Regency Romance: A Duchess in Disguise (Historical 19th Century Victorian Romance) (Duke Fantasy Billionaire Romance) by Sarah Thorn Page A
Authors: Sarah Thorn
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in the dead of night rolled out of the window and began to climb down. She'd dressed in a black skirt and black shawl which made her almost invisible against the dark wall as she inched her way down. When she reached the end of the rope, she took a deep breath and let go. When she hit the ground, she tried to roll and take some of the force out of the landing, but she felt a sharp pain as her knee buckled under her.
She got up and limped down the embankment to the place where she'd married Alexander, and across to the road that led away from the castle.
When Alexander found out that his wife had escaped, he was furious. He took the guards by the throat and threatened each of them with beheading.
*****
Eana held her knee and grimaced as she lay in the undergrowth below Laird Sutherland's residence. It was almost dawn, and she'd been walking for six hours to reach her goal ten miles from Muir Castle. She saw guards circling the property and a deep looking moat full of stagnant water. She would wait until daylight and then present herself. She didn't want to risk being mistaken for a male intruder in the half light of the dawn. She'd probably be killed anyway, she thought, but she wanted to speak to Laird Sutherland first.
When the sun appeared from behind the castle walls, Eana came out from under the bushes and began to walk towards the moat. A guard high up on the castle wall shouted to a colleague, and in no time, she was surrounded. When they realized it was a woman, they decided they would bring her to Laird Sutherland instead of killing her.
''Who the hell are you?'' he roared. Just like his son Angus, Laird Sutherland was fat and red-faced. He had fiery ginger hair and cold blue eyes. Sitting in the great hall in a throne-like chair, he looked huge. He was dressed in red and white tartan and held a stick with a bulbous top which made it look more like a club than a stick.
''Do you now know who I am?'' Eana was brave enough to ask.
''I do not. Why were you walking near my castle? You are not Sutherland Clan.''
''I am Eana Irvine, the woman who married Alexander Muir.''
His eyes narrowed, and he leaned forward. '' Eana Irvine. You murdered both my sons.''
''I didn't. Your sons attacked me and died because of it. If they had kept away from me, they would both have been alive today.'' Her voice echoed in the huge room. The ceiling was high and full of oak rafters from which flags of Clans the Sutherland's had extinguished hung.
Laird Sutherland nodded, and the guards that were holding her let go. Without their support, she felt her knee give way, and she stumbled forward. He stood up and took hold of her collar in his fat fist. ''Why are you here? Do you realize I will kill you?''
''I have come to ask you to agree to peace between out clans. War will only lead to death and suffering. The Irvine and the Muir clans are not seeking war, but you are.'' Eana winced as he pulled her to him.
''I will not allow you to come here and tell me what to do. Your father and Laird Muir are both murderers, and they will be eliminated at Clodden Moor.”
This was not how Eana had planned it. She knew she would be killed, but her heart sank knowing that it would be for nothing.
“Guards take her away. W e'll kill her after the battle.''
Two guards took her by the arms and dragged her from the hall, down some stairs and threw her into a dungeon full of old straw.
''I quite fancy having a go at her later,'' she heard one guard say to his colleague.
****
Clodden Moor was an expanse of grassland exactly halfway between Drummond Castle and Sutherland Castle. It was a desperate day, horizontal rain lashed at both armies as they stood and looked at each other.
The Sutherland's had five hundred men, and the Irvine and Muir Clans together, four hundred and fifty. It should have been an even battle, but Laird Sutherland's warriors had much more fighting experience.
Alexander, his face covered in blue woad, stood in the
She got up and limped down the embankment to the place where she'd married Alexander, and across to the road that led away from the castle.
When Alexander found out that his wife had escaped, he was furious. He took the guards by the throat and threatened each of them with beheading.
*****
Eana held her knee and grimaced as she lay in the undergrowth below Laird Sutherland's residence. It was almost dawn, and she'd been walking for six hours to reach her goal ten miles from Muir Castle. She saw guards circling the property and a deep looking moat full of stagnant water. She would wait until daylight and then present herself. She didn't want to risk being mistaken for a male intruder in the half light of the dawn. She'd probably be killed anyway, she thought, but she wanted to speak to Laird Sutherland first.
When the sun appeared from behind the castle walls, Eana came out from under the bushes and began to walk towards the moat. A guard high up on the castle wall shouted to a colleague, and in no time, she was surrounded. When they realized it was a woman, they decided they would bring her to Laird Sutherland instead of killing her.
''Who the hell are you?'' he roared. Just like his son Angus, Laird Sutherland was fat and red-faced. He had fiery ginger hair and cold blue eyes. Sitting in the great hall in a throne-like chair, he looked huge. He was dressed in red and white tartan and held a stick with a bulbous top which made it look more like a club than a stick.
''Do you now know who I am?'' Eana was brave enough to ask.
''I do not. Why were you walking near my castle? You are not Sutherland Clan.''
''I am Eana Irvine, the woman who married Alexander Muir.''
His eyes narrowed, and he leaned forward. '' Eana Irvine. You murdered both my sons.''
''I didn't. Your sons attacked me and died because of it. If they had kept away from me, they would both have been alive today.'' Her voice echoed in the huge room. The ceiling was high and full of oak rafters from which flags of Clans the Sutherland's had extinguished hung.
Laird Sutherland nodded, and the guards that were holding her let go. Without their support, she felt her knee give way, and she stumbled forward. He stood up and took hold of her collar in his fat fist. ''Why are you here? Do you realize I will kill you?''
''I have come to ask you to agree to peace between out clans. War will only lead to death and suffering. The Irvine and the Muir clans are not seeking war, but you are.'' Eana winced as he pulled her to him.
''I will not allow you to come here and tell me what to do. Your father and Laird Muir are both murderers, and they will be eliminated at Clodden Moor.”
This was not how Eana had planned it. She knew she would be killed, but her heart sank knowing that it would be for nothing.
“Guards take her away. W e'll kill her after the battle.''
Two guards took her by the arms and dragged her from the hall, down some stairs and threw her into a dungeon full of old straw.
''I quite fancy having a go at her later,'' she heard one guard say to his colleague.
****
Clodden Moor was an expanse of grassland exactly halfway between Drummond Castle and Sutherland Castle. It was a desperate day, horizontal rain lashed at both armies as they stood and looked at each other.
The Sutherland's had five hundred men, and the Irvine and Muir Clans together, four hundred and fifty. It should have been an even battle, but Laird Sutherland's warriors had much more fighting experience.
Alexander, his face covered in blue woad, stood in the
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