“That sounds an awful lot like admiration from someone who is supposedly seeking his brother’s downfall.”
Fingal smiled, but he felt profoundly sad. He had just lost the only thing that ever mattered to him. They both sat silently in contemplation for several minutes. Then Father Colm said, “Based on what Tomas overheard, the conspirator expects he will gain Duncurra for himself, but someone else will kill Niall. Could Laird Matheson be an accomplice?”
“I admit it has been a number of years since I have had any close association with him, but this is completely out of character. He is one of the wealthiest lairds in the Highlands and has never been covetous of others,” said Fingal.
“Men do change,” offered Father Colm.
“Perhaps, but I can’t see what Tadhg could hope to gain by helping someone bring Niall down.”
“Then, other than ye, who would have a reason to destroy Laird MacIan? Does he have any enemies?”
“Father, Niall has a temper, but with one notable exception,” Fingal said dryly, motioning to himself, “he usually does not release his anger without serious cause. He is a force to be reckoned with, but he is also generally considered to be fair—much more so than our father was.”
“Perhaps someone from Katherine’s past? A family member or a disappointed suitor?”
Fingal snorted. “Her only family was a merciless uncle who damn near beat her to death, and he made sure she had no suitors.” Father Colm looked askance. “Tis true. Nay, her uncle benefitted by her marriage to Niall, he was happy enough. Frankly, Katherine lost the most, but there was no one to champion her.”
Father Colm nodded, saying, “Fingal, lad, I can understand why the laird thinks ye are behind this. Ye have argued against it being anyone else but ye.”
Fingal answered wryly, “Aye, Father, even I am beginning to suspect me. The fact is my brother is a good man, and well respected. The only person I know who neither likes nor respects Niall is my mother.”
“If there is so little fondness between them, why did she leave court and return to Duncurra?”
“After Niall resolved all the debt she accrued, he made it clear she was no longer to be extended credit. He gave her an annual stipend on which to live, but she arrived here after spending the lot in a few months.”
“Could she be the one behind this?”
“Not alone. She has become very close to Malcolm, and in recent months he has not only stirred discord between us, he has done the same between Niall and Katherine.”
“He was here at the Epiphany. It could have been Malcolm who Tomas overheard.”
Fingal thought for a moment before saying, “Tomas said one of the people he overheard said something about ‘pretending to be something for too long’ and he was ‘sorry he wouldn’t be the one to kill Niall.’ That could certainly be Malcolm, if the loving uncle role was just an act. Malcolm could have been behind the raids and the kidnapping. It was his idea to take Katherine to Brathanead in the first place. Instigating a war with Matheson would weaken us sufficiently to allow Malcolm to successfully lay siege to Duncurra, and could certainly get Niall killed.”
Fingal rose to his feet, saying, “Holy Mother of God, Niall told the MacLennan messenger he would ‘gladly accept the support’ Malcolm will send. Niall is only leaving a handful of men here. Malcolm could ride in with an army and be welcomed. I have to find Niall and tell him.”
“Wait,” cautioned Father Colm, putting a hand on Fingal’s shoulder. “Your brother is furious with ye and is not likely to graciously hear accusations against an old and trusted friend.”
“Father, I can’t let Niall ride off and leave Duncurra vulnerable to a siege.”
“Lad, if ye go to him now with these suspicions, he is likely to separate your head from your shoulders before ye can tell him anything. Can ye close Duncurra after he leaves, and defend a siege until he returns?”
“Duncurra can be defended for a short time with a small number of men. Now that Niall doesn’t trust me, it is unlikely the men left behind will follow my orders, particularly if they think the arriving army is Niall’s ally.”
“Is there someone else who ye trust from whom ye can seek help?”
“Laird Chisholm. I could reach his keep in a few hours, but if Niall finds out I’ve left, he will believe the worst.”
“If ye don’t, ye risk losing everything ye hold dear.”
Fingal knew the old priest was right. In the bustle of activity surrounding the preparations to leave the next morning, as well as the continued effort to bring as many of the clan as possible behind the walls at Duncurra, Fingal slipped out without notice. He rode as fast as was safe in the dark and reached Currancreag, the Chisholm stronghold, shortly after midnight.
Twenty Four
Laird Matheson returned from the hunt in the early evening. They had been successful and he was in a particularly good mood. Looking extremely anxious, Elspet approached him as he entered the courtyard.
“How is our stubborn visitor today?” he asked.
“Laird, I think ye have an unexpected problem on your hands. I tried to find ye so I could tell ye early this morning, but ye had already left.”
Tadhg raised an eyebrow at her. “Care to enlighten me now?”
“Why don’t men ever stop to think about the consequences of their actions? She is scared and has eaten almost nothing. This kind of upset could be disastrous,” she said, wringing her hands.
“Elspet, what are ye talking about?”
“Laird, I suspect your visitor is with child.”
Laird Matheson swore loudly and, rubbing his forehead, asked, “What makes ye think that?”
“I helped her bathe last night, and although she is very slender, her belly is rounding. I thought it possible, but this morning she seemed ill and unable to eat, which isn’t unusual if she is expecting.”
“Damnation. MacIan might kill me. Hell, I’d kill me, if I were him.”
“Laird, an upset the likes of this one could cause a lass to miscarry.”
“God’s mercy, Elspet, I know that.”
“Good. I’m glad to see ye are sufficiently worried, because I’ve done something ye may not like.”
“What have ye done?” he asked warily.
“Laird, I know ye ordered me to keep her locked in her chamber unless ye gave permission for her to leave, and I have never defied an order, but I reasoned that when ye gave that order, ye didn’t know about her condition. Laird, I was worried about her, and no matter how good your intentions were, if something happens to that lass or her bairn, well, there is no telling what Laird MacIan would do.”
“Ye didn’t keep her locked up?” Tadhg asked, but the relief was evident in his voice.
“Nay, Laird, I didn’t,” said Elspet, trying to appear contrite. “But I followed half the order. I told Hamish ye ordered that Lady MacIan should have an escort ere she left her chamber, and he has been by her side all day, as ye required.”
“Where is she now?” he asked wearily.
“I thought it best to keep her distracted. She had needlework packed in her bag. I gave her a few things she needed, so she spent most of the day in the great hall working on it. She is clearly uneasy still, but much less so than last night. Laird, she asked to speak with ye as soon as ye returned.”
“I will see her now,” he said, walking past Elspet to enter the keep. Then stopped and turned back to her. “Elspet, does Hamish know Lady Katherine did not have my permission to leave her chamber?”
“Nay, Laird, I didn’t mention that bit. I—ah—only told him ye wished her to be escorted.”
Tadhg chuckled, “And so I did.”
He continued walking towards the keep but Elspet stopped him again, saying, “Laird, there is one more thing ye should know.” At his expectant look, she went on, “It’s a terrible thing, really. I feel sorry for the wee lass, but while she was bathing last night, I noticed Lady Katherine’s back is covered with scars from a whip.”
>
“He beats her?” Tadhg asked, sickened by the thought.
“I couldn’t say, Laird. While I don’t think anyone has beaten her recently, some of her scars aren’t terribly old. I just thought ye should know.”
He nodded and continued on into the great hall in search of Lady Katherine. He found her as Elspet had said, sitting by the hearth, her needlework in her hands.
~ * ~
As Laird Matheson approached, Katherine clearly saw the concern in his expression. “My lady, I understand ye wished to speak with me, but I need ask ye something first. Elspet tells me ye have scars on your back. Does MacIan beat ye?”
“Oh, by all the saints, of course not. Niall would never hurt me. My Uncle Ambrose gave me those scars.”
“Ambrose Ruthven?”
“Aye.”
“If I ever see him again, I may have to kill him.”
“Kill him over whipping his niece, whom you kidnapped? I think if your house is made of glass, you’d best not throw stones.”
Tadhg threw his head back and laughed. “Ye are a feisty bit of goods, my lady.”
When he had stopped laughing, Katherine said, “Laird Matheson, I need to talk to you about, this—this whole situation.”
“Which situation, specifically?” he asked, sobering. “Your husband’s raids on my land, my taking ye as a hostage, or the fact that ye let me lock an expectant mother up like a prisoner?”
Shocked, Katherine snapped her head up at his last comment.
“Elspet is very observant,” Tadhg said by way of explanation.
“Well, I am a prisoner, so I don’t see how your last point is relevant, and I haven’t exactly been locked up, but it is the first two that concern me. Laird Matheson—”
Exasperated he said, “Please, call me Tadhg.”
Katherine ignored him and continued, “There is something very wrong. My husband did not instigate the raids on your land. He was only retaliating for raids against us.”
“Lass, I know ye would like to believe—”
“Nay, hear me out. He did not start the raids. This last one was in response to a brutal attack on our border. The animals weren’t stolen, they were slaughtered, dwellings were burned, and three clansmen were killed the day after Epiphany.”
“And he thinks I did that?”
“Every indication was that ye did.”
“That is ludicrous,” he said, his ire rising. “That kind of destruction serves no purpose. He has raided me numerous times over the last year. I didn’t retaliate last winter or spring because I had heard of the MacIan’s financial troubles. I wasn’t going to steal food from their mouths. The fact is, I have only led one raid on MacIan lands and it was this past fall, well after their financial issues had been solved.” Tadhg gave her a pointed look and continued, “and they were still raiding my land.”
“If ye weren’t behind the raids, who was and why?”
“I can only guess someone wanted to provoke your husband into attacking me.”
“What would be gained by that?”
“I’m not sure. I can certainly withstand such an attack. The only thing it would really do is weaken the MacIans.”
“But Niall knew that. He wasn’t considering attacking ye. We received word ye were planning to lay siege to Duncurra.”
“That is, without a doubt, the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard. I have no intention of laying siege to Duncurra,” Tadhg said vehemently. “I have no interest in Duncurra at all. Who told ye this?”
“Two days ago, Laird MacLennan arrived at Duncurra and told Niall an attack from ye was imminent. He said ye were planning to lay siege close to Candlemas, and convinced Niall I would be safer at Brathanead.”
“He said Candlemas? Are ye sure?
“Aye.”
“And when did Niall make the decision for ye to travel to Brathanead?”
“Two days ago, when Malcolm came with news of the siege.”
“Katherine, I found out more than a week ago ye would be traveling to Brathanead yesterday.”
“That is not possible. As I said, Niall only decided after Malcolm came, two days ago. I left with Laird MacLennan yesterday morning. How could ye have known for a week?”
“The wife of one of my clansmen is a MacLennan. She returned from visiting her sister with news that Laird MacLennan was having a huge feast for Candlemas and ye would be accompanying Lady MacIan.”
“What? I would not go to Brathanead for a celebration without Niall. In fact, I would never have willingly accompanied Eithne anywhere alone. I didn’t want to this time, but Niall insisted because he was afraid for my safety. Malcolm convinced him not to escort me by telling him your attack could come at any time, so he shouldn’t risk being away from Duncurra even for a day.”
“Well, that was a wise move on Laird MacLennan’s part if he wanted me to kidnap ye. I never would have attempted it if Niall and his guard were escorting ye. I have no doubt he would die protecting ye. But, my lady, the MacLennans practically presented ye as a gift.”
Katherine frowned at him. “If Niall led an attack on ye, it would leave Duncurra less well protected, wouldn’t it?”
“Aye, probably dangerously so.”
“Allowing someone else to successfully lay siege to Duncurra?”
“Aye.”
“Then it has to be Malcolm at the root of this. He has been behind the raids against us, but he made it look as if it were ye. He has tried over and over to goad Niall into attacking ye, and Niall wouldn’t. He knew it would critically weaken him. So Malcolm did the one thing that was sure to cause Niall to attack. He made it easy for ye to capture me. If he could get Niall to attack ye, he can take Duncurra. That explains what Tomas overheard.”
“Tomas?”
“Our foster son,” said Katherine. She told Tadhg about the whispered conversation in the stairwell. “Niall suspected Fingal. It sounded as if the person talking intended to inherit Duncurra.”
“Unless things have changed drastically, Fingal would never have plotted against Niall. Fingal all but worshipped him. Besides, ye are expecting, are ye not?”
“Aye, but at that time we hadn’t told anyone yet—Fingal didn’t know. It had to be Malcolm, and he meant to seize Duncurra, not inherit it.”
As Tadhg processed this information, he realized its full implication. “If Malcolm MacLennan is behind this, the message Niall will receive today is not likely to be the one I sent, asking to discuss a truce. He will ride on Cnocreidh to rescue ye, leaving Duncurra vulnerable.”
Katherine went ashen. “Niall is expecting Laird MacLennan to send men to Duncurra. They won’t be seen as a threat until it’s too late.”
Tadhg leapt into action. He called to Hamish, who was in the hall a discreet distance away. He explained the situation and gave orders to prepare a large contingent of men to leave at first light. “Lady Katherine, I have to ride on Duncurra before your husband has the chance to leave.”
“But he will think ye are attacking. The battle will be underway before ye can get to him. Even if ye ride under the white flag, I doubt he will believe ye.”
“I have to try. I refuse to let MacLennan get away with this,” Tadhg said angrily.
“Niall will believe ye if I ride with ye. He will not attack if I am there,” Katherine said.
“Absolutely not,” Tadhg said, and stalked away to prepare.
God save me from over-protective men. Oh, and while ye are at it, please, God, save them from each other.
Twenty Five
Fingal knew Fearghas Chisolm and his wife Ena had been asleep for hours, but he told the guard this couldn’t wait. “Damnation, Andrew, ye know I wouldn’t insist on ye waking Laird Chisholm if it wasn’t extremely urgent.”
“Fingal, ye are generally level-headed, and the laird and lady are fond of ye, but by all that’s holy man, they won’t be happy if they find out this could have waited until morning.”
“I promise ye, Andrew, it can’t wait. I
have to talk to the laird right now.”
“All right, wait there by the hearth and I will get him.”
In just a few minutes, both Fearghas and Ena greeted Fingal in the hall.
“My lady, I am so sorry, ye needn’t have come down,” Fingal said as she embraced him.
“I tried to tell her morning would be soon enough to greet ye, Fingal, but that battle was lost the moment she heard it was ye.”
“If either of ye think I could go back to sleep, worried about what has brought Fingal here in the middle of a bitter winter night, ye are daft.” Fingal smiled at her warmly, she was the closest thing to a real mother he had ever had. “Ye look like the devil has been riding on your heels, lad, what’s happened?”
The older couple listened as Fingal laid out the whole story for them. Fearghas agreed it was very unlike Tadhg Matheson to raid without provocation. “Now, I wouldn’t put kidnapping a bonny lass past him,” Fearghas added with a chuckle.
“I’m not even sure he has Katherine,” said Fingal. “If Malcolm is behind this, the abduction could be a ruse as well, simply meant to draw Niall out of Duncurra.”
“Ye could be right about it all, lad. Malcolm MacLennan has always been an ambitious man, but not one to take risks. If he had his eyes on Duncurra, he would want to make sure the conquest would be easy.”
“Fingal could be right? Do you doubt him at all? Malcolm MacLennan has never been trustworthy, and neither has Eithne” said Ena indignantly.
“Ena,” Fearghas said, “Don’t start that, she is the lad’s mother, after all.”
“He may as well know, Fearghas.” Fearghas shook his head in resignation as Ena continued, “Ye know Eithne was married to one of Fearghas’ younger brothers and she lived here after her husband died in battle.”
“Aye, I remember, ye told me that when I was a lad.”
“Well, she was the most unpleasant, demanding, and embarrassingly indiscreet woman I had ever had to deal with. She threw herself at any man who would have her, regardless of whether he was married or not. She even flirted shamelessly with Fearghas. It doesn’t surprise me she has her eyes on Malcolm MacLennan now. She cozied up to him any chance she could, even back then. He was married, but I wouldn’t have put it past him to take what she offered. I think the only thing she really wanted was to be a laird’s wife. As soon as she heard Beitris had died, she hounded Fearghas mercilessly to arrange a marriage with your da. Alastair was distraught, he wanted a mother for Niall, and he agreed to it. I have to admit I was glad to be rid of her.”
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