Page 247

I t was late in the afternoon, the colors of sunset stretching across a sky that had seen more than its share of rain as of late.

On the muddy road below, Andrew and Sully had made excellent time, covering a great distance quickly.

Neither had eaten since the previous evening, and they’d had very little to drink, but they weren’t hungry, nor did they feel thirsty.

They were focused on reaching Edinburgh Castle.

They did stop twice to allow the horses to rest and to drink.

During these stops, they talked about small things; of future events, and other small talk.

But during the second rest, Andrew talked of something not even Josephine knew of.

It had simply never come up in conversation.

It came about when the men were speaking of where Andrew and Josephine would live after they were married.

“Two years ago, I purchased a castle on St. Mary’s Loch,” Andrew said.

“It sits on a rise overlooking the water and was built over the ruins of an abbey. It was in a deplorable shape when I purchased it from the Earl of Buccleuch, but the location is outstanding, in some of the most beautiful country I have ever seen. There is a small village near it and the villagers are a good-natured and hearty bunch. When the purchase was complete, I set the villeins and about fifty soldiers to its repair last year. It should be nearly complete by now.”

Sully regarded him with some surprise. “I thought you were a vagabond,” he said. “I had no idea you had actually intended to lay down roots.”

Andrew grinned, lopsided. “I knew it would be wise to plan for a time when I could no longer lead my army,” he said. “That time comes to us all. Josephine will love Descanso Castle. It’s three times the size of Torridon and the only fortress for fifty miles in any direction.”

“Sounds remote,” Sully sniffed. “Did you name it Descanso?”

Andrew nodded. “It means ‘rest’ in Spanish. And that is what I intend to do when I live there.”

Sully could well understand that. He pondered the castle in the Lowlands of Scotland, remote and rugged, and a thought occurred to him. “Andrew, if you kill your brother, you will inherit the title and the earldom,” he was thinking aloud. “Will you not live at Haldane?”

Andrew didn’t look too perplexed. “We can spend summers at Haldane and winters at Descanso,” he said. “Haldane is the family seat, but Descanso… that is mine.”

Sully was thinking other things, too, like Torridon and its future– he had always intended to return it to Josephine but if she and Andrew already had two homes, then he saw little point in returning Torridon to them.

Perhaps he was destined to remain the Earl of Ayr, and he wasn’t sure how he felt about that.

With a weary sigh, he stood up and went to his horse, tightening the animal’s cinch. “Come along, lad,” he said to Andrew. “Let us get on with retrieving your fair maiden.”

Andrew watched Sully for a moment. He knew that Sully had planned to return Torridon to Josephine as soon as the circumstances permitted, and he was sure that Sully was now confused as to whether or not he should.

After all, Andrew would have two fine castles.

What would he do with a third, even if it was rightly his wife’s? He sought to put Sully at ease.

“Sully,” he said as he stood up and went to mount his horse. “Keep Torridon for yourself and for Justine. It’s as much in your blood as it is in either of the ladies’. After Josephine and I are married, she will do well knowing you are taking good care of ‘her’ fortress.”

Sully gave him a lopsided grin as he gathered up his reins. “How did you know I was thinking about that?”

“Because I would be thinking about it.”

Sully simply shrugged as he mounted his horse. “We think alike, you and I,” he said. “If you wish for me to keep Torridon, then that is what I shall do. But the title goes with it.”

“I do not want that bloody title. I’ll have one of my own.”

Sully simply chuckled. Spurring their horses forward, they continued on their journey.

They began to pass people on the road as they drew closer to Edinburgh; farmers with empty carts, merchants, and even a troop of traveling minstrels.

One of the acrobats bent over backwards and walked along the road like a spider, bringing a hearty laugh from both men.

Drawing closer to the city and watching the people was great entertainment, making a bright spot in a situation that lingered over them both like a storm cloud.

Darkness approached but Edinburgh was illuminated by thousands of torches and candles as the two entered into the city.

Their focus was on the castle on the tall hill; they’d been able to see it for miles.

It was a huge structure and was well-guarded, with only one road leading to and from it.

It was a steep road, making the castle seem most inaccessible.

Now, the reality of the situation was settling as they arrived at their destination. Sully eyed the fortress, even from a distance.

“Have you any knowledge of the castle?” Andrew asked Sully.

Sully shook his head. “No, I have never been here.”

“Not to worry,” Andrew answered. “Let us find an inn near the fortress. It shall be ripe with information.”

They wound their way down the streets of dirt, noticing how the city closed up tightly after dark. It was quiet, too; virtually no sound emitted from the rows upon rows of dingy, structures. There was an eerie feeling to the streets, as if phantoms lurked in every corner. Darkness surrounded them.

Finally, they came upon an inn very close to the road leading up to the castle called The Falcon and The Flower from the sign over the door.

They tethered their horses at the watering trough and carefully entered the dimly-lit establishment.

One always had to be on guard when entering taverns because in cities like this, they were often filled with cutthroats and rabble.

But Andrew had no intention of dealing with men at that level; he was more interested in what the inn employees or regulars knew.

He spied several whores near the rear of the establishment and that was exactly what he was looking for– who knew more about their surroundings than whores?

He looked at Sully, who was evidently following the same train of thought.

They were both looking at the same dirty women, and they nodded imperceptibly to each other. This was where they would start.

Andrew and Sully were not hard to miss. Andrew was as tall as a tree with rich auburn hair, and Sully was fair and handsome with his pale blue eyes. The two men lumbered over to a table and sat heavily, bellowing for ale.

A barmaid and three whores came on the run. They bumped and pushed into each other as they hurried to sit next to Andrew. As the barmaid sat down two tankards and smiled a buck- toothed grin, a red-haired, skinny wench smiled lasciviously at Andrew.

“What’s yer pleasure, beauty?” she asked.

Andrew gave the women his sauciest expression. “A drink and a woman,” he said. “What else did you expect?”

The women at the table laughed loudly, thrilled to perhaps be part of his plans for the evening. “Then ye’ve come to the right place,” the wench said. “We’ve got both!”

More laughter from the women as Andrew took a long drink of ale, smacking his lips with satisfaction. “Who do we see about renting rooms for the eve?”

“That would be Esme,” said a dark-haired whore.

“Get her for me,” Sully said, as he ran a finger along the woman’s cheek as she fled.

They drank and made small talk until the whore came back leading a buxom blond. The woman was a very large and very shapely woman with a strong Nordic look. Her blue eyes locked in on Andrew.

“Can I be of service, m’lord?” she asked seductively.

The whores all shot her the evil eye as Andrew stood up, outwardly appreciating the female form.

“My friend and I need rooms,” he said.

“I shall be pleased, m’lord, to escort ye myself,” Esme replied smoothly.

Sully could see what Andrew was up to. An innkeeper would know and hear more than most. And there was one sure way to retrieve such information.

“Thank you,” Andrew said, as he took a final swig and moved to follow the woman.

Sully made brief eye contact with Andrew as he left, and then turned his attention back to the three whores purring for his attention.

He lit up with his handsome smile and turned on his considerable charm but, all the while, he felt he was being unfaithful to Justine.

Normally, something like this wouldn’t bother him in the least, but he had a wife waiting for him back at Torridon.

And she was a wife he was coming very much to appreciate, so he felt guilty for what he needed to do in order to help out Andrew.

But he made himself a promise– other than flirting, he would go no further.

For Justine’s sake, he couldn’t.

As Sully fought off the amorous whores, Esme led Andrew up narrow stairs and pushed open a warped door.

As Andrew entered the room, looking about him, she closed the door softly.

She waited politely while he pulled off his mail and his sword; all the while devouring his long legs and tight buttocks with her eyes.

Esme, as the owner’s daughter, seldom attended the patrons herself, but she was going to make an exception in this case.

This man was the most incredible male specimen she had ever seen.

He moved with the muscular grace of a god.

When he finally turned his gaze to her, she felt her insides turn to mush.

“Will ye be… needing anything tonight, m’lord?” The question was obvious.