FAN FICTION

GENERAL REGENCY

Previously:

Thomas was furious, just the other day he had received word that had given him the impression the law had been notified as to what was going on and everything had been settled. Now this. What a mess.

Kirsty's escape

Ch. 18

Caitlin was the first to wake up in the basement of what seemed to be an old inn outside Meryton. She could hear heavy footsteps and clattering pans above her. She was grateful that the person who had tied her wrists behind her back had done a poor job, and she was able to loosen the rope. However, she kept her hands behind her back when the door opened and a man threw some food on the floor.

"Eat what you can," he said, laughing. He muttered something else that Caitlin ignored, and then shut the door, leaving them to eat like dogs.

Kirsty, who had been asleep next to Caitlin, opened her eyes and saw her mother's hands were free. She stifled a cry and stayed quiet until the man was gone. She crawled over to Mrs. Bennet and waited for her to untie her own ropes.

"Here, eat this," Caitlin said, sharing the food with her. She looked around the room, hoping to find a way out. There were bags and crates, but they were all empty. The windows were small and barred.

Caitlin heard footsteps approaing the door again. She quickly moved back to her corner and told Kirsty to do the same.

"Put your hands behind your back and lie down where he cannot see they are untied," she whispered. Kirsty did as she was told, and they both watched as the door opened and the same man who had given them the food entered the basement. He was tall and burly, with a thick Scottish accent and a scar on his cheek.

"Hello, ladies," he said with a smirk. "I hope you are comfortable. You will be staying here for a while, until Mr. Bennet pays up."

He walked over to Mrs. Bennet, who was sitting on the floor in the corner. He squatted down and grabbed her chin, lifting her face. She flinched but did not look away.

"Where is it, eh? Where is the brooch?" he demanded. "Do not play stupid with me, lassie. I know you have it. It has been in your family for generations. But it does not belong to you. It belongs to Mr. Adair McDowell, the rightful heir of the McDowells of Culgroat. He hired me to get it back from you. He says your grandfather took it from his during the massacre of Glencoe. It never belonged to any of the MacDonalds. You had no right to take it with you when you married that Englishman. Well, he wants it returned. And I will get it one way or another."

"Even if what you say about Mr. Adair McDowell is true, what makes you think I would take such a thing? I am just as much a McDowell as he is."

He looked at her with a wicked smile. "You, my sweet. You may have some charm, but I know very well, as does he, that you are not one of them. You are something else. Nothing of them is in you. So keep pretending. You better hope your husband is smarter than you, for I will get that thing - no matter what it takes. I don't care at all what happens to his girl." With that, he was gone.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Kirsty whispered. "Uncle Robert was your father, so why say something stupid like that?"

"I do not know." Caitlin knew she would have plenty of time to dwell on that question later. For now, she stood up and walked over to a wall that did not quite reach the ceiling. Looking through the gap, she realized three things. One, there was a door that was slightly ajar. Two, while she could not fit through the space, her young cousin probably could. And three, the sounds above had ceased and the daylight had faded. That meant the food the man had tossed down was meant to be their supper.

"Kirsty." Mrs. Bennet mouthed and waved the young girl over. "You can get through there and reach that door. Get out and run for Mr. Bennet. Do not stop for anyone or anything. I can make it look as if you are still here."

"But, Mother..."

"No, mother bit, Kirsty get out. There is enough moonlight for you to find your way back to Longbourn. Do not drag your feet." She then whispered one more set of instructions to the young lady before Kirsty made her escape.

Mrs. Bennet used the bags and other items to make it look as if Kirsty had curled up in a dark corner, one that would not get much light even when the sun rose. Then she sat down to think about why her captor would say that she had nothing of the McDowells in her, that would mean Robert McDowell was not her father. As she did, a long-forgotten memory came back to her.

"Your Uncle Keiran will be here soon." Her father had put on his jacket. "I will talk to him about your Uncle Andrew."

"But why? What does he have to okay what I do in regard to Uncle Andrew and Aunt Sarah? You are my parent, not him."

Caitlin jerked. It was a memory so old that she could not remember how old she was when it happened. Mrs. Bennet then had more memories flood her mind. Uncle Keiran coming by and giving her presents unexpectedly, dropping by when she was sick and making sure her parents had enough medicine and so on. Except for that one memory of her father talking to her Uncle Keiran about her Uncle Andrew, none like that occurred again. And yet...it had happened.

Could this madman be right? Could she not be a McDowell? If so Uncle Keiran had to be the one to hold the key to who her real parents were. He was the MacDonald clan leader. Logic told her the memories she now was having were saying she was a MacDonald. Whey keep that from her? Then her mind asked if Kirsty would make it back to Longbourn? Would Mr. Bennet find her?

But as much as those questions were on her mind, Caitlin also began to wonder about the brooch, Scotland and Longbourn. She had been part of Thomas' family long enough, been in every room of that house, even the servants' area and the attic. Why did her cousin, Adair...if he really was her cousin, which he seemed to doubt, think it was at Longbourn?

"Stranger things have happened." Thomas' voice echoed in her ears and Caitlin jerked. If there was anything from Scotland at Longbourn, she knew exactly where it was, but her husband would have no idea where it was at. Mr. Bennet had to find her.