“Avena,” Royden said.
“You had feelings for her?” Oria asked, hearing a sadness in his voice he didn’t try to hide.
“I was grateful to her for letting me talk about you. It helped ease the pain of missing you.”
“It must be a terribly hard life for her.”
“Not anymore. She died. One of the warriors, in a drunken fury, beat her to death.”
Oria didn’t believe her husband a savage, but there were those times she saw a rage in his eyes that frightened her. She saw it now.
“I wasn’t in camp at the time. When I returned and found out what happened—I killed him.”
“No one stopped you.”
“They tried. Avena didn’t deserve that, but I made sure he got what he deserved.” He shook his head. “You didn’t need to know that.”
“I do need to hear it,” she said. “And you need to tell me if we’re both to heal.”
“I could stay like this the rest of the day with you, lying here talking while the rain beats against the keep, warm and snug in each other’s arms, just the two of us.”
Oria hurried out of bed, grabbing her garments.
“I guess you don’t like the idea,” he said a bit startled by her reaction.
“I love it,” she said as she slipped her shift on. “But we can’t survive the rest of the day here without food.” Her stomach grumbled to prove it. “I’m going to fetch us food and tell Bethany we’re not to be disturbed.” She rushed to the door.
“Good Lord, but I love you, wife,” he called out, a broad smile filling his face.
“Or course you do.” She laughed softly like a gentle breeze whispering in the trees. “I will be only a moment. Don’t dare get out of that bed.”
“As you command, wife,” he said with a nod.
Oria hurried off, eager to return and have her husband all to herself.
And she did.
Chapter 24
Royden stood on the keep steps looking over the village with pride. The last two weeks had seen much improvements. The most successful improvement had been with the people. Smiles were widespread as was laughter. Children played carefree again and women gathered in gossip. He was glad his brother and sister would come home and see that the clan flourished.
He made a habit of walking through the village, making himself available to the people, listening to their problems or concerns so that he could settle any issues before they turned difficult. When he had spoken of it to his da, he thought it a wise choice of Royden to do so. That it would avoid escalation of problems. It had amazed and also baffled Royden that his da hadn’t minded relinquishing the status of chieftain to Royden. That was until he had seen how happy and content his da was with Wren.
Royden was pleased for his da and pleased that he still had his da around to go to for advice. Rarely did a chieftain relinquish his position. Death usually took it from him or he lost it in battle. Royden was relieved that neither was the result for his da.
Soon he was talking with various people and settling small issues, which pleased him since it meant things were going well. Until Penn approached him.
“A word with you, sir?” Penn asked and looked around, “in private.”
Royden obliged him, walking off away from the village a bit where they could still be seen but not heard.
“What is it, Penn?” Royden asked. While the young man had continued to be an asset to the clan, Royden still didn’t completely trust him. Penn feared the man who he had once battled for and who left him here so he would have eyes on the clan. And though he claimed allegiance to the clan, Royden couldn’t be sure what Penn would do if confronted with a choice of who to fight against.
“Rumors have been stirring that you should be aware of,” Penn said.
Were there? Or was Penn stirring some of his own accord? Royden ordered him to continue. “Tell me.”
“The attack that left the clan decimated also left some more than curious. It seems many believe that it was a betrayal by a chieftain.”
“Not my da,” Royden was quick to defend his father, though he wasn’t surprised by the news. If he and Oria had suspected someone guilty of betrayal, certainly others would have as well.
Penn hurried to say. “No. No. Your da is beloved and respected by the clan.”
Hearing that he wondered not only what the rumors were saying, but why they seemed to disturb Penn.
“Who then?” Royden demanded.
Penn hesitated only briefly, Royden’s sudden scowl forcing the words out of his mouth. “Chieftain William MacGlennen.”
“Oria’s father?’ Royden asked, not believing what he’d heard.
“Aye, sir. Many are saying he helped to plan the attack.”
“That makes no sense,” Royden said, shaking his head. “He was pleased Oria and I would wed. He had insisted we get married sooner not wanting his daughter’s fate to be that of Thurbane’s daughter.”
Royden’s mind started spinning. Could the attack on Thurbane’s clan have been a prelude to the whole plan? Had it been meant to force he and Oria to wed sooner so that all the chieftains, would gather together in one place where an attack would be made easier?
He didn’t want to believe it, even conceive it possible. If it were true it would devastate Oria.
“Do you know if there is any truth to this?” Royden demanded of Penn.
“No,” Penn said, shaking his head. “I was nothing more than a warrior. I followed orders and did what I was told. I knew of no plans in advance.”
“Yet you were left here to feed your leader information. Why?” Royden’s question was punctuated with such force that it sent a shiver through Penn.
“I could only guess,” Penn said.
“Then guess,” Royden ordered.
“I couldn’t hide my feelings for Emily. I wore my love for her for all to see. She became my world. I had asked about leaving the mercenaries so that I could remain here with her. I was refused and when I heard we would be leaving, I never felt such pain,” Penn admitted.
“I have,” Royden said.
“I understand now. I didn’t before I met Emily. If I were to guess, I would say that my love for Emily was used to my leader’s advantage.”
“How so?”
“If I wanted to remain here indefinitely, I was to keep an eye on what went on here,” Penn confessed.
“Is that what you’ve done? Kept him aware of all that has gone on here? Or is it all a ruse and if the time came you would raise your hand against this clan?” Royden asked, since against his better judgment he had come to believe that Penn truly loved Emily and he didn’t want to see her hurt.
“I would say nothing that would bring harm to the clan and I would fight to the death alongside the Clan MacKinnon if it came to that,” Penn said with all honesty.
Royden found trust difficult, knowing most lied for selfish reasons. He wanted to believe Penn, but only time would tell.
“The Beast wants something from this area,” Penn said. “And he’ll get it, which means he’s going to return here. That can also mean it’s why he placed Trevor in the home of Chieftain William of the Clan MacGlennen… an ally.”
Royden sat in his solar waiting for his da. He wanted to discuss the situation with him. He didn’t think his da had heard the rumors or he would have brought them to Royden’s attention. And he doubted his da would believe them. He and William had been friends for a long time and had fought more than one battle alongside each other.
He couldn’t help but wonder what or who had started the rumors. Penn had had no idea when he had asked him. He had simply wanted to make Royden aware of the situation and he was glad Penn had. He didn’t want Oria hearing the gossip until he could at least find out how they had gotten started. He didn’t want to believe there was any truth to them, but they had raised speculation.
Why, though? Why would William have done such a thing?
His da asked the same thing after Royden expla
ined it all.
“Why?” Parlan asked, shaking his head. “It makes no sense. What reason could he have had to betray us? To betray everyone?” He posed a reasonable explanation. “Perhaps the guilty one is trying to lay blame at William’s feet to keep from being discovered.”
“A possibility,” Royden agreed.
“Yet you sound doubtful.”
“I’d rather sound hopeful, but I fear proving William’s innocence isn’t going to be easy with him being dead,” Royden said. “And I worry what this news will do to my wife.”
“You need to tell her right away, before she gets wind of the rumors herself,” his da said with concern.
“I was hoping to learn something about this rumor, some hope of sorts, before laying such a hefty burden on her.”
“I wouldn’t take the chance, son,” Parlan advised. “If she hears it herself and discovers you knew and didn’t tell her, it will prove even more of a burden for her.”
Royden thought about what Oria had told him, how she trusted him and her da. If it proved that her da hadn’t been the trustworthy man she had believed him to be that left only him who she trusted with such a deep conviction. Besides, if this was reversed and he was the one who needed to be told, he’d expect her to come to him right away.
“I understand that instinct and love have you trying to protect Oria from the pain of this news, but she’d suffer far greater pain if you waited to tell her. Also, ask yourself what you would expect from Oria if she heard it was me who stood accused.”
“My thoughts as well, Da,” he said, hoping he’d be as wise a father to his children as his da was to him and his siblings.
Parlan rubbed at his chin. “I don’t even know where to tell you to start in tracking down the origin of this claim. Or who to trust will tell you the truth. This is a conundrum of massive proportions, especially since William isn’t here to defend himself.”
“People want answers to what happened that day. Why we were attacked? Who attacked us?” Royden said.
“In hopes that somehow those answers will prevent another attack,” Parlan said. “The wild Highlands can’t be tamed or explained. It is a land that has been robbed and raped by many. By those born of its soil and foreigners as well. But the Highlands will be the only winner in an endless battle. It dominates man while remaining wild and free. Warriors, battles, clans will come and go, but the Highlands are here forever.”
“I felt the pull of the Highlands when I was taken off its shore to fight in a foreign land. The pull to return home was an ache like no other. It was worse than losing my hand. It was like losing my soul.”
“It’s been said that if you’re born of Highland blood you’ll find no peace anywhere but the Highlands. You fought to come home. Arran fought to come home and I have no doubt that Raven fights to come home.” His da stood. “I’ll see that Oria knows you wish to see her here in your solar.”
Royden nodded, his da knowing him well enough that he’d waste no time in doing what needed to be done.
Royden got up from the table and went to the fireplace, a fire keeping at bay the chill that always seemed to penetrate the stone walls. He stood gazing at the flames. How did he tell his wife that her da, who she loved dearly, could possibly be responsible for the attack that destroyed not only many lives, but their lives as well?
“Da said you wanted to see me,” Oria said, bursting into the room with a smile.
She caught him off guard for a moment hearing her say da and thinking she meant her da. He was caught off guard even more seeing how her cheeks glowed red and more strands of her blonde hair fell loose than were contained in her braid and her smile beamed with delight.
It was a smile he was about to destroy and it ripped at his heart.
“Something’s wrong. What is it?” she asked, hurrying over to him.
He used to be able to keep things from her for her own good, or so he thought. It was what a husband did to protect his wife, or so he thought. For a moment, he wished he could do so again, or so he thought.
Instead, he did what she would want him to do. “Sit, Oria, we need to talk.”
Oria’s stomach churned. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. She could hear it in his voice, see the concern in the way his dark eyes looked at her—with sorrow.
“Tell me, Royden,” she said, her hand going to rest at her stomach.
He wished he could spare her this hurt that was bound to grow, but at the moment all he could do was make her aware of the wagging tongues. “Rumors are going around that your da is the one who betrayed everyone.”
Oria stared at him, taking a moment to comprehend his remark. Had she heard him correctly? She shook her head. “My da betray his family and friends? She kept shaking her head. “Impossible.” Her shock quickly turned to anger. “You can’t believe this nonsense.”
“No, but it seems that some do or this rumor wouldn’t have taken root.”
“I can’t let his good, honorable name be tarnished. I won’t let lies destroy my da’s legacy. I have to prove his innocence. Who claims this? I want to talk to him? Tell me now.”
Royden reached out to take her in his arms and was shocked when she stepped away from him.
“Tell me now, Royden,” she demanded, avoiding the comfort of his arms. It would be too easy to surrender to the comfort he offered when strength was called for.
“I don’t know who claimed it. I just learned of it myself.”
“From who?” she demanded.
He wondered if he should tell her, but only for a moment. She had a right to know. “Penn.”
“And you believe him, a man who owes allegiance to your foe?”
“Penn only alerted me to the rumors. He knows nothing beyond that.”
“And how do you know this? Did you speak with anyone who heard the rumors?”
“No,” he said and held up his hand before she could accuse him of anything. “I spoke with my da. He hadn’t heard anything and he was shocked at the news himself.”
“Because he knows it’s a lie,” Oria said. “He was and still is a good friend to my da.”
“As am I, Oria, which is why I wanted to tell you before doing anything,” he said, wishing it didn’t feel like she had placed a distance between them.
“What do you plan to do?”
“I want to track down the origin of this claim and find out the reason for it,” he said.
“The reason? It’s a lie, plain and simple,” Oria argued.
“Aye, but why the lie? Who is besmirching your da’s good name?”
“The coward—the guilty one,” Oria said.
“Then we will find him,” Royden assured her and reached out once again wanting to hold her and let her know he was there for her. But again she stepped away from him and began to pace.
“Could the rumor have come here with some of the people we brought back from my clan?” she wondered aloud.
It bothered him that she didn’t seek solace in his arms. He had to remember that she had learned, out of necessity, to tackle many problems on her own while he’d been gone. But he was here now and they had each other. She wasn’t alone anymore.
She stopped pacing. “I need to go talk to them.”
She turned to leave and he felt a catch in his chest along with a spark of anger that she would say nothing more to him or invite him go with her. He was about to call out to her when she stopped and turned.
Oria rushed over to her husband and placed a hurried kiss on his lips. “I am so grateful I won’t have to do this alone. That I have you, your love, your trust, and you will help me prove my da’s innocence. I love you, Royden.” She kissed him again, not lightly this time. “I will return and tell you everything I find out.”
His hand latched on to her arm when she quickly turned to leave. “I won’t forbid you from doing this.”
Her brow went up. “You would dare forbid me?”
His brow narrowed in response. “I dare anything when it comes to pr
otecting my wife, whether she likes it or not. You can ask your questions, but you will be careful, wife, and take no unnecessary chances. And I will speak to those who I believe may be helpful in finding the truth.” His brow lost its scowl. “Trust me when I say I feel your pain in this matter and I share it with you. But your da would not want you placing yourself in harm’s way because of him. Remain the wise and patient woman I know you are and remember you are not in this alone. I am here for you.”
As tears tugged at the corner of her eyes, his words born from the depths of his love for her. She gave him a hug, pressing her face to his chest and letting his linen shirt catch the persistent tears. Worried more tears might fall, she hurried from the room.
Royden stared after her, feeling guiltier than he had ever felt in his life since he couldn’t help but think what would happen—if the rumor proved true.
Chapter 25
Oria found Ross easily. He was busy in the planting fields. She had told Royden that Ross had an exceptional touch when it came to farming and he’d immediately assigned him to the planting fields. He had also allowed him to settle in one of the small farms just on the outskirts of the village that had sat empty since shortly after the attack.
She caught his attention with the wave of her hand and returned the smile Ross sent her when he spotted her. Gone were the harsh lines that had marred his pleasant features and his shoulders no longer slumped with the weight of his worries.
“Mistress Oria, I can’t thank you enough for what you have done for me and my family,” Ross said when he stopped in front of her. “Aine prays for you and Chieftain Royden every day. It was generous of him to assign us a fine cottage and some land to plant once again. The lads are happier than they’ve been in a long while. We are forever grateful. Life here is good. Very good.”
“I am pleased to hear that, Ross, truly I am. But now I need a favor from you,” Oria said.
“Anything, Mistress Oria, anything,” Ross said eagerly.
She glanced around and comfortable that no one was close enough to hear their conversation, though keeping her voice low to be sure, she asked, “Have tongues been wagging, not so kindly, about my da?”
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