The ride to the village was a piece of pastry in comparison. It was uncomfortable and seemed to last a long time, but at least she wasn't being tipped onto her head or thrown about. When the wagon stopped, she braced herself for what was to come, but several minutes passed before anything happened at all.
After a moment, Annabel thought she heard a muffled pounding and the sound of male voices, followed by Effie's much higher one. Of course, they'd knocked to be sure she was in and then explained what they had for her, Annabel thought, and then she was tilted toward her head again as the chest was lifted down from the wagon. But it was only for a moment this time and then the chest swayed slightly as she was carried into what she hoped was Effie's cottage.
Annabel shoved the bag of coins into her mouth in preparation and groaned low in her throat as she was set down with a jarring thud. She then took the coins out of her mouth again and strained to hear what was happening. She thought she heard heavy footsteps moving away and a door closing, but then there was silence . . . a long silence.
It was only then that it occurred to Annabel that Effie might not open the chest right away. What if she left her there for hours? The idea was untenable. Annabel bit her lip, but then called out, "Effie?"
The silence continued, but there was a different quality to it this time, a sort of waiting feel.
"Effie, do not be alarmed, 'tis Lady MacKay," she called, making her voice a little louder.
"M'lady?" she heard, muffled through the chest, and then a bewildered, "Where are ye?"
"In the chest, Effie. Could you open it please?"
"In the--what the devil are ye doing in there?" Her voice grew louder as she drew closer.
"I shall explain as soon as you let me out," Annabel promised.
"O' course, just let me . . . do ye ha'e the key?"
"What?" Annabel asked with bewilderment.
"Fer the lock on the trunk. I need a key," Effie explained and Annabel's mouth would have dropped open had she the room to do it.
"There is no lock, Effie. Just flip the hasp up off the latch and open it."
"Nay. 'Tis locked," Effie assured her.
"Kate, you dolt," Annabel muttered with disgust, wondering even as she said it if this was a true accident or another way for her sister to take out her anger on her.
"What was that?" Effie asked.
"Nothing," Annabel muttered.
"Oh." There was a pause and then Effie asked. "What should I do? Should I fetch the blacksmith? Fingal could probably--" She paused mid-word and then said, "Just a minute, me lady, someone is at the door. Wait here, I'll be right back."
Annabel grimaced. There was very little else she could do but wait, she thought with irritation and then listened as Effie shuffled off, her footsteps growing fainter as she moved away. A moment later Annabel heard the murmur of voices and then a thud as something hit the floor. Frowning, she strained to hear what was happening and then gave a start when someone pounded on the chest.
"How are you doing, sister?" a voice sang out.
"Kate?" she said uncertainly.
"Aye."
Annabel sighed with relief. She must have realized she'd accidentally locked her in and had somehow slipped away to let her out. She heard the scrape of metal on metal and as the chest was opened, Annabel said with relief, "Thank goodness you came. I was beginning to think--"
She paused momentarily as the lid suddenly lifted and light rushed in, briefly blinding her. Blinking rapidly, Annabel waited for her eyes to adjust and then released a little sigh and started to smile once she could see again. That smile died abruptly though. Her sister was bent over the chest smiling brightly, but it was the man standing behind her that made Annabel's eyes widen with horror. She recognized him at once as the man who had repeatedly attacked her.
"Belly, meet my husband, Grant," Kate said cheerfully. "Grant, meet my, fat, ugly sister."
"Your husband?" Annabel asked her voice cracking.
"Aye. Is he not handsome?" Kate asked with a grin, and then still smiling, said, "Now, we have to get you out of here without your screaming or otherwise alerting anyone to trouble, so . . . night night, Belly," Kate said sweetly and then hit her over the head with something Annabel didn't get a chance to see, but certainly felt. It was hard enough to knock her out with the one blow.
Chapter 16
"Thank ye fer returning with me," Ross said as he, Bean and Giorsal rode abreast into the bailey. Glancing at his sister, he added, "Annabel likes ye, she'll trust in yer advice."
"Are ye saying she does no' trust you yet?" Bean asked curiously.
"Nay, that's no' what I'm suggesting," he assured him. "Annabel trusts me, but in this instance she might think I am just a heartless male who does no' understand about sisters and such. She will no' think that about Giorsal."
"But I have no sisters and ye do," Giorsal pointed out with a laugh.
"Aye, but yer a lass," Ross said. "And that's what Annabel needs right now to help her sort all this out. Another lass to talk to . . . else she'll let her guilt rule her and make us all miserable for the rest of our days."
"Do ye really think she'd let her sister stay forever?" Bean asked. "From what ye've said she's a nightmare."
"Aye, but she's also her sister," Ross pointed out as they slowed to approach the stables. "And Annabel has the life that was meant for Kate while Kate's life has fallen apart. I suspect Annabel feels terrible guilt about that, and that's why she has no' already sent the lass packing."
"Nay," Giorsal announced with certainty. "This life was ne'er meant for Kate. She never would ha'e fit in here. Ye and Annabel were meant to be together."
"I ken that," Ross assured her. "We just ha'e to convince Annabel."
"Ne'er fear, brother. I shall solve all yer problems ere the nooning," Giorsal said with a cheeky grin.
"I hope so," he muttered, sliding off his horse to lead the beast into the stables and to his stall. Ross was very much afraid that if Giorsal couldn't convince Annabel that she had nothing to feel guilty for, and didn't have to be her sister's keeper . . . well, then he would have to step in and send Kate off against his wife's wishes. He'd prefer to avoid conflict with his wife, but would be damned if he was going to allow the Englishwoman to continue to make his wife miserable. If he didn't send the woman away soon, he would find himself throttling her one fine night when she called his wife "Belly" one too many times, or made her feel bad about her figure.
Shaking his head, Ross closed the stall door and led his sister and her husband to the keep. One way or another, he wanted this matter resolved today. Kate did not have to be gone today, though that would be lovely, but he did want to know she would soon be gone and no longer making a nuisance of herself in his home.
God, he had dodged an arrow when the woman had run off with her stable boy, Ross thought, and if she weren't making such a nuisance of herself he'd have thanked her for that. It was most definitely a blessing that he had Annabel and not her.
Gilly and Marach were seated at the trestle table when Ross led Giorsal and Bean into the keep. A bit concerned, he headed straight to the men.
"What are ye doin' sittin' here? Where is me wife?"
"Up in yer bedchamber with Seonag and the English wench, sewing," Gilly answered.
"Nay, Kate went to ha'e a word with the priest," Marach reminded Gilly, and then added for Ross's benefit. "She should be back soon though."
"How lovely," Giorsal said, and when Ross peered to her in question, she grinned and explained, "I am looking forward to meeting Annabel's sister."
"Nay," Gilly assured her. "That's no' something to look forward to. Instead, ye should be thankin' the gods that she is no' up there. The woman is a terror."
"Hmmm. Now I am even more curious to meet her," she said with a laugh and headed for the stairs, adding, "Sit down and ha'e a drink with me husband, brother. I'll take care o' everything."
Ross grunted at that, but simply watched his sister walk upstairs an
d along the hall, and then turned to Bean and asked, "Ale?"
"Aye. That sounds--" He paused and glanced to the stairs when Giorsal shouted for them from above. Still on his feet, Ross was the first to the stairs. Bean, Gilly and Marach were hard on his heels though, as they hurried to the room he shared with his wife. Rushing inside, he took in the tableau at a glance.
Seonag lay on the floor, blood dripping from her head and staining the rushes. Annabel was nowhere in sight, however, and Ross rounded on his men as Bean rushed past him to help Giorsal with the maid.
"Ye said Annabel was up here with Seonag," he barked accusingly.
"She is, or was," Gilly corrected himself as Marach moved into the room to look about. "Her sister is the only one who left."
"Obviously, that's no' true," Ross snapped and turned to join Bean and Giorsal by Seonag. "How is she?"
"She took a bad blow," Giorsal said quietly. "She seemed to stir a bit when I first knelt next to her though, so I think she'll be all right."
"M'laird?"
Ross glanced to Marach, frowning when he saw that the warrior was examining the chest where he kept their valuables . . . and it was open.