Chapter 15

After the meeting had ended and Kira joined Alec in his study while he signed off a few documents, she decided to ask him the question that was now burning in her mind.

“Alec?” she said from her comfy fireside armchair.

“Hmm?” He was sitting at his desk, quill in hand, reading through a long parchment scroll. He looked up, his brows raised questioningly, when she spoke his name.

“Why did ye Mackintoshes never say anything tae me braither about yer suspicions of Laird Shaw deliberately creating this feud between our clans?”

Alec put down his quill and thought for a moment before answering.

“’Tis like I told ye before; although me and the rest of the clan believe Clayde Shaw tae be guilty, without actual proof, ’tis still nae more than speculation. If I’d gone about tellin’ everyone of me suspicions at the time and it had turned out he was nae behind it all, then I’d be accusin’ an innocent man. I couldnae countenance such a thing. And apart from anythin’ else, it would likely have caused the start of another feud, between us and the Shaws this time, while the real culprits got away with it,” he explained.

“So, even though ye’re all but certain he was behind our faithers’ deaths and startin’ the feud, ye willnae act without proof of his guilt?”

“Correct.”

A warm glow of admiration for her husband’s scrupulous ethical judgement, despite all, started up in Kira’s chest. How wrong she had been about him before! She got up from her chair and went to join him behind the desk. She put her arms around his shoulders and kissed his cheek.

“What did I dae tae earn that?” he asked, beaming up at her.

She looked into his eyes and stroked his hair, feeling a great tenderness towards him. “Och, I just wanted tae thank ye fer stickin’ up fer me back there. And tae show ye how impressed I am with how wise and good ye are—words I never thought tae hear mesel’ say.” She gave a low chuckle before adding, “And ’tis yet another reason why I’m fallin’ more in love with ye every single day.”

She did not remember moving, but she suddenly found herself in Alec’s lap, pouring into their kiss all the love and tenderness she felt for him in her heart.

“Ye seem tae have a knack of usin’ me own words against me,” he murmured when their lips finally broke apart and he looked at her, his eyes shining a vivid green that she would have happily drowned in.

“Against ye? Never,” she said with a smile, caressing his long, fair locks.

“So ye love me?” he asked boyishly.

“Aye, I love ye. With all me heart.” It felt good to say it aloud.

“Tae hear ye say it means the world tae me, Kira.” He cuddled her close. “Ye mean the world tae me.”

“Good. Now that’s settled,” she said jestingly, removing herself from his lap and temptation, “after what happened last night at the inn, d’ye think we should expect an attack from Laird Shaw and his men anytime soon?”

Alec shrugged. “’Tis impossible tae say without any real intelligence, but an attack is nae beyond the bounds of what he’s capable of. What we really need is fer Evander and Dunn tae return and tell us what they’ve found out in the field. But when that will be, who can say? One thing’s certain; we must be prepared fer any eventuality.”

Alec’s words of uncertainty provided cold comfort for Kira. But if he was right and it could be proven that Shaw was the mastermind behind some evil plot, she wondered what Euan would do when he found out? Surely, he would want to take revenge on the man responsible for murdering their father just as much as her.

“I ken what ye’re thinkin’,” Alec said, butting into her thoughts as if he could read them.

“Oh?”

“Aye. Ye’re thinkin’ of revenge. But if Shaw’s guilt can be proved beyond all doubt, and ye want yer revenge on the bastard, then ye’ll have tae join a very long queue.”

“Now, how the hell did ye ken that was what I was thinkin’?” she exclaimed, staring at him in amazement. But all the reply she received was a wry laugh.

After Alec had finished with his paperwork, they went to the great hall for something to break their fast. Kira enjoyed tucking into pork chops and eggs, but she got even greater pleasure from seeing Alec eat a good breakfast. It was good to see his hearty appetite because it showed his wound was not affecting him adversely. That was a good sign that he would heal up and make a full recovery. Which only left Bran to worry about.

They finished their meal and decided that their next stop would be to visit him and find out how he was. They were making their way along the hallway towards the bedchambers when they saw Ilyssa and Bran up ahead, just about to enter Bran’s quarters. She was offering him support, with her shoulder beneath his good arm, her arm around his waist as she ushered him through the door.

“Wait up, ye two,” Alec called out as he and Kira hurried up to them. “How are ye, braither?” he asked, scrutinizing Bran closely.

“Ach, I’ve been better,” Bran said, trying to smile back at Alec, but Kira could clearly see his features were etched with pain. Although his main wound was less serious than Alec’s, he had received so much punishment when fighting off the three assailants the night before, he appeared to be dotted with small nicks and injuries all over, and he looked exhausted, his skin pasty and dark rings circling his eyes.

“Ye look terrible,” Alec told him, frowning.

“He’s tired,” Ilyssa put in. “He needs tae sleep, Sofia says.” The loving expression on her face as she looked up at Bran gave Kira’s goosebumps. She could not help wondering if there was something more than just friendship between the pair. She found herself hoping there was. Now she knew what it was like to truly be in love, she wanted everyone to feel the same joy as her and Alec.

“Aye, sleep’s the best medicine of all,” Kira said, tugging at Alec’s arm. “Should we let Bran get his rest, me love?”

“Aye. I’ll come back tae see ye later, braither. We have some things tae discuss.”

“Och, can ye nae leave him be fer the moment? He’s just about dead on his feet,” Ilyssa protested, tightening her hold on Bran and leading him inside the chamber, clearly eager for them to go.

Alec laughed good naturedly. “I think we’ve had our orders tae leave. Very well, we’ll leave ye in Ilyssa’s good hands fer the time bein’, eh, wee braither?”

Kira had to suppress a grin when Alec’s eyes flashed mischievously at his brother, and Bran looked back with a sheepish smile as he was pulled into the room by an increasingly impatient Ilyssa, who then promptly shut the door.

“What d’ye think of those two and their friendship?” Kira asked Alec as they turned away.

Alec put his arm around her shoulder and gave her a knowing smile. “I once tried tae find that out,” he told her in a low voice, “but it didnae result in anythin’ good, I can tell ye. I learned then ’tis best nae tae interfere and let them get on as they wish.”

“But ye suspect there’s somethin’ more than just friendship?”

“Och, aye, I suspect all right. There’s definitely somethin’. But I dinnae ken if they ken it yet.”

Shortly afterward, they parted, Alec to meet with his captain of the guard about strengthening security around the castle, and Kira to the library. She planned to read for a while before luncheon and then see if Catreena had any plans for the afternoon.

“I’ll be up later tae change fer dinner,” Alec said, “so I’ll meet ye in our chambers at about six.”

“All right. Take care of yer wound now. I’ll be sure tae change yer bandage and brew ye some more of that tea when ye come up,” Kira said before they exchanged a sweet kiss and went their separate ways.

In fact, Alec did not get back to their chambers until around half past six. Kira had been for a ride with Catreena during the afternoon and had already bathed and changed, hoping Alec might return earlier than predicted and that they could spend some time alone. But with dinner scheduled for seven, his late arrival meant there was little time to spare. He had to hurry to change his clothes before they went arm in arm, in good spirits, down to the dining hall.

The hall was filling up with diners when they arrived at the laird’s table, and the hum of conversation and laughter filled the air. Fires blazed high in the two vast hearths, making the enormous hall comfortably warm.

“Well, what a nice surprise,” Alec said jovially on seeing Bran already seated at the laird’s table, with Ilyssa to his left and Catreena to his right. “’Tis grand tae see ye lookin’ less like a corpse somebody just dug up and more like yersel’, braither. Seems like ye’re bein’ well looked after.”

Alec winked at Bran behind Ilyssa’s back, while pulling out Kira’s chair for her and settling her in next to him at the dinner table. Kira caught the wink and smiled to herself, touched by the depth of feeling that ran between the two brothers.

The servers began moving around the table, filling goblets and tankards with wine or ale. Hot platters laden with an array of savory meats, fish, pies, and vegetables were set out before them. Not realizing how hungry she was after her earlier ride, Kira’s stomach rumbled as the delicious aromas assailed her nose.

“Aye, I cannae complain, and I’ve been waited on hand and foot since I got this,” Bran replied, jerking his thumb at the area of his injury.

“Ye had a good rest then?” Alec asked, taking Kira’s plate and serving her the dishes he had learned she liked the most.

“Aye, and it’s done wonders fer me,” Bran informed him with a grin.

“Sleep and the willow bark tea,” Ilyssa put in, giving Bran what Kira could only describe as a look of pure adoration. Kira noted that despite her wild nature, when Ilyssa was with Bran, she seemed more… docile.

“Hmm, the willow bark tea,” Bran said, looking suddenly doubtful.

“Tastes like ditch water, eh?” Alec said, laughing.

“I’ve told ye, the worse it tastes, the better it is fer ye,” Kira said playfully. “Is that nae right, Catreena?”

“Och, aye, ’tis a proven fact,” Catreena answered, feigning a sincerity that made them all laugh. She looked with mock severity at her brothers. “Ye two should think yourselves lucky ye only have tae take the tea and nae one of the more efficacious cures.”

“That sounds ominous,” Alec said, chuckling.

“Aye, it is. Sofia usually only prescribes them tae folk she disnae like much. They contain much more interesting ingredients, things tae give ye good reason tae complain about the taste, like frog’s toes, powdered spider, or dead man’s fingers, and the like,” Catreena told them with obvious relish before her suppressed giggles broke out.

“Well, I’m so bloody hungry just now, I reckon I could demolish as many frogs, spiders, and dead men as ye can put in front of me,” Bran declared, seeming bemused when Ilyssa insisted on serving him.

“If that’s what ye wanted tae eat then ye should have let the cooks ken yer order beforehand,” Alec joked. “As it is, ye’ll have tae make dae with this muck.” He gestured with his chin at the sumptuous feast spread out before them. That set them all laughing once more and made fer a convivial atmosphere which Kira found very relaxing. It felt good to be a part of this close-knit family.

They began eating in earnest, and it was not long before conversation among them turned to last night’s near fatal ambush; everyone wanted to hear Bran’s version of events.

“We got there well before the meetin’ was supposed tae begin, just tae scope out the place. We checked the area for spies but we found no one about,” he began. “We’d just come out of the stable tae go inside the inn tae find the informant when we were attacked from behind by six men. They just jumped on us. Thinkin’ about it, I reckon they must have overpowered the groom and lady in wait fer us inside the stable. It all happened so fast, we had nae time tae think before we had tae defend ourselves.

“Well, six against two is nae odds at all, and though me and the guard fought hard tae cut the bastards down, things were going badly fer us,” he jerked his thumb at Alec and Kira, “when these two rode up tae save the day with more guards. I’ve never been so glad tae see anyone in me life!”

“Thank the good Lord they did,” Catreena said, casting them both a grateful look before turning back to ask Bran, “Did ye manage tae make out who the men were workin’ fer?”

The big warrior shook his head. “They had nae clan insignia, but I think we all ken who sent them there tae kill us.”

“I had the guards search the corpses afterwards,” Kira reported, “but they found naethin’ of any use. We cannae prove who they were workin’ fer.”

“So, am I right in sayin’ ye never even had the chance tae enter the inn and see if this informer was real or just part of the plan tae ambush us?” Alec asked Bran.

Bran shook his head. “Nay, as I said, we were attacked as soon as we left the stable. But me guess is that the informer was real, and Evander and Dunn arranged with him tae meet with us at the inn, as the letter said.

“But he’s now lyin’ in a ditch somewhere with his throat cut. Dead men tell nae tales, and someone wanted tae shut him up, permanently, before he could talk tae us.”

“Could be ye’re right,” Alec said with a nod before taking a mouthful of roast beef. He chewed and swallowed thoughtfully before adding, “Somebody was out tae kill the both of us, Bran. It makes me worry more about Evander and Dunn. There’s been nae word from them apart from the letter, which is in Evander’s hand and appears tae have been stolen.”

“Could they have been captured and forced tae write it, d’ye think?” Kira asked, anxious on Alec’s behalf for the welfare of the missing brothers.

“’Tis possible, but doubtful,” Alec replied. “There’s nae sign of Evander bein’ forced tae write it. I’m certain he would have found a way tae let us ken they were in trouble if that was so. At this point, I prefer tae believe the letter was stolen from one of their saddle bags or coats before it could be sent, and it was put tae good use by whoever wants us dead.”