Page 35 of Married for a Highland Debt
“Yes, they are in the wine cellar. I was just about to join them. Please do not hurt them! My daughters are still very young.” He was pleading desperately, but Ninian put his hand on Fergus’s shoulder.
“Do not worry, Fergus.” His voice was grim. “I do not use children to achieve my ends. I will send some guards to escort you to Inchgarvie. You will find protection there.”
Then he turned and strode out. Everything was clear to him now. Someone was trying to break up his marriage, and that someone had not wanted the marriage to happen in the first place, but what was their aim? It had to be money; he could think of no other reason to hold Bettina unless it was some devious ploy dreamed up by Margaret, who was more than capable of causing any amount of pain for her own ends.
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“Well, milady,” Kevin said smugly as he looked down at Bettina. He had taken off her gag, but she was still tied hand and foot. “How do you like your accommodation?”
Bettina, who was sitting on a thin straw pallet, glanced around the dark wine cellar and shrugged. “I have had better,” she replied, with a nonchalance she did not feel.
“What do you lack, Bettina?” he asked, pretending to sound wounded.
“I would like my wrists and ankles unbound,” she began angrily, “and to feel the sun on my face. Then I would like something to eat apart from porridge.”
“You may have as much wine as you wish, milady,” he replied, laughing at his own wit as he waved his arm around the wine cellar. “As you can see, there is plenty to spare. As for the porridge, hmmm...I will see what I can do. I do not want you to enjoy your experience too much. Perhaps a little meat and fruit would make you feel better. I am afraid I can do nothing about the sun.”
“And the ties on my hands and feet? You cannot expect me to sleep with them on.” Bettina winced. “My wrists and ankles are bleeding.”
Kevin studied them for a moment and saw that the coarse twine had chafed Bettina’s skin quite badly. In a rare moment of sympathy, he said: “Never let it be said that I am a cruel man.” He took out a small pocket knife and sawed the ropes until they broke.
“Better?” he asked, smirking.
Bettina rubbed the raw skin of her wrists, which made them even more painful.
“Would you like some salve?” Kevin offered. He looked concerned, although Bettina doubted that his expression of solicitude was genuine.
“Yes, thank you.” She looked at him suspiciously. “Why are you being so kind to me all of a sudden?”
“Because you will be given back to your husband soon—I hope—and I want you to be in good condition.” His voice was smug.
“You should have thought of that before you kidnapped me,” she growled. “Why did you do it?”
“I need you to do something for me.” He gave her an oily smile. “I will pay back your debt if you stay away from Ninian.”
“I think that will be very difficult since he is my husband!” she cried.
“So you are refusing?” He looked at her keenly.
“Of course I am! I swore before God to be faithful to him, and I will not break those vows!” Bettina was incandescent with fury. “Why do you ask such a thing? You must be very stupid indeed if you think I would break my vows, especially for the likes of you!”
“It is very simple,” he replied. “If you refuse to divorce him, I will kill you. But in the meantime, you will be well treated.” Kevin brushed an imaginary piece of lint from his tunic. “You will find out soon enough,” he said comfortably, “that I am a very stubborn man.” Then he smiled. “I have had a bath drawn for you, and my maids will bring you a clean dress. They are very loyal to me, by the way, so do not try to persuade them to betray me, for they will not.”
Bettina listened to his footsteps as he went upstairs and heard the clang of the key turning in the lock as he left the cellar. Then she was alone in the darkness that was relieved only by the light of a single lantern, listening to the sound of water dripping from the roof and the scuffling of rats. She was scared to death, here in this ghastly place with no one but the filthy rodents for company. Did Ninian even have any idea where she was? She lay back on her mattress and began to weep bitterly.
Ninian traveled all night on horseback to arrive at the village of Cragburn at noon the next day, driven by the knowledge that he could no longer live without his Bettina.HisBettina—his Bettie, his love. Where was she? Whoever had taken her would pay with his life.
He was drooping with fatigue as he reached the village but was stiffened by grim determination. He would find Bettina or die trying. Now was the part of the mission he had dreaded most. He squared his shoulders and took a deep breath.
“You can do this, Ninian,” he said to himself. “She is only human.” Then he walked up the path and knocked on the door. It was opened a moment later.
“Margaret!” Ninian said pleasantly, bowing to his former wife with exaggerated courtesy. “How are you?”
Margaret’s eyes were wide with disbelief as she stared at him, then from somewhere, she summoned a happy smile to pin to her pretty face. “Ninian!” she exclaimed. “How good to see you. How did you find me?”
He shrugged. “It was not too difficult, Margaret. In these parts, a few shillings go a long way.” His words were polite, but their meaning was not. It had cost him dearly to cross so many palms with silver.
She stood aside to usher him into her small, comfortable house, and he looked around curiously. He had given her a generous settlement when they parted, enough to buy and furnish a house such as this, but it had not been big enough to purchase silver candle sconces, crystal vases and tableware, silken Turkish rugs, as well as paintings of some value from renowned local artists. Clearly, Margaret’s wealth was coming from another source.
