Hiding Katherine by GG Shalton (reading women .txt) 📗

marriage. I will accept the bride price as your closest male relative in Scotland. This will protect you as you are no longer welcome at our keep and have no escort back to England.”

He looked at Deanna. “You will accompany my guard Burns to the market tomorrow. One of my friends has retained your services.” He smirked. “You are dismissed.”

One of the guards went to stand beside Katherine. He grabbed her arm tightly lifting her out of her chair as she twisted away. Derrek cleared his throat and shot a glare at the guard. The guard looked at him and released Katherine as she met Derrek’s eyes. He stared at her for a moment before looking away. The guard walked beside her out the door and refrained from touching her.

The other guard came up to Deanna as she stood without his assistance. She glared at the laird but said no words. She walked beside the guard and met her sister outside of the door. They walked together in silence back to their room.

After returning to their chamber, they collapsed on the bed. Katherine removed her slippers and snuggled under the blanket. Claudia came to sit beside them. “Tell me, what has happened.”

Deanna shook her head in disgust. “I will tell you what has happened. Our grandmother passed this morning and they are not allowing us to prepare her burial. They are treating her as an outcast and have bartered us off. I made a grave mistake in coming to Scotland. Either place, we are treated as chattel.”

“We must be strong, Deanna. Let’s pack our bags. We will find our escape soon.”

A scratch on the door made the girls jump. Katherine scooted off the bed and stood up. She put her hand up to stop Claudia from opening the door. “I will answer it.”

She cracked open the door and saw Derrek. The guard was not with him. He put his finger up to his lips to keep her quiet and whispered, “Come with me.”

Katherine whispered back, “Give me a moment to put on my slippers.” She closed the door and looked at them. “You must escape this room while I am gone. The guard is not outside the door. Meet me in the stables after supper when it is dark. I will find a way out of here later. This could be your only chance of escape. No one will know you are gone. I bet they won’t check on us until the morning.”

Deanna shook her head, “I will not leave you. You…”

Katherine interrupted her, “You must! Your fate is worse than mine. Meet me at the stables after dark. I will find a way. Now hush, I must go. He is waiting for me.”

Katherine returned to Derrek at the door and followed him up the stairs. Her heart pounded in her chest hoping that her sister and Claudia made their escape.

“We haven’t much time. My Da refused my request for your hand.” He reached out and took a piece of her hair running it through his fingers. “He expects you to leave in the morning with him and a group of our warriors. I am to accompany a different party going to the market. He wants to separate me from you.”

Katherine looked down trying to process how much time she would have to make her escape. He lifted her chin with his hand and looked into her eyes. “You must listen carefully. I will leave your chamber door unlocked tonight. The chamber next to yours has a panel that comes out in the corner of the room under the painting of the sunset. There is a tunnel that leads to the stores in the kitchen. The servants will be in bed and you can escape out the back. I will have a friend of mine named Dunn waiting for you by the side of the keep. He will give you a plaid to wear and cloak to cover your hair. He will take you to the woods and a clearing with a hollow tree. Wait there for me and I will come at dawn to fetch you. I have night duty tonight and won’t be able to get you until the morning. We will have a few hours head start and I will take you to a neighboring clan who owes me a favor. They will keep you safe until I can marry you.”

Katherine nodded afraid to say anything, hoping that her silence was not an indication of the plotting that was going on inside her head. He took her hands and brushed a kiss across her knuckles. “Let’s get you back inside.”

She followed him to her chamber and slipped inside. Looking around the room, she was relieved it was empty. Quickly running to the window, she scanned the area trying to spot her sister or Claudia but saw no one except a few servants. Looking back at the bed, she decided to rest while waiting for nightfall. She had to be well rested to escape.

A few hours later she woke with a start. She quickly got out of bed and gathered a few blankets and her belongings including a dagger that was hidden in her poetry book. One could never be too sure. Leaving her room, she opened the door to the chamber next door. On the floor next to the window was a bowl of oatcakes. She hurriedly put them in her bag as she smiled thinking that Derrek probably left it for her. She hated deceiving him after the kindness he showed her, but she pushed those feelings aside. After all, he was trying to push her into a forced marriage. The panel was easier to find than she thought it would be. She removed it and crawled through the tunnel dragging her bags behind her. The stairs were more difficult, but she made it down a few floors to another panel that was moved to the side. She crawled through it and stood up after entering