The Devil’s Laird by Brenda Jernigan
Chapter 17
The Elliots were riding across the field to meet Roderick and his brothers. When they were ten feet from the Scotts they stopped.
“Look at those Elliots sitting there in those ugly plaids. Dull red and black, they should be ashamed to call themselves Scots,” Angus grumbled.
“Isn’t their motto, Bravely and Justly?” Roderick asked.
“Justly, my arse.”
Roderick knew this brother was irritated and would complain about anything at the moment. “You Elliots are a pain in the arse!” Roderick shouted.
“Well that could be a matter of opinion,” Joseph Elliot said with a sly smile.
“Do ye deny taking six coos off my brother’s land?”
“I do,” Elliot answered. “Angus can no speak for himself? Had to bring big brother along to help?”
“Ye, son of a bitch.” Angus spat, then started to move forward, but Roderick grabbed his arm.
“Scotts stick together,” Roderick said. “And as laird when ye steal my brother’s coos then ye take from the clan.”
“I told you I dinna have yer coos.”
Roderick turned to Galen who had just ridden up, “What did ye find?”
“Six Scott coos. Needless to say, the old mon lies.”
Roderick turned back to Elliot. “Ye were sayin’?”
Elliot smirked. “Mayhap they meandered over here.”
“A lot of men could die today because as my brother said, ye are a lying son of a bitch or you can gather the coos and return them, and we’ll forget aboot it this time.”
“How about I give ye some information concerning yer wife in exchange for three of the beasts.”
Roderick moved so fast that Joseph Elliot didn’t have time to respond. Roderick had slid from his horse and jerked Elliot off his own mount.
Suddenly, swords were drawn on both sides.
“I’m in no mood for yer nonsense,” Roderick spat. “So ye better tell me what ye are talking about fast before I slit yer throat.”
The Elliots were all shouting until Joseph signaled them to be quiet. “A—An English rider dared to cross our land two days ago. When we stopped him, he said he had a letter for Laird Scott, and he was cutting across our land to make for a shorter trip.”
“And?”
“So, we stopped the mon and read the letter to make sure he wasn’t lying.”
“And?”
“Out of the goodness of our hearts, we let him cross our land, but we could have sent him back to England, and then you’d never have received yer message. And for that –” He gestured with this hand. “I ken we should call some kind of truce.”
Roderick wasn’t sure if Elliot was lying to save his sorry hide or telling the truth. Why would he be receiving a message from England? It didn’t make sense. “Ye are trying my patience. What did the letter say?”
“Well, now that will cost ye those coos we want.”
Roderick’s temper exploded as he slammed his fist into Elliot’s jaw, knocking him to the ground.”
Elliot rubbed his jaw but didn’t bother to get to his feet. “That willna get ye the information about yer son.”
Roderick jerked Elliot up and shook him. “What are ye talking about? What about my son?”
The Elliots were all dismounting, preparing for a fight. The Scotts would be happy to oblige them.
“He can huv two coos, but you’d better tell us what ye know and quickly before blood is spilled here today,” Angus said, hoping they wouldn’t have to do battle. This message sounded very important and he wanted to hear it too.
“Baron Cinge has yer son and he wants to exchange him for yer wife. Now let go of me!” Elliot shoved Roderick in the chest. “Yer choking me.”
Roderick did let Elliot go and for a moment Roderick couldn’t move. His son … his son was alive. Thank God. Michael was alive. He wanted to rejoice but knew the boy was still in danger. Or was this a very bad joke?
Galen and Duncan came up behind Roderick and slapped him on the back. “The boy lives.”
“I knew it even if my hope was slim,” Roderick said.
“I’ll send a couple of men home with the coos and we’ll ride to get the boy,” Angus said.
Roderick shook his head as he watched the Elliots leaving. “First we go home. If we show up without Siena, Cinge is likely to kill Michael.”
“But ye’ll no make the trade?” Galen asked.
“Of course not. But we will make him think that we are going to trade her for my son.” Roderick headed for his mount. “We’ve no time to waste.”
* * *
In no timethey were back at Black Dawn and Roderick and his men were dismounting.
“Water and feed the horses, then rub them down. We’ll be leaving in two hours,” he instructed Garvin. The stableman nodded but didn’t say anything as he took charge of the horses.
Roderick and his brothers made their way up the hill to the great hall. As soon as they entered the door, Roderick called for his steward. “Martin!”
Martin slid as he rounded the corner. “I dinna ken ye were back, sire. There was a message for ye while you were gone.” He reached for the paper that had been left on the desk.
Roderick took the note, then said, “Tell my wife, I want to see her.”
“She isn’t here, sire.”
“Where is she?”
“I dinna ken. I just know she is gone.”
“Yer not making sense, Roderick’s voice was cold and exact. “Find Agatha and tell her I want to see her now.”
Roderick, Duncan, and his brothers walked over to the high table where the servants had sat out a tray of bread and cheese for them. Everyone sat down and grabbed some food as it had been a long time since they last ate.
Duncan said as he poured a cup of ale, “Where do ye suppose Lady Siena is?”
“I have no idea,” Roderick said with a sigh. He took a bite of bread and then unfolded the note and read the words out loud to everyone. “At least Elliott told the truth so ‘twill save me having to go back and end his miserable life.”
“Probably the first time,” his younger brother grumbled.
Just then Agatha came scurrying into the hall. “I told her not to go but she wouldn’t listen.”
Agatha was wringing her hands.
“Calm yerself, Agatha,” Roderick said. He stood and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Where did Siena go?”
“To her fathers . . . the miserable cur.”
Roderick felt like his head was about to explode and he was momentarily speechless. Finally, he gritted his teeth and asked, “Why?”
“S—She said she thought she could rescue Michael, then escape with the child without anyone finding out.”
“She couldn’t wait for me?” Roderick thundered.
Agatha stepped back.
“No need to shout at her,” Duncan said, and he stood, too.
Roderick glared at him.
“I told her to wait,” Agatha said, quickly. “But she didn’t want any bloodshed or for you to have to decide between her and your son.”
Roderick shook his head. “She has little faith in me. How long has she been gone?”
“Two days, sire.”
Roderick glanced at Duncan. “Give the word that we ride in two hours.”
* * *
They traveledhard until the night came and they were forced to stop and rest the horses.
Roderick couldn’t sleep because all he could think of was Michael and Siena. He prayed that neither of them was hurt. When was she going to trust and obey him? She was only a woman and not capable of taking on her father and his men. That was his job. What if something happened to her? He paused and then shook his head. Damn, he just realized that Siena meant the world to him. He wasn’t sure when it had happened, but he couldn’t remember not having her in his life.
And his son… his prayers had been answered or would be once his son was in his arms again.
At the break of dawn, they were riding again. The ride was hard and fast-paced, but no one complained. They all knew what was at stake. It was noon when they spotted a lone rider . . . a very small lone rider.
“Michael,” Roderick shouted and watched the child’s head jerk up.
Michael looked up at Barra who was flying above him. “Is it really da?”
“It is. You have made it to safety, Michael. I’ll leave you now and go back to the castle. Stay safe and go meet your father.”
“Thank ye, Barra,” Michael said, then kicked his horse in the sides. In no time, he was even with his father.
Roderick jerked the child from his horse and smothered him in a hug. “I dinna believe I’ve found ye. Are ye hurt, son?”
“Nay,” Michael said as he leaned back with a big smile on his face. “Hello Angus, Galen, and Duncan”
“Lad, we thought we’d never see ye again,” Galen said as he reached over and touched the boy on the shoulder.
“I dinna think so either.”
“Look at ye,” Angus said. “Appears ye’ve grown two inches, lad.”
Michael threw out his chest, then said, “I’m a big boy now.”
“Yes, ye are,” Roderick said with a chuckle, then he asked. “Where is Lady Siena?”
“She saved me, da. Lady Siena came and took me out of the castle by a secret passage. She gave me this horse and told me to stay on the road until I found you.”
“But where is she now?”
“She gave herself over to the bad men so I could escape. They are mean and will hurt her.” Tears rolled down his face. “Ye have to save her.”
Roderick frowned. A flicker of apprehension coursed through his blood. He would kill the bastards. For now, he managed to get his emotions under control as he asked,“Where did they go? “
“I dinna see, but I think they went back to that old castle.”
Roderick gave the signal for everyone to dismount. Once he was on the ground, he took his son aside. “Can ye tell me where the secret passage is located?” Michael nodded and told him everything his father wanted to know.
“What are we going to do?” Galen asked.
“Michael, I want ye to return to Black Dawn with Galen.”
“No, da. I dinna want to lose ye again.” Michael wrapped his arms around his father’s neck. “And Lady Siena – she said she is my mother. I dinna want to lose her either.”
Roderick pried the lad’s arm from around his neck. “Ye’ll no lose me ever again, but I have to go and find Lady Siena, and I need to ken that ye are safe so that I dinna worry about you.”
“Nobody will ever get ye again,” Galen promised. “Ye can ride with me since ye are probably tired.”
Roderick hugged his son once last time and told him he loved him. He felt something in the child’s jacket. “What is this?” He reached in the jacket and pulled out a bunny.
“Lady Siena brought me my rabbit.”
Roderick felt his throat closing and he had to clear his voice to say, “’Twas nice of Siena. Ye take care of yer rabbit.” He placed Michael on Galen’s horse.
“A word, Galen.”
“Take five men and dinna let Michael out of yer sight for one minute until I return.”
“He’ll be in good hands.”
“Something else, brother.” Roderick leaned in and whispered something which made Galen nod, then smiled. “It’s about time, brother.”
Roderick and the rest of his men rode to Balan Castle.
Sometimes to get rid of evil it needed to be jerked out root and stem.