Taming the Wild Highlander 04 (19 page)

Angus smiled at her.
"'Tis good. I like your brothers."

"
They will treat you as one of their own," Edana said.

Amused, he raised a brow.
"As long as
you
dinna treat me like your brother, we will do well."

She chuckled and gave him another smile. He swore she blushed a little.

Angus considered Keary's men spread out among Tibold's. He didn't like that Keary's men outnumbered theirs—even by just a few. Angus shared Edana's whispered sentiment—he didn't trust Keary completely. He suspected he wanted something out of the deal. Though what, the man wouldn't say.

As Angus had predicted, t
he weather that had started out so beautifully turned into a deluge—drenching man, woman, and beast. The cold rain and wind whipped about them that could chill the stoutest of men.

Huddling over their horses, t
he women put on a good face, Edana cheering Una on and Una doing the same with Edana when one or the other appeared to falter. He wished he hadn't had to take Edana with him, but after she'd heard from her brother, he suspected they needed her help to steer them in the right direction. He was glad to see the women making the most of the bad weather.

He just prayed they
'd find her brothers soon before Edana became ill.

***

Keary had made a concerted effort to avoid coveting Angus's wife while they had been dining in his great hall, but he couldn't help it. He kept thinking how he should have been the one seated next to her, whispering sweet sentiments in her ear, slipping his hand onto her thigh, giving it a squeeze, and watching her smile—at him, not at Angus.

Keary had suffered for years at the hand of an abusive father
for being an illegitimate son like the rest of his half-brothers. Now that Keary had the title and lands, he deserved having a loving woman at his side. Edana should be that woman. Just as she deserved him—and all that he could give her. What could Angus provide her? Nothing but bed sport, and Keary could best him there as well. He was certain.

He had trailed
Angus and Edana to keep an eye on the lass, but observing Angus watching her as if he was a besotted lad had proved more than Keary could bear. So he rode up ahead with Edana's father.

"'
Tis said my aim with a bow is as good as the Welshmen who are so admired for their skill," Keary said, attempting to explain to the Chattan chief how worthy he was in fighting. "I have never been wounded in combat, save a small cut here or there, which attests to my skill in sword play also."

Tibold glanced in Keary
's direction.

Ke
ary smiled. He hoped he was winning favor with Edana's father. What if Angus was killed in battle at some point or another? Tibold had already agreed Keary could wed the lass, so Keary would hold him to the agreement when Angus was no longer in his way.

As to Edana, he had to tread lightly, show her how much he cared about her brothers, help her to locate and fre
e them. It was another reason he had given her a bedchamber at Lockton Castle so that she could spend the night with her husband—to show friendship, as much as it had killed him to do so. He couldn't praise God enough that Angus and she had not used that bed after all.

Not that going with Tibold and the others
had all to do with currying favor with her father and with Edana though. Keary had to stop Oppida from ruining any more lives with her maliciousness. This was personal.

When he returned to Lockton Castle before he had to witness the wedding between Edana and Angus, he
'd stewed about the situation the whole way back and come to the conclusion that even if it took more work to obtain his final goal—having Edana for his wife—it would be worth just about any sacrifice.

He was having a devil of a time not looking back over his shoulder to see how Edana fared
in the torrent of rain pummeling them now. And to see if Angus was still watching her like an infatuated fool.

Then he laughed to himself because that
's just what
he
was with regard to Edana. Why had he not visited Tibold once he had gained his title and lands?

He let out his breath in exasperation. Frankly, he hadn
't given her a thought because he had only seen Edana when she was a young lass, and though he had loved her dark red hair and her fetching blue eyes, he had been more interested in
older
lasses at the time. As he recalled, she hadn't shown any interest in the lads, which for now was a good thing as she was unspoiled. Or had been until Angus got hold of her.

She had grown into a veritable beauty. And
now that he had seen her, spoken with her, saw how much his sister liked her even, he wanted Edana for his own.

Tibold
seemed lost in his own thoughts, probably worrying about his sons, while Keary kept puzzling over Edana and how she knew where her brothers had been. How
had
she known?

He stared straight ahead,
rode maybe another mile before he couldn't stand not knowing. But he couldn't ask her or alert Angus he was still interested in the lass. He would have to speak with Angus on the matter and learn what he could from him. If Keary continued to be as friendly as he could toward Angus, mayhap Edana would see Keary as a friend also. And Angus would not suspect Keary had designs on his wife.

***

To Angus's surprise, Keary rode from a place alongside Tibold near the front to join Angus and indicated he wanted to speak in private, saying only, "May I have a word?"

Ang
us dropped back behind the women and rode alongside Keary, wondering what he was up to.

"
I would never have thought to take the lass on a journey like this," Keary said, his tone filled with haughty disapproval.

Angus didn
't say anything as the rain poured down from the heavens even worse than before. They were barely able to see the riders in front of Edana and her maid now. He wanted the lass out of this weather as soon as possible. And to that end, he could barely think of anything else.

"
She appears hardy enough. It just doesna seem to be the place for a woman," Keary persisted.

Angus suspected Keary was trying to learn why she rode with them
. Their reasoning was none of his business.

Every breath Angus took and released, just like his horse
's and Keary's, came out in a cold white mist. He prayed Edana and Una would not get sick.

"
How does the lass know where her brothers are?" Keary asked, poking into the matter again with another pointed question. "When she didna even know the place. She hadna seen her brothers there. How did she know they met with the wench?"

"
Why did you come with us?" Angus asked, wondering if he would get the truth or a lie or something halfway in between. He was not about to discuss Edana's gift with him.

Keary took a deep breath, yanked at his plaid
covering his head, attempting to keep it in place as a hood, the wind tugging it back again. "Everyone knows how much animosity I have for the whore."

"
Oppida? I didna know." This was news to Angus. And he worried that Keary could cause more trouble than good when they arrived at the keep in question if the man wanted vengeance.

"
She rallied our father against me and my brothers. Aye, not one of us was legitimate, and my da was always killing off a new wife who couldna manage childbirth. Or so we thought. Oppida canna have a child. But she is young and beautiful, and she greatly influenced him. I came to believe she actually murdered his two wives during childbirth because she feared if he had a legitimate son, my da would force Oppida to leave. Then he tried to marry another woman—the woman your brother wed—and when that didna come to pass, Oppida murdered my own da, knowing he would find yet another wife."

Angus glanced at Keary and saw he was serious, his face dark and grim.

"Someone poisoned him. 'Twas thought one of my brothers had done the deed so he could take his place. But I never believed it. Poison is a woman's method of murder. As soon as da was dead, Oppida tried to pit brother against brother. I saw right through her. She convinced one of my youngest half-brothers that she loved him and tried to get him to fight me. She wanted a younger man. One she thought to control. She knew she couldna wield any power over me. But he would never have an heir by her."

"
I understand," Angus said, more than a little shocked over the matter. He understood the woman's wish to eliminate those who their father had loved—his wives and future legitimate heirs. But Angus couldn't comprehend the other matter. Certainly, not all families were close like he and his brothers or Edana and her brothers were. But to allow a conniving woman to lead them into battling each other? He couldn't imagine what was wrong with Keary's brothers.

Keary patted his horse
's neck. "Thankfully, Finbar liked me well enough not to attempt to kill me and left our lands instead, ashamed, beaten. I would have eliminated the wench for everything she had done. Before I could locate her in all the turmoil, she escaped. Her meddling at Lockton had come to an end. Think you I would show the woman any mercy if I got hold of her? Nay."

"
Some believe you forced her to leave."

"
Aye, and I left it at that. I truly believed she wouldna make it on her own. In a roundabout way, 'tis my fault Edana's brothers are incarcerated. 'Twill be the last time that whore causes trouble in the Highlands."

Angus pondered the notion
. He feared Keary still harbored a plan to somehow take Edana for his wife. The thought did occur that if Angus was conveniently killed in a skirmish, Keary could step in and offer to marry the grieving widow. So mayhap Keary still did have such a design in mind. But Angus also grew concerned Keary could cause more trouble between the clans should he attempt to kill Oppida for her past murderous deeds. Whoever the chief was who currently gave her a place in his home would not like that.

***

A stabbing pain struck Kayne in the arse, and he came off the pallet swinging his manacled wrists, clanging and clanking. A gray rat scurried off, squeaking, and disappeared through a small hole in the rock wall near the stone floor. Kayne cursed the bloody beast. Then he guessed where it had bitten him was better than some other place he might have suffered a bite, if he was willing to see this in a more positive light. Which he wasn't.

His brothers eyed him warily.

"Rat." Kayne glanced at Drummond, who was still shivering. Kayne had already piled his own threadbare blanket on top of his youngest brother to warm him.

Kayne thought he heard a noise near the cell door and
turned and suddenly realized why he could see somewhat in the dark cell. A boy of eight or nine, thin, small of stature, round green eyes set in an owlish face, and wild red hair, stood with candle in hand, staring at him, his mouth gaping.

"
How now?" Kayne eased to a sitting position so as not to alarm the boy, surprised to see the lad at whatever ungodly hour it was in this place. He had to be a guard's son, or…the chief's to gain entrance?

The boy didn
't say anything as Gildas wiped the sleep from his eyes and sat up. Drummond shook with fever, mumbling something incoherent. Despite not wanting Edana to search for them on her own, Kayne had to get word to her that Drummond was ill and could die. He'd tried to alert her several times, praying she had received his message.

"
What is your name, son?" Kayne asked.

"
Pol," the lad said, his voice so quiet that Kayne had to strain to hear it.

"
Why, you are a strapping young lad, Pol. To what do we owe the pleasure of your company?" Maybe if he could garner a friendship with the wee lad, he might help them win their freedom one way or another.

"
They…they say you were with Oppida," Pol said, hesitantly at first, then blurting the rest out.

"
Aye, but no' mayhap in the way you have heard. Drummond is very ill and could die," Kayne said, motioning to his brother. Kayne himself was sick with worry that his youngest brother might not make it. And then who would be the next to succumb to the hardships of life in a dank dungeon?

The boy studied Drummond.

"He made the mistake of kissing…Oppida. She has a way of enticing a man to do such that he should not do. Drummond is the youngest of my brothers, so he doesna think about the consequences as much as he should," Kayne said.

Tying his long dark hair back in a tail, Halwn sat up now, watching the exchange.

Pol turned to look at Halwn briefly, then his eyes riveted back to Kayne. "They said he did more. That all of you did."

Kayne and Halwn snorted in unison. The boy
's eyes widened again.

Halwn tugged his blanket around his bare shoulders and leaned close to the moss-covered wall.
"We dinna kiss that kind of woman or avail ourselves of anything further."