Page 46 of Bride Takes a Laird
Magnus nodded. “He paid for his woman with the clan’s coin. Ned also wagered and pilfered coins from the clan’s coffers to pay his wagering debts. But that is not all that I found out because—”
His father shrieked loudly and jumped from his seat. “He did what!?”
“When Ned last visited his strumpet, he told her that a few men from his clan tried to pilfer coins from him and that they would not bespeak of his losses at the dice games if he paid their demand.”
His father retook his seat, leaned forward, and groaned. “GodAlmighty! Ned thieved from us and used our coins to wager? And to pay for… Cosh, what a mess this is.”
Wyren spoke an expletive under his breath too. “Are ye telling us that these scoundrels—”
“Aye, we have a few traitors to uncover within our clan. Not only did they try to extort coins from Ned, but they probably killed him too. Mary said Ned left her that night and he was intent to meet with the betrayers.”
“But ye said that Aldo likely murdered Ned because he did not pay him what was owed.” Wyren rubbed his face. “This is all so confounding.”
Magnus nodded his agreement because he was downright perplexed by his brother’s behavior too. “It is highly shocking. Ned owed three marks to Aldo, a good amount, but I do not think the man murdered him. I believed him when he said that Ned never showed up for their meeting. I was able to retrace his steps to Mistress Mary’s manor. She is a harlot who entertains men and has a house of ill-repute for the purpose. When I met with her, she said that Ned was a favorite of hers and on their last night together, he told her about the extortion. He spoke of his clansmen trying to take coins from him for their silence. I can only assume that those men murdered Ned when he refused to pay them.”
“And ye wish to force these men to come forward? I doubt they will,” Wyren said.
“They will not come forward on their own and probably told no one of their misdeeds. We will have to use underhanded means to uncover them.” Magnus stood and paced before his father and brother. “I want every single Cameron accounted for. We’ll invite groups of twenty to twenty-five to spar with us on the training field. If they are brazen enough to show their faces on my field, we might catch a word or observe their guilt-ridden miens. Once we have met and accounted for all the men within the walls, I shall go and meet with all thoseoutside the walls. We will not cease our search until we have spoken to every single Cameron.”
“Son, I understand that ye are angry—”
“Angry, Da? I am more than furious that our clansmen intended to take coins from our clan, from my brother, from me. I am wrath that Ned used our clan’s coins for wagering and the use of paying harlots for sex. He was a miscreant of the lowest level. The only reason I seek vengeance now is because I will not tolerate men within our clan who deem to try to take coins from me. Ned does not deserve vindication.”
Wyren stood next to him and set his hand on his shoulder. “Be calm, Magnus. We understand and commiserate with ye. It could take time to find these traitors. In the meantime, we will be diligent in our search for them.”
Magnus shook his head adamantly. “Nay, it is my duty, and I will not cease my search until I find these men and oust them. They’ll be banished for good.”
Wyren turned toward the door. “I will go and get as much rest as I’m able. We shall begin first thing on the morrow after we bury our dead.”
Before his brother could depart, Magnus stopped him. “Attend me a moment… Only the three of us know about Ned’s woman and what she said to me. I spoke none of it with the soldiers who traveled with me.”
“Not even with Jake?” his father asked.
“Nay, not even to Jake. It is better that he not know what foulness Ned was capable of. He will probably learn of it soon enough when we confront the men who intended to thieve from us.” Magnus knew Jake’s fondness for their brother and he didn’t want to be the cause of his younger brother’s hatred. In time, Jake would learn the truth though, there was no way to shield him from the pain of what Ned had done.
“I vow to keep this to myself and will not speak of it even to yourmother,” his father said.
Wyren agreed and nodded. “It will be easier to find our traitors, the less others know about this.” He marched to the exit, swung the door open with force, and left the fief.
Magnus stepped outside and walked alongside Wyren. Before he sought his bed, he wanted to let the night air calm him and clear his head. His brother walked off toward his home and he continued toward the gatehouse. When he reached it, he motioned to Craig who continued the night watch with a handful of other soldiers.
“Oh, Laird, I am gladdened ye came. This just arrived for ye.” Craig handed him a missive.
“My thanks, Craig. I want ye to keep our gates closed. None, not even the sentry, are to exit the walls until I give leave to do so. If anyone comes, I want ye to name those who return.”
Craig gazed at him with confusion. “Even the sentry, Laird? Surely, we need to let the sentry do their duty.”
“Until I say otherwise, they are forbidden to leave. All are forbidden to leave.” He hadn’t meant to raise his voice, but he needed to assert his command.
“As ye wish, Laird. I’ll keep any from leaving and will let ye know who returns.” Craig bowed to him and returned to his post.
Magnus didn’t want to give the culprits time to get away. If they got any suspicions that he was on to them, they could easily abscond and he’d have to hunt them down. If the knaves had no choice but to stay within the walls, then he’d find them all the sooner.
As he walked back to the keep, he broke the seal on the missive and opened the parchment. His eyes skimmed over the long lines and his face heated at what he read:
Laird Cameron, I am told by the king’s servant Chamberlain Edmund that you wedded Lord Graham’s daughter, Kendra. She was promised to me and a betrothal was set with the bride price paid to her father. Since our betrothal is now nullified, I am owed ten poundswhich I want returned. If you ignore this demand, I will have no recourse but to take action against the Grahams. Yours, Lord Ellish Heatherington, servant to King Alexander.
Magnus practically burned the parchment with his eyes. He wondered if the king knew about this supposed betrothal agreement betwixt Heatherington and Kendra’s father. Then he wondered if Kendra knew of it and why she hadn’t mentioned it to him. With fury, he crumpled up the parchment and tossed it into a small firepit that he passed on the way back to the fief. Magnus decided he’d wait to see how long it took for his wife to enlighten him on her supposed betrothal. He hoped with all his heart that she was either unaware or had an explanation for keeping it from him.