Read April Holthaus - The MacKinnon Clan 02 for Free Online

and walked in among the villagers. It wasn’t until we demanded they leave their weapons did we know that it was an ambush.”
    “Our castle was just attacked and the prisoners are gone. Someone will pay for this,” Wayland said in an unsympathetic tone.
    “We will gather men to go after the ones responsible,” the guard said.
    “Responsible? We know bloody well it was the Scots,” Lord Wessex sneered
    “There were only a few of them, how exactly did they get past you and into the dungeons?” Wayland asked the group of soldiers
    The line of soldiers looked around at each other but remained silent.
    “You will answer or you too will see yourself in the bowels of the dungeon,” Richard hollered.
    “It’s just, we are not certain what we saw, My Lord,” the same brave solider said.
    “And what is it that you think you saw?” Wayland asked.
    The solider cowardly lowered his head and whispered, “Lady Jacqueline, My Lord.”
    “Blasphemy. What is the meaning of this?” roared Lord Wessex.
    “It’s true, My Lord. We saw Lady Jacqueline open the door to the dungeon and that is when moments later, we saw the prisoners escaping to the woods,” the man replied.
    Facing Richard, Lord Wessex fumingly asked, “You dare have me wed a traitor?”
    “No, My Lord. Certainly these men must be mistaken. If you wish, we will confront her at once,” Richard said as they headed towards the staircase. 
    Jacqueline shook from the loud thundering sound the door made when someone repeatedly pounded on it. Opening the door, she saw Maggie standing in the doorframe. Deathly pale the poor woman looked distraught.
    Maggie brushed past Jacqueline, grabbed onto Jacqueline’s slippers and forcefully shoved them into Jacqueline’s hands. Reaching for the handful of silver that Jacqueline kept inside a black velvet trinket box, Maggie shoved the coins into a small leather pouch and tied it to the rope of Jacqueline’s cloak.
    Puzzled by Maggie’s unusual behavior she asked, “What is it, Maggie?”
    “May God have mercy on this night, my lady. Lady Jacqueline, I overheard one of the guards talking to your brother and Lord Richard. Your brother and cousin are on their way up here. They know that you were the one that helped them escape. They believe you to be a traitor and helped the Scots through the gate. You must go. Now. Quickly.”
    “But, Maggie I have nowhere to go.”
    “My lady, if you stay...” Maggie stopped in mid-sentence and began to weep in her hands.
    Jacqueline knew what she was going to say. That she would be charged with treason and put to death.
    “How can I leave without being noticed?”
    “You will need to take the secret passageways within the walls. If you stay to the right, it should take you to the cave next to the river. Do you remember the way?”
    Jacqueline only nodded. Maggie moved the tapestry to reveal one of the several entrances hidden throughout the castle. As a young girl, Jacqueline often played within the passageways only to get lost several times. Jacqueline hugged Maggie and without saying a word, she slipped inside the small doorway.
    “Bless you, Maggie.”
    “May God watch over you, child.”
    The passage was completely dark with no light to help guard her. Lightly, she pressed both of her hands onto each side of the wall and walked as fast as she could, trying to avoid tripping over the unleveled ground and broken floorboards. Scraping her hands on loose nails, she bit back the pain and kept going. She knew the entrance to the cave was quite a distance from the castle and that she did not have time to waste.
     
     
    All three men stomped up the stairs towards Jacqueline’s chamber. Kicking the door open with great force, the men were not surprised to find it empty. Wayland looked around and noticed that the bottom left corner of the tapestry had been folded inward. He knew right there and then what had transpired. The guard was not mistaken; she had a role in their