How to Handle a Highlander (Hot Highlanders) (12 page)

“That cook must have taken impossibly long with the cider,” Achaius said, laughing. “No doubt because her laird is nae a man who enjoys his comforts. She’s out of practice in brewing up such things.”

Achaius’s gillie was tending to his master with the help of two other youths. The first one directed his dressing, and one brought forward a large, polished brass mirror for Achaius to see himself in.

“Get yerself ready to ride,” Achaius said as he inspected his appearance. “We’ve two days of riding before making Sutherland. It will be the ground for beds tonight.”

Moira let out a breath when Achaius did not pursue the subject of her late return, and for the first time in her life she was grateful to hear there would be no warm bed to climb into at sunset. No walls meant Gahan could not surprise her in dark hallways.

She knew her thoughts were cowardly, but it was better to admit it than allow herself to be in a position to fall under his spell again.

***

Dunrobin was far, far in the North.

On the journey, the rivers they crossed still had ice in them, and the going had been further slowed by mud. Snow still lingered under trees and on the shady sides of slopes, but much of it was melting and making the ground difficult to traverse.

Soon the roads would be filled with merchants moving about to sell what they had crafted during the winter. Only a few of the fields were turned, the nights still too cold for planting.

But construction had commenced on the castle.

When they neared the village that surrounded the castle, the sound of hammers and picks filled the air. Wagons with their beds weighed down with stone made a slow but steady trek up to the new building. Three large cranes were in position, and it looked like well over two hundred men were working on a new section of the castle. The road was packed hard from the constant traffic.

Dunrobin Castle was already massive. There were three tall towers and two older ones, short and square. The newer ones were round, to make them harder to hit with war machines. A thick curtain wall connected them all, and the back of it dropped off to the ocean.

The prosperity of the Sutherlands was clear. Gahan pulled up and turned his horse so he might make eye contact with Bari as her brother got a good look at Dunrobin. Some might have accused Gahan of appearing arrogant, but Moira decided he was justified.

Bari was a fool to trifle with a clan like the Sutherlands, especially when he did not have to. Sandra had been a beauty and had many suitors, but she’d set her sight on one who didn’t care for her. Greed was deadly.

Bari stiffened and rode straight for the entrance of the curtain wall. The wall would double the size of the inner yard. The castle would be huge, and she doubted even the English king had such a fine fortress.

She expected the Sutherland retainers to take their horses toward the stable, but they continued on into the inner yard. The earl stood on the steps of the largest keep, his face set into a frown. Next to him was a younger man, one every bit as toned as Gahan, but with light hair. Gahan climbed the stairs to talk to him. They had a heated debate, which the lighter-haired man clearly lost. He nodded at last, then turned and spoke to the retainers guarding his back. There was a shift and then a snarl as a petite woman with a swollen belly was guided away.

She didn’t go before shooting a scathing glance at the blond-haired man.

“Ye did nae have to send yer wife away, Norris Sutherland,” Bari declared.

The blond-haired man clenched his hands into fists. “Ye were made welcome here last season, and ye betrayed that trust. I promise ye one thing, Bari Fraser, ye will nae get another chance to harm any member of me family.”

Bari hesitated, fighting the urge to argue. The muscles in his neck corded, and many stopped what they were doing to stare at the standoff. But he finally ducked his chin and lowered himself in front of the earl and his son, Norris. “I’m here to make amends for me sister’s actions.”

Neither Norris nor Gahan looked impressed. The retainers behind them moved in closer.

“Aye, it’s true,” Achaius said as he made his way up the stairs. “I won’t be having traitors in me family. Since I wed Laird Fraser’s younger sister, I insisted he come here to smooth over this difficulty.”

“Ye wed his sister? And come here after the fact?” Norris Sutherland asked incredulously. “That is nae how ye prove yer intent to be a good vassal.”

Achaius made it to the top of the stairs and took a moment to catch his breath. Norris wasn’t going to give the man time, but his father held up a hand. Achaius reached up and tugged on the corner of his bonnet before performing a shaky reverence. One of his men caught his elbow to help him straighten back up.

“At my age, ye do nae go to sleep at night and assume ye will be granted another day to enjoy life. For my impatience, I offer ye an apology. Yer father will likely understand me better than ye, young Norris,” Achaius admonished the heir to the earldom with a note of glee. “I’ve always been a bit of a fool for a sweet lass.”

Norris looked past Achaius to Moira. His gaze was much like Gahan’s, sharp and knowing. “She could be yer granddaughter,” Norris declared bluntly.

Achaius didn’t look ashamed. “Marriage is for begetting children. I need a young, healthy lass for that. I’m looking forward to seeing her belly as round as yer own wife’s.”

“Let us take this to me private chamber,” the earl decided.

His sons didn’t agree. Both Gahan and Norris glared at Bari suspiciously. Their father turned and walked into the keep. Both Matheson and Sutherland captains followed, as did many of the retainers.

Once most of the men moved inside, Moira sighed, realizing it was the first moment of peace she’d had in days. There was a great deal of activity in the yard. Younger boys were leading the horses away, while the retainers who had ridden with Gahan greeted their families. There were squeals from children being lifted high in their fathers’ arms.

“The men have their minds occupied with dark thoughts they need to settle with the earl, and since the mistress was sent away, that leaves welcoming ye to me, my lady.”

Moira turned to see an older woman standing behind her. She wore an overgown of fine wool, and a ring of keys was secured to her belt. Moira lowered herself.

“I am Asgree, the head of house at Dunrobin, and ye owe me no deference, Lady Matheson.”

“I am simply Moira. My mother was common-born.”

“Still, ye are wed to a laird.” The older woman studied her for a moment. She snapped her fingers, and a young gillie came quickly to her side. “Perhaps ye would like to bathe?”

Just the mention of the word made her tremble. The gillie tugged on his knitted bonnet, then extended his arm out for Athena. She let him take the hawk, the idea of a bath too much to resist.

“I did nae see any clothing packed for ye.”

“Nae.” Moira followed the head of house into the keep. Maids in livery lined up as their mistress passed, and then followed behind. Each one wore a linen cap and apron.

“It is just as well. Yer gown is too light for Sutherland. Alice? Go find something warm enough for Lady Matheson.”

The maid fixed her with a keen, knowing look that sized Moira up before the maid turned and mounted a set of stairs without a single question.

She didn’t feel like Lady Matheson.
What
ye
are
is
Gahan’s lover
, she thought. Well, that wasn’t entirely true either. One liaison did not make them lovers. Sinners, to be sure, but nothing else.

Asgree led her into a bathhouse built alongside the kitchens. The window shutters were open to allow the fresh air in.

“The light will be gone soon, but we’ll stoke up the fire if ye wish to wash yer hair,” Asgree told her.

Two maids were already working at the hearth. One added a thick log while another picked up a bellows and used it to fan up the flames. The log crackled and popped as it caught. The room was soon warm as a summer day.

There were several tubs leaning up against the wall, large and high-backed. The maids set one near the hearth and soon had it full. They added hot water from a kettle. Moira disrobed and sighed as she stepped into the hot water. She gleefully cleaned the dust from the road off her skin, dunking her head several times to rinse her hair. The water was pure bliss, and she sank down into it with a happy smile upon her lips.

“There is no one in here for ye to worry about.”

The door opened, and the blond-haired woman with the swollen belly came through in a huff. The maids all turned and lowered themselves. But she stopped two paces into the bathhouse when she noticed Moira. The retainers with her had stopped at the door, but they moved up beside her the moment they realized who else was in the bathhouse.

“This is the
women’s
bathhouse,” Daphne MacLeod groused at the men beside her.

“Yer husband wants ye watched so there can be no more trouble from the Frasers,” one of the men offered. He was fighting to keep his tone respectful, but the look he aimed at Moira was full of hatred. “It was her sister who poisoned the earl. They cannae be trusted.”

Daphne glared at the retainer, and suddenly her eyes filled with tears. The retainer looked appalled and backed away, unsure of what to do with a pregnant, weeping female.

“It’s nae her fault. It is just the babe making her temperamental,” Moira chimed in. She remained low in the tub to hide her nakedness. She bit her lip when everyone stared at her. “I’m sorry. I suppose ye are nae interested in what I think.”

“It is the truth, nae yer opinion,” Asgree offered before turning to address the retainers. “There are many here to see to the mistress. Stand outside the doors.”

The retainers hesitated, but the head of house pointed them toward the door, and they finally left, but reluctantly so.

Daphne rolled her eyes and rubbed her lower back. “Me husband ordered them to cling to me skirts like pups. I thought this would be the one place I might have some peace.”

“I will leave.” Moira sat up. “I hear a warm bath is soothing for the backache.”

Daphne looked at her for a long moment. “What do ye know of the pains a woman is burdened with when she is heavy with child?”

“My clanswomen spoke freely of it.”

“At the high table?” Daphne questioned suspiciously.

Moira wrapped a length of toweling around herself and moved closer to the fire. “I am only a half sister to Bari. I never sat at the high table. He forbade it because me mother was common-born. I admit to appreciating nae having to suffer him and Sandra.”

None of the maids offered to assist her. Moira rubbed her hair dry and put on her chemise. Daphne moved toward her and fingered her overgown where it was lying.

“This is threadbare.” Daphne handed it back to Moira, and she slipped into it.

“It is all she has,” Asgree said. “There was naught brought along with her, and she had shoes on her feet with holes in them. Alice, where is that gown I sent for?”

The maid from before had returned with an overgown in her arms. It was plain, but made of thick, warm wool, and looked like it would fit Moira well enough.

“Sandra had the finest of everything,” Daphne said, a lingering glint of suspicion in her eyes.

Moira could hardly blame her. It had been Daphne who stood accused of poisoning the earl, and she would have been hanged for it if Sandra had not been found out.

“I’ll leave so yer husband’s men do nae have a reason to look in on ye.” Moira put on the overgown and picked up her arisaid. She stopped and lowered herself politely before Daphne. “I thank ye for making me welcome.”

The retainers watched with narrowed eyes as Moira left, and every Sutherland she passed sent her scathing looks. The ill will and suspicion was to be expected, but that did not ease her way through the hallways. So she walked out of the keep, heading toward the only creature she might expect a warm welcome from. Dunrobin boasted fine accommodations for its hawks.

There were over thirty raptors in the clean and spacious mews, and perches for at least twenty more. The window coverings were open wide, and there were long poles fitted into the stone wall outside the window where hawks could enjoy the sun on their feathers. In the yard beyond, there were at least a dozen falconers working with birds while younger boys watched the art of training raptors. Some of the birds had leather ties on their talons because they were being trained to carry messages.

Athena lifted her wings in welcome, and Moira hid her unhappiness against the hawk’s feathers. There was a familiar comfort in the moment. But it wasn’t enough to banish the unease twisting her insides.

***

The earl’s private study was brimming full of tension. The men glared at one another, distrust clear on their faces. The earl held up his hand to keep them all quiet as he walked around the large desk at the far side of the room and sat in the padded chair. There was a hearth behind him, demonstrating that firewood was not considered too great an expense for the master of Dunrobin.

“Now, Bari Fraser, I’d like to know what part ye played in yer sister’s schemes,” the earl asked smoothly.

Bari huffed but bit back the first words that sprang to his lips. “I knew naught of me sister’s plans, only that she was found in yer son’s bed. I was angry, sure enough, but I sent her here for ye to deal with the matter.”

Lytge Sutherland didn’t look impressed. He kept Bari standing in front of the long table which served as his desk. Norris stood behind his right shoulder, and Gahan had joined him on the left. Bari didn’t miss the unity being displayed, and Gahan didn’t miss the lightening color of Bari’s pallor.

“That was part of her plan,” Norris snarled. “She made sure we were all under the spell of a sleeping draught so she might slip into me bed and cry foul against me. I did nae seduce her, and I know me cock never touched her.”

“It sure enough looked that way to us all.” Bari drew in a deep breath and lowered his voice. “I was brought low by her deeds meself. When I saw her in yer bed, what else is a brother to do? But I still sent her here to Dunrobin to have the matter settled. There are plenty who would have challenged ye to a fight on the spot.”