Of course, Aleck had found the whole incident amusing and Robert never did receive a reprimand. After that, the sadistic guard would sit in the hall and glare at her whilst sharpening his dirk. She could have sworn, the whetstone would screech louder when she passed through the hall. It always made her skin prickle.
For the past several days, she crouched in the corner, rubbing her outer arms. The cell was always cold. On the far wall, a stream of water trickled tirelessly. With no privy closet, she’d used that side to relieve herself. Helen hated how miserably disgusting her life had become. Living in the dark, she’d lost all sense of time. She could have been imprisoned for a sennight or a month. Time simply blurred. With her mouth riddled with sores, her hair matted, she had been reduced to a subhuman troll living in purgatory.
Aside from the lack of a chamber pot, she had no ewer and bowl for bathing. She had no comb, no cloak and no blanket. She slept on a musty bit of straw, which she imagined had been there for years. She wouldn’t allow herself to think about who else may have used it or what they might have used it for.
How could Aleck do this to me?
Helen’s anger had transformed into a numbness that consumed her. She’d never thought she could hate anyone, but now she realized exactly how much she hated Aleck MacIain, and it tore at the inside of her gullet like the iron tines of a rake claw into the earth. The only thing that kept her remotely sane was her driving need to protect Maggie.
Would Sir Eoin help her?
Did he know she was there? Surely he had returned by now. Did Aleck discover she’d sent the missive to John? Had Aleck killed Eoin?
My God, the possibilities are horrendous. Will no one come to my aid? Bile burned her throat. Why on earth did I scribe that missive to John?
The door above creaked as it always did when Robert descended the narrow steps to the dungeon with a bit of food. Prisoner’s fare she’d grown to expect. A bit of bread. A half a cup of ale—broth if she was lucky.
Heavy footsteps slapped the stone steps and stopped outside her door.
Helen crawled to the gap and held her hand to the light now shining through the three-inch space.
“Are you there, m’lady?”
Her heartbeat quickened. “Mr. Keith?”
“Aye. I’ve a trencher for you.”
He slid the wooden platter under the door. Helen nearly swooned at the heady smell of roast lamb and onions. With a trembling hand, she grabbed a piece of meat and shoved it into her mouth. The sores hurt like someone pierced her gums with knives, but she salivated at the stimulating juices and her eyes rolled back.
“Mm.”
When she swallowed, she realized Mr. Keith hadn’t yet ascended the stairs. The light still shone from beneath the door. “Thank you for bringing me something other than bread.”
“I cannot bear to see you in here, m’lady. ’Twas the least I could do.”
“Where is Robert?”
“He sailed with Sir Aleck. The chieftain received a summons from the king.”
“Whom did Sir Aleck leave behind to tend the keep?”
“Just the grey-haired warriors. Much the same as usual.”
She reached her hand under the door as if she could touch the light. “Have you seen Sir Eoin?”
“Not in some time. Come to think on it, not since you…”
Not since before Aleck threw me into the dungeon. Dear Lord in heaven, what on earth happened to him? “How is Miss Maggie? Have you seen her?”
“I believe she’s well. Miss Sarah has orders to keep the bairn above stairs.”
“Could you…” She had to ask. After all, Mr. Keith was loyal to her—at least a little. “Could you please bring her to see me?”
“Oh no, m’lady. I shouldn’t even be speaking with you. We’ve all strict orders to stay away. I took a risk bringing you a good meal—if it weren’t for Peter’s insistence, you would have ended up with your ration of bread and ale.”
Helen wasn’t about to stop. Deploringly, she pushed her hand under the door as far as it would go. “Please. I’ve not seen a soul in God knows how long. I need to hold my bairn in my arms. You cannot know how devastating it is to be locked in blackness for days on end.”
“I-I’m ever so sorry, m’lady, but Sir Aleck threatened to hang anyone who dared help you.”