Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

T adhg was unsure if he was enjoying himself or not. He liked the feel of Alana pressed up against him, and the idea of being between her thighs again after so long, even if not quite in the way he desired, was delightful. But he could have done without the bickering.

They were cresting a hill and at the top, he saw a crossroads ahead. Four intersecting tracks branched off, surrounded by bushes and trees. Alana was talking to him, railing at him again. Suddenly, above the sound of her voice, he thought he caught the distant jingle of a harness and the whinny of a horse. He strained to listen, but Alana kept on talking, oblivious of the potential threat.

“Be quiet, will ye?” he said more harshly than he meant to, earning himself a curse and a sharp punch in the ribs from Alana. Despite the risky situation, he found her pique amusing. As if her delicate hands, made for healing, could hurt him. “I think I can hear another rider nearby, but I cannae see anyone,” he whispered in explanation.

“Oh,” she responded, sounding a little alarmed. “Who is it, d’ye think?”

“Could be anyone, friend or foe. There’s plenty of brigands around these parts who attack and rob travelers. He felt her body tense against him at that and silently cursed himself for frightening her. “But dinnae worry, I’m here tae protect ye,” he added, trying to sound reassuring when he was full of tension himself. He halted the horse, and they waited on the track in silence. Soon, the jingling became regular and was joined by the sound of hoofbeats.

Finally, a few hundred yards ahead of them, the rider suddenly appeared, emerging from the left-hand track. Tadhg breathed out, relieved to see it was a lone man, seated on a chestnut and white horse. Tadhg waited to see if he had anyone else with him, but it appeared not, for the man continued on his way over the crossroads at a trot. At the last moment, he turned his head and saw them. Immediately, he reined in his horse and raised a hand in greeting.

“Good day tae ye,” he called, doffing his hat and smiling broadly at them.

“Good day,” Tadhg replied, urging his stallion forward slowly until they drew level with the stranger. He assessed the man’s appearance; he looked to be about thirty, well-built and muscular, and he sat tall in his saddle. He had short black hair and bright blue eyes. Tadhg noticed the several battle scars silvering the tan skin of his face, and though he looked as though he could take care of himself, his smile seemed genuinely friendly. His clothing marked him out as a man of high rank and wealth.

“’Tis a fine day fer a ride, is it nae?” the stranger asked, his blue eyes merry.

“Aye, ‘tis,” Tadhg replied, still wary. Then the stranger appeared to notice Alana for the first time. Immediately, he doffed his hat with a flourish and greeted her respectfully. “Laird Knox Stewart at yer service, Ma’am,” he said, obviously assuming they were man and wife.

“Good day tae ye, me laird,” Tadhg heard Alana reply from behind him.

“May I ask where ye’re headed?” Laird Stewart inquired.

“We’re on our way tae Castle MacIver. I was hoping ye could guide us, seein’ as we’ve reached a crossroads, and I’m nae sure which way tae go,” Tadhg said.

Knox’s smile became a grin. “I certainly can. I’m on the way tae the castle mesel’. I have some business there. We can ride together. I’d be glad fer some company.”

Tadhg’s fears evaporated, and he smiled back. “Thank ye kindly, me laird.

We’d be pleased tae ride with ye, wouldnae we, Alana?”

“Aye,” she agreed. “It’ll be mighty helpful tae have someone who kens the way.”

Tadhg chuckled and made the introductions. “That’s me wife, Alana, and I’m

Tadhg MacTavish. We come on business from Clan Lennox,” he explained, reaching over to shake hands with Knox and liking his firm grip. They began riding, exchanging pleasantries, but Tadhg soon noticed that laird Stewart kept looking at him.

“Is somethin’ amiss?” he asked finally, wondering what the man meant by it.

Knox grinned again and said, “Nay, and I apologize fer starin’ at ye. Ye must think me odd, but ye look so familiar, I feel sure I ken ye from somewhere. I’m trying tae remember where we might have met before.”

“I dinnae recall us meetin’, but I suppose ’tis possible. I dae a lot of travelin’, so we could have run into each other at some time.” Friendly though Knox seemed, since he did not know the man, Tadhg was careful not to give too much information away.

“Och, never mind. I’m sure it’ll come back tae me in time,” Knox said, dismissing the matter with a wave of his hand. “Have ye heard the news about Laird MacIver bein’ abducted?” he suddenly asked, clearly one who liked talking.

“We heard rumors,” Tadhg replied, still cagey.

“Aye, it seems the poor man is bein’ held fer ransom of some kind,” laird Stewart explained. “I’ve nae idea by who or what they want from him. Gold maybe. But ’twas a shock when I heard of it because I was just about tae sign a treaty with him and his clan tae make an alliance.

“That’s why I’m on me way there now, tae speak with his son Blaine. I need tae ken the particulars of this abduction. I cannae very well sign a treaty without the laird there too. If John doesnae return soon and in one piece, the future of the clan will be in question.” He paused for a moment, a small frown forming between his brows, before adding thoughtfully, “Maybe even in danger.”

“It sounds serious,” Tadhg said, glad Alana was holding her tongue, though he was certain she was listening carefully.

“Aye, ’tis very concernin’, tae be sure. I’m hopin’ I may be of help tae

Blaine in some way,” Stewart replied, seemingly in earnest. “John and his wife had nae bairns, so he adopted Blaine as a lad and brought him up as his son and his heir. Now he’s John’s chief advisor. It must be very upsettin’ fer him, havin’ his faither snatched like this.”

“Nay doubt,” Tadhg replied with a nod, amazed at the willingness Knox was showing to discuss the situation after only knowing him and Alana for less than half an hour. “What sort of man is this Blaine?”

“Well, he’s pleasant enough and seems tae have his head screwed on right. He’s his faither’s chief advisor, so John evidently trusts him. But I’ve never met him without his faither bein’ there as well. John’s a good man, but I cannae honestly say I ken Blaine very well.” His seemingly perpetual smile faded a little, and he rubbed a speculative hand over his darkly stubbled chin before adding, “At any rate, he’s likely never encountered a situation like this before, and ye never can tell a man’s mettle until ye see it tested, can ye, Tadhg?”

“Very true,” Tadhg agreed, pondering Knox’s words since he was greatly curious to know more about Blaine MacIver and his intentions towards Alana. However, at that moment, he was suddenly distracted from his thoughts by the sight of tall, stone towers looming ahead above the canopy of a thick forest. “Is that the castle?” he asked laird Stewart.

“Aye, that’s it. The road leads through the forest. We should be there in another quarter hour or so,” Knox answered.

“Grand,” Tadhg replied as they continued on. Nervous tension was building up inside him the closer they got. He wondered what sort of a welcome awaited them at the castle. Alana’s grip around his waist seemed to tighten slightly, telling him that she was nervous too. At least we have something in common, he thought grimly as they entered the forest.

Knox was right; within a quarter of an hour, they were riding through the imposing castle gates and into a large, cobbled courtyard. There, they were politely greeted by grooms who relieved them of their horses. Tadhg and Alana stood side by side, looking upwards.

He glanced at her and noticed how pale she appeared as her widened eyes took in the huge stone keep which rose up before them like a sheer, granite cliff. Its gray pinnacle formed one of the towers Tadhg had glimpsed above the trees. He tilted his chin up further. High above them, a flag bearing the clan’s emblem of five leaping salmons was flapping in the breeze.

Alana frowned at it. “Why is it only flying at half-mast?” she asked him in a whisper.

“Because the laird’s away from home,” he murmured back.

“’Tis a huge place,” she observed in a more normal voice, including Laird Stewart in her remark this time. “Quite foreboding.”

“Aye, it is that. The annals say there was a wooden fort built here in the tenth century. That was the beginning of the castle, and over the years, the various MacIver lairds have built upon the site and expanded into…” he gestured like a stage actor with his arm and chuckled “… the mighty stronghold ye see before ye.”

Conversation ceased then, for their attention was drawn to the doors of the keep, which had suddenly opened. A pair of armed guards stepped aside as a stocky, middle-aged fellow in a full kilt and a soft, tasseled cap appeared from inside and hurried across to meet them. A line of hefty footmen followed behind like chicks trailing a mother hen. The man flapped at them with his hand as he approached the visitors, and his minions obediently stopped and waited for further instruction.

“Me Lady Alana,” the head man greeted her in a low, hoarse voice, doffing his cap and bowing low, “I’m Angus, the chief steward here. I’d like tae bid ye a warm welcome tae Castle MacIver. We’ve all been waitin’ fer yer arrival with great excitement.” His round, florid face lit up with obvious pleasure as his small navy eyes searched her face.

“Why, Angus, thank ye, that is very kind of ye tae say,” Alana replied with a polite smile.

“The pleasure is mine, me lady. If there’s anythin’ ye need durin’ yer stay, just ask fer me.”

“I shall indeed,” Alana assured him with a gracious nod. Tadhg noticed she did not protest at being addressed as ‘me lady.’ He supposed the title was actually correct if she really was Laird John MacIver’s daughter, but it sounded odd to him.

Next, Angus doffed his cap and bowed to Laird Stewart. “Ye’re always welcome, me laird,” he said warmly.

“Thank ye, Angus. Always a pleasure tae see ye,” the amiable Stewart replied. “Will ye be good enough tae tell Blaine I’d like a word with him?”

“Of course, I’ll dae that very shortly, me laird.” Finally, the steward turned to Tadhg. He merely touched the brim of his cap in a small gesture of respect as he craned his neck upwards to look at Tadhg’s face. “I take it ye’re Lady Alana’s husband,” he said. His shrewd little eyes frankly appraised Tadhg and seemed to find him wanting, for the pleasure faded from his face.

“Aye, I’m Mrs. MacTavish’s husband, Tadhg MacTavish,” Tadhg said with cold deliberation, meeting the man’s hard stare with one of his own.

“Welcome, Mr. MacTavish. I hope ye enjoy yer stay with us too,” Angus replied with a terse nod. Tadhg could almost feel the dislike coming off the man, but he dismissed it. He had hardly expected them to put out the bunting for him since his very existence ruined their obvious plan to use Alana in a strategic marriage.

Angus quickly looked away and encompassed them all with a smile. He extended an ushering arm and said, “If ye’d all like tae come this way…”

He led the trio inside, into a grand vestibule plastered with clan memorabilia. He invited them to wait there for a few minutes while he announced their arrival to Blaine MacIver. Shortly after that, Angus reappeared and politely addressed Laird Stewart. “Me laird, Blaine asks if ye’d mind waitin’ while he speaks tae Lady Alana and her husband here first. He invites ye tae take a dram in the library while ye’re waitin’.”

“Of course, I’ll wait,” Stewart replied, rubbing his hands. “A wee dram will dae me fine after the ride,” he said before turning to Alana and Tadhg. “I trust yer business will go well. Perhaps we’ll meet later,” he told them, flashing his now familiar smile.

“Thank ye. I hope we’ll meet again soon,” Tadhg replied, finding the man likeable despite his own natural wariness of strangers. He hoped he might have at least one friend at the castle.

“Aye, it’s been a pleasure meetin’ ye, Laird Stewart,” Alana said, returning the man’s smile and dropping a small curtsey.

With a merry wave, Stewart went off with a servant to show him to the library, while Angus asked Alana and Tadhg them to follow him. They set off along a wide, tapestry-lined hallway. While they walked, Tadhg decided it was important to hammer home to Blaine MacIver from the get-go that he was Alana’s husband. The man should be under no illusion; she was Mrs. MacTavish, and that was that.

With this in mind, he caught her eye and offered her his arm. She flicked him a dubious glance and pursed her lips, signaling her usual reluctance to let him any closer than she had to. Frustrated at her lack of understanding, he urged her silently with his eyes to do as he wanted, thrusting his arm at her. Finally, she seemed to catch on and linked her arm through his as they navigated along the hallway until they arrived outside an impressive set of carved wooden doors.

“This is the laird’s study,” the steward informed them, adding in a pensive tone. “Of course, he’s nae here at the moment. As ye may ken, Blaine, his son, is in charge in his absence.” He knocked at the door.

There was no reply from inside, but one of the doors suddenly opened, and a fair-haired, well-dressed, muscular man of about thirty, half a head shorter than Tadhg, stood on the threshold. He wore an expectant, excited smile on his handsome, youthful face, and his dark gray eyes gleamed when he saw Alana.

“Welcome tae Castle MacIver, Alana,” he said, enthusiasm lacing his deep voice. “I’m Blaine MacIver, and I have tae thank ye fer comin’ all this way tae see me. I’m very pleased ye’re here.” He bowed to her and kissed her hand while Tadhg watched tensely, though he was pleased to know that Alana did not let go of his arm.

“Thank ye fer yer warm welcome,” Alana said graciously. To Tadhg’s surprise, she then turned to him and said, “This is me husband, Tadgh MacTavish.”

“Glad tae meet ye, Tadhg, and thank ye fer bringin’ yer wife all this way,” Blaine said warmly, pumping Tadhg’s hand in greeting. Unlike the steward’s chilly welcome, Blaine’s appeared genuine, and his handshake was firm and strong.

Tadhg nodded. “It was nay trouble. She wanted tae come,” he said, watching every nuance of Blaine’s demeanor.

The man continued in a cheerful tone, “Ye’re both very welcome here, and I hope ye’ll stay as long as ye like. Now, I have tae tell ye that I’ve called a council meetin’ later today tae which ye’re both invited. I thought it best tae discuss the situation in detail then.”

“Very well,” Alana said, nodding, her arm still linked with Tadhg’s. Tadhg was glad she had gotten the message that they should show a united front.

“But in the meantime,” Blaine went on, beaming at Alana, “I’m sure ye’d like tae freshen up and rest awhile after yer travels. That’ll give me a chance tae speak tae Laird Stewart as well. Angus will show ye tae yer chambers and have someone come tae escort ye when the meetin’s about tae start. We’ll be able tae have a proper talk then.”

Not waiting for a response, he jerked his head at the steward, who was waiting a discreet distance away.

Angus sprang into action. “Of course, right away,” he said, gesturing to Alana and Tadhg. “This way please.”