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  Lord Cotswold drew her attention when he pointed a finger at her and shouted, “She’s an imposter, a monster, a witch! Maeve MacClaran is dead!”

  Audrina didn’t know what to say to these accusations, but Colin was quick to think.

  He began laughing, openly at Lord Cotswold. She was worried at first that his mockery of Lord Cotswold would be met with a swift death, but apparently being a Laird, even a Scottish one held some merit as it stayed the swords of the soldiers and he men. She was still unsure of what his motivations were to make a mockery of Lord Cotswold and she looked up at him, in hopes of some sign of his plan. She was confused at first until the nervous twitterings began to emit from the men around her. He grasped her under the elbow and took a few paces toward Lord Cotswold. At first, she resisted, not wanting to be anywhere nearer to her murderer than she had to be, but then he turned them in a circle so that all the Scotsmen and Englishmen could see her.

  “Aye? Maeve MacClaran is dead, ye say? This woman here?” he called loudly so everyone could hear him.

  A low rumbling of comments and whispers passed through the watching crowd. Audrina noticed the few townspeople who had been in the courtyard, slowly make their way to the great hall to barricade themselves in. She hoped they had the forethought to run and hide if they had the chance, and that they knew of the secret passages that Colin had told his mother about. She hated to think that any of them would be trapped in the keep with no escape, and all because of her.

  Lord Cotswold turned to his men and they fell silent under his withering stare. “She’s an imposter then. A witch!” he roared.

  Some of the men looked nervously at her, but she held her chin high as Colin once again called out Lord Cotswold on his claims.

  “What evidence d’ye ha’e?”

  Lord Cotswold opened his mouth and shut it, looking at Lord Weatherby.

  Lord Weatherby raised his eyebrows, but continued to say nothing. He was clearly waiting for Lord Cotswold’s proof himself or give an indication that Lord Cotswold was calling his men to arms on behalf of England if the Scots attacked first. Lord Weatherby looked bored at best, despite his calculating eyes giving away that he was paying attention to every detail.

  Audrina was beginning to feel a spark of hope, that maybe Lord Weatherby could be reasoned with, when the sound of marching and wagon wheels approaching captured her attention. She, along with the rest of the men in the courtyard, turned to the open gate, to watch a procession of soldiers filter in through the gate.

  Audrina turned back to Lord Cotswold who had a nasty smile on his face when he watched her as the soldiers moved in. Audrina’s heart began to thump loudly as she realized, the procession was the accumulation of more English soldiers, outnumbering the Scottish men at least three to one.

  Audrina watched as the soldiers wheeled the horse drawn cart into the center of the courtyard and brought it to a halt. The soldiers jumped down from the wagon and marched around the back, drawing back a cover and revealing the contents that lay inside.

  Audrina was confused for a moment as she tried to discern what she was looking at. At first, they unloaded two long wooden planks that two soldiers began to secure together. Next, they unloaded the cartons full of wood and dried heather, and Audrina gasped in horror as she realized what it was they were doing.

  Colin tensed next to her and squeezed her hand in reassurance as the English soldiers continued to set up the pyre that would be used to burn her at the stake as a witch. Of all the ways Audrina had imagined she might be tried and executed as a witch, this was the worst in her opinion. From what she had read of the executions, the accused suffered unmeasurable pain and screamed until the heat left their voices too raw and they passed out from the pain. The heat was what reached the victims first, not the flames. And it was an agonizing process for the victims as it boiled them in their own skins. Audrina tried to breathe as she felt the panic attack begin.

  “Again, I ask wha’ yer proof is that me wife is a witch,” Colin demanded in a cold hard voice.

  Audrina felt the heat from the sun beating down on her, and she thought she was going to pass out. Only the pressure of Colin’s hand on hers was enough to keep her from fainting.

  CHAPTER 29

  “I demand ye cease this at once!” Colin shouted at the English soldiers. His voice was terrifying, and Audrina flinched under the enormity of the rage of it. The English soldiers pause in securing the two pieces of wood into the cross and look between Lord Cotswold and Lord Weatherby. The men who were stacking the wood and scattering it with the dried Heather, also pause as the other soldiers who are lined up in formation look around nervously.

  “You will do as you were ordered!” Lord Cotswold hollered at them.

  The men pause, but only for a moment as they looked at Lord Weatherby. He made no indication one way or another, so they slowly began to continue the setup of the pyre.

  Audrina concentrated on not fainting, and she looked around desperately. The men on the walls were tense and ready, waiting for Colin’s command. She felt the presence behind her of the personal guard that Colin had brought with them, but what really surprised her was when she glanced toward the chapel, and saw a flicker of movement in the small, plain windows. It appeared as if Alisdair had the forethought to position some men hidden away so that if necessary, they could ambush the unsuspecting Lord Cotswold by rushing his horse. With any luck, there unknown presence would spook the Lord’s horse and cause it to throw him, and they could capture him in exchange for Lord Weatherby to call off his men.

  Audrina shook her head, not wanting to give their position away and she turned her attention back to Lord Cotswold and Colin.

  “Where is your priest to test her?” Colin sneered. “I figured it would be Father Graham, the man you paid to betray me a year ago when you took her.”

  “I was acting under the rights of Prima Noctem, as you well know when I informed you a year ago. It was my right to take her. As for Father Graham, I told you when I occupied Cotswold Castle that I have emissaries everywhere to keep me apprised of the happenings between my charges and duties.”

  Colin seemed to mull this over, carefully considering who he was to be able to trust now. He had made it a priority to befriend as many people as he could throughout the region in order to be apprised himself of the English occupancy, and his secret plot to eventually overthrow Lord Cotswold could be the very reason the Lord singled him out and taunted him so much. Ever since Lord Cotswold had come to Scotland, he and Colin had barely maintained civility. Cotswold made it a point to taunt Colin as much as he could, showing up at Claran Castle whenever he felt. He would often impose unfair taxes that left the Claran estate in dire jeopardy of not being able to maintain itself. But Colin had grown wise to his scheming ways, and secreted away monies and food stores to see his people through the hard winters. Cotswold had long suspected Colin of doing as such, and had been harassing him ever since.

  “Whose authority are ye acting on now?” Colin demanded.

  “I am acting upon the authority of the English crown!” Lord Cotswold cut him off. “Anyway, I have no need, I am permitted to act of my own discretion and authority and I have first-hand knowledge that Maeve MacClaran is dead. This woman is a witch and by the teachings of the scripture, thou shalt not suffer a witch to live! She’s cast you under her spell Colin MacClaran, it may be too late for you as well.” He sneered down at him.

  According to Lord Cotswold, the only good Scotsmen was a dead one of what Audrina had gathered from reading the brochure at the museum. That is to say, between the lines. He took pleasure in torturing Scotsmen and murdering them. He got away with it more with men because they were more likely to fight back, giving him the perfect excuse to say that they had attacked a Lord of England who was protected under the law of the crown. The brides he murdered were a trickier thing to deal with, as he had less excuses to cover for the atrocities he performed on them.

  “I’m under no spell, Cotswo
ld, an’ tha’s the truth o’it!” Colin barked.

  “Careful, Claran, I think your impudence could do with a reminder that you serve the English crown. Perhaps a whipping from the Lord, that is to you, that you have affronted is just what you need to remember your place!” Cotswold’s face was purple with rage.

  Colin seemed to know how to get to him and enrage and goad him.

  Cotswold turned his horse in a circle, away from Colin, giving Colin the opportunity to move back with Audrina a few paces. If things turned for the worst, he needed to be as close to the keep so he could aid Audrina in a swift escape and then take his place to defend the innocent lives hiding within his keep. Cotswold didn’t seem to notice as he turned back around, sneering at Colin and Audrina as she watched the progress of the pyre being built.

  “Is the witch afraid?” Cotswold goaded her.

  She recalls the memory of Maeve standing up to him and fighting him off on her own in the tower. She picked her head up and looked him dead in the eye. “If I am to die on that fire, just know, I will find a way back. I will haunt you to the end of your days and drive you to madness. I will chase you into the fires of hell where your soul will be tortured for eternity as it burns along with mine.” Audrina took a step toward him, but Colin held her back with a hand on her arm. She had spoken low enough so that only Lord Cotswold could hear her, and she made sure Cotswold alone saw the smile of determination on her face as she courageously stood her ground against her murderer and rapist.

  Lord Cotswold snarled, sending spittle running down his fat chin, as he leered down at her so only she could hear him.

  “I will find ecstasy in hearing the screams of your pain, witch. Just as I did that night a year ago.” He shivered as he closed his eyes in memory.

  Audrina backed away in disgust as she realized he was remembering the night and getting sexual pleasure from it. Her revulsion for that man knew no depths. It was as bottomless as his depravity.

  Audrina was pulled back by Colin and they backed away as Colin’s men brandished their swords at the English soldiers. Audrina noticed the men along the walls of the keep, aim their arrows at them and they held their position until the order was given.

  “You don’t want to do this, Laird MacClaran,” Lord Weatherby finally called.

  All attention turned to him and Colin froze.

  “Ye leave me no choice if ye willnae give me wife a fair trial, Lord Weatherby. I beseech ye tae see reason. He’s provided no evidence tha’ she’s a witch, and I willnae stand by and watch her be taken from me again at his hands. I beg ye to see reason. Ye’ve been a fair Lord o’er yer subjects through Scotia, and many ha’e favored ye to Lord Cotswold’s rule. Let me speak w’it ye in private o’er the matter,” Colin begged him. He was clearly not so proud that he wouldn’t beg on her behalf, and she knew what price it came with at the cost of his pride.

  Lord Weatherby seemed to mull this over a bit, but Lord Cotswold turned to him in a purple rage.

  “Would you take the word of a Scotsman over your own countryman? I’ve come to you with the evidence, will you not stand your ground, these Scotsmen threaten you!” He cast a beefy arm in the direction of Colin’s men.

  When next he spoke he spoke gravely, “Lord Colin, Lord Cotswold’s words ring true enough. Your men are posed to attack and that can only be seen as hostility to the crown. Lord Cotswold has been a long-standing friend, as well as his family to mine in London. Although I may not always agree with his more ruthless methods, as I favor diplomacy, he acts in accordance to the actions taken against him. As I see before me an openly hostile band of Scotsmen, I find myself bound by honor to take his word on the matter.”

  Cotswold turned back to them with a cold smile on his face that sent shivers throughout her body. Lord Weatherby turned his horse and slowly circled around behind the pyre, placing himself in a position of authority to command his troops from the rear.

  Colin didn’t say another word to Cotswold, there was no need to. He pushed Audrina toward the steps and unsheathed his sword from his waist.

  “It begins then, Cotswold, if ye continue tae pursue yer actions of buildin’ tha’ pyre and takin’ me wife!”

  Cotswold laughed, and his men closed ranks around him, as the standoff began. Audrina didn’t need to hear Colin issue the order, she turned on the steps and ran to the door, as Colin’s men shot flaming arrows at the courtyard. When she turned back, she noticed the arrows weren’t in fact targeted at the English soldiers but hit in arcs at a semicircle in front of Colin and his men, lighting an arc of flame that acted as a barrier between the two troops.

  The English backed away from the flames as Cotswold’s horse reared. Audrina had hoped the horse would throw him back into the fire, but she could see his face enraged in the hazy smoke on the other side of the flames. She hadn’t anticipated, and neither had Cotswold, that Colin had the forethought and cleverness to soak the stones and ground at the base of the keeps doors to protect them from an attack such as this. She wondered what else her husband’s clever mind had lent itself to in the way of battle tactics and fortifications. As she ran with him and locked herself in the keep, she was grateful that she had escaped murder at the hands of Lord Cotswold, a second time.

  CHAPTER 30

  Audrina watched as the men barricaded the door. Colin stepped down into the great hall and began issuing orders to fortify the castle against the impending attack. Audrina tried to stay out of his way, but the more she heard him command his men as if they were going to war, the more her panic increased. She felt the room begin to swirl around her and she sat down hard in one of the chairs. The men had worked on clearing most of the chairs and tables to the side of the room, so that they could take a defensive position with room to fight in the great hall if they needed too.

  Audrina saw doors that had been previously locked and store rooms that she’d seen rarely delved into thrown open with gusto and the contents inside emptied out into the hall. She watched as four men lifted the main table out of the way, and the rug underneath kicked aside as a latch that had hidden a trap door underneath, was lifted. Swords and dirks where passed around. She saw claymores, broadswords and even imported steel from other countries that she knew wasn’t native to Scotland. Colin had obviously prepared for a day such as this when the attack on the castle might happen. She watched as a particularly nasty and gleaming battle ax was handed off to Alisdair.

  He happened to catch her eye and then tapped Colin’s arm and pointed to her. She must have had a look on her face, because Colin issued a few more orders and then without a word, strode over to her, scooping her up in his arms and carried her upstairs. She only thought to protest him leaving his men to prepare when they were halfway up the stairs.

  “Colin, you can’t leave them. You have to lead your men!” she insisted.

  “Haud yer wheest, woman!” He kissed her hard.

  Audrina felt her panic increase to a dangerous level to the point that she was almost hyperventilating. Colin threw open the door to their chamber and carefully laid her on the bed. He strode over to the window and pulled the latch shut, effectively blocking any noise that would filter up through the open window.

  “Colin…” she began to protest, but her panic had reached dangerous heights. He laid down on the bed beside her and pulled her to him. He crooned into her hair, and by the steady beat of his heart, guided her to find the calmness that he was emanating. He tilted her chin up and kissed her, making her forget about the men outside or the impending battle. He took her breath away on a level that exceeded the panic and she found it pleasant to become lost in him in a way that forced her mind to forget about becoming lost to her fear.

  He didn’t undress her this time, but Colin rose and tucked his own kilt up, baring himself to her. He raised her skirt and gently parted her, pushing into her in earnest. She was so ready for him. Wet with need and hungry for solace. Their lovemaking was fast and urgent, as was their call to arms in a few short hours. Au
drina cried out in pleasure and pain at the onslaught of her fear. Colin knew he hadn’t hurt her. He found his own release and subsequent fulfillment of her before he cradled her into his arms. Their lovemaking was a testament that, no matter what the circumstances were, even the pressure of war, their love would come first. She had needed him, and he filled her. He had needed her, and she accepted him into her, a receptacle for his love.

  Audrina felt the tears cascade down her cheeks when it was over. It was enough and yet not enough. She could have stood to go another two rounds with him in his arms, but he had the responsibility now of protecting not only her, but his people as well. She knew this to be true, which is why it was heart-wrenching to force herself to tear away from his arms, so that he might not feel obligated to stay.

  “Colin, I want you to know.”

  “Nay lass, tell me aft!” he pleaded.

  The look on his face told her that wouldn’t be able to bear her words of parting. She had not had the opportunity to say them the first time when Cotswold had stolen Maeve from him. And he had clearly tortured himself over thinking of all the things they might have said had they been given the opportunity.

  “No, listen to me, Colin. I wanted to tell you that, no one has stood up for me in this way. Not since my grandfather was alive. I know there is question as to who he is to me and when he is, but the point is, before I came to you, came back to you, I had no one. These last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind, but there has been one certainty through it all, and that’s you Colin. I love you, Colin MacClaran. I want you to take that with you when you go out there to face that monster,” she finished. She’d never told him she loved him. She said it now with all the conviction within her soul and Maeve’s. In doing so, it erased all lingering doubts she had in her mind. It washed away her fears and insecurities and the endless questions that seemed to barrage her mind and plague her thoughts. Whatever happened, if Cotswold won or they did, her love for Colin was certain and absolute.