Amanda Scott (13 page)

Rob did. His desire to study swordsmanship and other fighting skills under the Earl of Douglas’s command had stirred when he’d heard Douglas say he meant to be King of Scots, a goal the man pursued for some time before deciding it would suit his clan better to side with Robert the Steward, now Stewart. Douglas had called the Steward a peaceful man, one unlikely to challenge the Douglas power in the Borders, and his support had guaranteed the Steward’s bid to become Robert II of Scotland.

A second reason had stirred Rob’s ambition. The Douglas had a stunningly beautiful daughter. Then but thirteen and smitten, Rob secretly harbored dreams of a magnificent marriage even then.

“I’d thought to go wi’ Douglas,” he’d said boldly to his grandfather.

“’Tis a great honor, Rob, the greatest you can imagine, to go to Dunclathy. But ye must keep it to yourself. Speak nowt o’ this and do as I bid ye.”

“Aye, sir,” Rob had said with a sigh, feeling much put upon but knowing he had little choice in such a matter unless his father objected. And that was most unlikely, because Sir Ian never set himself against Sir Walter.

However, when his older brother Will learned that Rob was not to serve under Douglas, he had taunted him until, angry and determined to defend himself, Rob had snapped that he was doing a good thing, a fine thing, and in fact, a far more important thing than going with Douglas, as witless Will was to do. What was more, he added,
he
knew a secret that Will would
never
know.

The result was yet another fight between the two, broken up by Sir Ian and reported to Sir Walter. It was the only time in Rob’s memory that his grandfather had ever beaten him, but he had done so thoroughly, and Rob had never forgotten it. The lesson had stuck. And as far as he was concerned, it would stick until his dying day.

But as he watched Adela speak to Kenna, other hard-learned lessons taunted him. A knight never acted dishonorably. A knight did not practice deceit. A knight never abandoned or abused those in need or who were weaker than himself.

In the case of Lady Adela, Rob realized, he had done all those things. If he were ever going to put things right, he would have to begin by talking to Hugo.

He did not look forward to that conversation any more than he supposed Adela was looking forward to hers— which was to say, not one bit.

Chapter 7

N
ot one to put off unpleasant tasks, Rob went in search of Hugo. Learning that he was in the countess’s solar, he sent Ivor in to fetch him with a message that he desired to speak to him about a private matter.

The gillie soon returned with Hugo, who raised his eyebrows at Rob and said, “What’s amiss?”

Aware of Ivor’s interest, Rob looked pointedly at the northwest stair archway. When Hugo nodded and led the way, he followed him up to his private chamber.

Inside, Rob took the precaution of shutting the door firmly behind them. Then he turned and said without preamble, “It’s time now, I think.”

Hugo regarded him with amusement. “I agree, although you did not think so earlier. Has it occurred to you that after so many years of ignoring your family and most of your connections you may have difficulty proving who you are?”

“Nay, why should I? I’ve not altered so much that a few slight changes in my appearance won’t right the matter. I’ll need proper clothing, of course, and a good horse or two. But if you, Michael, Henry, and the countess acknowledge me …”

“My lady and I will depart for the Isles before you can be ready, but you’re right. Henry’s word alone should be enough. Won’t you go home first?”

“Why? Until I’ve established myself, I’d likely encounter some difficulty or other there. For one thing, I’ve no idea who is in charge of the place. My father had only one brother, who is long deceased, and as the estate comprises most of the land between Holyrood Abbey and Leith Harbor, I’ll wager that any number of other folks who have decided that I must be dead, too, may be about to proclaim themselves third baron Lestalric. I want to see who steps forward.”

Hugo perched on the sturdy table he used to deal with the accounts. “Can’t you guess who might?”

“The Douglas perhaps, on Lady Ellen’s behalf, but I doubt he will challenge me or try to install his own people on Lestalric land. After Will’s death, he’s more likely to have had someone collect Ellen and escort her to him at Hermitage or Tantallon.”

“Aye, he’ll wait to see who shows interest before he acts. Who else?”

“Sakes, Hugo, Ealga Clendenen is doubtless kin of some sort to me. If she is, anyone who claims kinship with her could conjure up a claim to Lestalric.”

“I was thinking more specifically,” Hugo said. “The Stewarts, for example. One reason folks call them up-starts is that they have practically no land of their own outside of Carrick in Galloway.”

“Except Stirling Castle and Edinburgh,” Rob said dryly.

“Those are royal holdings they acquired with the crown,” Hugo said. “The only reason they count them as Stewart is this rather new notion that the King’s eldest son should inherit instead of the Scottish nobility choosing their King. His grace has more offspring than land, and several of his sons are determined to increase their own holdings. The Earl of Fife is one of them, and Lestalric lies less than two miles from Edinburgh. That makes it a grand seat for any prince with ambition to acquire great power. Fife makes no secret of wanting to be King of Scots.”

“The Stewarts can have no legitimate claim to Lestalric, even so.”

“I’m just saying that you may find yourself up against powerful interests.”

Rob sighed. “My grandfather expected Will and Ellen to produce a litter of children, and I warrant it would disappoint him greatly that they didn’t. He certainly never expected me to inherit. Nor did I. He’d have been gey wroth with me for leaving home when I did, though,” he added, thinking affectionately of Sir Walter.

“One could scarcely blame him if he were, especially now,” Hugo said.

“Aye,” Rob agreed. “But I was young and angry, and I felt betrayed. Perhaps if I’d got along better with my father or Will, things would have been different, but I had little respect for either of them. I kept my surname because I’m proud of it, but I shed the rest, so I’d have no obvious connection to them and so they’d not easily find me if they searched.”

“Or so that if they failed to search, you need not know and be hurt more by their lack of feeling,” Hugo said shrewdly.

“Do you think that was it?” Rob asked.

“It doesn’t matter now,” Hugo said. “That was then. But when I told you they had died, you still seemed reluctant to change anything.”

“Aye, well, I’d grown accustomed to my life here. I never trained to be a landowner, after all, never had any to worry me. And although I expect I might have traded on my grand Sinclair connections to find a rich wife …” He shrugged.

Hugo smiled. “What changed your mind?”

Rob eyed the larger man warily. “Do you suppose we might sit properly and talk like civilized men? I’d gladly stir up those embers and put a few sticks on them.”

Indicating his agreement with a gesture, Hugo drew up a stool near the hearth and watched him as he dealt expertly with the fire.

Glancing up, Rob drew a deep breath. It was no secret that people had expected Hugo to marry Lady Adela before her abduction. But neither was it a secret that Hugo was as much in love with his wife as a man could be. Still …

“Out with it,” Hugo said impatiently. “I won’t eat you.”

“I wish I could be sure of that,” Rob said with a wry smile. “Sithee, I’ve just come from talking with your sister-by-marriage.”

“Sidony?”

“Nay, but I ought to have recalled that you’ve several such here. ’Twas the lady Adela.”

“I thought she went to bed an hour ago.”

“We met in the chapel.” When Hugo frowned, Rob added hastily, “I may as well begin at the beginning and confess the whole to you straightaway. I was on the ramparts in that fog last night, and she wandered up there. She was …” He paused, not wanting to betray her more than he had to, to explain himself. “She thought no one else would be there on such a black night and sought to be alone with her grief. Not wanting to frighten her, I spoke as I’m speaking to you now, and she confided things to me. I did not reveal my identity. For one thing, she seemed content to talk to a voice in the darkness and she needed to talk. For another …” He hesitated.

Hugo did not. “You didn’t want to tell her who you are,” he said grimly.

“I dared not, not without explaining everything else to her,” Rob said. “I’ll go to court, swear fealty to Old Bleary, and claim my heritage. When I see what comes of that, I’ll know better what to do next.”

“Someone is bound to recognize you from here, though, don’t you think?”

Grateful that Hugo seemed disinclined, for the moment at least, to pursue details of his talk with Adela, Rob gave a last stab at the fire with the poker, pulled up a stool, and sat as he said, “I don’t think so, not in the way you mean. I’m sure they
will
recognize me as Sir Robert of Lestalric, though. People see what they expect to see, and in court dress with an air of rank and wealth, I’ll do well enough.”

“Nevertheless, your appearance at court is likely to irritate anyone hoping to claim Lestalric for himself,” Hugo said.

“Perhaps, but I can think of only one man likely to reveal his displeasure, and that’s the chevalier de Gredin.”

“Sakes, why would he?”

“If I’m not mistaken, he’s taken strong interest in Lady Adela. And she told me that she means to accept Lady Clendenen’s invitation to stay with her in town.”

“I begin to think de Gredin is not the only one with an interest there.”

“I want only to be her friend,” Rob said. “She needs time to find herself, and I need time to get my feet on the ground at Lestalric. Anything more that may come of it lies in the future. But de Gredin seems intent on pursuing her.”

“I own, I don’t think much of the man,” Hugo said.

“I’ve taken a strong aversion to him myself, for all that I ken nowt o’ the slink,” Rob added, lapsing into the accents that had become customary over the years.

“I’m beginning to wish I weren’t about to leave for the west,” Hugo said. “But now that the new Lord of the Isles has paid his respects to his grandsire, the King, he will soon return, and my lady and I are to go with him.”

“Lady Sorcha is looking forward to the journey,” Rob said with a smile.

“Because she can collect what she needs from Chalamine whilst we’re about it,” Hugo said. “However, not only would I like to watch you act the baron, but you may need me, especially as Henry will likewise be leaving soon, for Orkney.”

“Michael will be here,” Rob reminded him.

Hugo nodded. “Aye, and he’ll do all he can, but something else occurred to me. What about Adela’s reaction to the new baron? She’s seen you, after all.”

“Not clearly,” Rob said. “Ladies don’t notice knights who behave as simple men-at-arms, and you’ll recall that even after I was on my feet again at Hawthornden, you kept me there until just a few days ago. She saw me only once the day we rescued her, briefly, at a distance. I doubt she recognized me when we were removing Ardelve’s body from the dais.”

“You’re sure she didn’t see you on the ramparts or in the chapel tonight?”

Rob shook his head. “I couldn’t see my own hand in that black fog. And I put out the candle in the chapel tonight before she could get a glimpse of me there.”

“So you scared the poor lass witless whilst she was at her prayers, did you?” Hugo said in a near growl.

“Nay, but the truth won’t please you any better,” Rob admitted. “I sent her a message to meet me there.”

“The devil you did! By heaven…”

“Easy, Hugo,” Rob said. “It isn’t what you think.” He had just begun to explain when the door opened without ceremony to reveal Sir Michael Sinclair.

Michael paused at the threshold when he saw the two of them. “What devilry are you two plotting?” he said.

“Shut the door,” Hugo said. When Michael had obeyed, Hugo added with a grim smile, “Apparently Sir Robert of Lestalric has decided to claim his heritage.”

“Has he?” Michael said, glancing at Rob. “Well, then, I warrant we’ll enjoy the stir, because, if I know our Robbie, he’ll create one.”

“Oh, aye, I think so,” Rob said. “After all, when one makes noise, folks generally don’t wonder straightaway why he is making it.”

“Just see that you don’t draw the wrong sort of attention,” Michael said. “I’ve just come to tell you, we’ve had word that the men who murdered your father and brother were not English—not part of the English army, at all events.”

“Who provided this information?” Hugo asked.

“The Douglas,” Michael said. “The English have been growing ever more daring again about crossing the border, and Sir Ian and Will were searching an area between Jed Forest and Carter Bar to confirm or deny rumors of a raiding party thereabouts. Douglas logically concluded that the raiders they sought found them first. However, of their own small party, only Sir Ian and Will were killed.”

“What happened to the others?” Rob asked.

“Not even hurt,” Michael said. “They saw four men in black, fully armed, wearing light mail. The few English they’d seen were all Borderers, they said, and wore jacks-o’-plate as our lot do. No similar incidents have occurred, Douglas said, and no one has seen the four raiders since.”

Hugo said, “I don’t like the sound of that, especially in view of what we were discussing earlier. You’ll have to beware, Rob.”

Rob grimaced. “If I must take my father’s place and act the baron, I’ll seek my fun where I can find it. I’ve no inclination yet to put up my sword.”

To Michael, he said, “Tell Douglas when next you communicate with him that I’ll need time to sort out my people before I’ll have any notion how many I can spare him. I warrant my father was none too supportive of his border defenses. He’ll have wanted to protect Lestalric, and he was not a man to recognize that supporting Douglas would more efficiently accomplish that.”

Michael nodded. “The messenger did say Sir Ian provided only that small party. Douglas was irked with him for bringing so few, but apparently he joined Douglas only to decide if the threat warranted lending him any men at all.”