The Wild Rose of Kilgannon (18 page)

"Mary Rose!" he cried as he went through the door. "I love ye, lass. Only ye,
Mary
. Only ye."

"Alex," I sobbed. "Alex. I love you. Forever, Alex."

"And I ye, Mary." And then he was gone.

It was not until later that I realized I'd not told him about the baby.

We were a quiet group at our evening meal, the boys displeased that they'd not been allowed to see Alex and I lost in my own thoughts. Even Robert's aunt was quiet, her incessant chatter stilled for once. Angus had left with a promise to return the next day, and I went to bed when the boys did.

The morning dawned
grey
and cold, yet again, and I sat before the fire and thought as I waited for Angus, thinking about my visit to
Max
. His face, when he'd been torn from me, haunted me. As did the pitiful sobbing of Morag. I closed my eyes. What a morass.

I opened my eyes as the maid announced Angus. He was
grey
-faced and
sombre
and filled the room with his mood. After our greetings were exchanged he sat heavily on the chair opposite me and stared into the fire. "What is it, Angus?" I asked at last.

His blue eyes met mine with reluctance. "
I've
heard
rumours
, lass." He frowned and rose to pace before me.

"What do the
rumours
say?" He paused before the window and stood staring out at the house next door while I waited, my heart beginning a slow

thumping. I put a hand to my throat to still it. "Tell me, Angus," I said, my voice deceptively calm.

He turned to me with another frown. "I'm hearing some of the prisoners are to be sent to England for trial." I sat back against the chair, his words a blow. "Alex doesna ken this."

"They were promised trial here."

"Aye. I ken that. They ken that. All of
Scotland
kens that. But what good does it do if the English decide differently?"

"Angus, this cannot be! He would be tried fairly here."

He snorted. "I dinna think fairness is their chief concern."

"But to be tried in London! This is terrible, Angus! London courts are controlled by the Whigs. You know what will happen!"

"Aye, lass, I ken what will happen. And Alex will ken as well when he hears." He stared at his hands, then looked up at me. "There is a faction that is arguing for clemency, even amnesty. Many think the reprisals have been too harsh. Robert has been one of them, one of the loudest."

I felt my eyes widen in surprise and answered his unasked question. "Robert is a good man, Angus." I sighed and studied my hands. "I always knew he was a good man." I looked up at Angus. "But he is not Alex, and for me no one else exists."

Angus mulled over my answer, then nodded. "Aye."

"We must free Alex now, Angus. You must finish the planning and act. And if you need me to be gone so I don't hamper you, I will be. Say the word and I'll be away. But you must get Alex out of Edinburgh. Now."

He met my eyes. "I canna be sure we can get him out, but I will
try
, Mary. Ye can be assured of that. I will do everything in my power to free him. Or die
trying
."

"What do you have planned?"

"I'll no' tell ye, lass, and then ye can tell the truth if asked. I want ye to stay here for the now and I'll come myself or get word to ye if I need ye to do aught."

"How can I reach you if I need you?"

He shook his head. "Ye canna. If ye have news or an emergency, put a plaid out a front window. One of us will see it and get to ye." He stood then and leaned to kiss my forehead. "Dinna fret, Mary. It's no' over yet, lass. While Alex lives there's hope, and we are no' without our resources, ye ken."

I nodded, thinking how very powerless we were.

"There's another thing, Mary," he said. "We must be careful no' to involve Robert. He has been most kind to ye and it would be a sad way to repay the man for his generosity by casting doubt on his loyalty. We must be careful of him as well as ye. Do ye agree with my thinking?"

"Yes, of course, Angus. Robert must not come to harm because of me. It would be a dreadful way to repay his kindness."

Angus stayed for a few moments more and then left with promises to stay in touch when he could. After he left I sat with my hands in my lap for a moment, thinking. Alex would go to London for his trial. God help us. I looked up when the door opened again, thinking Angus had something else to say. But it was not Angus who entered. It was Robert.

I greeted him cautiously, wondering if he had passed Angus on the stairs. He must not have seen Angus, I decided, for he seemed very calm. Robert seated himself, his hands loosely in his lap, and when the serving girl arrived behind him with tea we wordlessly watched her set up the table between us. This was the first time we'd been alone together since our arrival in Edinburgh, and I wondered what he had to tell me. After the girl left, Robert poured a cup of tea and handed it to me, his eyes at last meeting mine.

"No harm could ever come to me as a result of you, Mary," he said
quietly
. "But I thank you and Angus for your consideration." My heart stopped and I paused, my hand halfway to the cup, as I stared at him. "I heard Angus's last remarks and your answer," he said. "I am pleased that you are both grateful to me and that you are considering my safety. But I am not a fool. I know you are in Edinburgh because Alex is here. I know Angus has visited him, and I've heard all about your visit yesterday and how upset Morag Maclean was. The casde is buzzing with the topic. It has, for once, replaced you and me as the topic of choice." He sipped his tea and looked at me over the rim, then carefully put the cup and saucer down and wiped his hands on a napkin. "I have seen Alex myself. I saw him this morning." I looked at him open
mouthed

as he continued in that mild tone. "It is now definite that Alex will be taken to England for trial. That is what Angus came to tell you, is that correct?"

My voice was a whisper. "Yes."

"I told Alex the news. Those imprisoned in the castle will be taken to England. Those at the outpost will be allowed to return home with no further punishment. It was the best we could do. The soldiers who were at the outpost will be moving back to the castle to guard the prisoners, and there will be no further visitors allowed. This will be common knowledge by morning, so I expect Angus will know soon. If you like, I will send a runner to his lodgings to tell him."

"I do not know where he is staying."

"But I do." I searched his face, my thoughts turbulent, but his expression told me nothing. Who is this man? I wondered. If his desire was for revenge, it was now thoroughly within his grasp. If he did not know for certain what Angus had planned, he suspected it. Of course, only a fool would not suspect that those imprisoned would not attempt to escape and that their men would not aid them. Why had Alex not disappeared when he had the chance? Why had he not gone with the MacDonald? Why was he not safe in France? And what would Robert do now with the knowledge he had? Or what had he already done? I took a deep breath and willed myself to be calm.

"How do you know these things, Robert?"

"I am a soldier, Mary. I am an officer and an English peer. I have access to information that Angus can only guess at. Do not look at me so wildly. Calm yourself. I will not endanger Alex further. But Angus must be warned that he is watched and that the
Ramsey’s
have been... prevented... from arriving in Edinburgh with a company of men. Angus must be told that any attempt to free Alex will meet with disaster and more danger for Alex. Or for Angus. Or Matthew. Or for you, and I will not allow that."

"Danger from you?" I cried. "You would harm them, Robert?"

The hurt flashed in his eyes and was gone. "No," he said
quietly
and looked at his hands. "No, Mary, I would not harm them." He paused. "I am here now to tell you what is known at the castle about their movements. They have been betrayed by their own. I believe it was Morag, but I don't know that for certain, nor do I care. If it was her, she has taken quite a revenge on you all. I am here to tell you what I know."

"Robert, why do you do this? Why warn us? I don't understand."

"Why do I do this?" His mouth twisted and he looked away. "Why do I do this? I cannot tell myself why, Mary. But I do. You must let Alex go, Mary. And tell Angus not to interfere or it will not go well with him." He turned to the fire while I watched him and thought furiously. The baby moved within me and I placed my hand on my middle just as Robert turned back to me. He glanced at my hand and then away again. "My aunt told me about the child," Robert continued, his tone harsh. "Alex's child. I didn't know, didn't even guess. I should hate you both. But I don't. I don't even hate Alex. I went to see him because ..." He stared at the floor before looking up at me, then spread his hands in a futile gesture and rose, pacing in front of the fireplace, his movements agitated."... because I am somehow bound to you both now, and as absurd as it is, I wanted him to hear about going to England from someone who would tell him ... in a civilized manner. Does that make sense?" He shook his head savagely. "No, it makes no sense. Not to me either. And I went to tell him that I... that you ... would always be cared for while I lived." He fingered a candlestick on the mantel. "And he was grateful, Mary." Grateful, I thought. Alex was
gra
teful.

"Robert," I said, "you have no reason to hate either of us. Neither Alex nor I has ever done anything to you." When Robert raised his eyebrows as if to dispute me, I threw away all attempts to calm myself. "I appreciate your kindness and your generosity and I am grateful for the restraint you show in not acting upon your knowledge, but I will not accept that Alex or I have ever intentionally harmed you."

He stared at me. "No," he said hoarsely. "You are correct, it was not intentional. But you do not know what I... you do not know what it feels like to have something precious taken from you."

I laughed harshly, my voice unrecognizable. "No? I suspect I know far better than you ever will what it feels like. I have lost my husband, perhaps forever. I have lost my home. I have already lost both of my parents and now I do not even have a country. Do not speak to me of loss. If you have suffered, it is only because you did not act in time. I was available for years and you did nothing. You chose your fate."

We glared at each other for a long moment, and then, to my surprise, he laughed, a genuine laugh. "Mary," he said, smiling ruefully, "you do amaze me. Only you would find a way to be angry because I love you. Do not look at

me so. You are perfectly correct. Please accept my apology." He bowed to me and smiled again and my anger ebbed away as quickly as it had come, leaving me exhausted. I blinked and shook my head.

"Robert," I said, but could not say more.

"Do you forgive me?" he asked.

My eyes filled and I nodded, very close to hysteria.

"I imagine you would like to know how Alex took the news."

"Yes," I said.

"Alex was not surprised." Robert spoke quite calmly now. "No doubt he suspected it long ago. He is grateful to me for bringing you here. I told him that even now I am unable to get you to England, especially in your condition. Which he did not know." Robert gave me an appraising glance. "I told him about the child."

My head snapped up at that. Robert had told Alex that I was with child? This was too absurd. I stood suddenly and started to speak, but the room swam before me and I felt Robert catch me as I fainted.

I W
AS ON THE COUCH WHEN I WOKE, ROBERT HOVERING over me. His face showed his relief when I opened my eyes. "Mary," he said, his voice hoarse. "I'm so
sorry
. I should not have told you like that. Forgive me, please."

"Of course," I said hoarsely, and he stepped back from the couch and studied me while I straightened my clothing and tried to straighten my mind as well.

"I have sent for Angus," Robert said.

I sat up and looked at him in surprise. "You would do that?"

"I have done that. But I have one condition: that you do not, nor do you allow Angus ... An attempt to free Alex or the others is suspected and planned for. It will fail. And then ... Mary, you know you'll be suspected. Troops will come to this house. I cannot always be here to protect you. I have come here today because you might be in danger."

I tried to keep my voice level. "A threat, Robert?"

"A warning."

"What could I be planning?"

He made a sharp gesture, his anger apparent. "Do not play with me," he growled. "You would give your right arm to free him."

"I'd give my life to free him but I do not have the means."

"Do not attempt it, Mary."

Robert's aunt and the boys burst into the room then. Mrs. Campbell fussed over me and made me recline again while the boys ducked under her arms into mine. She clucked at them but I held them even closer, finding comfort in their embraces.