Real Vampires: Glory and the Pirates by Bartlett, Gerry (red white royal blue TXT) 📕

“I’m sorry, Gloriana. They had to open the drawbridge to let our carriage through. And our escorts on their horses, as well.” Fiona took my hand. “But there were guards then. Why didn’t they stop this mischief?”

“A good question.” I was afraid I knew the answer. “Lady Anne, why don’t you take your mother to your bedchamber? I think she needs to rest.” That lady was still upset. Had she received another message from Clyne? I didn’t have time to deal with that now.

“Yes, that’s a good idea. Come, Mama.” Anne nodded. “I will order a bedchamber prepared for our guests. One or two, Countess?”

“Robert and I do not like to be apart. One will do.” Fiona released me to approach Anne. “Felicitations on your marriage, Lady Anne. We met once before, in Edinburgh. And I know Lady Rose from card parties. I’m sorry you seem upset, my dear.” She patted Lady Rose on the shoulder. “It is certainly a fine night for your daughter. Captain Burnett’s family is a distinguished one. This alliance should make you happy.”

“Yes, I am happy for her.” Lady Rose smiled through her tears. “I am being foolish.” She gazed around the courtyard, full of armed guards. “I am perfectly safe here, I know it. Thank you, Gloriana, for taking such good care of us. Now I think I will lie down for a bit.”

The two ladies disappeared into the castle while Valdez and Fergus studied the ruined pulley and chains.

“Are you sure it won’t go up?” Valdez walked over to look at the chains more closely. He had women to deal with and he knew we were not going to meekly sit in our bedchambers with a war going on outside. He looked harried.

“You think we haven’t tried? Someone was very thorough when he broke it this time. Broke both of them. Clearly we have a pirate working in our midst.” Fergus ground his teeth.

“What about the guards on the drawbridge?” I was afraid of his answer. The last time the drawbridge had been tampered with, the guards had met a bad end.

“We’d doubled the guard since the last problem. This night word got out that Colin MacLean was getting married. There was a bit of free ale passed around in celebration.” Fergus gazed around the courtyard. No one was making merry now. Every man was holding a weapon and intent on the road to the castle or the forest surrounding it.

“Two who were supposed to stand guard couldn’t resist the chance for a pint and left their posts. That left two at the bridge.”

“They’ll be punished, I’m sure, the ones who left,” Valdez said then exchanged a look with Fergus. “And the others? I hope one of them didn’t end up with his throat slit in the stables. Did the other disappear like last time and join the pirates in the harbor?”

Fergus nodded. “The one on the run? Can you guess his name?”

“Didn’t you go through the alphabet? You said the letter ‘M’ was no help.” My trip to the witch’s hut had done nothing but leave me with a lingering feeling that I wasn’t quite right. I’d washed away the evil, but still felt unclean. And my taste! If only I could down some of Colin’s ale to rinse that out of my mouth. It had started to be foul when I’d been shot. Now it was even worse.

“True. But what do you have if you turn that bowl around, Gloriana?” Fergus slapped his thigh.

“’W!’ What was the man’s name, Fergus?” I couldn’t believe we hadn’t thought of that. The fact that the witch hadn’t mentioned the possibility made me wonder if she could be in league with the pirates after all.

“Wylie. Jon Wylie. He called himself that anyway. Bastard. Murderer. Or tried to be. Didn’t slit the man’s throat this time but sneaked up behind him and knocked MacLeod clean out. He’ll be all right except for an aching head. We can be grateful for that.”

“But we’re stuck with an open drawbridge.” I knew what I wanted to do and exchanged a look with Flo. “You’ll need more guards there. Ready to fight. I have a feeling Jeremiah and his troops will be busy at the beach.”

“Gloriana, you are not going to join the fight.” Valdez blocked the steps.

“Not in this dress.” I started back up the steps, ignoring his growls of displeasure.

“You’re going to fight?” Fiona sounded excited. “I would love to help defeat the pirates. You heard me. I am an excellent shot. My pistols are in the carriage. I never travel without them.”

“Then we should send for them.” I ignored Valdez who had muttered something about MacDonald not liking that. “We have britches that will make it much easier to move.”

“Like the men wear?” Fiona looked down at her skirt, so full that it brushed the walls on both sides of the stairs when she walked. “How did you manage that?”

“I have a very talented housekeeper.” I exchanged a grin with Flo when we stopped in front of my bedchamber. “I think you are closer in size to Florence. Flo, will you let Fiona try on one of your pairs of britches?”

“Certainly. You may not like them. They are strange to feel in your canale dell’amore, if you know what I mean. Too close.”

“I cannot wait to find out.” Fiona laughed and followed Flo up the steps to her room.

“You are mad if you think I will allow you to go to war. Certainly not dressed as a man.” Valdez fumed and then cursed when I stepped inside then slammed my bedchamber door in his face.

Would he open the door and try to stop me from changing clothes? I waited a few moments then realized I had no hope of changing anything. Not with the tight bodice that closed in the back of the dress. Mercy had helped me into it. I needed someone to open the fastenings to