Amanda Scott (42 page)

When she moved to her customary place, the Circle was nearly complete. Only one space remained empty, and that was the erstwhile
seat of the wizard Jonah Bonewits, his father. Jonah’s banishment had stirred trouble, for he retained friends aplenty within
the Circle, and thus his position had remained unfilled.

“Ha’ ye news for us, Maggie?” the chief demanded.

“I have,” Maggie said. “First, we must all thank Fergus Fishbait o’ the Ellyllon, for organizing his people tae pretend tae
be the English army, thus aiding us in keeping the dealings o’ the Clan safe from mortal ken as we dealt wi’ the devilment
o’ Jonah Bonewits.”

Fergus wriggled with pleasure at her words and the resulting applause.

“Second,” Maggie said, “the lass Catriona o’ the Merry Folk has successfully accomplished the task ye set for her. Thanks
tae her efforts and me own, the truce betwixt her people and the Helping Hands is now permanent.”

“Then ye ha’ done as we asked, and we welcome ye back,” the chief said. “We ha’ but one more matter before us, then, tae seat
our newest member.”

Catriona, sitting next to Claud, leaned over to whisper, “They mean to fill Jonah’s place at last, then. He won’t like that.”

In a wavering voice, Fergus said, “He’ll be gey wroth, Jonah will.”

“Hush,” Claud said. “I want tae hear who’s going tae take his place.”

Others were murmuring too, but when the chief turned toward them and raised his hands, the Great Chamber fell silent.

Solemnly, he said, “Inasmuch as we banished the great shape-shifting wizard, Jonah Bonewits, from our High Circle only tae
see him commit many more o’ his grave misdeeds, we find now that he has rendered himself subject tae final banishment from
the Secret Clan. Therefore, someone new must take his seat in our Circle, and we ha’ all cast our votes—all, that is, save
one.”

Turning slightly, he said, “Maggie, your vote will decide it, because our rule be plain. Tae seat a new member, our vote must
be unanimous. The nominee be a member o’ your own Good Neighbor tribe, who has demonstrated the great powers and wisdom required
for membership in the Circle. With his very existence at stake, he put the welfare of others ahead o’ his own, and risked
all, even though he had nae reason tae believe he would succeed. His success freed many from unhappy spells, making it possible
for them tae live productive lives again in our world.”

“Sakes, who can that be?” Claud muttered.

“Hush,” Catriona said, sitting forward so as not to miss a word. Her hand was on his knee, gripping hard, and he felt himself
stir in response as he always did.

But he forgot his lust when the chief said, “What say ye, Maggie?”

“D’ye no mean tae tell me the name o’ this paragon?”

“Aye, I’ll tell ye,” the chief said, smiling warmly. “’Tis your own son, Brown Claud, o’ course. Look around ye, lass.” He
raised his hands again, and the blackness in the Chamber lightened, revealing a host of cheering wee folk.

Claud sat stunned, unable to think or move. Then he saw an old friend, Lucy Fittletrot, dancing toward him with her father,
Tom Tit Tot, close behind.

“Sakes, lass, I thought the pair o’ ye had vanished forever,” he said to her.

“We might well have,” she said, “for Jonah sent me tae the distant land where he had already sent me dad tae live in a cage
whilst he fiddled for folks what wear long black plaits down their backs. They were kind folk, but we couldna speak or sing,
Claud, and I couldna dance anymore. I’m that glad tae be back.” Shyly, she looked at Catriona, adding, “Prithee, dinna be
wroth wi’ me for speaking tae him.”

Leaving her hand possessively on Claud’s knee, Catriona smiled graciously. “Welcome home, Lucy,” she said.

“Step forward, Brown Claud.”

“Sakes,” he muttered, “they must ha’ made a mistake. I’m nobbut a dobby. Wha’ I did tae Jonah were nobbut a crazy thing.”

“Go on, silly,” Catriona said, giving him a push. “The Circle never makes mistakes. Just look at Maggie.”

He did, and the next thing he knew he was standing beside her and the chief was settling a long black, hooded robe over his
shoulders. It felt heavy, and the thought of the responsibilities that came with it nearly overpowered him.

He looked in panic at Maggie. “I canna do it, mam,” he muttered.

“Pish tush,” she snapped. “Take your rightful place, lad, and dinna talk so much.” Then, as he moved to obey her, she reached
to touch his cheek, adding in a voice choked with sudden tears, “Ye’ve done yourself proud, Claud, and ’tis me own belief
ye’ll be the best o’ our lot.”

T
he return to Mute Hill House was swifter than Anne had expected, for although Willie’s reivers had stayed to disperse Eustace’s
men, there were still the men from Dunsithe to accommodate, as well as Eustace himself and Willie, the latter having insisted
he had a duty to present himself to Olivia and assure her that Fiona was well. With such a large party, they had no need to
move silently or by moonlight alone. Myriad torches made their path clear for all to see.

Anne rode beside Kit, with Fin Mackenzie and Patrick MacRae behind them, but they had not ridden far before Willie drew up
near Kit and said, “Beg pardon, sir, but may I ha’ leave tae exchange a word or two wi’ her ladyship?”

Kit’s eyebrows shot skyward. “Have you aught to say to my lady that you cannot say in front of me?” he demanded.

“Nay, nay, but the track be too narrow tae ride three abreast.”

“Very well, but talk fast. I’ve no wish to share her company more tonight.”

Willie nodded, but Anne noted that he eyed her warily. “Do you fear that I’ll snap your head off, you villain?” she said.
“You deserve it.”

“Aye, or worse,” he said. “I hear ye shot that pistol right out o’ the man’s hand when he were about tae murder our Kit.”

“What have you done with Fiona?”

“I’ve married her, that’s what,” he said. “Fell in love wi’ her the first moment I clapped me eyes on her, and she says she
felt the same. I’m sorry we couldna tell ye, but we feared ye’d tell Lady Carmichael. I’m no looking forward tae seeing her,
I can tell ye, but Fiona made me promise tae tell her all’s well.”

“Where is Fiona?”

“Wi’ me uncle and some half dozen cousins at Manger-ton, happy as can be. Me cousins canna stop staring, because o’ her beauty,
but she doesna pay them heed, other than tae laugh and treat them as if she’d been there forever.”

“Yes, that is exactly how she is when she is happy,” Anne said. “She has not an ounce of vanity in her. She said once that
people never see the real Fiona, only the way she looks. I’m glad she is happy, Willie. Thank you for telling me, and thank
you, too, for all the help you provided tonight.”

“Sakes, I told ye, mistress. I owe me life tae Kit. I’d never ha’ let him down, not even for Fiona. Nor, tae the lass’s credit,
would she ha’ let me.”

The rest of the ride passed without incident, and they arrived at Mute Hill before the sun arose. If they had hoped to go
straight to bed, however, that was not to be, for Malcolm met them at the door and, taking in the increased size of their
party with evident astonishment, informed them that Olivia had given strict instructions to be awakened upon their return.

Anne sighed, looking helplessly at Kit.

“I’ll be glad to deal with her ladyship, if you will allow me,” Tam said.

“I’ll go with you,” Eustace said curtly, moving to stand beside him.

“Look here,” Tam said, “you don’t mean to continue with that nonsense about Kit being a murderer, do you, because both Willie
Armstrong and I can testify to the truth, which is that he never killed anyone.”

Eustace glowered but said, “I must accept the word of the Earl of Armadale, as I am sure the authorities would, but I’ll not
give you free rein with Olivia.”

“Her ladyship will not agree to see either of you just now,” Malcolm said, barring their way and looking haughtily from one
to the other. “She desires only to speak to Lady Anne.”

“Then she will have to inform Lady Anne’s husband,” Tam said. “As for you, Malcolm Vole, I have been given to understand that
you harbor inappropriate thoughts toward your mistress. Perhaps you should know that I am not merely Lord Berridge, as I told
you, but also have the honor to be the present Earl of Armadale, and as such, I am head of Lady Carmichael’s family.”

“Can this be true?” Malcolm demanded, looking from Eustace to Kit.

Tam said sharply, “Do you doubt my word, clodpoll? Faith, but if you do not mend your ways, I promise you, you will be seeking
employment elsewhere. Now, take me to her ladyship.”

“Well, well, so ye’ve returned, have ye,” Sir Toby bellowed from the hall entrance. “I warrant Olivia will make ye smart for
running off like ye did, Anne.”

“Lady Carmichael has no further authority over my wife,” Kit said, but Anne noted that despite his firm tone, he was staring
at Toby as if the man were a ghost.

“Olivia won’t let lack of authority trouble her,” Toby said in his cheerful way.

“Here, now, you come with us, Toby,” Tam said to him. “You and Eustace and I can have a game of Cent after I speak to Olivia.
Oh, and I should perhaps tell you I was not entirely candid with you before about my identity. You see… ”

As he hustled Toby and Eustace into the hall, his voice fading in the distance, Anne said, “What is it, Kit? Why did you look
so oddly at Toby?”

“I don’t know,” he said. “I feel as if there is something wrong with his being here, but I cannot put my finger on what it
is.”

As he said the words, she had a niggling feeling that she, too, had forgotten something, but the sensation disappeared when
Kit took her arm and urged her toward the stairs.

Upstairs, they found that someone had tidied Kit’s bedchamber. Candles flickered in wall sconces and in the candle holder
on the bed-step table, and a fire crackled cheerfully in the fireplace.

“Malcolm must have sent someone up the moment we rode in,” Anne said. “Trust that man to butter his bread on both sides.”

“He’s lucky he does not serve me,” Kit said. “I’d most likely kick him down the stairs at least once a day and take a stout
switch to his backside once a week.”

“How fierce you sound,” she said, smiling at him. “For my part, I do not think your temper is nearly as vicious as you have
claimed, sir.”

“You’ll soon learn your error if you continue to behave as you did tonight,” he said, putting his hands lightly on her shoulders.
“That cloak is too big for you.”

“It’s yours,” she said.

“I know.”

She would have said more, but the look in his eyes silenced her. Suddenly, she was unsure of his mood, although her body remembered
only his touch, and every cell in it called to him.

He reached for the strings at her neck, loosening them and pushing the cloak off her shoulders to the floor. “Are those my
netherstocks, too, and my shirt?”

“Aye,” she said, feeling more vulnerable now than she had with the cloak covering her, and much more vulnerable than she had
ever felt in woman’s dress.

“Why did you wear my clothes?”

“They were easier than my own to put on in a hurry, and … and I’d already decided to ride as the Black Fox,” she said, rushing
the last words. “I… I’m not sure why I did, but it seemed the best thing to do.”

“I suppose I should be grateful that you did not cut eyeholes in the hood so you could wear it like a mask over your face.”

His hands moved to the strings of the shirt she wore, and without speaking further, he untied the bow she had tied. The shirt
opening was so large on her that he was able to push it off her shoulders the same way he had pushed the cloak. With a hushing
whisper, it slid to the floor too, leaving her clad in only her thin shift, his baggy netherstocks, and her boots.

“Stand still,” he ordered as he bent to one knee in front of her.

“What are you going to do?”

“Teach you to obey your husband,” he said. “Lift your right foot.”

Her body had come alive, tingling and aching for him, the moment he had touched the cloak strings, but now it grew wary as
well. It occurred to her belatedly, as she obediently raised her foot, that although she had trusted her instincts from the
outset where he was concerned, and her instincts had never led her wrong before, she did not really know this husband of hers.
His temper could prove to be as volatile, unpredictable, and violent as he had said it was, and he could be about to strip
her naked and beat her soundly for daring to ride to his rescue.

“Now the other one,” he said gruffly.

She obeyed without a word, but when he pulled off her boot only to continue to hold her foot, stroking it lightly and gazing
at it as if he had never seen a foot before, she put both hands in his thick hair and pulled hard.

“What the—!” He dropped her foot but grabbed both hands and forced her to release her grip on his hair as he rose to face
her, looming over her. “Do you know what you deserve?” he demanded.

“Aye,” she said, planting her hands on her hips and giving him look for look.

He opened his mouth and shut it again as his gaze moved down her body.

She stayed as she was, waiting.

He did not touch her, and when his gaze returned to her face, he said in a tight voice, “What, then? Tell me what you deserve.”

“To go to bed without my breakfast,” she said with a seductive smile.

He reached for her then, pulling her into his arms and holding her tight. “Anne-lassie, I think I’ll keep you,” he murmured
against her curls.

“Take me to bed, Kit,” she murmured back. “I would learn more about this business of being married.”

Requiring no further invitation, he picked her up and carried her to the bed. “You still have much to learn about obedience,”
he said, smiling mischievously as he set her down. “Take off my clothes.”

“The ones I’m wearing or the ones you are?”

He shook his head at her. “Clearly, I have much work to do to turn you into an obedient wife,” he said, reaching for her feet.
Before she realized his intent, he had grabbed the ends of the netherstocks she wore and yanked them off. “Now,” he said,
“will you take off that shift, or must I do that, too?”