It was hard not to give in to a sense of irritation. Ailis sipped her wine and looked at her plump stepaunt. The woman was barely five years her senior, yet there was an abundance of gray in the woman’s hair. Ailis did sympathize with Una’s dreadful life, but she needed answers now, not one of Una’s jumbled tales.
“Spring is here, Jaime,” she said and was surprised when Jaime shushed her.
“I ken. Let Lady Una speak.” He patted the timid woman’s trembling hand. “Now, tell my mistress what ye told me.”
When Una suddenly looked at her, Ailis felt her irritation fade. There was a different look in the woman’s gray eyes, a different expression on her round face. Una looked as if all her wits were fully intact. The vague, dreamy air was gone, replaced by torment, fear, and a tremulous determination. Ailis wondered how long the change would last.
“What do you want to tell me, Aunt Una?” She also patted the woman on one plump arm.
“Ye must go away,” Una said, her voice soft and tremulous. “It isna safe here for ye.”
It was very hard not to make some sharp reply. The woman was suddenly aware of what was around her. Caustic words would not accomplish anything. Ailis did not really want to be responsible for scaring the woman’s wits away again. Poor Una had suffered enough abuse and fright from the MacFarlanes.
“I ken it, Aunt Una. Jaime and I have thought on little else since we were caged here.”
“Ye must go away now. Now!” Una grabbed hold of Ailis’s hands. “Just as I have paid little or no heed to all said and done about me, I have tried to ignore the talk this time. Sir Donald speaks such filth.” She placed a hand on Ailis’s abdomen. “They say that I am mad. They havena listened to Sir Donald speak of what he plans for your bairn. I kenned that I couldna ignore it when it began to torment me in my dreams.”
“It torments my dreams as well. Sir Donald makes no secret of his plans.”
“Your uncle doesna seem to ken what happens about him. But, nay, Donald isna too cautious. He means to kill your bairn before your eyes and then send the child to his father in wee pieces.”
She had heard the threat before, many times, but, oddly, she found it even more terrifying when spoken in the fear-shaken voice of her timid stepaunt. “He has told me just that time and time again over these last few months.”
“Well, what suddenly made me listen was that he means it. He will do it. He will. I heard it in his voice. I did. ‘Twas as if someone slapped me awake. A bairn, a wee innocent bairn. The men sit there listening to Sir Donald talk of this horrible murder and say naught. They are all stinking cowards. Well, I willna sleep through this; I willna dither or dream. Ye are getting away from here tonight.”
“Tonight?” Ailis tried not to put all her hopes into Una’s prediction, but it was impossible. For far too long she had not even the glimmer of an opportunity to escape. “Dinna tease me with this.”
“I would never be so cruel, child. Aye, useless at most times, but never cruel, I hope.”
“Nay, of course not. I am just so desperate to get away that I am almost afraid to believe that a chance has come.”
Una smiled, sadness twisting her expression. “Especially when ‘tis offered by one who canna even recall where she is on most days.” She held up her hand when Ailis started to politely protest. “Nay, ‘tis true. It began as a ploy to protect myself from my husband, your uncle. I discovered quite by accident that, if he thought me witless, he left me alone. I have been doing it for so long that it isna always an act now. So, we had best make our plans ere my clarity disappears.”
“Are ye sure ye can help us get out of the keep?” Jaime asked. “We must be released from our chambers, from the keep itself, and then from the bailey. It does us no good if all ye can do is unlock our chambers door.”
“I can get ye outside. Truly, I can. My maid makes it her business to learn the ways of escape in every place we go. She judged my husband well, saw that he would never tend to our safety, and so she did it herself. I will take Jaime and show him the way in case anything happens to me.”
Ailis nodded. They all knew what Una feared—the return of the vagueness she could no longer control. It did not need to be talked about. Ailis was glad the woman understood her own weaknesses enough to prepare for any trouble they might cause.
“When should we do this?” she asked, glancing from Jaime to Una.
“Midnight,” Una answered. “The witching hour. Jaime says that is the quietest time at Craigandubh. Those who arena on watch are asleep, and those who are on watch arena very alert.”
“And they will be looking outward.”
“Aye,” agreed Jaime. “They watch for an attack. Not an escape.”
“We must go on foot?” Ailis patted her heavy belly as she considered that possibility.
“To try and take a mount would be dangerous. Ye canna slip away into the shadows whilst tugging along a horse.” Jaime frowned at her. “We shall have to walk—at least at the beginning. Can ye manage that?”
“Aye, I can. I must. There is no other choice. We shall need some food.”
“I can gather some without stirring any suspicion.” Jaime stood up and helped Una stand. “Ye just be ready to leave, mistress.”
Ailis also stood up and then hugged Una. “Come with us. Ye have no life with my uncle.”
“Ye are a sweet lass. Nay, I canna go. I havena the courage. And ‘twill be best for ye if I linger here. I would only slow ye down, and my disappearance might raise an alarm earlier than ye would want.”
