The Secret Clan: The Complete Series

by Amanda Scott

  “That will not be necessary,” Alex said evenly. “You may ask her any questions you like right here.”

  “Very well,” Dalcross agreed.

  Bab’s relief at that decision was short lived, however, for he added, “You should know that I am now the acting sheriff, and shall remain so until the King appoints a new man, if he does. So you may believe me when I tell you that if she refuses to answer me, I shall arrest her as an accomplice to the murder.”

  Chapter 18

  A chill swept over Bab at hearing Francis Dalcross’s threat. That they had found one of the Fox’s signature coins stunned her, but she refused to believe he could be a murderer.

  Beside her, Alex remained silent.

  She heard a muffled whimper of alarm from his cousin Eileen, but no one heeded her discomfort. Beside her, Eric watched Alex steadily and said nothing.

  Bab said, “You cannot think that I had aught to do with your father’s tragic death, Francis Dalcross.”

  “I do not know for a fact that you did not,” he said, returning look for look.

  Alex’s left arm touched her right one, so she felt him stiffen, but when he spoke, it was in his habitual light drawl. “But you amuse me, Dalcross,” he said. “You are a bigger fool than even I have suspected if you seek a woman for this crime. Or was your father poisoned at table? Poison might indeed indicate a feminine hand at work, but I should be looking for his present leman and not someone so patently innocent as my lady wife.”

  “I do not say that she is the killer,” Dalcross said. “Rather, let us say more accurately that I have no reason to believe she killed him with her own hands but every reason to believe she knows much about the man who did.”

  “What fustian is this you spout, Dalcross?” Lord Chisholm snapped as he stepped onto the dais from the lower hall, having clearly overheard the previous exchange. He glowered at the unwanted intruder, awaiting his reply.

  “My father is dead, my lord, murdered.”

  “If you expect sympathy from me, you’ll not get it,” Chisholm retorted. “You and he have set clan against clan and everyone in the glens against you this past year, so you have no one to thank for this outcome but yourselves. Now, what is this I hear about your wanting to question my daughter-in-law?”

  “As you heard me say, sir, I have reason to believe she knows much about Sionnach Dubh. I warrant you would not want her protecting that outlaw.”

  “No, indeed, if she is guilty, but if she is doing any such thing, I am at a loss to know how. She lives here, sir, as does her mother. Do you think she keeps him hidden in her bedchamber?”

  “I would not reject an offer to search this castle,” Dalcross said slyly.

  “Do not try my patience, sir. You’ll get no such permission, and well do you know it. If you have questions to ask her, ask them and get out.”

  “I want to take her back with me to Inverness.”

  “I warrant you do, but I shall not allow that unless you can show me that she has broken the law. Put your questions to her now, or take your men and leave.”

  “I would prefer somewhere less public then,” Dalcross said, his manner curt and no less confident than when he had entered the hall.

  “I’ll clear my lads out of here if yours go with them,” Chisholm said.

  Dalcross nodded but said, “I want at least one to remain so that I am not the sole Crown witness to what she tells me.”

  “That is reasonable,” Chisholm said. He gestured to Eileen to leave, but Eric remained at Alex’s side and Dalcross made no further objection.

  Bab looked from one gentleman to another until her questioning gaze met Alex’s steady one. Her hands were clasped together beneath the table in her lap, and as she gazed at him, he put one large, warm hand atop hers and let it rest there.

  Drawing a deep breath and releasing it, forcing herself to relax, she turned to Francis Dalcross. “What would you ask me, sir?”

  “Who is the Fox? What is his true name?”

  “Godamercy,” she said, widening her eyes. “I do not know that.”

  “I warrant you do, madam. You have been seen twice in his company, and I have no reason to think you were with him either time because he’d abducted you.”

  Bab stared at him, astonished by his audacity, but she managed to keep her voice calm as she said, “Only one man has ever been villain enough to abduct me, sir, and that villain is you.”

  “Oh, well said, lass, well said,” Alex drawled. “Now, take care, Dalcross, lest you undo yourself.”

  “Hold your tongue,” Dalcross said crossly. “You accomplish no good by baiting me. As for you, mistress, if you cannot tell me his true name, you can at least tell me what he looks like and where he led you.”

  “I cannot describe him, nor will I tell you anything else about him,” Bab said firmly, making her decision. “I do not believe the Fox had anything to do with your father’s unfortunate death.”

  “Now, that won’t do, lass,” Chisholm said sternly. “Dalcross is the acting sheriff, so he has every right to ask his questions. You must answer him truthfully.”

  “With respect, my lord, and truthfully, I know naught that can help, for I’ve never seen his face, and I will not speculate. Nor will I speak of discussions we had, for indeed, I have greater cause to be grateful to the Fox than to Francis Dalcross.”

  “A point to the lady, I believe,” Alex said dulcetly.

  Dalcross shot him a look of pure hatred. “She may win a point or two, but I hold the winning hand, I believe.” Turning to address Chisholm, he said, “The law supports me, my lord. As you know. Sionnach Dubh was declared outlaw years ago, and witnesses have seen her in his company. I saw her with him myself.”

  “I am astonished that you dare to admit that,” Bab said. “When you speak of lawbreakers, sir, I say you should name yourself amongst them!”

  “Therefore,” he went on, ignoring her and speaking directly to Chisholm, “since she plainly knows more about him than anyone else does, she is in clear violation of the law if she refuses to answer all questions put to her. I can and I will charge her with being an accomplice to murder, and she will share his fate.”

  “I believe that to make such a charge, you must first prove that he committed the crime and that she knows facts material to your case,” Alex said.

  Chisholm nodded. “That is true.”

  “It is also true,” Dalcross snapped, “that I can arrest her if she refuses to speak, and take her to Inverness for questioning. Is that not so, my lord?”

  “Aye, it is,” Chisholm agreed reluctantly.

  “Then, my lady, you have a choice. You can answer my questions now without equivocation, or I will take you to Inverness. Which shall it be?”

  Bab was silent.

  Chisholm said earnestly, “You must answer him, lass. I cannot prevent his arresting you if you do not.” When she hesitated, he added roughly, “By our lady, Alex, command her to answer the man!”

  Alex looked at Bab. “You should, you know. It is only sensible.”

  “I have nothing useful to tell him and no wish to aid him,” she repeated.

  “Faith, Alex, do you call that a command?” his father demanded.

  With a little smile, Alex said, “If you recall, sir, you have already noted that my lady wife is not a properly biddable female. If I must be honest, and in this case I sincerely believe I must, it is a lack that I particularly admire in her.”

  “Not always,” Bab muttered.

  “No, not always,” he agreed, his smile widening. “Are you quite sure that you cannot bring yourself to answer his impertinent questions?”

  “I am sure,” she said.

  Alex turned back to Dalcross and shrugged. “There you have it, I believe.”

  “Then I am placing you under arrest, my lady. Please stand up.”

  “She has still not broken her fast,” Alex reminded him.

  “That is not my fault,” Dalcross snapped. “I warrant you’d as
lief I convey her safely to Inverness before nightfall.”

  “Aye, that is a point to you. You will not take her alone, however.”

  “I cannot stop you if you choose to follow us,” Dalcross said, “but you may not accompany us, nor will I grant you access to her when we arrive.”

  “Here,” Chisholm protested, “you’ll not keep a gently raised female in the Inverness Tolbooth! ’Tis unheard of!”

  “She will stay at Sheriff’s House,” Dalcross said. “As you know, it possesses several quite adequate cells that have held quality visitors before.”

  “You do not possess any female staff at present, however,” Alex said.

  “That is not so,” Dalcross said. “My father employed a respectable housekeeper, and I mean to keep her on there.”

  “My lady wife, if she is indeed to accompany you, will quite naturally take her own waiting woman with her, however,” Alex said blandly.

  Dalcross nodded and then said to Bab, “I would like to leave at once, my lady. I will accept your word of honor if you give it that you will accompany me without the necessity of manacles or other indignity. You may also take a few moments to apprise your maidservant that she is to accompany you, and you may break your fast if you can do both with some dispatch.”

  “I will give you my word, sir, if you will give me yours before these men that I will be safe in your company. I have reason, as you know, to doubt that.”

  He grimaced. “I owe you my profoundest apologies for what occurred between us, madam. I misunderstood our relationship, I fear. Now, pray do not tarry, lest nightfall find us still on the road.”

  Bab heard a sound from Alex that sounded suspiciously like a growl, but when she glanced at him, he met her look as mildly as if Dalcross’s intrusion in their day were but a ripple in the sands of time. He did not offer to accompany her upstairs, but that did not surprise her. With enemies in the castle, although he disliked confrontation, he would not turn his back.

  After Bab had departed for Inverness with Dalcross and his men, Alex listened to his father read him a dismal description of his character, the better part of which he agreed with completely. Then he excused himself, saying he could not see what he might gain by hurrying after her as Chisholm recommended, when he could do nothing for her in Inverness. With his father’s reproaches still ringing in his ears, he left the hall and hurried to his bedchamber, hoping to find Hugo there.

  Although his lordship, clearly disgusted with his son’s lack of enterprise, had promptly ordered a number of his own men to follow Dalcross’s party and ensure that Bab arrived safely at the Sheriff’s House in Inverness, he had not spared her character either. Alex agreed with much of what he said on that head, too, not least of which was a flat declaration that someone ought to have taught the wench obedience to authority long before her eighteenth birthday.

  On the other hand, he decided, no one could fault her for a lack of discretion.

  Entering his bedchamber, he found it empty, and nearly certain that Hugo must have returned to the cave, he flung open one of his wardrobe chests and began searching through it for clothing that would be more practical for the hours ahead.

  “I dinna approve o’ deceiving the lass. Were ye a son o’ mine I’d see ye well skelped for such duplicity.”

  Grimacing, Alex told himself that his guilty conscience was getting sadly out of hand. It had begun to sound increasingly like an indignant female, and how his own thoughts could sound so passed his understanding.

  “Ye’d understand well enough did ye ever open your eyes, me fine lad.”

  “Me eyes are open,” he protested, speaking aloud this time.

  “Nay, then, for were they open, ye’d see me. I be right here in front o’ ye.”

  An oblique sense of movement drew his eye toward the bed, but no one was there. Then, through a smokelike mist, he saw a plump little woman perched near the foot of the bed, leaning against the bedpost.

  The smoke cleared as it gathered into a single stream issuing from an odd-looking white implement that she held in one hand. She eyed him with disapproval.

  He stared, for where she might have come from, he could not imagine. “I would have sworn that no one else was in here,” he said.

  “Then ye’d ha’ been wrong,” she said.

  “Who are you?”

  “Me name’s Maggie Malloch, but we’ve nae time now tae go into me antecedents. What d’ye mean tae do about your lass?”

  “I’m going to do what I do best,” he said.

  “Aye, that’s good, but take the lad wi’ ye.”

  He did not have to ask which lad. “I’ll have to take him, because I’ll need Hugo, and I dare not leave young Gibby to his own devices whilst I’m gone.”

  “Aye, ye’re a canny one and nae mistake, but ye’ll ha’ tae tell her the truth gey soon now, ye ken.”

  “I am not looking forward to that,” he admitted. “Even now, I am not persuaded that it is the best plan, because her safety may yet depend upon being able to say with all sincerity that she knows nothing.”

  “Aye, ’tis true, that, but ye’ve deceived her!”

  “If you are saying that I’m a scoundrel for doing such a thing, I agree w—”

  “Nay, nay, I’m no saying any such thing. All men deceive women. It be their nature, and women’s nature tae deceive men. I’m just saying that there be consequences ye may no wish tae face.”

  “What business is this of yours?” he asked.

  “I’m tae watch, is all.”

  “Watching does not require speech or the purposeful interference with the very thoughts in my head,” he pointed out. “You will note that I have not demanded more details of your identity. I’m nearly afraid to ask what you are, but I do recall Lady MacRae once mentioning a woman no one else seemed to see, who rode pillion with Lady Kintail on her journey here. Was that you?”

  “Aye, for she could see me until I took steps tae prevent it,” Maggie said. “Kintail can see me, too, but I took steps straightaway wi’ him, so he never did.”

  He nodded but resisted asking more questions about that. Instead, he said, “Why are you watching me?”

  “Not only ye, but others, too. There be mischief afoot,” she said. “I aim tae see fair play, and tae that end, I’ll see that your sword protects ye as it should.”

  “With respect, may I point out that it rarely fails me?”

  She puffed on one end of the white implement and exhaled smoke before she said, “Ye dinna ken what lies ahead or who may try tae cast a spell on ye or your personal effects, but I can protect yon sword and yourself against evil spells.”

  “Can you not simply see that it does not fall into the wrong hands?”

  “I canna interfere so obviously wi’ other mortals, but sithee, others o’ my world be watching, too—me son, Claud, for one. Unfortunately, he be beset as usual by females, poor lad, and whenever he falls in lust, he makes mistakes.”

  The door opened before Alex could reply, and Hugo entered. When Alex looked back at the bed, the little woman was gone.

  “Claud,” Lucy said urgently, shaking his shoulder. “Wake up, Claud!”

  Starting, Claud rubbed his eyes and saw green. The canopy of leafy branches overhead and the damp, earthen smell of the woods made him think at first that he had somehow been wafted to Catriona’s bower, but a second thought and the lack of the burn’s gentle babbling suggested otherwise.

  “Where am I?” he asked, blinking his eyes as if he might find himself safely back in his mother’s parlor by doing so.

  “Ye be here wi’ me, ye great daffy,” Lucy told him.

  “But how did I get here?”

  “D’ye no ken this place?” Lucy countered.

  He shook his head. “I thought it was Catriona’s glade, but a wee burn runs through that place, and there be a mirror pool, too.”

  “I told ye, I dinna like water,” Lucy said with a grimace.

  “Good lack, ha’ ye dried them up, then
?”

  “I like the place better this way. Dinna ye like it, Claud?”

  “Nay, I do not!”

  “Well, nae matter. I woke ye ’cause they’re taking your lass tae Inverness, and if she doesna tell them what they want tae ken, they’ll put her on trial for her life and hang her. We must stop them, Claud, or ye’ll fail in your task, and the Circle will give ye over tae the wicked Host.”

  Claud shuddered. “But what can we do?”

  “I think we should winkle her away from them and hide her.”

  “We canna do that,” Claud said. “ ’Twould be tae show our power where mortals would see it. Breaking that rule all by itself would mean failure, lass.”

  “Nay, Claud,” she said, moving seductively against him. “I’ll show ye a way we can do it without harm tae our—”

  She disappeared without finishing, and Claud instantly became aware of the prickling sensation that of late had heralded his mother’s arrival.

  Maggie stood in front of him before he could brace himself. Her face was close to his. “D’ye never learn?” she snapped. “What were ye doing here wi’ that wicked baggage?”

  “I dinna ken,” he admitted. “I were sleeping in yon parlor, then I were here.”

  “There be mischief afoot, lad,” Maggie said with unwonted gentleness. “Go wi’ your lass and seek help from nae one ye dinna trust absolutely. And, Claud, dinna forget that if ye meet wi’ evil, ye must call it by its name tae defeat it.”

  “Aye, Mam, I’ll remember.”

  With that, she dismissed him and he hurried to find Mistress Bab.

  Bab’s journey to Inverness was accomplished without incident, because once they were out of Glen Affric, the tracks from Strathglass through Glen Urquhart and north along Loch Ness to Inverness were more heavily traveled. Although she had lost all respect for Francis Dalcross on the day he abducted her, she had little fear that he would molest her on the way, particularly with Giorsal riding at her side.

  She could even sympathize with his bereavement, certain that he must feel it sorely. Even so, she could not bring herself to believe that the Fox had had anything to do with Sheriff Dalcross’s death.