Page 39 of Bride takes a Scot

On his way back toward his cottage, in his search for Isabella, he came across Silas on the lane walking ahead of him. His stepbrother had disappeared earlier, and Declan hadn’t had a chance to speak to him. “Silas, attend me.”

His stepbrother stopped in midstride and turned. “Declan, there ye are. I heard ye wanted to speak to me and I have been looking for ye.”

“Aye, I did want to talk to ye. Where have ye been all day?”

“I trained earlier and then went to bathe at the loch. What is it ye wanted to talk about?” Silas seemed on edge and his manner off-putting. His hands clenched and his eyes scowled. He seemed to want to flee or acted as if he had somewhere else to be.

“I saw ye on the training field and the way ye spoke to those young soldiers. They are not to be treated disrespectfully. Those men give their arms for the protection of this clan. There is a way to guide them without putting them down and that is not your responsibility. I do not want ye speaking so harshly to them.”

Silas peered at him with haughtiness. “They shirked their duty, Laird. I was only trying to spark some fervor in them.”

Declan shook his head. “And just so ye know, Slone leads the younger soldiers under Anse’s guidance. He is in charge when Anse is not here. Anse is in charge when I am not here. Ye will not go around either of them in the future. Remember, ye are a soldier just like the rest of the men practicing on the field, regardless of your relation to me.”

Silas glared at him but nodded. “I was only trying to be helpful.”

“When ye learn how to fight with the full use of your sword, ye will be helpful. Ye need more training before ye can teach others.” Declan walked away from him and didn’t offer any further rebuke. Hopefully, his stepbrother understood.

Anse caught up to him on his approach to the cottage. “Laird, I just spent an hour with your bonny wife this morn.” His smile and laughter tensed Declan.

“I just saw her at the chapel.”

“Earlier at the loch, she had me help her erect a swing for Noah. Did she speak to ye yet?”

He shook his head. “Nay, she did not. About what? I noticed she was…well, she seemed ireful as if something bothered her. Know ye what troubles her?”

“Aye, I do. I think we should put a guard on her.” Anse stopped him from walking forward.

“A guard? Why would Isabella need a guard, Anse? Tell me what happened.”

“I promised Milady that she could tell you.”

Declan grunted. “When has that ever stopped ye from telling me what is going on? Speak and tell me what troubles her. If she is in danger…”

“I think she is,” Anse spoke hastily and told him about what Isabella had found on her bed.

His shoulders tensed at his cousin’s telling. Why would anyone want to hurt that winsome lass? His wife! “Someone threatened her.”

“I would take that as a threat,” Anse said.

“Put Lorcan on her. He will keep guard over her every minute of the day. He goes wherever she goes and tell him to keep his sword handy. Tell him at the soonest so I do not worry abouther.” Declan would worry regardless, even though Lorcan was a fit soldier and one of the most effective with his sword.

The gate watchman whistled, calling his attention. Declan walked with Anse toward the gate.

Standing on the other side of the iron barred barrier was Dermot Murray, who paced back and forth. His comrade stopped and stood with his legs braced, awaiting entrance. With a nod, Declan told the guards to open the gates.

“Murray, I was not expecting you so soon. Have you met with Campbell then? What says he?” Declan didn’t think he had because Dermot didn’t appear as if he’d ridden far. Since Murray’s lands bordered his, Declan surmised that he only just left his holding.

“Aye, aye. I came to tell ye that Robbie will not meet with you. I tried to persuade him, but the man was adamant and said that he would not meet with a murderer. Even though I swore that ye did not have anything to do with his father’s murder. I am sorry, Declan, but it does not appear that Robbie will meet with ye anytime soon.”

“Cosh, this is a mess. How am I going to find the culprit when I cannot even meet with Robbie to find out if Allan had any enemies?” Declan waved him off. “Let me think on this and I will come and see ye soon.”

“Send word when ye plan to come, so I can make sure I am at my holding,” Murray said. He turned and left, walking with quick steps through the gate.

Declan waited for the gates to close before he walked away. Anse had been silent during their conversation. “What think ye about this? Why will Robbie not meet with me? Regardless of how Robbie felt about me marrying Leona, he never showed hatred or animosity toward me.”

Anse shrugged his shoulders. “’Tis perplexing, Laird. I thought Robbie respected ye. He might not have been friendly,but there was a level of respect from him after ye married Leona. Surely, he does not believe ye killed his father.”

“Who knows what he is thinking? I hope he does not deem me responsible. This matter needs to be handled delicately and cannot wait. I will be leaving the keep again soon. With or without Murray’s help, I will find a way to meet with Robbie.”