Page 9 of The Trials of Neilina MacKai (The MacKai Brides #5)

C astle MacFearann, on the Scottish Northeast Coast

Rhuad was pleased with the preparations for the rescue. The plan agreed upon was much more likely to succeed than the original attack he and Dougal had created. They would have considerably more information, and even he understood that information was power.

He was also pleased that his aunt had taken a genuine interest in teaching Seona how Castle MacFearann should be run. Lady Staunton had even praised some of his wife’s suggestions in Rhuad’s hearing.

“I do not know why no one ever considered inviting our priest to assist with distributing excess food and supplies to our poor,” she exclaimed at that evening’s meal.

“In fact, until Lady Seona brought it to my attention, I was unaware that Clan MacFearann had poor folk. I had always thought our clan, though small, was wealthy enough that none suffered from want.”

“And how did you discover this problem, wife?” he asked.

“Ahm, Lady Staunton and I discovered it together, when I asked her to walk through the village with me and introduce me to the people there. She very kindly took me everywhere I asked to go.”

Lady Staunton preened. “It was my pleasure to show the future mistress of Castle MacFearann everything that will help in her future duties.”

Seona’s face grew red, and she took a sip of ale.

Odd, my wife is not given to blushes.

Nonetheless the growing accord between the two women was a pleasant surprise, because Lady Staunton had not been very warm in her welcome of Seona to the clan.

Oh, she’d done all that was proper, and his wife never said a word of criticism.

But he had eyes in his head. He recognized that his aunt had been vexed to find she was to be replaced in her position as chatelain.

He’d no idea what caused the change in her attitude, but he suspected it had to do with Lady Seona’s ability to find exactly the right words to soothe those who felt offended, justly or not.

As Seona placed her tankard on the table, a guard hurried to the table.

“Laird MacFearann, your squire has returned and begs to see you.”

“Why did he not tell me this himself.”

“It seems he had a, er, mishap, and is with the castle healer. She will not permit him to move about right now.”

“Very well. Lady Seona, Dougal, please join me. I know you both have interest in what my squire has to say.”

“Of course,” his wife responded and stood.

Dougal echoed her words and actions.

“Aunt, please excuse us. Tell the cook the meal was tasty.”

“Certainly nephew.” She nodded and stood herself to hurry away.

He led Dougal and Seona to the MacFearann barracks where they found the squire and the healer in a small room at the back.

The room had been designed with a door to allow the healer and any patients privacy when needed and a shuttered window to let in fresh air.

At the moment, the shutters were open. The room was also used on occasion for the senior men at arms to consult with each other on training the younger men and other duties.

At present, the healer was busy stitching a long gash in his squire’s lower right leg.

“Lady Seona, have you met Mistress Camfeld, our healer.”

“Nay I have not yet had that pleasure.”

“Then allow me to present her to you. Mistress Camfeld, Lady Seona is my handfasted wife.”

Seona held out her hand.

The healer stopped her work briefly to exchange clasps. “I hear ye’re a MacKai by birth,” the healer remarked as she resumed her work.

“Aye.”

“I’ve heard of your sister Lady Maeve.”

“She would be honored by your notice.”

The healer chuckled. “Possibly, though I’d only heard tales of the healing work she does until after Sir Dougal came to us.”

Rhuad and Seona looked at Dougal whose neck went red.

At that moment a clatter arose outside. Dougal moved to look out the window.

“Nothing to be seen,” he said turning back. “Probably just some of the men wrestling for fun.”

Possibly. Although that noise was a convenient excuse to save the man an embarrassing conversation, Rhuad thought.

“You’d not expect me to keep silent, when I might learn aught from Mistress Camfeld that I could share with Lady Maeve,” Dougal said.

Seona smiled. “Nay, none would ever expect that. Thank you for thinking of Maeve. She is always interested in learning what methods and medicaments other healers use.”

“We must invite her and the rest of your family to visit when our handfasting becomes permanent,” Rhuad suggested.

Seona’s brows rose. “You mean, if our handfasting becomes permanent.”

His neck grew warm.

Mistress Camfeld focused on tying off her stitches.

Dougal returned to the window and closed the shutters.

“Yes, of course,” Rhuad mumbled. “That is precisely what I meant. I’m usually more precise in what I say.”

What could have caused me to make such a foolish error. I’ve certainly no desire to remain tied to Lady Seona for life, do I ?

He pushed the irritating thought aside. They had more important things to worry over. “I must ask you to leave us for a while Mistress Camfeld. We need a private word with my squire.”

“Of course, my lord. I am just finishing.” She gathered her things and stood.

“Young man,” she patted the squire’s cheek.

“I’ll send a potion with one of the other men.

When you are finished speaking with Laird MacFearann, his lady and Sir Dougal, you must drink the entire potion.

It tastes like the very devil, but it prevents fever.

You will sleep like the dead and wake with no pain in the morning.

Now let this be a lesson to you not to ride through thick brambles no matter how great a hurry you must take. ”

“Yes, Mistress Camfeld. I promise to do exactly as you instruct.”

“Excellent. Now I must go tend to that horse of yours. He too is suffering from your careless actions.” The woman nodded her farewells and left.

“Were you riding one of the MacKai blacks?” Seona asked.

“Nay lady. So fine a steed would have drawn too much attention.”

“Why were you in such a hurry that it caused you and your horse injury,” Rhuad queried.

“I was speaking with Mr. Clyne, the Baile Isag tavern owner, and he warned me that two of the abbey guards usually came to drink at that time of day. I was able to slip out the back before they arrived, but I did not want to be followed, so I hurried, perhaps more than I should. I wanted also to bring you the information I gathered. I think you’ll find it useful. ”

“Very well,” said Rhuad. “Dougal pull up that small bench for Lady Seona.”

His wife sat and took the squire’s hand. “Now James,” she said, smiling at him. “Tell us what you learned.”

Rhuad tried to focus on the information being relayed, but a vision filled his mind of Seona stroking his hand and more.

He shook his head. Where had that come from. Nothing about the way she touched his squire suggested anything but the wish to calm and soothe a young man strung too high from his first taste of adventure.

I cannot wish more for myself, can I ?

***

“T HAT IS VASTLY HELPFUL information,” Seona said as they left the barracks headed to the great hall.

“Indeed.” Rhuad commented. “I can think of several changes we should make to the plans already in place.”

“I agree,” Dougal remarked. “We should begin...”

Seona held up a hand. “I think we should wait until we are inside and alone to continue this discussion.” She nodded to where several men sat talking just outside the barracks.

“Good even, men.” Rhuad said.

The men called out greetings.

“Best get some rest,” Dougal ordered. “Much work must be done tomorrow.”

The men nodded, before going into the barracks.

Seona, Rhuad and Dougal walked in silence until they reached the great hall. They settled themselves around one of the two large hearths.

Rhuad called for ale. “See that we are not disturbed,” he told the servant who brought the crock of ale and three tankards.

“Yes, my lord.”

No words were exchanged as they listened to the servant’s steps recede. Seona heard him speak to someone just after he disappeared into the stairway. She signaled her companions to stay quiet.

Moments passed, but no one emerged from the staircase.

“I think we are safely alone and can begin,” she mused.

“Your squire believes the tavern owner, Mr. Clyne, may be a trustworthy ally. James said that Clyne heartily dislikes the abbess. Your squire also discovered an access to the abbey through a cave that opens onto the seaward side of the island.”

“Which means we can make our attack entirely from the sea and avoid battle with the guards at the causeway keep,” Rhuad stated.

“Aye,” Dougal agreed.

“However, we should delay any attack until we know we can recover the MacFearann ladies,” Seona said.

“That is not in question,” Rhuad said.

“Is it not?” Seona sat back. “We know we can get into the abbey. But we do not know if we can get out again. Nor do we know precisely where the hostages are kept.”

“Why wouldn’t we be able to leave the way we came in?” Sir Dougal asked. “As for finding the MacFearann ladies, the Abbey can’t be all that large.”

“Getting in and out and finding the hostages may present many difficulties. Obstacles may block access at the upper end of the cave. We do not know how large the abbey may be. The ladies’ prison may be hidden.

Indeed, even should we find them easily, they may be locked in, and we may need to locate the key or someone who can release them. ”

“Won’t seeking aid from one of the nuns raise the alarm?” Rhuad asked.

“Not if we do it right.”

“How would that be?”

“Someone must go ahead of the attack and gain the trust of the abbess and anyone who might guard the hostages.”

“The abbess would recognize me instantly,” Rhuad said.

“I doubt she would welcome a man as a guest,” Dougal remarked. “Or trust him easily.”

“Precisely,” Seona said, glad they could see the obvious. “I must precede the attack and prepare the MacFearann ladies to be rescued.”

“Absolutely not.”