Page 74 of Bride Takes a Charmer
“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 tohold 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…”