Chapter 12

CHAPTER 12

S hade, at one time, had given thought to her wedding day. Naturally, they were the fanciful thoughts of a young lass wishing to fall in love. The passing years had her thinking not of love but of at least a man who would treat her kindly and as the years continued to pass, she held little to no hope that she would wed at all.

That was why she thought of Quint as a gift, and the love she had for him, and she believed he had for her, as a miracle. The benefactor of it all, Brother Emmett. While Quint wished to avenge his death, she wished to make sure that Brother Emmett's death was not for naught. She wanted to make sure that Quint conquered his rage and sorrow, healing his soul as Brother Emmett would want for him. She intended to see that done, even though it was a hefty challenge.

Shade looked out the cottage window at the gray skies. "I don't wish to disturb you, Brother Emmett, but I might need another miracle."

The sun briefly peeked between the dark clouds, and she could not help but believe that Brother Emmett had acknowledged her, and Quint as well. She saw that he stopped what he was doing and glanced up at the sky just as the sun popped through for a moment. He returned to his chore of gathering tools, baskets, and anything that needed to be stored away while they were gone.

After they finished talking earlier, Quint had suggested that with little time left to them to prepare for departure in the morn and with dark clouds gathering, it would be best if they got started, and she had agreed. There was much she had to take with her, not knowing the extent of Chieftain Ryland's wounds or others who may need help. And while Clan MacLeish might have a healer, if Ula sent for her help, it meant that Ula did not find her as skilled as Shade.

Though her mum might be disappointed in Shade's marriage, she would still look after her cottage while Shade was gone. She would also let people know that Shade had gone to help Ula. She did not think that her mum or Rawlin would say anything about her being wed to The Monk. They would receive that news as shocked as everyone else and hope that when Shade returned home, it would be without a husband.

Quint had not kissed her since she learned that he was The Monk. She assumed it was on purpose, though why she wasn't sure. Did he think she would deny him? That she would believe him a stranger to her. He was no stranger. He was Quint, the man she loved, the man she knew, and she missed his kisses especially with it being their wedding day.

It hadn't been lost on her that their vows were yet to be sealed, leaving their marriage vulnerable.

Quint entered the cottage, a strong gust of wind entering with him to swirl around the room and send a chill through her.

The words fell from her lips before she had a chance to think better of it. "Who do I sleep with tonight?"

He responded quickly. "You sleep with Quint tonight, but you wake in the morn beside The Monk." He waited to hear how she would respond. It worried him for he feared he would lose his wife before he had a chance to be a husband to her. Her response surprised him.

"I look forward to meeting him."

"You might think differently when you do," he warned.

"We'll see," she said, though worried. What if The Monk was the raging madman everyone believed him to be? What if she couldn't save his soul?

Trust and faith.

That was what she had told Brother Emmett helped her be a skilled healer and he had smiled, telling her those were the very two things that made him a good monk.

She left what she was doing at the narrow table and went to her husband and kissed him. He stood stiff at first barely returning her kiss. Then it was as though something fell away and he slipped one arm around her waist and nearly lifted her feet off the earthen floor as he pulled her up against him. His kiss turned demanding, and she responded in kind, sensing an unusually strong need for him.

He turned and walked with her to the bed. There were times they took their time and explored each other and other times their need outweighed patience. This was one of those times. Her need and his were too great to linger. Her body had burst to life as soon as his kiss changed, and she wanted nothing more than to feel him inside her.

Their hands hurried their garments off each other, and they fell on the bed together.

"I should take my time with you. It is our wedding day," he said.

"I don't want you to," she said, spreading her legs for him. "I need you now."

"Thank the heavens," he said with a light chuckle.

She chuckled as well. "It isn't the heavens you should be thanking."

"Oh, believe me, wife, I definitely intend to thank you."

Shade rested against her husband's naked body, spent from making love after getting in bed later that night. This time they had taken their time and explored, teased, and satisfied. She loved those intimate moments they shared, the comfort, the closeness, the love.

"I never asked you, Shade. Do you believe in revenge?"

She thought about it as it related to her healing. "Healers can only do so much for the ill and some people get upset when I cannot save their loved ones from dying. It is far easier to blame the healer then death itself. There are those who believe revenge is the only way to solve their pain and suffering."

"Sometimes revenge is the only way. So, I take it that you don't believe in revenge?"

"I don't know since I was never thrust into a situation where revenge was given a thought. But I have seen the results of revenge, and it can be never-ending, its tentacles reaching out far and wide and often trapping the innocent."

"Do you think forgiveness is the answer?" he asked, never considering that such tentacles could have somehow reached out and trapped Amara.

"I don't know if there is a correct answer. I don't know if endless pain and suffering can be found in forgiveness or retribution. And I don't believe anyone knows what they would do in any given situation until they are faced with it. Only then, I think the answer can be found."

"On that we agree," Quint said, a difficult lesson he had learned. He heard her yawn and felt a shiver rush through her naked body. Quint pulled another blanket over them and tucked her close against him. "Sleep. It is a full day's ride to Clan MacLeish, and we will make few stops before we stop for the night tomorrow."

"Ayyyyye," she said, it being drawn out with another yawn and fell asleep giving no thought on who would greet her in the morning.

They had been traveling since just after sunrise, not that the sun rose today. The skies were cloudy, though it didn't look like rain nor did the chilly air smell of rain, but the Highland weather was too unpredictable to be certain. It was now midday, and they had yet to stop. She had dozed off not long after they left, the warmth of her husband's body, the strength of his arms, and the sway of the horse lulling her into a light sleep. She woke a little while ago, exchanged a few words with him and realized he had no interest in conversing just like this morning when they woke. Quint looked the same to her, but she felt there was something different about him. He was more intense and his body taut.

It was with a heavy heart that earlier she had closed the cottage door and rested her head against it in silent prayer, then whispered, "We will return."

Quint had come up behind her and pressed himself against her, his arm going around the front of her waist to give her a gentle squeeze. He leaned his head down and whispered in her ear, "Aye, we will. You are all I need."

At that precise moment, she knew nothing would stop her from fighting for Quint, her husband. The Monk could not have him. Revenge could not have him. He belonged to her, and she refused to let go of him.

She turned around in his arms and kissed his cheek. "I love you."

"Why?"

"Why not?"

"That is not an answer," he admonished, needing to hear more, to understand how she could love him.

"Why isn't it? Why can't I simply love you without thought or reason?"

"There has to be a reason," he insisted.

Laughter marked her words. "Love is unreasonable, unexplainable, and undeniable, or so said my grandmother. I believe I finally understand what she meant. Nothing makes sense, you can't explain it to yourself or anyone else, yet you cannot deny it. It is impossible to deny it since it takes tight hold and refuses to let go." She pressed her cheek to his and whispered, "I won't let go."

He brushed his lips over hers. "You may not have a choice."

The memory of this morning's departure was interrupted by her husband's abrupt remark.

"We stop briefly."

Shade was relieved, needing to stretch the aches out of her body and that was exactly what she did as soon as her husband lifted her off the horse and her feet touched the ground. She walked to the nearby stream needing a cool drink. His horse, Gillie, felt the same, already at the stream. She was surprised that he didn't order her to stay close by, but he said nothing. All he did was stand rigidly still, staring in the distance.

She drank several handfuls of water, then splashed some on her face to refresh herself and dried it with the hem of her cloak. She turned her head thinking she heard something and was surprised when it turned out to be someone singing. It grew louder, bursts of laughter mixing with a raucous tune.

"Stay behind me," Quint ordered when she walked over to him, "and do not hesitate when I give you an order."

"Aye," she said, knowing he was being cautious for many reasons.

"Ahh, fair travelers like me," a man called out as he rolled toward them atop the seat of the cart he drove.

"What are you doing in these parts?" Quint demanded, taking stock of the man with a quick glance. He was short and slim and quick on his feet from the way he easily jumped down off the cart.

"I'm Burgess, a traveling merchant and I am hastily departing the area. It's not safe with Lord Torrance's warriors hunting down MacLeish warriors who managed to get away. You have heard, haven't you? Lord Torrance is the victor in the battle between his clan and Clan MacLeish. And, Lord, help us, if that isn't bad enough," —he hurried to bless himself— "Tongues spread the word… The Monk is in the area. You should be careful. He's a nasty one. He's left his mark already, he has." He blessed himself again.

"Left his mark, how so?" Shade asked, stepping from behind her husband to stand beside him.

Burgess lowered his voice as if afraid to be heard. "He killed a small troop of warriors who had taken shelter at Coggshall Abbey. Slaughtered every one of them just like he did to the monks who once lived there."

Shade continued to question him. "You saw this for yourself?"

Burgess shook his head,"Nay, mistress, two monks are alerting the people, praying someone has the courage to end The Monk's madness. One of the monks said he had corrupted a woman and made her his wife, but the other monk disputed it, saying the woman was of an age enough to know better and would not allow herself to be so foolish. I had best hurry and scoop up some water for me and my horse and be on my way. I hope to be well away from this area by nightfall. I have some fine wares if you'd like to have a look in the cart, mistress."

"My wife has no need of anything," Quint said and motioned for her to get behind him.

Shade did so without question, seeing anger flaring in his eyes and tension tightening his jaw. Something was wrong.

"How many?" Quint demanded.

Burgess scrunched his brow, confused. "How many what?"

Controlled anger could be heard in Quint's every word. "You truly intend to continue to play the fool?"

"I do not understand, sir," Burgess said, sounding confused.

"I always make sure fools die slowly," Quint said.

Shade jumped and barely got out a gasp, shocked at how swiftly Quint reached out to lock Burgess back against him and rest a dagger at his throat.

"I'd say three men in the cart. What say you?" Quint challenged.

"I do not know wh?—"

"Out of the cart or Burgess dies!" Quint shouted.

"Get out! Get out!" Burgess screamed. "I'll not be dying today."

Three men climbed out of the cart clumsily, each drawing their sword once on their feet.

"If you kill Burgess, there will still be the three of us to fight," one brave soul said.

"You're right," Quint said and flung his dagger catching the man who spoke up in the chest and he dropped to the ground dead. He had another dagger pressed against Burgess's throat before anyone could react. "Now there's only two of you since cutting Burgess's throat will take no time at all, giving me time to take one of you down with another dagger waiting at my waist. That leaves one of you and the last one will suffer the most since I intend to get as much information out of him that I can. So, who wants to be the last one to suffer the most before he dies?"

Shade saw the anger in her husband's eyes, yet he spoke with a calm confidence that terrified. It made her realize he felt nothing for what he had done so far and what he was about to do. There was not an ounce of remorse or regret in his words. The opposite was heard. He seemed pleased with his plan.

"I don't want to die today," one man shouted and sheathed his sword.

"That's not an option," Quint said. "You intended to take my life and, no doubt, harm my wife. You will pay for that."

"She's spoiled goods being with The Monk. She doesn't deserve to live," the other one shouted, wrinkling his nose in disgust.

The dagger hit him in the throat sending him to the ground, his life gurgling out of him.

Shock had Shade staring at the man dying on the ground and by the time she turned to look at Quint, he had his last dagger at Burgess's throat. She continued to stare, realizing it wasn't her husband she was looking at but the notorious Monk. A man she did not know at all.

"I want no trouble. Please, I beg you. I know nothing," the last man of the three pleaded. "I was forced to fight for Lord Torrance and relieved that I lived through the horror. I thought I would be allowed to return home to my wife and two daughters when it was done but I was forced to go with Burgess and told when the task was done, I could return home. Please, I just want to go home to my family."

"Lord Torrance will make you pay for your cowardness," Burgess said and spat on the ground. "He will see that you hang."

Quint didn't hesitate, he released his final dagger, the blade sinking into the man's stomach, and he stumbled back to collapse to the ground. Then he snapped Burgess's neck, flung his body aside, and went to the two dead men to retrieve his daggers, wiping the blood off them on the dead men's garments before sheathing them. Only then did he go to the man moaning in pain from the dagger in his stomach.

"It's going to take you a while to die, and it will be painful. Tell me what I want to know, and I will end your suffering," Quint said.

Shade stood frozen and silent, too shocked to move from seeing her husband kill a man who begged for his life and kill the others without the slightest hesitation or doubt. What kind of man could kill so indiscriminately? No wonder people thought The Monk utterly mad or utterly evil.

The man struggled to speak. "I'm dying."

"Aye, you are," Quint confirmed without an ounce of sympathy for him. "If you don't want to suffer even more you will tell me who sent you after me?"

"I don't know. Please don—" A pain stole his breath and had the man cringing.

"Tell me something or that pain will be nothing compared to what I will do to you," Quint demanded.

The dying man took a needed breath before he spoke. "We were to meet up with the men you killed at the abbey."

"Where did you intend to go after you killed me?"

"Clan MacLeish."

Quint was glad he was headed in the right direction. Hopefully, answers awaited him there.

"How did you know?" the dying man asked.

"That you hid in the cart?"

"Aye."

"The ruts and the singing." When the man turned a confused look on Quint, he explained, "The ruts were too deep for a merchant's cart. Merchants never carry heavy items. It would slow down their travels too much or get them stuck in mud. And why sing and attract attention when Burgess was worried about Lord Torrance's men and The Monk being in the area?"

"And my lies?" the man asked.

"You can thank Burgess for that since you almost had me believing you until Burgess said Lord Torrance would hang you. Lord Torrance never hangs anyone. He enjoys torturing them to death. He was letting you know Lord Torrance would reward you well."

The man shook his head. "Burgess was a fool but so was I for joining him."

Quint took a chance with his next question. "What do you know of the killing of the monks at Coggshall Abbey?"

The man's breathing turned shallow, and he was barely able to speak. "Failed… mission."

"What mission?" Quint asked, surprised he had gotten a response, having taken a chance that the fellow knew something.

He was annoyed when he got no response. It was too late. The man's eyes closed. He still breathed, though barely. Shade confirmed what he could see for himself.

"He's close to death."

Quint pulled the dagger out of him and the man's eyes shot open wide. Quint ended his suffering quickly.

"We leave here now and take the cart and horse with us," Quint said when he got to his feet. "We will appear a farming couple and less suspicious that way."

Shade nodded, finding it difficult to say anything as she tried to make sense of what had just happened. The Monk, her husband, was being hunted. Was someone seeking revenge for the eight monks' deaths? Or did this hunt have something to do with his previous wife, Amara's death? The Monk was growing more mysterious by the day.

They rode off in silence, sitting atop the bench seat on the cart with Quint's mare tethered to the back. It was sometime later when Quint finally said, "So, now that you have met The Monk, tell me… can you love him?"