The Knight's Temptress (Lairds of the Loch) (35 page)

As she said those words, the fiendish, tickling chill slid up her spine again, and she wished she could take them back.

In the inner chamber at Dunglass, Ian faced Colquhoun across the big table. “Sithee, sir,” he said, “my idea hangs on the fact that you have taken such pains to maintain our neutrality. And although I ken fine that I may have damaged it when I rescued Lina, I doubt that James Mòr can know the whole tale of that even now.”

“D’ye imagine that Dougal MacPharlain will have told him
nowt
of it?”

“I don’t know what Dougal said to him, or if he said anything. That would depend on who found the note I left in Lina and Lizzie’s chamber. If one of James Mòr’s men found it and gave it to him, James Mòr would have summoned Dougal and demanded an explanation.”

“True,” Colquhoun agreed. “But since, as ye’ve said, Dougal was at Tùr Meiloach when ye arrived, threatening to ruin Lina, he must have avoided such a confrontation. Sakes, he had
begged
James Mòr to give him Lina, so James Mòr may well suspect that Dougal had a hand in the girls’ disappearance.”

“It is to James Mòr’s benefit to pretend that that’s exactly what he believes, even if he does not,” Ian said. “He can then continue parleying with you and pretend to be doing so in good faith. I still doubt that he is acting so, though.”

“James Mòr has done nowt yet to suggest that he suspects us of any involvement in the lassies’ disappearance,”
Colquhoun said musingly. “But what if he learns that they are at Tùr Meiloach or, worse, that ye’ve married Lina?”

Ian had not considered those possibilities. But since Alex’s men might know where the girls had been going from Inch Galbraith, and his own men were excited about his marriage, someone could reveal either or both facts. Sakes, Mag had said more than once that Andrew Dubh suspected
he
might have spies at Tùr Meiloach.

“Gorry will likely tell us if James Mòr hears rumors about those things,” Ian said at last. “If he does, mayhap I can ask him and a few others to put it about that I followed Dougal and rescued the girls from him on the Loch of the Long Boats. In troth, Dougal is the most likely person to speak of their whereabouts or learn about our marriage. But James Mòr is unlikely to take Dougal’s word for much. He must know as well as we do that neither Dougal nor Pharlain is noted for honesty.”

“I won’t lie to James Mòr,” Colquhoun said sternly. “However, I could say that you rescued and married the lass to protect her from dire threats that Dougal had made against her. That is true. I can also disclaim personal knowledge of Lizzie’s exact whereabouts whilst admitting that I did hear she is with friends of Galbraith’s. That may cast suspicion on Patrick Galbraith, however.”

“Patrick is James Mòr’s shadow, not Dougal’s. James Mòr will likely know that Patrick had nowt to do with it. He may not be as sure of Galbraith, though.”

“Aye,” Colquhoun agreed. “Mayhap I should know exactly what you mean to do before I talk with Arthur.”

“I mean to spread word of a magnificent stag that dares to roam at will in the woods between Dumbarton and Loch Lomond. In troth, I saw it first near the pass above
Glen Luss. Yesterday, it was near where Lina said she and Lizzie fell captive.”

“It is not strange to see deer in either of those areas.”

“Sir, this stag is fourteen points at least. Forbye, he is real, so word of his presence will spread quickly. I mean to have Gorry spread word of it throughout the castle, where they have enjoyed little meat of late. After I tell Gorry, you might suggest to James Mòr that in the name of making peace—or even just a brief cessation of haggling—you’d like to invite him and as many of his men as he can spare to stalk that splendid beast and enjoy a venison feast together afterward.”

“I doubt he’ll be daft enough to agree. But, if he does, what then?”

Ian allowed himself a smile and a slight shrug. “Why, Rob MacAulay, Alex, and I will ride to Dumbarton, profit from the reduced guard, and seize the castle.”

“Sakes, Ian, d’ye think that can be done so easily?”

“Aye, sure, sir. But there is one thing that I hope you will do for me first.”

“And what would that be?”

“I want Douglas and Buccleuch out of my way, but I don’t want to fratch with either of them. I’d liefer see you use your persuasive skills to get rid of them.”

A rap on the door drew an uncharacteristic oath from Colquhoun. But Ian welcomed the respite, however brief it might be.

Chapter 15
 

F
or much of Sunday afternoon, in momentary expectation of an irate summons to present himself again, Ian carefully considered each of the arguments he might use to persuade Colquhoun that the plan could work. He tried to imagine which of them was most likely to do so without first infuriating him.

As a result, when Rob and Alex insisted that he accompany them to the yard shortly before supper, Ian was astonished to find Douglas and Buccleuch on the point of departure with all the men who had accompanied them to Dunglass.

“Are you leaving us, my lord?” Ian asked when Douglas smiled at him.

“Aye, lad, for the nonce. Your father tells us that his talks with James Mòr will likely take a fortnight or longer, and we canna leave our men camped outside Glasgow that long without upsetting its citizens. Nor can we bring our men here without James Mòr’s getting wind of it. But Jamie is moving from Cambuskenneth to Paisley Abbey, none so far from here across the river Clyde. We’ll join him there tomorrow or the next day and wait to hear from ye. If ye come up with a way to take the castle afore Jamie makes other plans, ye’ve only to get word to us there.”

Douglas mounted, and Ian turned to find the wiry Buccleuch approaching.

“Douglas told ye we’re leaving, aye?” he said as Douglas turned his horse away. When Ian nodded, Buccleuch added with a grin, “I ken fine that ye hold Jamie’s warrant, man, and I’ll wager that ye’re aware that the news doesna cheer Douglas. He’ll try tae persuade Jamie tae entrust him wi’ taking back yon castle.”

“If he finds a way to do it, he’ll have my support,” Ian said. When Buccleuch raised his eyebrows in disbelief, he added, “If I haven’t taken it myself by then.”

Buccleuch was still laughing when Colquhoun joined them.

Bidding the two powerful Border lords farewell and Godspeed, Colquhoun stood with Ian, Rob, and Alex and watched them depart.

When they’d passed through the gates and the gates had swung shut behind them, Ian turned to his father and said, “You never cease to surprise me, sir.”

Colquhoun said, “I had to leave you earlier because two of Buccleuch’s men had got into a fight with two of ours. Buccleuch had it sorted before I got there, but I realized then that the Borderers would be of little use to us for some time yet.”

“I ken fine that you don’t have much faith in my deer hunt,” Ian said. “But you know as well as I do that Dumbarton—like Stirling—requires only the men manning its gates and its north hoarding to hold the castle against any army.”

“But for how long can they do that before they run out of food and water?”

“I don’t know,” Ian admitted. “But I do know that
many more local people will be injured or killed if
any
army occupies the area around Dumbarton Rock.”

“We could not have taken Buccleuch or Douglas on the deer hunt,” Alex said. When Ian grimaced, he added defensively, “James Mòr knows them both! He might believe Douglas had switched sides again, but the Scotts have been Jamie’s all along.”

“Both men will be good to have with us later, though,” Ian said. “If my plan succeeds, we can fly Colquhoun banners from the ramparts to signal them. Jamie will be at Paisley, too, near enough to send the Borderers and others, come to that.”

Colquhoun clapped him on the back. “I’m thinking that ye may have summat in your brainbox besides air, lad. Why don’t ye all come inside now with me, and we’ll have supper. Then we can discuss your plan with Galbraith and the others.”

The evening seemed long to Lina, but at last she retired to her old bedchamber, where Lizzie and Muriella shared Murie’s bed and Lina had the one she had shared with Andrena, growing up.

She had not realized how tired she was. Despite the cat nestled against her legs, purring loudly, she fell asleep soon after her head touched her pillow.

Sometime later, an errant moonbeam touched her face, waking her. For a time, she felt restless and tried to get comfortable…

The woods were dark, the path impossible to discern, but the woman hurried on as if she followed one. She was a shadow, nothing more, a shadow in a long
flowing cloak, her hip-length hair also flowing free behind her.

The place was unnaturally silent. Her footsteps were silent, too, as if she walked on duff or damp leaves. A glimmer of silvery light in the distance was enough to show that she cradled something in her arms… nay, several things, long and tubular. As the light grew stronger ahead, the tubes revealed themselves as scrolls of parchment or vellum, three of them.

As the woman passed between two tall trees, she cradled the rolls more tightly and increased her pace to cross a clearing. On the other side, a tall, slender tree trunk had bent oddly back on itself halfway up. When she passed beneath it to re-enter the woods, a disembodied hand reached out from it, caught the woman’s arm, and yanked her behind the tree.

Briefly, before she vanished, moonlight revealed Lady Aubrey’s face.

Lina sat bolt upright in bed, trembling, scarcely able to breathe. Thanks to the pale moonlight beaming through cracks in the shutters, she could see Ansuz at the foot of her bed, glaring at her for disturbing him. Looking toward the other bed, she saw that Murie and Lizzie still slept.

Her thoughts were in such turmoil that she could not make sense of them. She could think only of her mother and the danger that awaited her if, instead of a nightmare, the dream had been evidence of the foresight Mag had suggested she might have inherited. A more horrifying thought struck then.

What if what she had seen had happened
as
she had watched it or was happening now while she sat in bed, trying to control her terrors?

On the thought, she flung back the covers and got out of bed. Barefoot, without even thinking of finding slippers, she ran to the door, quietly lifted the latch, and slipped out with the angry cat darting downstairs past her. Hurrying down to the next landing, she paused outside her parents’ room to listen. A cresset was alight on the landing there, casting a softly flickering golden glow on the walls.

Andrew slept heavily and sometimes snored, but when Lina put her ear to the door, she heard nothing. Fearing that her mother might already be a captive, she took courage in hand and carefully, with utmost silence, opened the door.

Putting her head in, she strained to see through the darkness to the bed.

“What is it, Lina?” Lady Aubrey asked quietly. “Is Dree sick again?”

Deeply relieved, Lina said, “Nay, Mam. I… I had a bad dream and just needed to hear your voice.”

“Aye, well, you have heard it now, love, so take yourself back to bed.”

“Goodnight, Mam, I love you,” Lina murmured. Then, shutting the door, she returned as silently as she had come. But it was a long while before she slept.