Matthew allowed her to sleep only just until
the first streaks of dawn began to grace the sky, he still unsure to what had happened and concerned over who may be following them and why. He watched her closely as she was still deep in slumber with no signs of her awakening. Knowing they must leave the area, he reached over and lightly touched her shoulder as he whispered quietly to her as he did so.
"Please, Kaye, it is time to awaken
and we must be away from here."
Slowly, her
one good eye fluttered opened for the other was totally and absolutely now swollen shut, a blackened hue prominently showing upon her otherwise ivory skin. Gradually, she became aware of her surroundings and was reminded of her pain and the gravity of their situation. As she attempted to rise, she felt the pounding within her head and a slight dizziness and the soreness aplenty as the pain coursed throughout her body.
Kaye
understood that before they left the slight clearing that she owed her dear Matthew an explanation and owed him everything for unquestionably coming to her aid. He may not understand what she had done nor agree with her after she had recounted her tale, but that was a decision he had to make on his own. Once he understood the full of it, he may choose to attempt to take her back or perhaps it meant he would leave her here alone for her to travel north on her own. Either way, she had to disclose the truth.
Kaye
looked up at him sadly and began, carefully choosing her words. She wished to speak in facts but was very prudent not to disclose her own private feelings for those were still so very personal. She would not speak of the dreams of her childhood and ambitions for a husband or why she had married the lord, or the grief and shame that overtook her at his sure rejection of her. She could not at this time put into words how it tore at her heart for no one had ever wanted her and no one had ever claimed her, including her own husband. His rejection was a deep humiliation that she must learn to bear in private. Once again she acknowledged within that these were all deep secrets, a shame that she could not bear to speak of to Matthew and these she would forever carry within her heart.
So s
lowly and quietly she began, speaking first of her misfortunes during the travels on her wedding day and how her new husband refused to hand over anything of value to the dark men to save or protect her. She then told of how Bridget's party had interceded and most likely had saved her life.
She continued on lowly,
"Then the day after I arrived at the Hann estates, the Lord Hann left me alone as he traveled to London on what he said was estate business." With a sadness and a sure fear in her eyes she continued, "He left his son, the young Lord Alden, to watch over me. Whenever he was near I always felt a sure uncomfortableness in his presence…"
She pau
sed, taking a deep breath as the memories of his actions coursed through her mind as a certain fear rose within her. She continued speaking slowly as she explained the reason that Lord Hann had married. She spoke of how she had discovered he was petitioning the king to take the Devon lands as she watched Matthew closely for his reaction.
She finally
spoke of that fateful night, telling him everything of how the young Lord Alden had come to her and of his assault upon her body and of what he nearly did to her after he discovered she had given Tor's heirloom medallion to the priest.
She looked down as s
he finished her tale, sighing heavily as the pain continued to plague her heart. She slowly looked up into Matthew's eyes as she attempted to gain his thoughts and an understanding of his position. She knew she had disclosed the truth and now it was up to him to decide the full of her fate and if he would help her escape.
With one single look s
he could easily grasp that Matthew was clearly enraged as the dark fury shown obviously within his eyes and by the way he clenched his fists at his side. Kaye could only hope that his anger was directed at Lord Hann and his family and not at her. A sudden nervousness washed through her breast for did he think she was foolish for attempting to flee? Would he consider her actions too rash or her reasoning unjust?
Kaye
asked quietly, "Will you still take me to Bridget?"
Matthew's
heart ached as she painstakingly recounted her sorry and pitiful existence since she had married the lord. When she was done, he looked deeply into her eyes and wondered at how she could ask such a thing? How could he refuse her at this instant after what she had revealed to him, or ever?
Matthew's
anger could only be directed at the men that had forsaken and harmed this dear woman whom he counted not only as cousin, but as dear sister and friend. He pursed his lips tightly as he fought to control himself as he nodded his head curtly and acknowledged his willingness to help as he rose to prepare the horses for the next leg of their journey.
They
were back on the trail as they galloped quickly along on this second day, only stopping when absolutely necessary and only long enough to rest the horses and take on nourishment for themselves. They were fortunate that they encountered no one in their travels, either then or throughout the night.
On the third day, the terrain began to get
much more treacherous and Kaye's stamina began to wear thin as her body began to show sure signs of exhaustion. When the sun was still high in the sky, with resignation Kaye finally chose to abandon her own mount and ride behind Matthew. She refused to leave her animal and insisted instead to hold onto the mare's lead as the gray mare trailed behind.
Matthew and Kaye
rode together for several hours like this as the fatigue continued to consume her. As they traveled onward and late in the day, Matthew could feel her hold begin to relax and her body began to slacken as the exhaustion finally engulfed her tiny frame. He felt a sure sadness consume him for he knew he had pushed her hard and he should have stopped and allowed her to rest for her own well-being. But his fear for her safety kept him pressing hard towards the Bruce lands for Matthew understood that he was but one man and if they were discovered, he would be of little help to her person.
He
slowed his mount to a walk and twisted his body around as he took a hold of Kaye's waist and placed her slight form before him. Still in deep slumber, her head naturally moved to rest upon his chest. She never stirred as he repositioned her tightly before him and within his arms. He reached back to take her mare's lead and then began to quicken his pace forward once again as he moved forever in the northerly direction of the Bruce lands.
The late afternoon air was beginning to cool so he wrapped his cloak
that was extending from his own neck, totally encompassing both of their bodies as he continued to move onward. Further and further into the Scottish Highlands he went, ever wary of their surroundings and ever afraid for his charge's life.
Very late in the
afternoon and when the sun was beginning to touch the horizon on that third day, they crested the hill that overlooked the village and the Bruce hold beyond. He felt saddened once again for Kaye, knowing he should have stopped long before for her sake to allow her to rest, but his fears for her safety pushed him onward and the relief that he was near, felt fully. He knew he could not stay out in the open one more night alone and as much as he hoped that Bridget's family would take them in.
Matthew
slowed his pace to a walk as he progressed through the village, finding himself almost immediately surrounded by the Bruce clansmen. Some of the warriors were riding their beasts and some were on foot as they escorted him towards the keep. No one approached too near nor asked his business, but it was clear they would not allow him to pass unaccompanied. He knew and expected such behavior from the Highlanders, so he continued with the entourage growing and in tow.
When he
neared the lowered drawbridge, he could hear the sentries above shouting loud warnings up the trail and onto the keep above. But they still did not stop him, they allowed him to pass as he heard them continuing to forewarn, "Rider approaching!"
He
walked his steed along pulling Kaye's mare behind them directly up the path that led into the courtyard as the sun was beginning its descent into the horizon. Lord Alec and two other men that Matthew recognized as his brother, Cameron and his cousin Tor, descended the stairs to meet him in the square.
He noticed with a slight relief that
Bridget had come out onto the landing to see who had appeared, a frown now fully creasing her brow. When she looked into the courtyard and her gaze fell upon Matthew, she rushed down the stairs and reached them as the other Bruce warriors circled.
"Matthew!"
It was Bridget who spoke first a startled and confused look upon her face as a wave of fear encompassed her heart. "What trouble is about?"
Matthew moved his
saddened and angered gaze from Bridget to her husband and the lord of the Bruce keep, Alec as he pleaded with his eyes and his voice.
"Please milord, she
seeks refuge."
A
t that moment, Matthew opened his cape as he fully revealed the small woman who was fast asleep within his arms, her head lying gently upon his chest. Her face was completely swollen and her eye now clearly blackened. Her cheek sported the ugly and jagged cut as her chin showed slight purple marks and cuts that had begun to heal were blatantly obvious across her lips. Though the marks had begun to fade slightly they were all still clearly visible upon her petite and now swollen face and angrily noticed by all within the small group. Bridget gasped loudly in horror as she looked on at her badly beaten sister, wondering what terrible fate could have befallen her.
It was Tor
who stepped boldly forward as he silently reached up for Kaye with a pained look upon his face, anguish in his chest and a certain fire within his eyes. As his hands alighted upon her tiny waist she stirred and her eyes fluttered open as she tried desperately to place a relieved smile upon her face.
When
Kaye looked into Tor's eyes a slight tear released itself from its corner as it trailed slowly down her battered cheek. She felt a sure sense of relief for reaching their destination. She gradually held out her hand towards him, opening her fingers slowly as his small heirloom medallion within fell from her limp grasp falling to the hard dirt ground below.
Tor
pulled the tiny woman from Matthew's hold and moved her within his arms as he gently cradled her within his embrace. When she was safely within, she tipped her head securely against his chest as she closed her eyes and succumbed to the blackness of oblivion once again.
As he held the slight woman within his arms,
Tor stared with sadness upon her, his heart breaking for the abuse she had obviously suffered. His gaze moved from her to his family's heirloom he had given her just a few weeks before as it laid as if deserted, upon the ground.
He fought his emotions
as the pain continued to tear at his heart, for he knew he never should have left her with the Lord Hann. Tor knew from that first moment he had sensed something was terribly wrong. He should have insisted or told her that he would stay and protect her. But it was too late, she had now endured so much and at this very moment he had no one to blame for her plight, but himself.
CHAPTER
FOURTEEN
The procession of
the clansmen led by Bridget and Tor who was still carrying Kaye, moved to an empty room near the rest of the family chambers upon the second floor of the Bruce keep. Tor with a full rage within his chest, walked across the room and gently placed Kaye in the middle of the large bed. She was sleeping so deeply that she never stirred as he tenderly laid her upon the sheets, placing a soft pillow below her head and a blanket over her battered body to guard her against the evening chill.
Those who stood within the room
gazed down at her for long moments in sadness and disbelief as she breathed heavily in her slumber, Kaye oblivious to the onlookers above. So as not to disturb her, the small party walked from her room and moved just outside and into the hallway. They left the door opened wide with the small woman visible and in their thoughts as they began to softly converse.
Matthew looked into the Bruce clansmen faces
who were silently imploring him to speak, varying emotions plaguing their faces. With a heavy sigh he began slowly and shared what he knew of her troubles.
"Kaye
spoke to me of her travels on the day of her wedding and the events that took place when her new husband took her from her parent's keep. She explained how they were accosted and how she sat before her wretched captors, the Lord Hann refusing to hand over any valuables or do anything to save her or to protect her from harm."
Tor gro
aned loudly clenching his fists at his side as he once again relived and was reminded of the details and the pain that poor Kaye had endured. She had suffered so terribly at both the hands of her attackers and of the humiliation set forth by her husband and her lord. For the first time, he clearly understood that her devastation may have been avoided had her lord only conceded that bag of coins on her behalf.
"She
then told me that the next day her husband abandoned her for London leaving her at the Hann keep under the watchful eye of his son, Lord Alden. Kaye said that after she had been there for nearly three weeks, the young lord told her that the reason his father had made the journey was to petition the king for the Devon's properties. Now that he was Kaye's husband, he felt he was entitled since he had married the eldest daughter and Lord Devon had no sons and no other rightful heirs."
Bridget groaned angrily
as she spat, "And that is why Lord Hann was intent upon marrying her to begin with. But if he were doing that, what reason would he have to beat her so?"
Matthew
simply shook his head as continued most miserably, "It was not him. Kaye told me of Lord Alden, saying that while her husband was away, she was left fully in his charge. She spoke of how she was always very uncomfortable within his presence and that he oftentimes made inappropriate advances towards her. She attempted to avoid him as much as she could, but on that fateful night when he entered her chamber…"
Tor's
rage began to erupt again as he clenched his fists at his side as he visibly angered and spat, "What did he do to her?"
Matthew looked
sadly at the man and continued, "When the young lord entered her chamber he was very angry. Kaye said it was a rage like none other she had ever seen before. He was furious because he had discovered that she had given some medallion to a visiting clergyman…" Matthew looked over at Tor, knowing he would understand, "in hopes that he would return it to you."
Tor swallowed hard
as a pain resonated fully within his chest as he attempted to quell his own anger directed solely at himself, now knowing it was because of his actions that she had been harmed. The entire group within the hallway stood silently with confusion upon their faces as they watched Tor intently and waited for him to respond.
After several moments
when he could finally collect himself and somewhat settle his self-loathing, Tor finally took a deep breath and explained, "On that day in the woods, I gave Kaye my family's heirloom medallion and told her that if she ever needed assistance that all she had to do was return it to me and I would come."
Tor lowered his eyes to the floor in shame,
understanding that they all would know that while his intentions may have been honorable, it was this that had ultimately caused her pain.
When Tor did not speak further, Matthew continued, "Kaye
said in his anger he tried to make advances towards her but when she refused, he got very angry and hit her…several times."
Matthew
continued to gaze at Tor for he knew he would want to understand the full of it.
"
Other than striking her, I do not think he had the opportunity to harm her further. Or at least Kaye did not indicate as such."
Tor
looked intently at Matthew pursing his lips tightly as he provided a slight nod, silently thanking him for that piece of communication. Breathing a slight relief for Kaye for that one small allotment, Tor continued to stare at Matthew as he silently begged the young man to continue.
"
There was a struggle as Kaye tried to get away and she grabbed a candlestick holder and hit him over the head."
They all star
ed at Matthew, knowing not what to say for this turn of events surprised them and was quite unexpected. They all reasoned that her ability to inflict any damage should be very remote, from one such as slight and feeble as Kaye. In the past, she had never owned the ability to inflict any harm and in all of their minds had only been able to portray a vast weakness.
"She
told me she hit him with all of her strength and when she left, he was still lying motionless, bleeding and unconscious upon the floor. Kaye is afraid she has killed the man."
Bridget
gasped, knowing what that could mean for her sister if that were really true. This made it especially grave since the Hann family held such great favor with their English King Henry.
"
After that, she took her horse and came to me in the middle of the night, reaching me just shortly before dawn. We left immediately and have been riding for three straight days ever since."
Bridget looked deeply into Matthew's eyes, a question she could not quite answer.
"Who brought her to you, Matthew? For she clearly would have had no connections within the Hann manor."
Matthew looked at Bridget and said, "She came alone."
Bridget gasped in horror as she attempted to piece all that she knew together for the risk of her actions. Such a rash move and the danger she had placed herself in by riding at night and all alone. Bridget could only shake her head in confusion for the Kaye that she had known would never have done such, for Bridget only knew of her sister's mild and tender ways. She knew nothing of such strengths and certainly nothing of the will and determination that would cause her to do anything so reckless.
Bridget asked in sure disbelief,
"Kaye rode from the Hann keep to your home all by herself?"
The incredulity of it struck the entire group, for the last that they ha
d truly witnessed of her will and of her fortitude was her weakness and sickness when Alec had gone to claim his wife. So sickly was she at that time and so incapable of anything.
Matthew inte
rrupted their thoughts as he understood their bewildered looks and knew they were unbelieving of his tale.
"
Bridget, she has changed much within these last two years since you left the Devon home and I realize now even more so since the day that she was wed. She rode that large mare all by herself throughout the night and through the first two full days never complaining and never falling behind my quick pace even once."
Matthew took
in a full breath as he continued to look deeply into the Highlanders eyes as he continued, "She never gained the back of my steed until midday today. I have been around her my entire life and have never seen her ride anything except the calmest of mares and only for a few minutes at a time. But the way she skillfully handled that beast…"
Matthew
did not continue for he did not know how to describe further the changes he had witnessed within her. He had relayed all that Kaye had shared with him and paused so that the entirety of it could penetrate the group. He stood quietly by as he moved his gaze to looked intently at Alec as he now spoke of the questions that weighed so heavily upon his heart.
"
You should also know that I did not wake my father when Kaye came for me and she implored me to leave Lord Devon out of it. So they know nothing, or at least not from either of us. She begged me to bring her here to Bridget. Was I right in coming? Will you protect her?"
Alec
removed his gaze from the one called Matthew and stared into the darkening room where his sister-in-law lay upon the large bed, a concern now fully upon his brow for her fate. For while this was his wife's sister, he knew this could mean war, would most likely signify war for the sanctuary that he was providing. He had to consider his clan and what it would entail for them, for this was his personal battle and not his people's conflict.
When he did not
speak for a few moments as he was still lost in thought and contemplating his options, it was Bridget who finally anxiously spoke as she looked intently upon her husband.
"Alec, we cannot turn her away!"
He replied with a saddened smile placing his hand lovingly upon Bridget's shoulder, "Yes, I know that. But you realize that this could bring the wrath of the English upon us. For it will not take them long before they realize where she has gone."
Bridget
stared back into her husband's eyes with a grave fear upon her face as she inquired astoundingly, "Do you truly think they will come for her?"
With a
full understanding upon his heart and a sadness within his voice Alec answered, “Without a doubt. She is simply too valuable for Lord Hann not to.”