Free Ann Carr by Loyal Warrior Page B

Duncan thinking! Oh God but this couldn’t be happening she wailed! He was going to get everyone killed!
    Debating which tree she was going to hide behind, Elizabeth noticed some movement amongst the shrubs, an instant later an arm holding a bow popped out, followed by a second hand holding a long arrow before the whole man appeared. God he was going to kill her! The arrow was aimed straight at ... no not her! Duncan! Screaming, she began running towards Duncan, at the same time the man released the arrow, beginning its arching dance of death.
    Elizabeth somehow managed to place her body in front of Duncan’s before he was halfway to Henry, she ran directly at him, bumping him with all her force, managing to knock him off balance.
    Duncan saw his wife seconds before she knocked him off balance, in the instant before she barreled her body into his chest, he watched as a look of intense pain washed over her lovely face. What was she doing? He raged as he regained his balance, furiously grabbing her by the shoulders, intending to push her out of the way before she got them both killed.
    Hearing her cry of pain as he took her shoulders he demanded, “What’s wrong?” But before she was able to answer he found it himself. As he looked down at her he could see the tip of an arrow poking out from below her collar bone, surrounded by a seeping stream of blood running over her now very pale skin, soaking into the neck of her dress. By God! This woman had just saved his life!
    Raising his eyes he saw the man standing in the trees, incriminating bow still clutched in his hand. He had momentarily paused in shock at having hit the woman, who until a few hours ago he had been sworn to protect! As his eyes met those of Duncan’s panic filled him, he reached behind him for another arrow. Before his hand made contact with it, Duncan had lowered Elizabeth to the ground and raised his sword above his head. The man in the trees pulled the arrow up over his shoulder and loaded it into the bow, but before he could release it he was propelled backwards into the shrubs from the force of the sword now lodged in his chest, he toppled back and was engulfed by the waiting shrubs.
    Duncan’s men, showing no fear, advanced and began their attack now with a sense of urgency and a consuming rage. Amidst the clash of swords and fighting going on around him, Duncan bent down and lifted Elizabeth into his arms. Thinking only of taking her away from all of this, he stumbled with the dead weight in his arms towards his horse. Before he got there he could hear Henry giving the orders to retreat.
    Not pausing, Duncan lifted Elizabeth up onto Shadows’ back so that she was lying across his saddle, then mounted behind her, lifting her drooping body to hold in his arms. It had been many years since he had talked to God, but Duncan was now praying wildly for the life of this woman who he held in his arms.
    “Duncan!” he turned to see his friend swiftly approaching him.
    “Malcolm! She’s still alive! I need to get her back to the castle as quickly as possible, follow with the men when ye’ve finished here!”
    “Ye should take someone with ye!” Malcolm cautioned.
    “Henry won’t do anything now, he’s running with his tail between his legs, probably won’t stop until he’s back in England!”
    “Maybe! But do ye want to risk that lassies life on it? Ye cannae afford any hold ups!”
    “John! Colin!” he yelled, “ Yer coming with me. Now!” With that he kicked the flanks of his horse and raced off with a hundred prayers in his heart, leaving Colin and John to catch him.

Chapter Ten
     
    The drawbridge dropped down with a deafening crash in the darkness, it was still echoing in Duncan’s ears as he raced his horse across it with increasing urgency. He didn’t slow his pace until he approached the entrance of the castle, where a handful of people had gathered, some holding candles up high to offer him light.
    “My Lord?” Mrs MacTavish,