Devil of the Highlands (24 page)

Cullen had just stepped out of the solar when a sound by the stairs made him pause and swing back. His eyebrows rose with alarm when he saw Biddy stepping onto the landing and bustling toward him, obviously headed for her room.

Once safely inside Biddy's room, Evelinde leaned against the wall with a little sigh. This sneaking about business was all rather worrying.

Grimacing, she peered around the room, only to glance nervously toward the door as she thought she heard the murmur of voices from the hall. No doubt it was Gillie and Rory, or Tavis and Fergus, or perhaps some other combination of the men, sent up to guard her, Evelinde thought, then frowned as she realized that she had trapped herself nicely. With the men in the hall it would be impossible to leave unnoticed. That gave her pause.

Why hadn't she considered that when she'd had this brilliant idea?

Sighing, Evelinde glanced back to the room. There was little she could do about the men now. She was here and might as well look around. If, by some chance, she did find something in the room to help sort out the past and what was happening now, Evelinde wouldn't care if the men saw her leaving the room and knew she'd been searching it.

That was her greatest hope at the moment. She was determined to resolve this matter. So far she'd gotten lucky and survived these attempts on her life relatively unscathed, but Cullen could have been seriously injured or even killed trying to save her from the fire, and she would not see the man in such a situation again. She loved him. And he loved her.

A small smile curved her lips. "I love ye," he'd said like he was saying he liked her hair. Leave it to her husband to announce it like he was telling her the time of day. The man was definitely not a romantic, but she could live with that. She could even live with his distressing refusal to speak much. However, she didn't think she could live without him in her life. Evelinde found she'd begun to depend on his silent strength and consideration.

She also had no desire to die before enjoying their love for a while… and perhaps having a babe or two. A little Cullen would please her. She would enjoy watching him grow into as fine a man as his father. Hopefully, her influence would make him a little more talkative, she thought with amusement, then turned her attention to the room.

What had Maggie discovered? Evelinde wondered as she peered around the chamber. It was a much smaller room than the one she shared with Cullen. There also wasn't much in it. A bed was pressed up against the far wall. There was a small table next to it with a half-used candle in an iron holder on it, and there was a bow and a quiver of arrows leaning up against one of three large chests against the wall at the foot of the bed.

Evelinde moved farther into the room, intending to start with the chests, but then paused and moved to the bed, some instinct making her kneel to peer under it. Despite having thought to look there, she was surprised to see something in the shadows underneath. Reaching in, she grabbed what felt like a leather bag and tugged it partially out, frowning when she saw that it was merely another quiver of arrows. Evelinde was about to push it back under the bed when she noticed the fletching on the arrows. Pausing, she drew it back out and examined them more closely. Each one was a combination of white and darker feathers in an alternating pattern. Just like the arrow in the chest in the chamber Evelinde shared with her husband. The one covered with dried blood, she recalled, and wondered what that might mean. It seemed obvious the arrow in the chest in their room was probably from this quiver.

But why was it in the chest, and whose blood was on it?

Shrugging the problem away for now, she slid the arrow back into the quiver and returned it under the bed, then stood and moved over to the second quiver leaning against one of the chests. A quick glance proved that the fletching in those arrows was all made up of darker feathers, probably goose, she thought. That was what was most commonly used.

Evelinde wasn't sure what the white feathers came from. Her guess would be that they were swan feathers, but those were rare to be found in an arrow. Not unheard of, but rare. At least they were in England. She wasn't surprised that Cullen's aunt had a bow and arrows. Biddy had mentioned that she liked to hunt for animals for her pot on occasion. It did surprise her that she had two different sets of arrows, however.

Shrugging that aside, Evelinde turned her attention to the chests. She knelt before the first one and opened it to find that it looked to be full of gowns. She quickly rifled through the clothing inside, doing her best not to disarrange the gowns too much and give away that they'd been searched. It slowed her down a little, but Evelinde wasn't yet sure that Biddy was guilty of anything and didn't wish to upset her unnecessarily… at least, not until she was sure.

When clothes were all she found in the first trunk, Evelinde eased the chest closed again and stood to move in front of the next of the three. The first held linens and pillows and other such items, but nothing more than that. Disappointed, she closed it and turned to the last chest. The moment she opened it, Evelinde let her breath out on a little sigh. This one immediately showed more promise. It held items obviously belonging to a male, Darach's things, she supposed, but more importantly, there was a stack of letters at the bottom of the chest.

Evelinde lifted them out and began to open them, feeling guilty for invading Biddy's privacy as she did but determined to learn what she could. There were many letters. Evelinde went through them quickly, but had nearly reached the bottom of the pile before she came across letters between Jenny and Biddy. She slowed then and actually began to read them.

The first letter was simply about Jenny's planned visit to Donnachaidh. Jenny had been excited at the prospect of seeing her older sister. It seemed Jenny had never been to Donnachaidh and Biddy's own visits back to her childhood home of MacFarlane, had been few and far between. Both seemed happy at the prospect of seeing each other.

The second letter was more of the same, but had been written much closer to the actual trip and the young woman's excitement and anticipation nearly leapt off the page.

It was the last note, however, that made Evelinde sit back on her heels to read more carefully rather than merely skim it. It was the last letter Jenny had ever written and the tone was much much different from the others. That Jenny had been weary and unhappy and the note was to tell Biddy that she was about to kill herself and why.

Evelinde let her breath out slowly as she closed the letter. It was poignant and sad and so full of betrayal and hopelessness that tears had welled in her eyes as she'd read it. Closing the chest, she got wearily to her feet, and tucked the letter into her pocket. She had to talk to Biddy, and this time she wouldn't let the older woman avoid answering her questions.

Cullen stared at Biddy, watching her lips move as she spoke, but not really hearing her. He was too busy trying to figure out how to keep her from continuing on to her room. He'd managed to forestall her by asking if she had any suggestions on how he could remove the burn marks on the solar floor. Biddy had followed him back into the solar and been talking ever since. But he knew she would stop giving her various suggestions soon, and he would have to find another way to keep her from going into her room.

"That should work," Biddy finished finally, then glanced briefly toward the corner of the room where the wooden chandelier used to hang before forcing her gaze away and turning to the door. "I should return to the kitchens. I was just going to my room for a clean apron. Cook says we are out of pasties, and I thought I'd bake up a fresh batch."

"Nay," Cullen said firmly, stepping in front of her when she went to walk around him.

Biddy paused, eyebrows rising. "Nay?"

"Nay," he repeated, searched his mind frantically, then blurted, "I'm wanting ye to come to Comyns with me today."

"Comyns?" she asked with surprise.

"Aye. Someone's trying to kill me wife, and I'm wanting to get to the bottom of it. I need some questions answered about Jenny and Darach, and I hope that between you and Ellie Comyn, I can get those answers."

Biddy's head went back as if he'd slapped her. She also paled sickly. She didn't say a word, however, but hurried around him and out into the hall. Eyes wide with alarm, Cullen followed, but the woman moved surprisingly quickly for her age. She'd crossed the few steps to the door of her room and opened it before he could grab her back.

Cullen froze as the door slid open, waiting for Biddy to begin yelling, but all she said was, "I'll get me wrap for the trip."

The door closed behind her with a thud, and Cullen hesitated, uncertain whether to open it and go in, but there was no sound from inside to indicate that Evelinde had been discovered. There wasn't even a whisper.

Frowning, he stepped closer to the door, listening intently, and that was how Biddy found him when she opened the door.

Straightening guiltily, he backed away.

"Afraid I was going to try to flee?" Biddy asked dryly as she stepped out of the room, then she shook her head as she donned her wrap and started up the hall toward the stairs. "I'm getting too old to bother with such nonsense, nephew. 'Tis time it all came out."

Cullen stared after her wide-eyed, those words sending a chill down his back. He had always liked his aunt Biddy. The woman made the best damned pasties in Scotland and used to sneak them to him and Tralin when they were younger. But her words just now weren't encouraging. He very much feared there really was something to Evelinde's theory.

Reminded of his wife, Cullen turned back to Biddy's door. Obviously, she'd hidden when she'd heard the door open. Thank God she'd had the sense to do that. He'd get Evelinde out of Biddy's chamber and back to their room before he gave her hell rather than risk his aunt returning and finding them in there. Afterward he would take her below and hand her over to Gillie and Rory to watch with the express order that they were not to let her out of their sight under threat of death… or at least some sort of horrible punishment. He would decide what when he was actually speaking to them, Cullen thought as he reached for the lever on the door.

"Are ye coming or not?"

Cullen let his hand drop and turned to see that his aunt hadn't continued downstairs as expected but had paused at the top and was now waiting impatiently for him to follow. He hesitated briefly, but then decided Evelinde would be safe enough making her way back to their room on her own, especially if his aunt was the culprit, as she seemed to be suggesting.

Turning away from the door, he followed Biddy below. Leaving her to walk to the stables without him, he paused just long enough to tell Gillie and Rory to guard his wife when she came below. And then, before he followed Biddy out to the stables, he explained quickly to Fergus that he was heading to Comyns and that Fergus would be in charge until he got back.

"What is this?"

Evelinde stopped brushing her hair and turned. Her eyes widened with alarm when she saw the paper her maid was taking out of the hanging pocket that was inside her skirt.

"Nothing," she said quickly, setting down her brush and crossing the room to retrieve the letter. Evelinde had returned to the chamber after leaving Biddy's room, grateful to find the hall empty of her usual guard. She'd heard voices from the solar as she'd passed and seen her husband in there talking to Biddy. Wishing to speak with her alone when she confronted her, Evelinde had decided to wash and change before seeking out her explanations, hoping that by then Cullen would have finished the discussion he was having with his aunt and left for his daily duties.

She'd made it safely back to the chamber and been undoing the laces of her gown when Mildrede had entered to help her dress and fix her hair. The maid had frowned at the gown Evelinde was wearing, thinking she was dressing rather than undressing. The woman had immediately begun to help Evelinde undress, chattering the whole while about her thinking to wear the gown from the day before and hadn't she folded and set the gown aside when she'd helped her disrobe last night? The nattering had only gotten worse when Evelinde had confessed that she hadn't even washed yet. Mildrede had then subjected her to a lecture about taking on the heathen ways of these Scots as she quickly got her out of her chemise and over to the basin of water to wash herself.

Evelinde had briefly debated explaining what she had been up to and why she was wearing her gown from the day before, but she really found herself reluctant to reveal what she'd found in her search of Biddy's room, at least until she'd spoken to the woman. She felt she owed her that much at least.

"Shall I put up your hair for you?" Mildrede asked.

Evelinde opened her mouth to say yes, then shook her head instead. She had washed and dressed while Mildrede had tended her clothes but felt her hair was fine down. She couldn't be bothered to take the time to fuss with it. Evelinde was eager to get the talk with Biddy over with.

"Nay, I shall wear it down today, I think."

Mildrede nodded, and said, "Come along then. You need to break your fast."

The letter gripped in her hand, Evelinde allowed her maid to usher her out of the room.

"You are late enough everyone has eaten and gone," Mildrede commented, as they descended the stairs. "Do you wish to eat at the table, or by the fire, where I can keep you company while I embroider?"

Evelinde's gaze slid to the tables where Gillie and Rory sat watching her descend the stairs, then to the two chairs that sat by the cold hearth and didn't even have to think about her answer.

"By the fire with you, but I shall fetch it, Mildrede," she added. "I should like a word with Aunt Biddy anyway,"

Mildrede nodded silently and headed for the chairs by the fireplace as Evelinde headed for the door to the kitchens. She pushed into the steamy room, fully expecting to find Biddy there as usual, but the woman was absent.

"Oh, me lady! Ye'll be wanting to break yer fast."

Evelinde glanced toward the cook and offered a smile. The woman was red-faced and sweating and looking harassed, but then she had looked like this every time Evelinde had seen the woman since her return from her visit. Truly, Biddy appeared to run the kitchens much better than Cook, who seemed forever to be struggling under the burden.

"Go sit yerself down, and I'll send one of the lasses out with something," Cook said, waving her out of the kitchen.

"Thank you," Evelinde murmured, but didn't leave right away, instead pausing to ask, "Where is Biddy?"

Cook frowned and shrugged. "She was talking about making some of her fine pasties when she broke her fast, but hasna been here since. She'll be along betimes, I'm sure."

Nodding, Evelinde backed out of the kitchen and turned away, her gaze sliding to the men at the table. If they had been seated at the table since Cullen had gone below, no doubt they knew where Biddy had gone. At that, she was rather surprised that they had waited below at the tables rather than making their way above stairs to oversee her activity. It made her wonder if her husband had actually listened to her last night when she'd berated him about ordering the men to stay in the same room with her when she had personal things to do such as bathe, use the privy, and such. Cullen hadn't appeared to be listening at the time. He'd merely kissed her until she forgot what she was angry about and distracted her with other lovely diversions.

And then this morning he'd told her he loved her, she recalled, a smile tugging at her lips.

A burst of laughter drew her gaze to the men at the table, and she recalled the task she'd set herself. She needed to find and speak to Biddy, and the sooner the better. Shoulders straightening, she crossed to the tables.

It was no longer just Rory and Gillie. While she'd been in the kitchen, Fergus had joined the two men, and they were all laughing softly at something as she approached.

"Have you seen Biddy?" Evelinde asked once she'd reached them.

The three men turned to peer at her.

"She left the keep just before the laird," Gillie informed her helpfully.

Evelinde was frowning over that when Fergus said quietly, " 'Tis Jenny's day."

She raised her eyebrows, shifting guiltily as she noted his curious gaze on the letter in her hand, then asked uncertainly, "Jenny's day?"

"The anniversary of her sister's death," he explained, his gaze shifting from the letter to her face. "Biddy always goes to take flowers to her grave on this day."

"Oh. Thank you," Evelinde murmured, and turned away, moving toward the chairs by the fire where she'd last seen Mildrede. The woman wasn't there anymore, but she'd left her embroidery behind, so should return soon Evelinde supposed a bit absently, her thoughts on Biddy. Evelinde was eager to talk to the woman, but not so eager she was willing to hunt her down at the cliffs. That was the last place she wanted to meet Cullen's aunt.

His father and first wife had already died there, and Evelinde had no desire to chance making her own the third death on the spot.

She would just have to wait for Biddy to return, Evelinde supposed. Were she foolish enough to go out there and get herself killed, no doubt the blame for her own death would somehow land at Cullen's feet as well, Evelinde thought on a sigh. She paused as she suddenly realized that perhaps she
could
go looking for Biddy at the cliffs. After all, unlike Cullen's father and first wife, she would have Rory and Gillie to escort her. They should be able to keep her safe.

Pleased that she would not have to wait to confront the woman after all, Evelinde turned back to the tables, but her smile faltered when she saw that Fergus was alone at the table now. Her gaze slid to the doors of the great hall in time to see Rory and Gillie slip outside and the doors swing closed.

"Where are Gillie and Rory going?" she asked, moving back to the table.

"I'm no sure," Fergus admitted. "They just asked me if I'd keep an on ye for a few minutes. Why? Is there something ye need?"

Evelinde hesitated, unsure she should risk going out to the cliff with only one man, but then she felt rather silly. Biddy was an old woman. She might have taken Cullen's father by surprise, and might have won out against Maggie by herself, but surely both she and Fergus would be able to manage her?

"I killed Darach."

Cullen reined in sharply and glanced at his aunt at those softly spoken words. They hadn't been riding long and had done so in silence until she'd spoken that confession. The words had come out of the blue and hit him like a stone to the head. He stared at her with incomprehension for a moment, then asked, "Why? Ye loved the man. I ken ye did. Everyone knew it. Ye forgave him every slip with other women, every—"

"Aye well, he finally did something even I could not forgive," she said bitterly.

"Jenny?" Cullen asked, recalling Evelinde's suggestion that morning.

Biddy nodded, sorrow mingling with anger on her face before she turned away to peer over the hills ahead of them. "I didna have any idea at the time. Oh, I knew he flattered and teased her like the others, and perhaps I should have seen, but I never imagined…
My own little sister
." She said the words with bewildered disgust.

"How did ye find out?" Cullen asked quietly.

"I didna until it was too late," she admitted. "I truly thought she'd killed herself rather than marry the Campbell, as everyone else thought. For two weeks I mourned. And all that time, Darach—" She shook her head. "He was so sweet. Always there to comfort me, always murmuring reassuring words that the lass was beyond Campbell's reach now and she was safe at least from that. I truly thought that was the proof of how wonderful he really was despite his wandering ways."

Biddy let her breath out on a little sigh, and added, "And then I found Jenny's letter. It must have been in the solar all that time, but I did not find it until I finally ventured back into the room to find the embroidery I'd been working on before she died. I read what Darach had done… to my own sister! 'Twas bad enough watching him sniffing after every other female around, but my sister?"