Gaia stepped into the tent. “She is asleep,” she said. “She does not know I have come and I want to keep it that way. You want something from her, but I am here in her stead.”
“Why?”
“Because I will do what you asked of her.”
That had him up off the pallet. “Ye?” he asked with suspicion. “Is this some kind of trick?”
“Nay. I am quite serious.”
He eyed her as if he weren’t convinced. She was young and pretty enough, and he looked her up and down in an appraising manner.
“If ye came tae talk me out of it, it willna work,” he finally said. “Those are the terms. One night with me and I’ll let all of ye go free.”
Gaia didn’t back away from him when he came close. “I did not come to convince you to change your mind,” she said. She was wearing a simple but durable frock, like her sister was, something that laced at the neckline and down one side. Meeting the man’s eyes, she reached up and tugged on the tie at her neck. “I came to give you what you want. My sister is older and frigid. But I’m younger and need a good teacher. Will you teach me, my lord?”
As MacDuff watched, Gaia pulled loose the tie at her neck, revealing the tantalizing swell of her cleavage. He licked his lips, for the peek of her flesh was enough to arouse him. In truth, he supposed it didn’t matter which sister he took, so long as he took one of them. This one seemed more compliant than the older one. When he took a woman to his bed, he wanted her to respond to him, not fight him. He couldn’t be certain that even if the older one came to him of her own free will, that she wouldn’t resist the whole thing.
But the younger one…
Nay, she wasn’t resistant at all.
The more he looked at the younger sister, the more aroused he became.
“I can teach ye, lass,” he said after a moment. “But will ye be a good student?”
Gaia smiled seductively. “More than likely your best student,” she said confidently. “But just so we are clear on the terms – it was one night with one sister, correct?”
“Aye. And ye will speak of this tae yer father. I want him tae know.”
“I will tell him,” she said. “And you’ll not touch my sister?”
He hesitated, so she reached out and put a hand on his crotch, feeling his arousal through the fabric. As she fondled him, MacDuff let out a hiss of pure lust.
“Aye,” he said, groaning as she stroked him. “Give yerself over tae me and I’ll no’ touch yer sister.”
“Swear it?” she said as she squeezed slightly.
He quivered. “Aye,” he said. “I swear it. One sister is as good as the other.”
Gaia’s response was to reach underneath his tunic and put her hot hands on his swollen member. As she dropped to her knees and put her mouth on it, MacDuff lost all sense of vengeance and drive against Alastor de Bourne or his family. At the moment, the youngest daughter had him under her spell and he was willingly compliant.
And enjoying every minute of it.
He never did give her the message William had meant for The Marshal that night.
The only message that concerned him was his own.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Corisande was confused.
She’d awoken just before dawn to the wagon being jostled, rising to see that the horses were being put back into their harness. The English soldiers and wagons that had been taken captive the day before were being rounded up as several Scots, MacDuff included, began to organize them into a line.
Wiping the sleep from her eyes, Corisande couldn’t believe her what she was witnessing.
The mist was still heavy, but there was a hint of sunlight overhead as dawn approached. However, it was dark and cold all around, and the Scots had torches to pierce the mist. She could hear gulls calling, as they usually did in Berwick, scavenger birds looking for a morning meal. Around her, it looked to her as if the captives were all being moved, her included.
Gaia was sitting next to her in the wagon, her legs hanging over the back. She was wrapped up in a blanket, watching the activity, as Corisande sat up beside her.
“What is happening?” she asked, sounding hoarse. “Where are we going?”
Gaia had circles under her eyes as she looked out over the mist. “We are leaving.”
“Leaving for where?”
“Back to England.”
Corisande didn’t quite understand her at first. Then, her eyes widened. “Back to England?” she asked, looking around rather frantically. “What do you mean? They’re taking us back to Papa?”
Gaia looked at her, then. “We are going home,” she said plainly. “They are releasing us, Cori.”
Corisande stared at her sister. “But…” she sputtered. Then, she grabbed her sister by the arm and lowered her voice. “But how is this possible? MacDuff told me… I was to come to him last night and he would release us, but I must have fallen asleep. Why did you not wake me? You knew what had to happen.”
Gaia’s gaze lingered on her for a moment before returning it to the misty landscape and the men moving about.
“We are being released and that is all that should matter,” she said. “Be joyful, Cori. We are returning to England and you can return to Cole with a clear conscience and a clean body. You needn’t worry anymore. Cole will still love you.”
Corisande stared at her. She may have been groggy, but she wasn’t senseless. Something was amiss because Gaia was being far too casual about the entire situation. Her usually weeping, skittish sister was as hard as a rock. It was then that Corisande noticed that she didn’t recognize the blanket Gaia was wrapped in.
It wasn’t one of theirs.
“Where did you get this?” she asked, pulling at the fabric.
Gaia pulled it right around her. “It was cold.”
“Who gave you the blanket, Gaia?”
Gaia stared at her a moment. Corisande was only now noticing the dark-circled eyes and she was greatly concerned, but before she could voice those concerns, Gaia spoke softly.
“Is it not enough that we are leaving?” she asked. “Please stop asking so many questions. If you misbehave, they may change their mind, so just… be quiet. Let us leave this place before you start pestering me.”
Corisande had no idea what Gaia was talking about, nor did she recognize the attitude her sister was conveying. She peered at her closely, trying to figure out what was happening.
“Gaia,” she whispered calmly. “What do you know about all of this? Won’t you tell me?”
The wagon suddenly lurched, throwing them both off-balance as it began to make its way through the grass, heading towards the trees. On the other side of the trees was the road that they had traveled upon when they’d been brought into Scotland, but Corisande didn’t know that and Gaia didn’t remember. All they knew was that the wagons were heading into the trees with a Scots escort, including MacDuff himself.
Heading for England.
The mist was becoming lighter as the sun began to rise. They could see soldiers walking around them through the mist, a few of them leaning on colleagues for support. They were English soldiers and Corisande caught sight of a few de Bourne men up ahead.