“Lassie—”
“Fawnella.” She smiled. “I am Lady Fawnella MacHearin, and you are?”
He held silent, curling his lip while regarding her soiled gown. He barked at her. “Too clean to be any of your concern nor attention, Lady Fawnella. That” – he pointed at the broach – “isnotmine.”
Movement caught the corner of her eye from under the covered arcade outside beyond the unwelcoming stranger. She kept her eyes locked on the Scottish lord.Don’tlook or he willknow a cluster of guards with swords drawn are approaching with the one in the lead who was as tall as a giant… Callum?
“Nella,” Callum’s voice summoned for her ears alone. She breathed once more. “Holger told me what has occurred. If this is the lord you heard, take one step back.” Her foot went rearward. “All right, I see you. Please take another dozen away from Lord MacBenrick lest my heart halt at the sight of you in danger.”
“Forgive me,” she replied, “’twas laying over yonder, I thought it to be yours.”
Turning, she took ten strides before another royal guard appeared from around the corner. Callum must have alerted the entire keep. Stepping near the newest arrival who had the look of one who knew how to handle the blade in his hand, she glanced back when Callum’s voice boomed.
“Sir Lesly, seize him! For crimes against the crown!”
Lord MacBenrick’s eyes bulged as he pointed at her. “YOU! You halted my leave on purpose, you tricking wretch!”
Escaping Sir Lesly’s grip, Lord MacBenrick began bolting at her!
Callum growled, charging past his guardsman, and grabbed Lord MacBenrick’s flailing arm mid-air. The same moment the guard protecting her leapt forward, slamming his fist into the lord’s face, rendering him unaware as he dropped like a stone in a loch.
Callum spun back at the knight who had failed. “Take him to the tunnel, directly!”
Sir Lesly jumped forth at the captain’s demand, lifting the lord as Callum looked at the guard beside her. “My sincerest thanks, Sir Nathrach, in helping keep the lady safe. Please take your leave for the solar. Sir Sean is present with our lord king, and we shall be along in a moment.”
Sir Nathrach nodded, walking past the cluster in guards who crowded the archway. Well, Lord MacBenrick was one; who were the other two traitors at large?
Chapter 45
Callum looked down at the earnest expression before him. If a devil could be scared into him then a smoldering pitchfork would have speared his soul when he had begun racing to find her. Did he want to question her why she had fled her chambers? Hedid, but the answer held obvious – her loyalty to the kingdom. How could he fault her when he was made the same?
Dragging her close, he murmured softly into the veil covering her scalp, “Nella.”
Her fingers gripped his tunic as she buried her face under his chin. “Callum, I could not let them escape.” Her words were shaky as she was in his embrace. “How did you find me?”
“Lord Kolson, whom I shall release my full wroth upon for letting you leave his side,” he explained. “I was seeking to tell you the pair of lords were of nae threat when I happened upon the Northman leading the traitor he caught toward the tunnel.”
Her shaking stopped. “Callum.” She leaned back, looking up at him. “He caught only one?”
“Aye, why?”
“Three… there were three voice signatures.”
“Hell.”
“Aye, ’twill be if we cannot find the third.”
“Sir Sean,” Callum called out. She turned about, facing the approaching knight. Nella scooted from his embrace but took his hand as Sir Sean reached them. “There were three, not two.” The knight’s eyes grew. “Place at least half a dozen guards on the tunnel. I do not want a single Scot to venture alone into those cells, lest they set Lord MacBenrick or the other traitor Lord Kolson snared free or slay them to protect his identity. As declared earlier, nae one leaves through the guard gate without my approval. Lady Fawnella and I shall be in the solar speaking with the king upon the latest development if you have need of me.”
“For certain.”
Soon as Sir Sean vanished out into the bailey’s entry, Nella darted her eyes at her gown. “Callum, that Lord MacBenrick all but retched at my state of attire.” She met his gaze with her pleading one. “I must have an audience with the king appearing so?”
“My lady, you could wear a burlap sack and be stunning.”
“Even if the burlap sack smelled of sweat?”
“Aye, Nella.” He cupped her delicate jaw. “The king wishes to meet you.You. Not your gown. He was so taken by all I proclaimed regarding your efforts these past days he yearned to meet you at once. I lay the choice at your feet, my lady, new gown or eager sovereign?”
