Page 16 of A Laird's Conquest

Dead?

Robbie could not bring himself to repeat the word out loud. It was not true. It could not be true, and uttering such an abomination was more than he might bear. His knees threatened to collapse under him, but he fought for some semblance of control.

“This is not possible.”

“I know. I just… I spoke to the Mother Abbess myself.” Charles’ misery appeared almost as great as his own. “She swears that Lady Flora died in childbirth, the baby with her.”

“When? When did this happen? Why was no word sent to Roxburghe?”

“A few days ago,” Charles replied. “At least, I think so.”

“You think?”

“Yes. The sequence of events is not entirely clear. She was… The holy sisters told me that Lady Flora is no longer there. She…she was abducted.”

Robbie shook his head, incredulous. This tale beggared belief. Why would anyone abduct a corpse?

“Who did this?” he asked, his tone deadly and quiet. “Who has my sister’s remains? Where is her final resting place?”

“It was the Marquis of Otterburn. I was informed that he stormed the abbey with his men and took Lady Flora’s body away with him, by force. And that he took Mattie, also.”

“And the child? What of my sister’s baby?”

Charles shook his head. “I do not know. There was no sign of him at St Mary’s, nor of a grave. The holy sisters seemed somewhat vague…”

“Fuck!” Robbie paced the bailey, his outrage growing by the second. “Vague? How could they be vague on such a matter? Either the child was born, or it was not. Either it lives, or it does not.”

“Perhaps vague is not quite the correct word tae use,” Charles replied. “The abbess was…evasive.”

“She will not evade me. By Christ, I shall have answers, starting with the Marquis of bloody Otterburn. As I live and breathe, if he has defiled my sister’s remains… If he has dishonoured her in any way, or harmed her child, I shall—”

“We must go to Elborne with all haste.” Charles beckoned to a stable lad. “I shall have the horses made ready.”

Robbie shook his head. “Not yet. We will go, of course, but not at once. There is something else to be done first.”

“Oh?” Charles waited for some further explanation for the delay.

Robbie closed his eyes, contemplating the depth of his loss. All his family, gone, within days.

“My father passed away yesterday evening. We shall go to Elborne after the funeral. In two days from now.”

“It is as I remembered, a formidable keep,” Charles observed when they came within sight of Elborne Castle. “I confess, I had not anticipated the need to return here quite so soon. And in such circumstances.”

“I appreciate your companionship, Charles. And you, too, Duncan.” As well as his loyal and trusted cousin, Robbie had also prevailed upon Charles’ brother by marriage, Duncan Elliott, to accompany him to England. The three of them, along with a couple of dozen MacKinnon warriors, did not exactly constitute a formidable force, but it was the best he could do at short notice. Doubtless the king would have lent him men, but Robbie was not prepared to wait.

Robbie shaded his eyes to better view the tall stone walls. “Well, shall we get this encounter over with?”

“I still think we should ha’ raised the clan an’ come here ready tae teach that bastard what happens to those who harm the MacKinnons,” Charles grumbled. “He took my wife as well as your sister.”

“There is still time for that,” Robbie promised. “But I willnae attack as long as there is a possibility that my nephew or niece is within those walls. Or Mattie. I shall speak wi’ Otterburn, discover the fate of our loved ones, then decide what is tae be done.”

“Ye expect that English devil to tell us the truth?”

“Perhaps not, but we shall speak first an’ come tae blows later, if such is warranted.” There had been no real cooling of Robbie’s anger in the two days since he had learned of his sister’s fate, but he was not a man to act in haste. He would take the decisive action required, once he was in possession of the facts.

“The laird is right.” Duncan offered his opinion. “We should find out what happened tae Flora, and what, exactly, all of this has to do with Otterburn. Then we will determine the level of retribution called for.”

Charles gave a snort. Clearly, he remained unconvinced. “D’ye suppose he means tae ransom ’em back, as he did with Angus?”

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