Chapter 20
As dawn broke, Flora began the last leg of her journey. The birlinn had docked at the seaside village of Arinagour on the Isle of Coll, giving her the first look at Lachlans baronial stronghold that was now in the possession of her brother.
The first thing she noticed was the wind. But as the sun grew in strength, she was able to make out the long stretches of sandy white beach and wide expanses of grassy moorland. Soft rocky crags rose in the distance. She gasped with delight, seeing a white seal scooting around on the beach. Though desolate, it was achingly lovely. Her heart tugged with longing. This place might have been her home.
Instead, it was a place of refuge. Shed run to the only person she could be sure didnt have any interest in her marriage to Lachlanher brother Hector.
From the moment shed learned the truth, Flora had only one thought: escape. Just being near Lachlan was torture when every time she looked at him, the pain of what hed doneand the yearning for what might have beenhit anew.
Their marriage was a mockery. Perhaps she might have forgiven Lachlans bargain with her cousin, but she would never forgive being forced into marriage. Once his brother was free, she was determined to find a way out of their marriage.
But after the confrontation in her bedchamber, the decision to leave had taken on a decided urgency. Any twinge of uncertainty she might have felt at leaving was banished by the humiliating betrayal of her body. If she stayed, she knew she would succumb eventually. And that she could not abide. All she could think of was getting out of there, no matter how much it hurt to leave or how much she would miss Gilly, Mary, and the others shed come to care for.
When she saw Lachlan ride out with his men to free his brother, she knew her opportunity had arrived. Although hed never rescinded his order to his men to allow her to leave at any time, she did not want to take the chance that they would try to stop her. She needed help. So shed turned to the one person who wanted her gone almost as badly as she wanted to leaveSeonaid.
At first, the healer was reluctant to interfere, but once Flora explained the circumstances and that Lachlan had married her only to free his brother from prison, it hadnt taken much to convince her to help. The prospect of resuming their relationship where theyd left off before Floras arrival was too sweet a temptation to refuse. It was a prospect that caused Flora more agony than she wanted to acknowledge. The thought of Lachlan with another woman made the dull ache in her chest quicken and throb with something akin to panic.
Thanks to Seonaid, escape from Drimnin had proved much easier the second time around. Hidden in the shadows with a dark cloak covering her from head to toe, shed waited, trying to calm the frantic beating of her heart. Then, while Seonaid distracted the guards, she made her escape through the landward gate. Once safely outside, she hesitated, experiencing a moment of nearly overwhelming sadnesssadness that crashed over her like a lead blanket with a heaviness that made her knees buckle. Shed never thought shed be leaving like this again. How could everything have changed so quickly?
She thought of waking up that morning with the sun streaming through her tower chamber and how happy shed been. It felt as though shed had everything. Shed trusted him. But hed taken that trust and shattered it into a thousand tiny pieces. Steeling herself from the memories, she retraced her steps to the beach, refusing to look back. But as the castle slipped into the darkness behind her, it felt as if her heart were being ripped in two. Part of her, she knew, shed left behind.
Hector had not disappointed. Shed barely slipped onto the rocky path before she found herself surrounded by her brothers men, including the friendly face of Aonghus, which somehow made her want to cry.
Wed nearly given up hope, my lady, he said. Your brother will be pleased to see you.
Overwhelmed by what shed just done, she could manage only a nod.
Theyd ridden north a short while and then boarded a birlinn that had brought them to Coll. She should feel relieved, but instead she felt cold and emptynot to mention exhausted. Now that shed actually done it, the reality had set in. Shed left her husband, the man shed given her heart and body. It should have been her wedding night; instead of a night filled with passion and tenderness, she was fleeing in the darkness with men she barely knew. It feltwrong.
She shook off the twinge of doubt. Shed made the right decision. She couldnt live with a man whod lied to her, betrayed her trust, and tricked her into marrying him. A man whod broken her heart. And after that scene in her room, her own weaknesses had been blatantly pointed out.
If only it didnt hurt so much. God, she missed him. And it had been only a few hours. The long days stretched out before her like an insurmountable mountain. How was she ever going to make it through?
How could it all have come to this? Shed actually thought shed found a man who could love her for herself, who didnt want anything from her. She should have known better. But shed disregarded the lessons of her mothers lifetime for a dreamthat was all it was, a foolish girls dream. Shed been right in the beginning. Not about Lord Murray in particular, but about choosing a husband with cold practicality and not allowing herself to be used as a pawnmaking her own decisions.
If Lachlan had used a knife, his betrayal could not have cut more exactingly. If only her memories could be excised so precisely.
And now, in the clear light of day as her eyes roamed the windswept vistas of Coll, Flora felt an acute sense of longing for what might have been.
As she made her way up the beach, she saw a large man sitting atop a fine horse and realized her brother had come to greet her. Her step faltered as she drew nearer. Dear God, though a good ten years older than Lachlan, he reminded her of him. Not in his features, but in his build, stance, and fierce expression. They were both hard, forbidding warriorsmen who looked as rough and rugged as the landscape that surrounded them.
Though nowhere near as outrageously handsome as Rory, her Maclean brother was also an attractive man. Unlike Rory, however, he did not bear as obvious a resemblance to her. Nor, strangely, did she feel the instant bond of familial connection.
He dismounted and walked toward her with the same determined stride that Lachlan used. Stopping before her, he crossed his arms and gave her a long, hard look. Youve come. Good. I feared you would disappoint me.
She felt a kernel of disappointment herself, which she quickly brushed aside. His greeting was nothing like Rorys. Most men werent demonstrative, she reminded herself, which was why Rorys exuberant hug had surprised her. Perhaps she should have given Rory the benefit of the doubt. No. She couldnt have risked it. Even if he wasnt involved in their bargain, his ties to Argyll certainly trumped the feelings of a sister he barely knew.
Still, despite the cool welcome, after her long journey, lack of sleep, and the traumatic events of yesterday, she felt tears of relief swell in her eyes. Its good to see you, brother.
He must have realized how close she was to falling apart, because his eyes softened. He held out his hand. Come. You must be exhausted. We will talk when youve had a chance to rest.
Grateful for his kindness, Flora took his hand and allowed her brother to lead her to her husbands castle. Perhaps this wouldnt be so bad.
She was a pretty little thing, his sister. Hector had actually felt sorry for her. When shed arrived, shed looked ready to collapse.
In a show of unusual magnanimity, hed given her a few hours to rest before they talked. Unless he was mistaken, Coll would be hard on her heels. Hed have to raise men first, though, which would give Hector a bit of time to prepare.
He still couldnt decide how to best use her to his advantage.
Flora wasnt the willful, headstrong chit hed expected. Coll had broken her. Hector supposed he should thank him for that; it would make whatever he planned much easier.
It was a shame. Under other circumstances, he might have warmed to the idea of having a sister around again.
But Coll had to interfere.
And now that Hector held Flora, he finally held the means to put an end to the feud that had been waged between them for too long.
Soon it would be done.
Flora woke to the sound of a knock. For a moment, awash in drowsy confusion, she stretched languidly with a wide smile on her face, thinking she was back at Drimnin. But the swell of happiness evaporated when the unfamiliar maidservant entered with a jug of fresh water. The morose woman made the crotchety old Morag seem like a young girl on May Day. The aura of misery was contagious, and all that had happened came rushing back to her.
The chief wishes for you to join him for the midday meal, the woman said somberly.
Flora nodded, realizing shed slept only a few hours. Thank you
Mairi.
Thank you, Mairi, she said, but the woman seemed disinclined to talk further and assiduously avoided her gaze.
Flora had removed her gown to lie down, and Mairi helped her put it on again. Though wrinkled and splattered with mud from her journey, it would have to do until her clothes could be sent for. She drowned the reflexive wave of sadness with a splash of cold water on her face. The pain would lessen, she told herselfin time. She hoped.
She smoothed her hair in the looking glass beside the bed and left the room feeling if not refreshed, then at least no longer liable to collapse.
As she was led to the great hall to join her brother, Flora couldnt help but notice Mairis strange behavior. She flinched when Flora spoke to her, almost as if she were frightened by her.
Have you been here a long time, Mairi?
She nodded.
Then you did not come from Duart with my brother?
No!
The vehemence in her voice and the spark of hatred in her dark eyes startled Flora.
Of course it must be difficult, she realized. Hector had taken the castle by force, and the woman was still obviously loyal to Lachlan. Flora was Hectors half-sister, so of course the woman would assume Flora would side with Hector.
She started to assure her otherwise but stopped. What could she say? That she was married to the laird but had left him? She hardly thought that would endear her to the woman. By coming here, she had chosen Hector over Lachlan and forsaken her duty to her husband. The realization took her aback. Lachlans accusation that she had no concept of duty and responsibility that had originally fallen on deaf ears, she now acknowledged might hold some truth. For the first time, she felt a shadow of doubt about leaving her husband.
Mairi had turned her gaze, but there was something in the womans expression that bothered her. She wore the look of a beaten dog backed into a corner, wounded but ready to bite to defend herself. And what was more, it was clear she perceived Flora as a threat. The animosity she felt toward Hector had obviously spread to his sister.
Instead of trying to make further conversation, Flora studied her surroundings. The place was deathly quiet. Almost like a tomb. A stark contrast to the bustling liveliness and happy countenances of Drimnin. The few servants they did encounter cast their eyes down as soon as they saw her. Almost as if they were scared.
It was unsettling.
As was the state of the keep itself. Much like Drimnin, Breacachadh was a simple tower house construction with a turnpike stair on the southeast corner overlooking the sea. But there the similarities ended. Breacachadh was of much sturdier construction, with thick stone walls, a substantial curtain wall, and a parapet for added defense.
Moreover, she could tell that at one point Breacachadh would have been a very fine home. The rooms were large and richly appointed. Fine carpets were strewn across the wood floors, though mud and muck had turned portions black. The furnishings were much richer as well, carved chairs with velvet cushions, large wooden tables, and cabinets. Tapestries and paintings lined the walls, and fine iron sconces lit the corridors.
It had been easy to make excuses for the signs of destruction along the countryside as theyd ridden to Breacachadh Castle to the south, blaming it on weather, but the woebegone faces of the castle inhabitantsand the condition of the castle itselfwere not so easily dismissed.
She knew Lachlan too well to believe he would do this, which left only one person who could be responsible for the pall that seemed to hang over the place.
Hector was already eating when she arrived, having not bothered to wait for her. She turned to thank Mairi, but shed already disappeared. Flora took the seat beside him and had barely sat down before he started to question her.
You slept well?
Yes, thank you, she said.
She felt his eyes on her face. You dont look much like her.
Mother?
He nodded.
No. A faint smile played upon her lips as she thought of her reaction upon seeing Rory. She studied Hector a little closer, noticing for the first time the dark green of his eyes and the shape of his mouth. Though his hair was mostly gray, she could still see the familiar streaks of dark brown. But you do. And a little of her unease faded with the realization. After her initial impression of the castle and the servants, the connection with her mother seemed somehow reassuring. Hector was her brother.
He seemed surprised by the observation and then shrugged. Perhaps. Though I hadnt seen her in years.
What happened to cause the rift between you?
He eyed her carefully over the rim of his goblet. She never told you?
Flora shook her head.
Not long after my father died, she married a man whom I despised.
Like Lachlan, she realized with a flicker of apprehension. Flora recalled what she knew of her mothers husbands. Only one made sense. John MacIan of Ardnamurchan?
Hectors gaze flared. Yes.
But he was murdered, she blurted. Something shed overheard once as a child but hadnt understood at the time came back to her. Most foully, she finished.
Hectors face grew dark, and he looked at her sharply. He was an enemy to Duart. An ally of the MacDonalds. Even after the marriage he refused to join us against them. He got what he deserved.
The flash of earlier warmth for her brother vanished, and her unease returned full force. You killed him?
His own mothers husband? Surely there had to be an explanation.
He overstepped his bounds, thinking to marry my mother. And she wanted to soil the Macleans with MacIan bloodI couldnt let that happen. So when the opportunity arose, when I had him in my power, I took advantage of the situation.
He seemed to want her to understand. Hiding the revulsion she was feeling, she asked, What opportunity?
Their wedding. It was at Torlusk, one of my houses on Mull.
This time, she could not hide her reaction. By seizing MacIan at Torlusk, Hector had violated one of the most sacred tenets of Highland lifeHighland hospitality.
Her poor mother. Floras heart went out to her. No wonder shed so rarely seen Hector. Why hadnt her mother told her?
And more disturbing, what kind of man could do such a thing? Lachlans warning about her brother came back to her.
She forced her pulse to calm. But you eventually apologized and reconciled?
Apologized? He laughed. Why would I do that? It was her fault. No, Mother came to me about the time of Argylls wedding.
Flora blanched, realizing why. Because of me. Shed been bemoaning the fact that she never saw her brothers and sisters and had never met Hector. Her mother had reconciled because of her. How her mother must have loved her to be able to forgive her sons betrayal. Shed put aside her own feelings for her daughter. That was love. Should she have done as much for Lachlan? The thought disturbed her.
She took a deep breath, wishing she hadnt brought up the subject. Surely she was overreacting? This was the Highlands. Blood feuds were a part of their history and not something she pretended to understand. But Hectors actions sounded so treacherous andbarbaric. God, she thought, cringing, had she really called Lachlan that?
Hector smiled at her. But that is all in the past. You are here now, that is all that is important.
He had a nice smile, didnt he? Even though she couldnt help notice it didnt quite reach his eyes.
Though I do wish you had come sooner, he said. Why did you refuse to come with my men?
Flora heard the unmistakable censure in his voice, and it put her on the defensive. I didnt realize who they were at first. I was shocked. Your man Cormac treated me roughly.
He frowned angrily. You told Aonghus you wished to stay.
I did. She paused. At the time.
His mouth tightened. But when he finally asked his question, he sounded so concerned, Flora wondered whether shed only imagined it. Tell me what happened.
Flora recounted the circumstances surrounding her arrival at Drimnin, leaving out her failed elopement. At first he seemed sympathetic, even giving an occasional pat of encouragement on the hand, but when she reached the point of her wedding, his face darkened.
How could you actually have married him? he spat, his eyes as cold as onyx.
The mercurial shift of temper was startling. She forced herself to speak calmly. As I said, I did not have any choice.
He gave her a hard stare, obviously not satisfied with her answer. But you left before it could be consummated. That is good.
Yes, she said carefully. I left not long after the wedding feast. But Heat rose to her cheeks.
His eyes narrowed. You gave yourself to him.
Before I knew the truth. She explained about the declaration that hed tricked her into before her cousin and Rory.
His face contorted in anger. You little fool.
The burst of malevolence was truly frightening. He raised his hand as if he intended to strike her, and she recoiled from him, stunned that this cruel stranger could be her brother. Dear God, what had she done?
He seemed to realize that hed scared her, and he lowered his hand, making an obvious effort to control his rage. It will make it more difficult to claim you were never married, but I will deal with it.
But Flora bit back her denial. This was what she wanted, wasnt it? Why, then, did every instinct in her body clamor against it?
Her obvious conflict seemed to amuse him. You will forget all about him, when you and Lord Murray
He stopped. It took her a moment to realize what hed said. How do you know about Lord Murray? Shed omitted that part of the story.
He smiled. I suppose it doesnt matter now. Lord Murray and I have a little arrangement. He gets youor rather you and your tocherand I get his influence with the king.
Flora was stunned. The irony was not lost on her. Just like Lachlan, Hector had used her as a bargaining chip. They were both men with steely determination and the single-minded purpose to do whatever was necessary to winheedless of whom they hurt in the process.
Or were they? Lachlan had seemed so sincere when hed told her he hadnt wanted to hurt her. Hed claimed to love her. And at one time, shed believed him. Hed also claimed to have tried to avoid using her by attempting to rescue his brother on his own. Could she believe him? She realized how much she wanted to.
She turned back to Hector. You orchestrated the elopement?
He sank back in his chair, stretching his legs out before him, looking well pleased. Aye. And it was a brilliant plan. It would have worked perfectly had Coll not interfered.
Flora thought of the fate that shed narrowly avoided. I wont marry Lord Murray. He is a coward who left me to the mercy of brigands.
Hector gave her a hard stare. Yes, little sister, you will.
He said it with such confidence, a shiver ran up her spine.
Like Lachlan, Hector was a fierce and ruthless Highland chief. But Hector had a cruel and brutish streak that Lachlan lacked. A lump of dread settled low in her belly. Without a doubt, she knew shed made a mistake in coming here.
Hector was looking at her strangely. Whats that? he asked, indicating her amulet. Ive seen it before.
Flora resisted the urge to cover it with her hand protectively. It belonged to my mother.
He frowned, and before she could stop him he reached for it. Turning it around in his hand, he examined the inscription on the back.
His eyes lit with excitement. The old curseits the Campbell amulet from Ladys Rock.
She didnt respond.
Ladys Rock, he repeated. Thats it.
What are you talking about?
But he only started to laugh. Laughter that chilled her blood and made the hair on her neck stand straight up.
A few hours later, she would learn why.
It had taken Lachlan all morning to rally his menand to convince Rory MacLeod not to challenge him to a sword fight.
They were about one hundred strongincluding a dozen of Rorys men whod accompanied him to the wedding. There simply hadnt been time to send for more. Although Hectors warriors numbered close to four hundred, only half that number were on Coll.
If you are wrong about this, Rory said as they tied the birlinn to the dock at Arinagour, I will take my men and return to Dunveganafter we settle our differences.
Im not wrong, Lachlan said with more confidence than he felt. Flora was angry. She acted rashly in running to Hectorwhich Im sure she has come to regret. She will be happy to see us.
Knowing Hector, you are probably right. But as to the validity of your marriage, I am undecided.
Lachlan opened his mouth to argue but snapped it shut just as fast. Rory was right. Though every instinct in his body screamed to hold what was his, it would be Floras decision whether they stayed married. I will not press my claim if she does not wish it.
Damn right you wont. Rory was still furious with Lachlans deceptionas he had every right to be. Only the fact that Lachlan had convinced him of his love for his sister had kept the MacLeod at bay. If it came to it, Lachlan and Rory would be well matchedRory was bigger, but Lachlan youngerbut he didnt relish finding out who was the better swordsman.
It took some time to unload his men from the boats, and Lachlan was surprised when they didnt encounter any resistance. Hector had left the beach and docks at Arinagour largely undefendedsomething he would never have done.
It was strange.
Rory must have come to the same conclusion. I wonder where our greeting party is.
Lachlan shook his head. I dont know. But it makes me wary.
Aye, Rory agreed.
After theyd marched south the few miles to Breacachadh, they had their explanation.
Hector stood outside the gate with only a handful of men behind him. The rest, Lachlan assumed, were stationed in the castle, ready to repel an attack.
The boldness of the man was mind-boggling. Lachlan could easily kill him right now. Though tempted to do just that, he stepped forward. You have something that belongs to me.
Your castle? Im afraid you cant have it. Ive rather grown to like it here.
No, my wife.
Hector pretended not to understand. If you mean my sister, Im afraid you cant have her, either. He sneered. Unless you can swim.
He pointed behind Lachlan out to sea. Lachlan turned, and his blood ran cold. For a moment, he couldnt process what he was seeing. He didnt want to believe it.
Less than a hundred yards from shore, Flora stood marooned on a rock, surrounded by nothing but merciless blue water. But that wasnt all. Hed been wrong about the location of Hectors men. Nearly his entire garrison must be lined up on the beacha human wall of defense between him and Flora.
Worst of all, Lachlan knew he didnt have much time to reach her. The tide was moving in fast.
Flora had never been so scared in her life. She was cold, wet, and horribly aware of the rising water all around her. She shivered, the thin white sark she wore like some hideous virgin sacrifice a useless barrier to the elements. Except she wasnt a virgin, and she had no intention of going to her death without a fight.
She gazed out to sea, watching and waiting with burgeoning dread. Oh no, here comes another one. Holding her breath, she turned her face as another huge wave crashed against the rock, pelting her with a deluge of icy seawater. Her fingers slipped for an instant with the force, causing her a moment of heart-stopping panic before she found her grip again.
God, how much longer could she hold on before he came? If he came.
Was this how Elizabeth Campbell felt? Forsaken. Left to die. Praying for someone to come? Never had she felt such compassion for what her kinswoman must have gone through on Ladys Rock. She couldnt imagine what it would be like in the darkalone. At least she could see what was taking place on the shore.
She stood on the side of a jagged rock that protruded from the sea in a sharp peak. There was barely enough room for her to keep her feet flat, and she had to stand with her arms around the slippery rock in almost an embrace to avoid being knocked off. The castle seemed deceptively closeclose enough to see the anticipation on her brothers face and hear the orders that he shouted back and forth to his men. So close, but infinitely far away.
The rough waters of the sea were nothing like the placid water of the Faerie Pool, precluding any thought of testing her new water skills. Just the thought of going under
She fought the wave of panic rising in her throat as the memories assailed her. The cold black water covering her mouth, her nose, her head. Struggling to breathe. Flailing wildly, trying to capture one more breath of air.
Not again. This couldnt be happening again.
Shed thought Hector was joking. How could her own blood do something like this? Hed remembered her fear of water from her near drowning in the loch all those years ago and had decided to use her as bait to destroy Lachlan by staging this macabre re-creation of the incident that had befallen Elizabeth Campbell so many years before at Ladys Rock.
Shed stared at him dumbly when he told her of his intentions, believing it only when hed ordered his men to take her. Shed fought, but it had been useless. There were too many of them. Hed ordered her to remove her gown, and shed refuseduntil hed pointed out that his men could do it for her. Part of her still couldnt believe ituntil she saw the boat. Shed panicked, and it had taken half a dozen men to drag her down the beach and force her into the waiting birlinn. Her terrified pleas had fallen on deaf ears. Hed claimed that she wouldnt be hurtif Lachlan cooperated.
Lachlan
God, what a fool shed been. Lachlan was nothing like Hector. She could see that now, when it was too late. Lachlan would do his duty as chief, but his ends were noble: to help his clan and save his brother. Her brother acted for ambition and greed and without compassion. Now, with the benefit of hindsight, she could perhaps see why Lachlan had chosen not to confide in her: Her own fears would have prevented her from understanding had he told her the truth.
She was still furious at him for deceiving her, but she never should have run. Shed reacted rashly, out of fear. Fear that she would end up like her mother. But shed had one thing her mother had never had, love. And shed thrown it all away.
Shed left him on their wedding night, shaming him horribly and forsaking her vows. She thought of the things shed said to him and deeply regretted her harsh words. Shed struck where she knew it would hurthis pride. Now with his brother freed, she feared he was probably glad to be rid of her.
But Hector had been so certain Lachlan would come after her. And deep in her heart, she knew her brother was right. She was his wife. Lachlan would hold on to what was his no matter how much shed shamed him. And maybe, just maybe, he did care for her.
God, how she wished theyd been wrong. Her brothers men had watched for his arrival, and as soon as the birlinns were spotted, the plan was set in motion. But Lachlan and his men took longer to reach the castle than Hector anticipated, and she was running out of precious time.
Her heart leapt when she first caught sight of him marching up to the castle with her brother at his side. She drank him in, even from a distance making out the hard lines of his ruggedly handsome face. He seemed even larger and more impressive armed for war in his yellow chieftains cotun, leather trews, and steel knapscall.
Her husband had come for her.