Then he noticed his current state of undress. “Why am I half-naked? Where are my robes?”
The guard looked around in dismay. “It appears you’ve been robbed, Father.”
“By whom?”
“Who else but the Butcher?”
Father Douglas frowned up at the guard. “But I came here to listen to his confession. He was shackled to thiswalland was supposed to be on death’s door. How could he have accomplished such a feat? And where is he now?”
The guard helped Father Douglas to his feet. “If I were to hazard a guess, I’d say he’s halfway to Ireland.”
“I suppose I should be thankful,” Father Douglas said, “that he took my robes and nothing else. I’m relieved to discover that I amstillin possession of my head.”
“The Almighty must have been watching over you,” the guard said.
“Though it appears He was watching over someone else, too—the prisoner who just escaped.”
The guard helped Father Douglas out of thecell. “Have no worries, Father. Justicewillprevail. It always does wherevillainsare concerned.”
They slowly made their way up the stairs. “But we’re on Scottish soil, young man. Some might take issue with your opinions andcallthe Butcher a hero.”
“And you, Father? What would youcallhim?”
He took a long time to consider the question; then he chuckled. “I am inside an English prison, but I amstilla Scot by blood. So I suppose Iwillsimplycallhim lucky.”
* * *
Sitting at the edge of the glade not far from the MacKenzies’cottage, on the banks of a cool, babbling brook, Amelia tried to make sense of the extraordinary events of her life. A few days ago, she had fled from an English garrison where Duncan was incarcerated, leaving him behind—alone—allthe while hoping that she might find the help she needed in order to free him.
Now she sat by this stream in the Scottish interior, praying that her plan had not gone awry and that Duncan would somehow survive.
She lifted her eyes and looked around. This was the very place they had stopped after escaping the English soldiers at Loch Fannich. It was where she had first seen Duncan in a different light, just before hecollapsedat her feet as a result of the head wound she had inflicted upon him. She had run off and left him alone that night, too, in search of help from others.
Something caught her eye at that moment—a flash of gray on the other side of the stream.Duncan?Her heart skipped a beat, however, as she recognized the visitor.
Strangely unafraid, Amelia sat motionless. The wolf sniffed around and soon caught Amelia in her gaze.
How odd and incredible to again be so close to a creature of the wild. Amelia wished she had something to offer the wolf but knew that would be a mistake, because it would only encourage her to return and perhaps discover that the MacKenzies had a stablefullof plump, juicy animals.
But it was not wrong to enjoy the wolf’s company, Amelia decided, while she marveled at the fact that she felt so very safe in her presence.
Suddenly, however, the wolf lifted her head. Her ears pricked; then she darted in the other direction. She flew into the bush and vanished as quickly as she had appeared, leaving Amelia to wonder if she had imagined the entire thing.
The forest grew quiet again until a clear rustling began behind her,followedby the sound of hooves on the moss.
She turned quickly and stood.
Was she dreaming? Twice now had her eyes deceived her?
No, this was real. She was looking at Duncan, fierce and dangerous, sitting atop a chestnut gelding, dressed in his familiar green tartan. His thick sable hair was wild and windblown, his left hand wrapped in a splint. His eye wasstillblackened but less swollen. He looked almost himself again, and he was alive. He was free.
“You’re here,” he said, in that deep Scottish brogue she had come to know sowell. His expression was stern.
She could not speak. Her heart was racing, for despiteallthe pleasures they had shared and her knowledge of his wealth and aristocratic blood, he wasstilla brutish and intimidating beast of a man when he wished to be.
Sheswallowed hard and forced words past her lips, for she was not about to let him break her. He had never managed to do it before, and he was not going to do it now.
“Yes. And you got away.”
