Chapter 24

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

T he following day, at the morning council meeting, Liam explained to Knox and Magnus and everybody else about the Ivy’s meetings with the stranger and what the man had promised her. Knox immediately agreed with his request to go out scouting and looking for the man. Liam had the feeling he could not be far away. Unfortunately, they had no proper description because Ivy had never seen his face. He always wore a long, hooded cloak and some sort of mask that obscured his face, like a leper.

They rode out within the hour and spent most of the day searching the local area. They found the ruin of the chapel in the woods and scoured it and the land forest surrounding it. But there was nothing to show anybody had been there in years. They went to the nearby villages, asking questions in pubs and taverns, boarding houses, and barns, and they looked in abandoned buildings for signs of recent occupation. On the road they stopped and talked to travelers, but none of them had seen anyone matching the description.

When they rode back to the castle in the late afternoon, Liam’s heart was heavy with disappointment and worry for Ivy’s safety. He could not shake off the feeling that the stranger was no simple informant. If he was, then why all the sneaking around? If he genuinely wanted to help Ivy, why not just come out and do it in the open?

No, the man had an agenda of his own, he knew it, but what it was, he could not guess, and it was very frustrating. It just seemed too much of a coincidence that he should turn up now, at a time when the tensions between Clan Stewart and Clan MacAlister were at their height. It made him very suspicious that the stranger could have connections with Knox’s enemies.

The only thing he could be sure of was that Ivy should not go to the meeting the following night. He had already tried many times to convince her not to go, arguing that it was an obvious trap, that she had no reason to trust the man.

However, Liam well remembered what Knox’s old advisor had told them in the council meeting about the suspicions surrounding Carson’s involvement in his own parents’ deaths. He had not told Ivy about the suspicions because that was all they were, suspicions. But what if it were true and the stranger really did have proof of Carson’s guilt? Proof that could destroy him. Now that would change everything.

Despite the developments in her relationship with Liam, tension and uncertainty weighed upon Ivy too. That day, while Liam was out, she made herself useful to Effie, in order to keep busy and, hopefully, take her mind of the upcoming meeting with the stranger. The man scared her, and she knew Liam was probably right about there being danger. But she needed to know.

When the last patient had left, Effie made them a pot of tea, and they sat down at the table to enjoy it.

“Ye’ve seemed a wee bit distracted today, Ivy,” Effie said as she poured the tea. “Is there somethin’ on yer mind?”

Ivy sighed. “Where would ye like me tae start?” she asked with a rueful smile.

“If ye feel like talkin’ about it, wherever ye like.” Effie passed over her cup of tea. Ivy took it gratefully. The next moment she found herself pouring out the whole story of the mysterious informant, the meeting at the ruined chapel, and how Liam was trying to persuade her not to go because it was likely a trap of some sort.

“Good Lord!” Effie said when Ivy had finished talking and took a long drink of tea to wet her throat. “This on top of what ye already have on yer plate. I wonder ye have the strength tae bear it.”

“I wonder mesel’ sometimes, but I have nae choice. ‘Tis me life. So, what d’ye think I should dae, Effie?” she asked, genuinely looking for guidance.

“I wish I kent what tae tell ye.” The healer shook her head. “But I suppose if ye really think ye have nae other choice than tae meet with his man tae find out the truth, then ye must go ahead and dae it. ‘Tis yer choice, after all. But I must say I agree with Liam. ‘Tis too dangerous, ye cannae go on yer own.”

Ivy sighed again and rested her chin on her hand. “Ach, it just keeps on goin’ around and around in me head. I wish tomorrow would come so I could get it over with.”

“But if this man does have information ye need, and he says he wants tae help ye, then why does he nae just give it tae ye?”

“I’m guessin’ because he wants somethin’ in return from me, but I dinnae ken what that could be,” Ivy replied.

“Have ye promised Liam nae tae go tae the meetin’?”

“Nay, because I cannae promise.”

“Ye sound like ye’ve already made up yer mind tae go.”

“Aye, I suppose I have. I’ll be armed though, so I’ll be able tae defend mesel’ if there’s any trouble,” Ivy told her, sounding a lot more confident about that than she felt.

After they had talked a little more and finished the tea, Ivy bid Effie a good night and went back to her chambers. She checked his room and saw that Liam was not back yet. Feeling weary, she decided to lie down on the bed and take a little nap.

When she awoke, she found she had been covered up with a blanket, and the candles were all out. The only light in the room was the glow from the fire, and she could see that the interconnecting door to Liam’s room was shut. Confused about what time it was, she got up and went to look out of the window. The moon was waxing fat, on its way to being full. She realized she had slept much longer than she had intended.

She crept over to the interconnecting door and opened it quietly. Liam was in his bed fast asleep, snoring softly. She smiled to herself as she padded over an looked down at his head on the pillow. He was lying on his side, with the pillow clenched in his fist beneath his jaw.

She let her eyes rove freely over his chiseled features in repose, over his beautiful long hair that she so loved to touch. He looked younger, the lines of care smoothed away by sleep. What she now knew was love welled up in her heart as she watched him, his chest gently rising and falling.

She marveled that she had tasted those sweet lips, and they had tasted her very essence. He had turned her world upside down, showed her what love could be between and man and a woman, the pleasure they could give to each other.

She bent down and softly kissed his forehead, knowing that whatever happened now, she could never be Gael Hamilton’s wife. “I’m in love with ye, Liam,” she whispered before she crept out of the room and left him to sleep.

The following day Liam called in to see her in the infirmary just after noon, with bad news. “There’s been another report of a village bein’ ransacked and burned by Gael Hamilton’s men,” he told them, looking deadly serious. “Knox wants me tae ride out there with him and Magnus this afternoon. I’m nae sure how long ‘tis gonnae take, so I could be gone some time.”

“Ach, that is bad news,” Effie said, her face creased with worry. “Ivy, will ye hold down the fort fer me fer a few minutes while I go and have a quick word with Magnus before he leaves?”

“Of course, go ahead,” Ivy told her. Effie hurried out, leaving Ivy and Liam alone. He looked appealingly at Ivy. “If I’m nae back, Ivy, please dinnae go tae this meetin’,” he begged her yet again.

“There’s nay good discussin’ it any further. I’ll tell ye all about it when I get back, I promise.” She kissed him on the cheek and wished him a good journey.

“Well, if ye must go, then take this with ye,” he said, handing her his dirk.

“Nay, Liam, what if ye need it?” she protested, trying to give it back to him.

“I have another. Just take it, will ye. Fer me own peace of mind, what little of it there is.” He pressed it upon her, looked quickly around and then, to her surprise, he kissed her mouth, and went out frowning, his jaw set tightly.

“I just saw Liam in the hallway. The poor man looks so unhappy,” Effie observed, returning a few moments later. “Are ye absolutely sure he’s nae right, Ivy?” she asked, her eyes filled with misgiving as she looked into Ivy’s.

“I’ve made me decision, Effie. Mayhap ‘tis best if Liam disnae get back before I leave this evenin’. It’ll only make it all the harder tae go,” she told her friend.

Effie shook her head and pressed Ivy’s hand affectionately in hers. “There’s still time tae change yer mind. Liam cares deeply fer ye. Anyone can see that. He’s a clever man, Ivy. Magnus says so, Knox thinks so. His judgement in matters such as these can be trusted. Maybe ye should nae be so stubborn and listen tae him.”

Ivy squeezed her friend’s hand before turning back to her task. “I’ve listened tae him, Effie, over and over. And I trust him with me life. But at the end of the day, as I’ve said many times, there’s too much at stake fer me tae change me mind.”

Dusk came early in March in the Highlands of Scotland. At two o’clock in the afternoon, Ivy left the infirmary and went to her chamber to change. She had decided it would be best for her to go to the meeting in her male garb, armed with her sword, and now she had Liam’s dirk too. She held it in her hands and turned it over several times. It was comforting, like a protective talisman, as though he would be with her in spirit if not in person.

She spent some time sharpening her sword, keeping her eye on the clock. Liam had told her after his scouting trip that it would take her around half an hour on horseback to reach the ruined chapel. At three o’clock, she went down to the stables and had the mare she had ridden before saddled.

Then she set off across the meadows outside the castle gates, heading for the woods. The guards at the gate had instructions to let her roam freely as Liam and Knox were quite certain at this point that she would not escape, now that they knew the truth about her situation with her brother. She was safer, and indeed much happier, living at the castle for the time being. She had planned to arrive at the chapel a little early and have time to make out the lay of the land before meeting her mysterious informant.

Liam watched from the shadows as Ivy rode out through the castle gates. He gave her a few minutes head start and then mounted his stallion and followed her, keeping a safe distance away so she would not spot him.

He recalled the panicked whispered conversation he had had earlier with Effie in the hallway outside the infirmary.

“She’s set on goin’, Liam,” the healer had confided. “I’m nae one tae break a confidence usually, but I’m so worried about her. Please, dinnae go out scoutin’. Ye must stay here and follow her at safe distance.”

“Thank ye, Effie, dinnae fret. That’s exactly what I intend tae dae,” he had reassured her.

Her relief was almost palpable. “Och, thank the Lord fer that! I’ve been goin’ out of me mind with worry about it,” she had replied, her hand on her heart. “I feel much better now I ken ye’ll be keepin’ and eye on her. She’s so stubborn at times.”

“Ye dinnae havetae tell me that.”

Then, something totally unexpected had happened that had floored him. Effie had put her hand on his arms gently and whispered, “She’s in love with ye, ye ken. And whatever ye dae, dinnae tell her I ratted on her,” before hurrying back down the hall to the infirmary.

Liam had stared after her, struck dumb by the revelation.

And now, as he covertly followed Ivy, he was letting the startling information sink in, unsure how he felt about it.