Page 73 of Once Upon A Haunted Castle
Chapter Six
Ranald MacLeod pacedin front of the table in his hall.
Around him, the keep stirred to life as it did every morn and he was there to greet it. Every morn. He liked the quiet and solitude of the mornings here in the hall. No one to blather at him. No one to bother him with questions or stupid words. And they knew not to approach him until he called for his food and ale.
He had slept well last night, finding a woman waiting in his bed had eased him into rest for the first time since he had ordered Evanna to watch over his disobedient daughter. This one, what was her name?, did not have to same skills at pleasure as his leman, but she had a plump, soft body, a hot mouth and a tight cunny, both of which he used well.
And truly, what more did a man need in his bed but someone warm and tight? Mayhap he could get Evanna to teach this one that trick she did with her tongue that pleased him so much. Mayhap he would have both of them in his bed now that his defiant daughter had been taught the first of the hard lessons he had planned.
Isabel would next find her betrothed was a man who believed, as he did, that women needed to ken the cost of disobeying or disrespecting their master. With the betrothal done, Ranald would give her over to Grigor MacKinnon’s control. Then, he smiled thinking on it, her lessons in obedience would continue under a man of his own ilk and with an iron hand.
Now though, a buzzing of servants and guards interrupted his carnal thoughts and plans and he could ignore them no longer.
“What in the bloody hell is going on? Why are you disturbing me when you ken I have no wish to be disturbed in the morn?” he yelled.
Though it slowed their babbling, they did not go away. Ranald held out his hand for his cup of ale and walked to sit at the table. That was when he spied Evanna in the midst of the servants and guards waiting on his word.
“Evanna, what are you doing here?”
He motioned to her to approach and when she did not do his bidding quickly enough, he nodded to the guard. The guard spared no time or effort trying to be easy with her—he simply grabbed her by her arm and dragged her to Ranald.
“What is this about? Why are you not with my daughter?”
“My lord,” she began, her voice trembling with true fear. It both intrigued and excited him. She knew how to beg and when to beg and how to plead her case. He missed her attentions in his bed. “Your daughter....”
“My daughter is... what?” From the fear on all their faces, Ranald knew he was not going to like the answer. He stood up, throwing his half-filled cup at her. She barely batted it in time but was covered with ale anyway. “Where is she?”
“My lord....”
He grabbed her hair and pulled her up so their faces were even, causing her to stand on the tips of her toes. Shaking her once and then twice, he repeated the question he should not have to repeat to any of those in his household.
“Where is Isabel?” he yelled so loudly that he swore the shutters on the windows in the walls shook.
“She... she... she....” The whore stuttered and stammered until he tossed her away.
“She is not in her chamber, my lord husband.”
He whirled around to find his wife watching the whole scene. Only because she wore the same fearful expression as the others did he not strike her, too.
“They do not wish to be the one to tell you,” Elizabeth said. “I went to tell her of her betrothed’s expected arrival as you told me to do and found her gone.”
“Gone where?” he asked of her before turning to the two people who should have been with his daughter at all times. “Where were you while my daughter was leaving her chamber?”
Evanna covered her head with her arms, waiting for him to strike. As he should. As he wanted to. As was his right. But now, he needed a clear head to decipher what was happening. So, instead, he stepped back and waited for her explanation.
“My lord, I was with her. As you ordered. Since you sent me to accompany her. The serving maid brought supper and I remember nothing after beginning the meal until your wi... Lady MacDonald came and released us.”
“Released you?”
“They were asleep, tied up on the bedchamber’s floor. Gagged as well.” He narrowed his gaze at his wife.
’Twas clear she did not mind finding his leman so. Turning his attention to the guard, he asked, “When did you leave your post?”
“I did not, my lord,” the guard began. “At least not that I remember.”
This was very strange. Two people tied and gagged with no memory of how it happened. His daughter gone. Ranald watched as others arrived to break their fast but remained to see what would happen. Well, he had been embarrassed by his daughter here before and would not allow it again.
“Bring them,” he ordered, pointing at his leman and the guard. “Wife, join us.” He stopped and called out to the commander of his guards. “Close the gates. Seal the keep. No one comes or goes until I say so.”
