by Alisa Adams
“You and Iris?” she asked, startled.
“And Kaithria and Gillis on their horses,” he clarified with a rueful smile.
“Thought about attacking you?” she grinned as she looked at him.
“Aye.” He ran his hand through the hair at his forehead. He gave her a crooked grin and a shake of his head. “Then they thought better of it. After the ladies took care of them.”
“I see,” Cat said with a wise nod of her head as she noted the look of consternation on his face. “Kaithria can take care of herself. She always has. She has had to. And Gillis is a Ross, so that speaks for itself. No one wants to fight the Ross sisters. They are very fine fighters, Kaithria and Gillis.”
“Aye, I admit they are. Those horses...I know they have been trained for battle and been through as many battles as any warrior I know, but still, they are strong,” Caden said with stunned admiration as he looked towards the windows.
“As are the women, dinnae forget that,” she whispered.
Caden turned to stare at her. “You are fierce as well, Catriona. Dinnae you forget that.”
“Caden?” she asked. “What now? You are locked in here,” she said as she shivered and clutched at the bed coverings.
Caden looked at the feminine green bed coverings and linen.
“Are there no other blankets in this room?” he asked as he looked around.
Cat’s lips turned down. “Nay, I have looked. The chest is empty.”
Caden looked up at the bed curtains that surrounded her bed.
He reached up and yanked all of them off their rods. They were heavy velvet. And they were not the same odd green of the bed linens.
“Come,” he said to Cat as he laid one of the velvet curtains on the heavy rug that was beside the giant four-poster bed. He looked down at the rug. “Did my grandparents give this rug to you? It looks Moroccan.”
Cat leaned over and looked at the beautiful rug on the floor. It had a lovely, intricate design of pale greens and golds. It was a thickly woven wool. She leaned her chin in her hands as she stared at the design. “Aye, they did. In thanks for my friendship to Kaithria. Isn’t it beautiful? I have studied it endlessly.”
Caden looked at her. She was lying on the bed on her stomach. Her chin was in her hands and her calves in the air as she entwined her bare ankles and feet. She was studying the rug dreamily. He swallowed thickly.
“They also sent me that lovely tapestry to match. ’Tis of a fairy tale I believe,” she said and pointed to the far side of the room where there was another small fireplace and a sitting area.
Caden padded over to the fireplace and looked up. He had not noticed it before when he had explored her room; but then, he had been looking for water for her. He swallowed again. This was from his grandparents’ land. The land of his mother. His heart thudded in his chest.
His grandparents had gifted this to Catriona!
He stepped up on the hearthstone and peered closer, studying the intricate pictures that were woven into a design of tiny scrolling. He made out the figures of a lovely woman with black hair and gold eyes who was being carried off by a large man.
My mother and father? he thought.
Then he saw the woman with a black-haired boy and girl.
He and Kaithria!
Another picture depicted his father chasing his mother and sister and then another of her with an arrow in her back falling over a cliff. There was another of his sister and a man that could only be her new husband, Keir Maxwell Gunn. The last picture must have been himself. He was kneeling in a sand-colored castle giving something to a woman.
Why would I be kneeling? Am I being made a knight to the king, or in this case—queen? And what am I giving to the woman?
He peered closer. The woman had blonde hair. And green eyes.
Caden spun around to look at Cat. She was still studying the rug. “Have you studied this tapestry?” he said with a thick, hoarse voice.
Cat looked up. “It came after I arrived, when I was sick. Rhona hung it on the far side of the room. It is so very intricate and hung so high ’tis hard for me to see. Is it lovely? What are all the figures in it? Grandmother wrote that she had it made special for me.”
Caden’s eyes widened. “You call my grandmother ‘grandmother’?”
Cat pushed herself back to a sitting position. She frowned. “Aye,” she said slowly. “Do ye mind?”
Caden blinked rapidly and turned back to the picture. “Nay, nay I do not mind,” he said softly. “Catriona? Did you mind me telling Rhona I was your betrothed? After all, I am not of full Scottish lineage like you and my skin is darker. Even my eye color is unusual.”
Cat laughed behind him where she sat on the bed. “That is all nonsense. You are a man, I am a woman. The heart can not help who it loves,” she said, and then gasped. “Er, I mean, I am sick so there can be nothing, er...we are...friends...of course.”
“Of course,” he said hoarsely as he turned to face her. He smiled with effort.
Caden realized with a punch to his gut that he wanted this woman to love him. He wanted her passion, her love of life, her joy and happiness. He wanted her kindness and loyalty for those she cared about. He wanted all of that. He wanted children with golden curls and green eyes that were filled with laughter and love.
“Caden?” Cat asked tremulously as she stared, captivated by his gaze.
Caden turned back to study the small figures woven into the tapestry. What am I giving the blonde woman in the tapestry? And is it Catriona MacKay?
He shook himself. He had to get her well first. He had to find out if she was being poisoned and by whom and why.
He vowed this.
9
Kaithria and Gillis found them in the morning, laying on the far side of the bed on the floor—or rather, on a rug on the floor—wrapped in the velvet bed hangings.
And each other.
Kaithria stared down at her brother. She raised one brow over her golden eyes as she looked at them.
Gillis came to stand beside her. “I told you so,” she whispered.
Kaithria just smiled.
Gillis leaned in and whispered, “Should we wake them?” as she stared at Cat’s golden-haired head and the fair skin of her face nestled under Caden’s permanent sun-kissed chin. His midnight-black, straight hair was a remarkable contrast to Cat’s golden curls. “Imagine the children they will have,” murmured Gillis.
Kaithria turned and stared at Gillis meaningfully. “They arnae married, Gillis,” she said firmly under her breath.
Gillis shrugged. “Not yet,” she responded, and then she grinned as her brown eyes twinkled merrily. “But he did say he was her betrothed. We all heard him.”
“Och,” Kaithria groaned quietly, “if Aunt Hextilda or Aunt Agnes heard that and saw them now, these two would be married by the end of the day.”
“If we heard what?” came a whisper from behind them.
Both Kaithria and Gillis jumped and turned around.
There stood tiny Aunt Hextilda and looming over her head was the giant, intimidating Aunt Agnes. They were looking expectantly at Kaithria and Gillis.
“Oh!” Kaithria said with a whoosh of breath.
“Oh dear…” Gillis mumbled.
Aunt Hexy was smiling with glee while holding her hands tightly together. She had gotten a glimpse of what Kaithria and Gillis were trying so hard to block.
Aunt Hexy whispered mischievously, “I want to clap me hands but we shouldnae wake them. Not just yet anyway.” She winked at Kaithria and Gillis.
Aunt Agnes bristled. “We must wake them immediately!” she insisted in her high voice. “At the very least to tell them what we learned this morning. Then we will have them married at once!”
Caden woke slowly. He could not remember ever sleeping that deeply. He kissed the top of Catriona’s head where she lay in his arms. She was snuggled on his chest under his chin. Fitting perfectly, as if she was made for him.
He froze.
Catriona was in his arms.
They had spent the cold night together on the floor, sharing warmth.
And yes, he had kissed her.
He had buried his fingers in her beautiful golden curls and kissed her lips with a hunger that threatened to overcome him. He had plunged his tongue into her mouth and met her own eager tongue and danced.
He had kissed her eyes, her lovely neck, her shoulders. He had kissed each one of her elegant, feminine fingers. He had kissed everywhere he could reach.
Her delicate hands gently explored his body as her own lips journeyed from his mouth to his chest. Her passion and her love of life were in every one of her touches on his body. She had kissed every scar she could find, demanding each story. Tears had sprung to her eyes when she found a scar put there by his own father.
Seeing her this way, for him, had brought tears to Caden’s eyes. This slight, delicate, frail girl had conquered him fully.
Until it was his turn to kiss her tears away, vowing to her that she would get well.
They whispered and kissed, and kissed and whispered. They kissed until they were too exhausted to do anything more than hold each other as they both fell into a deep sleep.
And now Aunt Agnes was here. He had registered her voice in his sleep.
He groaned silently.
He opened his eyes to see them all staring down at him.
Aunt Hextilda was very happy.
Aunt Agnes looked perturbed.
Kaithria and Gillis were grinning.
Catriona stretched and yawned in his arms.
Caden narrowed his eyes to their audience. Arching his brow, he motioned his head for them to move away.
“Catriona,” he whispered. He waited with a peacefulness in his heart for those beautiful green eyes to open and look at him. When they did he could not help the smile that grew on his mouth. She smiled sleepily back and the warmth of her smile seeped throughout his entire body. He leaned down and lightly, reverently kissed her smiling lips as she reached up to hold his head to her. “We have company,” he whispered.
“What?” she asked groggily as she continued kissing and teasing his mouth.
“The aunts are here, and your friends,” he said and nipped her lips again.
“Here? In this room?” she asked as she drew back.
He smiled ruefully at her.
She stared wide-eyed and disbelieving at him. Then she slowly turned her head and looked up.
They had not moved away as Caden had wanted them to.
Cat shrieked and ducked back under the covers.
“Can you give us some privacy?” he said.
“What we will give you is a wedding!” Aunt Agnes declared with all the authority of the great and giant lady that she was.
“Aggie! Give the children time to have some porridge, after all the trouble we took making it,” Aunt Hexy said as she shoved her frizzled hair back on the top of her head from where it had fallen over her forehead.
“Aunt Agnes, Aunt Hextilda,” Kaithria said politely, “Gillis and I brought a selection of food back from the inn. Fresh bread, some kippers, sausage, and some cheese.” She pointed to a basket sitting on the bed.
“But we made porridge and biscuits. Together,” Aunt Hexy said with pride, “Aggie and I. I had to show her how to make the biscuits. Her huge hands cannae knead the dough delicately, ye see.” She nodded energetically, causing the grey frizzy bun at the top of her head to slide off to the other side of her head. She rammed it back in place as she stared at Kaithria.
“My hands are fine at kneading dough,” Aunt Agnes scoffed. “Why, ye are so short that you couldnae even see over the stove to stir the porridge.”
Kaithria blinked a few times as she pursed her lips to stop from smiling. “Is it porridge with kale?” she asked carefully as she glanced quickly at Gillis and then back at the two aunts.
“Kale?” Aunt Agnes asked as her voice rose even higher. For such a very large woman Agnes Gunn had a very high voice. It did not match her large, tall body. She looked at Hextilda for confirmation.
“We have not seen any kale in the kitchen below stairs,” Aunt Hexy mused.
“And how would you know? I am the head cook. You are the household help,” Agnes reminded her with a superior look.
“Ye are the only cook, ye giant gust o’ wind! I could have been the cook but ye talked yer way into it with that big mouth of yers. But just as well, you couldnae be a maid. You’d be breaking things like an elephant in this house!” Aunt Hexy said as she glared up at her. The little dog that was always tucked in her shawl made himself known. He peeked just the tip of his nose out and let out a yip.
Aunt Agnes straightened to her full height and puffed out her impressively large bosom. “Isn’t there some dusting ye should be doing as the only maid in the house, or can ye not reach the shelves to dust them? And I could surely keep this house cleaner than ye could!” she said with her brows raised straight up.
“Aunts,” Kaithria said quietly and calmly.
The two aunts looked at Kaithria calmly. They slowly ginned. Aunt Hexy winked at Kaithria and Gillis. “Are those two young ones off the floor and decent now?” she asked as she bumped Agnes’s arm with her own.
Agnes’s grin grew and she tried to wink but she could not manage it as well as Hextilda. It looked like she had something in her eye.
“We have another wedding to plan,” Aunt Agnes said importantly as she whipped her pipe out of her pocket and stuck it in the corner of her lips. It was not lit, but Aunt Agnes had it in her mouth whenever she was relaxing or when she was thinking.
“Och, aye we do! I knew it was a good plan to send Caden here to help Catriona. I knew he could not help but fall in love with her!” Aunt Hexy crowed as she looked at Cat, who was now sitting in the middle of the bed, leaning against the headboard. “She is just what he needs. Ye matched Kaithria with yer nephew, Keir, but I matched these two!” Hexy cackled.
“Aunts!” Gillis shouted. Then she lowered her voice. “Aunts!” she whispered.
“If ye are worried about the housekeeper waking, dinnae fear,” Aunt Hexy said.
“Aye,” Aunt Agnes agreed. “She told me she sleeps until mid-morning and not to disturb her. She also took over the finest bedchamber in the other wing on the farthest side of the house. Because of Catriona’s sickness, she said.” Aunt Agnes sniffed in disdain.
Gillis looked at Aunt Agnes and Aunt Hexy. “A question for you aunts...Lady Catriona has been served porridge that is green every morning. I thought it had kale in it. But I do not think it is kale. What has the housekeeper instructed you to prepare for Catriona?”
Aunt Hexy nodded her head eagerly. “That is what we wanted to tell ye. We were on our way up here early, before the housekeeper awakens.”
Aunt Agnes quickly added with an indignant sniff and a lifting of her chin. “She demands to inspect the food I make. Can you believe such a thing?” she said as she pulled her pipe out of her mouth and poked it in the air.
Aunt Hextilda looked up at Agnes. “She is making sure it is edible food, ye big giant!”
“Do not start again with that Hextilda. There’s no need for your insults now, ye wee little elf,” she said and tapped her pipe on Hextilda’s head.
“But I do so enjoy insulting ye, yer Giantness,” Hexy cackled as she swatted the pipe away.
Kaithria raised her voice. “Aunts!”
“Och, I am sorry,” Hextilda said with a grin at Agnes, whose lips were pursed as if she had tasted a sour plum. “Agnes, ye tell her. After all, ye are the head cook,” she said pleasantly as she winked at the others.
Agnes did not wait. “The housekeeper must inspect all of Catriona’s meals before they are served”—she took a breath and looked at them expectantly—“because she has to add medicine to it!” Agnes said victoriously as she stared down at Gillis and Kaithria.
“What kind of medicine?” Caden demanded in a deep, gruff voice as he came forward to stan
d by his sister’s side.
“We dinnae know,” Aunt Hexy said. “But we found some.” She handed Gillis a tiny vial of a very pale greenish powder and a vial of clear liquid that she pulled out of her pocket.
Gillis carefully took the small cork off of the little vial. She sniffed it carefully. “This is copper arsenite,” she said as she slowly looked around at the others. She lowered her voice. “It is a rodent poison.” She looked at the two aunts. “What exactly did she tell you to do with this?”
Aunt Agnes whispered as she looked at the vial with horror. “She said to sprinkle a very small amount on her food.”
Gillis nodded her head. “’Tis the reason Rhona wears a mask. To prevent her from inhaling the powder.” She looked at the other vial. “And this vial of clear liquid?” Gillis demanded.
“A drop in her water,” Aunt Agnes said as she looked over to the bed where Cat was sitting, staring at them with a look of shock on her face.
Gillis lifted the cork off of that vial. “No smell. ’Tis surely arsenic.”
“Poison!” Caden ground out. “They have been poisoning her!” he said with a raging snarl. “I’ll kill them!” he rasped as he clenched his fists tightly.
“The oatcakes,” Catriona whispered from behind them all.
Kaithria and Gillis spun to look at her.
Cat was staring into the past as she spoke. “I didnae eat any of the oatcakes Rhona packed for me for the journey to Brough Castle until Neely and Steil’s wedding. I hadnae eaten all day as I was so busy. I took one to nibble on that evening, and I got sick,” she whispered. “And then I was fine at Uncle Keir’s with you, Kaithria, at Kinbrace. I didnae get sick again until I came home here, to Sanside House. But it cannae be Rhona! Perhaps it is just her brother doing this and Rhona is not aware of what he is doing.” Cat looked at Gillis, her eyes wide with fear. “Will I die? Did we discover this too late?” she whispered.
Gillis could not look her in the eye. She looked anywhere but at Cat. Her eyes came to rest on Caden. He was distraught, broken. She looked back at her friend.
“I cannot say for sure, Cat,” Gillis whispered. “I do not know how much they have been giving you or for how long…”
