Chapter 20

20

“Good morning, gentlemen,” the Laird said, with a smile that was both polite and threatening. “As Laird Forsyth says, he believes there is a better way to deal with you than the scaffold. I differ with him on that because if the matter was in my hands, you would all be dead already.

However, Laird Forsyth is a better and more merciful man than I am. He has learned from his mistakes and wishes to work with you, and I commend him for that. If you disagree, then I am sure he can find some comfortableaccommodation for you in the dungeons next to your friends. Moreover, as Laird Forsyth has told you, I am the Forsyth Clan’s ally. This has been sealed with a blood oath and the betrothal of my daughter to Laird Forsyth, in the name of Gavin’s father. So you see, in the future, an attack on him is an attack on me, and vice versa.” He let the words sink in.

One of the men at the table, whom Gavin recognised as his second cousin, Roy MacAlpine, howled with laughter. “You are jesting, Laird Jamieson,” he said scornfully. “I would rather die for my clan than accept this arrogant idiot as my Laird!”

“Die?” Gavin countered furiously. Then he smiled with dark glee. “Well, Roy, that can easily be arranged.” He stood up, and as his stature and height, as well as his sheer presence, filled the room, he saw the defiance vanish from the faces of his rebel clansmen.

Gavin moved around the table and twisted Roy’s head around so that he was facing him, then he said, in a voice that throbbed with menace, “I can take over this castle any time I wish, and please do not forget it.”

He was confident, assured, and at that moment, absolutely terrifying. His green gaze swept over every one of them, and they all seemed to shrink. Laird Jamieson moved to his side, and the two men, with the authority of their rank as well as Gavin’s sheer size, were intimidating in the extreme.

Archie Carmichael and some faithful Forsyth guards came in, and although the room was spacious, there were so many men that they were standing shoulder to shoulder.

Archie saluted both Lairds. “Need me for anythin’ M’Lairds?” he asked.

Gavin indicated the shivering men around the table. “Take them back to their rooms and put a guard at each of their doors. We will decide what to do with them later.”

Archie began to organise the withdrawal of the men in his usual methodical fashion, and Gavin felt an enormous sense of pride in him. Archie had fought for him and stayed by his side through thick and thin, and he was determined to find some way of rewarding him.

Gavin turned to Laird Jamieson and smiled. “Thank you, my Laird.”

The other man nodded. “I hope your whisky is worthy of the occasion,” he remarked, his eyes twinkling. “Because I only drink the best, and don’t forget that my men will be expecting a hearty breakfast. I hope there is plenty of bacon on hand.”

“I only keep the best,” Gavin replied, laughing. “And I only share it with people whom I hold in high esteem. If there is no bacon, I will send my servants to buy some in the village. Nothing is too good for you and your men, my Laird.”

“You certainly know how to flatter,” Laird Jamieson said dryly, laughing.

“All hail your one and only Laird, Gavin Forsyth,” loud voices and praise were heard all over, bringing a smile to Gavin’s face. This time he would do it right.

Elspeth was bored. She had been brought to Duncairn Castle a fortnight before in order to be introduced to the staff, find her way around the honeycomb of passages on the inside of the castle, and prepare for the wedding. However, she rarely saw her fiancé anymore. If she were lucky, they would dine together in the evening, but he was usually exhausted. Once, he had almost fallen asleep over his soup!

Their evenings, which had been so cosy and amiable at Ardneuk, were much less so in Duncairn, since Gavin’s mind seemed to constantly be on other things. When they played chess or cards, he usually lost because he could not concentrate. Playing against a partner who was not there was not a contest at all; she might as well have been playing by herself.

One brisk, sunny Sunday morning when they were leaving church, Elspeth suggested that they should take a ride down to the shores of the loch. It was still not safe to bathe in or drink from, but it was very picturesque, and she suggested a picnic.

“We really must make some plans for the wedding,” she told him. “I have met all the staff, found my way around the castle and have had myself measured for my wedding dress. I am doing my part to get ready, but you are doing nothing, Gavin. Indeed, I hardly see you these days.”

Gavin looked down into her dark eyes and felt ashamed. He had everything he could possibly want in life; wealth, health, comfort, enough to eat and a roof over his head, his estate back and his tenants happy and prospering. Yet here was the beautiful, generous woman with whom he had promised to share his life asking the date of their wedding, and he was postponing the day when he would marry her as if it were a death sentence. He was not worthy of her.

“Elspeth, I am truly sorry,” he said as he picked up her hand and kissed it. “You’re right—I have been neglecting you. How long will it take to have your dress made?”

“About two weeks,” she replied. “There are hundreds of seed pearls to be sewn on it.”

“We can wait till after your dress is made,” he said, smiling warmly at her, “then we will set a date. A bride is the only one anyone is interested in on her wedding day, so you will want to look absolutely perfect. Nobody will give me a second glance.”

Elspeth smiled, although inside she was still fearful. Something about Gavin was not right these days; he was not the man he had been when they were first betrothed, but she could not put her finger on what the change was, even though she thought she knew what had caused it.

At first, she had thought the change in him was because of the renewed pressure of the Lairdship, but although she had no doubt that was part of it, it was more than that.

Then he looked around and waved to someone. “Excuse me, Elspeth. I have to speak to someone,” he said quickly. Then he was running away towards a small man whom she knew to be one of the stonemasons, and they began a spirited conversation.

Both of them were pointing to a spot where the foundations of a building were being laid, and it came to her suddenly that much of his time these days was being spent in the village. Perhaps this building was a project of his, yet he had never spoken of it to her. Maybe he was building a town house for them, or a village hall; it was the kind of project that would interest him.

Elspeth watched him closely. He was dressed in his Sunday best, and the dark blues and greens in his Forsyth plaid made a stunning contrast to his bright red hair and made his green eyes even brighter. He was one of the most attractive men she had ever seen, he was wealthy, and they were about to be joined in the bonds of matrimony, so why was she not happy?

For the hundredth time, Elspeth reassured herself that Gavin was hers, and that no other woman could ever truly have his heart. She clung to this belief with all her might, though a persistent flutter of unease lingered in her chest. If Maura Hislop, or any other woman, dared to come between them, Elspeth knew she would have to act. She wasn’t certain how, but she would find a way—she had to. Her father was influential, after all, and she would draw on every ounce of his power if it meant securing their future together.

But what if she was wrong? What if this nagging suspicion was nothing more than her own insecurity playing tricks on her? She had no real proof that Gavin still harboured feelings for Maura—only a vague sense, a whisper of intuition that she couldn’t silence. Was she simply being foolish? They should be married by now; Gavin had had more than enough time.

What if her feelings were not reciprocated by Gavin? Her heart could not accept anything but true love. For her, it was not a marriage of convenience, or the alliance that brought her to Gavin’s side. She had loved him from the moment she met him as a child. Would she ever be happy with a man who could not give his whole heart to her?

She decided to speak to him about it when they returned to Duncairn, but she had a feeling of foreboding. Something was going to happen, but it would not be good. However, she vowed to herself that she would not settle, regardless of what happened.

Elspeth strolled casually over to the two men and smiled at the mason. She looked at Gavin, who introduced them.

“Lady Jamieson, this is Davie Morrison, the best stonemason in the district.”

Davie bowed to Elspeth. “Milady,” he said politely. He was a man in his fifties, but hard work had aged him prematurely, and Elspeth felt sorry for him.

“Will you be doing all the stonework yourself?” she asked.

“No, Milady.” Davie shook his head. “That would be too much work for one fellow. The Laird is payin’ four o’ us. He is a very generous man.” He smiled at Gavin, showing a row of yellow, misshapen teeth.

“Thank you, Mister Morrison,” Elspeth said, tilting her head and smiling. She looked at Gavin. “We must leave you now. I’m sure the laird is hungry. Time for lunch?”

Gavin laughed. “Definitely!”

He took her hand and led her to the carriage, then helped her inside. It was not a long journey to the castle, but Elspeth, rather than filling the time with small talk while Gavin pretended to be interested, asked him about the estate and the tenants. It was most unusual, he thought, and wondered what it meant; something did not feel right.

He was immensely relieved when they arrived back at the castle. He freshened up quickly, sat down at the table, and they began to eat. However, he sensed a change in the atmosphere; Elspeth was quieter, and she was not smiling. As well as that, she was toying with her food instead of eating it.

“Is the food not to your taste?” Gavin asked, frowning. “I can send for something else.”

“The food is fine, Gavin,” she replied, giving him a faint smile. However, she continued to push the meat around her plate and eventually left it almost untouched.

Gavin put a hand over hers on the table. “Elspeth, what is wrong?” he asked.

“I think we need to talk about something,” she answered.

Gavin felt a weight drop into his stomach, but he stayed calm. “Go ahead,” he said, trying to keep his voice calm.

“What is the building going up in the middle of the village?” Elspeth asked. “The one you needed the mason for?”

Gavin gave a little laugh. “Forgive me for not speaking of it, Elspeth, but I thought you already knew,” he said. “It’s an orphanage. I know the town needs one; there are too many children here with no parents and nowhere to go. The church helps as much as it can, and I donate too, but they need a proper building with bedrooms, bathrooms, places to play, and most importantly, a school. It was someone else’s dream to build it, but I feel it is my duty as Laird to make it happen, especially since I was such a bad Laird before.”

“I see.” Elspeth looked thoughtful. “Who was the person who had the dream?”

Gavin looked into her deep dark eyes and suddenly realised that she knew what was afoot. Had she known it for long, he wondered?

“It was Maura,” he confessed. “She was an orphan herself, and ran a kind of facility in Carmalcolm, but it was ramshackle and infested with rats, and she had to sneak food from the tavern to the children. I want to build them something better.”

“I see,” Elspeth said evenly. “So you are making Maura’s dream come true.”

“You could put it that way,” Gavin replied, trying to sound nonchalant, “or you could say that she made a suggestion and I thought it was a good one, so I am making it happen.”

“And where will the funding come from?” Elspeth asked sharply.

“We will donate most of it, and we can raise some through charitable donations,” Gavin answered. “Unless you would rather not.”

Elspeth gave a somewhat cynical little laugh. “As your wife, I will answer to you.”

“You will not be my slave, Elspeth,” he replied, irritated.

“I will not be your wife either,” she said dully.

Gavin was stunned. “What do you mean?” he demanded. “Our marriage has been arranged. It has been for months—why are you talking like this?”

“And would you want to marry me if it had not been arranged?” she asked.

Gavin could find nothing to say for a moment. “ Our marriage may have been planned for us, it is going to happen. I am fond of ye.”

This time Elspeth laughed out loud, but it was not out of mirth; it was a scornful, wounded sound. “Fond of me?” she asked bitterly. “Thank you, Gavin, but I want more out of my marriage than fondness. I love you. I have loved you since as far back as I can remember, and I want your love in return. I will not settle for anything less, but your heart has been given to someone else, has it not?”

“No,” Gavin replied. “Of course not. I?—”

Elspeth held a hand up to silence him, and her eyes were blazing with fury. “Do not lie to me, Gavin. You may not be in love with me, but please do not insult my intelligence.” She paused to collect herself. “You are in love with Maura. I could see it when you looked at each other. I could feel it in the air around you. I told myself I was imagining things, but I’m not, am I? The truth this time, please!”

Gavin sighed deeply and dropped his gaze to his hands. He nodded slowly. “Yes, I am. I cannot tell you how sorry I am.” Then he looked up. “But I have faith that we could still make a marriage work.”

“Thank you for saying that, Gavin.” Elspeth’s voice had a depth of sadness in it that he had never heard before. “But we both know that is not true. I have always hoped to marry out of love, and I still want that. You clearly cannot give your whole heart to me, and I will not be satisfied with anything but a man’s true love.”

Gavin felt wretched because he had just broken a woman’s heart, and could do nothing about it. Even if he insisted on marrying her now, she would always know she was second best.

“There is something else,” Elspeth said, her voice surprisingly steady. “The agreement you and my father signed and swore to is dependent upon our marriage.”

“I intend to still keep my allegiance to the Jamiesons,” Gavin said stoutly. “Even if Laird Jamieson does not feel the same. He owes me nothing now, but I am still deeply in his debt.”

“Let me handle my father.” Elspeth sighed and her shoulders slumped. “I will have him sign another treaty. He will do whatever I ask.”

“Elspeth,” Gavin stood up and moved around the table to draw her to her feet. “There are not enough words to say how sorry I am. Forgive me if you can, but if not, I understand because I do not deserve to be forgiven.”

Elspeth sighed. “You cannot help who you fall in love with, Gavin. I do forgive you, and I wish you and Maura a long and happy life together.”

“I hope you find a worthier man to love,” he said as he looked down into her sad dark eyes. “Goodbye, Elspeth.”

“Goodbye, Gavin,” she replied, then left the room, leaving Gavin feeling like a monster.

The next morning, Elspeth was gone. Gavin watched her carriage until it was out of sight, then sighed and turned away from the window. Thank god there were accounts to do, tenants to visit, and another hundred tasks to attend to; hopefully work would keep his mind off his current state. He should have been over the moon with happiness, but he could not wallow in another person’s misery. In a few days, he would go to visit Maura; by then he would be able to smile again.