by Alisa Adams
Rane arched an eyebrow down at the dog and then back at the rotund pastor, who was obviously enjoying regular and plentiful meals. Rane’s eyes traveled meaningfully down from the pastor’s protruding belly to his colorful clothing. He wore trews of a bright red and black tartan with a matching tartan of red and black over his shoulder pinned with a large and very elaborate pin. His shirt was of the finest linen and his brogues were of the best leather shined to a high polish. Rane’s eyes traveled up to the tam the pastor wore. It had a matching red tartan ribbon with an overly tall cockade of red and black feathers.
Rane’s voice lowered to an even deeper baritone. “Ye have done vera well in Kinlochervie since I asked ye tae come here,” he said as his eyes grazed up and down the pastor once more. “I was hoping ye would perform the marriage of Lady Gillis and I and stay for the feast, but I think ye will be unable tae do so,” he said quietly, a threat clear in his voice. He smiled tightly at the pastor, his straight white teeth showing between his lips like a wolf snarling at his prey, instead of a man smiling at another man.
“Rane,” Gillis said under her breath as she looked up at him with worry in her eyes.
Rane would not look at her. He kept his eyes on Pastor Robert.
The pastor gulped. “Are ye asking me tae leave?” he stammered out.
Duke growled even louder.
Rane looked down at the dog. “Duke, sit! Quiet!”
The dog sat obediently at his feet and looked up at him with his tiny tongue lolling happily out of his mouth.
“Weel noo, I’ll be...” Aunt Hexy whispered.
Mr. Tweedie looked at the floor and tried to hide his smile.
Rane caught Mr. Tweedie’s look. “Is the paper sufficient to leave this matter of Lady Gillis practicing as Kinloch’s healer to rest, Mr. Tweedie?” he asked sharply in a brusk voice.
Mr. Tweedie’s head whipped back up to the intimidating laird.
“There is supposed tae be a witness tae the signature, M’Laird,” he said quietly and swallowed the lump in his throat. “I can only tell ye that it is the law.” His eyes took on a sly look as he glanced around the great hall. “I am just a poor man, who is only carrying out me duties, Laird MacLeod.”
Rane looked at him sharply. Then he turned to look back at one of his men and made a quick motion with his head. He turned back to look at Tweedie with a chilling stare.
“Rane?” Gillis whispered.
Rane ignored her.
He stood there, like an avenging stone statue. Waiting, as he stared down the man from Tolbooth.
Mr. Tweedie’s face was bright red as he shuffled his feet while the fingers of his hands worked nervously in the cloth of his jacket.
The warrior that Rane had sent off came running back into the hall. He carried a gold box in his hands. It looked heavy with its wildly embellished scrollwork on all four sides.
Gillis watched curiously as Rane took it and slowly raised the lid of the box towards Mr. Tweedie. She gasped as she saw the glimmering, glinting pile of gold coins and colored jewels that lay in the box.
“I will ask ye again,” Rane said in a low voice, “is that paper sufficient for Lady Gillis to practice as healer of Kinloch?”
Mr. Tweedie nodded quickly as he took the gold box. “Aye, I believe so, Laird MacLeod.” Mr. Tweedie then glanced at Gillis before saying to Rane, “And may I wish ye and yer lady happy felicitations on yer coming marriage. Yer future wife is highly remarkable, M’Laird.”
Rane arched his brow at the man and lowered his head once, in a regal nod.
Mr. Tweedie turned and looked at Pastor Burns, the one who had declared young Maude a witch and falsely accused her of delivering a baby rabbit or a baby-like rabbit. He wasn’t sure, but he knew it was indeed preposterous. With his lips tight, he scowled at the pastor. He made a motion with his head to the two men who stood behind him to lead the pastor out of the great hall.
Pastor Robert started to scurry out with them, his red and black cockade bobbing along as he went, until he was stopped by a large bald man with green markings on his arm and head.
19
“Ye bribed him!” Gillis said in amazement.
Rane looked down at her. “Aye,” he said casually with a crooked grin. “He asked me tae. In his own words, he was a poor man who was only doing his job,” he said with a single laugh.
He pulled her tighter to his side and leaned down and kissed her deeply, with great relief and joy. He pulled back and looked down into her soft, grey eyes. He was interrupted from his study of the beauty of Gillis’s eyes when Aunt Hexy came and scooped up Duke at his feet. One of his older warriors was holding her arm, looking endearingly at her. He swore Aunt Hexy was blushing as she looked up at the grey-haired warrior with a beguiling smile.
Rane looked back at Gillis and saw her watching her aunt as well. He tipped her chin back to look at him.
“My aunt has found a...friend…” she whispered to him with a grin. Then her face became serious. “We need tae find the killer. I wish we had a clue.”
“If we had any type of clue we would have found our killer by now…” he said with a frustrated smile.
Gillis lightly kissed his lips, just a sip of her lips against his mouth before a thought occurred to her. She snapped her fingers. “We dae have a clue!” she said with excitement. “The inkblot, in Mr. Nisbit’s book. It was the name, or the names, of the killers. I was able tae make out one letter that was not completely blotted out.” She spoke quickly as she stared up into his eyes. “It was the letter L,” she said to Rane.
Rane narrowed his eyes, deep in thought. “Nay,” he said slowly, “the only letter left that was legible was an F, my love.” He paused, thinking hard, and then grimaced. “Gaufid?” he said and looked down into her eyes with a fierce scowl. “It would make sense. Gaufid was in and out of jail, always unhappy. I think he was angry he wasnae the laird,” he mused sadly. He growled low in his throat and swiped at one eye surreptitiously. “I cannae bear tae think it could be him, but it must be,” he said hoarsely.
Gillis nodded sadly. “I suppose it does make sense,” she agreed gloomily. “And it was him and his men that were out on the practice field the day I was taken, and the day we returned. No one would question your brother’s whereabouts.” She shook her head. “It is hard tae believe it of him. Something about it just doesnae make sense, Rane. I like him. At times I was under the impression he approved of me,” she said dejectedly.
Rane looked down at her. “Approved of ye, my love? He wanted to keep ye until I told him I was keeping you, that is.” He looked around the hall for his brother. “’Tis just another reason for him tae be the one tae do this,” he mused with a frown.
“Keeping me, did ye say?” Gillis asked with surprise.
Rane looked down at her with an almost bashful smile. “Aye, I told him I was keeping ye that first day I met ye. ’Tis a Highland term. It means that I knew I wanted ye and that we were meant tae be together from the moment I met ye,” he whispered.
Gillis looked up at him with love shining in her eyes. “I know what it means...I just never thought anyone would want tae ‘keep me.’” She lifted her face up to receive his sweet kiss. “I knew I wanted tae keep ye as well, my love,” she said as she touched his jaw tenderly. “I just thought it was a dream that would never come true.”
Rane stared down at her with his dark, smoldering look. “Always know and believe that I love ye, Gillis.”
Gillis was about to say something in response when Ingelram came forward with Pilop beside him. “Did ye give him the treasure of the San Gabriel, Laird MacLeod?” Pilop asked with great interest.
Gillis smiled at them, then briefly reached up to put a finger under her nose. The whiff of manure coming off the two men was strong. “Nay, Pilop, he didnae.”
Rane stared down into her eyes with a questioning look. “Ye are sae sure of this?” He gave her a crooked smile.
Gillis nodded up at him. She felt a lovely shimmer of lightning
go through her body at his handsome smile. She was so happy to see him smiling instead of his usually somber face.
“Brother!” boomed Gaufid’s voice as he came across the great hall towards Rane and Gillis.
Gillis looked over to see the big, bald man smiling happily. He was also carrying a delighted, blushing Aria in his arms.
“Brother!” Gaufid called again as he came closer.
Pastor Robert was trailing obediently behind him.
“I have detained the pastor for ye and our lady healer!” Gaufid called out.
Gaufid stopped in front of them and smiled down at the woman in his arms. “I also detained the pastor for Aria and I,” he said as his smile grew even larger and his face turned bright red. “She has agreed tae be my wife!”
His joyous laughter boomed out in the great hall as Aria wrapped her arms around his neck and held on with a smile of love on her face. Then Gaufid sobered and looked at Rane apologetically.
“All these years, I have been running away from my feelings for ‘Ari.’ I thought she was a young boy. I was always getting intae trouble because I was so angry with myself and now I find out that ‘Ari’ is Aria!” He looked somberly at Rane. “Can ye forgive me, for all those times ye had tae get me out of trouble?”
Rane looked confused for a moment. He looked down at Gillis, who was watching Gaufid and Aria with great thought.
Rane looked at his brother. “Ye have been angry because of yer feelings for Ari? I mean, Aria? Not because I was laird or because I said I was keeping Gillis, not you?” Rane asked slowly.
“Laird? I dinnae want tae be laird!” Gaufid boomed with laughter again. “I admire the lady healer, but ’tis Aria I have loved for many years,” he said quietly.
Gillis tugged on Rane’s sleeve until he leaned down to her. “Rane, Gaufid could never have done those injuries to the horses or killed Mr. Nisbit. He would have fainted at the first sight of blood!”
Rane stood there staring at her, his mouth in a firm line. “Then the letter was an L,” he stated.
Gillis nodded and turned back to Gaufid. “Gaufid? Ye know where the treasure of the San Gabriel is, dinnae ye?”
Gaufid looked at Gillis and then at Rane. “Of course. All of the Kinloch warrior men do. Why are ye asking this?”
Gillis smiled at Rane. “The Kinloch warrior men,” she said to Rane as she snapped her fingers. “Mr. Nisbit wouldnae have differentiated between yer warrior men and the men who labor for ye in the stables, the kitchens, the dairy…” she said, waiting for her meaning to dawn on Rane.
“That is vera true, he wouldnae have understood that, not as ye have,” Rane said thoughtfully.
Gillis turned to Pastor Robert. “With the laird’s permission, we will have ye back another day for the wedding, Pastor. We have a matter that needs attention.”
Rane nodded sternly at the pastor and watched him leave.
Gillis looked around the hall. She was looking for someone. She turned back to Gaufid. He and Aria were in a tight embrace, their mouths sealed on one another’s in a lusty kiss.
“Ahem! Gaufid!” she said loudly.
Gaufid tore his mouth from Aria’s. “What?” he demanded. He found it hard to take his eyes off of the woman in his arms.
“Was there a manure wagon left outside the gates most of the day yesterday?” Gillis asked him.
Gaufid stared at her, blinking rapidly. “Come tae think of it, there was. The horse had been unhitched and was gone, and the wagon left there all day. It was back inside the gates that evening though.”
Gillis spun to Rane. “I remember the smell of manure on the man who took me. And the jingle of the tack was because the horse he was riding was a harness horse. A manure cart horse. Not a riding horse!”
Rane’s eyes opened wide. “The L in Mr. Nisbit’s book.”
Gillis looked down at the stone floor of the great hall as she thought deeply. “There were two names, I believe?”
Rane narrowed his eyes. “I couldnae make out anything but the one letter, though Mr. Nisbit said he knew the names of the killers. Not name, but names.”
Gillis looked up slowly. “I think I know who our killer is—” She felt a prick at the side of her neck as she was suddenly jerked away from Rane.
“Ye are far tae clever, just as I said in the cave!” hissed a voice at her ear.
“Ingelram,” Gillis said as her nose wrinkled at his smell, “ye wilnae make it out of this hall alive, ye must know this. Let me go,” Gillis said calmly.
Rane took a step towards Gillis at the same time that Gaufid slowly put Aria on her feet.
The men in the hall quieted as they realized what was going on. They stood very still, but their bodies were tense, poised to strike at their laird’s command.
Rane put his hands out. “Ingelram, I swear, if I see one drop of blood taken from her by yer hand, I will kill ye so slowly ye will be wishing for death,” he growled in a deadly warning.
Pilop was hovering behind Ingelram. “I told ye this was madness! Ye have gone tae far Ingelram. Tae far!” he said with a high, quaking voice.
Ingelram sneered and bared his teeth as he turned slightly. He elbowed Pilop violently in the face. The smaller man went flying backward, striking his head on the stone floor. He lay there, still and unmoving. “Ye sniveling fool! Ye were useless from the start! I had tae force ye daily tae keep quiet!”
Gillis felt the knife prick back into her neck. “He liked ye, did ye know that, lady?” Ingelram hissed. “Ye ruined everything when ye came, everything!” he screeched.
Gillis tried to look back at Pilop. “Ye beat him tae keep him quiet, even used yer knife on his poor, small horse, Ant, didnae you? This is why the poor man was always black and blue and so upset about his horse,” Gillis said with gritted teeth. “Ye are evil! How could ye do such a thing? And I wager ye were the anonymous person who alerted the pastors and Mr. Tweedie.”
Ingelram laughed. “Of course! I had to get rid of ye. Ye are far tae intelligent for a woman!”
Gillis looked at Rane’s eyes. His face had gone to stone. He was beyond furious. The fire blazing in his eyes was out of control. She watched as he took another slow step closer. His hands were in tight fists at his sides. Gaufid was in lockstep with him, advancing slowly with each step his brother took. The mass of warriors in black kilts did the same, ever so slightly.
Gillis’s eyes opened wide as she saw the warriors’ hands tighten on their weapons. They were ready, whenever their laird gave the signal.
“Why, Ingelram?” Rane’s voice seethed with barely controlled anger. “What dae ye want?” Rane growled.
Gillis felt Ingelram move behind her. She felt an evil laugh vibrate through him. “I want the treasure of the San Gabriel shipwreck! I want all the gold coins and jewels that were taken from the ship!” he said forcefully.
Gillis’s eyes darted to Rane. She watched his jaw tighten and the tick start in his cheek.
“There is no treasure of San Gabriel, Ingelram,” she said quietly as she watched Rane’s face.
“There is! There are chests of Spanish gold! All in coins!” Ingelram said in a high-pitched voice. “The story has been told for years of the riches tae be had from the wreck!” he screeched.
“Ye are correct, Ingelram!” Rane shouted before Gillis could say more. “There are trunks and trunks of gold coins and even jewels like I gave Mr. Tweedie!” he said excitedly, keeping Ingelram’s focus on himself as Gaufid and his men moved forward. “Ye saw those, correct?” he called out loudly. “I will give ye all of it. Every last coin!” Rane lowered his voice as he took another step closer. “But only if you let my lady go.” He took a step and held out his hand to Gillis. “Now,” he said.
Rane grabbed Gillis’s hand and pulled her hard towards him. She slammed into his chest as he wrapped his arms tightly around her and ducked, covering her with his body.
At that moment, his men let fly their weapons.
Ingelram was thrown backw
ard and hit the floor without warning.
The hall became deathly quiet.
Gillis looked back to see Ingelram lying on the stone floor.
There were arrows in his chest.
And knives in every part of his body.
Too many to count.
Even Gaufid had let fly his dagger. It had struck Ingelram in the forehead.
Slowly, Rane and Gillis stood up. Rane looked at his men and nodded once.
Gaufid took one step forward to retrieve his dagger.
At the sight of Ingelram in a pool of blood, he moaned and fainted straight away, crashing to the floor.
Gillis watched as Aria came running to kneel at her future husband's side. Aria looked back at Gillis with a grin.
“My husband is vera brave,” Aria whispered with a giggle. Then she sighed and looked down at the big, bald-headed man. “I dae love him sae!”
Gillis laughed and looked up at Rane. “I dae love ye sae, Laird MacLeod!”
Rane pulled her tightly against him. “As I love ye,” he said as he pressed a kiss against her hair. He closed his eyes tightly as he held her. “I thought he was going tae kill ye,” he whispered harshly against her hair.
“Nay,” she said as she tightened her arms around his waist. “Not for one moment did I think ye would let him harm me!”
“Gillis, the treasure…” Rane started to say.
“Och, I know there is no treasure of gold coins and jewels,” she said with her head contentedly lying against his chest.
“Are ye sure?” he said with a smile in his voice. He lowered his voice. “I would have given it all tae him, for ye.”
Gillis smiled. She thought this was the most perfect place to be. Her eyes were closed with happiness as she stayed within Rane’s strong arms.
“I am sure,” Gillis sighed happily. “Though ’tis sweet tae think ye would have given it all tae Ingelram for me, I know there were no treasure chests of gold coins or jewels on the ship. The treasure was the Spanish horses that came from San Gabriel. The horses that Kinloch is known for,” she said confidently. “They have made you prosperous and renowned all over. They have made it possible for you tae earn all the fortune ye could ever want.” She snuggled her head against his chest. “Nay, there were no treasure chests on the San Gabriel!” She hugged him tightly and sighed.
