Chapter Twenty-Four
Aidam paced the cold stone of the dungeon floor. How could he have been so stupid? He let his feelings for Ellie get in the way of his brain, and now they were doomed. His uncle would be true to his word and not intentionally harm Ellie. Still, he would undoubtedly lay waste to her family lands, and in the process, destroy any hope Evander had of ever being laird. Aidam did not dare think of what could happen to the boy should he try and fight back, which if the lad were anything like his headstrong sister, he certainly would. Ellie would never forgive herself if something happened to her brother, nor was Aidam sure he could forgive himself either.
It was a cruel fate and all because Aidam let his heart rule his head.
He knew there was no way out of the Sinclair dungeons. It was impossible. And while Duncan had left him to ride with his uncle on MacAskill’s keep, there were plenty of clansmen left to act as guards and ensure Aidam stayed exactly where he was.
Two or three hours must have passed, which meant his uncle had a lead that Aidam would not be able to catch up with unless he escaped right at that moment. His options looked bleak as he looked around his stone cell, but there had to be a way. He just had not thought of it yet.
The clan would be camped for the night soon, and if Aidam could get out of the damned dungeon he could ride ahead straight through the night and warn Evander and the MacAskill men.
“Bloody arse!” he cursed into the night.
“Watch yer tongue, cousin. There is a lady present.” Jemina walked into the dim candlelight.
“Jemina, as glad as I am to see ye, lass, what are ye doing down here? Someone will tell yer Da!” As pleased as Aidam was to see a friendly face, he was sure enough people he cared about had suffered on this day. He sent a silent prayer up that Damon walked away from the cottage undetected. He would never forgive himself if he got Wynne’s husband in trouble, not after he risked so much to try and warn him and Ellie.
“My Da is at this very moment running off to play make-believe war on my friend’s family. I dae nae think he is overly concerned with what I am up to.” Aidam knew that his cousin mourned the distance that had grown between her and her father. He wished he could have done more to make her feel loved. It wasn’t fair.
“Whatareye up to then, lass?” he asked.
“I am helpin’ ye escape, cousin. What does it look like I’m doin’?”
“Jemina…”
“Do nay argue, Aidam. Ye need to get out of here to warn the MacAskills. Ye need to help Ellie. I dae nae ken why my Da is acting this way, but we have to stop him before someone we love gets hurt.”
“Aye, on that, we agree.”
“Oh, and I’m coming with ye.”
“On that, we dae nae agree, lass. Ye need to stay here. It could be dangerous. I dae nae want ye caught up in this. It’s nay yer fight.”
“Like hell, it isn’t! Ellie is my friend, and I want to help her.”
Aidam admired Jemina’s spirit, and truth be told, he may need her help. Plus, the likely hood of breaking through his uncle’s hard-headedness was that much greater with Jemina at his side. How could he refuse?
“All right, lass, we ride together. But we ride swift and through the night. Ye do as I say, and ye stay clear of harm. Do ye understand?” Jemina gave him a crooked smile as she lifted her skirt to reveal she was wearing breeches.
“Aye, I understand.” What was it with the women in his life insisting on wearing men’s clothes?
“Great, then get me out of here,” Aidam replied, smiling and shaking his head at his cousin. He was a lucky man to be surrounded by such brave and fierce women. If only his uncle could see that. Perhaps instead of anger, the older man would be proud.
* * *
Ellie was tired, but she was too alert to sleep. They had been riding for what she thought had to be three or four hours, perhaps more. They had long passed the inn where they had spent the night on their previous trip to the Sinclair keep from her family home. She thought certainly at this pace, they would reach MacAskill Keep by dawn. Sinclair showed no signs of settling his men for the night.
The breakneck speed at which they rode coupled with her being forced to ride tucked against Sinclair gave her no avenue for escape. He had her wrapped facing him, tightly against his chest, and she could tell by the violent nature of his grip around her back he knew she would try, no matter how foolhardy it would be. How could she not try? He admitted he was taking her home to wage war on her family lands. She needed to find some way to warn her brother.
“I dae nae understand why ye are doing this?” Perhaps she could get him talking, and he would be less angry, less inclined to wage war by the time they arrived at the MacAskill keep.
“Lass, ‘tis simple. Ye made a promise, and if ye dae nae intend to keep it, there are consequences. Ye cannae go through life promising things, and when ye decide ye no longer want to play the game, quit on yer word. Yer word is all ye have in this life. Ye cannae trade on a bonny face or even a bonny body. Ye cannae use sweet words in hopes of soothing the broken hearts ye leave behind when ye dae nae keep yer word.”
Broken hearts?Ellie shook her head. The laird did not love her, of that she was sure. The faraway look in Sinclair’s eyes indicated he was not speaking about her or their betrothal, but rather something else. If only she could figure it out. Why was he so very angry? Who broke his heart? Why was he taking out his anger on her and Aidam? Perhaps there would be a way to break through.
“My Laird, surely ye dae nae hold me to the promises made by others? I did nay want this marriage from the start. I asked several times to be released from our betrothal, and ye refused. It’s nay fair to hold me responsible for others’ word.”
He laughed then and gripped her tighter. Ellie struggled to breathe under his tight hold. “Now, because ye shared a quick tumble with me nephew ye have second thoughts? I dae nae care that me nephew sought his pleasure with ye, though I did think ye better than a common whore.”
