"Aye." Angus nodded. "But who is it ye think may have told 'em that?"
Blake stared at him blankly, and the man nodded.
"No one. They're no likely to risk talkin' to Scots lest they bring an attack on themselves fer bein' where they doona belong. And they're no likely to come back to report to Greenweld that they have failed in the task. From all I've heard o' that bastard, he'd have skinned 'em alive for the failure. Nay, they'd no dare to return without seein' the job done."
"Aye, but if they have trailed us back here to Dunbar, then they shall surely see that Greenweld is not here and realize--"
"I doubt they've managed to get this far yet. They were several days behind ye and would have had to travel to the abbey jest as ye did. Had Seonaid no led ye sech a merry chase and ye'd headed straight back, ye'd have most like run into them on the way here. As it is, they are probably following the trail ye left in yer travels and are still several days behind ye."
Blake fell silent as he considered this information, and Seonaid suspected he was reconsidering traveling with her father and the others now that he realized they might be put in jeopardy due to his decision. It was too late for that, however.
"So watch yerselves when ye head out and keep an eye open," Angus finished.
Blake nodded solemnly.
Satisfied, Angus turned to Seonaid and chucked her under the chin. "Keep an eye on this one. His father will no doubt blame me if he gets hissel' killed."
Seonaid had trouble hiding her grin of amusement, but--aware of Blake's irritation over her father's words--she did her best. "Aye, Father."
"Guid. Now, find Lady Helen and get her up to yer room; we're almost ready to go. Let us know once they're on their way. We'll give them a few minutes to make their way through the passage, then set out. It should offer them enough distraction to ride out of the area undetected."
Nodding, Seonaid turned to move back into the keep, aware that Blake and Aeldra were following. They found Helen in the great hall, thanking Iliana for her hospitality during her stay there, and Seonaid smiled to herself at the sight of the former redhead. Helen had been transformed from a red-haired woman to a dark-haired young English lad. They had bound her breasts, dressed her in a set of Lord Rolfe's clothes that the women had taken in and resewn, then tied her hair back behind her head and darkened it with soot from the fireplace so that she now looked like a small, dark-haired lad. The transformation was remarkable.
Helen finished her thank-you as Seonaid, Blake, and Aeldra reached her. She turned to eye them and asked, "Is it time?"
"Aye."
Nodding, Helen fell into step with Seonaid as she turned toward the stairs to the upper level.
Lord Rolfe, Duncan, and Little George were already in the room when they arrived. The three men were working diligently at removing the boulders from in front of the entrance to the passage. They already had most of them out of the way.
"Why do ye no remove them altogether and seal up the passage?" Seonaid asked as Blake moved to help finish the task.
"Nay. I've no decided if the passage stays or goes," Duncan explained. "There may be a way to keep it from bein' opened from the other side. And I'd rather as few people as possible ken about it until I decide." He paused to glance around at those in the room. "I'm trustin' ye can keep yer mouths shut?"
"Aye," they all answered.
"Greenweld is dead," Rolfe pointed out as he picked up another boulder. "Surely the secret died with him and Allistair? Well, other than those of us here."
"Giorsal kens," Aeldra pointed out quietly, and the room fell silent again, no one wanting to comment and add to her upset.
"There," Duncan said with satisfaction, pausing to wipe his brow as the last boulder was removed.
Seonaid hesitated, then stepped forward and pressed one of the stones in the solid-looking wall, stepping back as the wall swung away, revealing a dark walkway.
"Ye'll need a torch," Aeldra murmured, and slipped out of the room, returning moments later with one of the lit torches from the hall. She handed it to Lord Rolfe, then moved to stand by Seonaid as Helen approached. The woman paused before them and Seonaid felt dread claim her. She didn't think she could bear it if the Englishwoman revealed her emotions. She was already feeling pangs of anxiety, fear, and sadness at her leavetaking.
"Thank you," Helen whispered; then she flung herself at Seonaid's chest, hugging her tightly, before turning to Aeldra and doing the same. With that, she turned and moved to follow Lord Rolfe into the passage.
"Remember, jest follow the passage. It exits into a clearin'. James'll be awaitin' there with horses fer ye. Good luck!" Duncan called after them, then closed the passage again and immediately moved to begin returning the boulders to their earlier position.
"What if they come back fer some reason?" Seonaid said with a frown, thinking they were moving rather swiftly at locking the pair out.
"They willna return," Duncan said simply as Blake and Little George joined him in the work.
After a brief hesitation, Seonaid leant a hand as well, but she kept an ear open for any sound from the wall lest they did return. The job was done quickly with all of them working. Duncan lay the last stone in place, straightened, and put one hand at his back as he arched and stretched in an effort to work out any tension the exercise of bending and lifting, carrying and bending to set boulders back down had caused. Then he turned for the door announcing, "I'll tell Father they've gone."
Seonaid hardly paid attention. She was standing before the pile of boulders, her ears straining in case Rolfe and Helen returned.
"They shall be fine." Blake gave her back a gentle rub, then suggested, "Why
do we not go practice in the bailey?"
Seonaid hesitated, then forced herself to turn away from the blocked passage. "Aye."
If nothing else, the activity would distract her, she hoped as she followed her husband out of their room. Aeldra and Little George trailed them to the practice fields and began to spar together even as Seonaid and Blake did. They worked in silence, Seonaid trying to be more aggressive and not let Blake wear her down. But she soon realized that Blake wasn't being aggressive in return. He had obviously suggested this purely to help distract her from her worry about Helen, and while she found it a thoughtful gesture, it made her think about it more. She was grateful when Blake called a halt and they went into the great hall for a drink.
Blake and Little George talked quietly about this and that as the four of them sat at the trestle table, but were she to be asked what they'd said, she wouldn't have been able to say. She wasn't really paying attention. Judging by Aeldra's silence, her cousin was just as distracted and worried as she.
When Blake suddenly set down his drink and caught her hand, Seonaid glanced at him with surprise.
"Come," was all he said; then he tugged her to her feet and led her abovestairs to their room.
The moment he closed the door behind them, Seonaid thought he must have brought her up for more loving. However, while Blake led her to the bed, he merely dropped onto it and tugged her over himself to lie next to him.
"Rest."
Seonaid stared at him. She was becoming more used to his assertive nature and the commanding way he took control of things, but it still startled her somewhat. While there were times she appreciated it and even secretly enjoyed it, she was not used to taking orders and at times found the way he simply assumed control a bit alarming. This was one of those times when she was slightly nonplussed. In truth, she was weary; they'd had little sleep the last two nights and it was starting to catch up to her, aided on its way by her anxiety and their physical activity. Still, she almost felt she should rebel for pride's sake alone.