‘Fear not. I had the wretch whipped to within an inch of his life. He will not talk of her disgrace on pain of death. I have covered up the scandal, but it hardly improves her prospects. Ifear your sister is simple-minded and easily led. The sooner we marry her off to Carstairs, the better, before someone puts a bairn in her belly, or he sees her for what she is and changes his mind.’
‘Do what you think is best, Mother. Now you may take your leave.’
‘No. You are in peril from this new Warden, are you not?’
‘No more than usual.’
‘All the more reason to trust no one, least of all a MacCreadie lass. Stop making a fool of yourself. Do what you must and take what you want. Kindness and restraint do not suit my fierce son. That is my last word on the subject.’
‘If only that were true,’ muttered Jasper as his mother swept out with one last glare.
***
It would be getting dark soon. She would be missed. ‘I must go Bran,’ said Rowenna, trying to tear her hands from her brother’s, but he held on fast.
‘Please, a little longer. I have not seen a soul in days, only the jailor who comes with mouldy bread and stale ale. Can you not see that I have been slowly dying these last weeks?’
He did not look too bad. He was still paunchy, though there was a pallor from being shut up in the dark.
‘I cannot believe Jasper took you, Bran, when he swore he would not.’
‘I cannot believe you handfasted with that liar and scoundrel.’
‘I had no choice, and I did it to save your skin. What did you do that was so terrible that Jasper locked you in his dungeon? Tell me the truth.’
‘I did nothing, sister, save owe him a debt, the penny-pinching mongrel. ‘Tis nothing to him – a few coins, yet he would have me die for want of it.’
‘There must be more to it than that. I can always tell when you are lying.’
‘I am innocent of the charge of conspiring against him, sister. And Glendenning took you for one reason only. He desires you.’
‘A passing fancy, nothing more,’ she said.
‘But it is the key to this lock,’ said Bran, shaking his cell door. ‘You can use Jasper’s lust to save my life. I need only get free, and I will go far away from here. You will never see me again.’
‘I can never get the key, Bran.’
‘You can if you ask him nicely. He has threatened to drive Father off his land, to end Clan MacCreadie. Rowenna, a man will grant any favour when he is happy, and it is your duty as his wife to lie with him. Put a smile on his face, then ask for my release. Glendenning will grant you a favour with that bonnie face of yours.’
‘No. I cannot. The handfasting is not fully consummated, and I don’t want it to be.’
‘Do I mean so little that you would refuse to use your God-given gifts to save my life?’ hissed Bran.
‘Do I mean so little that you would have me whore myself to save your skin?’
‘You must do it, or I will die here, sister. And then you will be joined to a man who murdered your brother. How can yourconscience live with that? And once he has killed me, you still have to lie with that brute, don’t you? So why not do it now for a good cause?’
‘He will never believe that I want him, and he will be angry if I deceive him.’
‘You are clever, Rowenna, and bonnier than you realise. You can convince him that you are sincere in your affection. Make him happy. All our fortunes depend on it.’
‘I will find keys, Bran. I will smuggle you out somehow.’
‘There is no time. I cannot last much longer. Look at me, will you?’
As usual, Rowenna tried to appease her brother’s anger. ‘I will try and sneak down tomorrow with some food.’
‘Aye, ‘tis the least you can do,’ he said resentfully.
