Page 25 of Transporting a Ruthless Highlander
Kevin narrowed his eyes, looking interested. “I know those foul creatures,” he said thoughtfully. “I suppose I owe you a little something for disposing of one of them for me. What did he look like?”
“Tall, dark, with a long beard, riding a black horse,” Struan replied. “If you want to reward me for getting rid of him, look after Gavina. Please.” He knew he was begging and making himself vulnerable, but nothing mattered except Gavina. He looked back at her anxiously, and his concern did not go unnoticed by Kevin.
“That was their leader,” he told his brother. “So thank you.” Then he nodded to Gavina. “She means a lot to you, does she not?” he asked slyly.
Struan did not try to deny it. His face said everything. He nodded silently.
Kevin could have danced with joy. He had Struan right where he wanted him. He considered a few possibilities.Should I kill my brother? Better still, should I kill my brother’s woman? What if I murder both of them? No, not yet,he thought.Let me see how things go. I may have a little fun first.
“Come and sample the delights of my castle,” he invited. He ordered one of the guards to lift Gavina’s limp body and drape her over the horse in front of him with her arms hanging down one side and her legs the other. It took two of them to do it, and Struan boiled with fury as he watched them laying their dirty hands all over her body. He felt like strangling his brother, who was treating his beloved Gavina like a piece of meat.
“No!” he yelled, once more struggling to release himself. “You will hurt her!”
Kevin smiled wolfishly as he looked at Struan’s desperate face. “My, my, she is precious to you, Struan,” he observed.
“If I ever get the chance, I will kill you!” Struan snarled.
“Ah! But you see, there is a problem there. That little word ‘if,’” he said, frowning. “The trouble is you will never have the chance, but I will certainly have the chance to kill you, and I will do so with the greatest of pleasure. If I decide to, of course. But that is for me to know and you to find out. It may entertain me more to let you fester in the dungeon.”
Struan said nothing, even though he was seething inside. Unfortunately, this was all too true. He was helpless.
“Meanwhile, I will give you a little demonstration of what happens to people who threaten me,” Kevin informed him, smiling. He nodded to two of the guards who knocked him down and pinned him to the floor, then punched and kicked him almost insensibly until another nod from their master made them let him go. “I hope that will calm you down a little, Brother.”
15
When they threw him into the cell, Struan lay, stunned for a moment before he realized where he was. The dungeons were a dark, grim, dank place. In all the years Struan had lived in the castle, he had only seen them a handful of times, but he had never in his wildest nightmares dreamed that he would actually be occupying one of them. Now he was doing so for the second time.
“I will be a considerate host and allow you to share a room,” Kevin said graciously as he watched the two guards lower Gavina onto a thin straw pallet. “I will even give you a few luxuries because I am a generous man, and it pleases me to make my guests comfortable. You may have two blankets each.” He smiled at them both smugly, then took his leave.
As soon as he was out of sight, Struan rushed to Gavina’s side only to see that she had raised herself on one elbow and was staring at him with wide-open eyes.
“You are awake!” he said in wonder. “How do you feel?”
“Fine.” Her voice was firm. “I was only pretendin’ tae be unconscious. I wanted tae hear what was goin’ on.”
Struan almost laughed. Of course it had all been an act! Cunningness was yet another one of her many talents. Struan frowned and moved closer to her. “Did you find anything that might help us to get out of here?”
She shook her head. “I didnae hear anythin’, but I opened my eyes for a minute an’ saw that one o’ them keeps a big bunch o’ keys on his belt. I have no idea how tae get them off him, though.” Suddenly her eyes closed again as a young woman, who was a healer, came into the cell bearing a tray of bottles and bandages, but Struan knew she was acting again.
She frowned at her patient, then looked at Struan. “How long has she been like this?” she asked.
“Since noon or thereabouts,” he answered.
The young woman examined the wound, then produced a flask of wine, cleaned it, then smeared it with honey and wrapped strips of linen bandage around Gavina’s body. She remained silent the whole time, although she was quick and efficient. When she was finished she left the flask of wine on the floor beside her. “’Tis no’ the best vintage,” she said mischievously. “But it is better than nothin’. Her clothes will need tae be changed, an’ she must eat, but I will see tae that. My goodness, she is tall!”
“Indeed,” Struan half-laughed as the young woman stood up. “What do I call you?” he asked.
“Cully,” she replied. For a moment it looked as though she was going to curtsy, then she thought better of it. Despite his upper-class accent, the man was a prisoner after all.
“I have no money to pay you,” Struan said regretfully.
“The laird pays me,” she replied with a tight smile. “Ye look as if ye could dae wi’ some care an’ a’.”
“A few bumps and bruises,” Struan said dismissively. “There is nothing broken. We need food and clothes.”
“It is already bein’ seen tae,” Cully told him. She looked down at Gavina thoughtfully but said nothing before she left.
Strangely enough, Kevin kept his word and sent them blankets, used but worn clothing, two extra pillows, and some plain but filling food. Then, having changed, eaten, and washed, they lay down on their pallets.
