Chapter 20

Madden was preparing for the evening meal, having gathered everything that he would need for the journey upon the morrow, when a knock sounded on the door. Madden crossed the room, shirt in hand, to answer the door. He found Arran standing on the other side. "Is Isabelle with ye?" Arran asked, his eyes searching the room behind Madden.

Madden shook his head. "Nae, she is nae. Why dae ye ask?"

"She is missing, as is Bain."

"Missing? They are nae in their room?" His mind raced with fears as to what Bain might do now that he knew the truth about them.

"Nay, they are nae," Arran shook his head. "Isabelle came tae speak with me earlier today. She told me of yer plan. I said that I would be happy tae aid ye in whatever way I could. I had planned tae call a meeting of the fighting men of the clan, including Bain and his men, so that he would be distracted while ye fled tae the Hamilton clan lands unnoticed. I went tae extend the invitation personally, but nae one has seen him or any of his men fer hours."

"That is unsettling given our suspicions about him."

"Aye, that is me thought exactly. So, I went tae look in on Isabelle tae see if she kenned where he might be, but she was nae in her room. Nae one has seen her since she left me office. I have nae sounded an alarm as I wanted tae see if she was with ye or nae afore I did so."

Madden shook his head. "I have nae seen her since before she went tae speak with ye. Could she be bathing in the loch?"

"I sent Lorcan and Keelin tae search the grounds near the castle, while Cara and I searched the castle itself. She would nae have gone far of her own volition. She would nae have risked it with yer plans being put intae motion."

Madden nodded in agreement.

A cry of distress from the direction of the library made both men take off running for the door. When they reached the room, they found Cara standing in the middle of the room, tears flowing down her cheeks. She looked up upon their entrance. "Bain has Isabelle." She extended a piece of parchment towards them.

Arran strode across the room and took it from her. He scanned the missive with his eyes, then looked up at Madden. "It states that if ye dae nae bring Bain the money he asked fer, he will kill Isabelle."

Madden stepped forward and took the paper from Arran. "He kens that we are lovers. Money or nae, he is nae going tae let her walk away."

Arran shook his head. "Nay, he is nae."

"Then we had best come up with a plan that gets Isabelle safely home and away from the bastard." Madden was so angry and worried that his teeth ground together audibly.

"We will help," Keelin's voice sounded from the door.

Arran and Madden turned to find Lorcan and Keelin standing in the doorway. Lorcan nodded his assent. His eyes held a deadly fury. "They will nae live long enough tae regret their actions," he threatened. "They should have kenned better than tae take the lady of the clan MacKay."

Isabelle awoke to find herself lying on a bed, her hands and feet tied together. She lay there for a moment to gather her bearings, staring at a wall that looked a lot like the wall of her room when they had stayed at the village inn. She turned away from the wall to discover Bain sitting in a chair by the fireplace, his eyes boring into her skull. "Bain, what is this? Where are we? What happened? Why am I bound by ropes?"

"Ye, me dear wife, are me prisoner," Bain's voice held a deadly edge to it.

"Why have ye taken me prisoner? As ye so aptly pointed out, I am yer wife. I go where ye go, where I am told tae go. There was nae need fer violence."

"If I had told ye tae come with me, would ye have?"

"I would have obeyed yer commands as always."

Bain snorted. "Would an obedient wife rut like a bitch in heat with another man that was nae her husband?"

Isabelle did not know what to say to that, so she said nothing.

"Yer lover will meet his end, and ye will watch me kill him. He will nae be able tae resist coming tae yer rescue and when he does…" Bain dragged his thumb across his throat, grinning with an evil gleam in his eyes that caused a chill to run down Isabelle's spine. Bain arose from his seat and crossed over to hover above her. "Once I have the ransom money and have killed yer lover, we will leave this place and ye will never lay eyes upon yer braither again. I will keep ye as me prisoner all of the days of yer life. Death is too quick a punishment fer ye, me dear wife. Life will be far more excruciatingly painful fer ye." He caressed her cheek, lust in his eyes as he thought of all of the ways that he could bring her pain.

Isabelle summoned all of her energy to sit up, and spat in his face. "Dinnae touch me. I will nae even be caressed by the likes of ye."

Anger flared in Bain's eyes, and he backhanded her hard across the face. The force of the blow sent her flying back down onto the bed, her head banging against the wall. "Ye will stay down if ye ken what is good fer ye," he growled, wiping the spit from his face. He moved back over to his chair by the hearth. "We will sit quietly and wait fer the arrival of yer lover."

Isabelle had no notion how long she had been unconscious. It could have been hours or days; she had no way of knowing. Her face and head hurt. Something warm trickled down the back of her neck. Panic began to grip her soul. Her father had died of a head injury. She did not wish to do the same. In an attempt to keep herself calm; she turned her attention back to the issue of Bain's plan to kill Madden. "When will Madden arrive with the ransom money?" she asked, trying to gauge how much time she had to come up with a plan.

Before Bain could answer her question, a knock sounded on the door. Bain turned to the door with a wicked smile. Athol stepped inside. "Madden Kinnaird has arrived," he announced, coming to stand beside his laird.

Sorrow tore at Isabelle's heart. There was no time now for a plan. She had awoken too late.

Madden stood in the hallway outside of the room where he and Isabelle had shared their first night together. The irony was not lost on him. He wondered if Bain knew of the significance or if it was simply a coincidence. He held the ransom money in a cloth sack. He knew that Arran and Lorcan were but a whistle away, ready to leaping to his side, but he feared what he might find on the other side of the door.

If Bain has laid a hand on her in violence, I will kill him where he stands.

Raising his fist, he knocked on the door. Athol answered, opening the door and stepping back for him to enter. Madden's eyes fell immediately upon Isabelle, bound with ropes upon the bed. There was a trickle of blood on her neck. "She is bleeding," Madden growled in accusation.

Bain shrugged. "She hit her head."

Madden struggled to stay his hand. He wanted to cut the bastard down where he stood, but Bain was standing entirely too close to Isabelle with a blade in his hands. "I have brought ye yer money. Release Isabelle and I will give it tae ye."

Bain laughed. "I will kill ye slowly and take the money from ye, dinnae fash. Ye will pay fer what ye did tae me wife with yer life."

Athol moved from behind him, and Madden turned to block the attack. Bain used the moment of distraction to come up behind Madden and put a blade to his throat. Madden had no choice but to stand still and wait for the opportunity to act before his throat was slit.

"I look forward tae hearing her screams of agony," Bain hissed in Madden's ear. Bain lightly moved the blade across Madden's throat, who hissed, leaving a thin line of blood in its wake.

"Nae," Isabelle cried out in distress.

"This is but the beginning," Bain chuckled. He then turned Madden around to face him, still holding the tip of the knife to his throat. He then punched him in the gut with his free hand, hard. Madden doubled over and coughed in pain. He was just going to knee him in the face when Isabelle screamed.

"Madden!"

Bain's head turned towards his wife. "Haud yer wheest. It is ye who has brought this upon him. May ye never forget what ye witness here this day."

Madden utilized the moment of Bain's distraction and bashed his fist into Bain's nose. The knife clattered to the floor as Bain howled in pain.

Then, Madden let out a sharp, shrill, loud whistle. A few seconds later, the sounds of battle could be heard outside of the inn. "Dae ye hear that, Bain? Those are yer men dying down below."

Bain roared in rage, launching himself at Madden, who dodged the blow, and Bain landed on the floor near Isabelle's bed. Athol entered the fray, bringing his sword down to bear upon Madden's head. Madden raised his own blade and managed to stop the sword's sharp edge before it cleaved his skull open. His blade knocked Athol on the head and he then proceeded to push him away with his leg with all his strength, sending the dazed giant hurtling across the room.

"Nay!" Isabelle's voice cried out in alarm.

Madden turned to find Bain holding her up in front of him with the knife to her throat this time, her limbs still immobilized by the ropes. "Lay down yer blade and surrender tae me or I will kill her right here and now."

"Ye will nae touch her again, ye filthy shadow of a man". Madden lunged towards him as he saw in terror that the blade Bain was holding started to move across his beloved's white skin.

"Naaaaaaay! He yelled, but no sooner had he started, a sword plunged through Bain's torso, piercing his heart, and he dropped into a bloody, gurgling lump where he stood. He wheezed once, shock and rage filling his eyes, and then his expression went blank. Arran was crouching in the window behind him.

Athol, who had recovered in the meantime, cried out in rage, moving towards Arran, but Madden cut him down with a single blow of his blade.

"That is the second time that ye have saved me life," Arran observed. "I fear I owe ye a life debt."

Madden shook his head. "Ye saved Isabelle. We are even."

"That climb was more difficult than ye let on," Arran motioned with his head back towards the window.

"I did nae climb it with a sword in me hand and fear in me heart fer someone's life," Madden pointed out.

"True," Arran nodded in acceptance. Stepping forward he untied his sister. Isabelle, still in shock, had not managed to utter a word. Instead, she threw her arms around her brother's neck and held on tightly.

"Thanks be tae God that ye came," she breathed.

"Of course, I came," Arran reassured her. "I will always come when ye need me, but it is this one that took all of the risk." Arran motioned towards Madden.

Isabelle released her hold on her brother and flew into Madden's arms. Madden embraced her gladly, his heart full of love and relief that she was alive and safe. His hand settled on the warm blood from her scalp, and he frowned. "Ye are bleeding, lass."

"It is nae but a scratch," she reassured him.

"Let me look at it." She turned her head so that he could get a better look. She was right. There was a cut to the skin, but nothing serious. He sighed in relief. "I would run him through again if I thought it would make any difference," he murmured giving Bain's corpse an angry glare.

"It is over now," Isabelle breathed in relief.

"He can never hurt ye again," Madden reassured her, brushing the hair back from her face. Then he turned and looked around. "How are we going tae dispose of the bodies without drawing attention tae ourselves?"

Arran walked over to the window and looked down at the ground. "It looks like our men have a few bodies of their own tae contend with." He turned back to Madden and Isabelle. "Me men and I will take care of this. Dinnae fear. There will nae be any repercussions that we cannae take care of. I shall call in some witnesses and if need be, I will go and speak with the king meself. We have naething tae fear. Surely a stable boy or someone will be able to ascertain that me sister was brought here tied up and unconscious, with the help of some coin. And as her braither and the Laird MacKay, I had every right tae kill Laird Sinclair tae protect her life. Madden, take Isabelle back tae the castle. Cara and Keelin will be worrying themselves untae illness over her."

Madden nodded. "Aye, we will make haste, but send word if ye need us."

Arran nodded, kissed his sister's forehead, then sent them on their way. Madden lifted Isabelle up into his arms and carried her out of the room, down the stairs, and out to the stables where he had left his horse. Placing her in the saddle, he climbed up behind her.

"Are ye ready tae go home?" he asked with a smile on his face.

"Aye, past ready," Isabelle confirmed, snuggling back against his torso.

Madden urged the horse forward, and they took off for the castle.

When they arrived, Keelin and Cara ran out and threw their arms around Isabelle. All three women were crying as they clung to one another. "Where is Arran?" Keelin asked once she had regained some control.

"Bain and many of his men are dead," Isabelle informed them. "Arran remained behind tae deal with the situation. He wanted Madden tae bring me home so that the two of ye would nae fash."

Keelin nodded. "I am so very happy that ye are alive and well. I was worried sick."

"Will laird Arran be able tae make the king understand what happened?" Cara asked.

Madden nodded. "Arran is a well-respected laird. The king will listen tae him. There is proof of Sutherland's foul deeds. Dinnae fash."

"Will the Clan Sutherland retaliate?" Keelin asked.

Madden turned his attention to Isabelle. "Lady Sutherland, dae ye plan tae seek vengeance fer yer husband's death?"

Isabelle shook her head, tears of relief flowing down her cheeks. "I dinnae."

"Well then," Madden smiled at her, "I believe that all will be well in the end."

Keelin turned her face to Isabelle in question. "What will happen now tae the Clan Sutherland?"

Isabelle shook her head. "I dinnae ken. That will be left tae the council tae decide. Fer now, I plan tae enjoy me freedom."

Madden smiled and pulled her into his arms. "Now that ye are a widow, I have a question fer ye."

"Oh?" Isabelle asked, her brows arched in question.

"Would ye ever consider marrying again?" Madden awaited her answer, his heart beating rapidly in his chest.

"That would depend upon the man."

"And if it were me that was asking?"

"Are ye asking?"

Madden looked down into her eyes. "Lady Isabelle, I love ye with all of me entire being and I will love ye until me dying day. Would ye consent tae be me wife?"

Isabelle smiled widely and threw her arms around his neck. "Aye, I will!"

Madden let out an enormous sigh of relief and held her tight against him. He kissed her soundly, passionately. "Thanks be tae God," he breathed against her lips.

"I love ye," Isabelle murmured, happy tears streaming down her cheeks.

"I have loved ye since the moment that ye landed in me lap that first night at the inn."

Isabelle looked up into his eyes. "As have I."

"Me life, me angel," Madden murmured, kissing the tears from her cheeks. "Me forever love."