His Bonnie Bride
Hannah Howell
Contents
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Copyright
Chapter One
A cool wind blew across the battlements, nipping at the skirts of the women gathered there to watch the men of Hagaleah ride off to battle. As they had so often in the past, they were riding to meet the Scots, most particularly the clans MacBroth and MacLagan, ancestral enemies of the Eldons of Hagaleah and the Fosters of Fulaton. The rising sun reflected off their armor as they rode away across the moors to do as their fathers had done and their fathers before them, on into the mists of time.
Lord Eldon's wife sighed, mostly in envy and anticipation of a long, boring wait for the men to return. She was his second wife, a young girl from a prominent Sussex family. Lady Mary Eldon was beautiful, spoiled and heedless. Having grown up in the verdant, peaceful south, she had little understanding of the constant state of warfare along the border or the danger of raids. In her mind the battle would be as a tournament, something glorious and exciting.
"I intend to watch that battle, Hilda. I see no reason for us to be marooned here."
Hilda stared at her mistress in amazement. "My lady, you cannot. Think of the danger."
"Nonsense. There is a well-covered knoll within sight of where the battle shall take place."
She turned and proceeded back into the keep, her small retinue at her heels frantically trying to talk her out of her rash plan yet not make her angry. Lady Eldon's anger was swiftly becoming legendary. She did not like opposition of any sort, as many of the keep's servants had discovered to their cost. None of those following the headstrong Lady Eldon wished to lose their privileged positions.
To their horror, the lady's cousin, soon to wed Lord Foster's heir, also thought the idea a good one. The unthinking young ladies were turning the venture into a picnic. Mary ordered food to be packed and even instructed the nursemaids to bring the children, six in all, including Lord Eldon's two by his first wife. The hope that the few men left behind would stop Lady Eldon vanished quickly as servants scurried to hitch up carts and open the gates. A sizable entourage was soon heading for the knoll overlooking the battlefield. Only the older servant women and Lord Eldon's eldest child, a daughter, remained somber. The other women, lady and servant alike, and children began to act as if on an outing to the fair.
Little Robin Foster, a plump boy of eight with blond curls, tugged at Storm's braid, thinking yet again that the color was an odd one, rather like marigolds in that it was a red that was near to orange. "Why must we stay here? Cannot we sit with the ladies, Storm?"
Storm looked at the boy from her height of two years' seniority, her amber eyes scornful. "No. 'Tis safer here. We can hide amongst the bushes if need be. This is a foolish move for my new mother to make. We should be tucked up in the castle, not frolicking within the grasp of the Scots."
"But the Scots will be fighting down below, sister," piped up Andrew, her six-year-old brother, his fiery red curls thrashing in the breeze. "I should like to see our father in battle."
"Aye, and we would be seen too. We with our hair as bright as any beacon. You can see well enough from here." She quieted all protests from her five underlings with one sweeping glare. "Now, listen all of you before the harsh sounds of battle drown out my words. If I say to move, ye move and go where I tell ye with no wailing. Think ye not that the Scots would like to catch their enemies' spawn?"
"You are frightening us," protested four-year-old Matilda Foster, her hand nervously twisting her blond braid.
" 'Tis as well. Ye will move faster if need be. Here now, the armies prepare to face one another."
At first it was much like a pageant as the armies aligned themselves to face each other. The gleam of steel, the waving of pennants and the ringing of armor stirred the audience upon the hill. It all looked glorious, even awe-inspiring. A person could not help but be moved by the sight, but then the cries of "Foster! Foster!" "Eldon! Eldon!" "MacBroth! MacBroth!" and "A MacLagan! A MacLagan!" roared through the air, the battle was engaged and things changed with ominous speed.
The armor still rang as sword hit sword, but now there were screams as it was pierced. Steel soon lost its gleam as it was covered with blood and the mud churned up by so many men and horses. Formation was all but forgotten as man grappled with man, knights upon horses wedged their way into the battling mass of infantry and the wounded were, when possible, dragged, carried or assisted to the rear in the hope that they would live for another battle.
As the fighting spread, flowing outward to the sides, the knoll was no longer safe. It was placed more to the Scottish side of the field, the enemy edging ever nearer to the now silent onlookers. Even the more bloodthirsty of the women began to falter as the increasing heat of the day strengthened the scent of warfare, the light summer's breeze bringing along with it the smell of the fighting men's sweat and blood. The children made no complaint as Storm
