Highland Sinner (18 page)

“Can ye remember any of what she said?”

“Aye, most of it, but it will take me a wee while to sort it all out. A lot of it was cursing and bloodcurdling threats against all those who had destroyed her life. She blames everyone else for her misery, as if she was naught but a poor, innocent victim. She doesnae have the soul of a victim,” Morainn said quietly. “I think she was born filled with a rage that just needed a little push to be unleashed.”

“And Tormand pushed?” asked Uilliam. “Nay, I cannae believe that. Tormand doesnae hurt women.”

Morainn was not about to argue that. She knew the young man meant physically and she suspected Tormand also had a kindness in him that would not allow him knowingly to be cruel to a woman. The sad thing was he did not even have to know, did not have to realize in even the smallest way, that something he was doing was hurting someone. In truth, Morainn did not really believe this woman’s feelings were hurt, only her pride. She had wanted Tormand and she had not gotten him. Since she appeared to be incapable of blaming herself for anything, she would naturally see the other women and Tormand as the ones at fault. It could be as simple and as twisted as that.

“He didnae e’en have to ken who this woman was,” Morainn said, after carefully thinking over her words. “The woman is mad. Tormand may never have e’en met her.”

“She loved him from afar?”

There was such a tone of cynical disbelief in Uilliam’s voice that Morainn almost smiled. “There is no love there. There is pride and possession. She decided he was to be hers. The women were the ones standing in her way.”

“Then why does she want Tormand to suffer so?”

“Because he allowed those women to stand in her way; he proved he was naught but a weak mon who thought with what was in his braies and not with what was in his head.” She ignored Tormand’s muttered annoyance and the wide grins of the other men as she took another drink of cider. Visions always left her thirsty and in need of something sweet. “Remember, this is what I feel, what I draw from the wild swirl of emotions within the vision. Nay more.”

Simon nodded. “It makes sense, however. Weel, as much as one can make sense of such madness. It is interesting to ken how the mind of such a killer might work, but I was really hoping for something we could use to find these two ere they kill again.”

“I understand,” said Morainn. “I feel the same need, but sometimes it takes awhile to pick one’s way through all the images to see the truth. These are the first visions where I have e’er heard the voices so clearly.”

“Why did ye ask when we found this hairpin?”

“Because of what happened at the end of the vision. Somehow, the woman kenned I was there, watching her. She spoke to me as she has before. Yet another threat of death. But this time she looked right at me as she said it; it wasnae just a whisper in my head.”

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“Ye saw her face?”

“In a way. I cannae say for certain, but I think she has dark eyes. Her head was covered by a fancy headdress, but there was the hint of dark hair. And she had perfect eyebrows.” She had to smile at the looks the men all gave her, looks that said that was a useless piece of information. “They are dark and are perfect arcs over her eyes. Either she was blessed with them at birth or she does something to make them look so precise.”

“Then she is of high birth. Some of them are the only ones I have e’er kenned of who shape their brows,”

said Tormand.

And ye would ken it, wouldnae ye,
Morainn thought a little nastily and then shook aside the jealousy she knew would linger in her heart for a while yet. “I think her husband is dead. Aye, and I think she killed him. I fear she didnae call him by name, only referred to him as that fat swine. Aye, she killed him with her own hands. With a knife.”

Simon frowned. “I havenae been told of any highborn mon being stabbed to death.”

“That is because no one has found him yet,” Morainn said.

Little by little the things that had been said were beginning to sort themselves out in her mind, but it was making her head ache even more than it had before. They were all so ugly. Morainn knew she was going to have to take a respite from it all soon. She felt as if all the strength had been bled from her body and, despite Tormand’s soothing touch, her head was beginning to ache too much for her to continue to think clearly.

“Ye need to rest,” said Simon. “’Tis evident that such visions take a lot of your strength e’en though ye withstood this one better than ye did the last.”

“Aye, I fear ye are right. All I heard is slowly sorting itself out in my mind, but my head aches so badly I fear I cannae grasp anything too clearly yet. A good night’s sleep may weel end that confusion.”

Morainn stood up and felt herself sway. Before she could steady herself, Tormand wrapped his arms around her to help her. She was about to pull away from him when a racket came from the front hall. She could hear voices she recognized arguing with Walter. A moment later three people pushed their way through the doorway. A cross-looking Walter followed Nora and her betrothed into the great hall.

“They wouldnae wait for me to tell ye they were here,” grumbled Walter, glaring at Nora.

Nora paid him no heed, her gaze fixed upon Tormand and how he was holding Morainn in his arms. The look of righteous fury on her friend’s sweet face fascinated Morainn. She was startled when Nora shook off the grip of her betrothed, who was starting to look uncomfortable, and marched toward her and Tormand. A moment later she was yanked out of Tormand’s arms and stumbled into Nora’s.

“What have ye done to her?” demanded Nora. “She looks terrible.”

“Thank ye, my friend,” Morainn murmured, but Nora paid her no heed.

“James, get ye over here and pound this lecherous swine into the mud.”

“Ah, Nora, my love,” began James.

Nora did not wait to hear his excuses, but kept glaring at Tormand. “Why is she here?”

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“Actually, Nora, I was wondering how ye e’en kenned I was here,” Morainn said before Tormand or anyone else had a chance to answer the question.

“That fool woman Magda is telling everyone in town that this mon has brought in the witch to help save himself from hanging. Weel, I didnae believe her, so I went out to the cottage. Ye werenae there and neither were your cats. So, I had James bring me here.”

“There was no stopping her,” said Sir James as he moved closer to the table to accept the tankard of ale Simon silently offered him.

Nora gave her beloved a look that cried him a traitor and then returned to glaring at Tormand. “I still didnae want to believe ye had entered the house of this mon, but when we knocked upon the door and it was opened, I saw William sitting in the hall. That was when I kenned ye really had entered this sinner’s house. I have come to rescue ye from him.”

“Ah, Nora, I do love ye,” said Morainn, “but I dinnae need to be rescued.”

“All women need to be rescued from the likes of him.”

“There is some truth in that, I suppose. Nora, help me to my bedchamber and I will do my best to explain everything.”

Frowning at Morainn in concern, Nora asked, “Are ye sick?”

“Nay, the vision I just had has taken a lot out of me and my head hurts. I need to rest, but I can talk while I am lying abed with a cool cloth on my head. Come, help me up the stairs.” She looked at the men even as Nora began to help her out of the great hall. “Gentlemen,” she said, ignoring Nora’s snort at that appellation, “this is my dear friend Nora Chisholm and I have the feeling ye all ken her betrothed so, if ye will excuse us?” When they all murmured wishes that she would soon recover, she let Nora take her to her room.

The moment the women were gone, Tormand looked at Sir James Grant. “So, Grant, ye intend to marry that woman?”

Sir James grinned and briefly toasted Tormand with his tankard of wine. “I do. She has spirit.” He laughed along with the other men, but then grew serious and gave Tormand a hard look. “She loves Morainn like a sister and feels a need to protect her because of all the wrongs done the lass. I may nay have kenned the lass for verra long, but I feel much the same way.”

“As do we,” said Simon. “Sit, Grant, and we will explain why Morainn is here.”

“And tell me what I can and cannae tell others,” the younger man said cheerfully as he sat down.

“Of course.”

Breathing a sigh of relief as the cool, damp cloth touched with the scent of lavender was placed gently on her aching forehead, Morainn smiled at Nora when her friend sat down on the side of the bed. “Thank ye. I was beginning to fear my head would split apart. The touch of lavender in the water is already working its magic.”

“These visions are so hard on ye,” murmured Nora. “Why did ye have one here?”

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“Because Sir Simon gave me something to hold. Nora, I came here to be safe. I was attacked at the cottage by the same ones who have killed those other women, but was fortunate enough to escape them along with Walin.”

“Why? Ye arenae Sir Tormand’s lover. Are ye?”

“Nay. The killers fear my gift might lead Sir Innes to them and they wished to make sure I couldnae help him in any way.”

“Ye keep saying killers. It isnae just some madmon?”

“’Tis a madmon and a madwoman. Sir Simon found hairpins at each site where the murders were done. I have held two thus far, but have only come up with a few scattered bits of information. I got more by listening to what those monsters said as they hunted for me and Walin in the woods. Still, I have to try.

There are also my dreams. Little by little they are also telling me things that might be helpful.” She decided now was not a good time to tell Nora what else she dreamed about.

“I suppose that is what your gift is for, helping in such matters, but ye looked so ill.”

“’Tis because there is so much evil in the visions I get from the hairpins. The madness that afflicts this pair is also verra hard to bear.”

Nora sighed and carefully moved to lie down at Morainn’s side. “So they brought ye here to protect ye, as weel as try to find some truth about these killers through your gift.”

“Aye. The men downstairs are all staying here. Ye ken who Sir Innes is and Tormand. The others down there were two of Tormand’s brothers and two of his cousins. They came because one of the women in their family said Tormand was in danger.”

Looking at Morainn in surprise, Nora asked, “Sir Tormand’s kin have gifts, too?”

“That is what he told me. He said his clan was riddled with people who have some special gift. Even Sir Innes believes in the dreams now.”

“Weel, at least ye can do some real good with your gift this time, instead of just helping some rich woman learn that her son is a thieving bastard.”

Morainn laughed. “True.”

“Ye could have come to me; I would have helped ye stay safe.”

“And I may weel have brought these monsters to your door. Nay, coming here where I am surrounded by six strong men was better.”

“Six strong, verra handsome men.”

“One must endure the good with the bad.” She smiled when Nora laughed.

“I agree ye are safer here, at least from the killers. But I meant it when I said I dinnae think any woman is safe from Sir Tormand Murray.”

“Nay, I dinnae think they are. Howbeit, I do have a verra strong incentive to resist any attempts he may make to seduce me.”

Nora frowned at her. “And what would that be?”

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“The mon has a list.”

“A list of what?”

“His lovers.”

“He is keeping a score?” Nora asked in outrage.

“Och, nay. Sir Simon asked him to make up a list of all the lovers he has had in this town and those who travel with the court. He wants to ken how many women are in danger. Weel, I saw the list and I am nay fully joking when I say they would need the entire king’s army to protect all the women on that list.”

“Oh, my. He must be verra good at it then.”

Morainn laughed even though it made her head hurt. “Aye, one must suppose so.” She sighed. “I refuse to be just another name on a list. For a moment I was foolish.” She saw Nora’s look of alarm. “Nay, not that foolish. A kiss only. But I thought the desire was for me, only me, until I saw that list. He but needed a woman and I was near at hand. I willnae be used that way.”

“I worry about ye, Morainn.”

“Because of Sir Tormand?”

“Somewhat. Ye are a verra strong woman, my friend, but ye have a verra soft and gentle heart. A mon like him could sorely hurt you. But, in truth, I fear for your life more than I fear for your virtue.”

Morainn patted her friend’s hand. “The men take watch every night. I feel safe here, Nora. And because they need my visions, I dinnae feel as though I am here on their sufferance. Aye, and because that woman Magda deserted Tormand, I also cook and care for the house. And Walin is as happy as I have e’er seen him. The men are verra good to him and I think it does him good to be about men for a while.”

“The important thing is that ye are safe.”

“Aye, ’tis how I see it. And nay just me. Walin is safe as weel.”

“True.” Nora stood up and kissed Morainn’s cheek. “Rest and if ye cannae abide staying here any longer, but cannae go back to your cottage, please come to me. James will find men to guard us.”

“Thank ye, Nora. I doubt I shall need to flee this place, but there is comfort in kenning that I have a place to go. There is one thing ye might do for me. I need someone to care for my animals and mayhap do a little work in the garden.”

“Dinnae fret. I have a cousin who will be more than happy to tend to the cottage until ye get back. Now, rest and get your strength back.”

The moment Nora was gone, Morainn sighed and closed her eyes. She felt as if she had worked for three days straight without rest. There was one hairpin left, but she was going to have to avoid it for a few days. By then she should be strong enough to try one more time to get something that Simon could use to catch these monsters.