Chapter 29

Odhrán awoke with start. Blurry from sleep, he groped for Maddison next to him. When she was not there and he realized her side of the sheet was cold, he instantly awoke. He sat up, rubbing his eyes, looking around the chamber.

"Maddy?" he called, but there was no reply. His heart began thumping in his chest, and it was only when he got up and lit a lamp that he saw the note propped up against the vase of flowers on the table. He quickly scanned it, then got dressed as fast as he could before taking the lamp and leaving the room.

Following the route that had once been so familiar to him, he went down the stairs and slipped out of the keep and around the side of the building until he came to the oak metal-studded door. It screeched loudly as he pushed it open. The familiar vile stench assailed his nostrils as he paused at the top of the stairs and, looking down, saw a light flickering.

He ran down quickly and soon spied Maddison standing in the main area, looking down at a book she was holding in her hand. He knew for a fact there were no prisoners down there, and the dungeon master was elsewhere. They were quite alone, him and Maddison, just as they had been when she was his father's prisoner and he had visited her as often as he could.

She looked up and smiled when she saw him coming down the stairs. "Ye found me note then," she said.

"Aye." He nodded and placed his lamp next to hers on a rough wooden table nearby, before coming to join her. "What are ye doin' in this place at this time of night?" he asked, putting an arm around her shoulder, as if to assure himself she was safe.

"Och, I could nae sleep, and I was thinkin' about what we were sayin' before, about the lettin' go of the past. I suppose I wanted tae come back here tae see how it would feel. I spent so many lonely hours locked up down here alone, a prisoner of the Lennox clan. I wanted tae see if it would feel any different now that I'm Lady Lennox."

"And how does it feel?" he asked, curious to know.

"It makes me want tae put it all behind me, tae start afresh with ye. I feel I needed tae see the place one last time before I could bury all the bad memories and face the future with ye. I want tae start clean, tae give us the best chance of lasting happiness."

"I kent ye'd have tae come back here sometime," he admitted. "I'm a wee bit surprised it's taken ye this long."

"I didnae want tae forget it then. I needed the memories tae feed me hatred. But now I'm in love with ye, I dinnae need it anymore."

He nodded, understanding completely, having had to let go of his father's evil legacy. "What's that book yer holdin'?"

She handed it to him. "'Tis one of those ye brought fer me tae read tae pass the time."

"Aye, I recognize it," he said, turning it over in his hands.

"Is it nae funny, Odhrán, that ye used tae bring me books then, and ye still bring me books now. And d'ye ken what? I dinnae ken how ye dae it, but ye always pick ones I like. I suppose that's another one of yer hidden talents." She smiled as she spoke.

"That's good tae ken, but I had the devil of a job choosin' them back then. I used tae spend hours wondering what ye'd like," he confessed. "So, what now? Have ye worked out a way tae let go of all these bad memories? I'll burn the dungeons tae the ground if ye wish it."

"I dinnae think that will be necessary, but I have nae thought of anything yet. I suppose I'm lookin' fer somethin' that symbolizes me past captivity here that I can offer up in some sort of ritual that will banish it all for good."

"I have an idea," he told her, tucking the book beneath one arm. "D'ye trust me?" He held out his hand.

"What a silly question," she replied, placing her hand in his.

"Good answer," he replied, grabbing a lamp. "Follow me." He led her up the steps and out into the balmy night.

"Where are we going?"

"To a quiet part of the garden," he told her. After a few minutes, they came to a small, paved arbor surrounded by flowering shrubs at the far end of the garden. "This is perfect." He halted and knelt down on the stone slabs, drawing her gently down alongside him. She watched curiously as he reached into one of the borders and snapped off a handful of dry twigs from one of the shrubs. Then he made a small pile of them in the middle of a slab. He opened the lantern and stuck another twig inside. When it burst into flame, he used it to light the others, making a small, crackling fire, adding more twigs to make it burn brighter. Then he handed her the book.

"Would ye say this book is a symbol of yer captivity and any lingering resentment ye may have towards me?" he asked.

After a few moments she nodded. "Aye, it is a symbol of me captivity, but I have nae resentment towards ye, Odhrán."

"Ye say that, but mayhap it could return one day. Now, burn the book. That will be yer ritual for lettin' go of yer past."

She nodded. "Aye, that's a very good idea. I think that could work." So, page by page, she burned the book on the little fire until it was no more than a small pile of ashes that blew away in the breeze.

"D'ye ken," she said after she had finished and they were walking back to their chambers arm in arm, "I swear I could feel me soul gettin' lighter with every page that burned? I feel… liberated, I really dae. Thank ye for helpin' me, Odhrán."

He patted her hand, filled with love for her, and a sense of relief too. "I'm glad ye feel that way, Maddy. I ken what ye mean about feelin' liberated. 'Tis like we were born for others tae rule our lives, and we had nae power tae change it, through no fault of our own, until we met. Then, because of the ghosts of the past, it was a hard fight tae gain love. But by some unknown power, we're now free tae be our true selves and have the fresh start ye spoke of."

They had arrived at their chamber and went inside, shutting the door firmly behind them.

"Aye," Maddison answered as they embraced and kissed tenderly. He sensed something different in her as he held her, as if an underlying tension had finally gone. "'Tis a wonderful feelin' indeed. But now I'm tired, and I think I need tae sleep."

"Aye, I'm sleepy too, and 'tis cold. I'll stoke up the fire, and we'll get under the covers. Go on, ye get in." He put a couple of logs on the fire, and once it was crackling nicely, he got into bed with her.

"Odhrán?" she murmured, cuddling up to him.

"Aye, bonny lass," he replied, pulling her close to his side and wrapping his arm around her, pressing a kiss to her head and silently thanking Dame Fortune for smiling on him at last.

"I was rememberin' before ye came tae meet me in the dungeons how miserable I was when I was locked up there fer a whole year and how it nearly killed me. I told ye before that, even after I was free and back with me family, I was very sad and ill. I couldnae seem tae get over it."

"That's understandable, Maddy. It was a terrible thing tae have tae experience. I hated seein' ye like that and what it did tae ye."

"Aye, I ken that now. Ye kept me alive because ye loved me." She stroked his cheek lovingly. "But the thing is, while I was back there just now, I realized something that's hard fer me tae take in. I want tae ken what ye think."

"All right. What is it?"

"Well, if yer faither hadnae taken me prisoner and kept me captive fer so long, I would nae have met ye. So, we wouldnae likely nae have married and found love together. So, though 'tis strange tae say so, in funny way, all that misery I went through, and ye too, because of yer faither, was like a dark cloud with a silver linin'."

Odhrán thought about that for a few moments. Then he said, "That's one way of lookin' at it I suppose. But the snag there is that would mean havin' tae be a wee bit grateful tae the bastard for bringin' us together, and I'm nae prepared tae dae that." He turned on his side, so they were nose to nose. "I prefer tae believe that Fate kent we were meant tae find each other and gave us a helpin' hand despite me faither. What d"ye say tae that?"

She smiled up at him, looking so exquisitely beautiful that his heart turned over in his chest to think she was truly his.

"I say I like that version much better, me clever, braw husband. A lot more!" They kissed lingeringly and cuddled up, perfectly contented, and soon fell fast asleep in each other's arms.

The next few days passed in an anxious wait for news from the King. It seemed that everyone was on tenterhooks. She hardly saw Odhrán, for he was so busy and forced to keep late hours. Unfortunately, until they had received a resolution from the King, Rollo still posed a terrible threat and Odhrán had explained to her that he did not want to let their guard down. His men had been coming in from the borders, all needing to be briefed on the new situation and given fresh commands in case of another attack on the castle. Or another attempt to take her.

Nevertheless, he would snatch moments and go to find her whenever he could. Sometimes, they would make frantic, passionate love and others merely talk. And though she missed him terribly and could not wait for it all to be over, he continued to show her he was thinking of her by leaving her little gifts. She would open her wardrobe and discover a bag of the toffee he knew she liked, or a new book would be lying on the nightstand, or she would find a single rose on her pillow.

At those moments she would sigh with longing for him, feeling in her heart that every day she was falling deeper and deeper in love with her husband and convinced she was the luckiest woman alive.

On the third night, Maddison was about to change for bed, alone once more. She knew Odhrán would likely be working in his study with Liam and Angus until late, so she was very surprised when a maid she had not met before knocked on the door.

"Good evenin', me lady. I apologize fer disturbin' ye at this time of night, but the laird sent me with an urgent message fer ye," the young girl said after dropping Maddison a respectful curtsey.

"Oh? What is it?" Maddison asked a little uncertainly, hoping it was good news.

The maid smiled. "He told me tae tell ye that he has a surprise fer ye. He wants ye tae meet him as soon as ye can at the far end of the garden."

"Aye," Maddison replied with a nod, knowing he must mean the same place where they had burned the book a few nights ago. "Anything else?"

"Aye, me lady. He said tae remind ye tae take a couple of guards with ye as an escort. He would worry about ye wanderin' around alone at night otherwise. He'll be there tae meet ye, so then the guards can be dismissed."

"All right. Thank ye… I'm sorry, I dinnae ken yer name."

"I'm Thea, me lady," the maid told her.

"Thank ye, Thea. Are ye new here?"

"Aye, me lady. I just started workin' here these last few days."

"And is Jessica, all right?"

"Och, aye, but she was resting, and I was still on duty, so I volunteered tae bring ye the message."

"That was kind of ye. All right, ye can go now, Thea. Good night," Maddison said with a happy smile, hurrying to get ready. She was thrilled at the prospect of spending time with Odhrán and that he loved her so much that, even though he was so busy, he would take the trouble to arrange a surprise for her.

She paused to tidy her hair before the mirror, then threw on a cloak and stuck her feet into her shoes. Not bothering to take a lamp with her, for the sun was still setting and there was still plenty of light outside to see by, she hurried from the room. Her excitement mounted as she left the keep and made her way through the twilight to the gatehouse in search of Liam, to ask him to supply her with a couple of guards as an escort.

I wonder what the surprise is. Och, I'm so lucky! Odhrán is so thoughtful and sweet!

She had just reached the guardhouse when the door open and, to her surprise, Tadgh came out.

"Tadgh! 'Tis good tae se ye up and about. Are ye fully recovered now and back tae yer duties?" she greeted him warmly.

"Aye, me lady. I've nae long got back from seein' Alana, and she's given me a clean bill of health, as long as I take it a bit easy fer a while," the captain told her with a pleased look. "'Tis good tae be back tae work. I hated bein' confined tae me bed, especially with Rollo still on the loose. Now, what brings ye out here at this time of the early night? Should ye nae be in yer rooms?"

"Please, Tadgh, dinnae call me me lady. We're friends, so just call me Maddison, will ye?" she begged him, hating the formality of the title in the circumstances.

"All right, Maddison. If ye say so," he told her with a big smile. She next explained to him about the message Odhrán had sent and the pending surprise.

"So, could ye arrange fer me tae have two guards escort me?" she asked.

"Of course, give me a few minutes. I must say, I'm impressed that Odhrán's found the time tae arrange somethin' nice fer ye. He's been goin' flat out these last few days." He disappeared back into the guard house, and within a few minutes, two men were assigned to protect her and escort her on her way to meet with Odhrán.

She told them where she was heading, and they led the way. She felt totally safe with them there and her excitement grew at the prospect of soon seeing Odhrán and finding out what the surprise was. She was certain she would love it!

But when they reached the spot at the end of the garden, he was not anywhere to be found.

"I'm sure this is the right place," she said, looking around into the fading light, puzzled. The two guards searched around too, but he was not there.

Then, to her shock, several men leapt from the surrounding bushes and attacked the guards. The guards, taken by complete surprise and outnumbered, were quickly overcome. Their death cries had Maddison picking up her skirts and running back towards the castle, realizing it was a trap. But before she could get far, a hand grabbed her arm in an iron grip and pulled her back.

"Let go of me, ye bastard!" she screamed, lashing out at her captor. Using all the tricks Odhrán had taught her, she tried her hardest to fight the man off, but she had no weapon, and he was too strong, soon overcoming her efforts.

"Ye're comin' with us," he told her gruffly, and before she knew what was happening, a sack was thrust over her head, and she was thrown bodily over the man's shoulder. The last thing she saw before the sack shut out the light were the slain bodies of the guards.

"Let go, I tell ye! Where d'ye think ye're takin' me?!" she screamed, pummeling the man's back. But he merely laughed.

"That's fer me tae ken, and ye tae find out," he told her, moving fast. She could hear the other men laughing and saying it was a good trick they had played on her. With the sack scratching her face and dust filling her nose, she continued to scream and protest at the top of her voice, praying she would be heard, and someone would come to save her.

But they did not, and she soon realized they were exiting the castle through a hidden gate. Minutes later, she was thrown to the ground, and her hands and feet were roughly tied with rope. The breath was knocked from her lungs as she was slung over the back of a horse. Her captor mounted next to her, and Maddison gasped for breath, painfully jolted with every stride the animal took as the men galloped away, in what direction, she could not tell. She realized with horror that only once person could be behind the kidnap, Rollo.

Inwardly, she cursed her stupidity in falling for the ruse. But Rollo had been clever in telling her to bring the guards. He had given her, and Tadgh too, a false sense of security.

Facing an uncertain future, she could only fervently pray that Odhrán would do as he had promised and come and save her from what she feared could be a fate worse than death.