The Silent Highlander by Donna Fletcher

Chapter 18

Elysia shook her head seeing the sleeping quarters Lendra had been given. It was a small room shared by two other women with barely room for two let alone three.

“This will not do,” Elysia said.

“Dorrit, the woman who runs the keep tells me that I must reside within the keep if you should need me in the middle of the night,” Lendra said.

“That’s nonsense. I have no need of you in the middle of the night. I have my husband,” Elysia said, though where he was last night she had no idea since he never returned to their room.

She had woken several times during the night, searching for her husband’s warmth only to find she was alone. She shook her head again. She did not favor making a fuss, especially with this being her first day here and her surroundings and the people new to her. However, she would not see Lendra made uncomfortable. She had no choice but to address the issue. “This will not do. First, I will see how Lady Margaret fairs, then I will speak to Dorrit.”

Lendra followed behind Elysia as they took the stairs down from the highest part of the keep.

“Did you by chance see my husband this morning, Lendra,” Elysia asked, not mentioning that she herself had not seen him since last night.

The silence from Lendra had Elysia stopping on the curving staircase and sending the woman an anxious look. “I need to rely on the truth from you, Lendra. You are the one person here I know I can trust.”

“Forgive me, my lady—”

Elysia reached out and laid her hand on Lendra’s arm. “Just this once, Lendra, call me Elysia so I know we speak as friends.”

“Aye, Elysia. I hesitated because I don’t want to see you hurt, but it is more important you know word spreads that Lord Odran did not share his wife’s bed last night.” Lendra lowered her voice to a whisper, “Many fear the madness has taken hold of him again. He walked the village endlessly last night and his voice has boomed through the village shouting orders. All avoid him if possible.”

Elysia blamed herself. She had to make this right.

“A misunderstanding between a husband and a wife, that sparked his frustration, nothing more,” Elysia explained.

“You need not tell me, Elysia.”

“I must,” Elysia insisted. “You need to know that Odran is a good man.”

Lendra kept her voice low. “Good or not, he is cursed. Many fear him and from being here only from last night, I see and feel the sadness of this place.”

Elysia hated to admit it, but Lendra was right, she felt it herself and she hadn’t even stepped outside to acquaint herself with the place and its people.

“It even runs through the village,” Lendra said. “I went to look for Bram and I shouldn’t have been surprised, though it was more disappointment when I saw him already working his wiles on the women here, particularly the healer. I think his generous smile drew them to him since I saw few people smiling.”

“If ever you feel you don’t want to remain here, Lendra, I will see you safely returned to Clan Loudon.”

Lendra shook her head vigorously. “No. Absolutely not, Elysia. I will not leave you here alone.”

“I admit I am relieved to hear you say that.” Elysia smiled that she would have a familiar face to trust. “Now let us see how Lady Margaret fairs, then I will see to new quarters for you.”

“I don’t want to make a fuss and have others dislike me.”

“I think we may not have a choice but to make a fuss, since I do not cherish living in constant gloom,” Elysia said and her stomach churned at the thought of having to speak up more than she was accustomed to or it might be the bairn making himself known. A secret that weighed heavily on her.

“Bliss told me she believed you were the strongest sister, that it took an amazing strength to keep an honest tongue and remain as kind as you do. Such goodness is rare and a pleasure to be around.”

“Bliss often warned me I was too kind,” Elysia said, the mention of her sister reminding her how much she missed her and how much she could use her advice and wise thoughts. “I am grateful for Bliss’s confidence in me, but by far she proved that she is the one with the greatest courage by marrying the worst cursed lord.” She shook her head. “But never will anyone equal Annis’s,” —she paused a moment, thinking how best to define Annis’s mettle— “determined courage.”

Lendra chuckled. “That is a mild way of describing your sister’s audacity.”

Elysia entered, along with Lendra, Lady Margaret’s bedchamber to find Glenis standing over the bed.

“You must stay abed and rest,” Glenis was saying as she tucked a blanket around a dozing Lady Margaret. “I have ordered the servant to bring you broth and feed you sparingly.”

Elysia was finding it ever more difficult to hold her tongue. “I will have a word with you, Glenis.”

Glenis moved away from the bed to a corner of the room where Lady Margaret wouldn’t be disturbed by their talk.

Elysia spoke up. “This is nonsense! Lady Margaret needs sustenance to help her grow strong and she should not stay abed all day.”

“I tend Lady Margaret, not you,” Glenis said with a sneer that almost had Elysia taking a step back.

“Has Lord Fergus or Lord Odran not spoken to you since last night?” Elysia asked, recalling how both men had agreed with her request that she and Lendra be the only ones to tend Lady Margaret.

“I have seen neither man and I prefer to keep my distance from Lord Odran since he is having another one of his fits of madness,” Glenis said with disgust.

Annoyance nipped at Elysia that Glenis spoke disparagingly about Odran. “I will not tolerate you speaking disrespectfully of my husband. And it grieves me to think you are a healer, dismissing Lord Odran’s suffering, rather than offering help.”

“There is no healing a curse. He is doomed and all know it and now so are you, as is everyone in the Clan MacBridan,” Glenis said with a defiance that challenged Elysia to deny it.

“Then why do you remain here?” Elysia asked.

“No one would have me knowing I came from a cursed clan. Besides,” —Glenis gave a quick nod at the bed— “Lady Margaret needs me.”

“Not anymore,” Elysia said. “You are no longer to tend Lady Margaret. She is in my and Lendra’s care from now on.”

“I do not take orders from you,” Glenis spat.

“Aye, you do take orders from me since I am the lady of this keep with Lady Margaret unable to see to those duties,” Elysia said, relieved her garments concealed her trembling legs. She may have gained courage, but it still put a fright in her to call on that courage at times.

Glenis looked to argue, but a strong voice from the open doorway stopped her.

“Lady Elysia is correct. With Lady Margaret unable to see to the duties of the keep it falls on Lady Elysia’s shoulders to do so.”

Elysia was stunned to see the commanding voice come from a woman as petite as she was, though the way she held herself, her shoulders drawn back, her chin raised, you would think she was much taller. Streaks of dark hair peeked through the gray and wrinkles didn’t do much to mar the good features of her lovely face.

“Take yourself off, Glenis. You will be summoned if needed,” Dorrit ordered.

With a sneer and quick steps, Glenis left the room.

The woman bobbed her head when she neared Elysia. “I am Dorrit, my lady. “I have served Lady Margaret for many years and see to the running of the keep. I am honored to serve you—until Lady Margaret is well enough to resume her duties.”

The woman made it clear that she was not only faithful to Lady Margaret, but to her position in the keep as well, but would serve Elysia in the interim.

“I am pleased to meet you, Dorrit, and I wish to speak with you after I see to Lady Margaret.”

“As you wish, my lady,” Dorrit said with a bob of her head.

“Dorrit, is that you?” Lady Margaret called out. “Why do I hear arguing?”

Dorrit immediately went to the bed and took hold of the frail hand that reached out to her. “Nothing to worry about, Lady Margaret. Lady Elysia is here to see to your care.”

“Where is Glenis?” Lady Margaret asked. “She was here a moment ago, unless my mind has failed me again.”

Elysia stepped forward. “Your mind did not fail you, Lady Margaret. Glenis was here, but I will be tending you from now on.” She turned to Lendra. “Help me to sit Lady Margaret up.”

“No! No! I am too ill,” Lady Margaret protested.

Elysia was shocked to hear Dorrit speak up.

“Nonsense. Lady Elysia is right. I will help you,” Dorrit ordered firmly.

Again Elysia was shocked at the strength of the wee woman as she and Lendra got Lady Margaret sitting up in bed, pillows stuffed behind her back and the blanket tucked at her waist.

“Now I believe a gentle meal would help,” Dorrit said.

“I wholeheartedly agree,” Elysia said.

“I will see to it, along with any brew you suggest, Lady Elysia, while Lendra sees to combing and braiding Lady Margaret’s hair,” Dorrit said, pointing to a comb on the small chest beside the bed.

The wee woman was a force of power and it was easy to see that she not only cared a great deal for Lady Margaret but was protective of her.

Elysia gave Dorrit instructions in preparing a brew and also what food would be best for Lady Margaret. She also made mention of a cottage for Lendra. The woman was about to take her leave when a shout was heard from the stairwell.

“HE’S GONE MADE AGAIN! COMPLETELY MAD!”

Before Elysia could reach the door Deara burst into the room. “Lord Odran is in a fit of madness. Keep Lady Elysia away from him.”

“No! No! No! Not again. Please, Lord, not again,” Lady Margaret pleaded, tears welling up in her eyes.

“Where is my husband?” Elysia demanded, fright for her husband’s well-being twisting her stomach in knots.

“In the woods howling like an animal, but it won’t be long before he returns and lashes out at any poor soul he sees,” Deara said, wringing her hands.

Elysia turned to Lendra. “See that Lady Margaret eats, has a washing, and the bedding is changed.”

“You don’t mean to go after, Lord Odran, do you?” Lendra asked with worry.

“He is my husband,” Elysia said as if that was explanation enough.

“NO! NO!” Lady Margaret shouted. “He will kill you like he did his brother.”

“My husband loves me,” Elysia said.

“He loved his brother as well but that did not stop him from driving a sword through him,” Lady Margaret said through tears.

Elysia found it difficult to believe that Odran drove a sword through his brother in a fit of madness. She had seen him in battle and he had fought with skill and precision, and, aye, it had been frightening to see him wield his axe with such power and yet such ease. He was a seasoned warrior all too familiar with battle. He couldn’t have mistakenly killed his brother, so what then had made him draw a sword on him? Something was missing and the only one who could answer that was—Odran.

Dorrit continued to surprise Elysia when she spoke.

“Have someone point the way to the section of woods Lord Odran goes to,” Dorrit ordered Deara.

Deara’s eyes went wide with fright at the appointed task.

“It’s not necessary. I will ask Finch. He will know,” Elysia said and watched Deara’s shoulders sag in relief.

She grabbed a cloak from her bedchamber before making her way out of the keep. She was down the steps when a horrific roar echoed through the woods. To her, it sounded like a wounded animal crying out in pain. She grabbed her chest, her heart heavy with the thought of how much pain her husband must be in and called out Finch’s name as she ran through the village.

Elysia hadn’t gone far when Finch appeared.

“Return to the keep, my lady,” Finch ordered.

“No,” Elysia snapped. “Point me to where my husband has gone into the woods.”

“I cannot do that, my lady, for your own safety,” Finch said.

“If you don’t point me in the right direction, I will roam the woods until I find him,” Elysia threatened.

“I cannot let you do that, Lord Odran would see me punished,” Finch said. “Leave him be. His men know how to handle him. They will keep him from hurting anyone when he returns.”

“And how will they do that?” she demanded.

“Go to the keep, my lady,” Finch said, ignoring her question and waved one of Odran’s warriors over. “Escort, Lady Elysia, to the keep.”

Another howling roar filled the air and those who lingered and had watched Elysia’s confrontation with Finch ran for safety.

“Go! Be prepared to help my husband,” Elysia said, her heart twisting with pain for her husband.

“Stay in the keep until told otherwise,” Finch said and hurried off, the other warrior joining him, Finch issuing orders as he went. “Form a line to keep him out of the village.”

Elysia waited until they were out of sight, then headed straight for the woods. She couldn’t bear to hear the agonizing roar of her husband again, but it would help her find him. The sound would trail off and she just might be able to locate him that way.

The roar came again, piercing her heart, and she stopped to listen, fighting back the tears as she did. She caught it at the very end, the rumbling groan that would frighten most, but she heard the agony in it and followed the sound that hurt her heart.

She thanked the heavens when she spotted him in the distance, his hand braced on a tree, his back to her. He wore no shirt beneath his plaid and the strip of plaid that usually crossed his chest hung at his side. His head hung down, his dark hair draped along the sides of his face.

His stance was one of defeat as if he had just lost a battle. She wanted to run to him, console him, love him. But she warned herself to go slow and took cautious steps toward him. An animal that was hurt and suffering often struck out when help was offered, too frightened to trust. Slow and easy was the best way to approach and that was what she did.

“WHOEVER DARES APPROACH, LEAVE NOW!”

His furious shout had her stopping and her heart beating ever faster. She waited a few moments, then continued toward him.

“LEAVE NOW!” he yelled, the threat in his savage tone warning enough to any sane person to run.

She wisely stopped a few feet from him and though fear trembled her, she kept her voice steady and soft. “Odran.”

His head shot up and his whole body grew taut and his hand braced against the tree fisted and pounded at the bark. “GET OUT OF HERE NOW, ELYSIA!”

“NO!” she shouted back and her legs grew weak when she heard a distinct vicious growl.

“GO!” he ordered.

Elysia kept her voice strong and stubborn, though she felt neither. “You can shout and command all you want. I am not leaving you.”

He swerved around then and she almost dropped to her knees with fright. He was unrecognizable, pure loathing and revulsion marring his handsome face. Her heart broke for him, knowing his face betrayed what he felt about himself.

“Get out of here,” he snarled.

She shook her head. “No, and nothing you say or do will make me leave you. I refuse to let you suffer alone.”

“You will suffer far worse if you stay here with me,” he warned, his face twisting in anger.

“Then so be it, but before we suffer together there is one thing I need you to know,” she said and took a cautious step toward him. “Last night when you asked me if I would have wed you if I had known you were one of the cursed lords, I hesitated in answering you because my heart pained me so badly at the thought—” She paused, choking back tears.

His eyes narrowed in anger, his nostrils flared, and he fisted his hands at his sides.

“At the thought of not having you in my life. So, aye, I would have wed you, Odran, cursed lord or not, for my heart would shatter without you in my life. I do not know how love can be so powerful and painful at the same time, for the thought of life without you rips an unbearable pain through me and I would surely perish without you by my side.”

Odran wanted to reach out, grab her, hold her tight, lose himself in her gentleness and love. But she would suffer for it and how did he live with the prospect of causing his wife endless pain and suffering. He dropped his head back and roared to the heavens, until he had spent some of his anguish, then met her eyes with his smoldering ones. “One last chance to run, wife.”

“Aye,” she said with a nod and ran toward him.