Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

C aitlyn gazed at the boards that covered the window. Little by little, the streams of light that slipped through the gaps slowly faded, and eventually, the room darkened. The guard had returned a little while before. Without a word, he had tied her hands again, scooped up the empty bowl, left the room, and closed the door firmly behind him. Hearing the lock slide into place had made Caitlyn shudder.

For a while, she had been mesmerized with the fading light, caught in some sort of trance that took her far away from her present reality. It was an escape, of sorts, if only in her mind. But as the darkness loomed, the fear within her expanded.

"What's going tae happen tae us?" she asked.

When Edan did not reply, she pulled her eyes from looking at the window and gazed at him intently. A part of her needed him to have an answer. He was a laird, a leader of his clan, a mighty and courageous warrior.

He returned her gaze and softened his eyes. "It'll be all right, Caitlyn."

It was not the first time he had said those words, and yet, they held little conviction. They did not give her the comfort she sought, no matter his effort. She wanted to press him for more, but deep down, she feared his reply. He could not tell her nothing she did not already know. What good would it do, hearing the truth? She knew the truth. They were prisoners of a madman who had been adamant in making his pleasure at their suffering clear. All they could do now was wait for the inevitable.

Edan shuffled beside her. "We should try and get some rest."

Caitlyn waited for him to continue, but he said nothing more. He didn't need to say they were going to need their strength for what was to come. His unspoken words lingered in the air between them.

She nodded, and the two awkwardly lowered themselves down to the cold stone floor. With her hands tied to her waist, she could not even use them as a pillow. Nor had the guards left them a blanket to cover them. As she took a deep breath, feeling the icy cold of the stone pressing against her cheek, she could not help but wonder how she was possibly supposed to sleep.

When she closed her eyes, her mind whirled with wonderings. Where were they? Would they be found? What must be going through her mother and father's mind at that very moment? What was Effie feeling? Was her family out there searching for her and Edan at this very minute?

O' course they're out searching fer ye.

Kieran, Darach and Effie would have rushed back to the castle the moment they discovered her and Edan's disappearance. Her father would have, in his usual methodical manner, organized a search party, and her mother would be completely distraught. At least she had Effie. No doubt, they would be comforting each other.

Though Caitlyn tried to fight thinking about it, Laird MacTavish's threat lingered at the front of her mind. The man had leered at her so obviously, his intentions had been written all over his face. It had made her feel sick to her stomach at the time, and as the memory played over in her head, fear threaded through her very being.

Eventually, tucking her legs up into her stomach, like a child comforting itself, Caitlyn tried her best to silence her mind, so sleep would come. The uncertainty of their circumstances, as well as the low temperature of the room and the freezing cold floor made it nearly impossible. It took a long time to shut out the terrors she imagined she and Edan were going to suffer. But eventually, she did fall into slumber.

A sensation of someone pressing into her back woke her with a start. She was shivering violently from the cold, and upon waking, the sound of her teeth chattering vibrated in her head. But none of that mattered at that moment. All she could feel was fear.

Quickly pulling away from the person who was now close behind her, terror rushed through her, making her shake even harder. MacTavish had returned to make good on his earlier threat. He had waited for Edan to fall asleep, and slipped into the room. The horror of what was about to happen nearly swallowed her whole.

There was no way she could fight him off, even if her hands were not tied. He was too huge and strong. Begging seemed pointless, for clearly, he was a man who took what he wanted with little care for the pain he caused, and Caitlyn was certain he was about to cause her great pain.

She had never been with a man. She had never wanted anyone so much to give herself to them. Now, her innocence was to be stripped away by this huge ogre, and the violation of her body sent her into a panic.

"Please. Nay!" she cried.

"Caitlyn! Caitlyn! ‘Tis all right. I willnae harm ye. ‘Tis only me. Edan."

Gasping with surprise, relief flooded through her, and with the intensity of the feeling, a tiny sob escaped from her throat. Her body still shook, and no matter how she tried, she could not stop it.

"Hush now. Ye're perfectly safe," Edan soothed. "But ye're freezing. Let me lie beside ye tae keep ye warm."

A second later, Edan pressed himself into her, only this time, she did not pull away. She felt his bound hands press into the base of her spine, his chest pressed into her upper back, and his legs tightly curled up against hers.

"I wish me hands werenae tied," he growled. "Then I could wrap them around ye and keep ye warm."

"It's all right," Caitlyn chattered. "Thank ye."

While she continued to shiver for a good while afterward, the soft heat eventually built between them, and her body warmed beside his. A calming sense of comfort washed over her as Edan lay protectively behind her. As the shivering dissipated, she even allowed herself a smile.

How strange that such circumstances can change a person.

Once more, her eyes felt heavy, and feeling relatively content, under the circumstances, sleep overtook her once more.

"Och, look at these two love birds."

The mocking sound of the guard roused Caitlyn from her slumber. It took a moment for her to blink her eyes open, but even when she did, she remained where she was, attempting, in some way, to ready herself for what the day was to bring.

When she went to move, a deep ache ran across her back and ribs. Lying on the cold stone floor had stiffened her body. Gritting her teeth, she moved through the pain, but did not make a sound. She refused to give their captors the satisfaction of knowing she suffered any discomfort.

"Are ye all right?" Edan asked.

By his clear tone, he had been awake a while, and yet, he still lay closely beside her to keep her warm.

"Aye," Caitlyn lied. "Just marvelous."

"Right. Come on," the guard said, stepping forward and yanking her to her feet. Searing pain screamed through her body as he pulled her so abruptly, and Caitlyn let out a yelp. She just could not swallow it down as she had done moments before.

Edan quickly scrambled to a sitting position. "Where are ye taking her?" he demanded.

The guard sneered at him. "I'm sure both o' ye need tae piss," he said crudely. "Ye're nae doing it in here and stinking up the place." He turned back to Caitlyn, whose body was still struggling to get blood flowing to her legs, and giving her a shove, he growled, "Move."

She stumbled as he pushed her, but just as she was certain she was going to fall flat on her face, the guard caught her arm. "Stay on yer feet, lass. If anything happens tae ye, the laird will have me head on a plate."

He walked Caitlyn out of the room, giving her a chance to get a first glimpse of where they might be. The previous night it had been dark, and nothing had been visible. Now, in daylight, she might at least be able to get some idea of their location. But Laird MacTavish was not a foolish man. The windows she passed in the corridor were also boarded up to block the view to the outside. Her eyes flicked from left to right, as they passed another room, before eventually being shoved into the small closet with a bucket placed in the corner.

"Dae what ye have tae," the guard growled.

He turned and was about to close the door when Caitlyn cried out.

"Wait. Please."

Turning back to her, he glared at her with contempt. "What?"

"I cannae dae this with me hands tied." She gazed down at the reddened skin at her wrists, where the rope had scored it.

He glanced down at her, and then snarled an evil grin. "I can always come in there and help ye," he sneered.

Caitlyn panicked and hurriedly, she shook her head.

I should have kept me mouth shut!

For a second, the guard stood there just looking at her, and then he took a long stride forward.

"Nay," Caitlyn cried.

"Stop whining." His hands moved and worked at the rope, loosening it until one of her hands was free. "Now get on with it."

When she was done, the guard tied her hands again and marched her back to the room. As Caitlyn lowered herself to the stone floor, the guard grabbed Edan and dragged him out of the room, slamming the door behind him.

Edan returned shortly afterwards, but remained standing. The guard glared at him before closing and locking the door behind him. She watched Edan pace back and forth for some minutes.

"What is it?" she asked. "What are ye thinking?"

"I'm trying tae figure a way out o' this mess."

"I couldnae see anything outside. They have the windows boarded up everywhere."

"Aye, I ken," he replied. "But at least I ken me original assumption was right. We're being kept in a safe house. Where we are, is the conundrum."

"Daes it matter?" Caitlyn sighed. "We're stuck here under the watchful eye o' those dreadful guards. We'll never escape."

Edan stopped pacing and moving across the room, he crouched down in front of her. "Dinnae give up hope, Caitlyn. I promise ye, I'm going tae find a way out o' here."

By the determination of his face, Caitlyn could see he meant every word. It should have inspired her with confidence, but it didn't. The fear of what was to come still overwhelmed her. Nothing more so than what MacTavish had promised to do to her.

Edan turned at the sound of the bolt sliding open. The door opened a second later, and the guard stepped into the room. "Sit down ‘afore I put ye down," he growled.

Edan did as he was instructed, and with one guard standing watching them at the door, the other walked in with a bowl in his hand. He tossed it on the floor beside them, before bending toward Caitlyn and loosening the rope on one of her wrists.

"Dinnae try anything," he snarled, when her hand was free. "We're right outside the door." He then turned and left the room.

When she was certain the guard was gone, Caitlyn turned to Edan excitedly. "I should untie ye, and then we can get out o' here."

Edan shook his head. "Nae yet. I need more time. So far, I've only seen four guards. They've taken turns tae guard us, but we havenae been here long enough tae see if there's anymore."

Caitlyn looked crestfallen. The idea of having to spend another night in that dreadful place was more than disheartening, and the idea of still being there when Laird MacTavish returned was even more terrifying.

"Hey," Edan said kindly. "Dinnae worry. I'll get us out o' here."

He kept saying that, but his words did little to ease her worry. How was he going to get them out? If there were more guards, he could not fight them by himself.

"Ye ken, ye're braver than I gave ye credit fer." Edan smiled at her. "Many a lass would be hysterical by now. Ye're a courageous woman, Caitlyn."

"I dinnae feel very courageous," she grumbled.

"Take it from me. Ye are."

She lifted the spoon and scooped up some porridge, bringing it to Edan. He opened his mouth wide and ate it, a sound of satisfaction growling from his throat. She repeated the action, but Edan shook his head. "Nay, Caitlyn. It's yer turn."

A little shyly, she took the porridge, and only after tasting it, did she realize how hungry she actually was. "Hm, that's good."

At each occasion she lifted the spoon to Edan, he opened his mouth slowly, swallowed the porridge, and then thanked her. A strange sensation swirled in Caitlyn's stomach as she continued. It wasn't hunger, she knew what that felt like. It arose as she watched Edan gazing at her as she fed him. It almost felt like…

Dinnae even think it. This man cannae stand ye, and ye feel the same way. It's just the circumstances, and probably the lack o' sleep.

The guard returned to tie Caitlyn's hands again, and retrieve the bowl. This time he did not utter a word, and turning on his heels, left the room as swiftly as he had entered it.

Caitlyn gazed up at the window a little later, pining for the freedom she had taken for granted for so many years. "I wonder what Faither is doing right now?" she said whimsically.

"If I ken Conor, he'll have every member o' the clan looking fer ye. He'll have stable hands, maids, farmers, anyone he can spare, searching the area," Edan said confidently.

Caitlyn looked at him for a long moment. "Dae ye really believe that?"

Edan nodded. "With every part o' me being. He loves ye, Caitlyn. There's nae a chance he'd risk losing ye."

Caitlyn sighed, wondering when she had last told her father she loved him. It had been too long. She could make excuses. She could say he had been too busy, or that the constant terrors of Laird MacTavish had taken up all his time and attention. But that wasn't the truth. Caitlyn had just not taken the time to say it. It was that simple.

I swear, if we get out o' this alive, I will tell him I love him every single day.

"I'm sorry, Edan," Caitlyn said, now beginning to understand that this mess was all because of her. "If I'd just stayed inside the tavern, we wouldnae be here."

"Aye, but if I hadnae teased ye by buying ye whisky instead o' elderberry, ye wouldnae have been outside at all. So really, ‘tis me fault."

Caitlyn shook her head. "They would never have come after ye if it hadnae been for me. All this is tae punish me faither. Ye've just got caught up in it all."

Edan shrugged. "That may be, but I wouldnae have it any other way."

"Och, dinnae talk such silliness," Caitlyn scoffed. "Nay one in their right mind would want tae be here."

"Then perhaps I'm nae in me right mind." He grinned. "But if I had tae dae it all again, I wouldnae dae anything any differently. I'd sooner be here with ye, than let them take ye, and ye be all alone."

"Aye, of course ye would," she said sarcastically. "Says the man who daesnae care a wit about me."

"Ye dinnae believe me?"

Caitlyn could not help but look at him when she heard the pain in his voice. His expression only reinforced his hurt as he looked at her in disappointed disbelief.

"It's nae that I… it's just… well, ye ken." Trying to lessen the offense she had caused, Caitlyn fumbled to find the right words. "It's just that I never felt like ye cared."

"Whereas I see it quite opposite, Caitlyn. ‘Tis ye that daesnae care. I might tease ye, and aye, sometimes, I can take it too far. But never in me life would I ever want tae see ye suffer."