The Libertine (Taskill Witches 2)

“Nonsense,” Jessie retorted. “My brother needs our help and I am not known in Edinburgh.”

Lennox shook his head. “Your companion is right in what he says. You should be on your way north. I was in Dundee two days ago, I went to the tolbooth. I spoke to people there. The hunt goes on. They want your blood.” As much as they will all want mine in Saint Andrews by now, he thought, realizing it was well after noon and Keavey’s men had likely breached the warding spells set for them.

Mister Ramsay looked concerned. “They did not realize you were Jessie’s brother when you asked after her?”

Lennox shook his head. “No. I invented a tale to cover my queries. But they are still looking for you, not just those three who we sent off earlier, but many more.”

A shadow passed briefly across Jessie’s expression and her lips parted, but she did not speak for a moment. When she did it was only to insist that she help him. “Aye, we know they are not far behind us.”

She wrapped her hands around her upper arms and her companion moved instinctively, drawing her in against him with his arm around her shoulder. She rested her head against his chest and Lenn

ox watched, touched by this strange sight. After all these years, while he thought of his siblings as young girls who were in need of his protection, he saw that she’d grown and thrived, too. She was a strong, passionate woman, and she was determined to survive. And now she had a lover, a protector of her own.

Jessie lifted her head and in her eyes he saw the weary, age-old wisdom that her life had brought her. “I will not be parted from you again, brother. Besides, there is strength in numbers. We will go to Edinburgh together and aid you during your quest. It makes sense, for we will then be together and united in order to travel north to where we had our beginning.” She held his gaze. “I cannot risk losing you again.”

How was it that she was the one saying things that he should be saying, binding them together as kin once more? Lennox observed his sister’s companion as he considered the dilemma. The man would not be easily swayed, and Lennox could not fault him for that. Perhaps he could warm to the man. He had rescued his sister from the tolbooth, after all, and the bond between the two was clear to see. Time would tell whether Jessie’s affection toward him was truly warranted, and Lennox saw that keeping both of them close at hand would allow him to be sure that his sister’s affection was warranted. “Are you in agreement, Mister Ramsay?”

Gregor Ramsay had a shrewd look in his eye. “I will agree, but only because they’re searching for a woman with one man. If we travel as three, Jessie gains more protection and is better hidden.”

“I respect your argument,” Lennox replied.

Gregor Ramsay shot him a look. It was a subtle, guarded warning, perhaps.

Lennox gave a wry smile. “You are as wary of me as I of you.”

“At least.” Gregor inclined his head.

“Gregor!” Jessie looked affronted.

Ramsay did not respond to that, although he still kept her close, holding her tightly to him. “We will help you in your task, but as soon as I have the slightest suspicion that the town bailiff has word of Jessie’s whereabouts she will be gone, with me.”

Lennox respected that, too, but he wasn’t about to say so. He nodded. “That is fair.” He was warming to this Gregor Ramsay after all. “We’ll need to purchase two more horses.”

Ramsay shook his head. “No, we go by foot or by enclosed carriage.”

Lennox frowned. “A carriage will be harder to find.”

“I’m sorry, Lennox.” Jessie looked sheepish. “’Tis my fault. I cannot abide to look down from a height, not since they stood me on that pillar and made me watch...”

Something inside him jolted and he was back there in his mind, kicking and cursing, and he could see them, his twin sisters forced up on the pillars at the Kirk gates, forced to watch their mother being stoned.

“I have coin enough for a carriage,” Ramsay said, which pulled Lennox back to the present moment.

“I, too, have money. We will go by foot until a carriage can be hired or bought.”

“Thank you, both.” Jessie mustered a small smile, but Lennox sensed she was ashamed of her burden—a burden no woman should have to carry.

“Well, now that we are all agreed,” Jessie said, mustering herself, “we must make a plan to loose your Mistress Chloris from her current whereabouts.”

Lennox stared at his sister in amazement. A plan. He was so busy reacting to what went on he hadn’t even considered what he would do once he got to Edinburgh. A plan would be good, he realized, suddenly resigned to the fact that he was not invincible and he needed the guidance of his people, just as much as they needed him to validate what they were doing.

“Tell us more,” she encouraged. “Tell us all that you know of her circumstances, so that we might form our plan.”

“I fear her situation is little better than what you experienced in the tolbooth in Dundee, sister. The difference is that she lives in a life of comfort, but she is unhappy for she is beaten and abused by a husband who does not care for her and seeks to be rid of her.”

“Oh, Lennox,” Jessie whispered, and took his hand in hers.

He stared down at the ground in front of him, the tender gesture threatening to undo him. The need to know that Chloris was safe and not affected at her husband’s hands once again was overwhelming. It also made him wonder if she would ever forgive him. Then came the shame and the regret, for he had dallied with her to undermine his enemy. His emotions were awry, and he could scarcely think straight. “She went back to him in order to protect my coven from discovery, but her sacrifice was useless.”