Page 71 of Once Upon A Haunted Castle
Silence reigned for a long few moments while this settled on all of them. Isabel reeled at the idea that her mother had helped her in such ways, especially knowing what her father would do if he discovered her actions. Telling her of the passageway under the keep was a bad thing, but actually aiding her in sending a message to Alex was quite another. Her father would see each of these actions as nothing less than a complete betrayal of him.
“I think we need to be on our way,” she said quietly. There would be time to think on all the surprising bits once they got to safety. “The morning guard will arrive at my chamber door soon and we must be away from here before that happens.”
They said their farewells and Alex helped her up on one of the horses there. It hurt. Every part of her hurt. But, she could not let it slow them down now. She had survived and would do everything she could to remain that way.
Brodie ordered two men to stay in Dunvegan village to keep watch and then climbed up on his massive horse. With a nod at Alex and then at Isabel, he reached down and pulled Lara up behind him on the horse. From her tremulous expression, Isabel doubted the girl had ever ridden at all, but she clutched the huge warrior in her arms and nodded at Isabel with a smile.
Then it was time for her and Alex to leave. She peered up through the swirling mist at Dunvegan Castle behind them. Would she ever return here? Sadness pierced her heart at the thought of leaving home forever. In spite of her father’s harshness, she had family here and friends whom she would most likely not see again.
“Isabel?” Alex reached over and touched her leg. “’Twill all work out, I promise you.”
“Do you worry that you will never see your kin again, Alex? If neither family will accept our marriage, will we be outcasts from everyone we ken and love?” Sorrow filled her then and made it difficult to keep the tears from flowing.
“Ah, but my love,” Alex whispered, bringing his horse closer and leaning towards her. “I am with the one I love and, together, we will start a new family.”
His love for her shone from his eyes as he said the promising words and she began to share her secret with him. But something made her stop. Isabel could not understand why she hesitated and yet she did. Mayhap she did not want to burden him with it until she was certain? Having thought she had lost the babe, she now worried that she would even carry to term. Isabel decided to leave it to another time, a better and safer time for such news to be shared.
Without another word, Alex turned and nodded towards the road. In minutes, she could see nothing behind them as they escaped into the thick fog that hugged the ground. She felt lost for the first time in her life.
Alex saw the distress in her eyes and the paleness of her face. Pain sat there as well and he suspected it was more than the physical discomfort from her father’s punishments. She had just learned her mother had helped her and then lost her in the next minute.
The best thing he could do was take her to safety and give her time to adjust to all of this. Though married for several months, if he counted all the hours they had had together, the truth was that they had spent fewer than four days together. So, they needed to learn each other’s ways and find a way to be husband and wife openly.
Would his father accept their marriage just to spite hers? ’Twas a possibility, aye, but his father tended to be more pragmatic and would accept or reject it based on what benefit it brought to their clan. His sons were just as much a means to an end as Isabel was to her father.
Alex glanced over at her and marveled in the strength of spirit she had. Living with such a man as her father should have made her fearful of placing herself under another’s control. Yet she had accepted his offer of marriage without hesitation. Even after he had revealed his identity. When the instant attraction between two strangers had exploded into something more, Isabel had been his equal. In desire, in passion, in love and in courage.
Now it was his duty to protect her against anyone wishing her harm. Whether that was her father or his or any others set against them mattered not. They had not gone about this in the customary manner, but stealing a bride was a long-standing tradition and he would find a way to make his family accept her.
They rode in silence for several hours, neither rushing nor dawdling so that they attracted no attention from others they met along the road. Their first destination was a small village some miles inland and away from Dunvegan. They would stay for a night or two in the same cottage where they had spent their wedding night. It seemed a fitting place to begin their life together.
Secluded. Private.
He swallowed against his body’s response to wanting and needing her then and led her to the cottage by a burn. Alex helped Isabel down from the horse and pulled the bags filled with supplies free. He carried everything inside and then bade her to sit while he saw to the horses. If he rushed a bit or was nervous, he knew it was his need to be with her.
She stood in front of the door, ignoring both the stool there and the pallet in the corner. She eased her cloak off as he entered. He read exhaustion and pain in her every movement, so he rushed to her side and helped her.
“Let me help you,” he whispered as he lifted the heavy cloak away from her shoulders. Unable to stop himself, he eased his fingers into her hair and loosened the long braid that kept it under control. Then, he slid his hand up to her head and gently caressed her there.
“That feels wonderful,” she said on a breathy exhalation, as she leaned against his fingers. “’Tis about the only place on me that does not hurt right now.” He hissed and stopped then, her words a reminder about the punishment she had endured. “Nay! I pray you, do not stop.”
She reached up and covered his hand to keep it there. If it gave her pleasure or relief, he would not withhold it even though a grimmer task awaited him. After a few minutes, her head bowed and let his hand drift down her neck towards her shoulders. He was ever watchful for a sign of pain. When she tensed her body the slightest bit, he paused.
“I want to see to your injuries, Isabel.”
He waited but she gave no response or reaction. Other than the breaths moving in and out of her body, she made no sound or movement. Then, she lifted her head and glanced at him.
“If you must.”
He could have said nay. He could have let it pass. But, truly, Alex could not. He’d worried over what had happened and until he saw it with his eyes and made certain she was healing, he could not be at peace with it.
“Is there a salve or ointment to place on the wounds?” he asked, trying to stem the rising anger and fear in his blood.
He had seen men whipped before, their skin torn and blood pouring down to mix with the dirt. He had seen some maimed for life by such punishment and the worst images had taken hold in his thoughts. Now, he would either confirm the worst or learn better.
She walked to where he had dropped her satchel and reached inside, retrieving a small covered jar. Then she held it out to him.
“My mother had it prepared. It has helped.”
