companions are waiting in the meadow below. I can see them from here,' he called down. 'Raen told me he had gone to pay his respects to Hugh and wanted only to tell his mother farewell before he left again. He suggested I leave the drawbridge down, which, of course, I refused to do. You'll see his horse is still wearing his saddle, Crispin, so he really means to leave soon.'
Crispin left his mount with Davis and started up the hill. His mistress had told him she was afraid of Raen, and Crispin was going to stay close to her side until Connor's stepbrother left again.
The closer he got to the keep, the quicker he moved. He couldn't explain why he suddenly felt as though his mistress was in danger, but the feeling intensified until he was running to get to her.
And then he heard her scream. His heart slammed inside his chest as he reached for his sword. 'Son of a bitch.' He whispered the curse the first time, shouted it the second.
Everyone was running to the courtyard. The silence after such an anguished scream terrified all of them.
Crispin reached the top of the path when he heard a man's shout. Jarred, he looked up. There in the window was Raen clutching at his shoulder, teetering and swaying like a tree giving way to the ax, then plunging backward into the air. He twisted in a useless attempt to land on his feet, screaming in horror, and then crashed, face first, into the ground with a soft thud.
And on Crispin ran. Dear God, let her be alive, he prayed. He leapt over Raen, raced up to the door, and pulled it open as Brenna came charging outside.
He stopped dead in his tracks. The look on her face was more terrifying than her cry for help. Her eyes were glazed over, her face was stark white, and there was blood everywhere. Her left arm was covered in it, for the skin was splayed open from the top of her shoulder to the bottom of her wrist. More blood covered her shoulders and neck, and her clothing looked as though an animal had shredded it with its claws.
He didn't know how she was able to stand. He reached for her, but she evaded him and ran down the steps.
'Hurry, Crispin, Hurry. You have to help me,' she sobbed. 'We have to hide him.'
A crowd of soldiers surrounded the body. They stepped back when she ran closer. Their expressions showed their shock and their outrage.
'I didn't push him out the window… No, no, I didn't… His feet got caught in his plaid when I thrust my knee into his groin… yes. I meant to hurt him so he wouldn't… He was holding me down, but the dagger was in my hand then… When he rolled over… it went… and he jumped, Crispin. He did, he jumped… and then he fell.'
She grabbed hold of Crispin's hand and tried to pull him forward. 'Don't you understand? We have to hide him… She can't see her son like this. Oh, God, I have to tell Connor… I couldn't let him… He touched me, his mouth was on my skin, Crispin… I couldn't let him… She told me I should, but I couldn't… No, I wouldn't,' she screamed.
'Euphemia told you to submit to her son?' Crispin demanded in outrage.
'Yes, but I couldn't… He tried, but he fell before he could…'
She stopped rambling, let go of his hand, bent down to take hold of one of Raen's feet, and tried to drag him away.
'Mi'lady, let go of him. Let me help you,' Crispin said.
'Yes, help me. We'll hide him before she knows he came back. All right?'
'Yes,' he promised, his voice calm, his goal to reassure her. 'We'll hide him.'
'Mi'lady, your dagger is in his back,' Owen whispered. 'Do you want me to get it for you?'
'No, no,' she cried out.
Crispin shook his head at Owen, telling him without words to keep his mouth closed.
'Connor will never forgive me. Oh, God, what have I done? I've killed his brother… No, she can't see him. Help me, Crispin. Please. I want Connor.'
He slowly put his hand out to her. She frantically shook her head at him. 'No, I'm not clean. He touched me with his hands and his mouth…'
And then she threw herself into his arms. 'Take me to the lake. All right?'
'Yes, mi'lady,' he lied. 'I'll take you to the lake.'
She patted his arm. 'Thank you. I've gone and done it, haven't I?'
'Done what?'
'I killed him.'
'No, he destroyed himself. He deserved to die. Connor would have killed him for you.'
'Will he hate me?'
She fainted in his arms before he could answer her.
Donald moved forward, his dagger in his hand, pulled his plaid from his shoulder and sliced it into two long strips to his waist.
Crispin held Brenna in his arms and turned so that Donald could bind the injury with the material. He spoke in a low whisper when he gave his orders. 'You're taking the watch for as long as I'm away. I'm taking her to Lady Kincaid. She'll need stitches,' he added. 'Giric, you take others, surround the three soldiers waiting for the bastard in the meadow. Bring them inside the keep and make them stay by the stables.'
'What about Connor's stepmother?'
'Donald, you tell her what happened. If she wants to take his body home, let her, but not one of Connor's soldiers escorts her. Understand?'
'Yes,' Donald answered.
'Aeden, find Connor and tell him what happened. Assure him his wife will be all right. Don't paint it any darker than it already is.'
'Will she die?' Owen whispered, terrified by the possibility.
'No, she won't die. Donald, no one but our own comes inside the fortress until Connor, Alec, Quinlan, or I come back.'
'Will you leave her with the Kincaids?' Owen asked.
'No. I'm staying with her until Connor gets to her.'
'Do the three soldiers with Raen stay even if Euphemia leaves?'
'They leave with her.'
Donald finished binding her injury, nodded to Crispin, and went to the stables to get his commander's horse. He called orders as he ran. He wanted a full contingent riding with his mistress, and everyone was ready to leave immediately.
'Leave the dagger in his shoulder,' Crispin ordered. He was so furious now, his voice shook with rage. 'She told Connor's wife to submit to her son. God help her when our laird finds out.'
'Do you want me to tell him?' Aeden asked.
'Tell him everything, but make sure he understands she won't die. He has grown extremely fond of his wife.'
Crispin started across the courtyard, stopped, and then turned back toward Raen and spit on him.
Blessedly, Brenna didn't awaken until they were dismounting in Kincaid's courtyard. Alec and Jamie stood in the doorway. Alec blanched when he saw Brenna's condition. Jamie began to weep. She put her hand to her mouth to keep herself from crying out.
Brenna asked Crispin to let her walk. She took hold of his arm and slowly made her way toward the steps. Crispin noticed the glazed look was still in her eyes and knew it was going to take her a long while to recover from the horror she'd endured.
Brenna stopped in front of Alec. 'I killed Connor's stepbrother.'
And then she turned to Jamie. In a bewildered voice, she said, 'Now she's never going to like me.'
Alec lifted her into his arms and carried her inside. 'It's all right, Brenna. Your husband likes you, and so do we.'
'Alec?'
'Yes?'
'I'm so sorry.'
