? Have ye trained yet? What name do you go
by, lad?”

“Me name’s Gordy. Aye, sire. Been
training for over a year now.”

“Are ye willing to go on a mission
for me?”

“A mission? Aye, whatever you wish,
sire.”

Bree was proud of the boy. His voice
didn’t falter once when he spoke to the king. Oft she’d been unable to get a
single reply from him. He always stood staring and seemed incapable of speech
or stuttered, making no sense whatsoever.

“I want ye to assist Lady Mackay.
She’s going on a fact gathering mission for me. If she is unable to return, I
want you to come to me and none other. Do you understand?” Alexander clapped
him on the back. “Now that formality is taken care of, let us to the drink and
celebration. You Gunns will not leave Ross land until I give you permission.”
With that, Alexander hastily left the chamber and Donal followed.

“Milady, what happened?” Greer
looked back at the door after posing that question.

She quickly gave them the rundown of
what had happened in the solar and all stood silent.

“I will surely die, Greer. MacHeth
won’t let me leave once I enter his keep. How am I to obtain information from
him?”

“Worry not, milady. We know where
you are. Grey, once released, will come for you, and if he cannot, we shall.”

“Do you promise?”

Greer nodded. “Do not be afeared of
MacHeth, milady. Be courageous. Show no fear. You will be a Gunn and we Gunns
don’t show fear to anyone.”

Why his comment made her laugh, she
wasn’t sure. “I will not be afraid, Greer.” To Gordy, she said, “We should
remover our plaids, Gordy.” She handed hers to Greer as did the boy. “Do you
know where MacHeth’s land is?”

Gordy nodded. “’Tis not afar,
milady. They overtook the Mackay keep when they warred with them. We can be
there in a few hours.”

“A few hours.” Bree began shaking at
the thought. “Greer, be sure to take Grey’s sword and his belongings.” She
pointed to the weapons on the floor.

Greer nodded and retrieved Grey’s
sword.

“Let us be on the way then. I need
to get my satchel from the tent before we leave.” Bree wanted to make haste so
she could get back to Grey. Hopefully this wouldn’t take long, if she was even
able to gain any information or her release when it was over.

Each of Grey’s guard hugged her,
each telling her not to be afraid. They repeated their apparent motto that
Gunns didn’t show fear. Their courage gave her a bit of gumption. Their words
made her feel she could face anything. But deep down, she was scared to her
toes. Still, she would be brave and face what she must.

Greer pulled her aside before she
could leave the solar. “Here, milady, take this. ‘Tis my laird’s dagger. If you
need to kill the wee-swine-cosh, use it.” He handed her an aged dagger, one
that looked to have had a lot of use. Its handle was wooden, with no ornate
features but a row of red jewels around the handle. “Laird had it since he was
a lad. It be precious to him. Don’t lose it, milady. He’ll be wanting it back.”

She held the dagger and nodded. As
she left the chamber, she said, “Thank you, Greer. If the king lets you visit
Grey, please tell him not to worry for me and that I … not to fear.”

“My laird fears no one.”

CHAPTER seventeen

Apprehension filled her so
completely upon seeing the MacHeth holding.

From afar it looked like an evil
abode. Dark of night came and even though they carried a torch to light their
way, she grew dismal at the prospect of entering such a place. The stone was
old and covered with moss, and the wood blackened from smoke. No flags adorned
the portcullis or entry.

The keep, from what she could tell,
was not well tended and looked to have taken a lot of destruction. The glow
from all the torches surrounding the walls gave it an even greater dismal
appearance. Bree didn’t remember ever being at the keep, but she saddened at
the thought it might have been a grand place to live at one time. Mackay land
was beautiful up until she reached the outer walls of the keep itself.

A man exited the gatehouse, holding
his horse’s reins which pulled a cart. He appeared bedraggled and unkempt. Once
he was through the gate, the sound of the chain could be heard from where she
waited. The entry was closed to outsiders.

Bree stopped her horse and
dismounted, and waited for Gordy to stand next to her before speaking to him.
“It looks frightening. I am not sure I can go through with this.”

“Milady, you have to. Come, don’t be
afeared. Remember the plan. They won’t turn ye away.” Gordy led his horse away,
and motioned for her to follow.

Walking toward the gate, she
swallowed her uneasiness. Above her, a man called out. He stood on the
crenellation, cupping his hands, looking down at her.

“What do ye here?”

“I have come to seek aid from Laird
MacHeth.”

The man disappeared and a few
minutes later, three men came to the gate. They allowed her inside and held an
arm out to Gordy, stopping him.

“Who be you?” came from one of the
guards.

Bree had to be brave and spoke up,
“He is my servant, let him be. Show me where I can find Laird MacHeth. I am
expected.” Though she lied, she tried to sound as intimidating as she could.
“My servant stays with me.”

The men didn’t seem overly concerned
about Gordy’s presence and bid her to follow.

The guards led her to the main keep,
and she took the cracked steps and went inside. Voices sounded within the great
hall and she stopped at the archway which flanked a giant room. Many stood
within and conversed, most appeared to be soldiers. There weren’t any ladies
attend-ing that she could see. She waited for the men to show her where to go,
and gave Gordy an anxious look.

“Come, my laird is supping.”

She approached the main table where
MacHeth sat. He looked up from his food and chortled when the man leaned close
and spoke low.

“Who have we here, Daniel?”

“Laird, the woman said she needed to
speak with ye. I knew you would not want me to turn her away.” Daniel bowed and
stepped back, and the others followed him away.

“My lady, how can I be of service?”
MacHeth did not rise or give any gentlemanly courtesies. His dark eyes peered
at her. She watched his face, lined with wrinkles and a scruffy beard, which
showed no concern for her attendance.

“Laird MacHeth, I am Albrey Mackay.”
Her voice crack slightly, but she recovered. It was the first time she’d ever
owned her name, but it flowed from her lips easily.

A hush went through those in the
room and everyone stopped moving, suddenly interested in her company.
Awkwardly, Bree curtsied to MacHeth, and tried not to let the stares affect
her.

“How have you come to be here,
lady?” His mien took on an agitated state. “Were you not taken by the Gunn’s? I
suspect they did not release you.”

Bree curtseyed again and kept her
face serene. “Aye, I was, but I escaped the Gunn clan and came to find you. My
lord, Baron Thomas, said I was supposed to come.”

“You are tardy, mayhap too late.”

“I do apologize, my lord, but the
Gunns abducted me in the woods and sent my lord’s men fleeing. I am finally
here and beg for your aid. I have nowhere to go.” Bree lowered her gaze to her
feet and tried to appear meek. The laird surmised her and after several minutes
of silence, he motioned to a chair.

“You do resemble the lass I remember
from years ago. Aye, ye got her fair hair and blue eyes. Come, sit and tell me
of this miraculous escape. Fetch a trencher for my lady.”

Bree took the seat vacated by
another man, and was handed a goblet of ale. Thankful for something to occupy
her hands, she pretended to take a drink. Someone placed a trencher of food in
front of her, but she couldn’t stomach eating as nervous as she was.

“’Twas not so miraculous, my lord. I
waited until the Gunn laird was absent and was able to leave.” She set the
goblet on the table and lowered her gaze.

“I heard tell ye were going to go
through with the betrothal to Gunn.”

Bree scowled at the meaning of his
words. If he knew of the betrothal and that she was considering wedding Grey,
someone was giving him information. She didn’t remark on his comment.

After a few seconds of silence,
MacHeth asked, “Where did the Gunn laird go?”

“Off to a wedding at the Ross keep,
my lord. At least, that is what I overheard. I didn’t wish to go with him when
he found me in the woods, but I had no choice. They forced me to go with them.
The Gunns are fearsome and I was quite scared.” Bree’s words caused her stomach
to flinch. Saying anything afoul of the Gunns didn’t seem right.

“Fearsome, bah. You are safe now.
Know you of your childhood, my lady?”

“Aye, my father was Laird Mackay. I
understand I was cared for. Why, my lord, did you take me from my home?” In all
the years Bree had existed that was mayhap the one question she wanted
answered.

Laird MacHeth took his time
answering. After taking a drink from his goblet, he lowered it and smiled wily.
“You see, that is why I abducted you. You are not the daughter of Laird
Mackay.”

Bree’s vision blurred. Her world
crashed around her and she tried to catch her breath. Now shaking, she couldn’t
control her reaction to his words. If she meant to show the MacHeth she indeed
was a docile woman, he would surely believe it now.

Bree closed her eyes and pretended
to faint. She hit the floor and lay lethargically. It was the only thing she
could think of doing when she suddenly needed escape. Silence met her and then
she felt her body being picked up. With her eyes closed, she waited to see
where she would be taken. Anywhere was far better than in the company of that
heathen.

* * *

Voices brought Bree from her ruse.
She blinked before being able to focus. Standing next to her, were three men,
one of whom was the MacHeth.

“Are you unwell, my lady? Shall I
have a healer fetched?”

“I must have … I do apologize, my
lord. I never faint. Your words greatly affected me.” Bree was getting better
at lying. She tried to sit up and looked around her. The chamber she’d been
taken to was sparsely furnished, but clean and the bedding comfortable. She
noticed Gordy standing near the door and nodded to him.

“I fear I gave ye a fright, lass,
when I spoke of your birth.”

“How do you know I am not the
daughter of Mackay?”

“You’re a bastard he took in. I was
there the night ye were delivered to him.”

“Are you certain?” Bree couldn’t
believe what he’d told her.

“Aye, very certain. We were given
the task of seeing to our lord’s protection when he traveled. We heard the
babe’s cries during our ride to Mackay land. My lad saw the bundle being handed
over to Mackay’s wife and reported to me it was indeed a bairn.”

“I am awed by this news. Why take
me? What matter if I was given to the Mackays?”

She waited for him to say something,
anything, but he stood silent for a minute or so.

“Couldn’t let them use you to unite
the clans,” he said, speaking with a firm voice.

“You took me because you wanted to
get back at your king, so he couldn’t unite the clans?” Bree didn’t know what
to think of his affirmation.

“Damned right we did. We couldn’t
let the Mackays and Gunns make peace.”

“Why not? What did it matter if you
let the clans unite?”

MacHeth paced before the bedding,
and he stopped at the end and turned to her. “I will not speak of political
matters with a woman. If ye want safety, you are welcome to stay here.” With
that, he left the chamber, banging the door behind him.

Confusion riddled her with thoughts.
Why had MacHeth sent for her if he cared not if she stayed? The thought that
she was not a Mackay didn’t really affect her. She didn’t feel as though she
belonged to the Mackay clan and it mattered not whose child she was.

Bree sat on the edge of the bedding
and when Gordy tried to speak with her, she raised her finger to her lips. Best
not speak, for she was certain ears were everywhere. After Gordy handed her
satchel to her, she bid him to await her in the hall, and then she changed her
garments. She combed her hair and slipped her feet into the slippers that
matched the gown the Gunn soldier’s wife had given her. Shame she wasn’t able
to wear it to the lavish event at Donal’s.

As she went to open the door, Gordy
rose from the position he’d taken in front of it. He followed her to the hall.
Once there, she walked to the table where MacHeth sat. She retook her seat and
tried to appear submissive.

“You have returned.” MacHeth said.

“Aye, I am well enough. My lord, I
do thank you for your protection. I did not mean to question you, but I have always
wanted to know the truth.”

“You are welcome here, Lady Albrey.
I am delighted you have finally returned. The truth is much simpler than what
ye make it to be. We didn’t want the clans united and removing you was the only
solution.”

“May I ask a question?” Bree
mustered the courage to test him.

“Aye,” he said before taking a bit
of the meat he speared with his dagger.

“What do you plan to do with me?”