Leaving Castle Leoch
Right. I set my shoulders and walked forward into the barn. Auld Alec was there. I walked up to him and asked for Jamie. The older man said, "Jamie was'na to be bothered right now. What can I do for you Mistress Beauchamp?"
"Dougal said I would need a horse for tomorrow's hunt. He wants a healer to go along." I stated firmly. He glared at me, like I was the last thing on this earth he wanted to deal with. Was it because I was a woman or just because the man simply hated me? Clearly I irritated him; I could see it in his eyes. What ever had I ever done to him?
He walked away talking. I could not understand this man. It was the King's English, not Gaelic, but with such a heavy Scottish accent that it hit my ears as gibberish; I could not understand a word the bloody man was saying. I simply stared after him in disbelief. He stopped. I guessed all that rambling meant that I should have followed him because after he stopped, he turned around and gave me a look like I was stupid or something. I trotted to catch up and then he turned and started walking down an aisle of stalls, all with horses in them. He was talking again. More gibberish. I sighed.
Where the bloody hell was Jamie? I thought he said he worked in the stables. He was my sole friend here in this horrid place. In this strange and frightening time. He was the only reason I was surviving and not thinking of leaping off the top of the castle wall in an effort to kill myself. I really don't know what I would do without him. Jamie made this whole surreal, back in time thing not make me crazy. I had him to talk to; to keep me grounded and not feel all alone. I needed him now. He was probably eating or in yet another alcove kissing that blonde, what's her name, Laoghaire. Why did that name make my blood boil?
Damn. I walked right into the back of Auld Alec. He had stopped and was petting a pretty, shaggy little pony's face. Oh, good, another one of his "stupid woman" looks to go along with it. Damn you Mister MacTavish. Where the hell are you when I actually need you to rescue me? Alec gave the pony a piece of apple. It took about two-seconds of chewing and it butted his arm with its nose for more. He gave me a piece of apple to give it. "Brimstone" Oh that's what he was saying — the pony's name.
"Brimstone" I repeated and smiled, extremely proud of myself. Alec just said something unintelligible and shook his head. I had the piece of apple in my fingers and was moving forward to feed it to the pony when Alec grabbed my wrist. He took the apple from me. He slapped my hand open making my palm lie flat. He then placed the piece of apple in my palm. Still holding my wrist, he put my flat hand under the pony's nose. I laughed as its whiskers brushed my hand and its tongue licked my palm and "poof" the apple was gone and Brimstone was happily chewing. I rubbed the white streak that ran down the front of the pony's face with my hand. I was pretty good at this. Brimstone and I would get along fine. I would have no problems on this pony. I smiled to myself.
I turned and gave Auld Alec my very best smile. And giggled. I was very pleased with myself. Alec shook his head, said something in more gobbledy gook and started to leave.
"Is Brimstone a boy or a girl horse?" I asked. Not that I guessed it mattered one way or the other. I bent sideways and looked up under the horse to see if I could tell. I figured if it was a boy horse, I would be able to tell; boys always have a little something hanging… "Ya ken? Ha Ha, something hanging…" I said out loud to Brimstone. "We girls have to stick together." Where was Jamie? He would have at least smiled. This was some pretty funny stuff and Alec was having no part of it. He turned to me and said "Brimstone" was a Lass, but my quick peak had already told me that, and he added that he would leave us to become better acquainted. Poof, he was gone.
As I stood there petting Brimstone, I made note that her stall was the 5th from the front on the right. Suddenly a thought occurred to me and I gasped "Shit" out loud. I realized that I would not be able to ride out of here tonight or any other night for that matter. Unless they put the horses to bed in their saddles and bridles, I was in trouble. I did not have a clue as to how to put that stuff on a horse and make it stay. I might possibly be able to ride without a saddle, providing I could get on the horse, but how would I tell the pony where to go and when to stop? It took a bridle to do that. I had no idea how to put one on, let alone where they all were. Were all horses heads the same size? Or were the bloody things like bras? Did they come in sizes? Damn, that was something I had totally not thought about; this was a huge glitch in my plan.
I walked back up to Alec. He was absolutely not pleased to see me in front of him, yet again. "I don't suppose you could put Brimstone's saddle and bridle on tonight?"
"And just why would you be needing me to do that?" Auld Alec asked.
"Well, I was just thinking it might be easier for you. I will have to be ready to leave really early tomorrow morning," I hesitatingly offered as an excuse.
"Don't you worry Mistress," Alex said shaking his head. "Brimstone will be ready for you tomorrow morning."
Strike horse off list. There was no way I could ride one without a bridle and saddle and no way to get one on Brimstone, at night in the dark even if I could find the right one and put on. Looks like I was walking out of here.
Where was Jamie I thought for the third time? Though I seriously doubted my ability to talk him into leaving Brimstone "ready to ride" all night in her stall. I had not seen him in a couple of days now that I thought about it. I really had wanted to at least have a chance to talk to him before I left. I wondered if he would notice I was gone; if he would even miss me. I was beginning to realize I would miss him. Probably for the best I leave now rather than later; I was growing a little too fond of him. He had Laoghaire on the brain anyway. I thought a really bad word, turned on my heals and walked away. Kicking hay from the floor as I went.
Had I turned around I would have seen Jamie's head pop up in Donas' stall, the one just past Brimstone's, and he smiled as he watched me stomp out of the barn.
Tonight was the night then; it had to be. There would be way too many people milling around to notice I was not there. I had a small bag of food; I had been pinching bread, cheese and apples from the kitchen all week. I had one of those leather pouches filled with water and I still had Jamie's plaid to use as a shawl and a blanket. They would all be pretty drunk at the oath taking and then the hunt was tomorrow so they would think I was just somewhere in the woods. I was hoping no one would really notice I was gone until tomorrow around dinner time. If by then they noticed I was missing, they would not look for me until at least the following morning. That would give me 2 full days and nights to start to make my way to Inverness. This just might work, even if I was going to be on foot.
I was walking through the kitchen and had managed to pocket one of Mistress FitzGibbons short knives. I needed some sort of weapon to take with me. Damn. Ms. Fitz caught me. She cleaned me up and dragged me to the Hall to watch the main event. Murtagh was there explaining everything to me. He translated the oath for me and explained its importance to the clan, the men and it's Laird. You really have to be made totally of testosterone to get the whole oath taking thing I decided. It was the same pledge over and over and over again. And as with any good Scottish event, there was a ton of alcohol involved. So everyone was pretty pissed; they were smiling and laughing and dancing. Murtagh was very was kind to me. Kept the conversation going for quite awhile, telling me jokes or bits of gossip about some of the people milling about. Murtagh was kind of growing on me. I would definitely miss Jamie and Ms. Fitz. I might miss Murtagh a bit as well.
I finally escaped. I scampered back down to my cave and closed the door. I did not waste time changing my clothes, just put on my gardening shoes instead of the soft leather ones I had on. I put my cape on, gathered my food bag and water and made for the door.
Oh damn. Laoghaire. Jamie's bonnie lassie. Another bad word pops into my head. A love potion for Jamie. Right. Horse dung in a bottle, take that Jamie MacTavish. Click heals. No place like love. Good. She's gone. Got my stuff again and slipped down the hall.
Damn turned the corner and ran right into 3 really drunk guys. They are all pulling on me. Fighting over which one was going to have the pleasure of raping me first. Enter Dougal. Rescues me. He's drunk and decides he should be given a freebee for being my knight in shining armor. He gets fresh and I slap him. He notices I am dressed for the outdoors and even drunk starts to put two and two together so I hit him over the head with a stool. Knock him out cold. Score one for the Sassenach.
I grabbed my bag and now I am running. I am out into the courtyard. Watch the guard, then run for the gate. Hide in the arch. I run and hide, hide and run and run and hide again. I reach the clan's camp area. I can walk right through it. I don't meet anyone. I come to the wooded area I have marked out. Find the trail I had decided to take and as quietly and quickly as I can I start down it. It should lead me to the road out of here, the same one I rode in on with Jamie and the rest of the lovely gang of kilt wearing, oath swearing Scots. I should be ok to walk on the road at night. I would just find some brush and sleep during the day. I thought I had the general idea for direction and figured I could hopefully ask for help along the way. Maybe a cotter or a tinker with a wagon would give me a lift. Did they have gypsies? I had no money; that was going to be a problem at some point.
I was so busy being pleased with myself for having gotten away, that I did not hear the horse come up behind me until it was too late. I ran for the trees along the path but he had seen me and it did not take him long to catch me even in the dark. Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ. I am back on a horse headed back to Castle Leoch. Once we enter the courtyard there are Rupert and Angus waiting. What are the odds that I would get both? They are not happy at all. Oh this was not going to be good. I knew they would take me to Colum. From the frying pan into the fire.
Right. Angus fetches Dougal. And is he ANGRY! He reaches up and drags me off the horse. He is beyond MAD. I start to say "Dougal, I can…" when he back hands me across the face so hard I fall back into the horse he just took me off of.
"Shut up Bitch," he says. He tells Rupert to take me back to my surgery and stay with me until he comes. He talks to the guy that caught me. "Geordie" I think he said. I don't hear any more. Rupert and I are back inside the castle.
Moments later Rupert has dragged me back to my little cave and shoves me onto the bed. I fall back and my skirts fly up and I see Rupert looking at me with that lustful look drunks get. I quickly pull my skirts down and ask "How long before Dougal gets here? I guess I did a pretty stupid thing. How mad do you think he is at me?"
Rupert just snorts but he does not look at me anymore. He won't risk raping me and having Dougal walk in. Thank God. I'll bet I had not even been gone an hour. Damn, I was beginning to think this whole clever idea of sneaking off was one really bad, poorly thought out plan. I did not think Colum, nor Dougal, was going to be calling me "Guest" by the end of the night. What had I gone and done? I got a clean cloth dipped in some water and held it on the side of my face. I checked it; yep I was bleeding from the corner of my lip and my eyebrow. Great.
Finally Dougal comes, with Angus. There is nothing but pure hatred in Dougal's eyes when he looks at me. The look actually terrifies me. Beauchamp, you've really gone and done it now, I think to myself. Then I remember Colum. Dougal won't do anything without Colum's approval. Colum will be too drunk to deal with me tonight. I figure I am safe until tomorrow morning; at that point Dougal will take me to see Colum. Dougal, as mad as he is cannot take me to Colum beaten. Colum would be seriously angry with Dougal. Colum is, after all, the Laird, not Dougal.
Dougal walks right up to me and says calmly, "Where were you going Mistress Beauchamp alone and at such a late hour? With food."
"Inverness" I stated matter of factly. I saw no point in lying to him. It would not do me any good to try. I looked him straight in the eye and said, "I want to go home. Now please. I have been a guest here long enough."
"That is true. You have been a guest of Clan MacKenzie long enough. I want to know if you are a spy for the English or the French?" Dougal sneered. "You will tell me before you leave this room."
"I want to speak to Colum," I sneer back. Returning his nasty snarl. Back at you Dougal, I think.
"He's a bit busy right now. I am in charge of you; I am responsible for bringing you here to Castle Leoch. I will deal with your escape attempt." he said.
Slowly like a morning's dawn a look of immense evil envelopes his face. So intense, it almost made him appear calm. It was showing plainly; there was no attempt on Dougals part to mask it. It was clearly directed at me. It made me shuttered with fear.
"Which is it, the English or the French?" Dougal repeated with icy calm. The calm before the storm I was soon to realize.
"I. AM. NOT. A. SPY!" I shouted at him putting my face right up to his. I did not even see his hand strike me this time. I just felt the pain on same side of my face as I flew across the room and hit my head against the wall by the steps. I tried to get to my knees and crawl up the stairs to the door. Dougal clearly understood my intentions and motioned to Rupert; I think I barely made the first stair before Rupert had caught me and dragged me to my feet. Dougal crossed the space between us in two easy steps. This time he punched me in the stomach. I doubled over and started to fall to my knees. Rupert still had hold of one of my arms and kept me from falling to the ground. I could not breathe. No air could get in; he had punched all the air out of my diaphram. I tried to calm myself. To relax through the pain. To allow the much needed air into my lungs. Dougal grabbed me by my arm and dragged me to the stool by the fire. He forced me to sit, leaving his hand on my shoulder with his full weight on it. I was not going anywhere, even if I could get my breath back.
Dougal turned to Angus and Rupert and told them to stand outside in the hall. To close the door behind them and not let ANYONE in.
I really did not like the sound of that. Not one little bit. I did not even try a pleading look to Rupert. No way would he go against Dougal. I had even less of a chance with Angus. Rupert and Angus turned, walked away and never looked back. I heard the door open and then close.
"English or French," Dougal hissed. "I will'na ask again. I swear I will beat the answer out of you."
Fuck what had he been doing, playing with me? Like a cat with a mouse. "Dougal, I am not…" and he hit me on the other side of the face and I heard bone break. Not good. I don't remember hitting the ground. I became aware of being dragged by my hair. Dougal hauled me to my feet and threw me on the bed. I felt my scalp tear. I am quite sure Dougal had a handful of my hair in his fist. My skirts flew up past my knees, exposing the tops of my leggings. Well, at least from the look Dougal was wearing he was no longer thinking about breaking any more bones in my face. I could not see or think straight. Everything was fuzzy. I had three Dougals licking their lips at me. I must have a concussion after three head punches. I did not have the ability to move any part of my body. Dougal lifted my skirts to my waist. I could not even lift my leg to try and kick him. He knew I was incapacitated. He smiled the most evil smile I have ever seen, lifting his kilt as he came towards me. I am not sure which of the three Dougals I saw raped me; it might have been all three. All I know is about four thrusts in, I passed out.
Rupert slipped out the door Dougal held open and into the darkness of the predawn. Angus was holding both horses for him in the courtyard. He threw the bundle he had been carrying over his shoulder onto the second horse. He took the rope and tied it around one end of the bundle then ran the rope under Brimstone's belly and tied the other end of the rope around the other end of the bundle. "Good and tight" Dougal said. "You don't want that bundle coming loose before you get where you are going."
"Aye" was all Rupert could say in response. He did not like this. Not one bit. The Lass had never done anything to deserve this. He had actually kind of liked her. He had thought her to be verra pretty and a wee witty. He had even thought to try and bed her. Not now he wouldn't. He had at least found a bit of plaid with her bag and thought to wrap her in it.
"Well, best get going before it's light and the Castle starts to stir. Don't want to bring any unnecessary attention to what we're doing," Dougal said standing there in his "laird" stance with his arms folded across his chest. "Get back as quick as you can. I don't want anyone to notice you're gone if it can be helped." Angus had not liked Mistress Beauchamp and had been vocal about his displeasure at Dougal's orders of having to follow her around. Clearly Rupert now understood Dougal's feelings towards her as well. Poor Jamie; he knew the lad had his heart set on winning her. He was young. He would forget her. There was Laoghaire to help with that. He shook his head clear. He best be going.
Rupert mounted his horse. Angus handed him the lead to Brimstone and he turned Peggy toward the gate and slipped away in the heavy fog of the coming dawn.