Passion and Plaid - Her Highland Hero (Scottish Historical Romance) (7 page)

“You’ve got a hitch in your heart what can only be
filled by Kenna. But you’ve also got a duty. If you’re not willing to fight for
what you know to be right, then who will be? I ask you that.”

“It’s just...I know you’re right Lynne. I know it
in my bones, in my heart. Being away from her though, it hurts.”

“My friend,” Rodrigo said, coming close and
gripping Gavin’s shoulder. “Do you know how long I was away from Elena? When
the sheriff hired me?”

“No, I-”

“We were married when I was nineteen and she just
past seventeen. There was no...no money, no house, nothing. We barely ate. And
so I went to war. Or I thought it was war, but the Prussians decided not to
fight. So instead I sat, what seemed to be a thousand-thousand miles from her,”
he tilted his head to Elena, “for three years. Then I was with her again for
three months before I answered our friend Sheriff Alan’s call for hired
bodyguards.
Three more
years, Gavin, passed until I was able to bring
her here, and even then I saw her only on the rare occasions that I had the
good luck to see her.”

Gavin looked down to see Elena’s hands wrapped so
tightly around her husband’s arm that God himself couldn’t pull them apart, he
imagined.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I forgot myself.”

“It’s not your fault,” Rodrigo said with a smart
smile. “We can’t help our hearts. We can only make sure they don’t get the best
of us, is all.”

“Yes. Good point. I...suppose I’m going to
Edinburgh, then, to retrieve our catch. I know this isn’t the way you all
expected to hear from me, and I wish it wasn’t so. I wish that the first you
heard from me after leaving was an invitation to my wedding, a note that we
were in Fort Mary safe and sound and waiting for all of you to come and
celebrate the happiest moments of our lives, but-”

“Gavin? Who am I? Who is talking to you right
now?”

“I’m not drunk,” Gavin said with a grin.

“This is John talking to you. You’re my best
friend and unless something’s changed in the last three days, I’m yours. We’re
sworn brothers. You’ve helped me out of more terrible spots than I can count,
and I you. If you got lost on the road to Russia, I’d come and find you. And I
know you’d do the same for me.”

“And I too!” Ben roared, slapping Gavin on the
back. “You’ve made me feel more alive than I thought I ever could!”

“You set my spirit free from the sheriff,” said
Rodrigo. “I’m your man.”

“It’s because of you I found my love,” Lynne said
wrapping her arm around John’s waist. “For that, I owe you everything.”

“You have save my husband,” Elena said, smiling
and getting it close enough to right that Olga didn’t correct her.

“I can’t thank you all enough. I’m...I’m blessed
to call you friends.”

“No,” Olga said in her stern and serious voice as
she caught one of his wrists and squeezed his arm. “You’re blessed to have arms
what like you do. You’ve earned friends like this. Like us.”

M
ornay’s Cleft

August 17, Early Morning

––––––––

K
enna had grown used to the morning haze from the
hills on either side of Mornay’s Cleft. So much so, in fact, that she began to
enjoy the smell of the burning wood. It reminded her of the fires that her Da
and Ma kept burning back at home.

It seemed so far away that she was afraid for a
moment she’d never see it again. A soft knock, getting more insistent the
longer she ignored it, caught her attention and made her shake her head to clear
the dangerous nostalgia.

“Sorry,” she called. “Who is it?”

“Duggan,” the voice answered. “Sorry to bother you
ma’am, but I was just checking to see after you being alright. You were pretty
upset last night when you went up.”

She had been. That much was true. Kenna spent most
of the afternoon into the early part of the evening chatting with the various
people who came and went through the inn’s front room. As Duggan predicted, as
the festival drew near, people from both villages, and many out-of-towners had
begun to fill the inn. She heard accents from Edinburgh, from the port towns on
the east and west sides of Scotland, even a couple from northern England.
Plenty from Duncraig as well, but Kenna was amazed at just how many people
there and from how far they’d come.  

“Sorry, I just got a bit taken in with all the
things happening. The crowd got to me, I think.”

Most of the visitors were tired from the road and
wanting a drink before they went off wherever they were going to sleep for the
night, but a few had talked with her, though the things she learned were
largely useless. One man from Duncraig, for instance, had a lust for a Mornay’s
Cleft farmer’s wife, and it had evidently become well known town-talk for all
the bawdy rhymes that were made at his expense. Another man from the other town
had almost breeched the subject of Mayor Willard when she asked, but as soon as
someone else entered the inn, he closed his mouth, remarking that you never know
how far the spider could feel his web twitch.

That shook her.

The rest of the night she spent talking to Lachlan
and Egan as most of the patrons drank and ate their fills, and went to their
rooms for sleep. But, when she was finally alone with Duggan, she admitted how
she’d not been paying much attention to them after hearing about the way the
townspeople saw the mayor as a spider waiting to prey. He seemed distracted by
something, as though his thoughts were elsewhere, or he was being extra
cautious with his words. He’d not said much, so by the time Kenna went up for
bed, she’d gotten the distinct impression that even though she knew things were
not quite as they seemed, it was really worse than she imagined.

“Miss Moore?”

Pulling at her hair, Kenna answered, “Ach, sorry,
I got lost in thought.”

“Just like my Laura,” he chuckled under his
breath. “Come down when you’re dressed. I’ve got some new sausages for you to
try and...something to tell you before the great crowd arises and needs food to
fill their aching bellies.”

She listened to his heavy footsteps descend the
wooden stairs, thought briefly of home once again, and then of Gavin as she
dressed and touched the thistle about her neck. Something about Duggan’s tone
had unnerved Kenna tremendously. His tone was strange, she thought. All the joy
was gone from his voice; there was none of his normal boisterousness. He
sounded drained of life.

“Place is a damnable mess. But that’s how these
days will be. Canna complain much with all the money I’ll make.”

Kenna pushed an over-turned, empty bottle off a
stool and sat. “How many people came in?”

“This inn has thirty rooms. Almost all of them are
full, and most beds have two people in ‘em. The stables are full of both horses
and men, and you canna take a step
outside
the inn without stepping on
someone. It’ll be this way until the festival’s passed.”

“I hadn’t realized I was hungry until I smelled
that,” she said as Duggan put a pair of sausages into a pan and they sizzled.
“It’s wonderful.”

“They’re the best I’ve ever had. They’ve got
little bits of apple in the sausage.” He tossed a towel backwards over his
shoulder and sliced a piece of black bread off a great hunk of it. “Fried?”

“If it please you. Truth be told, you’ve got me
worried, Duggan,” Kenna said.

“Aye, fried it is. Tea?”

“I was thinking I’d finally relent and try some of
your coffee.” She decided to do that not because she actually wanted any, but
because Duggan had been so insistent that she thought it would make him happy.

“Oh, fine then,” he said. Her plan worked
momentarily at least.

She picked up the tiny cup and sniffed the black
liquid and would have put it down if not for Duggan’s obvious excitement at her
trying it. Touching it to her lips, Kenna took the smallest sip she could
imagine.

“Well?”

“It’s...not as terrible as I imagined. Actually, I
kind of like it. It’s very bitter, but-”

“Here, try this,” he said as he dropped a lump of
sugar in the drink. “Some people like it sweeter.”

“Oh, yes,” she said, laughing. “Much better. I
didn’t expect to enjoy this at all, but something about it is quite nice.”

“Well, good. The sausages are quite nice too, but
there’s something I’ve to tell you before anyone shows up for breakfast.”

“What is it? I noticed you were worried last
night.”

“Aye,” he said, leaning close. “It’s...I found out
more about the burning what goes on every day. As it happens, he’s only burning
scraps.”

“But what about the fires on the hills?”

Duggan shook his head. “That’s grass. He’s burning
off the meadows and so on. Sometimes it gets out of control and goes after the
clumps of wood. But the smell is from burning off bark and scraps. Our mayor
has a secondary business interest.”

“I’m lost,” Kenna admitted.

“He’s selling the wood.”

“What? To who?”

“Someone who is presently in town from down south.
He’s been stockpiling it for quite some time, having it cut to planks, and
ageing it. The man buying it is a shipwright who runs a warehouse based out of Manchester.”

“So not only is he clear cutting everything to
build a plantation, he’s financing a shipping house?”

“Aye. And there’s more, I think. From the way this
fella was talking, Willard may even have stake in the company. He said that our
friendly mayor is selling the wood for next to nothing.”

“But why? Shipping companies are wealthy, surely
they could pay a handsome sum for good wood.”

“She’s a sharp one,” Duggan said, finally grinning
again. “But think of it this way – if he gives it away, ingratiates himself to
some grand shipping company, then maybe it’s an investment in the future, you
see. Another thing I should mention is that the buyer who is in town said he
works for the East India Company.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“Aye, but I am.”

“Why here though? I mean, don’t they have plenty
of ships, plenty of wood?”

“One would think. But word is a new branch of the
Company is opening to specialize in Caribbean trade. Maybe he means to start a
relationship?”

“The Caribbean...” Kenna trailed off. “Pirates,
Jamaica, and all that. Why is the mayor of a little part of Scotland getting involved
in this?”

“I couldna guess. It has occurred to me though
that Willard is trying to get in the Company’s good graces. Mayhap for an
appointment to the board? If he proves that he can run a plantation here, why
couldn’t he run one in Jamaica? Barbados?”

The thought made Kenna shudder. Precious little
news got back to Scotland about the islands, but what she knew, she remembered
from hearing her father speak of it. He was afraid that if the British were
allowed to control Scotland, that it would become “another Jamaica,” he said. “With
the Crown telling everyone what to do, what to think, how to pray.” Ever since,
the thought terrified her, but it hadn’t occurred that someone in a position
like the mayor would be maneuvering to be appointed there.

“It’s... a lot to think about, Duggan.”

“Aye, and it could be much more innocent than all
that. He could just be selling wood and trying to establish a long-term
contract so he sells it cheap. It’s just my nature, I canna imagine that’s all
there is to it. What’s this then?”

The door squeaked open slowly. Duggan announced
that the inn was not yet open, except to let out rooms, but the new entrant
strode forward. She turned to see Rollo, the little man from the courthouse.

“Kenna? Kenna Moore?” He said, ignoring Duggan.

For a moment, hearing her own name, instead of her
assumed one, took Kenna by surprise, and she didn’t answer.

“Wh – why yes. How do you know me?”

“Message from Mayor Steven Marlowe Willard. He
wanted me to put it to your hands directly.” The man had a strange accent that
Kenna couldn’t place. He had a fascinating way of twisting his sounds that made
her think he was from far away. That, and his olive-hued skin, made her think
he was from the south of France.

“Oh, why thank you, I suppose.” She looked to
Duggan, who shrugged. Turning back to the messenger, she couldn’t help her
curiosity and asked, “Where is it you’re from? You have the most lovely voice.”

“Algiers,” Rollo said.

“How wonderful,” Kenna said. “I’ve always wanted
to see the Mediterranean.”

“You have? Most people don’t seem to know about my
home.”

“My father, he insisted that I learn geography
when I was young.”

“Well, I must be going. But I do hope to see you
again soon. And so does Master Willard.”

“Yes, thank you,” Kenna said, entranced by his way
of speaking so greatly that she didn’t grasp what he said.

By the time she thought to ask him, Rollo was
gone, and she saw him disappear into a squat carriage outside her door pulled
by two squat horses.

“Someone has an admirer,” Duggan said. “Might want
to open that thing you’ve been given. I think you’re to have an engagement.”

“An...what? What do you mean?”

Duggan crooked his eyebrow and looked at the
letter. “He brought you a letter, and then told you that Willard hoped to see
you later.”

“Oh, I’m such a fool!” Kenna laughed. “I was so
taken by his bizarre accent that I paid what he said no mind at all.”

“You’re a kind soul. You’re presented with a
hunchback and think only of his accent.”

“I noticed his back, but it just didn’t seem as
interesting as his wonderful voice.”

Duggan just smiled in response, and Kenna slid her
finger under the seal on the note, breaking it off.

She read:

“
Dear Miss Moore, I noticed your presence in my
courtroom the day before this, and have never noticed a traveler taking such
interest in our little village. Moreover, I couldn’t help but notice the young
man with whom you were traveling seemed not to accompany you. Certainly he
didn’t just send a beautiful young woman such as yourself out alone? Perhaps he
was ill.”

“Who does he think he is?” She said to Duggan, who
again shrugged.

“He’s the mayor. He’s got a certain amount of
expected pomposity, I suppose.”

She pursed her lips and continued:

“
As it is so rare that we have guests stay for
any length of time in our town, I’d like to extend an offer for you and your
traveling companion – I’m sorry, your ‘husband’ as you styled him – to attend a
dinner at my home this evening. There are some dignitaries from England with
whom I am meeting, and so I thought it fitting to invite some native
dignitaries as well. Just so you know, the party will run long into the night,
as is my custom.
”

“Dignitary? What is he talking about?”

“There seems to be sarcasm dripping off those
pages, dear Kenna,” Duggan said. “But still, you’ve wanted to find out about
the man. What better way that to sit in his dining room? And what he says is
true. At least I can’t remember the last time we had either English
dignitaries, by who I assume he means the Company buyers, nor regular Scots
stay in this place for more than a day as they passed through. Is there
anything more to it?”

“No,” she said. Her hand took on a tremble so that
the paper audibly shook. “Just a signature and a seal. Oh and he says that a
carriage will arrive just before sunset.”

“A carriage?” Duggan let out a booming laugh.
“Doesn’t sound much like he’s asking, does it?”

“No, I suppose not,” she said, with a heavy sigh.

––––––––

B
ack in her room, Kenna was thankful that Gavin
made her pack the single ball-gown she’d ever owned. She tried to leave it with
everything else, claiming it was too much, too big and they needed to pack
light. But Gavin, being Gavin, packed it in a trunk himself after she’d already
gone to sleep.

Just pulling the green satiny dress with the
intricate skirting and delicate lace-lined sleeves, then slowly unfolding it on
the bed made her think of him all over again.

I thought I’d gotten over this already.
She
smiled through the tears that welled in her eyes. Instinctively her hand went
to her throat and she held her pendant, wishing that instead of putting on her
fancy dress and going to a party to play at solving a mystery, she was on the
road to Fort Mary with her sweet Gavin.

That was all she wanted.

That was all she could think about as she dressed.
She imagined Gavin helping her into her sleeves, and then blushed when she
thought about him helping her out of them and giggled in spite of herself.

Standing in front of the dingy mirror, she
smoothed the soft green fabric down that perfectly played off the bright red of
her hair and the sweet blue of her eyes. With a careful hand, Kenna brushed her
fiery mop just like Olga and Elena had shown her, and pinned it in such a way
that it all at least appeared to be tamed.