“Captured.”
She paid it no mind until about an hour later, she heard another. “Devil’s Enforcer,” one of the nurses said.
Rosalin froze. Trying to maintain as much dignity as she could—even though she’d clearly been eavesdropping—she asked the woman, “Did you say something about the Devil’s Enforcer?”
“Did you not hear, m’lady?” the young novice said. “They’ve captured Robbie Boyd.”
Her heart stopped and sank at the same time. “Who has captured him?”
The girl gave her an odd look. “Why, your brother, my lady.”
Rosalin barely heard the last word. She was already out the door on her way back to the castle. By the time she burst into her brother’s solar, she was out of breath, flushed, and her brow damp with perspiration. “Tell me it isn’t true.”
Cliff lifted his head from the document he was studying and sighed. “I guess you’ve heard.”
“So it is true? You’ve captured him?”
“Not exactly.”
“What do you mean, not exactly? Is he here or isn’t he?”
“He’s here, but I didn’t capture him. The bast—man,” he corrected, “walked in here of his own accord.”
“He didwhat?” she screeched incredulously.
Her brother shook his head. “He walked in here demanding to see me.”
“And what did he say?”
“I don’t know. I thought I’d give him time to think about it for a while.”
Rosalin narrowed here eyes. “And where is he doing this thinking?”
As if she didn’t already know. Cliff could be every bit as ruthless as the “brigands” he complained about. “In the pit prison.”
“Cliff! How could you?”
His mouth hardened. “He’s lucky I didn’t string him up by the bollocks for what he did to you. One night in the pit prison won’t kill him. Unfortunately.”
“I want to see him.” Seeing his expression, she added, “And don’t think about refusing.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it,” he said with heavy sarcasm. “Why wouldn’t I want my little sister within arm’s reach of one of the most dangerous men in Scotland?”
She stared at him until he relented.
“Very well, I’ll have him brought up to the guardroom. But I’m warning you, Rosalin, I’m not making any promises. I’ve waited too long for this day.”
What time was it?
Robbie blinked into the pitch-black darkness, wondering at the wisdom of his plan. He’d anticipated the possibility of spending some time in the Berwick pit prison; he’d just hoped to speak to Clifford before being unceremoniously dumped into a hole.
As he was alone, he assumed that meant Seton had convinced them of his earnestness. His mouth hardened, not wanting to think of his former partner.
How much time did he have left? He had no way of knowing precisely without the aid of daylight, but he suspected only an hour or two at most. If Clifford’s curiosity didn’t get the better of him soon, Robbie’s Highland Guard brethren would be here to break him out before he even had a chance to plead his case.
Assuming theycouldget him out.
At least they would know where to find him, he thought wryly. MacRuairi was intimately familiar with the place, having spent some time here a few years back after helping free his now wife from captivity.
