Page 9 of Bride Takes a Charmer
Geoff stood behind her and reached to take the missive from her. He read it and frowned. “What does the king want of ye? Why would he send an escort for ye? Tell me. Ye cannot have gotten word to him to beg for aid. I had ye carefully watched.”
Sorsha almost fell to her knees. When she’d first been imprisoned in her bed chamber, she’d known she had to act fast. Thankfully, she had sent a message with the stable lad to Margaret. That Geoff had her watched didn’t surprise her. “I know not why he’s called me but I must go. Aela,” she called.
The maidservant reentered the hall. “My lady?”
“Pack a valise for me. I am off to Edinburgh.” Sorsha folded her hands, pressing her fingers tightly together, fearful of what the answer to her next question might be. “Laird, may I take Gillian with me? I have vowed not to speak a word of—”
His brows furrowed as he cut her off. “Nay, ye cannot take your daughter to Edinburgh. Ye deem me a fool? If ye think the king will give ye aid, ye are most mistaken about that, Milady.” Geoff set the missive on the table and pressed his hands on her shoulders.
Cold fear sent a chilling tremor through her. Sorsha raised her eyes and prayed that he would have the smallest bit of mercy within him.
“Ye will go as the king commanded but until ye return and give me an answer to my marriage offer, Gillian will remain in my care. As her uncle, I will see to her protection. I trust ye not,Milady, but remember that I hold your daughter’s wellbeing in my hands. If ye thwart me or try to deceive me, ye will pay the price.” Geoff marched out.
Sorsha flopped onto the nearby chair and willed herself not to weep. She was so close to getting him to agree to return Gillian but all was not lost. With the king’s aid, she might be able to get Gillian back. But now, the king’s envoy awaited and she had no choice but to leave. Her only hope was that Gillian was kept safe until she could gain her freedom. When she secured herself, she would see to it that she rescued her child.
“My lady, are you ready to leave? Your valise is packed and I placed it by the door. The king’s messenger awaits you,” Edra called from the entrance.
“I thank you, Edra. Please look after my bairn and protect her if you are able. I promise you that I shall return for Gillian, Lister, and you. You have been so kind to me and I detest leaving you behind.” She sniffled back her despondency and tried not to weep.
Aela grabbed her hands and held them. “Be strong, my lady. I shall be here awaiting you and I will do whatever I can to help Gillian.”
She released Aela’s hands and walked toward the exit, saying over her shoulder, “Hopefully, Margaret will offer me sanctuary. When I get to where I am going, I shall write to you.” Sorsha yanked her cloak from the peg where she’d kept it and hurried outside.
A spacious carriage tethered to two brown horses sat before the entrance of the keep. One soldier rushed forth and took her valise from Edra, while another set a crate beside the carriage. He held out his hand to assist her aboard. Within a moment, she was underway. Her chest twinged with the painful thoughts of leaving Gillian behind and the months of trepidation she’d endured.
Along the route to Edinburgh, Sorsha paid little attention to the view or the men when they’d stopped to rest or on the layover during the night. The journey was tiresome but she managed to eat, sleep, and see to her needs. Once she reached Margaret, she would be secure and with the queen’s aid, she would figure out how to escape the nightmare she’d found herself in.
*
At the sightof her longtime friend, Sorsha nearly fell apart. A tremble overwhelmed her insides and her heart tensed. For the last few months, she’d prayed to reach her friend, and now that she was in Edinburgh, relief brought burning tears to her eyes.
Margaret took one look at her face and then shooed everyone from her private solar. She took her in an embrace and offered comfort. Sorsha held her and sniffled back the sobs that threatened to overtake her.
“My dear friend, you are here at last. I was distraught when I received your missive and am sorry to hear that your husband died.”
Sorsha stepped out of her embrace to meet her gaze and realized to her dismay that the queen was attired in a beautiful gown shaded in a golden color that made her own overdress appear to be a tattered frock. Not only was Margaret dressed as a queen should be, but she wore her brown hair elegantly pulled back with a braided gold band atop her head while Sorsha’s own hair was disheveled from her travel and her gown wrinkled from the long trek.
“Gracious me, I should be curtseying before you, shouldn’t I, Your Grace?” Sorsha pulled back and dipped her knee to genuflect before the queen.
“Cease that. In private, you are my dearest friend. I shall have none of that when we are alone.” Margaret motioned her farther into the chamber and walked in front of her.
“I am pleased and grateful that you sent for me. Now I must form a plan.”
Margaret gestured for her to sit in a seating area near the small hearth in the chamber. “Come and get warm from your travel and tell me why you must form a plan. You mentioned that you were in peril. I understand that you now must find a way to protect yourself since your husband is gone…” The queen poured her a cup of mead and handed it to her. “Drink, for you will find a little bit of solace in the cup whilst you tell me what happened.”
Who knew how far Geoff’s friendships reached? Although, Sorsha wasn’t certain if he had befriended the king. She wanted to be truthful with Margaret but it might be better to keep from speaking Geoff’s name. “I feared for myself and… some…onemurdered poor Rodick.” As much as she wished to name the murderer, she decided not to for her daughter’s safety. “I find myself without protection and must somehow get Gillian from the Chattans.”
Margaret sat and pressed her hands over the material of her gown. “Why did you not bring your daughter with you? I so wanted to meet her.”
Sorsha couldn’t reveal the whys and drew an uneasy breath. “I…I could not take her from her clan, at least not right now.” She feared that if she revealed the truth to the queen, Margaret would have the Chattans besieged, leaving her daughter in a more dire situation.
“Do not despair because I have, at least, remedied the issue of protection for you.”
She sat on the edge of the chair that faced the queen in awe of her friend’s support. “You have? How?”
“The king has decreed that four women are to be married to Highlanders that he favors. The lairds are on their way here and shall choose a bride from amongst the women. I suggested to Alexander that he should add your name to those who will wed these men and he has agreed. Rest assured the Highlanders are more than capable of protecting you.”
Sorsha tensed at hearing her speak of brides. That she added her name to the brides being offered almost sent her to a good swoon. She didn’t want to marry anyone but reasoned that the only way to protect her from Geoff was if she married another. Hadn’t he suggested that she marry him to keep her from revealing what he’d done?