Chapter 153

They pulled into Lady Luck Farm late in the afternoon and Isobel hurried into the kitchen to tell the cook they'd have many more for supper. She quickly sent her sculleries to get more provisions, even as Frang and Isobel had many hands to assist them bring things in.

"I'm sorry it won't be more, brother," Frang said. "I feel like we should celebrate your impending marriage. We had no chance to celebrate with you when you announced it to the Keep, but the notice is too short. Perhaps a little whiskey?"

"We haven't chosen a date for the wedding. We can celebrate more when we announce a date," Thorburn said. "I should like to announce it to everyone here as well. Perhaps tomorrow before training, when most are together. I'm sure those who came from the Keep should like to know."

"I'm fairly certain all would like to know," Isobel said gently. "It was through your generosity most of these people are clothed and fed, Thorburn. We'll make sure they can toast to your marriage after your announcement tomorrow."

"Thank you."

It took awhile before the cook had more food made for everyone. Isobel, Ailene and even Teárlag all helped given the lack of notice, slicing bread and meats, stirring the pot, setting the table. The family sat down to dinner, including Bjarkë, eating quickly so they could converse about all that needed to be spoken of in private. They met in Frang's parlor, with double the usual guards at each door, window and even the room upstairs. It was hoped even if Blackthorne had spies among them, they couldn't listen in without the others realizing what was happening, thus protecting them from eavesdroppers.

Thorburn started the meeting, having the most to cover. He explained all he and Stuart found on their expedition into the tunnel and how Teárlag's maid had seen Teárlag's map and tried to copy it for Blackthorne, but was illiterate and Blackthorne was angry he didn't know what it was.

"Are you sure he doesn't know, nephew?" Bjarkë asked.

"We can't be absolutely certain without going into the tunnels again, but Blackthorne hasn't increased or decreased the guards on the tunnel, so all appears to be the same."

"What's that mean?" Frang asked.

"If he was sealing up the tunnel and abandoning it as an entrance, he wouldn't need any guards," Thorburn said, "and if he knew we knew about the tunnel and wanted to keep it but protect it more, he'd increase the guards. He's done neither. Stuart checked. Nothing's changed. Blackthorne's been harsher towards Teárlag, making us think he suspects something, but doesn't know and is warning her not to betray him."

Isobel put her arm on Teárlag's arm. "Harsher how?" She asked.

Teárlag told her what happened the last two times she'd gone to Blackthorne's. When she'd asked to move to the Keep, and again when he gave his answer. Ailene and Isobel gasped and hugged her, crying for her and with her as she told of the pain he'd imposed on her.

"She cannot go again, Thorburn. I forbid it," Isobel said. "It was worse than anything McTavish ever did to me and that was bad enough."

"We know, lass," Thorburn said, "though Blackthorne's said if she doesn't show up once a month, he'll assume she's betrayed him and hunt her down to the ends of the earth. We have two more weeks to come up with a plan before she's to report again and her falsehood is known to Blackthorne. It's why we've announced our marriage. It might help protect her from those closest to us, even if they've somehow been forced to spy for him."

"So you're only announcing your engagement to protect her, not because you have any intent to marry," Ailene said.

"Yes," Thorburn admitted. "I can't. I'm wounded too deeply by her deception."

"I wondered why you didn't appear happier at the news, Teárlag," Ailene said. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Teárlag said. "It's my own fault, I know."

"Do you have a plan?" Ailene asked. "You've had near two weeks to come up with one, Thorburn."

"I'm sorry. I don't have one yet. I don't believe we can take the Manor through the tunnel," he said. "I think we'd fail and lose all who made the attempt. I believe it's too dangerous. Our best hope is to draw Blackthorne out."

Ailene looked at Bjarkë and he nodded slightly. "I think you're looking at the tunnel all wrong, Thorburn. We don't need it to take the Manor. All we need it for is to take Blackthorne."

"What do you mean? I just told you the stairs to his study and bedroom are booby trapped and likely steel doors beside. We cannot get to him fast enough."

"But if he were in the dungeon, say with a new captive, we could take him there, right?" Ailene asked.

"Aye," Thorburn said, catching her drift, "we might take him there."

"How many men does Blackthorne have in the dungeon as he's torturing women?" Ailene asked Teárlag. "How many did he have when he was tormenting Màiri?"

"He said it's only him. He likes to do it himself. Sometimes there's another person to continue the torture as he sleeps, but that's mainly for men. He likes to do the women all by himself."

"So if he captured a woman, it would only be him, or perhaps one other person at most in the dungeon with him," Ailene reasoned. "We'd have him. I was thinking of a magistrate to arrest him, but if we had to kill him, we could, with only a few people."

"God, this could work," Thorburn said. "It absolutely could."

"What woman could we give him?" Stuart asked.

"It has to be me," Ailene said.

"Nay! Nay fucking way!" Stuart yelled. "Never in a thousand years. Thorburn, tell her. It can't be her."

"Ssshhh!" Thorburn said. "Quiet or the whole world will hear you." He waited until Stuart calmed down. "Why do you think it has to be you, Ailene? I can see you've given it some thought."

"It has to be Isobel or I and Isobel is too far with child," Ailene said. Stuart started to protest again, but Thorburn laid his hand on his arm. "Why you two, and not someone else?"

"If it's one of us, he can't kill us. We're too valuable as pawns. He knows he can trade us for your agreement to surrender the Keep. Any other woman, he might simply kill as worthless."

"He could still rape you, or harm you in some other way, without killing you," Thorburn said.

"It's a risk, I admit," Ailene said, "but perhaps you can add to my plan to ensure it doesn't happen that way. I was thinking you could be waiting in the tunnel, on the day I was taken. As soon as he brought me down there, you could come in and rescue me. He wouldn't let the men who took me hurt me. He'd want to do it himself."

"I could do it," Teárlag said. "He often punishes me down there."

"Does he always punish you there, Teárlag?" Ailene asked.

"No," Teárlag said, "most of the time I'm whipped in his study or bedroom."

"If you asked to be punished there, would he think it normal?" Ailene asked.

"No. He knows I'm terrified of it."

"Then I appreciate your offer," Ailene said, "but it still has to be me. We need him to be down there. I don't want Teárlag to go back again. She's been brutalized by the man too much already. She doesn't have the protections we do as hostages. Even if Blackthorne believed Thorburn loves you enough to marry you as he's announced, would he believe Thorburn would surrender his lands and estate in exchange for your life. Thorburn barely knows you, yet. It would be asking a lot of him to believe Thorburn would do it, a woman not yet even his wife, and he might not bring you down there again for months to punish you unless he knew you betrayed him. How many times would you have to return?"

"You would exchange your life for mine?" Teárlag asked. "A woman who spied on you and was willing to sell you out to Blackthorne?"

Ailene hugged her once more. "I think you've more than made up for your betrayal, in ways no woman should ever have to. You've increased the risk you faced by even admitting you've spied to us. Thorburn might have killed you. Blackthorne definitely would. I'll not ask more of you." Teárlag began crying. Isobel hugged her again.

"I know it's dangerous," Ailene said. "I don't want to do it, but I want to feel safe again. I want to be able to raise my children without fear they'll be taken. To know my husband is safe; to go to market without taking an army of sixty people; to not having to train so hard to protect myself. I want a normal life and I'm willing to do almost anything to get it. I think this can work. I think we can make it work. I know Thorburn can improve my plan. He's the tactician, but we can't wait any longer. Who knows what will happen next week or the week after? How long will we have the tunnel as a mode of entry to get Blackthorne."

"Please tell me you're not thinking of using Ailene, Thorburn," Stuart said.

Thorburn looked at him sadly. "It may be the only way, but I'll make it as safe as I possibly can, Stuart. If I don't think we can do it with minimal chance she'll be harmed, I won't. Let me consider it before I dismiss it out of hand. We'll discuss it thoroughly before any decisions are made, believe me."

The meeting broke up and everyone sought their own room. Ailene took Stuart to her bedroom and undressed him before shedding her own clothes. She hugged him, then pulled him down to her bed, spreading her legs for him, letting him take her hard, addressing his fears with a frantic fucking, plunging ceaselessly into her in an effort to claim her, to bind her to him, to acknowledge his need for her in ways his words couldn't express. When he'd released his seed at last, she held him close, wrapping him in her arms and legs.

"Why would you volunteer to place yourself into Blackthorne's hands?" Stuart whispered. "Whatever possessed you to come up with this awful plan?"