Claimed By A Charmer (The Pith Trilogy) (27 page)

“Listen, I have to tell you the
truth.” Douglas’ brows furrowed, his scowl grew fierce.

“All right, what?”

“My father revealed why he feuded
with your clan. My mother was taken from her wedding by your father, and when
she was returned to Laird Kerr, she was carrying me.”

“Are you saying that my father … that
you’re my …”

“Thomas was incensed because he
loved Marykate. He tried to get her to forget your father, but she loved him
too much, and she killed herself rather than be wed to him.”

“My father didn’t love her. He only
did it to irk Thomas. He told me so. I’m sorry he used your mother. You have
every right to hate us.”

“How can I? Your father was my
father, yet I despise him for what he did. He’s dead and can’t change those
facts, can he?”

“Nay, I suppose not.”

“I will no longer feud with you. I
tried to set your keep to rights since it was my fault Morna came here. She
cursed me, my life darkened the day I walked away from her door.”

“That witch really drugged me? When
she came here, I was so taken with her. She was lovely, and when she stated
that she denied you and wanted me … I guess I was too swayed by her beauty to
realize what she was up to. I did hate you for the raids, and wanted revenge. The
revenge was on me, though.”

“Thomas told me not to continue the
feud. He didn’t want me to go against you because of your, our uh … father, but
I didn’t listen because I was too angry.”

“I’d be, too. I’m sorry about what
he did to your mother. I do think my father cared for her, even though he said
he didn’t. He mentioned her a few times, but he must not have known about you. He
never mentioned ye.”

“Laird Kerr sent me away so he
wouldn’t find out about me. I was away most of my life.”

“This is all astonishing, Douglas. I
must admit that when I offered for Candace’s hand, I was trying to end the
feud. I know she loves Wills. Oh, God, Wills. She drugged him, too. He’s in the
old tower.”

“Don’t worry about him.”

“Is he all right?”

“Aye, but he hasn’t come out of it
yet. He’s being attended to.”

“I can’t thank you enough for … I
feel …” Irving lowered his eyes, sighing.

Douglas smiled for the first time
since he entered the room. “There’s no need to explain, I know you didn’t mean
for all this to happen. It was her. Still, you should be careful who you woo in
the future.”

Irving’s lips curled slightly at
his jest. “I’ll take that into consideration. I just remembered Rachel. Oh, and
Nigel, he came here, hoping I could find the Scot who took his sister from an
asylum. Rachel told him about a lady named Isabel, at your keep.”

“Rachel is safe at my keep. Morna
beat her. It’ll take awhile for her to heal. As to Nigel, he’s dead for the
harm he caused his sister. He was Isabel’s brother. She’s my wife.”

Irving grew somber. “Rachel was beaten?
Sweet Rachel. Will you tell her I … never mind, I’ll tell her myself. I didn’t
know you had married, Douglas, or that Nigel’s sister was at your keep. Seems I
caused you a lot of grief.”

He nodded then filled him in on the
details of his clan matters. When Douglas left, he felt a weight lifted from
his shoulders. He felt downright glad he’d come after all.

*****

All Douglas wanted was to go home
to his wife. He missed Isabel and knew he had to make amends. He despaired
because she’d been so overwrought about the girls. Irving came out of his
stupor, assessed his home, and commented on the changes. Douglas went over the
list of things that still needed to be done. Irving seemed determined to do
right by his people and spent time reassuring them that he was concerned for
their welfare. He added more men to the task of reinforcing the walls and
upkeep of the buildings. Many had deteriorated in the last two years, since he
came under Morna’s spell. Irving kept muttering about how foolish he felt at
the ramifications his home suffered because of her.

Tavish rode down the hill. “Wills
is awake, he asked for ye, Douglas.”

He walked back up the hill and went
straight to Wills’ chamber. Wills looked pale and didn’t have the resolve to
move from the bed. His eyes looked somewhat cleared of the opiate and his back
came off the bedding when he entered.

“Relax, Wills, I’m here to see to
your safety.”

Wills lay back against the pillow. “I
feel awful. Why am I at the Dunmore’s?”

Irving entered the chamber and took
a chair. “It seems I was involved with a sorceress that drugged us both. I did
many things that I regret. I can’t blame you if you declare war and …”

“I was drugged?”

“You’ve been in a stupor for
weeks.” Douglas leaned on his knee.

Wills leaned forward and grabbed
Irving’s tunic. “I’ll kill you, you son-of-a-whoreson.” He pulled back his arm
and positioned his fist.

“Wait, don’t be angry with him. He’s
tried to set everything right.” Douglas pulled his hand from Irving’s tunic.

“How can you pardon him? Cosh, I
don’t understand any of this.”

“He’s my brother, Wills. I can’t
let you retaliate. He didn’t know she was out to destroy him because of me.”

Wills closed his eyes, taking a
deep breath. When he looked at them again, he nodded.

“I want peace amongst us. Our clans
will be united when you wed Candace. I can’t have you warring against her
stepbrother.”

“Why the hell not?”

The men laughed, and the mood
lightened. “Speaking of weddings, yours is next week.”

Douglas had forgotten about Will’s
father. He realized that he would have to tell him. Obviously, Irving had no
recollection of the event because he hadn’t mentioned it.

“Wills, I do have ill tidings to
impart, your father is dead.” He waited for his shout, watching his reaction.

Wills lowered his head, nodding. “I
know, I remember killing him.”

“You killed him?”

“Aye, at the time I didn’t know
why. I wasn’t myself. We argued about allying with the Dunmores. Irving
insisted we form an alliance. I recall him yelling, and I punched him in his
face. He fell, I remember him lying on the ground bleeding, unmoving.”

“Was Morna with you?”

“It was just the two of us. We went
to do a spot of hunting early, before we returned home.”

“It’s Gil’s contention that he died
from being stabbed, but he imbibed the same drug, as you and Irving. Because he
was aged, he couldn’t handle it. Gil said the stabbing killed him, but the drug
aided. He died peacefully, with little pain.”

“How is that possible? I remember punching
him and seeing my dagger going into … and then I staggered away.”

“You’re not responsible for his
death, she was. Don’t take on the guilt.”

Wills swallowed, looking at both of
them.

“Candace has been a wreck. She’s
been crying for weeks. Is there anything you want me to relay when I return
home?”

Wills thought for a moment and
nodded. “Aye, tell her … tell her that I will return for her. I always say that
to her when I depart, it’s my way of reassuring her that I care for her.”

Douglas smiled. “All right, I’m
leaving today. I miss my wife and I know she’s been giving my soldiers hell. I
will see you next week for the wedding. Irving, take care of him.”

Irving nodded and walked him out. Douglas
gained his horse’s back and was finally going home. All was well with the
Dunmores and Wills was on his way to recovery. Now he could return home to
confront his wife and mend her broken heart. He grew grim. How the hell was he
going to do that? He had no notion, but he’d figure it out.

On the way home, Douglas received
word from Cedric that a band of Sassenach soldiers were seen riding on his
land. They camped an hour’s ride from his keep. He and his sentries were met by
the tips of swords. He wasn’t concerned, because he knew who they were. One man
in particular, drew his gaze. The young man, practically still a lad, gave
orders to the men.

“Nathaniel?”

The light-red-haired man frowned,
stepping forward. “Who are you?”

“Douglas Kerr. Tell your men to
withdraw. If you don’t, my men will take offense. I might not be able to get
them to regress.”

He took a step forward, and Douglas
smiled at his bravery. Nathaniel resembled Isabel, with his hair coloring and
eyes.

“This is my land that you’re
squatting on, without permission, I might add.” Douglas stepped forward;
Nathaniel stepped backward. Douglas towered over him by at least a half a foot.
The lad had some sense.

“Put down your weapons.” They
followed Nathaniel’s order.

Douglas smiled at their sound
rationale. “I must speak to you in private. It concerns your sister and
brother.”

“What about my sister and brother?”

“Your sister is my wife. I married
her to keep her safe from Irving and Nigel, but she …”

“You married her, without
permission from our father?”

“Damned right I did. Your father is
a bastard, sending her to that asylum. I rescued her twice from that evil
place.”

“It was you?”

“Aye, it was me.”

“Is she well? I’ve been concerned
for her.”

Douglas hesitated. “She’s healthy,
but her spirit has taken a fall. I hope you will be able to get her to come to
reason.”

“What happened?”

“I thought she was happy being
married to me. She was for a while, before Nigel took her back to the asylum. When
I rescued her, she wanted me to bring all the girls back home with us. I
couldn’t. She got angry and has been irked with me since. I had to attend to a
matter concerning my brother and yours. She’s probably thinking of ways to do
me in. I don’t know how to get her over her anger.”

“My sister is stubborn, always has
been. What can I do?”

“Mayhap if she sees you, it would
at least cheer her. Which reminds me, why are you here?”

“I wanted to see what Nigel was up
to. He didn’t return. I expected news, but no word came. We followed and saw
your men. I was concerned about Issy.”

“Your brother was evil. He uh … I’m
sorry to tell you, lad, but he’s dead.”

Nate shouted, and not with sorrow.

“I had a run-in with him, and had
to kill him. He would have hurt Isabel if he had gotten his hands on her
again.”

“Aye, he would have. I owe you a
tremendous debt, Laird Kerr.”

“If you get Isabel to cheer, then
I’ll be repaid.”

Douglas filled Nate in on the
events on their way to the holding. All the tension in the last weeks subsided
when he spotted his home in the distance.

Isabel was tense now that Douglas returned.
She avoided him as much as possible, and wouldn’t even listen when he tried to
talk to her. Candace was worried about Wills and that he wouldn’t make it in
time for the wedding. Isabel straightened the pleat of the MacIver plaid, and
then brushed the length of Candace’s hair for the hundredth time.

“Will you stay still? I can’t get
this done if you keep moving around.”

“He’s not here. What if he doesn’t
come?”

“You’re making me daft, Candace. He’ll
be here. You’ve at least another hour.”

“What would I do without you? Have
you and Douglas reconciled yet?”

“I’ll not discuss your brother. I
want to be happy for you this day.”

“All right, my but you’re adamant. It
breaks my heart to see you so melancholy.”

“Well, my heart is broken, Candace.
What can I do about it?” Isabel yanked her hair gently and wound it up.

“He loves you. Talk to him and let
him make amends. You haven’t spoken to him since he returned six days ago.”

“Nay, and I shan’t. He doesn’t love
me, Candace, if he did, he would know what to do to make amends. I wish you
would let it go.”

Lady Kerr entered the chamber,
smiling at them. She wiped a tear away. “You both look bonny. Your men will be
eyeing you with longing.”

“Oh, Mother, don’t make me laugh. If
I do, I fear I might tear the seam in my gown. I’m going mad waiting for Wills
to arrive. Has he come yet?”

“He’s with Douglas downstairs. Douglas
is probably giving him advice on wedded bliss.”

Isabel laughed coarsely, and
Shelagh turned to look at her.

“Candace, fetch that beautiful silk
ribbon I’ve been saving. It’s in the chest by the hearth, I think. Anyway, it’s
in one of the chests. Find it, and bring it back. We’ll use it to fasten
flowers in your hair.”

She ran to do her mother’s bidding.
Once alone with Isabel, Shelagh walked to stand beside her and placed her arm
on her shoulder.

“You seem detached, Isabel. Are you
up to something?”

“I don’t know what you speak of. I
must go down, and await the ceremony.” She walked away, but Shelagh stopped her.

“Think you, I don’t know when
you’re skulking? The etching is completed. Why don’t you show it to Douglas? He’ll
know your feelings then. It will make everything right.”

“I’m not sneaking about. I’m
thinking how much I’ll miss Candace when she leaves. I’ll not show Douglas the
etching. I wish now that I hadn’t done it. It was a mistake.”

“Mistake? What better way to show
Douglas that you care for him?”

“Don’t say a word to him. He will
never see it, I can promise you that.”

“Isabel, you’re married, he’ll be
seeing it.”

“He’ll not see it ever.” Isabel had
enough of her mother-in-law’s talk and left the chamber.

Isabel had lost her patience. She
had waited long enough for Douglas to concede and retrieve the girls from the
asylum. Her faith in Douglas grew thinner by the day, and when she received his
note saying he would be two more weeks at the Dunmore’s, and then he returned
home, and was more concerned about Candace’s wedding than rescuing the girls—the
little faith she had dwindled to nothing.

Isabel made certain she saw her
friend say her vows, and as soon as the wedding was over, she quickly departed.
Given Douglas’ mood of late, she was sure he would not note her absence.

She rode swiftly in the direction
she’d been given. It had been considerably simple getting information from the
young soldier. Now that she’d seen Candace wed, she would keep her promise to
save the girls.

Douglas hadn’t cared how she felt,
and she’d be damned if she would live with him when he didn’t love her. Why had
he married her then? Her dignity suffered at his rejection. As she rode along,
she slowed her mount, seeing a gleam of shield reflections in the distance. Bravely
she rode ahead, telling herself not to be afraid. When she came upon them, she
pulled her mount short. The warriors looked like demons in the night; they
stood staring as though they’d seen a ghost.

“‘Tis a bean-sith,” she heard one
man say.

The men sank to their knees,
placing their hands over their hearts.

She thought they’d gone mad. “Please,
rise, gentlemen. I’m Isabel Calvert… ah, Kerr, and I want to be taken to the
keep.”

“Lady Kerr. Douglas’ lady?”

Isabel nodded. A soldier grinned at
her, showing his white teeth in the dark. The men regained their mounts. Her
relief was so great, she relaxed. They reached the holding in short time. She
slid off her horse and was led inside. The keep was much larger than the Kerrs
and seemed enchanted. She walked inside and saw a woman standing beside Father
Tomas. She stopped just as she reached them.

“Lady Kerr, what are you doing
here?” Father Tomas asked nervously. Isabel couldn’t speak. She grabbed his
vestments and cried sorrowfully. He seemed shocked by her behavior and tried to
calm her by patting her shoulder. Lady Julianna looked stunned, too.

“Who is this, Father?”

“This is Douglas’ wife, er, Lady
Isabel. I don’t know why she’s here, but she appears troubled.”

“It seems so.” Julianna took pity
on her, and led her to the table. “Sit and rest a moment.”

Isabel glanced at her and started
crying again, even louder.

“Come, I know Douglas well, and
surely he hasn’t made you so forlorn,” Julianna said.

“I’m so sorry to have come here. I
know you are distressed about your daughter’s disappearance. I don’t mean to trouble
ye, but I didn’t know where else to go.”

“I’m sure we can help, if you would
tell us what’s wrong.”

“I’ve come to see Father Tomas
about …” Isabel sighed. “Well, you might think I’ve gone crazed, but I must
tell you all from the start.” Isabel motioned for Father Tomas to sit. They
listened quietly as she told them, event to event, of the happenings since
she’d met Douglas two years ago.

“… and then he left them there. Those
poor girls left to die, or tortured by Friar Whickham and the babies, who knows
what happens to them. I have to go back even if I must do so alone. Please,
help me, Father.”

Father Tomas looked to Julianna. “Of
course, we’ll help ye.”

“You’ll not be able to rescue
anyone in your condition, Isabel. I’ll take you to a chamber. Father Tomas and
I will think of something. In the meantime, you will try to rest. You look too
pale to me.” Julianna helped her to stand.

Isabel wasn’t about to reject an
order. The lady was so kind, and she tried to comfort her, when Isabel knew she
had her own sorrow. She should be comforting her.