The Knight's Temptress (Lairds of the Loch) (44 page)

“What did you mean about learning not to ignore such things?” Lina asked, wondering if, in view of her own recent experiences, she really wanted to know.

Looking toward Ian, who was still dealing with Dougal, Lady Aubrey said, “We’ll talk more about that later, love. But tell me what else
you
feel now.”

“I don’t know exactly what I feel other than relief that Ian defeated Dougal. I’m also relieved that he did not kill him.”

“Why should he not have killed him?” Lady Aubrey asked.

Surprised, Lina said, “Dougal was unconscious. It would have been murder.”

“He was not unconscious when you shouted that Ian must not kill him, love. And Dougal
would
have killed Ian, had he been at Dougal’s mercy so.”

That was true, Lina realized. Not to mention that two very dead bodies already lay on the clearing floor. Might Dougal accuse Ian of murdering
them
?

Meeting her mother’s gaze again, albeit less confidently, she said, “The truth is I don’t know why I cried out, Mam. It just seemed that I must. I thought afterward that it had been just a thoughtless impulse. And so it must have been. I know that Ian is irked with me.”

A twinkle lit her ladyship’s eyes. “He is likely irked about more than that, my dearling. What brought you here?”

Lina felt heat rushing to her cheeks but knew she had to tell the truth.

Meeting that penetrating gaze again, she said, “By my troth, Mam, I saw it all happening. That is, I saw you walking here and someone grabbing you. I saw it four times! And it was always the same… or nearly the same. The first time, I saw you in a room with a chest, reaching into it.”

“You’d better tell me the rest later,” Lady Aubrey said, looking beyond Lina.

When Lina turned her head, her gazed collided with Ian’s, just feet away. She could tell that he was still angry with her, although his face showed no expression.

“Mam and I can fetch your horse, sir,” she said. “I remember where it is.”

“We’ll all go,” he said.

Dougal looked even more disgruntled than usual, but he made no comment. With his hands tied behind him—doubtless securely—Lina knew he must be uncomfortable. And thanks to the hard whacks Ian had given his chin and dirk arm, they must hurt, too. But she had no sympathy to waste on Dougal. A dry voice in her head suggested then that she ought to reserve all her sympathy for herself.

Shaking her head at that unwelcome thought, she caught Ian’s gaze again.

“Do you mean to debate my decision with me?” he asked softly.

Realizing that he thought she meant to quibble over his decision that they would all go to fetch his horse, she shook her head again, more fervently.

“A wise choice, aye,” he said. “Dougal will go first. Walk carefully, my lad,” Ian added. “We would not want you to fall and hurt yourself.”

Dougal gave him a sour look.

Only then did Lina notice that Ian must have found a second rope, because one now tethered Dougal’s ankles, leaving just enough slack between them to walk.

“What about my men’s bodies?” Dougal asked.

“I’ll send someone,” Ian replied, urging him back the way they had come.

Lina did not want to let her mother out of her sight, so she let her go next.

When they were able to walk side by side, though, Lady Aubrey said quietly, “You were telling me about something you saw, dearling, where I was reaching into a chest. Do you recall more of that dream?”

“It was not a dream, Mam. Nor do I think that yours was a dream, either.”

“Were you not asleep?”

Feeling fire in her cheeks again, Lina remembered where she had been the first time and what she and Ian… mostly Ian… had been doing.

“Nay, I was not asleep the first time or the other times. I… I was nearly asleep once, but otherwise I was doing ordinary things. I think…” She glanced at her mother, who nodded encouragingly. “I think you know what happened, Mam.”

“I think so, too,” Lady Aubrey said. “I also think we had better talk about it later, rather than now where we might be overheard. You should discuss the matter with Ian before then.” She jutted her chin slightly but meaningfully toward the men.

Lina saw that, despite Dougal’s rope shackles, the men had moved faster than the women and had stopped some distance ahead. Ian looked impatient.

“We’ll walk faster, Mam,” she said. “But before we catch up with them, tell me what you meant when you said you had learned not to ignore such events.”

Lady Aubrey glanced at her, nodded, and said, “You know the story of your father’s and my departure from Arrochar, with Andrena as a baby, aye?”

“Aye, sure, we have all heard it often.”

“What you do not know is that I had had versions of that vision several times and had simply wondered at them, fearing to tell your father I had seen Arrochar in enemy hands, lest he think I was daft. Sithee, I’d had odd feelings before then that something was right to do, or wrong, or that a decision would turn out well. Such things had all come about as I had sensed they would, but I still had no confidence in what I had felt or ‘seen.’ Only after Pharlain and his followers invaded Arrochar did I realize that I ought to have paid my ‘dreams’ more heed. I told your father at once then, but it was too late to save our three small sons. Had I told him sooner—”

“Mam, no!” Lina exclaimed fiercely. “You must not blame yourself for what happened. My brothers’ deaths are on Pharlain’s head, not yours!”

From what little Ian had seen of Lina’s conversation with her mother by glancing back now and again, he would have liked to hear what they were saying.

First, he had seen Lady Aubrey speaking, then looking intensely interested when Lina replied. And Lina had gone from a thoughtful look to sober speech, but not as if she were defending herself.

That was just as well, too, he decided. If anyone was
going to scold his wife, he would. That right was not one he would let anyone usurp. In truth, he looked forward to it. He had missed the lass sorely. And if he could avoid it, he would not let anyone part them until he had had his say and some private time with her.

Heated desire flowed through him with that last thought.

Glancing back again, he saw Lina speaking with visible passion.

Catching her eye, he gave her a look stern enough to silence her, but when the two women drew near, he said only, “Try to keep up, lass. I want to see what is happening below.”

“We’ll walk faster, sir,” Lady Aubrey said. “After all that turmoil, I wanted to be sure that I was steady on my legs, but I’m fine now.”

Ian didn’t believe she had been unsteady, but he would not contradict her. Scowling at Dougal, he said, “You’ve had enough rest. Move along now.”

“I wish ye joy of your wife, Colquhoun,” Dougal said.

“Take care how you speak of her, you glittous crackraip. She is the reason I nearly killed you and the only reason that you can still walk and talk. Bear that in mind and keep a civil tongue in your head.”

“How is the lady Elizabeth?” Dougal asked dulcetly.

Ian nearly growled but kept silent long enough to remember that Mag was at Bannachra. He said more cheerfully, “Do you know
all
of her ladyship’s brothers?”

“Aye, sure, I ken Patrick Galbraith well. He’s one of James Mòr’s lads and nae threat to me. Nor would Rory Galbraith trouble me.”

“I meant her brother Magnus. Unlike the other two,
Sir Magnus Galbraith is a knight of the realm. He is also much more protective of his sisters than Patrick is.”

“I don’t know the man.”

“You should. He was a prisoner of your father’s for nineteen long months.”

To his satisfaction, Dougal tensed. His face paled. “I do not recall the name.”

“But I think you do,” Ian said. “They called him Magnus Mòr, because the man’s as big as a mountain. I think you remember him gey well. But lest you have forgotten, I’ll reintroduce you to him shortly. He awaits us at Bannachra.”

Ian could not be sure, but it seemed to him that Dougal lost more color.

They were walking downhill, nearing the place where Ian had tethered his mount. Since he did not know what lay ahead of them, he decided to have Lina lead the horse and keep close behind them with her mother.

He had seen no sign of trouble from the hillside. Nor had he heard aught to suggest that the battle had moved nearer. Again, he recalled Pluff’s six men.

“Ye ought to release me now,” Dougal said.

“Should I? Why?”

“I’m expected to be on the other side of yon pass anon.”

“At the Loch of the Long Boats, aye. So you told me. If you are taking this route, you must mean to cross Colquhoun land. I’d advise against that.”

Dougal shrugged. “The people I’m to meet will be south of Craggan. So one must assume they have Colquhoun’s leave to be there. He takes nae sides, but he has taken many a meeting of late with the true heir to the throne. He even invited him to hunt with him, as I told ye before. Sithee, the laird is a gey canny man.”

“He is, aye,” Ian said. “Recall that he is
my
sire. Do you expect me to believe that he treated with James Mòr and gave him leave to cross our land?”

Dougal smiled. “I do not give away royal secrets. Think what ye will, but ye might just ask yourself what purpose James Mòr had in agreeing to yon daft hunt.”

“ ’Tis plain enough to me that he agreed so he could flee before Jamie put Dumbarton under siege and starved him out,” Ian said. “You can ponder the fact that the castle is now in Jamie’s hands again. Or, you might better use your time by deciding how to use any persuasive skills you possess on Sir Magnus Galbraith.”

Dougal opened his mouth and shut it tightly. Looking away, he lengthened his stride so that he nearly tripped on the rope that shackled his ankles. Hearing a snarl from the man, Ian smiled, certain that he had ignited true fear of Mag in him.

Lina willingly led Ian’s horse and was glad that Ian set as fast a pace as he could with Dougal hobbled as he was. She and Lady Aubrey kept close behind the two men, so there was little conversation between them.

When they reached the burn and Ian suggested that the two women take turns riding across, both of them just kilted up their skirts and waded. The cold water felt good to Lina. If some of the pebbles were sharp and the water swift, it was also shallow at the ford and Highland-bred women had leather-tough feet.

From there, the rest of the journey passed quickly. Approaching Bannachra Tower from above, as they did, they could see the tower long before they saw any activity
there. As they were cresting the last rise, Ian stopped just above them to scan the view below, then turned back to them and nodded.

Lina and Lady Aubrey went to stand beside him and the still silent Dougal.

Ian said, “Look yonder.”

Lina’s initial impression was that she viewed a sea of moving men, nearly all of whom were afoot. Since Ian had mentioned his father’s hunting party, her first thought was that most of the hunters must have followed Ian and his men to Bannachra. Then she saw a familiar banner waving in the midst of the milling throng, its device of three black arrows stark against a yellow background.

“Faith, that is my father’s banner, is it not?”

“May the Fates preserve us,” she heard her mother murmur faintly.

“That is Andrew Dubh’s, aye,” Ian said, smiling. “Mag has his own banner from the King—a Galbraith bear’s head backed by MacFarlan arrows.”

Lina knew that. “But my father never leaves Tùr Meiloach, so something dreadful must have happened,” she said. “What else would bring him here?”

“Let’s ask him. He and Mag can decide who will look after Dougal.”

Dougal grimaced, as well he should, Lina thought.

Andrew came beaming to meet them. Passing Ian and Lina, he hugged his lady first. When Lina demanded to know what was amiss, he said it was nowt.

“I saw Pharlain setting out this morning with all three of the galleys he has now at Arrochar. So I gathered men and followed them. Sithee, thanks to all the rumors we’ve heard of mischief against Tùr Meiloach, I thought he
meant such. But he passed us by. Then he passed the place where Magnus came ashore to us.”

“Where
was
he going?” Ian asked. Lina noted that he watched Dougal and that Dougal was looking discouraged. In fact, he seemed more interested in scanning the sea of men in the yard than in paying heed to anything else.