“Oh, you wonder where your protectors are?” John asked. “They’re with everyone else trying to put out the fires that somehow lit the town ablaze this afternoon. Tsk, tsk, tsk, Montrose. You really should take better care of your people.”
William’s rage surfaced in that moment as he lunged for John. He almost caught him when something stung his back. He knew in an instant what it was as he dropped to the floor. The last thing he heard before passing out was his wife screaming his name and his sister’s maniacal laughter. He prayed to God and all that was holy he would not die this night. For their sake perhaps he should because if he didn’t he would hunt down and draw and quarter each and every one of them.
Chapter Nineteen
She did notpossess the strength to lose him a second time. Where she found the courage, Agnes did not know. In the next moment, she too lunged forward toward Elspeth, grabbed hold of her shoulders while kicking her legs out from beneath her. With William’s mother shrieking in the background, Connor tying William’s hands behind his back, and she sitting atop Elspeth and holding onto her hands, the scene must have looked quite horrific to anyone who might happen upon them.
Hands dug into Agnes’s hair as she was yanked off Elspeth and flung her aside to hit the wall. She’d gotten her hands out in front of her in time to protect herself from receiving a nasty blow to the head.
“You filthy bitch!” Elspeth leapt at her but was caught by John and restrained.
“She is no good to us maimed. You must remember the plan.”
Elspeth immediately backed off. Whatever hold John held over her must be great for she appeared to revere him as though he were her superior.
His words sent shivers down Agnes’s spine. This business was far from over and for the first time she believed all would not be well. She had so many questions and without William now to protect her, she considered she might never find the answers.
“Get up,” John said as he kept Elspeth at bay who looked like she wanted to tear Agnes apart one limb at a time.
“Why?” she asked.
“Because if you don’t,” John said, “you will regret it. And believe me when I say, niece, you will also soon regret your attempt to deceive me. Though your fickle plot was enough to help me escape, it was not enough for me to give up the location of our band.”
He reached down and lifted her up by the shoulder. “Now be a good lass and keep your mouth shut,” he said as he turned to Elspeth.
“This way,” she said and moved to the back of the hall to the side of the hearth. “Quick, behind here,” she said leading to a narrow passageway Agnes didn’t know existed.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked. Hair prickled at her nape and uneasiness swept over her as she realized they had left William hogtied and his mother shrieking while Connor tied her to a chair.
John shoved her forward as the first pounding began at the hall door on the other end. Someone must have realized finally the danger that had set up on them.
“Will they find us in here?” he asked Elspeth.
“It is not likely. These passageways have not been used in years, and at this point only William and my mother would know about them.”
“Where do they lead?”
“They will bring us outside of the castle walls. But we must be careful. Once the guards are inside, they will seek an alternative exit and since Connor is administering more of the poison to my mother at this moment, it is unlikely she or William will wake for many hours.”
Agnes tried hard to keep her wits about her. The last comment gave her some relief in that at least they weren’t planning to kill them, rather render them helpless until theycould make their escape. The pathway was dark and the sound of Elspeth feeling her way along was unnerving.
“What do you plan to do with me?” she asked.
“If it were up to me, you’d already be dead,” Elspeth said with such a matter-of-fact tone Agnes didn’t doubt it for a second.
That she might live was likely due to her uncle; the irony was not lost on her. William would be beside himself when he woke to find her missing again. But this time was far worse than the last.
“Enough, Elspeth. Less talking and more movement. I won’t rest until we are away from this damned place and somewhere safe.”
She’d keep that nugget to herself as well. If she could find a way to delay them, she might yet survive this ordeal.
“Why won’t you tell me what you plan to do with me?” she asked him.
“You’ll find out soon enough,” he said.
If his intent was to ensure she remained on edge and terrified, he was achieving his goal. Agnes’s guts were coiled as tight as could be. Her blood pounded in her ears, and she was sure much more of this and she would surely retch. Some part of her was convinced her own uncle would not see harm come to her. On the other hand, he was scheming enough and dedicated enough to this plan to outsmart the king’s own guardsmen and walk straight into the castle and snatch her away. She would of course give credit to William who would have never suspected his sister’s involvement in this rebellion.
By God, when her uncle had said they were spread far and wide, he hadn’t exaggerated. If an earl’s own sister could be involved, there was no limit to the levels to which this cause had reached. And that was it. Everyone had sold them short, especially William. Her heart ached at how he would feel when he woke.
