She turned immediately; recognition of his voice evident in her face. “Hamish?”
“Outside the door.”
She ran to the door and dropped to her knees. “Are you there?”
“I am here.” He flattened his palms against the panel.
“I’m so glad to hear yer voice.”
His view of the chamber turned dark, and he guessed that Elena’s long hair was hanging over the keyhole. No matter. They could talk. And for as long as the guard slept, they could talk in private.
“Elena, have ye been treated well? Has anyone harmed ye?”
“Dinna fret, Hamish. I am as well as I can be.”
His fists tightened. “Has anyone touched ye?” he growled.
“The guards here are kind.” Elena avoided the question. “’Twas harder at Greenock. Gaunt’s men liked to taunt me. But women from the village smuggled food in. I have ne’er been hungry. And I have ne’er been harmed, not in the way ye mean.”
He leaned his forehead against the door, exhaling with relief.
“But I canna stand by and let that man, Gaunt, take Greenock from us. It canna happen.” Her voice rippled with passion. “Brianne died for Greenock. ’Tis up to us to make things right.”
“I ken so.” He wished he could hold her hand, but the keyhole was too small for even his smallest finger to wriggle through. “I will put it right. Ye heard what was said inside, aye? Greenock is ter be ours once again.”
“I heard what was said and I saw the way ye looked at the pretty lady in the white dress.” Elena sniffed. “I ken ye dinna want her ter marry Gaunt. But ye must let it be, Hamish. We have suffered enough and so have our people.”
Hamish’s heart beat hollowly. “Dinna worry, Elena.” He cast a glance at the guard who was still deeply asleep. “I just wish ye were not still a prisoner here.’ Tis not right.”
“’Tis a small matter.” Elena’s small finger appeared through the keyhole and he grasped it. “Ow,” she protested.
“Sorry.” Laughing quietly, he released his grip.
“As soon as I heard yer voice in the dungeons, I knew that all would be well.”
“Ye were in the dungeons at the same time as I?” Hamish recalled the slight figure huddled by the wall.
“Aye. When ye came out with yon English Lord, I covered myself with my shawl so ye wouldna ken ’twas me.”
“Why in heaven’s name would ye do that?”
“Because I knew that ye would find a way outta this. And ye have.”
He bowed his head and sighed. “Ever since ye were captured, I have been trying to think of a way to rescue ye. Ever since Gaunt’s men took Greenock, I have plotted and planned to take it back.”
“And ye have prevailed.”
Hamish closed his eyes against the pain. Beside him, the guard startled and sank back in his chair, his head nodding.
“I must go,” Hamish whispered through the keyhole. “But I will see ye again soon, Elena. And ye will have yer freedom.”
Upstairs in the bedchamber which was so grand it could only belong to a family member, Hamish felt again the swirling pain of loss. ’Twas a similar pain to what he had felt the day he failed to protect Brianne. For who was he,what was the point of him, if he could not protect the women he loved?
But both his sister and Isabella were convinced he should sit back and go along with this plan.
Hamish gritted his teeth and began to dress.
*
