by Lynsay Sands
Will had suggested a personal guard of two men for Kade himself as well, and while he didn't like it, he'd agreed for the sake of preventing an argument. He had not agreed with the Englishman's suggestion that they should be Will's soldiers, however. Kade was laird of Stewart now and had his own men to handle such tasks. However, Will and Gawain would not hear of it when he'd started to head out in search of Aidan to arrange it. They'd insisted on his staying inside where bits of the castle could not be thrown down on him and suggested he go apprise Domnall of what was happening while they fetched Aidan back for him.
That was where Kade had been heading when Averill had appeared at the top of the stairs and started down. Now he peered at his wife, and said, "Diya want me to keep ye company while ye break yer fast?"
Averill smiled as if he'd offered her the sun as a gift but shook her head. "Thank you, but no, husband. I can see you were on your way somewhere, and I was just going to collect something to eat from the kitchens while I spoke to Morag, then bring a tray up for Domnall."
"I'll tell him food is coming then," Kade decided.
"I suspected that was where you were headed. Is there anything you would like me to bring you when I come?"
"Nay." He leaned forward to press a kiss to her lips for the thoughtful offer.
Averill stood two steps higher than he, and it put their faces on a level. Kade quite enjoyed not having to bend over to find her lips for a change. It meant he had no twinge of pain from his back wound, and he found himself deepening the kiss, his tongue slipping out to fill her mouth as his hands reached instinctively for her breasts.
When she gave one of her soft little moans at the caress, Kade was tempted to forget his present plans and hurry her back to their room, but then Averill slipped her arms around his back, her hand unintentionally brushing over his wound, and he stiffened, the idea dying a quick death. Another day or two of healing and perhaps he could follow up on the plan, but now was not the time.
A small sigh slipping from his lips, he broke their kiss and steadied her until she opened her eyes, then brushed a finger down her nose affectionately. She looked so adorable with her cheeks all flushed with color and her unwounded eye hot for him.
"I've things to do," he said in apology, not wishing to let her know she'd accidentally caused him pain.
Averill sighed, her gaze sliding to the great hall below and the door to the kitchens, and she nodded. "As do I." She glanced back to him, her eyebrow raised in question. "Did you say you wished something or no?"
Kade chuckled, pleased that his kiss could so overset her, but merely repeated his earlier "Nay" as he started past her. He heard her humming happily to herself as she continued down the stairs, and that made him smile as he continued on to the nearer door to Domnall's room. He opened it without knocking and strode in, reaching the bed before he realized it was empty. Kade halted then and glanced about, eyes landing on the figure by the window. Domnall was peering down at the bailey below like a king surveying his realm, but paused now and glanced his way, only to stiffen, something like surprise crossing his face as he breathed, "Cousin."
Kade tilted his head, one eyebrow rising in query at the reaction to his presence. It was enough to make Domnall give himself a bit of a shake and force a wry smile.
"Sorry," he muttered with a wry twist to his lips. "I feared ye were yer lady wife, and she would bullock me fer bein' up and about."
"Aye, she would," Kade said quietly, thinking he was lying. He didn't say so, however, but added, "Ye should lie down. Ye'll pull out the stitches Averill worked so hard to put into ye."
"In a minute, I'm sick o' bein' abed," Domnall said a bit shortly, turning to peer back out the window again as he said, "I saw Gawain and Will cross the bailey toward the stables just before ye entered. There was an air o' purpose in their strides."
"They've gone in search o' Aidan for me."
"Oh?" he asked, sounding grim. "Why? What's happened?"
Kade considered him solemnly, noting his stiff stance. "What makes ye think anything has happened?"
Domnall didn't answer. Something had caught his attention in the bailey, and he'd gone completely still.
"What is it?" Kade asked curiously.
"A lone rider just crossed the drawbridge into the bailey," the warrior muttered, leaning farther out the opening and squinting in an effort to see better. "He looks like--"
Domnall fell silent, and shook his head as if trying to shake out a nasty thought. He then turned his attention back to Kade. "So what has happened?"
Kade debated again asking what made him think anything had happened, but in the end simply said, "Brodie was stabbed while asleep in me bed."
Domnall's mouth tightened with displeasure. "What was he doing there?"
"I tell ye me brother was stabbed in me bed, and ye ask neither why nor by whom but what he was doing there?" Kade asked slowly. They stared at each other silently, sizing each other up, then rather than explain his brother's attack of Averill, Kade said simply, "'Tis where he landed and where he was left."
"Hmm," Domnall turned and began to pace away from both the window and the bed, not to mention Kade. He was moving closer to the door at the far end of the room, Kade noted and started to tense, but relaxed a little when the man paused by the fireplace. Domnall leaned one arm on the mantel and peered into the cold embers for a moment, then asked, "Ye ken it was me, doona ye? I gave meself away when ye entered."
Kade felt the tension in his shoulders slip away as disappointment claimed him. "I suspected, but wasna sure until this verra minute."
The other man snorted and turned, a small blade in hand, but Kade barely paid it any heed. His healing was well along and Domnall's, while old, was newly reopened; one well-placed punch would incapacitate the man. So long as he didn't flee out the far door.
"Why?" Kade asked with bewilderment. While the two of them were not as close as he and Ian had been, Domnall was also his cousin. He was the son of Eachann Stewart's younger brother, a drunk and ne'er-do-well who had died quite young, shortly after Domnall was born. He, too, had been sent to train with Simon, and while Kade had always been closer to Ian, he had still counted Domnall as family and a friend. They had been through and survived a lot together, and it was difficult for him to understand why he would do all of this.
"Why?" Domnall echoed and grimaced. "I suppose I owe ye that much."
"At least," Kade said quietly.
The other man nodded, then shrugged. "After the accident that left ye unconscious for so long, when we were no' sure whether ye'd live or die, Angus said as how we'd ha'e to carry on fer ye and do what ye'd intended to do. We'd ha'e to come to Stewart and force yer father to cede the title and we'd ha'e to take over the care and runnin' o' Stewart fer ye. It was what ye'd want, he said, then he pointed out that as I was next in line after ye and yer brothers, it would be me job to do it."
He grimaced. "I waved the idea away at the time, but the seed ha' been planted, and I found meself unable to shake the idea. Me, a laird over me own land and people. The warrior who would deliver those downtrodden servants and soldiers from three drunken idiots who didna deserve their place as lairds over them." Domnall shook his head. "I didna e'en ken about the chest of coin then, but I wanted to be Laird Stewart.
"When ye didna wake up by the end of the first week, I began to think it might happen. Halfway through the next, I was sure ye'd ne'er recover, and I would be the one to force yer father to cede, claim Stewart, and take over ruling the lands." His mouth twisted. "And I liked the idea. I started to want it badly, and when ye suddenly woke up after so long asleep, rather than the joy all else felt, I was sorry as can be...and e'en angry that ye had. That's when I decided I'd ha'e to help ye meet yer maker after all, so that I could ha'e all that I deserved."
"All that was mine, ye mean," Kade said dryly, and when he merely shrugged, asked with a sort of disbelief. "And ye had no qualms doin' it?"
"Ye were in me way," he said simply.
Kade's chin rose as if from a blow at the simple sentiment, then his mouth tightened, and he asked, "And Ian and Angus?"
"Well, once ye told us about the chest, I wanted it," he admitted wryly. "'Twould have made everything that much easier, and while Angus had said I would ha'e to take yer place and tend to Stewart, that was before any o' us kenned about the coin ye'd been stashing away and counted on to help ye tend matters at Stewart. I didna trust he and Ian no' to suggest we should split it once I managed to kill ye, so..."
"They woudna ha'e wanted it, and even had they, there was more than enough to share," Kade said dryly. "Ye didna ha'e to kill them."
"Aye, but think how much easier it would ha'e been convincin' the people here to side with me against their laird and his sons with all o' it in me possession. Besides, after those three years as a slave, I yearned for comfort and the finer things for a change."
"Ye ha'e no conscience at all," Kade said with amazement, and wondered how he had missed that about this man all these years.
"Aye, me nursemaid used to say that, too, and she said it like 'twas a flaw," Domnall added with amusement. "But I've no' really understood the usefulness o' a conscience. If ye want something, why should ye no' have it? And why should ye be laird rather than me? Ye didna want it as much, else ye would ha'e argued with yer father and claimed it back when Merry wrote ye asking ye to." He shrugged.
"So ye killed Ian and Angus and came here?" Kade asked quietly.
"Nay. I headed for Mortagne. I thought ye still there and planned to show up with the sad story I told ye when I first woke here, then kill ye on the journey to Stewart. But when I stopped to camp a day's ride from Mortagne, I heard talkin' across the river and was amazed to see Averill in the water with her maid. And then when ye joined her and the others left...well, 'twas like a gift from God. Obviously he wants me to have Stewart, too."
"Ye shot the arrow," Kade said.
"Aye, but ye moved, and I nearly killed Averill by mistake." He grimaced, then continued, "I followed yer travelin' party after that, hopin' to get another chance, but the first arrow had made ye cautious. Ye ne'er left the others, stayin' always surrounded by soldiers. Ye didna even try to get Averill alone again."
Kade merely stared at him, and asked, "The stone that fell from the curtain wall?"
"Aye. I ken about the secret passages just as you do. Yer father told me while drunk one night years ago. They are verra handy."
"And the second and third arrows?" Kade asked, though he knew the answer.
Domnall nodded. "I thought sure I'd done it then. I was going to ride in with yer chest and claim me spoils, but thought I'd first just creep about and be sure ye'd died. I couldna approach anyone ere I knew fer sure ye were gone, else I'd ha'e to show up without yer chest and come up with where I came into money later." His mouth tightened with displeasure. "Yer the luckiest bastard I ever heard tell o'. I couldna believe it when I slipped into the castle through the passageway and overheard ye arguin' with Averill about goin' down to the woods with her to look for weeds. No' only weren't ye dead, ye were up and about as if naught had happened.
He shook his head with disgust. "So I slipped back out through the passageways and waited for them to leave the bailey, then followed them to where they stopped to gather the rushes. I debated goin' back and usin' the passageways to kill ye, but I was nearly spotted the first time when I threw down the stone on ye and thought it safer to do it from inside the castle. So, I reopened me wound and stumbled out to Averill, and she did exactly as I expected and brought me back here."
"And ye set about yer plan to kill me, but stabbed and killed Brodie instead," Kade said grimly.
"Aye," he said dryly. "As I said, yer one lucky bastard." A muscle twitched by his eye, and he ground his teeth before admitting, "I should ha'e realized somethin' was amiss when Averill wasna there, but I just thought ye slept apart as some couples do. Who would ha'e thought ye'd leave the bastard to sleep in yer bed and take another?"
Kade was silent for several minutes, but then asked, "Where did ye get your wound?"
"I gave it to him."
Kade turned abruptly to see a ghost in the now-open nearer doorway. His cousin, Ian, apparently risen from the dead, stood pale and grim, his hand resting protectively over his stomach. He would almost have believed him a ghost come in search of vengeance were it not for the fact that Will, Gawain, and Aidan stood behind him in the doorway. Kade smiled slowly. Ian lived.
"Nay! I killed ye!" Domnall almost howled the words.
"Nay! Ye tried," Ian snapped back with disgust, and turned to Kade to say, "I just arrived. I'd ha'e come sooner but was not well enough." He gestured toward his stomach and grimaced. "I took a sword in me belly."
"A gift from Dom?" Kade asked dryly.
"Aye. On the way back to Mortagne after collecting yer chest, we stopped to make camp fer the night, and I woke to a sword in me belly. I was so enraged by his betrayal that I grabbed up me own sword and returned the favor before I passed out. When I woke up, Angus was dead and Domnall gone with the chest. I figured he'd scarpered with it for France or something. I never imagined he'd have the bollocks to come here. I stumbled around for a day and passed out again. Next time I woke up I was in a castle, bein' tended by an angel. Her people found Angus when I told them where to look and buried him. They saw me back to health, and soon as I could walk, I mounted up and rode here to tell ye what had happened."
Ian turned to glare at Domnall as he finished with, "Had I realized he'd continued on here to cause trouble, I would ha'e sent a messenger at once and no' waited to bring the news o' his betrayal to ye meself. I'm sorry, cousin. From what Will and Gawain have told me, it would have saved ye a lot o' pain and Brodie's life. I just ne'er imagined he'd dare show his face here."
Kade saw the regret and guilt on Ian's face but merely waved away his apology. He didn't hold him responsible for a thing and was just glad the man was alive. Kade then turned to Domnall. "Give it up, Dom. Ye'll never be laird here now. And ye'll ne'er get out o' here. Yer only option is to drop yer weapon and give up."
Domnall hesitated, his eyes sliding between the men, when the worst thing in Kade's world happened...his wife came bustling in through the far door behind Domnall. All good cheer and happy smiles, completely oblivious of the situation she was entering, she hurried into the room, babbling, "Kade, Bess just told me Ian is returned, I thought--Domnall!" she interrupted herself to gasp with horror as she paused beside the man. "God's breath! What are you doing out of bed?"
"Wife!" Kade barked, hurrying forward to try to stop her as she reached for Domnall's arm, no doubt intending to nag him back into bed. It was too late, however. Even as Averill paused and turned to glance toward him with surprise at his sharp tone, Domnall closed the short distance still separating them. He caught her about the waist with one hand to draw her back against his chest, and with the other, pressed the tip of his knife to her throat.
Kade froze, all the blood draining out of his face and leaving his mind numb with horror as he stared at his wife in the clutches of a man who had killed at least twice already and tried to kill several more times.
"Kade?" She peered at his stricken face with confusion, then back to the man who held her. "Domnall? What..."
Kade's heart ached as her words trailed off. Realization rose in her eyes, and his clever wife met his gaze, and said, "Domnall is the one who has been trying to kill you?"
There was no fear on her face, no hesitation, just the calm she had shown repeatedly in times of crisis. In that moment, Kade realized that he'd never loved anyone in his life as much as he loved this woman. Her good cheer, her passion, her courage, and her quiet calm in a crisis were beyond value. She had saved his life in the woods when he'd taken the arrows, not panicking and riding to Stewart to send back help, but getting him on his horse and getting him home. And she was not panicking now either. Her words were a simple statement of understanding, not a question, but Kade nodded con
firmation anyway.
When he then glanced to Domnall, it was to find the other man smiling triumphantly.
"It would seem I have more options now," Domnall pointed out as he backed away toward the wall, dragging Averill with him.
Chapter Eighteen
Averill felt rage boil up within her at Domnall's betrayal of her husband but ignored it in favor of concentrating on keeping her feet beneath her as the odious man forced her backward across the room.
"Dom."
Kade's voice drew the attention of both of them, and when Domnall paused, Averill released a small sigh and glanced hopefully to her husband as he said, "Ye can live like a laird elsewhere with the chest. And yer welcome to take it and go so long as ye let Averill go uninjured."
"Oh, aye," Domnall snorted. "Ye'd just let me walk out o' here with the chest do I let yer wife go? Do ye take me for an idiot?"
"Ye ha'e me word," Kade said firmly. "Ye can walk right out o' here now, just let Averill go."
Watching out of the corner of her eye, Averill caught the way Domnall's head tilted and turned her own the slightest bit to see him peering at Kade with a marveling expression.
"I believe ye may mean that," the man said with wonder. "Ye'd truly gi'e it all up for a wench ye'd ne'er e'en met a few weeks ago."
"Aye," Kade said simply.
Averill turned to peer at her husband, her eyes shining with love. She had no idea what he was giving up exactly, but knew it was something he had been fretting over for some time and that was important to him. Yet he'd give it up for her. That was just about the most wonderful thing she'd heard in her life. Truly, she had the sweetest, kindest, most caring man to husband in all of England or Scotland, Averill thought, then Kade added, "But diya no' let her go, or hurt a hair on her head, I'll rip yer guts out with me bare hands and feed 'em to ye ere cutting off yer head."
Well, Averill thought a bit faintly, perhaps "sweet" was not quite the right word to describe him.