Page 9 of The Unexpected Laird

She screamed and immediately began struggling against him, but he had her pinned. To her horror, he immediately began shoving up her gown, his intentions clear.

“Get off me!” she shrieked as she tried to kick her legs and free herself.

He did not say a word as he continued his attack, but there was a sudden thwacking sound and the man’s weight lifted off of her. Florence rolled to her back and scrambled to her feet. Her mother stood over her with a thick stick in her hands, holding it like a sword. The man was on the ground, holding his head and spitting out curses.

“I will kill ye!” he swore, shoving back to his feet.

Florence searched for something she could use as a weapon and spotted a stone nearby that was not so big she could not lift it, but not so small that it would not do damage. She lunged for it just as the man charged her mother this time. He caught the branch when her mother swung it at him again and yanked it from her hands to swing it back at her and knock her to the ground.

With a screech, Florence leaped at him with her stone raised and bashed him in the head with it. He let out a scream of pain and dropped to his knees. She did not stop. Her blood was up and she felt overwhelmed by her terror, rage, and grief and began beating the man mercilessly. Blood splattered all over her, but she did not care. She was going to make certain he could not hurt her or her mother ever again!

Florence continued slamming the rock down onto his corpse until her mother laid a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“That is enough, sweetheart,” she murmured. “You got him. You won. We must keep going.”

Numb once more, Florence dropped the stone to the ground. Her mother took her arm and slipped it around her shoulders to help her limp along to the trees.

Florence did not dare look back at the castle again.

She did not want to see what other horrors they were leaving behind.

CHAPTER FOUR

Elspeth

“

Where do ye intend tae go, milady? Ye ken these lands will nae safe for ye any longer.”

Elspeth nodded as she regarded the kindly blacksmith who had taken her and Florence in when they had collapsed at his doorstep the night before. She and her daughter had made it through the forest, by some miracle, and to the village that rested on the other side. The man, ironically named Fergus, had given them food, bandaged their wounds, and found them clothes.

When he had realized exactly who they were, however, he had warned them that they could not stay. The McClarens would search for them once they realized they were not in the castle. It was dangerous for them to linger.

“We will go south,” Elspeth declared, knowing there was no other choice.

The man blinked at her. “South, milady?”

She nodded. “Aye, south, tae ma people. They will take us in and keep us safe.”

They would, she had no doubt, but she did not believe they would do so willingly.

Fergus gave her a hesitant look but said, “Aye, I trust ye ken whit yer doing, m’lady. I have the horses and supplies ye requested.”

“Thank ye,” she replied. “I…I would pay ye, but we have nothing…”

He shook his head. “Nae payment is required. Laird Andrew was a good man. Whit has happened tae the McIntewars is horrendous. I would no’ be doing ma Christian duty if I did no’ help ye in yer time o’ need.”

She could have kissed the man, but she refrained. He was already wary enough of her.

“Yer verra kind,” she said instead. “I will no’ forget how ye helped us.”

He nodded, looking a little bashful as well as a little hesitant.

“Well, I will just hope ye both make it tae where ye wish tae go,” he replied. “Ye should no’ waste any time. Who kens when the McClarens will show up here.”

Elspeth knew he was right. She and Florence needed to disappear, and quickly.

She and the blacksmith made their way outside, where two horses waited, their saddles packed with supplies. Florence was standing between them, petting their snouts with a sorrowful, faraway look in her eyes. Elspeth’s heart twisted as she considered what her daughter must be feeling. Confusion, heartbreak…agony.

---