Page 40 of Bride Takes a Laird
Magnus stepped lightly toward the building and when he reached the threshold, he thrust the door open and stepped inside. The dozen men who rode with him wore grins when they were met by the scantily clad women inside. Women of every size and shape were strewn about the room, garbed in see-through garments, chemises, and some in plain braises. None of the women hid their bodies when they entered. Magnus slid his eyes around the abode and searched for someone in charge.
“I deem ye had more than enough revelry last eve,” he said to his men. “None of ye will approach these women. Do I make myself clear?” Magnus gave his men the order and waited for the woman supposedly in charge, Mary perhaps, to approach.
His men nodded but continued to ogle the women.
A huge bald man thumped forward with heavy steps. “What do ye want here? The cost for an hour with a lass is a groat for each of ye.”
“We are not here to partake of the women’s services. I was told my brother Ned Cameron came here and had a woman that he frequented. Know ye of her?”
The man shook his head. “I know not who ye speak of. Many men visit Mary’s Manor.” He tilted his head at his men and nodded. “Aye, for I see some faces I recognize.”
Magnus glared at his brethren, not because they visited a house of ill repute, but because no one told him they had been there before. “Is the Mistress about? I wish to speak to her.”
“Mary is busy.”
“Make her unbusy. I don’t want to cause trouble, sirrah, but if ye don’t get Mary right now, you’ll have more trouble than ye can handle.” Magnus set his hand on the hilt of his sword, blatantly making the threat. “I do not want to draw my sword, but shall if ye need a wee bit of encouragement.”
“We want no trouble with the likes of ye. I will ask if she will see ye.” The man marched off, thumping over the floorboards, and disappeared from his view.
Magnus kept his hand on his sword and peered about. The men who visited the manor were mostly tradesmen, none to give him concern. Still, he wasn’t about to let his guard down.
“Laird,” Jake said and stepped next to him. “Allow me to question the woman. I’ll get answers from her.”
His men guffawed and Osmond chuckled and said, “Aye, Jake, ye be a wee bit green and are wanting more from her than answers.”
“He wants a wee roll in the haystack,” Hayden said and bellowed a laugh.
“Ye will all remain here. I will question the woman myself,” Magnus said sternly.
A short moment later, the man returned. “She’ll see ye. Follow me.”
Magnus was about to trail the man but turned to his men. “Stay by the door. If I do not return shortly, find me.” He turned back and strode toward the back of the manor. The man opened a door and waved him forward.
He entered the chamber and found a woman who was draped with a piece of red silk fabric. She lay upon a long chair and held a goblet in her hand. An unclothed man stood by the window awaitingthe woman’s direction.
“Stay there until I finish with this man,” she said with authority, and to him, “My man tells me that you refused to leave until you spoke to me.” She patted the strange furniture she lay upon. “Come, I don’t bite unless you want me to.” She practically purred her command.
Magnus didn’t want to scare the woman, so he trudged forward and sat next to her. “I need to know about my brother, Ned Cameron. I was told he visited here.”
“Oh, Neddie. Of course, I know him. Aye, he oft came here. Sometimes, he spent time with Nicola but mostly spent his time with me. You are his brother? Which one?”
“Magnus,” he said and watched the woman’s face to assess her honesty. If she lied, he would know. He’d always had a sense when someone was lying but given her profession, he wasn’t surprised that the woman was crafty.
“Oh, you’rethatbrother. You don’t much resemble Neddie.” She kept her eyes on him andtiskedwhen the man by the window moved. “Remain still,” she commanded and the man braced his legs.
Magnus shook his head at the absurdity of the man by the window but he wasn’t there to condemn anyone, only to find answers. It was true he and Ned had dissimilar looks because his brother was fair-haired and blue-eyed while he was dark. “We found him murdered near the old crag of Lochaber.”
“We heard about Neddie’s death. I’m sorry for your loss but if you deem we had something to do with it then you are—”
“Nay, I just want to know who he might have interacted with. Know ye that he wagered with a man named Aldo in Fassiefern?” Magnus hoped she’d be forthright and give him information about his brother’s activities.
“On his last visit, Neddie was riled and rough. I eased him as best I could. He spoke about a debt that he owed to Aldo but that wasn’t what concerned him.” Mary set a hand on his arm and sensuallystroked him.
Magnus was about to stand, but she clasped his arm and continued, “He said that two of his clansmen were trying to wrest coins from him because they found out that he was wagering in Fassiefern. He worried about it and it took me most of the night to relieve him. When he left, he said he was going to meet his clansmen and deal with the problem. We heard that he was murdered a sennight later. If you are seeking who would do Neddie harm, look to your own clan.”
This was disconcerting and hard to believe. Still, he had no other information regarding Ned. Was it possible she was telling the truth? “He did not say who these men were or name them?”
Mary shook her head. “Nay, but he was put out by it and uneasy. He mentioned that he was taken aback that his brethren wouldst extort coin from him.”