Page 68 of Bride Takes a Charmer
His brother-in-law shoved him and Shaw fell to the ground. His head spun from the pain that now reverberated through him. He took quick breaths to try to alleviate it but it did no good. Never had he thought his brother-in-law would attack him.
His training took over his mind and he tried to reach the dagger in the belt loop at his waist. Though the effort brought on more pain and he finally got a hold of it. With the blade held in his hand, he aimed it at Idris.
“Stay still ye bloody bugger,” Idris said, kneeling beside him and raising his blade in his fist over Shaw’s chest. “’Tis the end.”
Shaw flailed his body to try to get away from his brother-in-law, who peered at him with fierce loathing. Though he held his dagger, it slipped in his bloody palm. Unable to get a good grip on the weapon, he struck Idris with his left fist then bent his legs and shoved himself up enough to dislodge the man from atop him while twisting his body to the side at the same time. Idris rolled on the ground face down then pushed himself to his knees. Again he raised his knife and was about to stab Shaw in the chest when suddenly his eyes widened and he made a startled, choked sound.
Before Shaw could make out what happened, Idris pitched forward and fell face-first to the ground. He didn’t speak but continued to gurgle and gasp as he convulsed. Shaw’s gaze shot from his assailant to the man standing behind him.
Henny gripped his sword, still lodged in Idris’s back, and nodded to him. “Ye see, Laird,thatis why ye should always beaware of who is near. Best to be prepared for an ambush at all times. Ye never know who means to attack ye.” Henny yanked his sword free and wiped the blade clean on a dry place on Idris’s clothing before setting it down. He then pulled a wad of cloth from the satchel that hung over his shoulder. “Let us get ye bound and back to camp.”
At that moment, Walen sprinted up to join them. “What the hell has happened? Laird, are ye hurt? Why is Idris…?” His comrade’s eyes shifted from him to Idris, and then to Henny.
“Idris tried to kill me. Henny saved me.” Shaw held up his clean, unbloodied hand for Walen to help him up and tried not to groan when his comrade gently pulled him to standing. “I owe ye more than a jug of brew, Henny. My thanks.”
“’Tis my duty, Laird, to protect ye.” Henny yanked Shaw’s tunic above the wound and proceeded to wrap the thin cloth around his torso. “’Tis a deep wound. Ye will need stitches to bind it. Might take a wee bit of time to heal.”
Shaw gave up trying not to groan and pressed the bandage at his waist. He wasn’t concerned for himself but for his wife. “I need to find Sorsha. She went to the river with Corliss. Walen…”
“I am on it, Laird,” Walen said immediately and sprinted off toward the tree line, disappearing beyond it.
As he waited for his comrade’s return, Shaw pondered why Idris had attacked him. What gain would it bring? If he’d died, his clan would have elected a new laird. That certainly wouldn’t have been Idris. If anything, Walen or Trey would have been selected by their brethren. Unless Idris had another way to sway his clansmen to let him overtake the clan. Shaw only knew of one way that could happen—war.
But Idris had no army with him and his clansmen had fled when the Cummings overtook his fief. That left the man unaided and without the support of arms. Yet he had to have the backing of someone to enact such a daunting, daring plan. Now, worriedabout Sorsha and overcome by the throbbing in his back, Shaw couldn’t reason it through, but he would certainly think more about Idris’s plan and what he’d hoped to accomplish.
“Come, Laird. I’ll help you.” Henny moved to stand beside him. “We’ll go to the crofter’s house and get you stitched and bandaged.”
Shaw put his left arm around his waist and braced himself to feel the pain the movement would bring. But then he spotted Walen running at a breakneck speed through the trees toward them and his heart dropped to his knees. Walen wouldn’t be running unless he’d discovered something very bad. He forgot his pain and started toward his soldier and friend.
Indeed, Walen called out as soon as he drew close. “Shaw, ’tis bad… The ladies were not at the river. I searched amongst the grounds and saw something at the base of the cliff. It is…” He paused before speaking. Gathering courage. Shaw felt himself swaying and Henny held him upright. No. It couldn’t be.
“Lady Sorsha. She must’ve fallen.”
Sorsha!Shaw wanted to run but with his wound, he could only manage a fast walk. Walen came up to support him on the other side and they seemed to move at the slowest pace ever. His breath hitched the entire way and his heart pounded so much so that he could barely hear anything except a high-pitched noise—along with darkening vision—made him realize he was about to pass out. From the loss of blood or from shock, it mattered not. Sorsha, the love of his life, was…he couldn’t even think the word.
Now he gazed over the edge and saw her unmoving body. Everything within him ceased to exist at that moment. He couldn’t breathe and suddenly, his heart seemed to still. When he remembered to draw breath, he was able to turn toward his comrades.
“Help me. God willing she lives,” he said low. “We need a rope to reach the bottom.”
“I will see to it,” Henny said. He helped Shaw to sit on the ground before he sprinted away.
“There is no way to reach her quickly if we route around the cliff. It shall take us past nightfall to get to her.” Walen knelt at the cliff’s edge. “It does not look like the ground here gave way. How in God’s name did she fall? Milady is not clumsy, nor is she reckless.”
The answer, though horrible to consider, was obvious. Shaw tried to draw a deep breath and failed. “My sister’s husband tried to kill me. So someone must have pushed my wife over the edge.”
Walen grunted. “She was with Corliss, Laird. Would your sister…?”
When his friend’s supposition trailed off, Shaw nodded, as he thought of Corliss’s attitude and actions over the past months. Her disdain. Her haughtiness. And though Sorsha had tried not to complain, her apparent hatred of his wife. It may have been Idris who was guilty but he feared not. “Aye, it had to be her. Damn her! It could be no other. Corliss and her husband planned this—to do away with both me and Sorsha.”
“Laird!” Henny’s voice reached them before he did, even though he ran as if the devil himself chased him. Instead, he was followed by more of Shaw’s men. When he reached them, he tossed a good bit of rope to the ground. “I grabbed several ropes, Laird. If we tie them together, we can reach the bottom.”
Walen grabbed an end and walked to the nearest tree. “I’ll tie this end to the tree to anchor it. Who will rappel the incline?”
Henny tied the rope around his waist. “I shall do it. Walen, take hold of the rope, and slacken it as I go. I am going over the edge of the crag and will go slow.”
Walen stood near the edge and as Henny disappeared over the ridge, he loosened a bit of rope moment by moment. Several of his men helped Shaw up to stand beside Walen so he could peer over the edge to watch Henny’s progression. He was abouthalfway down the slope when suddenly Shaw heard a snapping sound.
“Henny!” He, Walen, and his soldiers shouted at the same time. Leaning over the edge, they could only watch in horror as he plummeted and then landed at the bottom not too far from where Sorsha lay.