Page 61 of Bride Takes a Laird
Magnus tensed at his brother’s retelling of the event. He fisted his hands but stayed seated. There was more to come, he was certain ofthat.
Jake tried to slow his raspy breath by breathing through his nose which flared at the force. “Ned was dead when I reached him. I saw red at that point and drew my sword. I ran at them and struck them both down. I killed Gordon and Ezlen to avenge our brother. Afterward, I fell to the ground and stared at the bodies around me, unsure what I should do.” He quieted and stared at the fire.
“Jake, be calm. Go on and finish the tale.” Magnus steepled his fingers by his lips and waited to hear the rest. Somehow, he remained patient and didn’t react to his brother’s confession.
“When I got my senses back, I dragged Gordon and Ezlen to the water nearby. The river was deep enough to take them away. They floated downstream and eventually I couldn’t see them.”
“So that’s why we were unable to find them,” Magnus said, discouraged.
Jake nodded. “Then I returned to Ned and was at a loss as to whether I should take him home or leave him there. If I took him home, I would have to confess that I witnessed his thievery and that I was with the men who murdered him. I couldn’t do that to Ma. So I left him by the crag and pulled him near the rock so he’d be protected. I suspected that he would be found within days but no one noticed he was missing.”
“Until we went and searched for him.”
“Aye,” Jake said. “And by then, I didn’t know how to confess that I murdered two of our clansmen. But I did so in retaliation of Ned’s murder. They deserved to die. If I had known what they were up to, I wouldn’t have asked them to go with me when I followed Ned. It is my fault that they tried to coerce coins from him and that he was killed.”
Magnus nodded but said nothing.
“If you are going to banish me, then do so now. I admit that I witnessed Ned’s death and killed two of our clansmen. I admit that Ifollowed him that day but I intended to talk Ned out of giving our clan’s coins to Aldo. I was going to try to help him make restitution and figure out a way out of his mess but then everything went wrong.”
“Jake, I must think on this.”
“If it means anything, I returned the coins Ned took to your coffer. I didn’t want ye to find out that our brother was a thief.” Jake kept his gaze lowered and wouldn’t look him in the eyes.
Magnus grunted at that. At least his brother returned the clan’s coins. That was why the discrepancy of their coins wasn’t that great. “For now, say nothing about this to anyone. I need to consider what ye have told me. I will not be rash and make a decision right now on whether to banish ye or not.” Magnus couldn’t look at his brother, but rose and stumbled toward the steps. He trudged to his bedchamber and closed the door quietly behind him.
Defeatedly, Magnus sat on the bedside and clenched his fists. He was furious with Jake for keeping the matter from him for so long. His brother had put him in a difficult position. As laird, it was Magnus’s duty to ensure everyone in his clan acted with honor. Jake had done so when he killed their brethren for outright murdering Ned. Still, the fact that Jake kept secret all that time about what transpired that day sat afoul with him. If he wasn’t his brother, Magnus would have banished him on the spot.
A knock sounded on his bedchamber door and it opened slightly. “Laird, sorry to bother ye but a message came for ye. I thought I best bring it to ye posthaste.”
Craig ambled forward and handed him a missive. He bowed and then made his exit.
Magnus held the missive and wondered who it was from. He hoped it was from Kendra, letting him know that she was safe. With gripped hands, he cracked the waxed seal, opened the parchment, and read:
Cameron, we awaited your response to our treaty request. Since ye have not responded within the sennight as we agreed, we have taken that as your objection. I have employed my men to build a wall to secure the tract of land we intend to use. If ye cross the barrier, we will take it as an act of war. G. Chattan
His eyes practically set the parchment aflame with his heated gaze. “Well, if it is war ye want, Geoff, ’Tis a war ye will get.”
Chapter Twenty-Five
Days, then afortnight, then more days passed, and still Kendra had not heard a word from Magnus. She sent him another missive asking him to come. Deep winter was fast approaching and she’d prayed that he had received the missives she’d sent him but John told her the men he’d sent had yet to return.
Kendra leaned on her bed chamber window ledge and gazed at the landscape of white. Snow covered everything and was deep enough to obscure the track marks made by the carts on the lane. There was no way she could travel in such weather and with her now heavy burden, she was confined to her bedchamber. Linet thought she’d fall down the steps of the manor for she wobbled when she walked. Not only was she hampered from travel, Magnus too must have been hindered. She expected he would await until the snow melted to come to her and that could take until spring. Though she despaired because she wasn’t sure if it was due to the weather or his anger that kept him from her.
Her midsection stuck out and she gentled her hands over the material of her overdress pressing the swell of her waist. “Lord, I pray my sweet baby that you are not large but from the sight of my belly, you must be. You’re going to be difficult to bring into this world.” She chuckled lightly at her speech. The babe was growing steadily and encumbering her as each day passed.
A knock jarred her from her thoughts and she hastily sat in a nearby chair. Otherwise, she’d likely receive another lecture from Linet about leaving her bed. Linet opened the door and used her hip to close it behind her.
“Good day, Kendra. I brought you a light midday meal. Mama says you should eat something because you barely touched your morning meal.” She set a tray on a nearby table and sat on the bedside, facing her. “Are you well?”
“I am. In fact, I feel wonderful. If you insist that I do nothing then let me come down to the hall. I can do nothing from there. But there is much to see to before the baby comes and I must handle it before I’m unable. I will let you and John and your mother fuss over me and see to the tasks.”
Linet laughed. “Since I doubt that I shall be able to keep you from leaving your bedchamber, then very well. But at least let me guide you to the hall so you don’t fall.”
“I want to meet with the hawkers this day. Will you ask John to tell them to come?”
“The hawkers?”
She nodded. “I thought to return the coins to Magnus, the ones he paid to Heatherington, but I deem he won’t accept them and so I decided to refurnish the manor and put it to right. I sold a good many things when I was trying to find a cure for Papa. Now I can restore my home to its former grandeur.”