Highlander's Forbidden Lass (Lasses 0f Tweeddale Book 3), page 24
part #3 of Lasses 0f Tweeddale Series
He lifted his mouth and looked at her. “I will undress ye soon. For now, I want ye to take my clothes off. All of them, and touch me as ye dae it. I want to feel your hands on me.”
Madeleine was utterly repulsed. She obeyed him, removing the black shirt he wore, as well as his black trousers, and every stitch of cloth he wore from his body, until he stood before her nude. He looked even more pathetic to her without his clothes on than he did with them.
He gripped her wrists and pulled her to his hollow chest, kissing her again and moaning softly as he did. He let her go and a smile spread over his face. “Get on your knees and take me into your mouth. I want ye to taste me,” he ordered.
She sank slowly to her knees, furious inside, and as she knelt before him, the only possible plan she could think of ignited in her mind. He looked down at her, and his thin lips parted in a grin. “Open your mouth,” he told her coldly, sliding his hand into her curls at the back of her head.
Madeleine raised her eyes and looked up at him, seeming as if she was going to do as he had ordered her to, but instead she reached into her bodice and withdrew the small blade she had been carrying there. Just as she thrust her hand upward to plunge it into his heart, he saw her and grabbed for her arms. The dagger’s blade sliced across Patrick’s face, and blood sprayed over them both.
Patrick gasped and wrenched the dagger from her hand, doubling his free fist and hitting her across the face with it. Pain seared across her cheek and over her head, and she cried out as she fell back hard against the floor. Madeleine knew that she had crossed a line. At the least, her sister would probably be raped for her transgression against her new husband, and at most, she would lose her life. Madeleine knew that it was all or nothing. She had to fight him, for she had nothing left to lose. She turned and faced Patrick, who was coming for her, and kicked his ankles as hard as she could, knocking him to the floor. He hit it hard, but spun about fast, facing her.
Rage burned in his dark eyes, and he lunged for her with her own dagger, but Madeleine rolled out of the way just in time, and she knew that she must find a way to get to her sister before Patrick did, or the worst would come to pass. She jumped to her feet and ran from the room, closing the door behind her. As she raced down the hall and then the stairs to get back to the great hall, she found that she was grateful that Patrick had forced her to undress him, because he could not chase after her until he had dressed himself again, giving her a few moments of a head start.
Just as she came rushing into the great hall, she nearly collided with a sword, and before it could hit her, a hand shot out from beside her, pulling her away from it. She looked up and saw Colin there before her.
Relief washed over her. “Colin! God, thank ye!”
“What are ye doing here?” he asked in confusion.
“I have to get my sister!” Madeleine answered, her eyes leaving Colin’s as she searched the table at the far wall where she had last seen Fiona. The chair where the girl had been sitting was empty, and so was the one beside it, that had held her captor. Madeleine’s heart launched into her throat as fear nearly paralyzed her.
“Where is Fiona? She is being held against her will! I have to save her, or that behemoth who is holding her captive will kill her on Patrick’s order!”
Colin’s face twisted in shock. “Dae ye mean the young blonde girl that came in with ye when ye arrived this morning?”
“Aye, that’s her!” Madeleine glanced around, trying to see if she could find Fiona, to save her, or Patrick, to avoid him at all costs.
Colin thought for a moment and then brightened. “I dinna see her here, but if she’s no’ in the great hall, then I think that I ken where she’s being held! Quickly, come with me!” He grabbed a sword that had been dropped on the floor and pushed it into Madeleine’s hands. Madeleine gripped it tightly. It felt good to have a sword in her grasp. It felt like she was a warrior.
Colin turned then, and Madeleine followed him out of the great hall and into a smaller corridor that led down to the servant’s quarters. They hurried past all of the doors of the servant’s rooms until they reached the last one in a corner, at the end of the long corridor.
“’Tis the chamber of the man she was with earlier. I believe it would be the only place he would take her. There’s nowhere else in the castle where he could hide her away, especially during this battle.”
“Ye let me have him. That evil brute is mine. Ye get Fiona and get her out,” Madeleine spoke in a low and serious voice. Colin nodded.
Together they burst through the door, startling the big man. He had been resting on his bed while Fiona was tied to a chair, and the dagger with which he had held her captive since that morning was laying on a small table beside his bed. Colin went for Fiona, reaching to untie her bonds, while Madeleine raised the sword in her hands and saw the look of sheer surprise on the big man’s face as she plunged the sword downward, ending his life.
Fiona stared at Colin and Madeleine in amazement. “Maddie!” she cried out gratefully, and her sister ran to her and embraced her tightly. Fiona began to weep with relief. “How did ye ever find me?”
“Colin knew where ye were. He is a friend. Come, we must go before Patrick gets here. I’m sure he’s on his way.” Madeleine dashed out to the corridor again, peering down its depths to be certain they were safe, and Colin met Fiona’s gaze for the first time as he reached for her hand. He blinked and smiled, his cheeks going pink as he took in her sky-blue eyes and long waves of blonde hair.
“I’m… I’m so pleased that you’re all right,” He mumbled as he reached his hand out to her. She blushed and a grin overtook her face.
“I am all right. Thank ye for saving me!” she gushed, gazing back at him with a bashful glow.
Madeleine looked over her shoulder into the room. “Come on! We have to go now!” She waved at them, and they hurried to follow her out.
Colin couldn’t take his eyes off of Fiona. “I… I know a way out of the castle from here. It’s one of the servant’s entrances. We can escape that way! Then ye can both be free to… to go.” He seemed to realize then that he was sending Fiona away from him, and his smile faltered, but he bucked up and held her hand fast, turning to lead them down a different corridor.
“We will have to go through the dungeons, but then we’ll come to the door, and then ye can go around the loch. ‘Tis no’ far to the woods from there, and ye can go through the trees without anyone seeing ye. Ye will make it out that way okay,” he told them as they hurried through the corridor into the dungeon.
“I think that’s how we came in this morning. Will ye come with us?” Fiona asked him hopefully, her eyes wide as she smiled encouragingly.
He paused in mid-step and almost tripped, he was looking back at her so intently. “I would love nothing more, truthfully, but I must go and fight at Ian’s side. He is the rightful laird, and I cannot desert him in this hour of need. Black Duncan and his followers must be stopped!”
“’Tis so brave and noble of ye!” Fiona swooned a little, beaming at him.
“Ye think so?” Colin asked, blushing in the scant light that filtered into the dungeon.
“Come!” Madeleine sighed crossly, “We dinna have time for this! We must leave at once!”
Colin’s face grew serious. “Aye, of course, we must! Quickly, through this door. We’re nearly there. I’ll go with ye as far as the edge of the wood, but then I must turn back to the battle. Ye will be safe once we are out this door and to the forest.”
“I hope that I may see ye again, when the battle is done,” Fiona intoned sweetly to Colin, weaving her fingers into his.
His breath caught and his heart skipped a few beats. “I hope the same, miss Fiona.”
“Be safe and fight bravely!” She told him, mooning at him.
Colin gave her a sure nod. “I will dae it, just so that I may see ye again!” He smiled widely at them both and pulled the door open, and all three of them ran out of it and straight into the middle of the battle. Colin stopped short and gaped.
“How did they all get here?” he asked, stunned by the mass of fighting going on around them.
“’Tis no time to ask questions!” Madeleine cried as she raised her sword and blocked a swing from a man near her. He was standing just slightly downhill from her, and she lunged at him, throwing him off balance. With a swift kick to his midsection, she sent him sailing backward, into another man, who turned and buried a sword in him.
“Campbells would ne’er fight against each other this way!” She declared angrily, looking at the vicious battle going on around her. Her eyes caught sight of Ian and Duncan, and she gasped. Colin followed her gaze, and the two of them cried out as Duncan landed a punch at Ian’s head, sending him to the ground.
Duncan raised his sword and was about to send it down into Ian, when Ian’s foot flew up and caught Duncan’s groin, making him double over in pain as he rolled to the ground. Ian scrambled to his feet and went to Duncan with a kill swing, but it was blocked by one of Duncan’s men, who stepped in to fight Ian.
Just then, a scream sounded behind Madeleine and Colin, and they turned to see Patrick with his arms around Fiona, and a blade to her neck.
Chapter Thirty-One
Fury shot through Madeleine like a flaming arrow, and she raised her sword to Patrick, as Colin did the same at her side. “Ye unhand that girl now!” Madeleine demanded viciously.
“I will no’!” Patrick replied with venom in his voice and his eyes.
“Then I will kill ye where ye stand!” Madeleine launched herself toward him, but he pushed the dagger hard against Fiona’s neck, and Fiona cried out again and sobbed as a trail of blood rolled down her throat into the swell of her bosom.
“Dinna harm her!” Madeleine stopped short, her eyes wide, her body tense. Colin was every bit as angry as she was, and ready to kill Patrick himself.
“Let her go!” Colin glared at Patrick.
Patrick raised a brow, and his chin, with defiance. “Ye want her? Dae ye want her safe? Then make a trade with me.”
Madeleine scowled at him. “What dae ye mean, a trade? What dae ye want ye bastard?”
Patrick grinned. “I want ye, wife. This bit of a girl means nothing to me. I only want ye. I will let her go, if ye drop your sword there on the ground, and come to me willingly. Take her place beneath this blade, and I will set her free right now.”
Madeleine saw the terror in her sister’s eyes and the blood on her neck, and she knew that she had no choice. Turning her head, she met Colin’s gaze with a serious look. “Ye take her the second she is free, and ye dae all ye can to keep her safe and get her out of here alive.”
Colin nodded with determination. “I will dae it.”
“Dae ye swear to me that ye will protect her with your very life?” Madeleine asked, seeing that he meant every word he said.
He spoke true. “Aye. With my life and soul. No one shall touch her this day, and even if it costs me my last breath, I will see that she is safely away from this battle, no matter what it takes.”
Madeleine was relieved. “Ye are a good man, Colin Argyll.” She turned her focus back to Patrick then, and gritted her teeth. “I will make this trade with ye, only if she is unharmed and set free.”
“As ye wish, my bride.” Patrick grinned wickedly. “Drop your sword and kick it away from ye.”
She did as he told her to, feeling as if she had lost half of her power and strength in the move, and she knew that was what he wanted her to feel. “All right, my sword ‘tis down and away. Now let her go!”
Patrick jerked his head at her. “Ye must come here to me and take her place.”
Madeleine moved swiftly, reaching Patrick and pulling her sister free from him, shoving her toward Colin as Patrick wrapped his arms around Madeleine and pressed the blade against her throat.
“Run Colin! Run with her now! I will follow later!” Madeleine insisted. Colin only hesitated a moment before taking Fiona’s hand, and Fiona gasped and cried out, reaching for Madeleine as Colin pulled her away.
“Ye will no’ follow her. In fact, ye may ne’er see her again when I get through with ye, bitch.” He pushed her back toward the doorway that they had escaped from, and then through it into the dark dungeon once more.
“Ye left this cut on my face and left me bare in our wedding chamber!” He shot at her accusatorily.
“Ye ken I dinna ever want to marry ye in the first place,” She growled at him. “Ye are a monster; repulsive and cruel!”
Patrick reached one of the cells in the dungeon and shoved her into it, where she fell on the floor. “I wanted to dae this in our wedding bed. I wanted to make it last a long while and enjoy having ye for the first time, but I have years to enjoy doing everything to ye that I want. For now, the most pressing thing is to consummate our marriage, then there will be no way out of it for ye.” He knelt over her, shoving her skirts up and then reaching for his trousers to loosen them. “Besides, taking your body will be a great pleasure, but the most important thing right now is planting my seed in ye. I want a son, and I want ye to carry him now.”
Madeleine reached for him; her fingers arched into claws as she screamed and railed against him, but he shoved her back down to the ground and brought his fist down hard against her cheek. “Dae no’ fight me, wife! Ye are mine in the eyes of God, and ye will submit to me!”
He threw himself down on her and though he looked to be a small man, the full weight of him on her was crushing, making it difficult to breath or even to move. Patrick moved between her thighs and she felt the hardness of him against her as she wriggled beneath him trying to get free. Everything in her blazed with hatred and she knew that she had to do anything that she could to stop him.
Looking around, all that she could see was straw on the dungeon floor. She reached for a fistful of it and crammed it into Patrick’s mouth as he tried to enter her. Coughing and sputtering, he choked on it and lifted himself at full arms-length above her trying to spit it all back out. As he did so, he released one of her arms. She doubled her fist tightly and rammed it into the front of his throat. His dark eyes grew wide with pain and he struggled to breath as his face turned red.
With Patrick weakened, she punched him again, slamming her fist into his temple, and Patrick was blinded for a moment as all he could see were stars. Madeleine rolled out from beneath him and in doing so, sent him to his back. With one swift movement, she was on her feet, and in the next, she bent her knee and fell with the full force of all of her weight upon his bared groin, smashing it and making Patrick inhale sharply, lodging some of the straw even further down his throat.
He coughed and hacked, wheezing for breath, but Madeleine was far from finished with him. She straddled him and began to beat him soundly, everywhere she could land her fists. He tried to fight back, but he could hardly breathe, and as she stood over him, looking at him bloodied and broken at her feet, she gave him a last kick, and then ran out of the cell, desperate to get back to her sister. She had every intention of returning with a sword to finish what she had started with him, but before she could take her revenge on the man she hated more than any other, she had to be sure that Fiona was safe.
The brilliant morning sunlight blinded her anew as she emerged like a cork from a bottle out of the dungeon door once more. It took her a moment to get her bearings, and when she did, her heart nearly flew from her chest.
The battle was raging as clansmen fought against clansmen, and men fell injured or dead amongst those who fought ferociously against each other. Not far from the loch, Ian and Duncan were dueling one another fiercely, both of them bent on killing the other, and between Ian and Madeleine, she saw Colin, somehow managing to keep Fiona behind him as he fought against two men, both of them bearing down on him. Colin was doing his best, but Madeleine wasn’t about to take a chance that he could get hurt, leaving her sister without protection. She grabbed the sword that Patrick had made her drop earlier, and rushed to Colin’s aid.
The men he was fighting never saw her coming. She slayed one of them from the back before he even knew that she was there, and when his companion turned in surprise to face her, Colin buried his sword into the man, dropping him on the spot.
“Fiona is safe?” Madeleine asked worriedly, eyeing her sister closely.
“Aye! She is.” Colin nodded and grinned, glancing over at Fiona.
“Oh Maddie!” Fiona beamed. “He’s protected me this whole time! But this battle is a nightmare!”
“Aye, sister, that ‘tis.” Madeleine agreed, and Colin’s eyes grew wide.
“Behind ye, Maddie! Quickly!” he cried out, and Madeleine turned just in time to spin out of the way of a blow headed straight for her heart. She swung her sword and began fighting a man twice her size.
