Page 90 of The Guardian's Bride

“Rowena is gone too,” Aedan said. Worry dragged at him, but he had a thought. “She wanted some time in the queen’s chapel. Let me look there.”

His footsteps echoed as he went past the altar to the chapel extension. In the rainbow light of stained glass, he paused beforeMargaret’s tomb to nod briefly to the painted effigy of the queen. She had been a beauty, he thought.

“Where is my son, lady? Where is my wife,” he whispered, that last word coming so easily to his lips. Dread sat heavy in his gut. Something was very wrong. He felt it.

Yet nothing seemed out of place. He turned to leave, then noticed a space behind the huge tomb. Peering around the plinth, he saw a small foot.

“Dear God!” He sank to one knee and looked around the corner. Colban ran into his arms so fast, he nearly lost his balance.

“What is it? What happened?” Aedan asked, holding him.

“I was hiding—I ran, and came back, and I saw them—and I hid in here. I heard your footsteps and I kept hiding.”

“Who was here?” Aedan lifted his son in his arms, holding him close for a moment. Then he left the chapel to stride through the church calling for the others.

“Quickly, to the abbot’s house.” He had a strong feeling that the church was not a safe place. He hurried outside and across the lawn to burst into the house.

A flurry of action soon had Colban installed in the abbot’s best chair with a cup of milk and an oatcake. Desperate to know what Colban had seen, Aedan waited, not wanting to frighten the boy. But Rowena was gone, and fear had its claws in him.

“Tell us what you know, lad,” he said quietly.

Colban nodded. “Men came into the church. Knights. And a monk all in black.”

Aedan glanced at the abbot and the bishop, standing near Patrick and Marjorie. The abbot shook his head; the Dunfermline monks wore brown robes.

“Was Lady Rowena there when you saw these men?” Aedan asked.

“Aye. They grabbed me and her too. I fought and so did she but they would not let us go even when she asked them.”

“And then what?” He began to feel an incandescent fury. “Did you hear their names? Did Lady Rowena know them?”

“She called one of them Milo, I think. Or Miles.”

“Malise,” Aedan groaned. He glanced quickly at Patrick, who scowled. “Colban, did they hurt you, or harm the lady?”

He would kill them hard and swift if they had. He waited.

Colban shrugged. “When they grabbed me, it hurt. But I kicked one of them. Then the monk gave Rowena something to drink. And he was going to give me a drink too but she yelled at him. And then I got away. I ran.”

“Where did you go?” Marjorie asked.

“I ran to the market to find you, but I did not see you. The other man was chasing me so I ran back up the hill and came in here. He came in too but did not find me. I was sure he saw me, but he looked away. So I waited and then you came.” He smiled up at Aedan, looking like an angel, an elf, and a scared little boy all at once.

“You will be fine now. All will be well.”

“Rowena said that too. Where is she?”

“I do not know, but I will find her.”

A servant came into the great hall. “Father Abbot—Sir Brian Lauder is here.” As he spoke, Brian entered, his face creased with worry.

“I just came from the quay,” he said. “Comyn’s galley was there. They were loading supplies on the ship and did not seem rushed. I was about to ride up here to find you, but the harbor master arrived to ask what goods we were delivering or taking away. Now I wonder if Comyn sent him deliberately to delay us.”

“Could be. Is the galley still there?” Aedan stood.

“Gone,” Brian said. “Before I could do anything, they sailed out.”

“Was Rowena with them?” Aedan growled.