The Scot’s Reckless Claim – Bonus Prologue
April 1702
One year earlier, Castle Allan, Scottish Highlands
“She’s got tae be in there somewhere,” Laird Ewan Ballentine murmured in a low tone, unable to keep the desperation from his voice as he thought of his only sister Deidra being held somewhere inside the walls of the mighty stronghold, whose forbidding walls rose before him a short distance away. Knowing how terrified she must be was like being stabbed in the heart.
“Aye, but if she is, it’ll take some time tae find her. The place is vast. She could be anywhere,” said his trusted friend and war captain Colin Maclean grimly. The two men were crouched side by side, concealed in the tree line of the forest bordering the castle. Ranged invisibly behind them among the trees were fifty of his best fighters, a rescue party.
They had been surveilling the castle for hours, looking in vain for signs Deidra was there. It was the residence of Ewan’s bitter enemy, the evil Laird Calumn Allan, the man he was at war with and who had sent an assassin to kill him in his bed just a few days before. Taken by surprise, Ewan had fought the man off with nothing but his bare hands, sustaining several nasty wounds from the assassin’s dirk in the struggle.
Seeing he had failed in his mission, the man had fled, but not before grabbing Ewan’s beloved sister Deidra, who had come to investigate her brother’s shouts for help. Before a horrified Ewan could do anything to save her, the interloper had dragged her at knifepoint from the castle, unhindered, and made his escape—carrying her off into the night. Her screams still echoed in Ewan’s ears.
But now he was here, and he was determined to rescue her and take her safely home.
“I’m almost certain she’s inside, and if I ken Allan, he’ll have her locked up in his dungeons,” Ewan observed bitterly. “He’s likely enjoyin’ seein’ her terrified, and he kens it’ll be drivin’ me mad, the bastard. He’ll use her as a pawn in his plan tae kill me and take over me clan. So, we should try the dungeons first. At least we have the element of surprise on our side,” he pointed out to Colin.
“Aye, but it would be best tae find some way inside without raisin’ the alarm. Ye and me could sneak inside the walls and find the dungeons, while the men stage some kind of distraction tae keep the guards busy elsewhere. If we’re lucky, we might be able tae get in and out without bein’ seen.”
“That’s just what I was thinkin’,” Ewan agreed, looking at the high walls. “After dark, we’ll take a few men with us and scale the wall. The rest of the troops can stage a distraction by startin’ a fight at the main gates until we find Deidra and get her out.”
“Aye, good idea. We’d best get the man prepared.” Colin went to move back into the trees, but Ewan suddenly grabbed his arm and stopped him. Something had caught his eye. “Look,” he said, nodding in the direction of the huge castle gates. “Someone’s comin’ out.”
The gates were indeed swinging open, and a party of about thirty mounted soldiers, all wearing Allan’s distinctive black and gold livery, came riding out. “That’s Allan!” Ewan hissed, immediately recognizing the man seated on an enormous stallion leading them out.
Excitement surged inside him. “What a stroke of luck! He’s off somewhere, tae cause more misery, nay doubt. But havin’ him and so many of his men out of the way is gonnae make this a lot easier,” he murmured as they watched Allan and his men ride away, heading north.
“Wait, look, there’s more comin’ out,” Colin said, pulling Ewan’s attention back to the gates. They observed closely as a smaller party of mounted troops, decked out in black and azure this time, emerged from the mighty portal. A fresh wave of anger washed over him, for there was no mistaking the tall, blond-haired warrior riding proudly out front with his captains.
“Bloody hell, ’tis Galbraith!” Colin exclaimed softly. Laird Gregory Galbraith was one of Allan’s allies in the war being waged against them. “What’s he doin’ here?”
Ewan’s eyes narrowed with vengeful suspicion as they followed Galbraith’s party riding away. “What indeed?” he echoed, already half convinced Galbraith was involved in Diedra’s kidnapping. He’s just made himself an even bigger target, he thought, resolving to attack Galbraith in his heartland the first chance he got.
He and Colin moved stealthily back into the trees so Ewan could brief his waiting men on the plan, and they began preparing to carry it out as soon as darkness fell.
Less than an hour after that, he had another lucky break. Two of the men sent out to scout the vicinity returned, dragging between them one of Allan’s guards. They threw the half-conscious soldier to the ground. “Found him and his pal on guard duty in the woods,” one of the scouts explained. “The other one’s dead.”
Ewan stood over the groaning man. “Throw some water over him and bring him around. I want tae interrogate him,” he ordered. A few twists of the man’s broken arm were all it took to extract the information he wanted. He was elated and relieved to learn that Deidra was indeed inside, alive, locked in the dungeons. In addition, he obtained details of the basic layout of the castle’s interior, the location of the dungeons, and the number and distribution of the guards left defending the place in their laird’s absence.
More importantly, before he died, the guard gave them directions to a secret entrance, an underground tunnel located nearby within the forest.
When the silver sliver of a new moon rose in the sky, and the castle was quiet, Ewan, Colin, and four soldiers gathered there, equipped with closed lanterns. Ewan held one high as he opened the wooden hatch and led his men into a passageway hewn from living rock. The ceiling was low, so he had to stoop, but they made fast progress along it. Before long, they came to a stairwell.
“We’re inside, the castle now,” he said, advancing up two flights of stone steps to a wide landing. The stairs continued to the upper floors, but to their right, a wide passage opened up before them.
“That must be the way tae the dungeons the guard described,” Colin murmured, peering down the passageway at a stout wooden door.
“Aye, come on,” Ewan urged, hurrying towards it. When they got there, he tried the handle. “Damn, ’tis locked.” Undeterred, he took out his dirk and signaled the others to do the same. “Close yer lanterns and stand back in the shadows, lads,” he ordered. “Let’s find out if anyone’s at home.” The others moved back and pressed themselves against the walls, blades in hand. Then, he hammered on the door with his fist and shouted, “Open up in there! Hurry up, I havenae got all day!”
Nothing happened at first, so he repeated the action. “I said open up, ye deaf bastards! Get a bloody move on!” he yelled, making the door rattle on its hinges. He pressed his ear to the scarred wood, confident someone would eventually come to see who was making such a racket.
Finally, they heard the jingle of keys from beyond. A key was put in the lock, it turned, and Ewan immediately wrenched it open, coming face to face with a startled guard.
“Who the—” the man cried just before Ewan’s fist crunched into his face. He slammed into the wall behind and slid down to the flagstones, face bloody, and knocked senseless. Ewan calmly stepped over him whilst unsheathing his sword in a smooth motion, followed by Colin and the other men as he made his way into the main area of the dungeons.
“Christ, it stinks in here,” one of them muttered, gagging. And indeed, all but Ewan covered their noses and mouths with their forearms to avoid breathing in the foul stench. He was oblivious to everything but finding his sister.
The last man through the door relieved the unconscious guard of his weapons, closed the door behind him, and stationed himself next to it, a small but deadly welcoming party should anyone else try to enter.
Ewan, Colin, and the others emerged into the main part of the dungeon. Ewan stood looking around, seeing rows of small, barred cells in front of him. A guard dozing on a chair nearby suddenly started awake when they entered.
“Who the hell are ye?” he roared, shooting out of his seat and going for his sword. Colin engaged with him immediately, leaving Ewan free to find Deidra. But a split second later, another guard burst from one of the cells, his blade already in his hand. Ewan went for him, and their blades clashed, echoing deafeningly around the dank stone walls.
Ewan, buoyed by hopes of seeing Deidra any minute, pressed forward against the guard’s spirited resistance. “Get out of me bloody way!” he roared at the man, his shout resounding and bringing piteous cries for help from some of the prisoners in the cells.
“Ewan?! Is that ye?” came a woman’s voice, thin, tremulous, filled with fear and hope.
“Deidra, I’m comin’’!” he yelled, thrilled to hear his sisters’ voice. Colin appeared beside him, having left the other guard lying on the floor groaning and clutching the hole in his chest.
“Ewan! Thank God! I knew ye’d come. I’m in here!” Deidra called back with renewed strength. Ewan glimpsed her, her hands gripping the bars of a cell only a few feet away. His heart turned over to see her pale, drawn face streaming with tears of happiness and relief as she peered out from between them.
“I’ll be there in just a moment, I promise,” he assured her. But the stubborn guard, though outnumbered, did not seem eager to cease fighting. He stood on the threshold, stopping them from getting to Deidra’s cell. Ewan, infuriated, suddenly paused his attack. The guard appeared taken aback and stopped as well, staring at him, panting, red-faced.
“Daes Allan pay ye enough tae die fer him?” Ewan asked. “Because that’s me sister in there, and if ye dinnae stop fightin’ and set her free, ye’re gonnae wind up dead just like yer pal over there.”
The guard’s eyes flicked to the now-still body of his companion and the crimson pool surrounding him. He seemed to make a decision.
“Aye, ye’re right. I dinnae get paid enough fer this,” he said at last, letting his sword clatter to the floor. “I’ll let her out.”
“Sensible man,” Ewan muttered as he followed him the door of Deidra’s cell. The guard produced a bunch of keys from his belt, selected one, and unlocked the door. Deidra rushed out, straight into Ewan’s waiting arms. It was an emotional reunion, and as sobs shook her body, he had to hold back tears himself for having found her unharmed.
While they were hugging, Colin locked the guard in Deidra’s cell. When she and Ewan broke apart, he hugged Deidra as well. “Time tae come home, lass,” he told her soothingly.
“Come on, we’re nae out of the woods yet,” Ewan said, taking her hand and pulling her towards the door, the others following. They raced back down the tunnel and quickly emerged into the forest. Immediately, the sound of fighting could be heard, growing louder as they approached their makeshift camp and the waiting horses.
“It sounds like the lads have been doin’ a grand job keeping the guards busy,” Colin remarked with a wry smile as they all hurried to mount up.
“Aye, give the signal tae call the men off now, Colin,” Ewan ordered, smiling at Deidra as he reached down to help her up behind him. “We’re done here, and now we’re goin’ home.”
