Highland Angel

by Hannah Howell

  "Ah, good. I have been watching for ye for two days.” Sir Bryan caught Payton by the arm and led him down the narrow, torch-lit hallway. “We shall go to my room and talk."

  The fact that Sir Bryan had been watching for him made Payton tense with a growing concern. He felt the walk to Bryan's room was painfully long, and the silence they maintained a little too ominous. By the time they reached the man's room, Payton was eager to demand that Bryan tell him everything he knew. He held his tongue, however, as the man poured them each some wine, then directed Payton to one of two small benches set before the fire.

  "It was, perhaps, nay such a good time for ye to be away from court,” Bryan said.

  "I had business to attend to.” He had had safety measures to be plotted and enacted, as well as devising escape routes and seeking out secure hiding places, but he was not ready to tell Bryan that. “Being the eyes and ears of the Murrays at court doesnae put bread upon my table. I was only gone for three days. It takes that long for the Regents to decide and agree upon what color tunic the wee king ought to wear."

  Sir Bryan grinned and nodded, then quickly grew serious again. “Unfortunately, it takes but a day for gossip and rumor to spread and blacken a mon's good name. Did ye nay notice a change in the air when ye arrived?"

  "Och, aye. A bite of frost. So, someone seeks to tarnish my name?” Payton inwardly cursed, certain who it was, yet a little surprised that anyone would still accept the man's word about anything.

  "Aye. It seems Sir Roderick's young wife isnae dead.” Sir Bryan's green eyes widened slightly at the harsh curse Payton muttered, but did not comment on it. “He is most aggrieved that, after he endangered his own soul trying to hide what he believed was her suicide, he now discovers she but tricked him. His men espied her in town. She was followed to your house, yet ye denied ye had e'er met her. As he says, what is a mon to think, but that ye have stolen away his wife, that the two of ye planned it all so that ye might be together."

  "And none questioned this tale? None wondered if, mayhap, a mon I have warned so many about just might lie about me?"

  "Sir Roderick strongly suggests that your foul campaign against him is born of the fact that ye have always coveted his wife. And, let us be brutally honest, Payton, ye arenae innocent of the sin of cuckolding a mon."

  "True, but I have ne'er had to steal another mon's wife and hide her away."

  "Nay, they come to ye most easily and readily. A fact that irritates many a mon, especially those who have a wife they believe has entertained ye in her bed or one who would like to. The tale caters to the envy and jealousies of far too many for them to discard it."

  "Despite the fact that the accusation falls from the lips of a mon who buggers little boys? Beats them? Has e'en killed some? They see that foul stain upon God's earth as some font of truth, do they?” Payton quickly took a deep drink to still his tongue, but could tell by the look upon Sir Bryan's face that he had already said too much to have it ignored.

  "'Tis what ye implied before and Uven's feelings about the mon caused me to heed the warning, subtle as it was, but are ye certain, Payton? Are ye verra certain? If ‘tis only his wife who claims such things,” Bryan began cautiously.

  "Nay, not just his wife."

  Payton realized he was going to have to tell the man everything. Roderick's attack was a clever one, although Payton was surprised it had worked so well. In truth, he was a little surprised the man had done this, for Sir Roderick was a proud, arrogant man. Yet he was telling all who would listen that he had been cuckolded, that his wife had left him. It was, perhaps, a sign of the man's desperation, but Payton was not in the mood to fully appreciate that possibility.

  "Does it put in doubt all the warnings I gave about the mon?” he asked.

  "It weakens them, but nay with the laddies themselves,” replied Bryan, and he sighed. “I think many of them kenned what the mon was, but didnae dare act so until we who should protect them started to acknowledge it. I think some were e'en asked directly about the truth of the rumors. So, nay, all your warnings havenae been ignored. Those who now feel the warnings were, as Sir Roderick claims, naught but ugly slander, probably didnae believe them to begin with or didnae want to. Yet, Payton, it doesnae matter much to his claim that ye stole his wife."

  "I didnae steal her. She came to me, along with five children she had rescued from her husband, plus one other she found later. A poor lad of but seven years who was beaten nigh unto death.” Taking a deep breath, Payton proceeded to tell Sir Bryan everything from the moment Kirstie had found him lurking beneath Lady Fraser's window.

  "Jesu,” Sir Bryan muttered when Payton finished his tale. “The mon wants gutting.” He frowned. “Yet, ye hold his wife from him. Nay matter what the reasons, that could cause ye a great deal of trouble if ‘tis proven or that fool is believed. Unless ye can prove Sir Roderick has done all ye say, then ye become the one who has erred. Because of your reputation with the lasses, Sir Roderick doesnae have the same need to actually prove what he claims. Some of his kinsmen are here and they are already making some verra dire threats."

  "I cannae understand how it is his kinsmen havenae seen what he is,” Payton muttered.

  "'Tis a difficult thing for people to accept. Yet, stealing a mon's wife—"

  "She isnae his wife!” Payton snapped, then sighed and nodded his acceptance when Bryan moved to refill their goblets.

  "They were married by a priest,” Sir Bryan said.

  "I dinnae care if the pope himself said the words—she isnae his wife. He ne'er bedded her. Not once in five years. The marriage was ne'er consummated."

  "But, that could be the answer to this trouble. If ye bring her forward and she allows herself to be examined, once she is proven a virgin, it will weaken Sir Roderick's claims against ye, and strengthen yours against him."

  "I wish I had thought of that."

  "Ye wish? Oh, dear."

  "Aye, she isnae a virgin now."

  "Ye seduced a virgin who had sought your protection?"

  "Aye.” Payton shook his head. “I suppose that isnae much better than stealing a mon's wife. But, ye havenae seen the lass. And, she was in my home for three weeks, tormenting me."

  "Tormenting ye?” Bryan asked, unable to keep his amusement out of his voice.

  "Fine, I ken there is no excuse, though I had thought those might serve.” He smiled briefly when Bryan laughed. “She was in my home for a week ere I finally admitted to myself that I had to have her. Then she told me nay for a fortnight. And suddenly, she walks into my bedchamber and says aye. Weel, I am only a mon, ye ken."

  "Weel, we cannae use my excellent plan, that is certain. We shall have to come up with another. Mayhap ye should tell your family all about this. I am rather surprised ye havenae done so already."

  "I was afraid that, if I couldnae find some hard proof of Roderick's crimes, all I would do is turn the wrath of his rather powerful family upon my kinsmen. By telling ye, I may have already risked that."

  "Their wrath is swiftly turning your way now. Roderick isnae openly asking for their aid, but they see his shame as theirs. I think the only reason they havenae showed up at your door to cut ye into wee, bloody pieces is because they are hesitant to start what could be a long, bloody feud with your kinsmen. I sensed that from the cautious way they questioned me about ye just yestereve."

  "I hope ye were appropriately outraged over this slur against me,” Payton drawled.

  "Aye. I bristled most impressively at the heavily implied insult and strongly reminded them that the last thing ye needed to do was steal a woman for your pleasure,” Bryan replied with a faint smile, then grew serious again. “They are hesitant to act simply upon Roderick's word. I got the feeling he isnae weel thought of by his kinsmen."

  "But that willnae stop them from avenging this insult."

  "Nay. I would guess ye have a sennight or less ere they bestir themselves to act.” Bryan stood up and patted Payton on the shoulder. “Go home, keep yours
elf out of sight for a wee while, and think of a plan. I wish I had more cunning, but I am a verra poor plotter. I will, however, keep an ear to the ground and alert ye to any approaching threat. And, if any of your other kinsmen come round, I will send them to you."

  "If they hear these rumors, ye willnae have to.” Payton finished off his wine and started to leave. “Ye watch your back. If Roderick e'en thinks I have told ye the whole story, he will want ye dead."

  "I will be careful. If naught else, the nightmares your tale will undoubtedly give me will remind me of the danger. And, ‘tis my opinion, ‘tis past time ye had some allies, some who ken the full truth. Go, and come up with a clever plan. I will try to grasp at one myself, but I shouldnae hold out much hope."

  "Ah, dinnae belittle yourself, cousin. Ye are clever. Ye are just nay verra devious, which isnae such a bad thing."

  And devious was what he now had to be, thought Payton, as he headed home. He had slipped away from the castle like a thief in the night, which had galled him, but he knew it was the wisest way. If Roderick's kinsmen came face-to-face with him, they might not wait to be shown some proof of Roderick's claims. It might soothe his pride to stand fast and prove Roderick lied through some manly trial by fire, but he could also get himself wounded, even killed. Kirstie and the children needed him hale and ready to protect them. So, he would sneak around and try to think of some way to come at Roderick from behind.

  By the time he entered his home, he was angry. Where were the people he had thought his friends? Payton could not believe how quickly everyone had turned against him, had distanced themselves. It seemed only Bryan, a kinsman only through marriage, was ready to defend him and stand by him. Striding into his ledger room, he poured himself a large tankard of wine and wondered if he had fallen too completely into the shallow ways of court life, into the ways of empty flattery and fleeting, false intimacy.

  A pounding on his front door startled him out of his increasingly morbid thoughts. When Kirstie burst into his ledger room, he tensed. She looked afraid.

  "Who is it?” he asked, setting down his tankard and walking toward her.

  "I dinnae ken,” she replied. “I was caught out in the hall as the door opened and this was the closest room. I hope ye have a place for me to hide in here. Nay matter who it is, they cannae find me here."

  That was truer than she knew, but he would have to tell her all about the newest twists in their campaign later. Payton grabbed her by the arm, led her over to a heavy tapestry hung upon the wall, and pulled it aside. Behind the long tapestry was an alcove, just the right size for an armed man to hide.

  "Ye have some verra odd little niches and rooms in your house, Payton,” she murmured.

  "Stranger than ye ken.” He pointed to a piece of stone which stuck out just a little. “Push that in and a door will open behind ye. Hide in there if ye e'en think ye may be discovered here. Now, get in there."

  The moment she stepped up into the alcove and turned to face him, Payton moved to kiss her. She was just leaning toward him when she heard Ian arguing with some woman, the voices rapidly drawing nearer. Kirstie placed a hand upon Payton's chest and scowled at him when, a heartbeat later, she recognized the woman's voice. The startled look upon Payton's face indicated he had not expected this visitor, but that only eased Kirstie's annoyance a little. She could all too easily recall that, when she had first approached Payton, he had been about to crawl in this woman's window and spend a long, lusty night in her arms.

  "Am I to be stuck here whilst ye tryst with Lady Fraser?” she hissed.

  "Dinnae be an idiot,” he admonished, then gave her a quick kiss before dropping the tapestry back down in front of her. “Do what ye do so weel—be verra still and verra quiet."

  Kirstie hastily swallowed a sharp curse. The sensible part of her knew Payton had arranged no tryst, especially not here where he was hiding so much. When it came to the fulsome, fair Lady Fraser, however, Kirstie knew she could not be completely sensible. The woman had all Kirstie felt she lacked, such as a highly praised beauty and full curves. She could not fully banish the fear that Payton would look at his little dove Lady Fraser and wonder why he was bedding a scrawny crow.

  "So, here is where ye are hiding,” said Lady Fraser as she flung open the door to the room and glared at Payton, ignoring the scowling Ian close at her back.

  "M'lady?” Payton noticed Ian nervously looking around the room and reassured him with a quick glance at the tapestry before signaling him to leave. “I wasnae expecting ye. Have I been a callous swine and forgotten some assignation we arranged?"

  "Ye are a callous swine,” she said as she marched up to him, “but, nay, no assignation was planned. Now I ken why. I tried to catch ye at court, but ye slipped away. Where is she?"

  "She?” Payton began to think he had made a lucky escape when he had been drawn away from the woman's window, for she was acting both jealous and possessive. He had obviously missed seeing this aspect of her character when he had considered having a liaison with her.

  "Lady Kirstie MacIye, that wee shadow of a wife Sir Roderick must claim. She is why ye have been ignoring me. I cannae believe ye would choose that too-thin child o'er what I was so willing to give ye."

  "It pains me, m'lady, that ye are so quick to judge me in the wrong, so ready to believe the whispered lies of a mon like Sir Roderick MacIye.” Payton wanted to tell her that he did, indeed, prefer what Kirstie could give him, but stung vanity had brought Lady Fraser to his door, and he knew it would be very unwise to add to her sense of injury, even if he could admit to Kirstie's presence.

  "Sir Roderick isnae whispering. He is fair to shouting his claims of insult. Why would he shame himself with talk of being cuckolded by ye, of ye stealing his wife away, if it wasnae all true? That makes no sense at all."

  "Nay? The mon's wife has deserted him. ‘Tis something all would soon learn of e'en if he didnae admit it. Mayhap he but chooses to accuse me o'er any others. I do have something of a reputation. He may think to dim his shame with the sympathy of others. And mayhap he seeks to turn all eyes away from him, away from his own sins."

  She crossed her arms beneath her chest and frowned for a moment. “Oh, ye mean all that talk about him favoring the wee lads. Someone did mention that most of the talk about that was coming from you. Although, why ye should worry so o'er the matter, especially when the mon seeks out those ragged, unwanted wretches cluttering every alley, I dinnae ken. And, what does that have to do with ye stealing his wife?"

  Payton was appalled by the way the woman showed no concern at all for the abused children. Suddenly, he knew that, even if he found himself alone again, he would not seek out her bed. He would feel soiled. It was unsettling enough to think that he had once lusted after this woman. He saw it all as even more proof that he had been at court too long, had become too thoroughly ensnared in the emptiness of it all.

  "I didnae steal his wife,” he said, fighting to hide his sudden distaste for this woman.

  "Oh.” She suddenly smiled and wrapped her arms around his neck. “Weel, then, since we are alone—"

  "Ah, such temptation.” He touched a kiss to her mouth before gently tugging her arms away. “Yet, I must find the strength to turn away from it.” Seeing the anger darkening her face, he hurried to add, “Sir Roderick may be tossing lies about, but his kinsmen are listening. I must warn my own kinsmen of the trouble that may soon kick in my door, a trouble that could all too easily darken their thresholds as weel. I must work fast, hard, and untiringly if I am to turn aside this trouble before it becomes some senseless, bloody feud."

  It took several more moments of explanations, flatteries, and false, vague promises, plus a few kisses, before he got her to leave. About the only good he could think of which might come from Lady Fraser's visit was that the woman would tell everyone who would listen that Lady MacIye was not with Sir Payton. The moment he returned from escorting Lady Fraser to the door and pulled aside the tapestry, Payton decided he was right to t
hink that. Kirstie was looking at him as if he was some foul muck staining her slippers. It struck him as odd that he should find Kirstie's apparent jealousy a pure delight, yet be irritated by Lady Fraser's.

  "She is gone now,” he said as he helped her out of the alcove and kept a firm grip upon her hand to keep her from leaving.

  "Aye, trotting home to her bed to think on all the delights ye promised her,” she snapped, then inwardly cursed herself for sounding like a jealous shrew.

  "Nay. If ye think o'er what was said, I ne'er said I would do all that, just that I would like to."

  Kirstie stared at him in furious amazement. “And that is supposed to make me feel better?” She scowled at him when, after a moment of what looked to be surprise, he suddenly grinned. “Ye find this amusing?"

  "Nay, not ye. Myself, I fear. After pouring honey all o'er Lady Fraser, I find it rather amusing that, when I open my mouth to speak to ye, I promptly stick both feet in it.” He pulled her into his arms, ignoring her stiffness. “Ah, lass, she means naught, though she obviously thinks she ought to. In truth, as she stood there acting as if she had rights I ne'er gave her, I thought how fortunate I was that ye pulled me away from her window that night."

  She started to relax against him. “I am sure it is still open for ye."

  "It can stay open ‘til the winter's snow blows in. I willnae be crawling through it. Nay, when she shrugged aside the plight of the children as if ‘twas naught, I kenned that, nay matter what happens atween us, I willnae be sharing her bed. ‘Twould leave me feeling soiled."

  The woman's callous dismissal of the abuse of children had both saddened and infuriated Kirstie, but she was a little surprised that Payton would find it so distasteful. If, as Ian said, Payton simply took what was offered, why should he care what a woman thought or felt? It was probably one of those manly attitudes she would never understand. She had come across such puzzles with her brothers from time to time.