Enchanted Lover (30 page)

“Trusting lot,” Morven quipped while the two sides
watched each other warily. “Are you sure I was wrong about the fate of our
man?”

“These are delicate negotiations, Morven. You cannot
fling accusations about when you have no idea what happened to our messenger.
If you canna aid me in my cause then keep a civil tongue in your head.”

Morven wheeled his horse and pulled away from the
group riding up to a small knoll and looking out over the countryside.

Skye looked back and forth between Jared and Morven.
“Stay here,” Jared ordered, riding after his second in command. He pulled his
horse up next to Morven and watched his jaw flexing in anger. “Speak freely,”
Jared said. “I would hear your honest opinion.”

Morven's eyes met Jared's with something akin to
hate. “Asilinn Innes will be your downfall,” he said bluntly. “Her soft curves
weaken your head until you grovel at her father's doorstep. They killed our man
and you reprimand me for suggesting the obvious. I am insulted by your words.”

Jared stared at his cousin for a full minute before
responding. “I'm sorry you feel that way,” he said. He spun his horse around
and went back to join Skye and the rest of the men. Morven remained on his
perch for a good half an hour before returning to the group in stony silence.

Laird Innes took his time responding to Jared's
request for hospitality but eventually the two men sent to the castle returned
and joined their clansmen. Their leader rode up to Jared. “Milord says you may
enter,” he said simply, turning his horse and waiting for them to fall in
behind him.

Skye looked at Jared and rolled her eyes at the
grudging invitation to Cairngorm Castle. Innes' men and Jared's entourage rode
together up the winding road to the castle. The structure almost seemed carved
out of the rock face. Jared thought it hadn't been this imposing the last time
he visited, but perhaps his mission blinded him. He noted there appeared to be
only one main way in.

An uneasy crowd gathered to gape when Jared and Skye
passed through the foreboding gates. Laird Innes' clan seemed a far more
bedraggled bunch than the peasants of Dunbocan. Asilinn was right. The war had
been harder on them than on the MacLeans.

They were greeted at the door with the traditional
offering of bread and salt washed down with a disproportionate taste of Meade.
Their hostess was a slim older woman, probably in her mid-forties.

“Laird Innes awaits you in the great hall,” she told
them. The woman kept casting her eyes down as if she were afraid to meet
Jared's gaze. He was puzzled by her reaction. It was almost as if she feared
his very presence. Surely, his reputation was not so foul the servants should
fear him.

The woman led them to the great hall on the second
floor of the castle. It was spacious, but not nearly of the magnitude of
Dunbocan.

Laird Innes rose from the large chair at the far end
of the banquet table that dominated one end of the room. “Laird MacLean,” he
said, shooting Jared a cold glare. “This is unexpected. I see you bring a lady
with you, but not my daughter.”

The situation was beyond strange. Why was Angus
acting as if they had never talked? “May I introduce my sister, Skye,” Jared
said, approaching Angus with Skye on his arm. She curtsied and flashed a
brilliant smile at Laird Innes.

“I'm delighted to meet you, Laird Innes,” Skye said.
“Asilinn has spoken of you often.”

Angus snorted and gave Skye a cursory nod, then
turned his attention to Jared. “After what you have done, how can you come
here?”

“I dinna understand,” Jared replied. “I thought you
were warming up to having me as a son-in-law. You even gave me the chain mail
which saved my life.”

A startled expression flashed across Angus' face but
it vanished as quickly as it came. He perused the faces of the men Jared had
brought with him. “I would speak to you in private,” he said. “Mary, see to the
comfort of our guests. Laird Jared and I will rejoin the others for the banquet
this evening.”

“Aye, Milord,” the servant said, bowing, and leading
her charges from the room.

Morven turned and looked at Jared. “I'll stay with
you, Milord.”

“No,” was Jared's short reply.

Laird Innes waited for all others to be gone before
he led Jared to a smaller room off the main hall. “Sit.” He motioned Jared to a
cushioned chair by the fire. “Are you not responsible for the havoc breaking
out all over my holdings? You come in here as if nothing has happened. If it is
not your men who attack my villages, who is it?”

“I was unaware of any trouble. On the way back from
returning Ian to you, Asilinn's vision came to pass. I was separated from my
men when the masked ones attacked us at Burnum Woods.”

“And you survived because of Asilinn's warning?”

Angus looked as though he wished that were not the
case. “My injuries were severe, but not fatal. Asilinn herself came and found
me, then nursed me back to health. I have only recently regained my strength.
This is the first time I have ridden outside MacLean lands since the incident.
If someone has attacked your villages, it was without my knowledge or consent.”

Jared met Angus' stare with unwavering eyes. “It must
be the men who seek to end the peace negotiations, probably the masked riders
who tried to end my life.”

Angus dropped his gaze to the floor and Jared thought
he suddenly looked like a weary, old man. “If what you say is true, we must
prove it. My council questions my judgment because of this and I canna honestly
tell them whether or not you are deceiving me.” His gaze lifted again. “If you
could bring Skye, why did you not bring Asilinn? I long to see her. Cairngorm Castle takes on a dreary atmosphere without her.”

“Asilinn is with child. I could not risk the baby
with such a long ride.”

“Bloody hell, could you not keep yourself from her
until we had resolved this issue between us?”

Jared let out a heavy sigh. “I had hoped for a
happier reaction to my news. After Asilinn’s attempted escape, I was unwilling
to keep myself from her and now she carries my child.”

“And now does she share herself with you?” Angus'
eyes were icy.

“She willingly shares my bed for the sake of our
child. The things you accuse me of, I did not do. I dinna want our child to
witness the hostilities between our clans. I'd like to bury them before he is
born.”

“You talk as if you were sure of a boy,” Angus said
gruffly.

“Asilinn has seen his birth. Our son will be born in
the tower room at Dunbocan Castle. Help me end this war before he arrives.”

“I must think on it,” Angus said. “This intrigue
confounds me. I'll see you to your room and we'll talk after dinner.” Rising
from his seat, he showed Jared to a comfortable chamber just down the hall.

Later that evening, Laird Innes put forth a splendid
table. Before dinner, he took Jared aside. “You shall have your chance for peace,
Dragon Lord of Dunbocan,” Angus told him. “Your insolent kidnapping will not
color my judgment nor will the knowledge of my grandchild. That shall remain
between us until the matter is put to a vote. After dinner you and your
councilmen will meet with us and then the Innes council will decide on your
peace plan.”

Ian came over and sat down beside his father and
Jared. “Thank you for bringing Skye,” he said. “I swear if the child were a
little older I'd ask for her hand. What a charmer she'll be someday!” Ian lost
his grin when he saw the serious expression on his father's face.

“Would you join yourself with a MacLean like your
sister has done? My children will be the death of me.” Angus groaned. “After
dinner,” he reminded Jared when he rose and walked off toward his council
members.

“Your father is not on my side right now. What can I
say to win him over?” Jared looked intently into his brother-in-law's face.

“The truth, whatever it may be, is the only balm for
my father's heart. And mark my words, if you lie, we will all know.” Ian stood
and followed his father.

Jared shoved his chair back from the table. His
enemies had been busy while he was infirmed. His gaze flew over Morven, Ross,
and Keith. Was one of them a traitor? A few short months ago he would have
sworn none of them would betray him but now it was clear someone high up in his
ranks was out for blood—his blood.

Why had Morven been willing to declare him dead
without a thorough search? Had it been because he knew what had happened? Jared
didn't wish to think along those lines. Now he must somehow convince the Innes
council he was not behind the looting of their villages.

Rising from the head table, he walked over to his men
and informed them they would be meeting with the Innes council that evening.

“Morven, I want a word with you before the meeting,”
Jared added.

Morven rose and walked out into the hall with Jared.
He started to speak, but Jared urged him along until they were in the room
Laird Innes had ushered him into earlier. “What is it, Milord?” Morven asked.
“If it is over my rude behavior, I apologize. You were right. I have no way of
knowing what became of the messenger.”

“Did you know of the pillaging of the Innes
villages?”

Morven shook his head. “No, Milord, I hadna heard of
it.”

“Odd, news like that usually travels fast. Of course,
I was infirmed. I heard naught of it until now.” Jared gave his cousin a cold
appraisal. “Have the masked riders been up to any mischief in our sector?”

“There were incidents while you were recovering, but
the masked ones were as elusive as they were that day in the woods.”

“Osred is one of them.” Jared watched Morven's face
for any reaction.

“Osred,” Morven repeated in disbelief. “You must be
mistaken. The man is afraid of his own shadow. He's a pompous ass!”

“Skye saw him meet with a masked rider in the woods.
I marked his horse's hooves so I could tell where he had been. He rode with
them the day they attacked me. I saw the hoof prints in the mud just before I
was attacked.”

“You left him behind. Lady Asilinn could be in
danger.”

“I gave her many warnings before I departed. If God
is with us, she will be safe.”

“Laird, did you mark the horses’ hooves of everyone
you suspected?”

“All members of the council,” Jared replied evenly.
“It was an unfortunate necessity.”

“I see, you suspect us all of treason.”

“Not all, maybe only Osred. Time will tell. Let's
adjourn to the hall for the meeting.” They walked side by side down the
passageway in silence.

By the time they reached the hall, all other guests
had vacated the chamber and only the council remained. Ross and Keith looked
relieved when Jared and Morven entered.

Erland, one of the members of the Innes high council,
addressed Jared. “Laird Innes has told us of your peace plan and I admit we
were intrigued until recent events made us set the idea aside. Now you turn up
asking us to believe you had no part in the attacks made against us. Yet these
men wore your plaid. What say you, Laird of Dunbocan? What defense do you
offer?”

“Would I come here with only a handful of men if I
were the culprit in these crimes?” Jared asked. “Would I bring my only sister
into your midst if I was not dealing in good faith? How many of you rode with
Laird Innes to Cock Bridge? Did you not see the masked riders start the
fighting? Together we can hunt them down and end this sabotage of our peace
process.”

“You answer only with questions,” one of the elder
council members objected. “I would hear a firm denial. We have been enemies too
long to trust your silver-tongued eloquence. Tell me straight out and let me
see if I believe you.”

“I did not have anything to do with the attacks on
your villages. I suffered my own infirmity because of an assassination attempt
by the masked men. Lady Asilinn herself came to my rescue and nursed me back to
health. I wouldna be alive today were it not for her.”

Erland turned to Laird Innes. “Would you vouch for
this man's honesty?”

Angus let out a heavy sigh. “I wilna enter this
debate on either side, judge for yourself.”

“Father,” Ian objected. “You know Laird Jared to be
honest in his dealings thus far. Why will you not support him?”

“Be silent!” Angus warned.

Ian leapt to his feet. “I will not sit silently while
a man who has saved our lives on two separate occasions stands before the
council without your aid. If you wilna support him, I would know the reason.”

“Insolent whelp,” Angus snapped. “Hold your tongue
and let them judge!”

“I will not!” Ian walked around to stand beside Jared
facing the council. “When the masked riders attacked at Cock Bridge Laird Jared
rebuffed a blow that could have ended my father's life. Later in the same
skirmish, he killed a man to save my life and carried me miles on his own horse
to keep me alive. He and my sister saw to my welfare while they nursed me back
to health in Dunbocan Castle. I was not treated as a prisoner but as a guest.”

Angus was glowering at Ian, but he continued. “Before
I left, one of the masked men tried to kill me. Laird Jared's sister, Skye, hit
the man over the head and personally helped me fight him off until Jared
arrived to save me yet again. Twice over I owe him my life. If he says he did
not send men to attack our villages, then he did not. To me, it is that
simple!” Ian finished by glaring at his father. “I would think you would be
grateful to Laird Jared for my life, even if you canna thank him for saving
your own.”

There was a collective gasp from the councilmen at
Ian's harsh words to his father. They whispered among themselves for a few
moments and turned to Laird Innes.

“Laird, we are of the opinion we could come to a
decision if you would tell us why you will not speak out in favor of Laird
MacLean's plan. We beg you to share your insights with us,” Erland entreated.