Page 60 of Bride Takes a Laird

“And ye, brother. I’m pleased ye recovered and appear mended. Are ye well enough to travel home?” Magnus turned his gaze from his brother’s head to his feet. Jake’s height seemed to have grown even higher and his stare was formidable.

“Aye, I waited for ye and thought I might have to walk home butalas here ye are.”

Magnus pulled Jake into a half-hearted embrace. “Aye, we missed ye. I’m gladdened ye are well now and finally can come home. Ma has not ceased pestering me to retrieve ye. Da was concerned for ye as well, as was the clan.”

Jake chuckled. “She would. I’m sorry she harped at ye and for getting myself injured.”

“’Twas no fault of yours.” Magnus wandered to the door and waited for his brother and Hayden to follow.

Jake stepped to Lillith and pressed a hand on her shoulder. “Lillith, I cannot thank ye enough for your aid. I am indebted to ye and if ever ye need me or any of the Camerons, just send word and we shall come.”

“I shall. Go on, men, and leave me be. There is much to do before the snow grows thick and I am confined to my cottage.” Lillith turned back to her tables and dismissed them.

Jake’s arm fell by his side and he said as he ambled toward the door, “I put a large stack of wood at the back of the cottage near the doorway there. And there’s six hares that I caught this morn in the box for your suppers.”

“Thank you for your kindness, Jake. Now off with ye. Ye have done enough.” Lillith shooed them out the door with a flap of her hand and smiled whilst doing it. She waved from the doorway. “I hope I do not see ye soon. Safe travel home.”

“We’ll have our sentry check on ye from time to time during the winter,” Magnus told her and bowed his head to the healer. He was grateful for her aid and she was most kind to offer her assistance especially since she belonged to the MacKendricks. After he mounted his horse, he signaled to Hayden to take the lead. Magnus rode beside his brother and noticed he had regained his vigor.

“Tell me the news of home,” Jake said.

Magnus was dismayed to speak of it but he rambled on and told hisbrother everything he’d missed during his infirmity but left out the news of the traitors. He told him that Vincent had released the falcon he’d saved. His brother seemed pleased at hearing that news.

Along the way home, there were no sightings of the Chattans or their damnable sheep. Since winter was practically on their doorstep, the Chattans probably forced the flock closer to home where they belonged.

Though it was darker earlier in the day because of the heavy cloud cover and snow, they could see enough to continue their journey. They reached the gates of home before night fell. Magnus was glad to be home again. Now he could handle his duties and make ready to leave to see Kendra. His chest hurt just thinking of her and how much he missed her. He suspected she must be grieving the loss of her father and he wanted to be there to ease her discontent.

“Come inside and see Ma before you retreat to the barracks, Jake. She’ll disbelieve ye are home unless she sees ye for herself.” Magnus entered the keep with both Hayden and Jake following.

His parents sat at the table and appeared to have just finished their supper. His da sharpened a dagger with a stone and his ma plied a needle to a piece of fabric. When they noticed Jake, they rose from their seats and almost shouted in jubilation at his brother’s homecoming.

Magnus bid his parents a greeting and left them to have a private reunion. He ambled toward the chairs by the hearth. Weary from riding all day, he sat in a chair and warmed his hands from the heat of the fire. Warmth permeated him and eased the tightness in his shoulders. It was good to be home, but the solace of it was short-lived since Kendra wasn’t there to greet him.

Hayden approached and handed him a cup of ale. “Here, Laird, drink. I’m off to seek my bed unless ye need anything.”

“Nay, go on. Thanks for taking the trek with me, Hayden. I’ll see ye on the morrow.” Magnus watched him leave and then he turned hisgaze to the flickering flames of the hearth’s fire. The crackle of it allayed him and he relaxed back, happy to be eased, even if briefly.

The voices of his parents and Jake sounded far off as he ignored their talk. Likely Jake told them what had happened to him and how he recovered. Magnus was glad his brother survived the injury to his body. He appeared sound now and would probably insist on taking to the training field as soon as the morrow. That was if the snow ceased and didn’t collect on the ground. Training might be delayed for a time.

“Magnus, I need to speak to ye.” Jake’s voice interrupted his reverie. He raised his face and searched his brother’s expression. His tone was most serious and his gaze blank as if what he wanted to say was dire. “Aye? Join me, Jake. ’Tis warmer here by the fire.” It was then that he realized his parents had left the hall. Only he and Jake remained.

Jake set his cup on a nearby table, flopped down in the chair across from him, and pressed his hands over his face. “I have thought long and hard about how to say this for a time…”

“What is it?” Magnus leaned back in his chair, not really paying his brother any heed. He suspected Jake would thank him for taking him to Lillith’s.

“It was my fault that Ned died. I was with Gordon and Ezlen when they approached Ned.” Jake lowered his chin which practically touched his chest.

Magnus’s pulse began to race and heat surged through veins. He shifted forward and leaned his forearms on his knees, giving his brother a heated glare and his full attention. “Ye were with them? They approached Ned? Why? Why did you not tell me! Tell me from the start, Jake, and leave out no detail.”

“I knew Ned was up to something foul in the days leading up to his death and I spoke to Gordon and Ezlen about it. For days, I followed him and suspected that he had taken the clan’s coin. Aye, for I spied on him and saw him lose at dice with Aldo on a few occasions. I was closeenough to hear them but he didn’t see me because I stayed in the shadows. There was a good many inside the barn that day. When Ned left to repay his debt to Aldo, I asked Gordon and Ezlen to go with me when Ned absconded that last day with the clan’s coin. We followed him to Fassiefern.” Jake cleared his throat and retook the cup he’d set near him. He sipped at the drink and avoided his gaze.

Magnus said nothing. He wasn’t certain whether he was shocked or annoyed at what Jake told him. He waited to hear what else his brother would confess. Though he couldn’t believe or fathom that Jake killed Ned because his youngest brother was too honorable to do something so wretched.

Jake set his cup on the floor next to his chair and folded his hands. “I thought Ned was going to meet with Aldo at the Tavern as they had arranged, but he continued riding and went to Mary’s. Me, Gordon, and Ezlen went inside the Myltenhus and pretended we were there to be with the women. Ned disappeared for a time but when he reappeared he was visibly upset. He left the manor and we continued to follow him. Near the great crag, we approached him and I confronted him about taking the clan’s coin.”

Magnus steeled himself, ready to hear the atrocity and happening of Ned’s death.

His brother flexed his palms and then used a hand to rub his nape. “I hadn’t known that my comrades were aware of our brother’s crime. Apparently, they had approached Ned earlier and demanded recompense. Gordon and Ezlen spoke to him again about paying them coins for their silence. Ned scoffed at them and told them to go to hell. Before I knew what was happening, Gordon and Ezlen stabbed Ned with their daggers. Ned fell to the ground. I ran to him and tried to help him but it was too late.” Jake’s voice deepened with emotion as he recalled the clandestine mission.