Chapter 19

CHAPTER NINETEEN

K aden stepped down off the horse. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught the same shock in Elara's face as he was sure was in his own.

"Laird Finnian is dead?" he repeated, not wishing to believe it.

"Aye." The guard glanced back at his friend, clearly equally lost for what to do next. "Ye kenned the laird?"

"Aye, I did." Kaden was hardly in a hurry to say that he was betrothed to Laird Finnian's daughter once. He had a feeling bringing that up in front of Elara again would not be a good thing. "I am sorry I missed the funeral. I would have liked tae have paid me respects."

Kaden spoke slowly, though his mind was working quickly.

It was not unusual for clans to try and keep the news of dying lairds a secret. If they feared invasion in times of uncertainty, such secrets could be kept, but not for very long. Inevitably, the truth bled out of the clan within a few months, but for Laird Finnian's death to be kept a secret from the other clans for three whole years?

Something is very wrong indeed.

Kaden glanced at the curtain walls, beginning to wonder if this had been a wise place to come after all. One thing was for certain though – Kaden's and Elara's parents had died two years ago, that meant that Laird Finnian was already dead when the wedding invitation was sent. Someone forged his name on those invitations.

"Is Laird Finnian's daughter still here?" Kaden asked, all too aware that these words had made Elara look at him sharply. "I can at least offer her me condolences."

"Aye, of course." The guard smiled, seeming much happier now there was a plan of action ahead of him. "If ye ride intae the courtyard, we'll have yer horse stabled and taken tae a room tae meet Lady MacNaughton."

Kaden's eyes widened.

Annabella is now lady of the clan?

Clans rarely passed into the ownership of a daughter. To do so, she must have married, and must have married a man that either had his own claim to the lairdship or was strong enough to beat down any opposition to his claim.

"This way." The guard waved a hand and someone deep within the tower of the castle lifted the portcullis.

With wariness pumping through his body, Kaden took hold of the reins and steered the horse forward, into the castle courtyard.

"What the hell is going on?" Elara hissed under her breath the moment they were out of the guard's earshot.

"I dinnae ken, but we need answers. We have tae speak tae her."

"Are ye sure ye just dinnae wish tae see yer old flame?" Elara asked.

Kaden looked at her with curiosity in his eyes, watching as she blushed scarlet red.

"A little jealous, Elara?"

"Nae, of course," she scoffed, though she still blushed madly. Kaden couldn't stop smiling at her reaction.

As they reached the middle of the courtyard, they halted, and Kaden helped her down from the horse. He was in no particular hurry to release her and kept his hands on her waist for a minute longer.

"What are ye doing?" she whispered, staring up at him in surprise.

"Just assuring ye that ye have nothing tae be jealous of."

"I am nae jealous," she insisted again.

"Aye, sure ye're nae."

A few minutes later, the castle steward appeared and escorted them into the castle. It had been many years since Kaden had seen the place, but many things had changed in that time. The thing that struck him the most was just how many more guards walked the corridors of this castle than before. They seemed to be stationed at nearly every door.

Whoever is laird now, they are keeping a close eye on what happens within their castle walls.

"If ye would wait in here, please?" The steward gestured into a hall. It could hardly be the grandest of halls in the castle, for it was rather small, but still grand enough to make a statement of wealth. Every wall was draped in golden tapestries, and there were long mahogany settle benches surrounding the space.

"Tae think, ye could have been laird of all of this," Elara teased him just as the steward left the room.

"Sometimes, a man doesnae want tae marry fer advantage, Fire," he whispered, practically pressing his lips near her ear as he walked past her to peer out of the window.

Distracted, he stared at the people down in the courtyard of the castle. There were many staff members, hard at work. It was a contradiction to the streets that hadn't been particularly busy in the town.

"Kaden?"

That voice.

Kaden turned around. In the doorway stood Annabella, though she was much changed. She looked older, more mature, and the gown she wore could not mistake her position. Her long dark hair was piled high on her head in great voluminous curls, and the way she walked into the room was commanding.

"It has been too long," she said in her high voice, hurrying toward him. She took hold of his hand before he could stop her, gripping it as she had done so many times before when they had been betrothed.

"Annabella, I am so sorry." He gripped her hand once, trying to offer comfort, then retreated back from her. He glanced Elara's way to see her eyes had narrowed as she watched them touch. "If I had kenned yer father had died, I would have come tae the funeral. I cannae apologize enough."

"Ye didnae ken he had died?" Annabella said in amazement, her thin lips parting. "Goodness… I had nay idea. Everything was so mad after he died." She shook her head, the grief evident. "I cannae remember who we told and who we didnae. I think the council were keen tae keep it quiet fer a while, but I never considered that even ye wouldnae ken…" She shook her head again and then trailed off, turning to face Elara. "And, who is this?"

Elara stood taller. There was clear outrage in her face.

Without really thinking it completely through, Kaden said the first thing that came to his mind. He supposed he partly did it to assure Elara there was nothing to be jealous of, though the chief reason was to keep her safe. If he had a reason to keep her at his side whilst they were here in this castle, it would be easier to watch over her.

"This is me wife, Lady Elara Stuart."

If there was outrage in her expression before, it was nothing compared to what was in her face now.

"I…" Elara trailed off, her jaw slack.

Kaden rounded Annabella and moved toward Elara's side as quickly as he could. He slid his hand across Elara's back and to the other side of the waist, pulling her into his side. She fell against him, one of her hands moving conveniently to his chest.

Well, at least we look like we are intimate now.

He flashed a smile at her that she woodenly and forcedly returned.

"Ye are married? How… wonderful!" Annabella hesitated in her congratulations but recovered fast, moving forward and now taking Elara's hand to grip it too.

"Oh, dear," Elara muttered in surprise, but Annabella didn't appear to notice.

"I am so glad tae meet ye. It seems lots of news hasnae spread between our clans. This is such good news. We must celebrate whilst ye are here. Me husband hasnae yet returned from his travels, but he's due any minute. The four of us must celebrate taegether."

"Nay." Kaden and Elara said at once.

He looked down at her, squeezing her softly, for her refusal of a celebration had been a little too eager for his liking. To his amusement, she looked just at irked as his refusal.

"I am afraid we have come because of bad tidings." Kaden released Elara. "Annabella, please, sit. I have some grave news tae share with ye."

"Grave news, since when are ye so serious?" Though her smile faded fast. "Oh, ye are being very serious indeed. Aye, very well, ye may share with me any grave news, but I am strong enough tae nae require a seat tae hear it."

"Very well, though it pertains tae death, Annabella. It is about the death of me parents, and Elara's here." Kaden motioned to her. "We now believe the fire that took their lives was intended. It was murder."

Annabella abruptly sat down in the settle bench behind her, paling to the color of milk.

Kaden moved away and sat beside her. Carefully, he explained to her everything he had learned since meeting Elara, the claim of arson, and also the letters from Annabella's father which had spoken of a wedding.

By the time he was done, Elara was pacing up and down with daggers in her eyes and Annabella was crying, mopping away the tears from her cheek with a handkerchief.

"Wait, dae ye fear me faither was involved?" Annabella said in panic. "That cannae be possible, Kaden. He was already gone from this world."

"I have just discovered that. Is it possible his letters were delayed? Was he supposed tae marry?"

"Nay." She shook her head. "Me faither never showed any intention of re-marrying after me maither died. This is some awful deception, it has tae be." Annabella faced him fully, leaning toward him so far that Elara halted suddenly in her pacing. Kaden was careful to lean a little away from her. "I dinnae understand what is happening here, but I ken fer certain me faither was nae involved. How could he be involved from the grave, Kaden? It doesnae make sense."

"Dinnae upset yerself. I see that now." He nearly laid his hand on hers in comfort, though when Elara's eyes widened, he let his hand drop down to his side again.

"I am so sorry tae hear this news. It's truly dreadful," Annabella said, mopping more tears away. "But I promise ye tae offer up any help I can in yer hunt fer who drew them tae their deaths." She was the one to lay her hand down on Kaden's as she smiled through her tears.

"Thank ye." Kaden looked at Elara. She met his gaze briefly before sharply turning her head away.

"Oh, ye must stay the night." Annabella stood as Kaden retrieved his hand from hers. "It's so late now. Maybe when me husband returns, he may be able tae assist us in finding out who sent those letters."

"Aye, we'd be happy tae stay the night," Kaden said, standing too.

"Would we?" Elara whispered across the room, though Annabella took no notice.

"Aye, it is fer the best." Annabella sniffed and stopped the last of her tears. "I'll ask a room tae be made up fer the two of ye."

Elara looked around sharply again, evidently realizing as Kaden did that by claiming they were a married couple, only one room would be prepared.

"I'll be back soon," Annabella assured them and slipped out of the room.

At first, neither Kaden nor Elara said anything. They just looked at one another. Then as a door closed in a distant part of the castle, it was like a cork releasing a torrent of sparkling wine from within a bottle.

"Are ye mad!?" Elara rounded on him, marching toward him.

"Which part exactly makes ye so angry?"

"How about the part of staying in a castle where there could be an arsonist? Or maybe the part about claiming I am yer wife?"

"Well, put it this way. We can sleep beside on another again tonight," he said, trying to smile and push through this awkward air.

"Ha! Ye are presuming I enjoyed those two nights."

"Didnae ye?" he asked.

"It was out of necessity. Tae feel safe. That was all."

"Aye, aye, sure it was." He leaned a little toward her. "That's why whenever Annabella comes near me, ye look so at ease and relaxed, dinnae ye? Ye're nae turning the color of a tomato at all." She grunted in frustration at his wryness, turning on the spot madly in front of him.

"It's a mad idea tae stay here, Kaden, and ye ken it."

"I dae, but I also ken that here is the only place we are going tae get answers. There's some secret here, Elara. Think about it. Why did I nae ken that Laird Finnian was dead?"

She shook her head, as lost as he was.

"Everything will be fine." He stepped an inch toward her. She stopped moving in that mad circle and faced him, breathing heavily with her hands on her hips. "Trust me," he pleaded. "Nothing will happen tae ye in this castle. I'll make sure of that."

"I am nae yers tae protect."

"I'm still going tae dae it," he argued, leaning even closer toward her. To his relief, she didn't pull away.

"I dinnae like her, Kaden. I dinnae trust her. I especially dinnae trust her when she looks at ye in that way and lays a hand on ye."

"May I remind ye, Fire, the betrothal between us was ended," he said, his voice low and husky. "I didnae marry her, Elara. Ye dinnae need tae be jealous."

"I am nae jealous," she insisted, her cheeks still pink, though there was less spirit in her voice now.

"Ye sure about that?" He bent toward her.

What was the point in fighting this anymore? He liked her, and she liked him. They danced around one another constantly, fought, insisted they weren't affected by each other, and yet at night they slept in one another's arms.

She needs tae ken that Annabella means nothing tae me.

Then the door opened again.

"Kaden?" It was Annabella's voice.

Kaden acted on instinct. Pretending not to hear Annabella, he leaned toward Elara and brushed his lips against hers.

Instantly, he was alight. Her hands curled around his biceps as he took hold of her waist. The same fire he had felt the first night they had kissed in that inn was back, only now, there was something more to is – something deeper he couldn't quite name.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Annabella called from the doorway. "I didnae mean tae intrude."

Elara was the first to pull away from him, though her hands didn't release his arms and neither did he release her waist.

Annabella was now the one to be blushing red from where she danced in the doorway, trying to look at anyone but them.

"Yer room is ready. There's wine and food fer ye prepared. This way." She darted back out of the door.

"Believe me now?" Kaden whispered in Elara's ear before they turned to follow.