Amanda Scott (22 page)

“But why would such a person want to shoot at us?” Lestalric asked with uncharacteristic plaintiveness.

Fife shrugged. “Mayhap because Sir Ian neglected his people. Doubtless that will change now if you mean to take things in hand. But until you arrived so unexpectedly, the King feared he would have to take this place in hand himself.”

“I am pleased to spare his grace the trouble,” Lestalric said. “But although I am learning a great deal, to be sure, I believe we are keeping you from important duties, my lord Fife. Thank you most heartily for your timely assistance.”

Fife nodded, then said, “Shall we see you at the Castle tonight?”

Adela stiffened but managed to avoid shooting a minatory look at Lestalric.

“Oh, aye, I expect so,” he said to her profound annoyance. “I found it most entertaining last evening and look forward to repeating the experience.”

Having been certain he would make an excuse to absent himself, she had to exert herself not to contradict him outright.

Fife and his men departed moments later, leaving de Gredin to exclaim at what a near miss everyone had had.

“Lady Adela, it must have terrified you out of your wits, especially after your unfortunate experience a few weeks ago.”

“’Tis kind of you to concern yourself,” Adela said as she urged her horse forward to meet him so he would ride no closer to Lestalric. “I am sorry you missed the earlier part of our expedition. It has been a splendid day.”

When two of Henry’s men fell in behind them, she knew his thoughts had matched hers. So she encouraged de Gredin to flirt with her, responding coyly to his comments and acquitting herself well, she thought, for someone whose experience in such behavior was nonexistent.

De Gredin’s interest in every word she said provided novelty for one whose father dismissed female conversation. The attention proved heady until she realized his questions had moved from casual to more pointed ones about Lestalric Castle.

“I suppose you and the other ladies were left kicking your heels whilst Lestalric examined every inch of his new possession,” he said archly.

“Mercy, sir, we scarcely saw more than the hall,” she declared. “If Lestalric and Orkney did more than poke their heads up that musty stairwell, I’d be surprised, for the place reeks of men, dogs, and moldy rushes. I vow, we all longed for fresh air. Highlanders are much tidier.”

“I’d heard the place had become a mess,” he said with a chuckle. “I warrant our new baron has much work ahead. I hope you will not think me unkind if I say he does not seem likely to be a capable landowner.”

Her mouth half open to insist that Lestalric was capable of anything he set his mind to do, she recognized the pitfall. Smiling innocently instead, she said, “I’m sure I do not know if it is kind or unkind, sir. I barely know Sir Robert.”

“Oh, indeed, I thought it looked as if you, he, and Orkney had your heads together like old friends.”

“Oh, but I do know Orkney, of course,” she said. “He is, after all, my sister’s brother-by-marriage. As you know, I was staying with Countess Isabella at Roslin before I came to town. But as to Sir Robert, I did not even know he existed until his grace’s lord chamberlain announced his arrival to the entire court.”

And that, she told herself virtuously, was perfectly true.

Remembering how fervently she had assured Lestalric that she loathed secrets, she told herself that she still hated them, but she hated villainy more. And she was coming to think she had met with villainy again. Whether de Gredin was knowingly part of it all or not, she would have to tread warily with him.

Rob gritted his teeth as he watched the lass ride ahead with de Gredin, and only a portion of the accompanying grimace was for his pain. Every step the horse took stirred jolts of agony, and if it was not the pure agony he had experienced as Henry and his man removed the arrow, neither was it the mere ache of a flesh wound. His whole shoulder and upper arm hurt, and he could barely grip the reins. Even moving his right arm hurt, which seemed decidedly unfair. Fortunately, his mount needed little direction even when Henry signed to him to fall back a little.

One of Henry’s lads passed them as Henry muttered, “Damn de Gredin! I don’t trust any man who keeps company with Fife, Rob, and no more should you. His only interest is acquiring power. The only reason his brother Carrick is alive is that everyone would believe Fife responsible even if another plague killed him.”

“A good many folk would agree with Fife, though, that Carrick is the wrong man to be the next King of Scots,” Rob said.

“Aye, sure. I’m one, and so are you and any other man who kens aught of soldiering or leadership. At the right time, Carrick might make a fine King of Scots. But not with England still trying to conquer Scotland, nor with the greedy, bickering royal family we have. They all want more power, more land, more everything, if only to spit in the eye of everyone who ever called the Stewarts upstarts.”

“Enough, Henry, I’ll beware of Fife. But how do you think his men knew, without a word of communication betwixt us, where that devilish archer was?”

“We’ll find out,” Henry said, looking over his shoulder. “As you doubtless saw, I sent one of my lads to have a look. He’s coming up behind us now.”

The horseman, who had managed to ease his mount up so quietly that Rob had not heard him, drew in beside Henry and said, “They went for him as if they’d a leading string on him, m’lord. Someone must ha’ told him to stay put, for he were still in his tree and came down when he saw them. I’d concealed m’self when I heard them coming. And when I saw what they was about, I kept still as death, I can tell ye. I kent fine they’d leave nae witness did they see one.”

Rob said, “You believe they knew him, then?”

“Och, aye, for he wore the same all-black livery they do till they stripped his body and dressed it in a ragged jack and breeks. I heard one say his lordship would be spitting fire over the business but that he should ha’ sent a better marksman.”

“So Fife sent the archer,” Rob said. “I wonder what he hoped to accomplish.”

“Thank you,” Henry said, dismissing his man. “I’m wondering,” he added a moment later. “Suppose that marksman did exactly what Fife asked of him?”

“By just wounding me, you mean?”

“Aye, for the search tells us someone knows something is missing,” Henry said. “To have done that, they must believe it to be of great value. They must likewise believe the Logans have it or ken its whereabouts. And—”

“And a Logan has just visited Lestalric,” Rob said. “You think they hoped I’d collect whatever it is they’ve searched for, and expected to be able to collect it when they appeared so fortuitously to aid me. So Fife, whose men all wear black as he does himself, and as the murderers did, must be involved in all that has happened.”

“Aye,” Henry said. “Never mind how that archer got to his perch. Think about
when
he must have done it. De Gredin could as easily have told Fife last night about your expedition, you know. And as I did not decide to accompany you until this morning—nor did my mother—the size of our party surprised them.”

Rob nodded.

Gently, Henry added, “Your friend Tam Geddes may be in it, too.”

“Perhaps,” Rob admitted. “My instinct says no, and in any event, the rest of Lestalric should be with me. For all my father’s faults, Grandfather was popular, and there is a long tradition here of loyalty to my family.”

“Are you really going to join the royal court tonight?”

“I must,” Rob said. “But I think we shall have to decline Lady Clendenen’s invitation to dine. I can move everything, so I don’t think that damned arrow did any permanent damage, but I doubt I can manage to eat with any grace.”

“I’ll tell my mother,” Henry said. “She’s a witch when it comes to healing, so she may know some way to aid you. And you can stop glowering at Adela,” he added with a grin. “She is only doing what she can to protect you.”

Rob turned his glare on Henry, but Henry only laughed.

A moment later, Rob said, “I’m sure Fife is in it. As haughty as he is, I can think of no reason but guilty knowledge to have sent his men into the woods as he did. He also explained rather too much about how he came to be here this morning.”

“Aye,” Henry agreed. “’Tis uncharacteristic, that. Still, I doubt he expects us to worry him. You were right to act the halfwit, Rob. As Sir Edward often said, to gain advantage in a battle, even of wits, if one is able, one should appear unable.”

“And if one is
dis
abled,” Rob said dryly, thinking of the painful evening that lay ahead, “one must appear able.”

Adela would have liked to tell Lestalric just what she thought of his intent to attend the royal court that evening, but she had no opportunity. Not only did she feel obliged to let de Gredin ride with her on the return trip, but he soon dashed any hope that he might have forgotten Lady Clendenen’s invitation to dine with them.

“I look forward to another excellent meal,” he said as they neared the house. “In my opinion, her ladyship’s cook is one of the finest in Edinburgh.”

“I thought you preferred the food at the Castle,” Adela said, smiling but wishing the devil would fly away with the man.

“It is admirable,” he said. “But the company is not nearly as admirable.”

Lightly, she said, “I trust both will live up to your expectations today.”

“They cannot help but do so,” he said, reaching to give her hand a squeeze.

Stiffening but managing to keep her tone light, she said, “Pray, do not do that. The countess will disapprove.”

“She is not looking,” he said, squeezing her hand again.

Adela gave him the same look she had often directed at an annoying sister.

With a sigh, he pulled back his hand. “You are cruel,
madame
.”

A prickling sense told her Lestalric was watching, and she had no doubt that he would soon demand to know what she thought she was doing to encourage the man to such liberties. To her surprise, the thought stimulated her. Let him scold, she told herself. She had some things to say to him, too.

But at Clendenen House, when Lady Clendenen said she hoped they all still meant to stay and dine, the countess said, “I’ve a fearsome headache, Ealga. If we are to visit the court tonight, I must rest first. Indeed, I am surprised you do not feel the same. After such a terrifying adventure, I vow, the day has exhausted me!”

Adela glanced at de Gredin but saw no indication that he realized how unusual it was for the energetic countess to admit weakness. He said only that he hoped she would quickly recover and that he was sure Henry meant to stay.

“Nay, I must decline, for I’ve a number of tasks yet to attend before I leave for the north,” Henry said. “I’m taking Lestalric, too, Ealga. I regret depriving you of his company, but he wants advice about changes he means to make at Lestalric. And this may be the only time I can oblige him.”

“Do not concern yourself, sir,” Lady Clendenen said. “Adela and our dear Etienne will keep me entertained.”

Watching as de Gredin dismounted to aid the gillie assisting her ladyship from her cumbersome saddle, Adela did not realize that Lestalric had moved his mount to the offside of hers until his bay snorted, startling her.

“Sakes, lass,” he murmured. “You leap like a scalded cat, and not for the first time, either. I’ve never known your like before.”

“You startled me,” she said, reaching into her bodice for the roll of vellum he’d given her. As she gave it to him, she said, “Are you really going tonight?”

“Aye,” he said, slipping the roll up his sleeve. “And I hope you will, too.” “I’m sure we will,” she said. “But I think you must be mad.”

He began to shrug, clearly thought better of it, and said, “If we are to talk of madness, what were you about to let that scoundrel put his hand on you?”

She lifted her chin. “It can be no concern of yours if I did, my lord.”

“You may hope,” he said. “But I do not speak from jealousy, lass. I have no thought of trying to enmesh you in my tangled affairs, only a hope that I may keep you from doing anything foolish before I untangle them. ’Tis one thing for a young widow to visit the royal court with two powerful kinswomen as chaperones. It is another to encourage the liberties of a slithersome coof like de Gredin.”

“Slithersome coof?”

“Aye, and when you say I’ve no right to speak, recall that you invited my concern on Roslin’s ramparts when you confided in a man who was no more to you than a voice in the darkness.”

His words shook her, reminding her that had the arrow struck true it would have stilled that comforting voice forever. Her throat ached at the thought, but she raised her chin. “I suppose it was foolish to be so trusting of such a voice.”

“Nay, lass, nowt o’ the sort,” he said, smiling so warmly that she felt it to her bones and the ache vanished. “I never meant that, and you know it,” he added. “I meant only that something binds us. It is as easy for me to talk with you as for you to talk to me. I don’t understand why, and I know it may not be easy for you to trust me now that I’ve admitted deceiving you. But I do hope to know you better.” He paused to draw breath, wincing. “I want to be friends, nothing more—not yet.”

“I’d like that,” she said impulsively, nearly reaching a hand to him as she did. Realizing he would have to move his injured shoulder to take it, she pulled it back again. Then, lest he make too much of such a reaction, she said firmly, “But do not think a growing friendship gives you leave to criticize me, sir.”

“I’m not criticizing
you
, lass, only that jackanapes de Gredin. But see that you don’t allow him to entertain her ladyship by making sheep’s eyes at you.”

Shaking her head at him, Adela jumped again when Henry said from behind her, “Allow me to assist you down, lass. Lestalric is presently useless in such a case, of course. And my mother must be longing for her nap.”

Hiding a smile and taking care not to look at Lestalric, who doubtless knew the countess’s habits as well as she did, Adela accepted Henry’s aid to dismount.

“Let me escort you inside, Lady Adela,” de Gredin said, approaching her.