Page 22 of Bride takes a Scot (Highland Vows & Vengeance #1)

D eclan was up and at his duties before the sun rose. There was much to accomplish. He met with the seasoned soldiers in his army and directed them to work with the less experienced soldiers. He needed his men ready in case he had to confront his enemy’s army.

Anse stood beside him after he dismissed the regiment. “Ye do not think Silas was behind the false accusation then? I swore it was him.”

“Noah told me someone else was there when Leona was killed by Silas. Someone with a different tartan than ours. I wonder if this man instigated Silas for his purposes.”

Anse grunted. “Ye mean he used Silas to bring ye low by murdering your wife?”

Declan set his hand on his chin. “Aye. Wee by wee he wanted to see me tormented.”

“There have been no clashes with other clans currently. The king favored ye by marrying ye to one of the lassies. Who detests ye that much? I cannot think of anyone that hates ye.”

Neither could he, but Declan was certain someone wanted his life destroyed before he overtook his and Campbell’s clans. He wasn’t aware of anything he’d done to warrant such a retribution. He would have to set his mind to thinking about his da. Perhaps his father had wronged someone, and they sought retribution against him through his son. Wars betwixt clans often spanned the life of their leaders and beyond to their heirs.

“Anse, see that triple the guard is posted around our walls. And ensure the sentry is sent out frequently. There is great need and I want us protected.”

“The guard has been tripled but I will see to it that the sentry makes more rounds, Laird. Is that why ye wanted to move into the new dwelling? Ye fear we will be besieged?”

Declan shrugged. “Alert the clan to be guarded. If we are besieged, I want my clan safe. I also want Isabella and Noah protected. The fief would do well to protect us. Whoever is out to destroy me could easily use my family to get to me. My wife has suffered enough thanks to Silas and his horrid mother.”

“I will go and see to it at once.”

Before Anse left, he asked him, “Is Isabella at the new keep?”

His commander nodded. “Aye, she has been there most of the morning. Slone still remains at his post, and I checked in with him earlier. When will Trevor return?”

“Lillith has not said when Trevor will be healed enough to move. I want more men put in position around the keep. See that at least ten men guard my home. And now, I should go and see what my sweet wife is up to.”

But before Declan could set off to the keep, a guard shouted his name. He hurried to the gate and met with the lead guardsman.

“This just arrived for Milady, Laird.” He handed him a sealed parchment.

Declan studied the writing and discerned that it must be a missive from her parents. He thanked the guard and walked hastily to the new keep. With a nod to Slone, he took the steps and entered. Isabella stood in the great hall and shook out a large tapestry that had been given to them by Marian. It was beautifully sewn with his clan’s crest on it.

The two young soldiers whom he had entrusted to help Isabella set the furnishings stood by, listening to her directions.

“It should be placed betwixt those windows there,” she said and pointed to the center of the large wall that flanked the room.

“Wife,” he called.

She turned to him, and he found his first smile of the day. Lord, she was bonny, and he was enthralled being in her presence. Declan almost scoffed at himself because it was obvious that not only did he care about the woman, but she mattered a great deal to him. He was beginning to realize his heart was fully committed.

“There you are. I wondered where you had gotten to. The great hall is almost finished. Once we get the tapestry hung, the lads will bring in the trestle table and chairs.”

“Ye have done well, Wife.” He took her hand and brushed a bit of dust from her cheek. “Ye are not working too hard, are ye?”

“Nay, they won’t let me lift a finger,” she said with disgruntlement. Isabella tilted her head in the direction of the young soldiers.

“Good, they are doing as they were directed. I only stopped in to see ye and to make sure Noah was not being troublesome or in the way.”

Isabella smiled at him splendidly. “I sent him off to Marian’s. He was bored and I had nothing for him to do. Besides, I could get more done without him underfoot.”

“That was a fair idea, love.” Declan reached into his tunic and pulled out the missive she’d received. “I almost forgot, this arrived for you.” He handed it to her.

“It must be from my parents. I shall read it later.” She tucked the missive into the seam of her overdress.

“I should go.”

Isabella grabbed his hand before he moved away. “Await. Would it be all right if I gave away a few things we don’t need or want?”

“I suppose. If ye do not think we need or want them, then ye can give them away. It matters not to me.” Declan gave her a quick peck on her cheek and strolled away.

How sweet was she to think of others? He almost returned to her and would have snatched her hand to lead her to a private place within the keep, but he didn’t want to distract her. Instead, he made his way to his cottage. He wanted to speak to Rhona. He hadn’t talked to her since his return and there was much to discuss. He found her in the front room working on a bit of sewing. “Lass, I wanted to ask you…”

She got out of her chair in a hurry and stood before him. “Laird, good morn.”

“We have not discussed your wedding. I was thinking of having it during the harvest festival. What say ye to this?”

She looked up at him with sparkling, happy eyes. “Willeli would like to do it soon, as would I. The harvest festival is only a fortnight from now. Perhaps we can do it in the morn before the celebrations begin?”

It was a fair request. He nodded. “I will speak to the friar and ask him to perform the sacrament.”

“You have made me happy, Declan. Da would be so proud of you. It is also nice to see marriage agreeing with you. Marriage is not easy.”

Declan’s brows drew together at her declaration. “How would ye know about such things?”

Rhona chuckled. “I was always underfoot when Da and Ma argued. They never noticed me, and I overheard every word. Sometimes they shouted fiercely at each other but the next day, they appeared to have made amends. I was young then and do not recall what their arguments were about, but they fought terribly.”

He grimaced. “Do ye remember a time when it was heated to the point that it was possible they did not make amends?”

“I was just a lass and didn’t understand much of what they argued about. But I recall once that Da accused Ma of being with another man. She denied it, of course, but Da said he had proof. It took almost a month before Da forgave Ma. I remember because that was right before Ma died.”

Declan couldn’t recall how his mother passed. He had been training with the soldiers and spent little time at home. He’d only been told that his mother had died. “How did she die?”

“The healer could not find the cause and declared that ma’s heart gave out.”

He shook his head. His mother was a strong woman and hadn’t ever shown signs of being ill. Something strange was afoot then. It was too late now to figure out what passed between his parents. Still, it gave him pause because it could be the reason why he now faced an unknown adversary.

Without a farewell, Declan wandered outside and strolled along toward the chapel, perplexed by his conversation with Rhona. He needed to give it more thought. At the chapel, he pulled the door open and entered. He was met by the sound of a harpist playing a beautiful melody and the friar’s baritone voice singing words in praise of God.

Declan sat on a bench in front of the altar. When the friar noticed him, he ceased his singing and waved to the musician, who left hastily.

Friar Faelan approached. “Laird MacKendrick, good day to you. Would you like to make a confession, talk, or be alone? I am a good listener and ye appear to have much on your mind. Especially given the events of the past few days. Forgive me for mentioning them, but these are dire times indeed, my Laird, and it’s not unusual for even the strongest of men to seek solace in the Lord.”

He motioned to the bench and the friar sat beside him. But now, Declan didn’t know where to begin. “I think I love my wife.”

Faelan grinned. “Well now, ’tis not a sin to love one’s wife. That is what should be.” He drew his brows down low over the bridge of his nose. “Except…forgive me, Laird, but does the idea of loving your wife distress ye?”

He shrugged. “Nay. Not at all. But my trouble lies in whether or not I should tell her.”

“Ye are not the only man who has been confronted with this issue. Do ye deem that it will weaken ye? Or is it the commitment itself that comes with such words that confounds you?”

Declan drew in a deep breath. Confronting this matter was harder than he’d expected. “I am not weakened because I love her, and I do not fear my vows to her. But…what if she does not love me in return? That I could not accept.” It would weaken him, in fact.

Faelan chuckled. “I tell ye, Laird, I see the way your wife looks at you and I doubt she harbors anything but love for ye. When ye are ready to declare it, so shall she. I suggest ye not shield your heart for it will do well to be open to her.”

Good words, those. Declan nodded. “I will think about that, Friar.” He sighed. “Now. There is another worry that troubles me.”

Faelan folded his hands and peered at him with his full attention. “Go on.”

“I discern there was trouble betwixt my parents before my mother passed. At the time, I was hardly home so I did not notice, but Rhona told me that she oft heard them arguing.”

“Does this have a bearing on ye now? Should ye not let their transgressions be kept in the past where it belongs? There is no reason to rehash old wounds, is there?”

“I believe their arguments could be the reason someone is against me now.” Declan sighed heavily. “I could be wrong, but what if what happened betwixt them then has caused me to have an unknown foe?”

“Perhaps ye should ask some of the elders who might have been privy to their arguments. They might give ye an insight into their relations.”

Declan stood and paced before the altar. “My gran would know some of the elders who were present then. I will ask her again. Perhaps some recollection will shake itself free now that she’s had time to think about it.” Have ye seen Claude? Is he here?”

“He is in the antechamber reading the Good Book ,” Faelan said. Then he tilted his head back to yell out his brother’s name.

Claude popped his head through the door’s threshold. “Aye? Oh, Declan, I did not know you were here. I am glad you are. Did Milady Isabella tell ye what we found? About the treasure?”

“Nay, she has not. Much has happened though since I returned… He frowned. Treasure? They’d actually found something from that old map? “What did ye find?”

Claude clapped his hands and disappeared beyond the door but returned a moment later holding a chalice and a cross, both apparently of gold. They glinted in the candlelight from the altar. “Milady came with me when I searched the caves beyond the loch. I found these, buried.” He handed the objects to him.

Declan held them, one in each hand. They were heavy, and both were exquisitely etched with embellishments that shone brightly. “I know what these are…”

Claude’s eyes widened and he stepped nearer. “What? Do not leave us in the dark.”

“Grandda often told stories around the fire about an old king who was given the task of hiding away old relics entrusted to him during the first crusade. He claimed that they, a large regiment from Scotland, traveled with Normans, Flemish, and Germans on a ship from England. They were delayed by a Portuguese army that insisted they aid in capturing Lisbon to expel the Moorish. He boasted about their bravery and that the king was given rewards, which he buried somewhere near here to keep them safe.”

“These items appear old enough to be those relics. They must be the objects the old king hid,” Faelan said. “Or some of them.”

“I suggest we keep the items here in the chapel and allow Friar Faelan to use them in his services,” Claude said. “The homage of it will reward us with God’s blessing.”

“I think that is a fair idea, brother. Ye have my permission to keep them here, Friar. These objects belong to the MacKendricks though and will not leave my land.”

The friar bobbed his head. “I am honored, Laird, and will bless these objects at once. Perhaps I will have a special Mass so the clan can participate in the blessing.”

His brother and the friar left him and disappeared beyond the door to the antechamber.

Declan sat back on the bench and relished the quiet and solitude of the chapel. Solitary, he was able to fully consider how unaware he had been throughout his life. He’d been unaware of his parent’s discord, his wife’s troubles with Silas, and whatever animosity forced his foe to take such a stand. Declan opened his eyes and swore he would never be unaware again.

On his return to the keep, he heard the gate watchman shout their call to arms. All MacKendrick soldiers within hearing distance charged to the gate. Declan ran forth and reached the gate at the same time as Anse.

“What goes?” Anse asked.

Declan forged his way through the mass of his soldiers until he reached the watchman.

“There is a band of soldiers riding toward our gates. I saw them in the distance.”

He turned and stared, waiting for the riders to come within view. “It looks to be Campbell’s soldiers. Open the gate.”

His men did as he bade, and the gates were opened. There were at least ten Campbell men on horses. They stopped just inside the gate. Declan recognized Micah, the Campbell’s commander-in-arms.

Micah dismounted and approached. “Robbie was on his way to see ye. We were ambushed on the trail, and he was injured.”

Declan regarded Robbie’s body lying over the back of a horse. “Bring him to the main keep.” He rushed to the keep and shouted for Isabella when he got there.

She knelt beside a trunk just inside the hallway. “What is it?”

“There is an injured man…”

“Take him to the first chamber above the stairs. I will get Edith.” Isabella hurried away.

Declan directed the men to carry Robbie to the chamber above. Once there, they set him on the bed. He searched his comrade for injuries. “What happened to him?”

His commander paced by the bedside. “Five men rode at us. While we were fending off four of the men, my laird was battling the last. After the four men rode off, I turned back and found Robbie lying on the ground. He was attacked with a dagger that we found still embedded in him. Fortunately for him, he had chainmail on but there are cuts where the chainmail was breached, and he bled a great deal.”

“Help me prepare him. We will need to remove his upper garments.”

Isabella hastened into the chamber toting a large bucket of hot water. Edith followed her inside, carrying cloths and Isabella’s medicinal satchel.

“Tend to him, love. I do not want to lose him.”

“Who is he?” she asked.

“Leona’s brother.” Declan helped Robbie’s commander remove the heavy chainmail and the remainder of his garments.

“I will do what I can, Declan, but I make no promises. The wounds look grave. Leave us. Edith and I will tend to him. Edith, we might need Lillith to aid us.” She dismissed him and bent over Robbie, prodding his wounds.

He stopped Edith from leaving. “Anse, go and bring Lillith. Edith, stay and help Isabella.”

The maidservant returned to his wife’s side. Declan tensed. From the sound of Isabella’s tone, the odds of Robbie surviving didn’t appear to be to his advantage. He motioned to the men to leave the chamber so the women could do their work.

Outside in the hallway, Declan leaned against the wall. Micah took up a similar position next to him.

“Did ye recognize the men who attacked ye?”

Micah shook his head. “It was dark in that part of the forest. We never heard them coming which means—”

“Which means they were lying in wait for you. Why was Robbie on his way to see me?” Declan hoped he’d had news to impart about their foe.

“He did not say, och only that he needed to see you at the soonest. We rode like hell to get here and took no rest.”

Declan detested not knowing why Robbie was intent on seeing him. He growled in frustration and prayed his comrade survived. If he didn’t, there was no telling how he’d find his foe then because he sure as hell was in the dark about it.