Page 6 of Her Highlander’s Darkest Temptation (Highlanders of Cadney #14)
Lydia seemed like a soft-spoken young woman, but he knew too little about her to feel entirely comfortable with having her work in his castle on her own. Until he knew more about her circumstances and her history, he wanted to keep her close enough to keep a watch on.
“She’ll be roomin’ an’ workin’ with Maisie, sharin’ her duties as me personal servant, until I decide whether or nae she’ll remain, an’ how tae best use her skills if she stays on.”
“Yer… personal servant? When ye ken naething about her, me laird?”
“Aye.” Donall glared at Ewan, and the man subsided, though Donall could see the uncertainty and the reluctance in his second-in-command’s eyes. “I’ll be tellin’ Corvin, or ye can dae so, if ye like.”
Ewan sighed. “I’ll tell him.”
They both knew the steward would be unamused that Donall was meddling in the assignments of the servants without consulting him, and Ewan had more patience to deal with the man.
Donall liked Corvin well enough, and he couldn’t fault his thoroughness as a steward, but the man was so painstaking and exact in everything he did - and so used to speaking his mind on any matter that happened to garner his attention - that it sometimes made Donall want to lock him in a storage room for day.
He rose from his seat, ignoring the twinge from his side. “Evelyn, I’ll ask ye tae tak’ Lydia tae Maisie an’ see she kens tha’ Lydia will be workin’ with her.”
“Aye. After a stop in the kitchens tae get the lass some food.” Evelyn nodded.
“Whatever ye think best. She’ll be expected tae begin her duties first thing in the morning.” Donall tugged on the rest of his clothing, then jerked his head toward the door. “Ewan, Alex… come with me.”
The two men followed him out into the courtyard, across the grounds, and into the keep proper.
Donall kept his silence until they reached the privacy of his study and the door was locked before he turned to face them.
“Ye’re right that there’s more tae the story than I told ye, but I dinnae ken what’s goin’ on, an’ tha’s why I dinnae wish tae say tae much where listenin’ ears an’ gossiping guards or servants might hear. ”
“Well enough. What troubles ye?” Alex, an ally and his oldest and best friend, who visited whenever possible, leaned against the side of the hearth, his expression thoughtful. “I noticed the lass is fair delicate looking fer a maid.”
Donall nodded. He’d expected Alex - Laird Alexander MacEwen to those who were not his long-time friends and allies - to notice that.
As the laird of his own territory, and a well-traveled man thanks to his clan’s sea-based trading alliances, he was accustomed to dealing with all manner of folk, from servants and peasants to lords and ladies.
“She is. An’ her hands are softer than I’d expect.
Her speech too. There’s also the matter o’ her bein’ English - I dinnae ken why an English lass would make the journey intae the Highlands, unless there’s some reason she cannae find work in the Lowlands or among the English.
But there’s few enough reasons fer that tae be true… ”
“Ye think she’s runnin’ tae, or runnin’ from, something.” Ewan grimaced.
“’Tis a possibility. The incident in the road unnerved her more than I would have expected, otherwise.
” Donall paused, gathering his thoughts.
“I heard shoutin’, an when I arrived, there were armed men attackin’ a caravan…
I saw two o’ them chase her intae the woods an’ followed.
I thought at first they were raiders, or bandits, but after I’d killed one, I saw Cameron colors under the rags he was wearin’ as a disguise. ”
“Cameron? Laird Cameron’s sendin’ raiders disguised as bandits intae our lands?”
“Aye. But somethin’ daesnae sit well with me.
They attacked a caravan, nae a settlement.
Settlement would make more sense if Rory Cameron is after tryin’ tae steal territory from us.
An’ two men followed Lydia, but I didnae see them chasin’ many o’ the others from the caravan…
’twas as if they had a specific goal in mind. ”
“But what would Cameron want with an English serving maid?”
“’Tis what I’m wanderin’ as well. Me thought is she was mistak’n fer someone else, but I cannae be sure.” Donall scowled as he slouched into the heavy chair at his desk. “There’s too much about this situation I dinnae understand, an’ it makes me fair uneasy.”
“What dae ye want tae dae?” Alex’s expression was full of understanding, as was Ewan’s.
“Send out scouts tae watch the borders, see if there’s sign o’ other invasions. Mayhap send word tae me kinfolk, see if they ken aught about the situation.” Donall grimaced.
Communication with his kinfolk-by-marriage was…
difficult. He’d spent years hating the man who was now his sister’s husband, and his brothers.
Their relationship was less antagonistic than it had been—mostly due to the influence of his sister Alayne—but contacting Darren MacLean for anything never truly sat well with Donall.
In truth, he’d probably direct his message to Marcus. His relationship with the second MacLean brother was far less strained than the other two, with fewer reasons for ill-feeling between them.
“Ye’ll need tae tell the Council. If there’s aught going on, they’ll need tae be informed. Especially if there’s a chance it could lead tae trouble. After…” Alexander stopped, but Donall didn’t need him to say the words.
After the punishment he’d suffered for deliberately antagonizing Darren MacLean and attempting to kill him—despite the king’s orders—any further trouble between his clan and another would be scrutinized heavily.
If he wasn’t careful, a dispute with Rory Cameron might end poorly for both himself and Clan Ranald. None of them wanted that to happen.
“Aye. We’ll call fer a council meeting tomorrow, and tell them what’s happened.” Donall stretched, grimacing as the new stitches in his side tugged. “Fer now, send out the scouts. I’ll write the letter tae MacLean, and the summons fer the Council.”
“Ye dae that.” Ewan grinned briefly at him. “’Twill keep ye safely out o’ earshot while I tell Corvin his new servants are goin’ tae be delayed in arrivin’, save fer the one ye’ve already claimed as yer own.”
The jibe broke the grim pall that hung over the room. Donall snorted in amusement, while Alex choked back laughter.
“Ye dae that.”
An’ I’ll keep an eye on our odd little newcomer, an’ see what she makes o’ us… and what Maisie makes o’ her.