Page 49 of Bride Takes a Charmer (Highland Vows & Vengeance #3)

Shaw listened for the sound of others but heard no one.

He approached the door but before he entered, he pulled a dagger from the sheath at his waist. Best be prepared for any eventuality.

In a quick motion, he turned the door latch and thrust the door open.

The sound of a woman’s gasp came but before he could speak to her, he inspected the small chamber.

There was one lone worktable within, a large basket of bread loaves, and a small oven to one side.

No one else was there and he lessened his guard.

“I am Laird Mackintosh.”

“Oh, gracious…” She bowed. “I…I am Aela and sent you the message.”

“I received it, Mistress. I bade Lister stay behind and he awaits ye in my tent. My Lady wife Sorsha is safe and well protected at my fief. Now, tell me why ye insisted that I come and what threat do ye speak of?” Shaw’s stomach grumbled again at the heavenly scent of the bread but he ignored it.

Aela’s brown eyes lowered and she turned away from him. She grabbed a loaf of bread from a basket on the floor and took a knife. “You must be hungry for I hear your stomach bemoaning. Here, eat, and I shall tell you what I overheard.”

Shaw leaned against the table and took a slice of the bread. It was delicious and he almost groaned at the taste of it.

“Lady Sorsha left the keep to go to Edinburgh when last I saw her. When she wrote to me, she said that she was safe so I did not worry about her. Then when Geoff received visitors, I served them and overheard their discussion…”

Shaw was intrigued. “Who visited Geoff?” He could guess because he was unaware of Geoff receiving visitors besides his sister. At least, Geoff hadn’t mentioned anyone when he’d last seen him.

“’Twas a woman by the name of Corliss and her husband.

Geoff told the man, I, um, cannot name him…

That if he wanted to gain lands of his own, he had to take them.

Apparently, the man lost his home to another clan.

The man agreed and Geoff told him that he could have the Mackintosh fief and lands if he did away with you. ”

“Ah, so Geoff sought to have Idris slay me. That makes sense. Go on.” Shaw’s face heated with ire at the realization of his cousin’s intention.

Aela nodded. “Oh, aye, that was his name…Idris. Then Geoff said that you had married the woman he intended to wed, Lady Sorsha, and that he was displeased by it. When the woman asked if he wanted Sorsha returned to him, he said nay. Then she asked what he wanted her to do about Lady Sorsha. He told Corliss that he cared not if Sorsha existed and that she would be well rewarded if she found a way to end her. He said Lady Sorsha no longer mattered to him.”

Shaw’s jaw twitched with more anger. He couldn’t believe his cousin ordered a woman to be wounded let alone be slain.

Geoff planned to have him murdered and Sorsha as well.

That his sister played such a vile part in the blackheart’s plan sickened him.

He had no choice now but to deal with his sister and banish her.

“Mistress, my wife is safe and protected at our home. She asked me to have ye delivered to her. She worried for ye and wanted me to bring ye home. Lister awaits ye at my camp yonder beyond Tor. Go there and one of my soldiers will take ye to Sorsha.”

“Oh, thank heavens. I did not want to return to Tor. I shall go then unless you need anything else from me?” Aela curtseyed to him as he shook his head.

Shaw left the baker’s cottage the same way he entered. He mounted his horse and rode for the fray, certain that his brethren were ready to face the threat of Geoff and his evil scheme. The closer he got to Tor, the more he anticipated taking his vengeance.

At the beginning of the lane that led to Tor Castle, his horse slowed and snorted, seemingly alarmed. When Shaw tried to nudge his horse forward, the animal balked, his muscles tensed, and his ears pointed forward.

“Easy there, fellow, easy.” Shaw tried to calm his warhorse with a quiet voice, but he too felt trepidation at being on the lane.

Rumors abounded that an evil spirit resided within the darkened trees adjacent to the steep incline of the hillocks on either side of the roadway.

He wasn’t a believer in such things but he had to admit that the area was somewhat unnerving.

Before he reached the end of the lane and the gate, riders sprang out from all directions in front of him.

Shaw tried to force his horse back but he was quickly surrounded by Chattan soldiers.

His instinct was to take hold of his sword but he had to hold on to his horse or risk falling to the ground and being at the mercy of the enemy.

“Mackintosh, we had hoped to cross paths with ye this night,” a man’s voice came.

Shaw finally calmed his horse and stared ahead at a man who marched between the soldiers.

He recognized him. “Leonard.” He tilted his head in greeting and wasn’t too wary of the Chattan commander-in-arms. For one thing, Leonard didn’t present a formidable attitude, and for another, his voice wasn’t harsh and threatening.

“Shaw, I need to speak to ye in private. Follow me.” Leonard turned on his heel and walked back toward the castle gate.

When Shaw’s feet hit the ground after dismounting, he yanked his sword free of its scabbard. If menace was afoot, he would be prepared. With a spry walk, he hurried after the man. At the gate, Leonard motioned to the guardsmen to vacate their posts. With none near, he waited for Shaw to reach him.

Shaw stopped a wee bit away from him. “What is it ye want to say? I’m afraid that my allies likely surround your fief and mean to attack. If ye intend to hurt me, be prepared for an onslaught. Ye and all your men will be cut down.”

Leonard shook his head. “Nay, nay, listen. I heard that Geoff is accused of murdering our laird. Is that true?”

Shaw’s shoulders tightened with having to break the atrocious news to the man. “Aye, ’tis the truth. Geoff murdered Rodick which is why my allies surround your walls and want to seek justice.”

The commander pressed his hands over his face. “And is it true that he held Milady Sorsha confined within the keep and kept her bairn from her?”

He nodded in answer. “Geoff also sent my sister and her husband to my fief to murder me and Lady Sorsha, but fortunately, we were able to thwart them.”

“Gracious, God. I suspected something afoul but for a brother to kill his own…” Leonard shook his head in dismay. “He killed our laird and justice must be sought. We shall aid ye in this quest, Laird Mackintosh. None of the Chattan soldiers will take arms against ye or your allies.”

“Tell the men to open the gate. I will seek out Geoff and end this.”

Leonard whistled to the men who had vacated the gate and they sprinted forward.

After they opened the gate, Shaw marched through.

He shouted as loudly as he could to give the signal to his brethren to draw their arms. Before he approached the entrance to the castle, he turned back to Leonard.

“Tell my allies what ye have told me. Tell them that I have gone inside.”

With that, Shaw marched forward. He yanked the keep’s door open and stepped inside.

The entry was darkened and no torches were lit on the walls.

He moved forward with quiet steps because he didn’t want to give a warning to Geoff that he was there.

At the great hall, he stopped at the threshold and spotted the man standing beside the trestle table.

Shaw took cautious steps forward. He wasn’t sure if Geoff was ready to strike him or if he was unaware that his castle was being besieged. “Geoff.”

“Shaw, ’tis gladdened I am to see ye. There are men near my castle walls.”

“I know there is. Ye saw them, aye? They come to seek justice.” He reached the opposite end of the trestle table and watched his cousin warily, ready for his attack.

“Do ye come to seek justice too?”

Shaw nodded. “Aye, cousin, I do. Why would ye go to such lengths to take the clan from Rodick? He would have allowed ye to rule with him. Ye have much to answer for: the fact that ye imprisoned Sorsha and withheld her child from her, that ye sent my sister to murder her and Idris to slay me…”

“I did no such thing,” Geoff bellowed with frustration and rammed his hands through his hair. He paced before the table now with agitation.

“Aye, ye did. Ye murdered Rodick to which Sorsha bore witness… Then ye took her child and kept them apart to gain her accord so she would not tell a soul about what she saw. Ye needed to be rid of us, aye so ye could give my lands to Idris? And so ye sent him to slay me but as ye can see, he was unsuccessful. As to Corliss, she tried to hurt Sorsha but by the grace of God, Sorsha survived. I am sorry to say that ye will not fare as well.” Shaw gripped his sword’s hilt in anticipation of finally gaining justice for all those whom Geoff had hurt.

Geoff gripped the chair back in front of him and his brows furrowed. “Shaw, cousin, I plead with ye to remember that we are kin and family does not murder family. Ye are my own aunt’s son and cannot kill me. I might’ve murdered Rodick och he deserved it.”

“Family does not murder family,” he threw back Geoff’s words.

“I swear by God that I did not mean to hurt Sorsha. I cared for her. I did not send Corliss or her spineless husband to harm ye. Your sister took matters into her own hands because her inept husband lost his lands. I had naught to do with their actions.”

Shaw disbelieved him but perhaps there was a glimmer of truth to his words.

Then he remembered what Aela had told him.

Nay, the man was guilty. “Regardless, Geoff, ye must pay for the crime of murdering your brother. I cannot hold back your adversaries. The allied clans will not cease their pursuit of justice. Either I slay ye or they… Which is it to be?” Shaw made his way around the table and continued at an unhurried pace while he waited for Geoff’s answer.

Geoff stepped away from the table and held out his arms. “I would rather die by ye, an honorable man, than that of a hostile band of ornery Highlanders. Come, send me to the hereafter, Shaw, but let them not destroy my body. I will face the devil himself if need be, och I will be whole.”

Shaw was astounded by his cousin’s speech.

He tensed and before Geoff could react, he shot forward and pierced Geoff’s midsection with his blade, exerting his arm and running him clean through.

Blood streamed from the edges of his lips, hampering him from making any further speeches.

Geoff huffed and kept his eyes trained on him as if he was astounded that he’d followed through on his request. His legs gave out from beneath him and he fell, half-supported against a table leg.

Shaw reached down and pulled his sword free then set it on the table and waited for his cousin to take his last breath.