Chapter 20

CHAPTER 20

J ust then, Jamie came up to them, his face flushed with rage, but he was not alone. At his side was the tall figure of Andy Darroch, who was holding him by his sleeve.

"Gowan Hepburn, I believe?" he asked.

"I am," Gowan replied warily. "Your name, sir?"

"I am Andrew Darroch, cousin of Jamie and Minna Darroch, and one of the elders of the clan," he replied. "I had come back to see Jamie about a matter which concerns you too, Mister Hepburn, and it seems that I came at exactly the right time."

Gowan looked around himself suspiciously. Was this a trap? However, just then, Minna appeared at his elbow. She was smiling widely. "I can vouch for this man, Gowan." Her voice was firm and sure. "I trust him."

"Really?" Jamie drawled. "More fool you."

"I think I already told you to be silent, Jamie. You are not in any position to be insolent!" Andrew growled. Then he addressed Gowan. "If you can show me that you really are a senior member of the Hepburn Clan, then I believe we can talk. Do you have any way of proving it?"

Jamie held up his sword for Andrew to examine.

"‘Keep Tryst.'" he read, then examined the weapon more closely. "The Hepburn motto, and this is not an ordinary infantry soldier's sword. It seems that you are who you say you are." He looked up at the man who was supposedly his enemy, but he could feel no animosity towards him. For the moment at least, all he could feel was gratitude.

Another figure appeared at Andrew Darroch's elbow. This time it was a handsome dark-haired woman in her middle years, who smiled at Gowan. "Flora Darroch," she announced. Her dark eyes looked keenly at Gowan.

"Andy, you do not need a sword to prove this man is a Hepburn. No-one else in Scotland has such unusual coloring. His golden hair and dark eyes speak for themselves." she said.

"Hmm…You are right, Flora," he agreed, smiling at her. "They are all very striking."

"I always am, dear," she said smugly.

"He attacked me!" Jamie protested, pointing at Gowan. "Take him to the dungeons!"

"He was protecting your sister!" Andrew yelled. "And if he had not done it, I would have! You are a disgrace to your family and this clan!"

Jamie's eyes widened and he took a step back, then looked at the floor, the picture of shame.

Minna was secretly giggling inside, but she was perfectly calm when she asked.

"What happens now?"

"I will send a message to the chief in Dundee," Andrew replied. "He has never been happy about the invasion of this castle and the way the estate has been treated. This is your rightful property, M'Laird." He was looking at Gowan as he spoke.

"Now, you." he grabbed Jamie by the elbow and steered him towards the bedrooms. "You may relax in your chamber while I have a discussion with your sister and Mr Hepburn."

Jamie opened his mouth to object, but Andrew silenced him with a look, then watched him as he was escorted away.

"I should have put him in the dungeon," he said grimly. "He deserves it. Oh, I am sorry, M'Laird, I am forgetting my place. Should I put him in the dungeon?"

Gowan looked a little startled at being addressed by his title, but smiled. "His chamber is fine," he replied.

"Let me go and see that they do things properly," Andrew said. "Some of these men may still be loyal to him."

"Of course." Gowan agreed. It felt strange to suddenly have his permission sought and his opinion valued. He watched as Andrew walked away then turned to Minna again.

"I don't believe he would have killed me." she said thoughtfully.

"Why not?" Gowan was puzzled. "You said you thought he poisoned your father."

Minna shrugged. "Just a feeling. I might be wrong," she admitted. She felt Gowan's strong arm go around her waist and looked up at him adoringly. She had known him for only a few days - was that enough time to fall in love? She had no idea what falling in love really meant, so how could she tell? If it was a desire so strong it almost made her melt, a feeling of warmth and safety, and the knowledge that she would do anything for him, then she was in love. Then she reminded herself that even if she was in love, it could never last.

At that moment he looked down at her and smiled. "What is it?" he asked. "You are looking at me so strangely."

"You have such lovely lips," she murmured, gazing at them.

"So do you," he answered, laughing. "Very kissable, but now is not the time." He sighed. "I wish it were." He looked down at her with such longing, and squeezed her tighter against his hard body, so that the now familiar throbbing began between her legs, and she felt herself growing moist. How she wished she could throw herself into his arms right now!

They walked on a little further and Minna led them into one of the smallest parlors, where she sat Gowan down and poured him a glass of wine. They sat sipping it for a few moments while they recovered their thoughts then Andrew Darroch came back.

"All is as it should be, M'Laird," he said, bowing formally, "He is securely locked in, but comfortable."

Gowan looked a little bemused. The fact that he was a Laird had just about sunk into his mind, but now he realized what came with it. He owned the estate. Moreover, it was not just any piece of property, but his home. He was home at last, so why did he feel so empty? Why did he long for his little cottage in the woods so much?

No doubt he would be sleeping in a soft feather bed and bathing in a tub of warm scented water that night. He had spent years sleeping on his thin homemade pallet longing for these trappings of luxury, so why did he feel as though he wanted to run back and hide in his hovel again? Suddenly he realized that Andrew was speaking once more.

"I am sorry for what my family has done to you," Andrew went on. "And as a man of honor I am bound to right the wrong in some way. I cannot make up for everything of course, but the least I can do is try to make things a little better for you. What can I do first?"

"Feed the villagers," Minna and Gowan said in unison, then they laughed at each other, and on impulse, they kissed and looked guiltily at Andrew, who was staring at them, astonished.

"Sorry, Elder Darroch, you were saying?" Minna asked the question casually, acting as though nothing had happened.

Darroch looked at them suspiciously. "Do you two have a relationship?" he asked pointedly.

Minna paused. "Yes, we do," she said after a moment. "But don't worry, Elder. We are merely friends, and before you ask, I am happy to leave here and find another place to live. I am sure someone will take me in. I will not stay here longer than I have to, and Cairndene castle can go back to the Hepburns." Her voice was calm and composed, but inside her heart was breaking. A place would be found for her - she had no worry about that - but she would never see Gowan again.

Then another horrific thought occurred to her. She would be forced to marry, and it would be very unlikely she would have any say in the matter at all.

Worse still, Gowan would have to find a wife too, and her heart broke anew as she thought of him making love to another woman who would bear his children.

While she was thinking about these matters, her face was as composed as a marble statue. She was becoming rather good at hiding her feelings, she thought.

Andrew Darroch looked from one to the other suspiciously. There was something they were not telling him, and he meant to find out what it was. Friends? Friends did not kiss each other on the lips unless they were sisters, or two female cousins, or mother and daughter. Were they lovers? As he looked at the way they engaged with each other, he thought they very well might be.

"However, your brother is a criminal," Andrew went on. "And the clan has a few punishments for the wrongs he has done to the villagers and tenants. "I will take him to Dundee with me and he can be tried there."

"Will he be executed?" Minna asked fearfully. Strangely, although she felt nothing but contempt for Jamie, Minna was repelled by the idea of him being hanged.

"There is no evidence of him having actually killed anyone," Andrew mused, frowning. "Despite your suspicion of your father's poisoning, there is no way to prove such a thing. The court will decide his fate, although you may come to add your voice and possibly sway them."

Minna nodded slowly, and passed her hand over her eyes. It had been an exhausting day, emotionally and physically, and it was still only late afternoon. She did not want to do any more talking. She wanted to lie down, close her eyes and sink into a dreamless sleep.

Andrew continued to talk, but Gowan could sense that Minna was not listening. She was staring at the carpet and had ceased even pretending to be interested. Presently Andrew stopped speaking, and she looked up.

"You must prepare to leave now, Minna," he announced. While talking, he had sat down opposite them. Now he stood up, and Gowan stood with him.

"It is too late for you to leave today," he said firmly. "You and your people may stay until tomorrow. Anyway, there is still much to discuss."

"I will make arrangements," Minna said, before hurrying away, leaving the two men alone in the room.

"Congratulations, M'Laird," Andrew said drily, raising his glass in a toast. "Now you have everything you want. I wish you the best of health and good fortune."

Gowan stood up. "Not everything," he said grimly.

"Not yet, but I will soon." Then he marched out of the room.