Page 61 of Highlander’s Quest of Desire

Simon and Jacks let her go. Elspeth breathed hard, her chest heaving with the effort, now that her anger was spent her limbs ached, and her mouth was a throbbing bruise. Tears welled up in her eyes, but she was too proud to let them shed. Getting up on scratched and bruised legs, she walked up to Leo and looked him straight in the eye.

“I will be of nae use to ye,” she said, squaring her shoulders. “Ye keep the Honors, and keep yer false pride, but ye should begin counting yer days, Leo Sinclair for they are few in number.”

With that promise she went back to her spot underneath the tree. She looked up at the stars, the same stars that had blessed her union with Bruce, the same stars that had witnessed his cruel betrayal. Elspeth took an oath on those stars that she would do her utmost to thwart Leo’s plans. This way she would avenge Bruce.

* * *

A few miles before Dunnottar, Leo stopped the horses.

“Jacks,” he called. “Go ahead and bring a sedan chair for the Lady Buchan.”

“Why?” Elspeth asked, her tone arch. “I can ride a horse fairly well even with my hands tied.” She flexed her fingers, her wrists firmly tied to the saddle.

Leo didn’t rise to the bait. Elspeth had enjoyed winding him up. Now that she had a purpose her spirits were much better. Her bruises had deepened to violet in the past twenty-four hours, and she was certain she looked a fright. She had taken no pains to make herself presentable either even though Leo had bought her a new dress for her and paid for her to fix herself at the bath house in the last town.

She had wanted Dunnottar to witness her treatment at the hands of their new Laird. But Leo had come up with a solution. Elspeth didn’t despair. There would be time aplenty to turn clan Grant against Leo.

The sedan chair was a simple wooden affair. Instead of curtains at the small window there was a filigreed girl. The better to hide my face, she thought.

“Gag her before you throw her in,” Leo commanded.

Simon yanked her off the horse, and Jacks stuffed a rag inside her mouth then tied a scrap of cloth over it. They threw her in the sedan chair and shut the door. The inside was plain without any cushions or comfort. The plain wooden bench was hard and dusty, and Elspeth spotted a cobweb in one corner with a fat spider resting in the middle.

Jacks whistled, and five minutes later a troop of men came from the bend in the road and took up the poles supporting the sedan chair. It swayed, and Elspeth nearly lost her balance. Her tied hands gave her little support, but she managed to hold on to the seat and hold herself steady.

The swaying made her nauseous as they climbed the hill. This was not how she had imagined returning to Dunnottar Castle. In her imaginings she would have entered Dunnottar as the bride to Laird Bruce Grant. She had even decided on the color of her wedding gown. How would she have known that her fate had decided on the color of mourning for her?

Every brick reminded her of lost spring festivals, sunlit days, and iridescent childhood memories. The memory of her parents’ warm voices calling her echoed in her head, and she wept silently.

The carriers placed the sedan chair at the entrance of Dunnottar, and Elspeth lurched forward and hit her head on the seat. Cursing under her breath, she touched her bound hands to her head.

Now was Elspeth’s chance. She straightened up and got ready to display her face, but Leo opened the doors and thrust a dark cloak on her, obscuring her from view.

Foiled, she was dragged inside. She could hear the voices of men and women around her and the general hustle and bustle of a castle. A weird nexus of sudden silence followed her through the castle until the only sound was their footsteps. This made her happy. Leo had hidden her in layers and tried his best to make her inconspicuous, but people would still see a veiled figure being smuggled into the castle without any explanation.

She was forced up the stairs and dragged through what she assumed were hallways. Sunlight and shadow swept before her eyes until they finally reached a gloomy space and the veil was lifted off her head.

The room was spacious and clean. A narrow oriel window was the only source of light. A chest of drawers was pushed up against one of the walls, and a pitcher and basin was placed on top of it. The four-poster bed looked inviting after her long and arduous journey, and the blankets folded and placed on a wooden chest at the foot it promised more comforts.

“Simon and Jacks will bring you some water to bathe,” Leo said. “You can make this as easy or as difficult for yourself as possible.” His English accent was more pronounced now. He lifted his hand and caressed her cheek. She shivered with revulsion. “I am not your enemy, Elspeth. I can be your savior if only you allow me to.”

She shot daggers at him with her eyes. He must have understood their meaning because he chuckled and took his hand away. “Open her binds, and also bring her some food. Lady Elspeth’s spirits have returned.”

With that final order he left.

Elspeth decided to bide her time. How long would he keep her away from people? Sooner or later, she would find allies in Dunnottar, and then she would make him regret the day he decided to betray Bruce and Scotland.