Page 5 of Wedded to the Twisted Highlander
The weight of the situation settled on her shoulders like the heavy steel plates that the guard behind her was wearing. For a moment, she wondered how she was ever going to escape this place. The guard was formidable and far taller than her. Yet, she couldn’t deny the urge to flee.
As they approached a door embellished with intricate carvings of Maple leaves and stags, the maid paused and turned to Astrid. She flashed her a warm, welcoming smile before reaching for the handle. “This shall be yer chamber. The infirmary is down the hall. And if ye turn left, ye’ll find the kitchen and the rooms of the kitchen maids.”
Astrid’s heart raced as she stepped into the room. Its stone walls were adorned with rich tapestries that gleamed in the flickering candlelight. Although the space was undeniably beautiful, it felt like an all too familiar gilded cage she had been trapped in before.
“And when may I return to the village?” she pressed, her voice stronger than she felt as she glanced at the maid and then her armed escort. “I must collect me belongings. It is imperative that I?—”
The guard glared at her as he paused at the threshold. His very presence filled the frame.
He shook his head, his piercing blue eyes fixed on her. “I’m afraid ye’ll nae be leavin’ this room, lass. The Laird’s orders are very clear. For yer safety as well as the castle residents’, ye’re stayin’ put.”
Astrid felt her frustration rise as she clenched her jaw. “I have things I must collect. Ye dinnae understand. I have a life I simply cannae leave behind, nay matter who asks.”
The guard’s expression softened for a fleeting moment, a hint of empathy flickering in his eyes. “I understand. Truly, I do. But the Laird will have me head. Nae to mention that the Laird sees threats where ye may nae. So, this isnae just about yer safety, lass, but also the safety of the residents of the castle. I cannae let ye wander about. Ye understand, do ye nae?”
Her heart sank as she realized the gravity of her entrapment. The walls of McFair Castle loomed large, and the whispers of its history wrapped tightly around her like the chill of a Highland mist.
Lifting her chin, she dared to ask, “And what if I choose to leave anyway?”
Her heart pounded in her ears as she waited for the hot flash of a strike across her face. But the guard only stepped closer to her, the gentleness vanishing from his eyes. “Then ye’d face the wrath of the Laird. And believe me when I say that he’s nae one ye want to cross.”
Astrid turned her back on him and moved to the window. She braced her hands on the cold stone ledge as she stared out at the sprawling hills that stretched toward the horizon. The village, a warm hub of glowing lanterns and thatched roofs, lay beyond the tree line. Such a short jaunt. She wondered if she could make it there and back without being caught.
With a spark of hope in her heart, she turned away from the window. Folding her arms over her chest, she stared at the guard. She wished she could wipe the smirk off his face as she realized that her room was higher off the ground than she had anticipated.
“And if ye’re thinkin’ about fleein’, ye’ll find that I’m faster than I look.”
Astrid stepped back as he closed the door, trapping her in the room. She ran her fingers through her hair as panic and desperation clawed at her.
“This cannae be happenin’,” she muttered as she glanced at the sparsely furnished room.
The only comforts she could find were a modest bed and a rickety chair near the fireplace. But as her gaze fell on the bed,an idea came to her mind. This room was far bigger than the one she had in the village, and if she stayed here, then surely she’d be under the Laird’s protection.
The thought bounced around in her head, defying logic and reason. Swallowing hard, she considered her options. If she stayed here and maybe even blended in with the servants, then maybehewouldn’t find them.
She pulled in a long, deep breath as she glanced at the door. There would be no going out that way, which left her with only one escape route.
An icy finger of terror trailed down her spine, stealing the very warmth of her blood. She mustered every last ounce of her courage and bolted to the bed. She stripped the bed of its linens with a frantic determination while keeping her eyes on the door. The last thing she wanted was for the guard to come in and catch her red-handed.
The fabric was coarse yet thick. With each knot she tied, hope brewed and swelled within her. Her fingers worked quickly, fueled by her urgency.
The night was falling quickly, and she had a promise to keep. Her head snapped toward the door when she heard the sound of heavy boots. Terror gripping her, she paused and waited. Straining her ears, she listened for any clues that someone was about to enter. When the boots retreated down the hall, she resumed looping and twisting the fabric until the makeshift rope was complete.
“I must be insane,” she whimpered as she peered out the window to gauge the distance to the ground.
She threw the rope out the window. Then, she grabbed the chair and jammed it beneath the door. She knew she didn’t have much time, and she had only one shot to make her escape.
“Now or never,” she whispered to herself as she steeled her resolve.
She grasped the sheets tightly and began her precarious descent. Her hands trembled as she wrapped the fabric around her arms. The drop made her head spin. Terror shot through her like thunder.
She did not dare to look down. Inch by inch, she climbed down with her eyes squeezed shut. The wind howled over the drumming of her heart.
“And just what do ye think ye’re doin’?”
Her ears perked up at the sound of that husky voice. Her eyes popped open, and she looked at the open window. Leaning out while holding her makeshift rope was Laird McFair. His eyes were wild with fury as he began pulling the sheets back up.
Astrid panicked. She couldn’t go back to the Laird, not when the village was so close. She loosened her grip on the sheets. The wind whipped her wild hair as the ground rushed toward her.Ignoring the sharp pain in her ankle and shin, she forced herself to stand up.
