Chapter 118

Teárlag's carriage arrived just after ten, the guard sounding an alarm as it pulled up to the gates. In addition to the driver and two footmen, she was accompanied by a ladies maid. The servants were shown to the kitchen for food or drink after the drive. Teárlag was given a goblet of water, but otherwise not acknowledged. Stuart and Ailene were the last to arrive in the courtyard after the alarm was sounded, both seeming to walk with some soreness. Not a word was spoken to her. Isobel and Ailene stood by her side, silent, watching. Stuart, Frang, and Thorburn checked the basement, while Bjarkë watched the door. When they were done searching, Bjarkë nodded to the three women and Teárlag was escorted to the basement. The silence was deafening. These were all people Teárlag considered friends until she revealed herself a spy. Now they would not speak; could barely look at her.

Teárlag was led into the strapping room. She'd been there before when Isobel had slapped Jinny and been punished for it. Now, it looked far more sinister. The pillory, the table with the straps for securing you; it might be primarily for Keep punishments, but it could be used for worse. She started to weep, silently, but still seen by all as all of them watched her.

"Thank you for coming," Frang said.

"Please," Teárlag said. "If you're going to kill me, do it quickly. I might not be able to bear the pain."

Frang looked at her oddly. "If you thought you would be killed, why did you agree to come?"

Teárlag started sobbing openly. "It's what I deserve, isn't it? You welcomed me into your home, welcomed me as family and I betrayed you all. Blackthorne would torture me for weeks if I exposed him. I hoped you would at least grant me mercy and kill me quickly. It's a far better way to die."

Ailene couldn't stand it any longer and put her hand on Teárlag's. "We're not going to kill you, Teárlag, nor torture you either. We're hoping for information."

"Why are we here, then, why not somewhere else in the Keep?"

"We believe this might be the only place we can converse in secret," Frang said. "Blackthorne's spies have proven very effective in insinuating themselves in our lives."

"You mean me."

Frang said, "Others too. You're not the only one. Sit down. We want to ask questions."

"Why would you believe anything I have to say?" Teárlag asked.

"Because we did not know you were spying, yet you told us anyway; at great personal risk to yourself. We hope that means something," Frang replied.

Teárlag noticed Thorburn was not speaking. He paced around the room like a caged lion, as far from her as the room allowed. For whatever reason, Frang was taking lead in this.

"Ask your questions," she said.

"Why did you agree to spy for Blackthorne?" Frang asked.

"Greed, primarily. The chance to be a great Lady. I was twice widowed, living in a miserly home, hand to mouth, expecting to die penniless and alone. Blackthorne sent for me. He said he wanted an heir and was willing to marry me to bear him children, as long as I agreed to spy on you. I didn't know you. It was merely an argument between two powerful families, either or both of whom could be in the wrong. It didn't matter to me I would be used in this manner if I got to be a wealthy lady. I had to decide at that moment. He said if I chose to decline, I could go home, and his only requirement would be my silence and he'd kill me if I broke it. He would find another to take my place. Now, I'm not so sure he would have let me live. He's since proven he doesn't like witnesses."

"So you agreed," Frang said. "Why did you not marry?"

"The marriage would only take place after I helped him destroy you; take your property, your lands. If I failed to accomplish this goal, the marriage would never take place. Given what happened afterward, I should have run screaming from him and leaped out a window to my death."

"What do you mean? What happened afterward?" Isobel asked.

"Blackthorne said he had peculiar tastes and desires and I would have to satisfy those tastes or we would never marry. He beat me, a cane, I believe the first time, though it's all run together now, then he fucked me. He refused to fuck normally, said I couldn't get pregnant yet because it would be another bastard if we weren't married yet. So, he fucked me in the ass, then my mouth. Every time I saw him, it was the same. Some form of physical brutality followed by some type of sexual brutality. If I wasn't going to be seen by one of you, I was marked for weeks. The only time he held back was if his marks might be seen by one of you. I believe now he may not get an erection if he doesn't beat me first."

"My God!" Ailene said. "Why did you stay? Why put up with it?"

"You've seen what he's capable of," Teárlag said. "After my first time with him, I was so terrified, I couldn't leave for fear of what he'd do. I've not even told you the worst of it."

"What could be worse?" Isobel asked.

"He started plotting with McTavish after Abner lost you and his property to Frang. Because McTavish wasn't getting any sex, he gave me to him. Couldn't use my cunt, just my ass and mouth. You know, Isobel. You know how disgusting he is, how badly he stinks. It may be worse after you left as he had nothing. I nearly retched each time he used me. Blackthorne kept me naked the entire time I was at the Manor. Didn't care who saw me that way, the butler, any of his other men, McTavish. I was like a piece of furniture, except I'd scream when he beat me and take his cock when the beating was over."

No one could speak for minutes afterward, imagining what Teárlag went through.

Finally, Frang asked, "What were you tasked to do?"

"I was to seduce one or all three of you, get close any way I could, divulge the smallest detail to him each week when I reported. He even said I could use sex to get what he wanted, though only my ass or mouth again. He wouldn't tolerate any Cameron bastards and there'd be no marriage if I had one. Essentially, I was expected to act like and was treated like the lowest whore by anyone Blackthorne chose to give me to."

Thorburn had stopped pacing. He was no closer, but he was listening to every word.

"Cards for cheating was mentioned by Thorburn when he informed us of your confession. What can you tell me about them?" Frang asked.

"McTavish was given a couple decks of cards Blackthorne found; one to practice and one to play. I couldn't see the cards but Blackthorne said something about the design at the tops and bottoms signifying strength of the card, and that on the sides indicating the suit. He told McTavish when he could go through the deck three straight times identifying which card he held by looking at the back, he could start playing cards again. Gave him another thousand pound stake. He was not to win regularly until you joined the game, then he was to take all the money he could, maybe get his property back although the property would go to Blackthorne, not McTavish except his debt would be forgotten."

"Are these the cards?" Frang asked, tossing them on the table in front of Teárlag.

Teárlag looked at them. "I can't say for sure, I didn't see them, but he did mention they had diamonds on the back, so those might be the ones." She looked at Frang. "How much did you lose?"

He smiled at her. "A lot at first. McTavish talked about taking his wife and property back, but I eventually ended up getting most of a thousand pounds off him before the game ended. I thought something odd about the cards. I had Isobel strike me so I could spill wine on them; get a new deck. After we got the new cards, he started losing consistently, as he usually does. He was close to broke when I left."

"He's not long for this world then," Teárlag said.

"What do you mean?" Isobel asked.

"Blackthorne said he'd kill McTavish if he lost more of his money. He already owed Blackthorne a 1000 pounds. I know he's your former husband so I'm sorry if you still have any feelings for him."

"None at all, thankfully," Isobel replied. "I'd not wish him ill, but I won't be sorry if he dies either, especially if he's been working with Blackthorne."

"What more can you tell us about his plans?" Frang asked.

"Not too much, really. I'm sorry. I wasn't really privy to most of his plans. I happened to hear or see some things because I was there - like I said, a piece of furniture. He didn't mind speaking in front of me because of what would happen if I did, but it wasn't often. Mostly it was just me when I reported. He'd ask a hundred questions about you, beat me and fuck me, then send me away. All I could truly say is there's no one plan. I'm sure he's got a dozen irons in the fire, he keeps poking each one to see which one's hot. While you're reacting to one thing, he'll hit you with another. He's the devil himself."

"Why did you tell Thorburn you were a spy?" Frang asked. "Were you worried we'd find out? You've lost all advantage, your life is at risk because you told. Is this another plot within a plot? Why? Why now?"

Teárlag started crying again. For the longest time, there were no sounds but her pitiable sobs.

"Why, dear?" Ailene asked gently.

"Because I fell in love with Thorburn. Because I love all of you."

Thorburn left the room and Teárlag's sobs increased. Bjarkë entered eventually, Thorburn having taken his place as guard.

"Help me understand, dear," Ailene asked.