Page 49 of Claimed Highland Brides

4

ANSWERS

A s promised, someone came by to collect him for dinner. Angus was nowhere to be seen, but thankfully he had been able to dress himself quite well. His heart pounded as he tried to anticipate every possible development he might encounter.

He was nothing but a stranger to these people. Despite Aileen’s warm welcome, the Douglasses had not seen him for eleven years. They did not know him. They were not likely to just take him at his word. He fingered the amulet he wore around his neck. His father had gifted it to him on his eleventh birthday.

“It’s a family heirloom,” he had said.

If Murdo Douglass were here, he might recognize it. But his daughters had all been young. They barely knew what had happened. Murdo had not wanted to burden them. So he only had his own memories of their time together to vouch for him and Aileen’s acknowledgment that he was who he said.

The maid who had come to fetch him stopped in front of a door and gestured for him to enter. He had been expecting a dining hall but realized from the furnishings that he was in the parlor. A man got to his feet, facing him, his piercing blue eyes attempting to dissect Barclay already.

Barclay came to a stop and looked around. Aileen gave him a small smile, and he nodded back. Next to her was a lady, heavy with child. Her fiery red hair and doe eyes, the twin of their mother, told him that this was Jamesina. Next to her was Fiona, more diminutive than her sisters but radiating all the authority of a firstborn. She was also heavy with child. The twins were unmistakable, as were ùna’s chubby cheeks and sunny personality.

He smiled, gratified to have recalled them all. “It is guid t’see ye all again.”

Fiona got to her feet with difficulty. “Barclay. It truly is ye.”

He nodded. “Aye. ’Tis.”

She came forward and clasped his hands tight, looking intently into his eyes. “Welcome home.”

Barclay felt a lump in his throat, and tears shimmered in his eyes. “Thank ‘e.”

She turned, gesturing for the man to come forward. “My husband, Laird Campbell.”

Barclay bowed to him. “At yer service.”

A movement from the corner had him flicking his eyes in that direction. His eyes widened as he saw Diego and Antonio standing there. “Ay! Ye’re here.”

Diego nodded. “We met these fine people at Drumacree, and they agreed to bring us along.”

Barclay turned to Daividh. “I thank ye.” He gestured to his cousins. “These are my kin who graciously offered to accompany me on my quest to recover my father’s land.”

Fiona sat back down, keeping her eyes on him as she gestured for him to do the same. “They tell us that ye have encountered some difficulty.”

Barclay nodded, dividing his attention between the laird and his lady. “My uncle claims not to ken me. He willnae give up the property unless I can provide proof of who I am or produce some other evidence that the land is mine.”

Fiona snorted derisively, shaking her head. “Gilroy MacFarland has always been a difficult neighbour. I’m nae surprised he has made such demands.”

“Do ye have anything I can use to fight him?”

To his surprise, it was the other gentleman in the room who spoke. “I have come across scripts with the name MacFarland on them, as I was tidying up Mr. Campbell’s study. I didn’t look at them too closely, but I can dig them up again.”

Barclay quirked an eyebrow. “That would be kind of you.”

“No problem.” The man leaned forward and introduced himself. “Delwyn Barton, steward.”

Barclay gave a bow. “Pleased to make yer acquaintance, sir.”

Fiona clapped her hands together once. “Weel, we have spoken of enough grave things tonight. Let us go in to dinner and celebrate yer homecoming, Barclay.” She grinned at him, and he could not help but grin back.

* * *

Aileen was seated across from Barclay at the table. ùna sat on one side of him, and Delwyn sat on the other. Like the proper gentleman that he was, he divided his attention between his dinner companions without a show of favoritism. ùna chattered at him as if they were old friends. She was growing quickly but was still childlike and innocent. The sisters worked hard to keep her that way.

Delwyn seemed interested in their travels. He questioned Barclay extensively on their voyage, and Aileen remembered that before he married Jamesina, he had wanted to go off and be a pirate. She huffed gently to herself before realizing that in her focused attention on Barclay, she was ignoring her own dinner companions.

One of Delwyn’s cousins sat to her left, while to her right, Maisie was in animated conversation with Fenella, who sat across from her, next to Delwyn. The cousin was watching them with fascination.

“Have you never seen twins before?” she ventured to ask. He started a bit before turning to face her with a wry smile.

“Ah, you have caught me. I have indeed seen twins before but not such a bellisima, lively pair.”

Aileen felt her heart sink again. It was true that few could compete with Fenella and Maisie for vivacity. It was not possible that anyone would even notice her when she was in their vicinity. Here she had been worried that she was neglecting her dinner companion, and he probably had not even noticed.

He leaned forward. “I am Diego Jose Guerero. I do not think we have met. You were not at the marketplace.”

Aileen very narrowly stopped her brows from flying upward with surprise. “Uh, yes, I am Aileen. I was left at home.”

Diego nodded. “You welcomed my cousin when he came. I thank you. He has not had an easy time. Always looking for somewhere to belong.”

Aileen felt her heart melt with sympathy. “I can only imagine.”

“Si.” Diego gestured around. “I see that you are a close family. You do not have to worry about belonging. Not so with Barclay.” He sighed, shaking his head as Aileen’s mouth twisted at the irony of that statement. Even in the bosom of a loving family, she did sometimes feel as if she did not fit.

“We tried our best, Antonio and I, to make him welcome,” Diego continued, “But everything was strange.”

Aileen nodded her understanding. “Weel, he is hame now. We shall help him to get his land back.”

* * *

“I’ve found the scripts.” Delwyn looked up as Fiona and Daividh stepped into the office.

“Oh, let me see.” Fiona held out her hand for them, and Delwyn handed them over before heading towards his desk. Daividh and Fiona bent over the pages, Fiona reading aloud.

“It seems to be Hamish MacFarland’s last will and testament duly signed and notarized.”

“Aye. And does it mention the lad?”

Fiona smiled up at him. “Hardly a lad. But aye, he leaves the land to Barclay to be given outright to him on his five and twentieth birthday, or in the event of his marriage.”

Daividh grunted. “And how old is the lad?”

Fiona screwed up her mouth as she thought about it. “He was one and ten when he lost his parents, and it has been…eleven years and so he is two and twenty.”

“Hmmm…” Daividh met her eyes, his own full of the doubts he had about this whole enterprise.

“He could marry,” Fiona said quietly.

“Aye. He could. But he is newly come from Spain. He doesnae have any prospects here.”

Fiona made a sound of agreement before sighing. “All we can do is tell him what we found. He will have to do the rest.”

* * *

Aileen backed away from the door before her either sister, or her brothers-in-law could catch her eavesdropping. She bit her lip as she hurried away, trying to think of some way to help Barclay. His cousin’s words echoed in her mind, and she dearly wanted to give him somewhere to belong.

She rounded the corner, walking fast, and slammed into someone, almost falling to the ground.

“Och. My apologies. I didnae see ye there. Are ye alright?” Hands were pulling her back to her feet. Aileen tried to stop the blush that suffused her cheeks, embarrassed at her fall.

“I’m fine.”

“No, ye’re not. Ye’re bleeding.” He seemed truly upset and looked down to see that she had scraped her hands on the stone, the scratches deep enough to bleed.

“Come wi’ me. Let me help ye clean it up.” He began to lead her gently away, keeping hold of her hand. She went along meekly, unable to break away from him, unable to believe he was holding her in such an intimate manner without any embarrassment.

He led her out to the darkened yard and over to the well, where he scooped out a bucket of water before dipping his very own handkerchief into it and gently cleaning her hand. She stood still and quiet as he wiped at it, getting rid of every trace of dirt or blood.

“There. Is that better?” he asked softly.

She nodded, swallowing the sudden lump in her throat. Suddenly she missed her mother very much. She took in a deep, shaky breath.

“Fiona found something for ye. Ye should go and see wha’ it is,” she said quickly, hoping he would go and leave her alone. No such luck.

“Aye, but I cannae leave ye here alone. Come, let us go and see wha’ she has t’say.”

Aileen sighed but followed as he led the way back inside, his hand still wrapped around her wrist. Aileen wondered if he was even aware of it. Once they were back inside the keep, she led the way to the office.

Knocking softly, she opened the door and pushed her way in. Both Fiona and Daividh turned to her in surprise. “I’ve brought Barclay”—she pointed behind her—“in case ye have something for him.”

Knowing very well that they had indeed found something, she stepped back demurely and allowed Barclay to take her place in front of her sister and her husband.

“Aye, Barclay, I was just thinking of coming to fetch ye. We have yer faither’s last will and statement.” She passed it on to him without another word.

He nodded his thanks before dipping his head and beginning to read. His eyes got wider and wider with every word, and Aileen reached out a hand in comfort.

“Is there anything there that will help ye?”

“Nothing that I can obtain with ease,” he said quietly.

She watched as his face fell, and her mind scrambled urgently for solutions.

“There mun’ be something ye can do!”

His hands fell to his sides, and he sighed deeply. “I have to think. If ye will excuse me.” He turned, without looking at any of them, and left the room.

Fiona sighed, shaking her head. “This is a sad business.”

Aileen felt the need to run after Barclay, to comfort him and assure him that he was not alone. But she did not know if she was wanted and didn’t want to intrude. “I’ll just go to bed.”

“Aye, sleep well then, Sister.” Fiona walked to her and bussed her on the cheek affectionately. Daividh smiled at her while Delwyn waved. Her mouth twitched in response, an attempt at a smile, but she was too distressed to manage a fully-fledged one. She fled as soon as she could, climbing up to the battlements. Somehow she knew he would be there. She leaned against a pillar as she watched him brood for a while, her heart hurting for him.

“Ye may come oot, Aileen,” he said wearily. “I ken ye’re there.”