2 comments/ 16678 views/ 3 favorites On the Royal Mile: Accused By: Belle_in_south The cloaked shape skirted across the square between St. Giles and the dark Parliament House before crossing the cobblestones of the Royal Mile. The Castle towered at the top of the hill, guarding the Firth of Forth. Far below, the windows of Holyrood Palace, barely visible at the foot of the steep slope, flickered with candlelight. The shadow stepped into the arched opening of Advocate's Close and paused, looking beyond the Cathedral to Castle Hill. Guards were milling about the grounds, so the dark outline adjusted the hood to protect a hidden identity. The cape billowed as the figure swept through the arch and down the steep stairway, expertly weaving through the narrow passageway. The shape moved with confidence down the dark alley, evidence that the journey was familiar to the lone sojourner. A fog crept up the close from the Nor' Loch, parting around the tail of the traveler's cloak as the figure moved stealthily. The stranger paused in a dim recess before reaching the lower street running along the valley floor between two of Edinburgh's volcanic hills. A head lifted to examine the windows of the building across the Close. The buildings towered above the street, the upper levels close enough that neighbors could touch through the windows and did not allow any moonlight to reach the reeking corridor below. Without dropping the hood, the intruder crossed the lane and entered the building. The cloak swirled as the figure raced up the steps to the third floor. Knuckles rapped against the wooden door of the flat and it swung open immediately, sweeping the figure inside and closing the darkness out. Arms instantly enfolded the visitor. A soft body pressed against the guest. Warm lips found the cold ones hidden inside the hood. The stranger's arms emerged from the cloak, encircling the welcoming maiden. Soft hands cupped the visitor's face, pushing the covering back as tongues dueled in a passionate battle. "I thought you would never come," the young girl whispered when they finally broke the kiss for need of breath. The guest stepped out of the embrace, long fingers untying the knot at the neck of the cloak. Mairi Robertson turned a circle as her eyes followed the tall figure crossing the wooden floor of her home. "I told you I would," Caitriona Macgregor answered, tucking her skirt tail against her legs as she crouched before the fire in an effort to drive the cold from her body. She held her hands toward the feeble flames, feeling the heat flood her face. Mairi eyes lingered on the woman who had changed her world. Caitriona had long black hair that tangled into a mass of curls. Her skin held a tint that Mairi found exotic. Her eyes, like her skin, were dark. At some point, Roman soldiers had copulated with Macgregor women, creating the unusual coloring. She was tall and graceful. The first time Mairi had seen Caitriona shopping for wares in the Lawn Market, Mairi had been captivated. A smile touched Mairi's full lips as she remembered the encounter. She'd followed Caitriona from stall to stall, unable to pull her eyes away from the woman. She hadn't understood why her body warmed suddenly in the December air as she traced the curves of the mysterious stranger. Every time Caitriona had looked her direction, Mairi had frantically sought something else for her focus. When she lost sight of the tall lass, a moment of panic had seized Mairi as she attempted to relocate the object of her scrutiny. Her panic was replaced by a sense of relief. Her body's rhythms seemed to return to normal with the stranger out of sight. She spun to return to her Mistress's house and found herself face-to-face with the beauty. "Lose something?" "What are you smiling about?" Caitriona asked, pulling Mairi back to the present. The woman was still kneeling by the fire, her body half-turned toward Mairi, the fire behind her creating a saintly glow around her face. Mairi crossed to the fire, removing the coffee pot from the heat. She carefully poured two cups, lingering with her back to Caitriona as she answered. "The first time I saw you." A soft chuckle left Caitriona's throat as she stood, stepping close to Mairi. She glided her hands over the smaller woman's stomach, sliding them up to cup the full globes of her breasts. "Ahh, yes, I remember you following me through the Lawn Market." Mairi turned her head to the side, her lips close to Caitriona's. Her breath was warm on her lover's face as she replied. "I would follow you anywhere." "I was tempted to lead you into Riddell's Court and have my way with you then and there." Mairi's eyes were focused on Caitriona's lips. Her hands covered Caitriona's. "I would not have fought you." Her words increased in pitch as Caitriona's thumbs brushed over her nipples. "Cait," she whispered as she moistened her lips with her delicate pink tongue. "Hmmm?" Cait mused as she continued her gentle assault. Her thumbs moved in firm, tiny circles over the growing peaks. She massaged around the hardening pebbles, brushing against them as they strained for more contact. Her lips moved against Mairi's neck as her hands teased. Mairi placed her hand behind Cait's neck, holding her lover in place as lips moved against the arch of her neck. She couldn't remember what she had been planning to say and it took her a moment to form a coherent thought. "Your coffee is getting cold." Cait pulled away immediately, reaching around Mairi to pick up one of the tin cups. She walked away as she sipped the hot drink. Mairi regretted her words as the heat Cait's body had created faded. "Alan Wilcox cornered me today," Mairi announced, keeping her eyes on Cait's form. She saw her lover tense and knew the man's name had an impact. Cait did not give voice to her reaction. "He wants to marry me." "He's wanted to marry you since you came to Edinburgh," Cait remarked without looking at the other woman. Mairi could hear the accusation buried in Cait's tone. "Why was today any different?" Mairi's moved closer to Cait, her voice soft as she spoke earnestly. "He wants to know why I don't agree. He's an important man, and a woman in my position is a fool for turning him away." Cait turned sharply, her expression anything but tender. "They why do you?" "Why haven't you married Gilchrist?" Mairi snapped. Cait moved so quickly that Mairi couldn't catch her breath. The taller woman's hand closed around the back of Mairi's neck, pulling the small woman against her long body. She ground her lips roughly against Mairi's, her teeth scraping against her lover's lips as she pushed her tongue into the warm mouth. Mairi placed her fists against Cait's shoulders with the intention of pushing away. Instead, she welcomed the rough kiss, meeting Cait's tongue with her own. They twined and swirled, attacking viciously. Their anger was not toward each other, but to the circumstances that threatened to keep them apart. Cait's fingers went to the front of Mairi's gown, gripping the material in her hands and ripping it apart. Mairi cried out when she heard the material tear but was helpless to stop the aggression. Cait dropped her head and pushed aside the soft cotton of Mairi's shift. Her lips and tongue and teeth journeyed over the soft, supple flesh of her lover's breast. They were both breathless when Cait finally pushed away. She held the back of her hand to her mouth, her vision blurring as she looked at Mairi. Mairi's skin was pale and her auburn hair was straight. Her breasts were large and her hips wide. Her arms and legs were strong from labor in Holyrood Palace. Mairi worked in the kitchen at Holyrood. It was at a banquet in Holyrood that Cait had seen Mairi again. Though they had both went to the Lawn Market after their initial encounter, they never saw each other. Their encounter in the banquet hall at Holyrood had been as intense as their moment at the top of the Royal Mile. Cait had reached for a pastry as Mairi sat them down. Their fingers had brushed unexpectedly and they had both jerked apart. Cait had felt a jolt when their skin made contact. For the rest of the evening, if Mairi was in the room, Cait was watching her. Cait slid her fingers against Mairi's cheek, her expression tender now. She pressed her forehead to Mairi's as she held her lover's face. "I'm sorry," she whispered. "I know. Me, too." Her palms glided over Cait's shoulders, down the long arms, until their fingers were linked. "I want us to be together." Cait tilted her head, the kiss warm and intimate. She sucked lightly at her lover's lips. Mairi met each touch. The noblewoman's long fingers finished pushing the material of the thin dress from Mairi's shoulders, her nails dragging back up the muscled arms to the straps of the shift. The back of her fingers moved over the smaller woman's rib cage and pushed the dress over Mairi's hips. They did not break the kiss as Mairi stepped out of the dress and they moved backward to the straw bed. When they stopped at the side of the bed, Cait turned her back to Mairi and held up the mass of curls of her heavy hair. She dropped her head forward as Mairi untied the stays and loosened the bodice of Cait's clothing. Her lips moved against Cait's neck. As she pushed the dress over Cait's shoulders, she tenderly kissed the place where the lace shift met the dark skin. When her gown was a puddle on the floor, Cait turned back to Mairi. Facing each other, they pressed close, their mouths hungry. Their tongues explored as their lips sealed. Mairi's hands rested on Cait's slender hips. She began bunching the material of the shift, slowly revealing her lover's slender legs. They moved apart long enough to remove the shift, but immediately their mouth's reunited. Mairi's hands held Cait's breasts as they savored the kiss. The tall woman's breasts were small. Mairi could cover them completely when she stretched her fingers wide. Cait leaned into Mairi's hands, her nipples hardening against her partner's palms. Callused fingertips rolled dark nipples, tugging the sensitive buds and stretching tight flesh. Cait moaned into Mairi's mouth, her hands pushing the straps of Mairi's shift aside, letting it sag against the full bosom. Mairi's mouth relinquished Cait's to take one of the extended brown nipples into her mouth. Cait combed her fingers through Mairi's shiny hair and held her lover's head in place. She arched her back to thrust more of her breast into the warm, wet mouth. Mairi kissed around the small, hard globe, her tongue licking along the puckered areola, before she closed her lips around the nipple. She suckled softly, flicking with her tongue before tugging lightly, her lips squeezing the tender nipple. Cait held Mairi's breast in her free hand, squeezing and massaging the full orb in time with Mairi's ministrations. Mairi moaned in pleasure and the vibration sent a wave through Cait's body. She groaned and threw her face to the ceiling as the sweet desire spread through her system. Mairi switched her attention to the other breast, treating it to the same slow ascent. She broke away to allow Cait to remove her shift, and then leaned forward to drag her tongue along the nipple over and over. Cait was panting now, her body a finely tuned instrument that only Mairi knew how to play. Cait allowed her lover to mold her body as she tugged and pinched and squeezed the small pink nipples extending from Mairi's large breasts. Mairi's breasts were supple and soft as Cait's fingers bit into the tender flesh. Cait allowed her hand to dance over Mairi's rib cage to rest on the flare of her lover's hip. Her fingertips combed through the reddish hair at the apex of Mairi's thighs. She could feel the moist heat of her partner's desire. Mairi's mouth left Cait's small breast and moved up her shoulder. Her eyes danced with yearning. Cait pushed Mairi back. The small woman's knees buckled as she sat on the edge of the bed. Cait put her knee on the bed and pushed the girl to her back. Their mouth's fused again as Cait's fingertips teased Mairi's slick opening. Mairi opened her legs in invitation as Cait pulled back. She braced herself above her lover as she pushed her fingers between the smooth lips. She found the button inside the folds and Mairi inhaled sharply, her body arching as a ripple washed through her. Cait bowed her head to kiss each of Mairi's nipples, teasing them each to stiffer peaks. She licked her way down Mairi's stomach as her fingers gently circled and teased the nub between the wet folds. The tall woman used her shoulder to push Mairi's legs wider as her mouth reached the apex of the girl's thighs. She glided her tongue along the slick lips, tasting the heavy salt of her lover's arousal before slipping farther inside, following the trail her fingers had taken earlier. The tip of her tongue circled the nub and flicked against it. Mairi groaned with each tantalizing stroke, her body quivering as her lover pushed her higher. Cait pushed her tongue deeper, exploring the tight opening before plunging inside. Mairi moaned and tangled her hands in Cait's curls as her lover thrust quickly. She lifted her hips from the bed and Cait slipped her hands underneath to hold her lover in place as she intensified her attack. Mairi stretched her body as the flood washed over her. She threw her head back, her mouth open, and her neck arched. Cait's fingers replaced her mouth as she kissed the line of Mairi's neck. She didn't slow her attack as she captured Mairi's scream with her lips. Cait put one of her arms around Mairi's shoulders, lifting her into a sitting position. Cait held her upright as her fingers continued sliding in and out of the unyielding opening. Her thumb pressed against Mairi's button, rotating and massaging the stiff knob. Mairi's breath was coming in short gasps, her body twitching as Cait pushed her higher. Her fingertips bit into Cait's shoulders as her lover took her beyond self-control. Cait whispered encouragement in her ear as she soared and plummeted. She gripped Cait's wrist, intending to put an end to the torturous pleasure. Instead, she found Cait's inviting opening. Her fingertips brushed against her lover's sensitive bud. Cait grunted and shifted, rocking forward against Mairi's questing hand. She moved in time with her own stroking, their bodies swaying and lurching together. The surge broke over Mairi first. She cried out, every muscle in her body stiffening and then convulsing. Cait rode Mairi's climax to her own devastating pinnacle, her mouth finding her lover's as she crested. Mairi fell back and Cait went with her, lying across her lover's body as they descended from the summit. Cait rested her head on Mairi's pliant breast, her eyes closed as Mairi's fingers combed lightly through her curls. They both dozed in the warmth of the apartment. When Mairi woke, the fire was nearly gone. She nudged Cait, who rolled to her back without waking. Mairi crossed the room to add another log. She stirred the ashes and flames roared back to life. She turned back to the bed, her eyes caressing her lover. Shadows of light danced on her olive skin. Her hair was spread out on the coarse pillow, framing her perfect face. Her bone structure was elegant, revealing hints of nobility deep in the Macgregor line. Her breasts were pert and her nipples dark. Her hips narrowed and the dark triangle of curls between her legs pointed enticingly to sweet treasure. The maidservant climbed onto the bed, her eyes focused on the apex of Cait's thighs. She blew a thin line of air. Cait moaned and shifted her legs but did not wake. Mairi smiled and bowed her head, the tip of her tongue gliding along the slit. She swept it along the slash, moving from the top where the curls tickled against her face to the base and back again, slipping deeper with each arc. She grew still each time Cait made a noise or movement, her tongue motionless between the sweet folds. When she found the tiny button, she began lavishing attention on it, her tongue moving over it, lapping hungrily and then dragging it slowly. She rolled her tongue, pushing the nub and playing casually with the sensitive crux. Cait's hand rested on top of Mairi's head but she did not open her eyes. Her legs moved restlessly as Mairi quickened her onslaught, her tongue alternating between the intimate nub and the delicious opening. Mairi reached up to squeeze Cait's breast, massaging it and tugging on the nipple as she drank from Cait's sweetness. The tall, wealthy woman screamed as Mairi took her to the height of pleasure. Her eyes opened wide, her small breasts heaving as she struggled to draw air into her lungs. Mairi crawled back to the head of the bed and lay on her side to watch as Cait recovered. "I love you," Mairi whispered. They linked their fingers, holding to one another in the wavering firelight. After that dinner meeting in Holyrood, Cait had taken to riding in the Queen's Park surrounding the Palace in hopes of seeing the young servant girl. In the ruins of Holyrood Abbey, they had finally confronted their attraction to each other. Cait had never thought she would experience a more intense kiss, but each encounter grew more intense and passionate. "Gilchrist would be okay with it," Cait suddenly announced. Mairi arched her eyebrows in confusion and merriment. Cait sat up quickly. "No, listen to me. Gilchrist would understand. As long as I gave him a child and appeared at his side at Holyrood, he wouldn't care. You can be my lady servant and we can be together." "I don't think I could share you with Gilchrist," Mairi answered without hesitation. "I'm jealous of your time." "There aren't many solutions," Cait snapped. "We could leave Edinburgh. We could flee together to the highlands, or to the colonies." "I have obligations and expectations. I can't run away from being a Macgregor." Mairi wanted to argue. If Cait really cared about her, she would forget about being a Macgregor and just care about being with her. However, Mairi didn't want to spend what precious time she had with Cait fighting. She didn't want to lose a single second. The moon was sweeping across the sky and soon dawn's light would be tickling at the dark Closes. Cait would have to return to her world and leave Mairi alone in the cold bed. Alan Wilcox was the reason they had to depend on the darkness of night to be together. They had planned meetings in the Abbey ruins and in the stables of Holyrood where they would talk and kiss and eventually began making love. When Alan Wilcox, a captain of the city guard, began following Mairi with pledges of love and pleas of marriage, their meetings became more difficult. Each thwarted tryst fueled their desire for one another and their love making took on a violent, desperate character. Talking became secondary to their need to touch and taste one another. There was nothing left to say. In the deserted cloisters, they pushed each other against the stone walls, each attempting to dominate their lust and failing miserably. Laying side-by-side, panting, sweat glistening on their bodies, they had finally discovered what could control them. Fear. Alan Wilcox's footsteps echoed across the ruins. They had attempted to stay away from each other, but banquets at Holyrood became torture and shopping in the Lawn Market became a dangerous game of accidental brushes and stolen glances. Cait had finally followed Mairi home and now Mairi's home was the only place where they felt safe to be together. Cait came to her at least once a week, under the cover of darkness, and always left before light skulked into the Close. Dawn was creeping near, and Mairi did not want to think about Alan Wilcox or Gilchrist. She wanted to hold and be held by the person who possessed her heart. They lay together as long as they dared. The light was gray when they embraced one last time at the door. Cait lifted the hood and disappeared down the steps in a flurry of her cloak. She quickly climbed to the top of Advocate's Close, raced across the Royal Mile where merchants were beginning to stir, and disappeared beyond Parliament House. On the Royal Mile: Accused She thought she was clever. She thought no one spotted the cloaked figure racing through the pre-dawn light. She didn't know that another shape followed close behind, keeping just a few steps away until she reached the gates of the Macgregor home. ~ * ~ The Lawn Market was bustling with people as Caitriona Macgregor moved from stall to stall, filling the basket draped over her arm with vegetables and flowers. Her eyes glanced furtively toward the small woman a few stalls away. Casually, Cait moved to the herb vendor. She leaned over the auburn-haired girl, reaching for a stalk of parsley. Her breast brushed against the woman's shoulder, their fingers innocently grazing against each other. The woman felt Cait's breath against her cheek. She turned her head, her eyes lingering on Cait's lips before shifting to her dark green orbs. Cait smiled and pulled back, walking away without speaking a word. Mairi's eyes followed Cait as she moved away. She watched the tall woman's hips sway as longing surged through her veins. Mairi grinned, watching as Cait stopped at a stand selling fabric. Mairi made her way to the same table, standing near her lover. "Vixen," she whispered. Cait was fingering a delicate blue fabric. "You would look good in this," she answered. She dropped something into Mairi's basket and resumed her shopping. Mairi looked at the red flower lying across the top of her purchases. She held it to her nose, inhaling the fragrant scent as she stared after Cait. She was smiling as she watched her lover fade into the crowd of people. She gasped when someone grabbed her arm. She looked into the stoic face of one of the city guards. He was glaring emotionlessly at her. Another hand gripped her other elbow. She turned her head to see Alan Wilcox's angry expression. "Mairi Robertson," he bellowed, loud enough for everyone to hear. Talking and moving in the crowd stopped. A circle widened around them. "You are under arrest for the crime of witchcraft!" Mairi's heart stood still. She knew what happened to witches in Edinburgh. She knew those accused of the crime rarely received a fair trail. She also knew that Alan Wilcox was not motivated by a desire to uphold any law, but by his fury over her continual rejection of his advances. Unwillingly, she looked the way Cait had disappeared. Her lover was staring back at her, her face revealing the turmoil that burned inside her. "Run!" she thought, willing Cait to obey even though she could not give voice to her fears. "Run!" Cait dropped her head, their eyes breaking contact, and walked deeper into the crowd as Alan Wilcox and his minion dragged Mairi toward the Tollbooth Prison. Wilcox threw her into one of the cells. She sprawled on the cold floor and flashed her disgusted eyes at him. "You can't prove this," she growled. His smile was smug as he peered down at her. "This is Edinburgh," he proclaimed, "I don't have to provide proof; I just have to convince the crowd I'm right." He took a menacing step closer, even though the locked door protected her. "Besides, I have all the proof I need." "You have no proof! You can't, because it's a lie." "You know what they do to witches, don't you? If you don't confess, perhaps we'll forgo attempting to provide proof and just have a trial by douking. Do you know what that is?" "Of course, I do. Do you think torturing me will help you forget all the times that I rejected you? Will you feel vindicated?" He did not respond immediately and finally decided to ignore her accusation. "Perhaps I can arrange for your innocence to be proven." He made an obscene gesture and laughed when she turned away from him. "But I've already created suspicion of a witch in our midst. The people will expect an execution. You give me another name, and we'll discuss amnesty for you." "Bastard," she hissed without taking the bait. "That's what I thought you would say," he remarked. He shrugged his shoulders and walked away, leaving her alone in the dark cell. Light filtered through the small window in the room. She could hear the voices of the crowd on the Royal Mile. Mairi stood and peered out the window into the street. Her eyes searched for Cait. Wilcox's words indicated that he knew Mairi had a special relationship with another woman. Perhaps he even suspected that the female was the reason Mairi had rejected him. She would not betray her lover, but she also felt the need to warn Cait that her arrest might be a trap. Her eyes moved over the people in the growing crowd. Word had spread quickly that a witch had been arrested. People were gathering for the show. She knew that Wilcox would soon drag her out of the prison, parade her through the crowd, and perform a mockery of a trial. She had no doubt that she would be found guilty and burned at the stake. For a kitchen maid, even a maid at Holyrood, the execution would occur at the Grass Market. Of course, if Wilcox hoped to use the incident to advance his career, a burning on the esplanade of the Castle Hill would draw more attention. Cait needed to stay away. The crowd was beginning to get restless. They were crying for the witch to be burned. They were cheering for her execution before the trial even began. "Please, Cait," she whispered, though she could not see her lover in the crowd. "Don't come. Stay away." "Have you reconsidered my proposal?" Wilcox demanded through the small opening in the doorway. His voice gave her chills. It made her stomach cringe. The key rattled in the lock and the hinges squeaked as the heavy wooden door swung open. "Or will you be facing the gallows alone?" "The gallows are the least of my concern at the moment," she answered as she dropped away from the window. She turned to her captor, knowing that he held her life in his hands. For a brief moment, she considered offering to marry him, but she couldn't spend her life with a man who used his position of authority to manipulate those around him. Life would not be worth living if Cait was not in it. "I will accept the fate that you have determined for me and hope that God has other plans." "God can't save you, witch. Perhaps your master will rescue you." "I believe you are a much better example of one of Satan's servants," she spat. The key rattled in the lock and Wilcox jerked the door open. He grabbed her upper arm and yanked her toward the doorway. She cried out as she felt ligaments tear in her shoulder. She could feel an evil aura radiate from the confident smile on his face. She felt cold where his rough hand gripped her as he pulled her out of the Tollbooth Prison. The crowd cheered and parted as the officer dragged his prisoner passed St. Giles Cathedral to the Mercat Cross. Mairi's eyes moved across the people, praying that she would not see Cait in their midst. She latched onto a cloaked figure lingering at the rear of the crowd and groaned inwardly. The cloak had hidden Cait well during their secret trysts, but now it made her stand out. "No," she mouthed as Cait lowered the hood. Their eyes met. "Go," she pleaded. She wanted Cait to leave. She didn't want her lover to witness the horror of the trial. At the same time, Cait's presence gave her the strength she would need to endure the torment Wilcox had planned. She could survive anything if Cait were at her side. She was thankful when Wilcox blocked her view and she prayed silently as he grabbed her wrists that Cait would disappear from her line of sight. She was afraid that the magistrate would follow her eyes and pinpoint her lover. She had to protect Cait. Wilcox pressed her wrists together and pushed her thumbs up. His eyes were cold as he slid something cool and metal over her knuckles. She looked down as he tightened the screws. The crowd cheered as Wilcox stepped backward, revealing the prisoner. "Tighten the screws! Tighten the screws!" they yelled. "Give her the pilliwinkes!" "Mairi Robertson!" Alan Wilcox bellowed above the crowds rumbling. "You have been accused of witchcraft! How do you plead?" "Not guilty, you son of a bitch," she spat venomously. "Tighten the screws! Tighten the screws!" the rabble encouraged. Wilcox complied. The rings tightened around the skin between her hand and her knuckle. Her heart thudded. "Mind your language," he growled through clenched teeth. Those near the front of the mob chuckled. "Mairi Robertson has been accused of witchcraft and pleads innocent of the charges." "Tighten the screws! Tighten the screws! She'll confess!" Wilcox was happy to oblige. The metal bit into her skin and she winced, much to the delight of the crowd and the magistrate. "Where is the evidence?" she seethed. "Evidence?" he bellowed, his voice echoing off the dark stone walls of the Royal Mile. The crowd didn't care about evidence. They cared about seeing the accused suffer until she confessed, and then seeing her suffer until she died. "Mairi Robertson has been seen mixing herbs and spices." "I work in the kitchen at Holyrood Palace!" she answered. "So she is a danger to the royal family!" Wilcox announced. "Tighten them! Tighten them!" Her thumbs were throbbing as Wilcox twisted the screws tighter. They were turning red and starting to swell as he appeased the crowd's cries. "She has been accused of using her powers to torment her neighbors. She cast a spell on Jamesina Quigly, causing the woman to fall and break her leg." "Jamesina Quigly is a drunkard! She fell after drinking too much ale at a festival in the Grassmarket," Mairi stated in an attempt to defend her honor. "Aodhan Vickers lost his commission with the royal navy after coming into contact with Mairi Robertson at Holyrood." "He was caught stealing from the King's treasury." "Isobel Nevin was attacked by a vicious dog after passing Mairi Robertson on the street. Isobel Nevin stated that Mairi Robertson gave her the evil eye." "Everyone here knows that Isobel Nevin is a whore. If her bed can be bought and sold numerous times a night, so can her testimony. Your honor, Alan Wilcox, did you buy her testimony before or after you visited her bed?" With each accusation, the thumbscrews were tightened. Tears were streaking down Mairi's face as the pain increased. Her thumbs were starting to turn purple. The metal rings pinched a nerve, causing the pain to spread from her thumbs to the rest of her body. "Do you deny all of these accusations?" "I do," she cried as he cinched the small torture device tighter. "I am innocent." Her knees were buckling as the pain increased. Her whole body was trembling. She screamed as he turned the screws again. Tears blurred her vision. "We have eyewitnesses who have seen you having improper conduct with another woman," Wilcox announced. Mairi's head snapped his direction as the accusation landed on her ears. Her heart was pounding and she knew her reaction made her guilt unquestionable. "There is testimony that a woman has been seen at her flat, coming and going under the darkness of night." "No answer for that, have you?" Wilcox leaned in close to her ear as he again tightened the instrument. "Perhaps we can reach a deal if you give up her name." "Never," she hissed, though the vehemence in her voice faltered as a wave of pain racked her body. "Mairi Robertson, you have been accused of witchcraft. How do you answer?" Mairi did not answer immediately. She was crying too hard to form the words. The crowd began chanting for Wilcox to increase the torture. "How do you answer?" he repeated, his voice a growl above the noise of the onlookers. "To the gallows with her! Burn her! Tie her to the stake! Tighten the screws!" The cries of the crowd echoed in her ears. Her vision swam. Starbursts formed before her eyes. She felt lightheaded. Her knees buckled as Wilcox screamed again. "You have been accused of witchcraft. How do you answer, Mairi Robertson?" "Not guilty!" The crowd fell instantly silent because the answer had not come from Mairi's mouth. Mairi lifted her head with dread and fear in her eyes. "No," she whispered. "Guilty. I'm guilty." "She's innocent of the crimes of which you accuse her," a firm voice announced. Caitriona Macgregor shed f her cloak as she pushed her way through the crowd. She met Wilcox's eyes. "I am the witch. Mairi Robertson is innocent. I bewitched her." A smug smile broke on Wilcox's face as he made a subtle motion. Two guards quickly grabbed Cait's arms. Cait did not resist. "Let her go." Mairi, the thumbscrews still biting into her skin until pain pulsed through her whole body, shook her head. "She's out of her mind. She is not guilty." "I put a spell on Mairi Robertson," Cait insisted. "That is why I have been coming and going under the dark of night. I had to give her instructions and insure that she remained under my control." "We have a confession," Wilcox declared. Cait's shoulders remained square as she looked the magistrate in the eye. Mairi sagged weakly, sobbing because of Cait's willing, loving sacrifice. "Let her go," Cait demanded. "We have a confession," Wilcox repeated. "But how do we know that Mairi Robertson is not the cursor instead of the cursed. She could be the leader of a coven. Perhaps Caitriona MacGregor is bluffing. Perhaps she is taking the blame for her mistress of darkness." "I told you, I am guilty," Cait screamed, struggling for the first time against the grip the guards had on her. "Let her go." "There is only one way we can be certain of Mairi Robertson's innocence." He paused, the crowd silent as they waited for his pronouncement. "The douking stool!" The crowd erupted into cheers and Cait screamed desperately. "No!" "The douking stool will determine Mairi Robertson's guilt or innocence. And because Caitriona Macgregor has done us the service of a confession, there will be no need for a trial. To the Nor' Loch!" "No!" Cait yelled as they began dragging Mairi away from the Mercat Cross. The noblewoman wrenched her arms free and ran to her lover. She cupped Mairi's face in her hands, ignoring the cheers and boos of the growing audience. "I love you, Mairi Robertson," she whispered passionately. "I love you." Both women were crying, tears streaking their cheeks. Mairi nodded, the emotion in her throat so thick that she could not give voice to an answer. They kissed, blotting out the condemnations of those surrounding them. It was a fierce, passionate, desperate kiss. Their lips clung together until the guards finally jerked them apart. Cait landed on the cobbled stones of the Royal Mile. The crowd closed around Mairi as she was led toward the Nor' Loch. Cait scrambled to her feet, her eyes trying to catch one last glimpse of her lover. She could hear Mairi calling for her, but iron shackles closed around her wrists. She was jerked backward and pushed in the opposite direction of the flow of people toward the Tollbooth Prison. She did not fight as she lost sight of Mairi altogether. The guard shoved her into the same cell that Mairi had occupied earlier. He released the cuffs and she sank to the cold floor as the horror of the moment settled over her. She pulled her thighs against her chest and rested her forehead against her knees. Tears continued to flow unfettered down her cheeks even though her uncontrollable sobbing had stopped. Nothing would stem the tide spilling from her deepest heart. She could picture the scene at the Nor' Loch as she awaited the results of Mairi's trial. Her lover would not fight as her tormentors tied her to the weighted stool. The wench would swing her above the thick, polluted water, the stench of the floating sewage gagging those who stood beside the shore. The guard would hit a lever and release the pulley that held her suspended in mid-air and she would plunge quickly into the brown water. They would slowly turn the crank and the stool would rise. Mairi would gasp as she emerged from the water, her hair and dress dripping. The lever would immediately be released again and the process would repeat three times. If Mairi lived, they would say that Satan had saved her and she would be burned as a witch and a heretic. If she drowned in the process, she would be declared innocent. Darkness came fast on the Royal Mile. The tall buildings and narrow streets quickly plunged the city into shadows. The night sky matched the mood of the city. Clouds hung over the moon, hiding any natural light that might spill into the prison cell. Cait did not move, even as the chilly air crept into the prison. The stone floor made the cold a worse torture than the thumbscrews. In the darkness, she accepted her fate as punishment. Her passion for Mairi had led to their downfall. If she had controlled her lust, Mairi would not have been accused of witchcraft. Neither would be condemned. In the dark, damp, cold of the Tollbooth Prison, Caitriona resigned her soul to hell. If the Devil had come to her then and offered to buy her soul, she would have sold it in exchange for Mairi's life. She didn't lift her head when she heard footsteps moving through the prison. The visitor stopped outside the prison door. "Well, it seems that you were both telling the truth. Mairi Robertson was innocent." "Bastard," she spat at Alan Wilcox. "I hope you are satisfied with the results of your treachery, because you will have to live with this betrayal of the law for the rest of your miserable life." "You'll not have to worry about the condition of my soul for long. As for the condition of your soul, well, your confession solidified that." "Then I'll see you in hell, Alan Wilcox." ~ * ~ The Scottish Register records that Lady Caitriona Macgregor was burned at the stake for witchcraft on the Castle Hill. A large crowd gathered to witness the death of a confessed witch, especially one engaged to such a powerful man as Gilchrist. Gilchrist left Scotland shortly after for the colonies. According to the records, Caitriona Macgregor died well. According to another source, Magistrate Alan Wilcox, Captain of the Home Guard, was found dead in the Cowgate shortly after Caitriona Macgregor's execution. The cause of death was unclear. There were numerous people that he had manipulated over the years that would have been glad to see him dead. Some say Gilchrist had Wilcox murdered. Others say that guilt finally overwhelmed the officer and he took his own life. Depending on who is telling the story, Caitriona Macgregor cursed Wilcox with her dying breath. As a result, her spirit tortured him until he died. In Edinburgh today, on damp nights when fog drifts through the closes from the North Sea, a cloaked shadow can be seen racing across the Royal Mile and disappearing through the arch leading to Advocate's Close. If you follow the shadow down the winding close, you'll see it pause and look up before passing through a door. Listen closely, and you'll hear laughter and then the passion of lovers forced apart and reunited at last.