by Elise Ramsay
Logan’s heart was beating so hard, he half expected to be able to hear it. The nearer they got to the meeting place, the harder it drummed. Get a hold of yourself, man. Your life depends on the next few minutes!
Kyle Sinclair was already there. With his brother, Evan, once again at his side, Logan thought he looked furious. Furious and absolutely terrifying. Brodie made a wee noise in his throat and, for an awful moment, Logan thought his companion might bolt.
Riding up to the Sinclair brothers, Logan felt suddenly blank. His mind had cleared of everything he had planned to say and pure panic threatened to overwhelm him.
Logan got down from his horse deliberately slowly, buying some time for himself.
“Well, what do you useless wee laddies have to say for yourselves?” Kyle was at his most menacing.
It came as no surprise to any of them present that Brodie MacIver said not one word. All eyes fell upon Logan, and he suddenly hated the responsibility that only a few weeks before he had been so in love with.
“I know we made a mess of it. I’m not going to even bother to explain that away.” Logan’s prepared speech was coming back to him. Kyle raised an eyebrow at Logan’s choice of opening. Kyle knew that Logan would have prepared. He was that sort of a man. Ambitious, just like Kyle had always been. The problem with Logan was that he had neither the status nor the talent for this. Kyle smirked, he always liked being in the company of lesser men.
“Nay? No explanation at all?” Kyle said, slow and bored.
“Nay, it would be fruitless. I’m not going to seek to talk my way out of that mess. I’m ready to get the job done.”
“Ach, are you now?” Kyle let out a booming laugh. It pleased him to feel like the man whose approval was most sought after. Logan was terrified, and Kyle knew it. Kyle liked it and he licked his thick, swollen looking lips in anticipation of the blood to come.
“Aye, I am. I’ve set a wee spy in the Kincaid Castle.” Logan paused for effect. Kyle looked suddenly interested, exactly as Logan had hoped he would.
“I see.”
“Aye, and I’ve discovered that there is to be a gathering at Kincaid Castle, just days from now.”
“So?”
“So, it is a gathering that myself and Brodie will be attending.”
“You plan to kill Cullen Kincaid within his own walls?” Kyle licked his fat lips. He had planned to play with these two, frighten them out of their wits, and then kill them. However, the image of his Da’s lifeless, blood-soaked body, rose up in his mind. His own father, slain within the walls of his own Castle. Maybe their wee blunder had not been so bad after all. This was exactly the type of revenge Kyle was wanting. Like for like. His father had been sneakily murdered in the heart of Sinclair Castle. Now, Cullen Kincaid would suffer the same fate. They would know it was Kyle, but they would never prove it. Kyle Sinclair would never be admitted within the walls of Kincaid Castle. It would work well in his favour. Logan began to speak again, annoying Kyle.
“We have a plan of how we intend to carry it out...”
Kyle cut him short. “Nay, you do not have a plan! I have a plan of how you will kill Cullen Kincaid, and you will follow it to the letter. I have seen what chaos ensues when you pair of useless fools try to think for yourselves. Nay, you will follow my plan.”
Logan did not speak, he merely nodded his acceptance.
“And if you fail, this time, make no mistake wee laddies, I will kill you both.”
Chapter Fifteen
Knowing that Annis was returning to her own Castle later that day, Cullen still could not bring himself to visit her in his chamber. For two nights he had had no sleep, hounded by the thoughts and suspicions that refused to leave him.
His longing for Annis was what had kept him awake more than anything. Could he really have been so very wrong about her? Annis, the free spirit. The feral wee beastie who had trapped his heart. Could she somehow be involved in some plot against him and then have changed her mind? Cullen’s spirits had been low for two full days. Not being able to raise a laugh or a smile from him, even Grant had begun to wonder what was gnawing away at Cullen. No encounter the two brothers had ever had ended in aught else but laughter. Grant had wrongly assessed that the imminent departure of Annis MacIver was getting to Cullen, and teased him about being in love with the feral wee beastie of the MacIver Clan. When Cullen had turned an angry countenance upon his brother, Grant had assumed that he was right. His daft big brother had fallen for her!
Cullen had so enjoyed having Annis there. They had never spent so long in each other’s company in all the years of their acquaintance. He had felt so close to her, even in the more chaste days when Alison had been ever present, thwarting any attempt he might have made at renewing their intimacy.
That last day he had spent with her, talking of the upcoming gathering, had been most enjoyable. Their laughter and banter had returned to days of old, but with an exciting new aspect to it that he could feel rather than name.
Alison MacLeish had taken her leave of Annis at the same time Cullen had. The wee lassie set off out of the Castle for a walk. Leaving her to it, Cullen had decided on some fresh air for himself and picked up his bow on the way out of the Castle. Maybe he would get some sport at the same time.
As he had sauntered through the woodlands on the edge of the Kincaid Land, Cullen was deep in a daydream about his new love. Laughing out loud, Cullen thought how pointless it had been to bring his bow with him. He had doubtless missed countless opportunities as his mind wandered. All rabbits and deer were safe from him, for that day at least.
Hearing rustling, coupled with girlish humming, Cullen had made his way to a break in the thick foliage of the trees and looked out.
Alison MacLeish was returning from her wee walk. Her arms swung widely at her sides and she was smiling into thin air. What have you been up to, lassie? Cullen grinned to himself and got on his way.
Having got not much further into the woodland, Cullen heard yet more disturbance. He could hear the snorting of a horse. He crept along, the recent attempt on his life making him suddenly sensible to danger. Cullen stayed still. He quickly recognised the rider as Logan Munro, but something was not right. Logan’s face was paler than he remembered it, and his expression was one that Cullen could only describe as mortal concern. For reasons he could not explain, Cullen felt a creeping sensation. The hairs on the back of his neck were standing on end.
Logan looked for all the world like a man upon whom a death sentence had been passed.
Confused thoughts raced through Cullen’s mind. Although part of the MacIver Clan, and, therefore, an ally, what was Logan Munro doing out here on the edge of the Kincaid lands?
Suddenly, he remembered Alison, practically skipping along and humming to herself. At first smirking at his own realisation, Cullen’s instincts and suspicions would not let go of their hold on his gut. Alison was young, and not too alluring if he was brutally honest. Logan seemed like one who could interest any wee lassie around the MacIver Castle, so why Alison? What did he want from her? Cullen had a deep suspicion that it was not just the obvious. There was something about the whole thing that just did not feel true.
Why would a Clansman of the MacIver come so far yet not visit his injured fellow Clanswoman? Especially when that woman was his own Chief’s daughter.
How had Annis described the man who had fired upon him? All she could say was that he maybe had dark hair. Well, Logan had dark hair. Ach, get a hold of yourself, half of Scotland has dark hair!
Cullen tried not to dwell on the sheer vagueness of the description Annis had given, especially when every other detail of that day she had recounted in such depth.
Feeling as though he had swallowed sharp, dry earth, Cullen decided he would head back for his horse and return once more to that clearing. There was something he needed to see.
The ride from Kincaid Castle to the clearing had been the fastest he had made for a very long time. The sense of urgency he was
experiencing was too great to fight.
By the time he drew up at the edge of the clearing, his horse was snorting hard. Cullen jumped down and tethered the animal before heading off at a near run towards the clearing itself.
Seeing the spot where he had peacefully slept while someone planned his own death, was a very levelling moment. Cullen was rooted to the spot for several seconds, unable to tear his eyes away. Coming back to himself, he stood near the place where he had lain and looked all about him. He wanted to see what Annis had seen. From the angle at which Annis had fallen, deciding which direction the arrow had come from had been a very simple thing. Cullen looked over that way, his heart sinking down as if rolling into his stomach.
Annis said that the she had not seen the man fully because he was mostly covered by the rock behind which he hid.
Cullen’s mouth went dried. There was no rock.
For the rest of her stay, Cullen could not bring himself to see Annis. She had lied to him, he harboured no doubts about that. Annis was protecting someone, and it was the very man who had tried to take Cullen’s life.
Still, there was so much that didn’t make sense. Why had Annis saved his life? Or, had Annis meant to save his life? Perhaps she had been winged by a stray arrow, one meant for him that had gone off target. Maybe she had been there as a distraction to him, after all, how was his assailant to know he would be such an easy target, sleeping like a bairn in the sun.
Well, he would be nobody’s easy target ever again! He would, after all, become the man his Da had always hoped for. Serious, aware, and deeply mistrustful of all around him.
Cullen had known that the next move he made ought to be the retelling of all he had discovered to his Da and brothers. All evidence suggested that the MacIver Clan were far from being allies of the Kincaid, and his Clan should be made well aware of it.
Furthermore, in just a matter of days, the MacIver’s were to be at Kincaid Castle as their guests. Cullen could have kicked himself when he thought of how easily he had given every detail of the events of the gathering to Annis. Then her wee spy had run away to meet up with Logan Munro down by the stream at Glannoch to tell all. What a fool he had been. It was little wonder that Kyle Sinclair, for he was undoubtedly at the root of this, had chosen Cullen as his target. What a simple thing to pick of the least serious and aware of the Kincaid men! The fool who thought of naught but his own amusement and leisure!
Despite all of this, Cullen had, in the end, not taken his suspicions to his Da. His own feelings for Annis could not be crushed. Cullen hated his own, treacherous heart! Why had he fallen for her? The scruffiest, most wayward and cheeky woman in the whole of the Western Highlands! Yet, she was also the most intelligent, vital, and beautiful. Don’t you ever get bored?
Knowing that he was risking the security of his own Clan with his silence, Cullen could do nothing. He could not yet give her away, not until he had firmly decided, once and for all, that she had betrayed him.
Nay, he would have to deal with this himself. Cullen would need to summon up all of his skill and wits for the coming gathering.
Chapter Sixteen
As the day of her departure came, Annis could not have felt more low-spirited. Cullen had not visited her in days, and it seemed likely that he would not even be in attendance to see her off that afternoon.
Making light conversation with Alison had been purgatory. The wee lass was a non-stop source of gaiety and amusement, and Annis had to fight to appear to be contented.
At night, she had wept quietly to herself. Why had he not come? Cullen had promised to be back the very next day after he had brought her in the scraggly clump of wildflowers. What could possibly have changed? Annis could find out nothing from Alison of any pressing activities going on elsewhere in the Castle. Annis had, at times, soothed herself with the thought that Cullen must have been preoccupied with some preparation or other for the gathering at Kincaid Castle. Yet, deep in her heart, she knew something must have changed. Cullen’s regard for her had diminished. He was a braw, handsome man and she tortured herself with images of well presented, beautiful Clans-women fawning over him and falling into his arms.
As she was gently escorted outside and placed on her horse for the journey home, Annis had looked to and fro for any sign of Cullen. Finding none, she summoned every bit of strength she could muster to thank the blood kin of the Kincaid Clan for their kindness and hospitality.
On the ride home, Annis rode close to Alison. In hopes that the lass would once again lift her spirits, she struck up a conversation, whilst Donald, the Clansman, who had been sent to accompany them, rode on ahead.
“Ach, Alison, say something to make me laugh.”
“What for? Are you feeling sad?” The lass turned big, concerned eyes on Annis.
“Aye, I am a wee bit.”
“You’ll be missing Cullen!” Alison’s tone was gently accusing. Hadn’t she known it all along!
“Why do you say that?”
“Ach, seeing the two of you together! It’s obvious you’re in love with each other!”
Annis laughed at the younger lassie’s certainty.
“Alison MacLeish, what do you know of love, wee lassie?” Annis was teasing. She really was fond of Alison.
“Well now, you think I know naught of it, but I do! I do!”
“Tell me!”
“Ach, I’m not supposed to give it away. It’s our secret.”
“Who’s secret?”
“Mine and his, of course!”
Annis let her jaw drop in surprise. “Who is he? Don’t you tease me, lady!”
Alison reddened but seemed to be enjoying the interrogation. “Well, alright, but you’ve to promise to say naught to anybody!”
“I promise. Get on with it!”
“Logan Munro. I’ve been meeting him on my wee walks out from Kincaid Castle.”
Annis nearly fell from her horse. Logan Munro! This was bad. This was really, really bad!
“Logan? How long has that been going on?” Annis was amazed that her voice sounded so level, given that her heart was thundering along like a racing stallion.
“Just afore I came to be with you. He said he would miss me! Me! Then he asked me to meet him, so he wouldnae be missing so badly.” Alison looked so happy that Annis could have wept for her.
Annis knew in her heart that Logan had no interest in the wee lass, save what information he could wrest from her. The only information she could possibly have passed him was an advanced warning that there was to be a gathering at Kincaid Castle. One to which they were all invited.
So, Logan and Brodie were still after killing Cullen. Well, Annis MacIver would see about that!
Chapter Seventeen.
The day of the Kincaid gathering came round faster than Annis could account for. Having heard nothing at all from Cullen, she felt heartbroken. Not only that, she felt angry at him for treating her that way. After this day was over, she would get back to herself. So what if she was a feral wee beastie, that’s who she was and she would never forget that again. No more romantic nonsense. She would leave daydreaming to Alison and the rest of the lassies around the keep.
As angry and as hurt as she was, Annis felt the old weight of responsibility returning. Whatever Logan and Brodie were planning, it would take place that very day, and within the walls of Kincaid Castle. Annis was the only person now who could prevent the tragedy. She feared not just the loss of the life of her former love, but the tremendous risk to the safety of her Da, her kin, and her whole Clan.
How Logan could come up with a plan to kill a man within his own Castle walls without being seen or suspected, was far beyond Annis. Whatever this plan was, she would need to be keen-eyed the entire time if she was to have any hope of preventing it.
As a woman, Annis would not be able to compete in the archery event. Normally, this would annoy her immensely. She was a better archer than most of them. Still, today it thwarted her in a different way. It meant that there wou
ld be no sensible reason for her to enter Kincaid Castle carrying her own bow.
The bow and arrow were all that Annis knew, or at least, knew well. All that she could do that day was to slide a wee knife inside her sleeve and hope it would be enough. Annis had never used a knife in that way before, and she wondered if she really had the stomach for it. Could she really slide it into Logan Munro if the need arose? There were things about herself that even she did not know. Still, it was her only option, there was nothing else to do but take the knife with her.
Annis wondered how she would feel when she saw Cullen Kincaid. Her cheeks flushed at the thought of the quiet humiliation that was soon to be hers. Although it was true that there was none who had known of their intimacy but themselves, still she felt used. Whilst naught of any real seriousness had happened, laying against a man like that, alone in a bedchamber, was something that Annis had never done before in her whole life. It had been a sacred and special moment for her. Annis could have wept when she thought of how casually Cullen had taken it. Perhaps he lay down like that with a different lassie every day? What did she really know of him? Yet, she had known in those moments alone with him the very depth of the emotion he had been fighting hard to contain. Ach, why is this all so confusing?