Page 25 of Stolen Highland Dreams (The Highlanders #9)

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A fter Ella dismissed Venetia, she was about to head out of the chamber and immediately speak with Venetia’s brother to see if he had a different version of what his sister had told her when Mina walked into the bedchamber and closed the door behind her. Ella knew from Mina’s dark expression something was wrong.

"Zella had a healthy baby girl. But I need to speak to you about Venetia. Do you believe everything she said?" Mina asked.

Ella was taken aback that Mina might know what they had talked about in private, but then she had ways of knowing things, so it shouldn't have been such a surprise. "I listened to what she had to say. I might sound like I believe her, but I know I should be wary of anyone other than you, my brother, and my cousin. We have endured so much, and I dinna know the woman."

"Aye. 'Tis good that you keep an open mind."

"What do you feel about her? Do you think she isna speaking the truth?" Even though Ella would keep an open mind, she felt Venetia hadn’t told her everything she knew.

"Do you remember her? In the clan?"

"Vaguely. I think I blocked a lot out of past events that had occurred before the massacre."

"Do you know what she was like before the massacre? I mean to say, was she good to you, or did she scorn you for your position in the clan if you can remember anything?" Mina persisted.

"I dinna remember her all that well. I remember seeing her at meals at one of the lower tables once, but I remember...wait.” A flash of memory hit Ella all at once.

“What do you remember?”

“She and a lad were laughing and joking, and when I drew closer as I was on my way to the stables behind them, she gave me a scornful look. The lad didna. He was interested in me, as several were because I was the chief's daughter. For no other reason."

Mina narrowed her eyes. "Then I would worry that she hasna changed and that she actually came here as a spy for your uncle. It could be that she hasna, but still, I would be wary of her motives."

"Aye. What about her brother?"

"The same thing. He is family and she would be more loyal to him likely as no’. If he is here with her, I wouldna believe them. She may be speaking the truth, but you shouldna trust them until you know for sure," Mina said.

“Why did you no’ think of them when we were discussing who might be a spy?” Ella asked.

“This is the first time I've seen her since I’ve been here. She has been out of sight, most likely fearing we would know she was with our old clan. Then, she was in the room with the women helping Zella with her baby. I swear she looked like she was about to faint when she saw me arrive. She knew I recognized her.”

"You...dinna have a, um, feeling about them, do you?" Like Mina had read their minds, Ella was thinking. Because she swore there were times when Mina had read hers or her brother's about something she shouldn't have known about. "Wait, did you see something about the brother and sister that would make you think thus?"

Mina had been at the castle any number of times. Maybe she had overheard something that made her suspicious of their motives.

"Remember when you were on the boat on the loch racing against other youths your age?" Mina asked.

"Aye. We did that several times since the time I was thirteen."

"But one time was disastrous."

Ella struggled to remember. Then, memories of Lennox’s attempt to overthrow her da’s rule and her mother’s attack reigned over her. But the mention of trouble while in a boat race made her remember an incident.

"Michael and I were in a boat rowing together. One of the boats rammed into ours, sending me into the water. I was an excellent swimmer, but my boat was again struck, and it hit me, knocking me out."

"Aye. You nearly died."

Ella's mouth gaped. She shook her head. "I never knew who struck my boat. Was it Venetia and her brother?"

"Aye. They sounded so contrite about it, sobbing and truly sorry that your da was certain it had been an accident. No one told you they had done it. I’m sure they felt it was unnecessary. I was fetched to see you because you had swallowed so much water and nearly drowned. Your cousin dove into the loch to rescue you."

"I remember that part." At least back then, her cousin had still been her friend.

"He swam you to shore. The boat had a hole in the side and had nearly sunk before they could bring it to shore to patch it up. Not that the boat was as important as you, but your da wanted to ensure that someone else hadna sabotaged the boat."

"Like someone had already put another hole into it?"

"Aye."

"So why, if everyone believed the brother and sister's stories, did you feel there was more to it than an accident?" She suspected Mina did.

"I heard them laughing about it later. They didna say they did it on purpose, but they mentioned how they thought you were a good swimmer. How could you nearly drown yourself? I couldna tell your da that I suspected more had gone on. No’ without real proof."

“And you didna want to tell me either if there was naught to it.”

“Right. They were your age, petty children, and it could have been naught more than spitefulness or even a way of expressing relief after what had happened to you that they had no’ gotten into serious trouble.”

“You stayed at the castle more after that. I remember you being there, saying you were checking on me. You said it was because I had nearly drowned, and you were making sure I was all right. But that wasn’t all there was to it, was there?”

“I wanted to see if I could catch them talking further about the ‘incident,’ but I never could. After that, I figured it was mostly an accident.”

“Mostly.”

“Aye. I could never rule it out as completely a mistake.”

“What about the brother?” That knowledge made Ella’s skin chill. “Do you think he has been avoiding us seeing him also?”

“Mayhap. I havena seen him. A lot of staff members work here. It would be easy for them to hide from us. They could even eat their meals away from the great hall once we arrived at the castle. If they are the spies, they might have hoped you wouldna remember them.”

A knock on her bedchamber door sounded, and Ella crossed the bedchamber floor and opened it. Paden was standing there, frowning, worried that he might be interrupting something.

“I’m sorry, my lady, but his lairdship said you can meet the men on staff now. He’ll meet you in the inner bailey.”

“Oh, I’ll be right down then.” Ella said to Mina, “I’ll talk to you later.”

Then she headed down the stairs to the inner bailey. She felt just a little intimidated to see all the men gathered together, most of whom she didn’t know. She had seen some working at the castle but needed to learn everyone’s name and occupation.

Dashiell smiled at her as she joined him and rubbed her back soothingly. She smiled at him and then saw Finnegan standing beside Theo, the blacksmith.

“Let Ella know your names and occupations. Some of you she has met, but I want everyone to go through the process,” Dashiell said.

Quinn started. “I’m Quinn, advisor to his laird.”

“Fallon, cousin of Dashiell and his tanist.”

Finnegan said, “I’m your brother, Ella. And I’m the blacksmith’s apprentice.”

Everyone chuckled.

Once everyone told her their names and occupations and how long they had been with Dashiell, she realized Venetia’s twin brother wasn’t among them. But that’s who she wanted to speak with. The rest of the male staff had been with Dashiell way before he took over Cairn Castle. Everyone looked her in the eye, and none appeared guilty.

“Thanks,” she said. “You are all dismissed.”

“Do you want to speak with anyone in particular?” Dashiell asked her.

The men didn’t move right away, and she shook her head, then led him away to the gardens. “I need to speak with Venetia’s brother, Garrett. He wasna here.”

“Garrett? He’s training to be a watchman.” Dashiell called out to Christopher.

He joined him and said, “Aye, my laird?”

“Find the lad named Garrett.”

“The new watchman?”

“Aye.”

Christopher glanced at the other men as they began to disperse and go about their jobs.

“He’s no’ here,” Ella said.

“I’ll find him,” Christopher said.

“And bring him to the gardens. I’ll speak with him there,” she said.

Christopher hurried off across the inner bailey to find the master of the guards.

“What’s going on?” Dashiell asked, sounding worried about Ella.

“I spoke with his sister, Venetia. She and her family joined our clan a couple of years before MacAfee killed my kinsmen and women. She isna related to me by blood. Her da backed my uncle, so when he left, so did Venetia and Garrett.”

Dashiell frowned.

She didn’t intend to speak of her near drowning since she didn’t know for sure if the sister and brother had hit her and her cousin’s boat on the loch by accident or on purpose.

“I’ll be with you when you speak with Garrett.” Dashiell sounded protective as always.

She appreciated it as he took her hand and walked her into the gardens. Amelda and her guard were picking herbs.

“Momma!” Amelda said, handing the basket of herbs to the guard, Bac, then racing to hug Ella.

Bac just smiled, looking sheepish that he was doing this on his guarding job.

Ella hugged her back. “You look like you’ve been busy.”

“Aye. Cook told me to gather the herbs for the meal.”

“You are doing a great job!”

“I got to get these to the kitchen.”

“You do that.” Then Ella released her cousin so she could do her duty.

Amelda waved to her guard to bring her basket of herbs with him. Obediently, he joined her as he cast Dashiell a smile. They headed into the backside of the castle.

“You know, I thought she was your daughter at one point and that you had a husband, but maybe he was dead.”

“Nay. Though I have raised her like she is my daughter since she was a baby.”

“She is as good-natured and helpful as you.”

Finnegan entered the garden and joined them. She hadn’t expected that.

“Does Master Theo no’ need you in the shop working?” she asked.

“He sent me to tell you that Christopher is searching everywhere for Garrett, but he canna find him. Christopher even came into the blacksmith’s shop looking for him. One of the guards said he thought he saw Garrett leave the outer bailey before the men gathered together in the inner bailey at Dashiell’s command,” Finnegan said.

“Aye,” Dashiell said.

“Though everyone had word you were coming to speak to the men soon.”

She didn’t want to think the worst of Garrett without speaking with him first, but his actions made her suspect he was guilty of being a spy. Why else would he leave the castle grounds if he had no reason to, just before she met and questioned him?

“Stay with your sister,” Dashiell said. He nodded to Ruadh, who would watch Ella and her brother.

Now, she felt Garrett and maybe his sister were just as dangerous to their well-being.

Then Dashiell strode off to the inner bailey and called out to Christopher, “Find Fallon and Quinn.”

“Aye, right away.” Christopher ran off to the keep.

Dashiell couldn’t believe his people had hired Venetia and Garrett, who could have been spies for Lennox.

As soon as Fallon and Quinn raced out of the keep, Dashiell joined them and said, “We need to hunt down Garrett.”

“What has he done?” Fallon asked.

“He vanished before the men were assembled so Ella could meet with them.” Dashiell explained where the guard had seen him and how he was in Ella’s clan before the massacre. “They lived with Lennox after he was banished from the clan. Garrett’s sister, Venetia, also needs to be watched.”

“Gods’ wounds,” Fallon said.

“Aye. We need to locate Garrett and return him to the castle for questioning. I dinna want him killed.”

“Aye,” Fallon said. “I’ll gather a force to help us search for him. He'll likely know these woods well since he was with Ella’s clan.” Then Fallon stalked off.

“What about Venetia? Do we confine her before she flees?” Quinn asked.

“Aye. I suspect she willna flee. Unless someone waits for her in the forest to take her to safety. She may no’ know the forest as well as her brother as lasses usually were no’ allowed to wander through the forest, but the lads would be expected to learn to hunt,” Dashiell said.

Quinn called out to Christopher. “Christopher, you’re needed.”

He came running. “I’m going on the hunt for Garrett?”

“I want you to take Veneita into custody. She can stay in the women’s chambers, but I need you to have a guard posted to keep her there,” Quinn said.

“Aye!” Christopher ran off.

“Let’s go,” Dashiell said to Quinn.

They both mounted their waiting horses, and Fallon soon joined them.

“I’m going too,” Finnegan said.

Dashiell glanced at Ella.

“Aye, but come back without any injuries,” she said.

“Get a mount for Finnegan,” Dashiell said to the stable hands. He couldn’t promise to keep her brother safe if they had trouble in the forest. But he understood that Finnegan had to prove he was part of the clan and bound to help protect his sister after all she had done for him.

Still, Ella looked stricken to let him go as she wrung her hands.

Then Finnegan ran and hugged her. “I willna get myself killed. And I’ll look after his lairdship also.”

Dashiell would have laughed if the situation wasn’t so serious. “Keep Ella safe, Ruadh.” Then he rode out of the inner bailey and beyond the last gate with his men to find Garrett before he escaped for good.