Seducing His Sassenach by Ashe Barker

Author:Ashe Barker [Barker, Ashe]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Publisher: Stormy Night Publications
Published: 2020-10-15T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Fourteen

“Archie, d’ye see that?”

Robbie reined in his horse and waited for his friend to come alongside. Jane peered ahead, wondering what had caught their attention.

“Aye, ‘tis the wall.” Archie beamed at Robbie, and the two clapped each other on the back.

Wall? Jane could make out no wall through the freezing needles of persistent rain, just a few rocks heaped in a pile.

The other men also clustered about them and appeared to share their leaders’ pleasure.

“What is it?” Jane asked. “Where are we?”

“See there? ‘Tis the remains o’ the Roman wall.” Robbie pointed to the heap of rocks.

On further examination of the stones in question, Jane would be prepared to concede that their arrangement had a structured look to it, rather than the haphazard pile she had at first assumed. But she had no idea what he meant by a Roman wall.

“Many centuries ago, the Romans were here. They conquered England but considered the Scots a wild and lawless bunch.” Lady Falconer had joined the group and taken pity on Jane’s look of bewilderment. “I daresay they were right,” she added. “So, they constructed a great wall to keep them out. This is what is left of it, I assume.”

“A wall?” Jane echoed. “To keep out the Scots? Did it work?”

Robbie chuckled. “I dinnae suppose so, lass, though it did used tae be a lot higher than ye see here. The local people have raided the wall for the stone, built their farms an’ cottages from it. But the countess is right, it would ha’ taken a lot more than a bloody wall tae keep us at bay, had we had a wish tae invade England.”

“Oh. Well, yes, I suppose it would...” Certainly, in its current dilapidated condition, the wall served no obvious purpose whatsoever.

Robbie soon set her right on that score.

“The wall, or what’s left of it, marks the border between England and Scotland.” Robbie dug in his heels and urged the stallion on, past the decaying pile of stones. He reined in his mount and turned to his men. “We are home.”

The rest of the group cantered forward to join them.

Robbie leaned to his right and opened one of his bulging saddlebags, then pulled out a length of the bright purple and green McGregor tartan.

“I thought you left it behind,” Jane murmured.

“Aye, so we did. Most of it.” Robbie slung the tartan across her shoulders, then pulled out a second length, which he wrapped around himself. “Welcome tae Scotland, Janie.”

Once over the border, their progress was north easterly. Robbie explained that his brother’s castle, Mortain, lay in the lowlands, quite close to the border. Their route, designed to avoid English troops, had brought them into Scotland perhaps fifty miles to the southwest of their final destination. They had another two days of traveling before them.

“But, we are safe now,” she whispered. “No soldiers will find us, and Richard Culpepper cannot chase us here.”

“Aye, we are safe.” Robbie kissed her damp hair, then slid down to the ground and took the horse’s bridle.

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