“You mean Clan Muir?” he asked.
“Or Clan Grant?” she added.
Braden chewed on the inside of his mouth for a moment. “I would guess Uncle Alex would say Clan Grant. That would guarantee the help of his guards if we ever needed them. He gave Loki a small group to start with. They even built a few cottages, helped to rebuild Castle Curanta.”
“I could live with that, but with one caveat.”
“Before you say aught, think about this. Are you willing to be known as a Grant instead of a Muir?”
Still on her belly, she kicked her feet up and down on the bed while she gave it some thought. This was a most difficult question.
She had heard of the Drummonds. Diana was laird of the Drummonds, but her husband Micheil had kept his Ramsay name. In fact, Drummond land was where she’d first set eyes on Braden, though they hadn’t formally met until outside the castle. Would Braden ever consider such a thing? But she decided quickly it was not what she wished for them. Her mother had become a Muir, so it was only right that she would become a Grant. Besides, she rather liked the idea of a fresh start.
“I’m willing to be a Grant, and I know Steenie would be. I would ask for one thing, for this to be forever known as Muir Castle, since ‘twas my clan who built it.”
“I can’t argue with that. ‘Tis most reasonable. I’ll speak to my uncle after we arrive back on Grant land.”
Chapter Twenty-One
Braden hadn’t felt this contented in a long time. It was near dusk when they arrived on Grant land. The moon was nearly full with few clouds, so they could look at the stars as they came into view. They spent quite a bit of time trying to identify the familiar shapes in the sky.
When they were almost back, Braden noticed an approaching horse out of the corner of his eye. It was headed toward the cliffs.
“Did you see them?” he asked her.
“Aye, but I did not get a good look at them. A lad and a lass, I think. Did you know them?”
“I think one was Marta, Ronan’s betrothed.” What the hell would Marta be doing leaving the castle at this hour? He decided to investigate. He started to follow them but then changed his mind, heading toward the gates instead. “I think I know where they are headed. Would you mind finding my cousin Roddy or my brother Loki and sending them after me? I may need assistance with this, though I have no idea who I’ll find or where they are going.”
She nodded, then slid off the horse as they reached the gates. “I’ll find them right away. Please be careful, Braden.”
“I will. Tell them I headed toward the cliffs.”
She nodded and he took off in the direction the couple had been headed. Hellfire, but he could swear he’d seen Marta on that horse, though he had not recognized the man behind her.
Had it been her secret lover? He needed to find out. Mayhap it would finally give him answers to the question that continued to niggle at him about Ronan’s death.
He drove his horse hard, hoping to catch them. He was nearly to the cliffs when he heard a woman scream. It had to be the lass on the horse. No one else would be out here at such a late hour. He pushed forward, surprised at the situation he came upon. The two had dismounted and the man was dragging the woman toward the cliffs against her will. She squirmed and fought him, but he was obviously much stronger than her.
“Stop where you are!” Braden bellowed, hoping to slow the man’s progress. Who the hell was it?
“Come any closer and I’ll throw her over at once.” He finally turned around, but he was too far away for Braden to recognize him. He looked in three different directions until his gaze finally settled on Braden. Deliberately disobeying him, the man took several steps closer to the cliffs.
Braden hurried toward them, intent on stopping him, unsheathing his sword. Losing Ronan had been devastating. He would not let his friend’s beloved meet the same horrible fate. After ten steps, Braden finally recognized the man, and he was so shocked and furious that he ran straight toward the two of them.
“Keith, you bastard. Let her go at once!”
“Please, Braden,” Marta cried. “Stop him. I don’t want to die. He’s going to kill me!” Marta was sobbing and could barely stand up.
He halted once he realized how tenuous the situation was. “Let her go, Keith. Why would you want to hurt her? She would have married Ronan. She would have been your sister.” Braden had no notion of what Keith wanted, but he knew he needed to distract him and keep him talking. He moved a few steps closer.
“No more, Grant. I swear I’ll toss her over. Drop your weapon.” The look on his face was unwavering. Braden didn’t hesitate to let his sword fall to the ground. It would take careful persuasion to get Keith to change his mind. He was staunchly resolved in his plan.
Suddenly, it dawned on him. Keith had done this before. “You killed him, didn’t you? Ronan didn’t take his own life at all.”
Horse hooves echoed behind him, and he turned his head enough to see Roddy and Loki come to a stop behind him. He held his hand out to them, indicating they should stop.
He had to get the answer to his question. “All along, ‘twas you, was it not? You tried to convince me and everyone else that I was the guilty party, that ‘twas my fault Ronan threw himself to his death, but he didn’t, did he?”
Marta sobbed and shook her head. “He killed my Ronan. Ronan…” Her pained wails seemed to echo in the night air.
“Why? Why would you kill your own brother, Keith? Why?”
Braden kept an eye on his weapon, hoping to see an opening. As he’d moved closer to Keith, the bastard had moved closer to the edge of the cliffs. He now held a dagger at Marta’s throat with a tight grip on her arm.
“One more step, Grant, and I’ll toss her over. She’s much lighter than my brother.”
“Why?” He still could not understand. Then it dawned on him what had probably caused him to act this way, so he changed tactics. He glanced at Marta pointedly, hoping she would catch on to what he was doing. Hoping she would trust him. “I can see in her eyes that Marta loves you. We all could see it. Why would you hurt the woman who loves you?”
“She doesn’t love me. I told Ronan I loved her, but he wanted her for himself. He wouldn’t stay away. I warned him…I warned him many times, but he always takes everything I desire. He told me they were in love.”
He gave Marta a scathing look and then said, “And she figured it out. Came at me screaming today when I confessed my love for her. Is that any way to treat the man who loves you?”
Braden placed his hands behind his back, motioning for Loki to take out his slinger. They’d played with it so often when they were younger they’d formed the silent signal to avoid their parents’ detection. Loki would no doubt interpret the movement correctly. He just needed to keep Keith talking and get him to step away from the cliff.
“Marta does love you. Isn’t that right, Marta? I can see it in her eyes, in the way she looks at you.” He stared at her again, hoping she would play along.
“I do,” she gasped, though not convincingly. “I love only you, Keith. I’m sorry to have fussed about Ronan. You…you did what you had to do.”
“Ronan, that daft fool. I told him many times. I warned him. She’s mine.” Then his voice softened as if he’d just absorbed her words. “You do, Marta? I told him you loved me. That you would be with me if only he’d step out of the way. I followed him out here when he was hunting. I just wanted to convince him to stay away, but he wouldn’t listen to me.” He kissed her cheek, hugging her close.
Braden shuffled to the side, hoping to give Loki better aim.
Marta cried, staring at Braden. “I love you, Keith. Please don’t push me over.”
“If you’d said that long ago, I would never have hurt him. I could have been the one to make you happy, take care of you.”
His unpredictable rage unfurled again, this time focused on Braden. “I tried to convince everyone it was your fault, but nay. You’re Braden Grant. You
’d never try to steal Marta for yourself. You’d never upset Ronan to the point that he’d hurt himself. Then she—” he yanked Marta closer to stick the dagger back near her throat, “—she told Moray she thought one of us did it. I have to shut her up. I’ve no choice.”
His anger was a terrible thing, and Braden couldn’t help but reflect that he’d allowed his own anger to control him before. It was an uncontrollable beast, untethered rage.
Braden said, “No reason at all, Keith. I know a perfect cottage where you and Marta can live together. No one will ever bother you there.” He motioned behind his back for Loki to take his shot. They were running out of time. “You can live there together forever. Don’t you want to have her all to yourself? Have beautiful bairns with her? Which would you like first, a lad or a lassie?”
Keith smiled, and his grip lightened on Marta’s neck. “What would you like first, love? A wee lass or a…”
Loki’s slinger swished behind him and a second later, Keith grabbed his bollocks with a roar. Braden leaped on him, pulling Marta toward him and then pushing her back toward Roddy. Before Braden could get to his dagger, Keith tried to stab him, but he cut Braden’s hand instead. The sight of blood pouring out of Braden’s hand set Keith off in a tirade and he dropped his weapon.
“Look what you’ve done, Grant! This is all your fault. Why didn’t you stay the hell away from us? She would’ve loved me eventually. I could have convinced her.” He went straight at Braden’s waist, trying to knock him down, but Braden was stronger.
The two wrestled until they were both on the ground near the edge of the cliff, throwing fists and punches in the tussle. Braden managed to pummel Keith’s belly while the bastard retaliated by catching Braden square in his jaw.
Marta screamed, “Nay, Keith! Do not hurt Braden.”
Braden had him in a choke hold because he could see Loki and Roddy moving closer, trying to find an angle where they could use their sword on Keith, but the daft man was fueled by a wild rage. Once he freed himself from Braden’s grip, he stood and reached down to retrieve the dagger still on the ground when Loki managed to swing his sword close enough to catch the bastard across the belly.
Keith dropped the dagger, staring at them in shock before he dropped his gaze to his belly, blood pouring out of the wound and staining his tunic. His knees buckled and he nearly fell forward, but at the last second, he teetered backward over the edge of the cliff, falling to his death.
Almost as if he’d done it intentionally.
Braden glanced at his palm, checking to see how serious the wound was across his hand.
Marta squealed and ran into Roddy’s arms while Loki helped Braden up. He ripped a strip from his plaid and wrapped it tight across Braden’s hand.
“Well done, negotiator,” Loki smiled. “You gave me the perfect opening.”
“Well done? He threw himself over to his own death,” Braden said, putting pressure on the linen across his wound.
“I struck him deep enough for that to be a mortal wound. He’d not have survived.”
“Mayhap so, but I’d hoped to save him. I was thinking of his surviving brother and his mother. They just lost another,” Braden said, rubbing the back of his neck with his good hand.
“Cut you pretty good first, did he not? What would have been a better ending? If you’d grabbed him and taken him back, the lairds would have had to hang him in front of everyone. He killed a clanmate, his own brother, for no good reason. And tried to kill Marta. He would have killed you without a second thought.”
Braden took a moment to mull over Loki’s words.
“He’s right,” Roddy said. “His mother has already dealt with one loss. She can handle this one better than if she’d had to watch him hang in front of her. This was much kinder—for his mother, for Moray, and even for Keith himself. He knew ’twas the only way. I saw it that he threw himself over after he’d been stabbed, knowing the alternative.”
“Marta, did he hurt you at all?” Loki asked.
“Nay, he just frightened me. I still cannot believe it.” Her face was pale with shock.
“Me neither,” Braden said, as he headed back to his horse, but he stopped, frozen for a moment.
The realization finally hit him that Ronan had not taken his own life.
He had not misread Ronan’s signs. There had been none. His friend had been murdered. Just like that, an enormous weight of guilt was lifted off his shoulders.
Chapter Twenty-Two
When they made it back to Grant land, there was a small group awaiting them outside the stables. Steenie ran toward them, throwing his arms around Braden’s legs and shouting, “You made it.”
Cairstine was directly behind Steenie. She leaned over to kiss him while Steenie hugged him. “You hurt your hand? I was so worried!”
“Och, ‘tis naught. I’ll have Aunt Caralyn sew it up. She’s our healer.”
Marta’s parents, nearly overcome with relief, embraced her and led her off to their cottage. Only after they left did Braden notice Moray and his mother standing off to the side of the gathering, worry etching both of their faces.
Braden gave Cairstine a kiss and said, “I’ll explain everything inside, but I need to speak to someone first.” He nodded toward Ronan’s mother and brother.
Without pressing for more information, she squeezed him again and then took Steenie’s hand and headed inside. Once again, her trust humbled him.
He trudged over to Ronan’s surviving family, filled with sadness that he had yet more bad news to share with them. Moray said, “Keith was daft, was he not?” He had his arm on his mother’s shoulder. The woman peered up at Braden with such hope, he didn’t know how to break the news to her. Loki came along behind him, thank goodness, and set his hands on his shoulders and said, “Braden saved Marta’s life. Roddy and I were there when Keith threatened to throw her over the cliff. He admitted to killing Ronan because he was in love with Marta. I’m so sorry.”
The poor woman fell against her only remaining son, sobbing into his arms. Braden said the only thing he could think to say. “I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t be,” Moray objected. “‘Twas not your fault. I’m sorry Keith tried to make you suffer for something he did…and I’m even sorrier I believed him for a time. I’d seen the change in him, but I ignored it. Mama, I feel a wee bit better knowing Ronan didn’t take his own life, though it’s difficult to believe that Keith would have taken the life of his own brother. Now we have answers.”
“I’m sorry, Braden. You were a good friend to Ronan and to all my boys. I know this is just as hard on you as it is on us,” she sniffled. All he could think to do was hug her. When he pulled away, Moray clapped him on the shoulder and ushered her back toward their cottage.
“Thanks, Loki,” Braden said, turning to his brother. “I wasn’t quite ready for that yet. We’ll do what we can for them, will we not?”
“Aye, always.”
Their mother and father, Celestina and Brodie Grant, joined them after Ronan’s family left. “Oh, Braden, we just heard what happened. I’m so sorry. Goodness, you have quite a wound there. I’ll tell Aunt Caralyn you need stitching,” their mama said. “We can talk later.”
“Aye, thanks, Mama. This cut continues to ooze,” he said, studying his skin under the blood-soaked fabric.
Celestina leaned in close and said, “Braden Grant, before I go, we just met a lovely woman with a beautiful ring on her finger. Are you betrothed? Your father thinks you could be. Did you forget to tell us?”
“I am.” He grinned as his father clasped his shoulder. “In fact, I never understood how Papa knew you were the one when he first met you, Mama, but I’ve seen the truth of it now.”
“Och, many do not believe in love at first sight, but we know better.” His sire gave his mother’s shoulder a squeeze and kissed her cheek. “Don’t ignore what your heart tells you, even if it doesn’t make sense to you.”
“Cairstine has an unusual effect on me. For
some odd reason, she calms me,” he said, thinking about the truth of that statement, about how it had just seemed right the first time she was in his arms.
“You cannot deny the implication of that, son. You must be verra good together.”
His mother said, “She is wonderful. The poor lass has had a traumatic few years, but she’s obviously a strong woman and an even better mother. Loki filled us in while you were gone. I think you’ll suit perfectly, and I adore Steenie, though Cairstine tells me he doesn’t yet understand that his sire is gone for good.”
“We’ll help him through it,” he said as they made their way back into the great hall. Braden stepped inside, pleased at the sight in front of him. The wee lassies they’d helped save sat near the hearth, hugging various fabric dolls and animals. The fear had left their eyes, and though he knew they would not recover so quickly, at least they were being given the chance to be bairns again.
Maggie and Cairstine joined him, and Will headed in their direction. “We did it again. Another group of wee lassies saved,” Maggie said, glancing over her shoulder at the group of bairns.
“Have you learned aught more about the group?”
Maggie shrugged. “I haven’t asked much yet. The lassies have been held for a few days. They were kept in cramped conditions at Muir Castle, without much food. We decided ‘twas best to let them be bairns for a while. Your sisters and your cousins have all arranged to sleep in one big chamber with them to help them along. We’ll get to the questions another day. My thanks for your assistance in this. I’m hoping Hilda and Corc can help, but I think she was overwhelmed. On the morrow is soon enough.”
“I owe all of you my gratitude,” Cairstine said. “You have saved us all.”
Braden took her hand. “I don’t know if you’ve heard, but I’ve asked Cairstine to be my wife.”
Maggie and Will smiled and congratulated both of them. “We wish you all the best,” Maggie said, giving them each a hug. “I thought there was something between the two of you, but I hadn’t expected it to progress so quickly.” She gave Will a saucy look, “But then, we know all about quick weddings, do we not?”
Highland Retribution Page 19
