Beloved Secrets, Book 3 Read online

  “I doubt he knows how many horses we have. If he does, I shall convince him he is mistaken. Not only that, there is no one to give chase.”

  She smiled finally. “Then we are assured of an easy escape. How shall we find the other MacGreagors?”

  “Ask along the way. Surely several have seen such a large gatherin’ going north in spring.”

  Skye reached up on tiptoe, kissed him on the cheek, and then hurried away.

  WITH THE DARK OF NIGHT barely turning from black to blue the next morning, Evander brought two of their best horses to the back of Skye’s cottage where Hendry could not see them. He and Shaw hung cloth bags that held all they owned, on each end of leather straps, and then laid the straps across the rumps of the horses. After the bags were secure, they helped the two women and three children mount. Sky and her mother expressed their gratefulness with nods, and as quietly as they could, the two women walked the horses down the lane.

  Skye did not look back at Shaw, but in the dim morning light, she did look at the place where her father was buried. She wiped a tear off her cheek, and then followed her mother out of sight.

  MORNING CAME AND WENT, and when Skye and her mother did not come to settle the wedding arrangements, Hendry marched to Sky’s cottage, yanked open the door and found it empty. He screamed and yelled his discontent, but the clan ignored him and went about the work that needed to be done. At length, he went back to his castle.

  He climbed the stairs to the north tower, ignored chunks of mortar that continued to fall out of the walls, and began screaming his demands through the window. “Bring wood!” he shouted, “And water, for I thirst! I am your laird, Jamie appointed me and you must obey!” The only one watching him was Glenna and he had no desire to encounter her.

  It was the first in a long line of commands he would find ignored over the next few days, and for the life of him, he could not catch anyone else giving commands. Even so, the work seemed to be getting done. Instead of hauling wood himself, he put on nearly all the clothing he owned. It helped some, but would not be sufficient when it got really cold. At the same time, the sun rose and set lower in the south, making the hours of daylight noticeably decrease. Still he yelled and still he was ignored. At least Innis was still willing to cook for him, although she refused to clean or to stay in the castle any longer than necessary. For her, the men brought wood and soon, the kitchen was the only place Hendry could get relief from the cold.

  As soon as he was able, Shaw helped split more logs and stored the wood in the shed to keep it dry through winter. He tried to calculate just how much wood they would need and added more just to be sure. After that, the men stopped cutting down trees. If the winter was especially harsh, he supposed, they could supply their hearths using the wood in the deserted cottages.

  WITH THE HARVEST IN and less work to do once the animals were cared for, the men had time to gather of an afternoon and discuss the future of the clan – without Hendry. More often than not, they met in Shaw’s cottage where they would not disturb the families.

  On this day, Dan was the first to speak up. Hard work had done wonders to help him recover from the shock of seeing the horrors he witnessed in the battle. Except for bad dreams, everyone agreed he was much improved. “I say we petition the king’s Regent.”

  “And tell him what? That we dinna like Hendry?” Evander asked. “We have no proof that he killed anyone.”

  “Then we shall simply ask Hendry to forego bein’ laird,” Dan persisted.

  Shaw chuckled, “As if that would ever happen.”

  “One of us must fight him. ‘Tis the way of the Scots,” said Irving.

  Shaw puffed his cheeks. “A week ago, I thought I might have to fight him, but ‘tis plain Hendry will not fight no matter who challenges him.”

  “Aye, he has not been out of the castle in two days,” said Elder Aulay. “He will not fight and we cannae murder him, no matter how much we are tempted.”

  “Then we must starve him out,” Brodie said.

  Shaw gave that idea some thought. “First, we must let him choose. Shall he leave peacefully or does he prefer starvation? Perhaps he shall have wits enough to go and save us the trouble of watching him die.”

  “Shall we not speak to him in the mornin’ then?” Colla asked, “and shall not all the lads go together?”

  Brodie nodded. “We shall meet after the cows are milked, agreed?”

  Each man approved and it was settled.

  JUST AS THEY PLANNED, all the men in the clan gathered in the inner courtyard the next morning, and then went inside the castle to confront Hendry. However, their opponent was not in the Great Hall and when Evander went up to see, he was not in his bed chamber or in the north tower either. Secretly hoping Hendry had slipped away in the night, the men began to search. They did not have to look far for Hendry was curled up and sound asleep on the floor of the kitchen near the hearth.

  As soon as he realized he was not alone, Hendry awoke with a start, sat up, scooted backwards into a corner, and drew his dagger. “Have you come to kill me?” he whined.

  “Now there’s an intriguin’ thought,” said Evander.

  Hendry suspiciously looked each man in the eye, realized none of them were threatening him with a weapon, and lowered his dagger. Even so, he was not about to put it back in its sheath. “Why do you wake me?”

  Shaw leaned a shoulder against the kitchen wall. “Do you not know why?”

  “You have come for money, but I have none to give,” Hendry answered.

  Evander scoffed, “So you have said.”

  “Then you are here to make me confess. I give you my word, I dinna hurt Lexine. I know not where she is.”

  “We have not come for that either.” Dan reached his hand out to Hendry. “Stand up, we shall not harm you.” It was clear Hendry did not truly believe him, but at length he put his dagger away and took Dan’s hand.

  Just as Shaw stood up straight, the diamond fell out of his belt.

  Hendry was not the only who gasped – all the men appeared frozen in time as they stared at the sparkling gem.

  In one swift motion, Hendry got his wits about him, let go of Dan’s hand, swooped down, and picked up the diamond. Soon, he turned his accusing eyes on Shaw. “You have had it all along! You have Jamie’s gold!”

  “Do you?” Evander asked.

  “I found the diamond,” Shaw admitted. He was not surprised to see Hendry’s expression turn from accusation to sheer delight.

  “Where?” Hendry asked.

  Shaw was in a bind for he hated lying, especially to Evander and the others. However, the last thing he was ever going to do was tell Hendry where it was. “Did Jamie not tell you where...with his dyin’ breath?” Shaw mocked.

  Hendry’s delight turned to hateful defiance. In a deep voice, he said, “I command you to tell me.”

  “Or what?” Shaw asked. “Do you mean to kill me too?” Dismayed, Shaw walked out of the castle and soon the others followed, leaving Hendry far behind.

  “Did you find Jamie’s funds?” Evander asked as soon as he caught up with Shaw.

  “Aye.”

  Evander rushed to the outer door, opened it for Shaw, and then bowed. “You amaze me sometimes. How long have you known?”

  Shaw glanced back at the others as they too scurried to catch up. When he spotted Elder Aulay struggling to walk fast enough, he stopped and waited. “Not long. Dinna ask me where it is. I shall show you once Hendry is gone and cannae hurt anyone else. Agreed?” He surveyed their nods and their grins.

  Evander chuckled. “How it must grate on Hendry’s soul that you have it and he does not. He looked up, and just as he supposed, Hendry had already made it up the stairs and was watching them from the north tower.

  “We dinna tell him we mean to starve him out,” said Dan.

  Evander raised an eyebrow. “Fret not. He shall know that as soon as Innis dinna come to make his first meal in the mornin’.” With smiles on their faces, each man
went to tend his chores and Shaw went to help carry wood to his and Glenna’s cottages.

  CHAPTER 7

  THAT NIGHT, AND JUST in case, Shaw laid the unsheathed sword he borrowed from Elder Aulay on the floor next to his bed. He was exhausted and his fire would soon go out, so he kept his clothing on and crawled into bed. It was not unusual for the old wood in the cottages to make noise as the night grew cold, and this night was no exception. Because he was fully aware that Hendry might try to kill him, the complaining cottage wood made it difficult to fall asleep.

  Suddenly, his door opened, someone came in and swiftly closed the door. Alarmed, Shaw shot out of bed, grabbed his sword, and got ready to kill Hendry.

  “Shaw?” a familiar voice asked as the dark figure moved into the meager light of the hearth.

  “Lucas?” Shaw asked.

  “Aye, ‘tis me.”

  “Thank the Lord above. You have come back.”

  “Put that sword away afore you kill someone.”

  Shaw snickered, laid the sword back on the floor, and then went to the hearth. He held a stick in the dying embers until it caught fire and then used it to light a candle. By then, Jamie’s brother had poured himself a goblet of ale from a pitcher left on the table and taken a seat. “You cannae know how happy I am to see you.” Shaw sat down, grabbed another goblet, and poured ale in it for himself. “Did the others come back with you?”

  “Nay, I have come alone.”

  “I see. Did Skye and her mother find you?”

  “Aye, ‘tis why I came.” Lucus took a hearty drink and then refilled his goblet. “Shaw, you must tell me – how did my brother die?”

  Having vowed never to speak of it, Shaw did not answer. Instead, he simply said, “He died well.”

  “As I knew he would. But tell me, precisely how did he die?”

  Shaw stared at his goblet and avoided Lucus’ searching eyes. “I...”

  “Tell me this much at least. Hendry claims Jamie made him laird with his dyin’ breath. Is it true?”

  Answering that question was the easy part, so Shaw shook his head.

  “How do you know?” When Shaw was still reluctant to speak, Lucus tightly grabbed Shaw’s wrist. “Everyone knows you saw what happened, for you cried out to Jamie in your fever. I am your rightful laird and I command you to tell me! How did my brother die?”

  Shaw dropped his gaze and swallowed hard. It was clear Lucus was not going to give up easily, so at length he answered, “Jamie was on the front line. If Hendry had been nearby, he would have died with him.”

  “Go on. How can you know for certain that Hendry would have died too?”

  Shaw drew in a deep breath and finally looked Lucus in the eye. “The first cannon ball hit Jamie and several of the men behind him. He could not have said with his dyin’ breath, for there was no breath left in him.”

  Lucus was completely taken aback. He was not expecting to hear of such a gruesome death and the mental image of a cannon ball cutting his brother in half left him visibly upset. At length, Lucus let go of Shaw’s wrist and bowed his head. “Hendry ran before the battle began, did he not?”

  “I dinna see him run. I tell you true, I dinna see him there at all.”

  “I am not surprised. How I regret not bein’ by my brother’s side in the battle. By the time word of the King’s command to fight reached us, ‘twas already over.”

  “I am grateful you were not there. Few lived.”

  “So I have heard.”

  Shaw desperately wanted to stop talking about a battle he hoped to forget and changed the subject. “We are in great need. Many of the lasses are left without husbands. Perhaps some unmarried MacGreagors shall willingly come back and help us.”

  “Perhaps so. I shall ask them.”

  “Does Glenna know you are here?”

  “Nay, no one knows but you. I came to make certain Hendry has not found Jamie’s jewels. They are hidden in the walls of this cottage.”

  At last Shaw smiled. “I know, I hit the wall and the board fell out.”

  Lucus grinned too. “Good, then you can pay Jamie’s debts, and if the harvest is not sufficient, you can sell some of the jewels to pay the king’s taxes.”

  “Do you not need some of it?”

  “Nay, Jamie and I split the wealth before I left.”

  “There was more?”

  “Aye. My brother was a very good lad. Jamie insisted I take more than half since so many went with me.”

  “Then I am relieved. We shall see to payin’ his debts.”

  Lucus frowned. “I mean to say, you shall pay Jamie’s debts.”

  “Very well, I shall see to it.”

  That was not what Lucus meant, but he let it go for now. He abruptly stood up, untied his sword, and laid it on Shaw’s table. “Come, we must see to Hendry while the night is still dark.”

  “See to him?”

  “Does he remain in the castle?”

  “Aye and is likely drunk by now.”

  “Good.” As he had a thousand times when he lived there, Lucus made his way to the castle in the dark, went inside and then opened the door to the Great Hall. Amazingly, Hendry had hauled his own wood, for there was a fire in the hearth and several lit candles on the table.

  Startled, Hendry grabbed the diamond off the table and put it in his pocket. Then he stood up. “Lucus?” The lit candles cast his shadow against the far wall making Hendry look much larger than he actually was.

  “I came to see what became of Lexine,” said Lucus.

  Hendry rolled his eyes, “Oh that.” He sat back down, grabbed a flask of French wine he managed to find somewhere, and took a long drink. He wiped his mouth on his sleeve and then shrugged. “She has run off. She must have, for the lads have searched everywhere for her.”

  “Tis doubtful she would leave her wee ones alone, do you not agree?”

  “Why not? She left them alone in the castle often enough.”

  “Did she? Jamie never said a word of that.”

  “She dinna do it while Jamie was here. Only when he was off somewhere or after he...the battle.”

  Lucus drew in a deep breath and slowly let it out. “Tell me, how did Jamie die?”

  Hendry’s eyes widened. “How?”

  “Aye. He was my brother and I wish to know what happened. Where was he in the battle. I mean, what position had he?”

  “Position?”

  “Aye. He must have been right beside you. Were the two of you in the middle or at the back of the Scots?”

  Hendry glanced at Shaw and then looked away. “Ask him, he was there too.”

  Lucus slammed his fist on the table. “I am askin’ you!”

  At first, Hendry jumped, but then he once more turned defiant. “I am laird now. How dare you question me?”

  Lucus slowly stood up. “Shaw, gather Hendry’s things.”

  “Why?” Hendry demanded to know.

  “As Jamie’s brother, and the rightful MacGreagor laird, I hereby banish you.” When a surprised Shaw made no move, Lucus nodded to reinforce his command, and then watched Shaw grab a lit candle off the table and head out the door.

  “I shall not go, not in the dead of night,” Hendry said. He tipped the flask up once more, drank, and ignored Lucus.

  Lucus would not be ignored. “You shall go now, for I have commanded it and ‘tis death not to obey the command of your laird.”

  “Even you would not cast a lad out at night.”

  “You know me not as well as you think.” Lucus pulled his dagger and before Hendry could gather his wits, cast his flask aside, and grab his own dagger, Lucus put the sharp tip of his against Hendry’s neck. “Perhaps a cut throat shall convince you.”

  In disbelief Hendry fluttered his eyes. “Very well, but I shall come back.”

  “Nay, you shall not come back for a banished lad is to be put to death if he dares come back. I assure you, there are several here who would find great pleasure in the killin’.”

  Hendry
looked away, looked back at Lucus, and finally scooted his chair back. “I find I am without a choice.”

  THERE WASN’T MUCH IN Hendry’s bedchamber to gather, but Shaw stuffed what there was in a cloth sack, tied the strings, and darted back down the stairs. He was surprised to find Hendry and Lucus waiting for him in the foyer. He was not surprised, however, to see that Hendry was hanging on to his flask of wine or that Lucus had drawn his dagger. Shaw handed the sack of belongings to Hendry and then took a step back.

  Lucus and Shaw followed Hendry out the door, across the inner courtyard and then across the outer courtyard into the glen. Halfway down the lane, Lucus commanded Hendry to stop and turn around. His glare was fierce when he looked Hendry in the eye. “It is said, he who harms a lass or a child shall be put to death.”

  With that, Lucus plunged his long dagger deep into the upper part of the pretend laird’s stomach. An expression of incomprehension crossed Hendry’s face and when he looked down, blood had already begun to gush forth. Hendry’s instinct was to run toward the forest, and run he did – until his ruptured heart allowed death to claim him and he collapsed to the ground.

  It rained for hours that night and early on the morrow when Shaw went to look, no evidence remained of what became of Hendry MacGreagor.

  “LUCUS!” INNIS SHOUTED when she saw him come out of an abandoned cottage the next morning.

  Shaw stayed out of the way as one by one, the people began to come to see for themselves. Soon, a shout for joy rippled throughout the glen. Lucus hugged each of the women, playfully slapped each of the men on the shoulder, and patted the heads of all of the children. Two of the women were with child, so he leaned down, and put an ear to their stomachs to see if he could hear the babies. Both women were now without husbands, but they were too happy to see Jamie’s brother to cry over that just now.

  “Does Hendry know you are here?” Elder Aulay asked as he made his way to the center of the gathering crowd.