Page 66 of Claimed Highland Brides

21

LOOSE ENDS

D aividh led his team through the marsh by the side of the road, using the grass as cover in case Gilroy had men posted on the road, waiting to see if Barclay had backup. He had a bad feeling about the whole arrangement. What he knew of Gilroy was that the man was dishonest and disingenuous. It was clear from the dishonorable way he was choosing to conduct himself.

He remained alert and watchful, ready for anything.

Suddenly a man darted out from between two bushes and took off. Daividh immediately signaled for two of his men to go after him. Meanwhile, he quickened his pace to the cottage in case that man taking off was some sort of signal.

As he came closer, he heard shouting and broke into a run. The door of the cottage was bolted shut and locked with a chain. It would take some time to break it open.

“Barclay? Aileen?” he called out.

“Daividh! Thank heavens. Get us out of here! Aileen has been bitten by a snake. Be careful out there. It went out the window.”

“Window?” Daividh immediately began to circle the cottage until he found the open space. He peered into the room to see that Aileen’s gown was pulled up almost to her waist and her leg was bare. Barclay was crouching over her.

Quickly he whipped his head out of the room. “Oh!” he shouted in surprise and embarrassment. “Is this really the time for tha’? Can ye no’ wait until ye’re home?”

“Wha’?” Barclay looked around in puzzlement. “What are ye on aboot? Please, Daividh, we dinnae have time to waste. She is poisoned!”

“Och aye?” Daividh risked another look. “Ye mean on her leg then?”

“Aye.”

Daividh nodded. “I’ll send one o’ my men for a healer while I get the door open.”

“Aye, thanks. Please, hurry!”

Daividh hurried back to the door, examining the lock closely. He had several weapons on his person, including a small ax. He extracted this and proceeded to swing at the chain, over and over, while Simon kept an eye out, and one of his men ran to where they hid the horses so that he could ride hell for leather, to find a healer.

It took an excruciatingly long time before the chain cracked, and they were able to open the door. Daividh was the first through, getting to his knees beside his sister-in-law and staring worriedly at the wound on her leg, which had swelled to almost twice its size.

He and Barclay exchanged worried glances, watching the sweat pour down Aileen’s face in unending rivulets with fear. Daividh shot to his feet. “I’ll get some water and a cloth. We can make her comfortable, at least.”

He walked out, searching for a well, and was in time to hear approaching hoofbeats. Hand on his sword, he whirled around to see the man they’d sent for a healer riding back, accompanied by a second horse.

“That was fast,” Daividh said even as he sighed with relief. He was not surprised to see that it was Aifric who accompanied his soldier.

“I felt something was wrong. Where is she?”

Daividh pointed to the cottage with his chin. The soldier—Peter Farrell, one of Simon’s deputies—came to stand beside him. “I found her at the inn, waiting for me. She simply asked me who was hurt.”

Daividh nodded. “She seems to have an instinct for it.”

“Is it magic d’ye think?”

Daividh looked at the deputy and smiled. “I dinnae think. I just thank the heavens she’s there when we need her. I leave the believing to the church folk, ye ken?”

“Aye.”

They followed the healer into the hut, where they found her reassuring Barclay. “Ye did a good job o’ sucking oot the poison. In any case, if ’twas an adder as ye say, they rarely kill full-grown adults.”

Barclay’s brow furrowed further rather than clearing. “But they can?”

Aifric shook her head. “We wilnae let it. Now hush and let me work.”

Barclay moved away to give her room. “Please save her. I shall be in yer debt forever if ye do.”

Aifric waved him away. “No need for tha’. Now hush.”

Daividh went forward and helped Barclay to his feet, pulling him away from the healer. “Come, let us fashion a travois to carry her away from here once the healer is done.”

Barclay looked around at him distractedly. “Aye, that is a good idea.”

* * *

Aileen fell in and out of consciousness, unable to keep a firm grasp of reality. Most of the time, she was floating in a sea of colors. There were voices within the colors, although she could not make out what they said. The colors were too distracting as they danced before her eyes, swirling in pinks and greens, blues and oranges. She tried to reach out and touch them, but her hand was too heavy to lift. She frowned in annoyance as she began to struggle. One of the colors came closer, and she felt a warmth on her hand, holding her.

From far off, someone called her name.

“She’s having a fit!”

No, I’m not!

She tried to open her mouth to protest, but the same lethargy that caused her to be unable to move her hand seemed to have taken over her mouth as well. She took a deep breath, and suddenly the world went black.

* * *

She opened her eyes to find herself in familiar surroundings—her bedchamber at the keep. Sarah stood up from the chair by the bed and leaned in to peer at Aileen. “How are ye feeling, my lady? Any better?”

“What happened?”

“Och, do ye no’ remember?” Sarah looked alarmed.

Aileen blinked a few times as she tried to recall the last thing that happened to her. Finally, she gasped, trying to sit up. “Barclay! Where is he?” she asked urgently, recalling the snake bite and the two of them, locked in the cottage.

“Weel, when yer fever broke last night, he and the laird, as well as his cousins, decided they couldnae wait anymore. They went after his uncle; to kill him, I think.” Sarah seemed a little bit too excited at the prospect.

“They went after Gilroy?”

“Aye. Gilroy MacFarland, him that was in charge o’ abducting ye and all. They caught the farmer who kept ye, ye see. He confessed everything.”

“Oh, really? What did he say?”

Sarah perched on the bed and pulled the plate of bread and jam that sat upon the bedside table towards her. She put her feet up on the bed, clearly ready to tell a long tale.

“Well ye see, the laird and yer husband were worried sick aboot ye. They didnae ken if ye would survive from the bite even though the healer said ye would. The laird thought ye might recover at the inn, but yer husband said, ‘Och, no, we mun’ get her home where it’s familiar.’” Sarah nodded at Aileen, who couldn’t help but smile.

“Then what happened?”

“Weel, they wanted to get ye here but also to catch the culprit. So they sent Simon after him. They had already caught the farmer, and he told them that Gilroy paid him two gold coins to lock ye in the cottage wi’ yer husband and throw the snake inside to kill ye both.”

Aileen frowned. “What a coward.”

“Aye. The farmer said he rode for MacFarland land after. He said he didnae want to do it, but that Gilroy said he would take away his share crop if’n he didn’t.”

“Despicable man.”

“Aye.”

“So last night, Simon came back and said that he’d seen Gilroy and he was most definitely at his father’s hoose. Yer fever broke and weel…” The lady’s maid shrugged. “The men were bloodthirsty. Yer sisters tried to persuade them to wait, that it was too dangerous, but they wouldnae be reasoned wi’.”

“Please dinnae tell me they rode off just the four o’ them.”

“No. Every warrior wanted to go, but they couldnae leave us unprotected so they left a skeleton army.”

“Will they declare war on the MacFarlands?”

“I think so.”

Aileen struggled out of bed. “Then I mun’ go to him.”

“Ye cannae! Ye’re too weak!” Sarah tried to get her to return to the bed, but she was determined.

“I wilnae let him face them alone.”

“He isnae alone, ma’am!” Sarah rushed to the door and shouted for help as Aileen began to dress. “Ye cannae just go there, dinnae be silly. Please, ma’am, get back in bed.”

Maisie and Fenella hurried into the room. “What’s to do?”

“She wants to go and join her husband,” Sarah said helplessly.

Maisie grinned. “Too late. We’ve had reports that they’re on the way back.”

Aileen froze, staring at her sisters. “Are ye telling the truth?”

“O’ course!” Maisie tried to look offended. “Ye think we’d lie aboot something like tha’?”

Aileen gave her a look. “Ye love yer little tricks, Maisie.”

Maisie shook her head. “Not aboot this. I promise ye, they are on their way back.”

Aileen nodded, “Alrigh’ then.”

“Now, will ye get back in bed?” Sarah hurried to her, took her arm, and propelled her back to bed. “Yer husband exhorted me to make sure ye were well taken care o’. Don’t make me a liar when I promised I would.”

Aileen couldn’t help smiling. “Did he now?”

“He did indeed.” Maisie came to sit on her other side. “He was so worried aboot ye. It was quite sweet.”

Aileen felt a warmth flooding her insides at the thought of Barclay worrying about her. “Tell me some more.”

* * *

To Barclay’s everlasting surprise, the MacFarland had been willing to hand over his son on the condition that they would take him to a magistrate and have his case dealt with according to the law. Of course, he suspected that the MacFarland meant to subvert the law somehow in his favor. However, he could not see how he could, as the magistrate for the district was Daividh.

“I expect he is trying to save his son’s life,” Daividh whispered to him.

Barclay’s eyes widened.

Of course!

“We will take him with us and lock him in the dungeons of the keep. A public trial will be held by week’s end in which he will be able to defend himself,” Daividh announced.

“Vera weel.” The MacFarland nodded his acquiescence, and Gilroy was grabbed by two of Daividh’s men.

“Father!” he pleaded. “Ye cannae let them take me!”

The MacFarland watched his son sadly before shaking his head and turning away without a word.

“Father!” Gilroy’s voice echoed in the empty courtyard as they bundled him into the wagon and drove away with him, towards Braenaird Castle.

* * *

The door banged open, and Barclay was beside her in a moment, his hand squeezing hers for dear life. “They told me ye were awake.” He swallowed, his eyes misting over. “God ’tis guid to see ye whole.”

Aileen smiled. “’Tis guid to see ye whole as well. I hear ye went off wi’out me.”

His bottom lip trembled, and he looked close to tears. “Never. I just had to retrieve a wayward prisoner.”

Aileen’s brow quirked. “Och, aye? And he came willingly?”

“He had no choice. There was nowhere left to hide.”

Aileen smiled. “Oh, guid.” Her smile disappeared as she thought of Gilroy’s son. “And the boy? Is he safe?”

“What boy?”

“Hamish. Gilroy’s son.”

Barclay raised an eyebrow at the name. “I havenae a clue. I can make inquiries if ye like?”

“Please do. I dinnae like to think what could happen to him the noo.”

He ran a hand down her cheek. “My softhearted wife,” he murmured affectionately before leaning slowly down to kiss her. “I’ve missed ye.”

She pulled his head down to hers. “Then kiss me properly.”