Chapter 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

B airre was right. It was a perfect day for a stroll in the rose garden. The sun was shining in a cloudless blue sky, the soft breeze held warmth and the sweet fragrance of roses in bloom as it ruffled Dahlia's hair.

Beattie found a hidden arbor luscious with climbing roses crawling happily across an old wooden archway. Bees buzzed as they went about their business and all around was the hum of insects and the chirping of nesting birds.

Dahlia took her trug and cutting knife with her and set about loading the basket with pink, white, yellow and crimson blossoms which she planned to display in her chambers. The scent of roses always lifted her spirits and she recalled how, as a small girl, she'd accompanied her mother in the garden at Castle MacLeod. She remembered one happy day, putting together a sweet-scented posy to present to her mother in that far-off time when all the family was still together. Before her parents had been killed in battle and before her brother had been murdered.

Today she reveled in the limited freedom she'd been allowed by Bairre.

After a time spent in the sunshine, Dahlia was happy to find a shady seat while Beattie took the trug and the roses away with her to prepare the arrangements for the bedchamber. Tonight, she'd sleep amid the musky, heady fragrance of roses to sweeten her dreams.

She was lost in the charming reverie of childhood conjured by the roses when her peace was shattered by the arrival of the Laird Bairre Mackinnon himself.

"Forgive me intrusion, dear lady," he said unctuously, "but it was important tae me tae ascertain yer wellbeing." He looked around at the peaceful scene, his eyes narrowed as if he still clung to his usual suspicious when he was anywhere near her. She was certain that, by now, Bairre would have become aware that Arran had escaped his murderous plot. Although she doubted he considered she was involved.

Does he expect Arran to suddenly leap out from behind a rose bush?

Bairre turned his fullest attention in Dahlia's direction.

"This is a rare opportunity fer us tae spend time together, and I am delighted."

Dahlia managed to smile prettily at this as if she was flattered by his attention.

"Why yes, our moments together without company are all too rare." She refrained from adding that was exactly how she liked it and smiled again.

"Ye dae realize, that our time of betrothal is nearing its end. The banns have been read in church three times and there is only a matter of ten days before the allotted span of time allowed tae us by the king will expire and our marriage ceremony must take place."

The breath hitched in Dahlia's throat at his words. She was only too aware of the limited number of days still remaining. Now she was struggling to breathe. It felt as if a vice was tightening around her chest, making breathing difficult.

The already urgent need to discover the whereabouts of Arran's mother became paramount. They must find Emilia so that Dahlia could at last be free of Bairre and return to Castle MacLeod to await the king's withdrawal of his marriage decree.

Every day she'd hoped for a messenger from her brothers but she could no longer count on them arriving in time. She must take matters into her own hands.

And this time alone with Bairre could very well offer the best opportunity she would ever have to question him and hope that something he said would betray Emilia's whereabouts.

She looked up from under her long lashes and treated Bairre to beguiling expression, rapt and misty-eyed as if, for all the world, she wished to hang on to his every word. Which, indeed, she did.

"Me laird, would ye care tae take some refreshments with me?"

He looked pleased at this and offered her an unpleasantly sardonic grin. "Aye, lass, that I would."

Dahlia signaled to Beattie, who was partially concealed, stationed at the furthest end of the garden keeping a close watch on her mistress. In a trice Beattie was before her, curtsying with a willing smile on her face.

"Beattie, his Lairdship and meself wish tae partake of some refreshments to while away the afternoon. Please attend the kitchen and request two bottles of honeyed-mead, chilled if ye please."

Beattie hurried away and Dahlia turned to Bairre who was doing his best to appear courtly and relaxed with his arm stretched along the back of the wooden bench just behind her. He toyed with the lace trimming on the back of her dress and it took every scrap of her control to hide the shudder of revulsion that went through her veins at his touch.

"This is very pleasant, me dear. I am pleased ye suggested it."

"I believe it was yer suggestion that I should take some air."

"Why yes," he nodded absently, his attention focused on her nape where his fingers were stroking her soft skin, and, as far as she was concerned, lingering far too long.

She managed to hold her position, while every fiber of her being wanted to shuffle as far up the bench as was possible to avoid him.

"This must have been a most wonderful place for ye and yer brother James tae spend yer boyhood days."

His mouth turned down at the mention of his brother and, for an instant, she was afraid it may have been a mistake to mention James, but after only a moment he smiled.

"Aye. It was pleasant enough. We spent a great deal of our time practicing in the training ring. Learning swordplay, archery and combat. And hunting. I enjoyed hunting."

"Oh. Did ye nae have time fer games with the other children?

He huffed. "We rarely had time fer childish games. It was battle that gained our attention. I always wanted tae crack James's skull and he felt the same about me."

"So ye didnae have time fer the fun of shuttlecock? Hide and seek?" Dahlia was hoping that by drawing Bairre into a conversation focusing on his childhood haunts she might learn of a special hiding place or somewhere in the hills or the glen where they might have spent time as lads. If there was such a hiding place, it could well be somewhere he might think was a good place to keep Emilia locked away.

The kitchen maid appeared with two goblets and the mead Dahlia had ordered.

Bairre leaned forward eagerly and poured a full goblet for himself and a half-measure for Dahlia. He took a long, slow draw, drinking his fill. When he lowered the goblet, Dahlia refilled it without even glancing questioningly at him. He was enjoying the drink and she was determined to ply him with it in the hope of loosening his tongue, no matter how much she despised every second in his company.

"I'd love tae hear more about ye and yer brother when ye were mere lads about the castle." She forced herself to move a little closer to him. He smelled of stale ale and she realized that the mead he'd just drunk was not his first glass of the day.

He reached a hand toward her knee and ruffled her skirt a little higher until it was almost at her knee. Again, she managed to hold still and pretend she had scarcely noticed.

"I've heard rumors that ye were a wild young lad, riding yer horse outside of the watchful eyes of the castle guardians."

He laughed. "Och. Me and me braither were right tearaways. Nae one could tell us what tae dae. Sometimes we went intae the mountains, hunting or fishing, and didnae return fer days. Nae one could find us. When we returned, the servants and the guards were in an uproar, afraid we were lost and nay one wishing tae tell our faither we were missing."

She noted this well. Two young lads abroad in the forest would have needed a place to shelter. Perhaps there was a bothy somewhere they made their own.

"Did ye stay out in all weathers? It must have been hard and rough going up in the hills without shelter." She poured another glass of the mead and took a sip of her own. Bairre had a faraway look in his eyes, like someone who was remembering the past. Or someone who may have had just a tiny bit too much mead to drink.

He paused with his memories and Dahlia held her breath. She had the feeling she was on the brink of a revelation that could pinpoint the whereabouts of a secret place that might lead to Emilia.

He shook his head. "Nay. Ye dinnae wish tae hear about me boyhood games."

Her heart sank, she had to keep him talking. Now was not the time for him to veer off the topic. She clapped her hands. "Oh, but I do wish tae hear about what ye and yer braither were up tae. Such adventurous weans ye were."

He perked up at that. "I ken. We were wild boys, adventurous. Afraid of naught."

And cruel and thoughtless too. Caring little fer those whose task it was tae care fer ye.

"And did ye nay care a jot fer the snow and wind?"

"Nay. When we were out in winter, we'd hunt and roast a rabbit or a young deer over the fire in the bothy."

"The bothy?" She was instantly alert. If only she could find out where this bothy was.

He looked up sharply. Had she said too much? Was she arousing his suspicious by asking too many questions? Of course, it made sense that the brothers would have found shelter. Bold as they most clearly were, they were not so bold as to brave the icy Highland winters without shelter.

Now, if she could only ascertain where exactly this sheltering bothy was to be found.

He poured himself another round of mead and took a deep draught. His eyes were beginning to glaze over but he suddenly snapped awake.

"Why are ye all at once so interested in me boyhood adventures?" This was accompanied by a snarl.

Too late, it dawned on her that drinking an excess of mead would lead Bairre to more suspicion, not less. His formerly benign mood had vanished along with his smile and he was now eyeing her with what could only be considered a reproof.

Much as she wished to continue the line of conversation, she made a quick decision to change the subject.

"The weather has been blissful, melord, but I dae believe we may be in fer a little rain shortly." She gazed up at the now cloudy sky and held out a hand as if anticipating a drop of rain.

It was enough to distract Bairre, who rose to his feet abruptly, turned without a further word to her and headed toward the entrance, leaving Dahlia somewhat frustrated, with two empty flagons which had once held mead. She had not anticipated that his mood would turn frosty when he'd been mellow enough to start with.

She had the distinct feeling she had been on the brink of making a discovery. At least, now, she was aware that there was a hideaway in the hills and even if Bairre was loath to reveal exactly where it might be there were sure to be some older castle servants who would be aware of where the two lads had spent so much time.

When Beattie came to collect her and her things, she asked her if there were any among the servants whose memory of those days would still serve them well.

"Aye, melady. I remember when the laird was a youngster and he and his braither would disappear fer days on end. It set all the guard in a tizz searching fer them. Why, me cousin Nicol was a member of the guard back then and he's still on duty at the gate these days."

"Would it be possible fer me tae speak with him? I'd prefer he came tae me chamber – with yersel' present of course – and that our conversing was nae mentioned tae the laird."

Beattie looked at her curiously but nodded. "I'll ask him, melady."