Page 106 of Bound to a Warrior
“What about this hide?” Bryce asked. “What importance does it hold?”
“No one knows for sure,” Neil answered.
“But there must be speculation,” Duncan said. “People must be talking. It is the way of things around the king. People talk. What are they saying?”
Neil shrugged. “It’s only gossip.”
“Then let us hear it,” Bryce said.
Neil lowered his voice. “It is said that it holds a secret.”
“What secret?” Duncan asked.
Neil leaned in closer. “The secret of his birth. The proof that makes him the true king.” He shook his head. “But it is only gossip.”
“Tell me what happens to the king’s daughter if she should return and he finds out what she knows. What becomes of her then?” Duncan asked.
Again Neil shrugged.
“Speculate,” Duncan suggested quite firmly.
Neil lowered his head along with his voice. “She dies.”
Chapter 31
With a hooded, heavy wool cloak to protect her from the rain, Mercy hurried through the village searching for Bailey. She didn’t know how much time she had before Duncan returned and she wanted this done. It wasn’t that she worried that she would change her mind. She had made her decision and knew it was the right one, especially after hearing the conversation between Duncan and his brother Reeve.
She had gone to find him shortly after he had left the bedchamber. She had wanted to tell him that she’d be waiting in the great hall for him. She hadn’t wanted him to search for her and discover her meeting with Bailey. She had heard Reeve accuse him of not tending to the mission because of her and she felt responsible for causing dissent between the brothers and for having been the cause of Duncan neglecting his duty.
It seemed that no matter where she went her presence presented a problem. She wished there was somewhere she could sneak away to and be safe. The thought struck her so fast that she halted in her tracks.
She would have never even considered the possibility that popped into her head, if she hadn’t gained the courage from surviving her ordeal. She had been in the hands of soldiers who intended her dead and had escaped. And if she did it once she could do it again. As long as she knew that Bailey and Kate were safe with Duncan and his family, then there was no reason for her to return to her father. She didn’t believe that her father wanted her returned alive because he wished to make amends. He wanted something from her and once he had it, she would meet the same fate as her mother.
Her biggest obstacle was where to seek safe shelter and not bring harm to anyone. And the answer came easily and felt so very right. She would go to Bliss. After all, the woman had told her that they would see each other again, so she would be expecting her return, though perhaps sooner than she had anticipated.
Mercy grew more excited. If she could accomplish this, then someday there might be a chance for Duncan and her. But for now her absence would give him the time he needed to concentrate on his mission and prevent anyone from being harmed.
She felt relieved, for fate no longer had hold over her. She had taken control and would forge a new path of destiny for herself. She felt proud. Never had she thought she would have the courage to take control of her life, seek her own direction and make her own decisions. It felt so very good and so very right, and she doubted she would ever want it any differently.
She spotted Bailey huddled against the corner of a cottage, it and a hoodless cloak his only defense against the harsh wind and rain. She sent him a nod, letting him know it was time for them to talk. He drifted off into the woods and she followed. Thanks to the inclement weather no one was about, so she wasn’t worried that someone would see her entering the woods behind him.
He stood under the spreading branches of a thick oak, the rain finding it hard to make its way through.
Her heart went out to Bailey when she got close enough to see how the worry had etched its way into his face in such a short time. She didn’t waste a minute in telling him of her plan.
“I will trade myself for your wife, but only if you do as I say.”
“As long as I get Kate back safe, I will do anything, even if it means forfeiting my life,” Bailey said.
“Your death would defeat the purpose,” Mercy said firmly. “What we need to do is to keep our wits and see that we all survive.”
“What do you want me to do?”
“You must tell the soldiers that I have agreed to return to my father and that we will meet them tomorrow at dawn. And tell them I insist that they have Kate with them to make the exchange.”
“What if they refuse or ask why you hadn’t simply agreed when first asked?” Bailey asked anxiously.
“They won’t,” she assured them, “especially if you tell them I’ve been held against my will. If they do refuse to bring her that means—” She didn’t finish. She didn’t want to think that this all would be for nothing.
