The Betrayal of Maggie Blair - By Elizabeth Laird Page 0,88

opened and began to bleed again.

I took a deep breath.

"I saw a short little man in a brown coat running that way," I said, pointing toward the Clyde, "if that's the one you're looking for."

I didn't dare look at my uncle. Even at this moment of extreme danger, I knew he'd never stoop to such a blatant untruth.

"You're lying." The tallest dragoon came up and stood so close to me that I could smell onions on his breath. Though my heart was thudding, I managed to stare boldly back at him.

"Why should I lie? The man's nothing to me."

One of the others snorted with contempt.

"She's another light skirt, like the lieutenant's new fancy piece. Sick and tired of all the preachifying. Women are all sneaks, anyway."

I flushed but held my tongue. My lie was working. They were looking in the direction I'd pointed, shading their eyes to scan the moorland. I seized my chance and backed away, then began to run down the far side of the hill. I lost my balance almost at once on the steep slope and slithered down a good stretch of it on my back.

"The devil Renwick's slipped through between us!" I heard one of the soldiers shout to the others. "Get off after him! We'll take this treasonous Covenanter back to the lieutenant. What? The girl? Let her go, the little Jezebel."

***

It was a long way back to Ladymuir, and I ached with tiredness before I was halfway there. I could only hobble slowly on sore feet by the end, but when I came within earshot of the house, I heard sounds that made me pick up my skirts and run.

Men were shouting and laughing, and a woman was screaming.

I raced, panting, through the yard entrance to find Black Cuffs swarming. Two held Ritchie by the arms, and he was struggling desperately to free himself. Another man had seized Grizel, who, crimson with rage, was trying to beat him off with her fists. Aunt Blair stood by the door, her face as white as her cap, her hands held out in front of her as if she was warding off the Devil himself.

"No!" she screamed. "No!"

And then I saw Lieutenant Dundas. He was holding Andrew over the lip of the well by one arm. The poor baby, wriggling and bellowing, threatened to slip out of his grasp at any moment.

"Where is he? If you want your squealing brat, you must tell me where you've hidden the preacher!"

"I know where he is! I'll tell you! Don't drop him!" I shouted.

Lieutenant Dundas spun around.

"Who are you? What do you know?"

"My niece! That's my niece! Maggie, catch Andrew! Don't let him fall!"

"Please, sir, give me the baby," I said, walking forward slowly, as if I was approaching a dangerous dog. "I'll tell you. I saw him. I know where he is."

"Maggie!" Ritchie called out. "Mind what you say!"

Lieutenant Dundas almost flung Andrew at me. Aunt Blair darted forward and snatched him out of my arms.

With a final frantic lunge, Ritchie shook off the two soldiers. They made no effort to restrain him again. Everyone was looking at me.

"My uncle's taken," I said to Aunt Blair. I turned back to Lieutenant Dundas. "Your men took him, up on the top of Windyhill, by the cairn." I bit my lip, wishing I hadn't mentioned the cairn, afraid I'd given too much away.

"The Devil can take your damned uncle," Lieutenant Dundas barked impatiently. "Where's the traitor Renwick?"

"I'm telling you. They surrounded Windyhill and chased Uncle Blair and Mr. Renwick up it. But Mr. Renwick slipped between them, and I think—I didn't see—perhaps he hid behind some stones or a ... a gorse bush. But then he went on northward, across the moor toward the Clyde. They've gone after him, some of them. The others arrested my uncle. They said they'd bring him back to you. But please, sir, you don't want him. Please, let him..."

Lieutenant Dundas's hand shot out, and he gripped me painfully by the throat.

"Are you telling the truth? You'll be sorry if it's a lie."

I knew I'd be sorry for the sin but not for the result.

"I'm telling you," I managed to croak, though he was half strangling me. "They nearly caught Mr. Renwick on the top of Windyhill, and now they're chasing him north, over the hills."

That's the truth, after all, I told myself.

"Hugh? They've taken Hugh?" Aunt Blair cried out, as if she'd only just understood. Still clasping Andrew, she sank down on to the