The Highland Hero by Emilia Ferguson

Author:Emilia Ferguson
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Highland
Publisher: 0
Published: 2017-10-09T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

LEAVING

LEAVING

I n the corridor, Chrissie looked about wildly. Where were the guards? What had happened? All she knew was that his lordship had been outside the door and had come in and then...

She swallowed. She would not think about that. Not yet. Not until she was away from here. Perhaps not even then. She would not think about it. It hadn't happened. It couldn't have happened.

She was shivering, frightened, and she hated everyone in that moment, even Blaine, who had saved her. He had seen her humiliated. He was probably as ashamed as she felt. She felt horrible. Humiliated, cheapened. Made worthless. She wished he could just disappear, leave her alone.

“I'm going to carry you downstairs, dear,” he whispered. She winced at his gentling tone and he must have seen her face, for his own stiffened. “Play dead, maybe?”

Chrissie closed her eyes, glad for a moment's escape that afforded her. With her eyes closed, she could be anywhere. She could be at home, safe in her bedchamber with the door locked. She could...

“What've you got there?”

She tensed and she felt Blaine's arms tense around her. They had reached the bottom of the stairs. Evidently, someone was on guard there. Chrissie tried to stay limp, knowing she should pretend to be dead. However, she was terrified and could feel herself start to shake.

“A body. What d'you think I've got?” Blaine said defiantly.

“But...” a man's voice trailed off. “But who are you? His lordship said...”

“I'm the headsman,” Blaine said directly. “Why'd you think his lordship got me to cut her throat, eh?”

“But he said Bruce would do it,” the speaker said firmly. “Bruce! Over here!”

Chrissie stiffened. All they needed was for Bruce to come over and query it. Then Blaine would be finished. Her with him as well. She would not pass as a dead body unless they were all blind. She thought quickly. She couldn't even walk, so how could she run?

Blaine stepped back. Chrissie felt him swing round and then run down the hallway. She saw, through her closed eyelids, that the place was lighter, and guessed that they ran towards the courtyard. Why was he going there? What did he think they would do when they reached it? He was being a fool...

They ran out into sunlight. Chrissie tried to keep up the pretense of being dead. The man who had addressed them was behind, hollering for the rest of the men to join him. She could hear feet on stone steps, and she wanted to open her eyes.

“I'm heading for the gate,” Blaine whispered in a low voice. “There's a rope to lift it. When I yell, do you think you can grab it and..?” he trailed off. They were, Chrissie realized, eyes open, almost at the gate. She sat up. He yelled.

“Aaah!”

That, she guessed, was her cue. She saw the rope, grabbed it and pulled. She let her whole weight lean on it and he loosened his grip, letting her swing down as a counterweight as the gate went up.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.