Chapter 14

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

" F ire, ye are going tae have tae hold ontae me fer this next bit, otherwise the horse will dislodge ye." Kaden had to fight not to laugh at the rather meek way in which Elara placed her hands on his back. "I meant a firmer hold than that."

She pointed wrapped her arms around his waist, clinging onto him tightly.

"That's better," he whispered.

"And stop calling me that name," she complained behind him as he steered the horse up a steep incline, dodging large rocks and threatening to dislodge them both from the steed's back.

"Ye responded tae it."

Kaden was all too aware of the way her fingers had bundled themselves into his waistcoat. The further they climbed the tighter the hold she kept on him, and it was doing nothing to calm his wild imaginings of her.

"Tell me something," she whispered as they moved onto level ground.

"Aye?"

"The old man. What made ye want tae help him?"

So startled was he by her question, that he glanced over his shoulder at her. Her plaited blonde hair was being teased in the wind, with lots of loose tendrils now hanging temptingly loosely around her shoulders.

"Ye ask me that?" he said in horror, turning back and then looking forward again. "Clearly, ye dinnae trust me as far as ye would be able tae throw me. I had nay agenda. I merely wished tae help him."

She didn't respond, but he took her lack of an answer for a good sign.

In the end, he was the one to break the silence. "What would it take fer ye tae trust me? As much as I am enjoying the way ye are clinging ontae me now, ye are nae doing it out of trust."

"It's nae easy." Her voice had turned low. "I believed ye were a murderer, Kaden, that ye were responsible fer me parents' deaths fer years."

"I am nae –"

"I ken now, but it's hard tae just let go of resentment and anger that has been there fer so long. It isnae like snuffing out a candle. It's like… trying tae stop a much greater fire than that."

He smiled at her analogy. There seemed to be a lot of fire and flames in the way they talked to one another.

"Aye, very well. Then maybe time is what it will take fer ye tae trust me." He angled the horse to descend a short stone path through heathers and gorse. Elara was forced forward in the saddle, falling into his back. He glanced back at her, catching sight of the way she blushed as she tried to pull herself back in the saddle.

"Why did ye get that tattoo?" Her sudden question alarmed him so much, he pulled on the reins and the horse came to an abrupt stop with a whinny of surprise.

He knew the tattoo she had to be speaking of, for he only had one. It was emblazoned across his stomach, the flames reaching tall up to his ribs.

"Ye looked," he deduced at once. "When I was bathing ye looked." She blushed all over. It didn't even stop at her cheeks on this occasion but spread down across her neck and chest too.

He couldn't distract himself in taking any pleasure at her blush though. That tattoo was his greatest of secrets. The thought that Elara knew of it, of all people, enraged him.

Suddenly tense from head to toe, he looked away and urged the horse on again, riding faster this time.

"What does it mean?" she said, her words interrupted a little as they were jolted together in the saddle.

"That is me business. Nae yers." His voice was sharp.

"And I am the only one who doesnae trust here, am I?" she said with sudden challenge, loosening her grip on his waist. "Ye trust me nay more than I trust ye."

Despite his fury and hers, they were soon thrown together again by the movement of the horse. Her arms latched themselves around his waist, and Kaden tried to focus on being furious at her despite that touch.

When they arrived at the croft, tucked away in the side of the hill, Kaden jumped down without saying a word to Elara. He moved toward the door, as quickly as he could, aware out of the corner of his eye that she tied up the horse and hastened to follow him. It took just two knocks on the door to rouse a response from the occupant.

"Me laird!" Liam's old face spread into a vast smile. He laughed, somewhat joyously and reached out to clap Kaden's hand. "Ye are quite the man these days. Forgive an old man his ways, but I often still think of ye as the boy I kenned. Nay higher than me knee. The same boy who used tae plant slugs in his father's coffer just tae see his reaction."

"That was some time ago," Kaden said, relaxing a little in Liam's company. "Ye have retired far away, Liam. Could we nae persuade ye tae stay near the castle?"

"I keep company with me old bones and the wind these days. I enjoy the peace of the countryside." He smiled softly, brushing back his white hair then gesturing with a stick in his grasp into the house. "Come, come in. Ah…" He paused when he caught sight of Elara rushing up behind Kaden. "Have ye come tae give me some good news, me laird? Are we tae have a lady of the clan soon?"

"Nay." Kaden and Elara said together with such force that Liam's eyes widened, then he laughed.

"Ye didnae have tae say that with such horror," Elara argued pointedly. "I'd make a fine lady.

"Lady Fire," he muttered for her ears only.

"Well, both of ye, come in. How can I be of use tae ye? It must be important, me laird, fer ye tae come all this way."

They shared tea and rock cakes that Liam had made. It had been so long since Kaden had seen Liam, that he was keen to check the man was of good health before he started asking questions. Liam was clearly a happy man indeed. He had his border collie for company, who stayed close to his heel by the fire, panting and enjoying the heat. Where the collie looked constantly up at Liam, the old man's keen gray eyes fixed much more on looking between Kaden and Elara.

Kaden passed Elara one of the cakes. When she looked ready to refuse, he offered one glare, at which point, she started to eat it.

"Forgive me coming tae interrupt yer retirement, but I am hoping ye can help me with something." Kaden leaned toward the advisor. "The letter that came tae me faither, inviting him tae a wedding. Who was it from again?"

"Ah, I see we are tae discuss sad times." Liam paused from where he had been raising his cup of tea to his lips. "Aye, it was an invitation from Laird MacNaughton tae a family wedding. It invited yer parents and ye, Kaden, but ye were still returning from yer travels."

"Faither decided nae tae hurry me return?" Kaden said slowly.

"Aye, that's right." Liam smiled sadly. "He kenned the onerous duties that could befall a laird. He was rather keen fer ye tae enjoy yer youth and yer travels as much as possible afore ye had tae perform the same duties he did. So, we replied and said Laird and Lady Stuart would be attending alone. Why dae ye ask?"

Kaden looked uneasily at Elara. She offered him the smallest of nods. It was a reassurance to share her tale.

"This is Elara Lamont. Daughter tae the last Laird of Lamont, sister tae Laird Cassian Lamont."

"Och, the wee man. Why did ye nae say?" Liam cried and tried to stand to his feet to greet Elara properly.

"Please, dinnae concern yerself with that," Elara said kindly, taking a seat in a stool beside Liam. Her soft manner startled Kaden so much he had to do a double take. "I came tae Laird Kaden as in me clan, we have always kenned the fire that killed both the late Laird Stuart and me own parents was arson."

"Arson?" Liam looked ready to drop the cup in his hands. The border collie whimpered softly and rested his snout on Liam's knee. Gently, Elara took the cup out of his hands, keeping it safe. "Then, it was murder?" Liam looked at Kaden pleadingly, plainly begging him to dispute such a fact.

"I need tae investigate, tae be sure," Kaden said hurriedly. "I am looking intae the matter with Elara."

"It is true," she said fiercely. "It was murder."

"Then I will damn well find the man responsible fer all their deaths," Kaden added hurriedly to her, for he didn't need another disagreement with her now. "Liam, I come tae ye now, as I need tae be certain of what was in that invitation. Dae ye remember anything about it? Anything odd?"

"Odd? Nay, nothing odd." Liam shook his head. "We considered it a kindness. Laird MacNaughton still wanted tae be allies with yer faither even after yer betrothal fell through."

"Betrothal?" Elara repeated in wonder. "What betrothal?"

For some reason, Kaden wasn't in a hurry to answer her. He cleared his throat and continued with his questions.

"The last time I saw Laird Finnian MacNaughton, he was an aging man, but a good leader. Is there any way me opinion of him could have been wrong?" Kaden asked Liam. "Could he have ensnared our parents intae a trap?"

Liam sat back slowly in his chair, giving this idea some thought.

"Nay," he murmured eventually. "I dinnae believe Laird MacNaughton capable of such subterfuge or maliciousness. He was nae war-hungry. He never even spoke of wanting tae grow his lands, let alone go tae war. He was a peaceful laird, through and through. I once heard him hold a dinner with yer faither where he talked of the need for peace and lairds tae look tae their own affairs, rather than beyond their borders."

Kaden nodded with interest. It was much the same impression he'd had of Laird MacNaughton in the few times he had met him.

"Who was it that was getting married?" Kaden asked. "Was Laird MacNaughton re-marrying?"

"He didnae say." Liam screwed up his face in thought. "At least, I dinnae remember him saying. He talked about a celebration, of clans coming together, united as allies. That was all he said."

"Aye, he was a good man." Kaden scratched the bristles on his chin in thought. "Could it have been revenge? Annabella and I didnae marry after all."

"I dinnae think that could be the case. He was as against the marriage in the end as ye were, dae ye nae remember?"

"Aye, aye, that's what I had always thought." Kaden shifted in his chair. He felt keenly that he was being watched and looked around. Elara was staring at him, her eyes wide like an owl's. "What is it?" he asked.

"Ye were tae be married tae Laird MacNaughton's daughter?" she surmised.

Kaden didn't answer her. He was too busy marveling at her reaction. She gripped onto the teacup in her hands so tightly that her knuckles were white. She fidgeted too, a blush creeping across her cheeks.

Now, what can that blush mean, Fire?

"Aye, they were tae be wed," Liam answered when Kaden did not. "Yet that betrothal fell apart long ago now."

Curiously to Kaden's mind, Elara continued to fidget, that blush growing even worse than before.

"Dae ye ken what I think, me laird?" Liam said, stroking his dog's head and leaning forward in sudden animation. "I think ye should go and speak tae Laird Finnian MacNaughton. He can tell ye whose wedding it was. It may put yer mind at rest about his motivations too. Besides," he glanced sadly at Elara, "if one clan has heard rumors of Laird and Lady Stuart's deaths being murder, then maybe the same whispers have reached MacNaughton's clan too. He may ken something that we dinnae."

"Maybe." Kaden stood, feeling he could no longer sit still.

To think that he had for so long grieved his parents, but not known it was murder, gutted him. He thought of that tattoo emblazoned across the skin, the one that looked as if it were burning his insides. He as good as felt it burning him now.

It is the guilt. It burns me alive.

"How far is the MacNaughton clan?" Elara asked.

"A few days' ride," Kaden said swiftly. "We would need supplies tae make the journey."

"Then let us prepare for it." Elara stood, urging him to look back at her.

So, ye're willing tae place enough trust in me tae ride so far, eh?

"What are ye waiting fer?" she asked, waving her hand at him. "The only way we can avenge our parents is by discovering the truth. So, shall we go?"

"We shall," Kaden said, his voice deep. He glanced at Liam who was still looking at Elara, something of a smile playing on his lips. "Ye're thinking something, Liam. As advisor, we never wanted ye tae keep yer thoughts tae yerself. Ye ken that."

"I was just thinking what a fine lady of the Stuarts she would make," Liam said with a laugh. Elara jumped so much at these words that she nearly dropped the cup in her hand.

"Dinnae think of it, Liam," Kaden said slowly. "Up until yesterday, she thought I was the murderer here."

"Ye? A murderer?" Liam lost any glimpse of a smile. "Nay man less likely tae be a murderer on this earth." He stood, using his stick to move his old body to his feet. "Take a good look at the man before ye, lass." Liam nodded his head at Elara. "He is nae the man ye think he is."