Highlander Unchained(61)

A crack of thunder caused her to jump and soon after that the rain started growing heavier by the minute. Dawn sighed inwardly feeling lucky that she was in a warm place with plenty of food.

She sprung up in her chair, struck by an unexpected thought. Dorrie. Good lord, she could not be left out in this rain all night. She would catch her death and Dawn could never live with that. Dorrie might not be a friend to her, but illness and death was too much of a punishment to suffer for her foolishness. She hurried to the door not bothering to collect her cloak. The rain would soak it quickly enough, and then it would prove more hindrance than help.

As soon as she opened the door one of Cree’s warriors blocked her from leaving.

“You are to stay here,” he said. “Cree’s orders.”

She shut the door and stood in thought. Then she remembered the window and hurried into the other room. She pushed the flat-top trunk beneath the window, yanked open the heavy shutters and hoisted herself up and partially out the window. Once her waist cleared it, her weight took her down the rest of the way. The mud eased her fall, though didn’t help with her appearance.

It didn’t matter though, her priority was Dorrie. The woman may have treated her badly at times but leaving her locked in stocks in a rainstorm was beyond horrific. It was inhuman.

She crept along the edge of the woods, steeling herself against the fright that ran through her when it stormed, until she was far enough away so that the warrior standing guard could not see her, and then she ran. The heavy rain had turned the ground quickly to mud and with dusk giving way to night and clouds covering what little moonlight there was, and it raining buckets, it would soon be difficult to see where one was going.

Dawn hurried through the empty village, everyone having retreated to their homes. She stopped briefly when she spied Dorrie. Her head hung down as if there was no life left in her and Dawn rushed to her side.

When she laid her hand on Dorrie’s shoulder, the woman barely raised her head, though she did managed to say, “I’m sorry.”

Dawn didn’t wait. She grabbed hold of the metal spike that locked the stock and pulled. It was wet and difficult to keep hold of and it took much effort to pry it out. Her arms ached from the task and once done with the one, she worked on the other. The top part of the stock was heavy and she feared for a moment that she would not be able to lift it without hurting Dorrie but after a struggle she got it off without harm to the woman.

Dorrie had trouble raising her neck and lifting her wrists so Dawn helped her and once free of the stock, she collapsed against Dawn.

“Bless you, bless you,” Dorrie said over and over.

Dawn nodded and slipped Dorrie’s arm over her shoulder and forced her to walk along with her. The rain was so bad Dawn could barely see in front of her and supporting Dorrie’s weight didn’t help the situation. But Dawn did not give up. She had to get Dorrie to the cottage and get a hot brew into her and some food and get her into dry garments.

Dorrie was near to collapsing when they reached the cottage. Dawn didn’t even think of returning through the window. She marched Dorrie right to the front door.

The warrior rushed to her, his mouth dropped open in shock that she was standing there and was not in the cottage. And when he caught sight of Dorrie...

“She belongs in the stock until Cree orders otherwise.” He reached out to grab Dorrie from her.

Dawn swerved to avoid him while her other hand shot out and gave him a shove he hadn’t expected. He went down hard giving her enough time to get Dorrie inside the cottage and latch the door.

“He will punish you for helping me.” Dorrie barely got the words out she was so weak.

Dawn didn’t bother to respond. She would face that problem when the time came. Now she needed to help Dorrie. She set the pitcher of cider near the hearth to heat while she hurried to the other room and snatched a fine wool skirt, wool stockings and linen blouse from the trunk.

“So much food,” Dorrie said. “Surely I am dreaming or,” —tears ran down her eyes— “I have died and gone to heaven.”

Dawn took a piece of meat and handed it to Dorrie.

Dorrie looked skeptical and glanced around, as if expecting someone to appear and punish her for even thinking of taking the meat.

Dawn shoved the meat into her hand and retrieved the pitcher of cider from the hearth and filled a tankard.

Once Dorrie took a bite of the delicious meat she couldn’t stop, she reached for more and she followed it with several gulps of cider. Her shivers grew worse as she continued to eat. Dawn hurried to collect the rain water and set it to heat by the hearth. The she prodded Dorrie and yanked at her wet garments. When she finally got Dorrie’s full attention she held up the dry clothes and pointed to her wet ones.