Highland Challenge (Highland Generations Book 1)
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“Mayhap love is what you both feel and na hostility,” Elise suggested. “I havena known you long, but I do know my cousin. He is kind and loving, and is just waiting to give his heart to the right woman.”
She wondered if Elise really thought she was the right match for Andrew. Rather than responding, Mareal drew her lower lip between her teeth and stared at the door. The echo of men’s voices in the hallway was getting closer, and she felt as if a bevy of butterflies had taken flight in her stomach.
“May I have your attention.” The clan steward stepped into the great hall and raised his arms in the air, silencing the din of laughter and conversation. “Lord Andrew has been detained by some important clan business and the meal will commence without him.”
Mareal’s chest tightened. This was not good. She could feel it in her bones. Plus, she had known Amos since she was a wee lass and given his grim expression and the waver in his voice when he spoke, something was wrong. She rose and asked. “Can you tell us what is going on, Amos?”
“Nay. I wasna given leave to discuss his lordship’s activities, only to let everyone know he wouldna be at the evening meal.”
“I am the lady of the keep and have a right to know. Will you speak with me privately?” Mareal rounded the dais and approached Amos with Elise on her heels.
Amos did not answer her question immediately. But after a moment’s pause, he motioned toward the door. “I will speak with you in the hallway.” He turned and headed out of the room.
Mareal followed, trepidation twisting her stomach as she wondered what had happened since she’d last seen Andrew. She stopped when she was certain no one could overhear their conversation. “Tell me why Andrew is na at the evening meal.”
“He and Seamus took a garrison of men out to search the woods at the edge of MacCurtry land.” Amos lowered his gaze and studied the floor.
“Why on earth would he do that? It is as dark as pitch. Could they na have waited until morn?” Mareal asked impatiently, then looked at Elise.
Upon hearing her cousin had gone out to search the woods, Elise’s face paled and she wobbled on her feet.
Afraid Elise might faint, Mareal looped her arm around the lass’s shoulder, steadying her. “I am sure Andrew will be fine and there is no need to fash.” She kept her voice calm and reassuring. While Kayden’s threats were the first thing that came to mind, and she feared a confrontation between him and Andrew was imminent, she saw no point in upsetting Elise until they knew more details. “You dinna answer my question. Why did Andrew feel it was necessary to go right away, Amos?”
“When your father died, Lord Andrew had an enormous burden thrust upon his shoulders,” Amos said. “When you and Lady Elise left the keep today, without first informing him of your destination, he was concerned about your safety.”
Mareal stiffened. There was no mistaking the tone of disapproval in Amos’s voice. “I am aware of that, but it doesna explain why he left the castle.”
“He sent out a search party to find you, but they failed to return, and Lord Andrew now has reason to suspect something bad has befallen them.”
“Andrew mentioned that he sent out several men to look for us, but I was sure they’d have returned by now.” The news of the search party’s possible demise disturbed her greatly. Guilt and remorse tugged at her belly. If she had heeded Andrew’s orders never to leave the castle without permission, and she had not lied to Seamus, none of this would be happening. She prayed there was another explanation for their delay. “My father’s estate is vast, and they may still be searching. However, if what Andrew suspects is true, how would he know where to look for them?”
Amos’s brow furrowed. “A crofter arrived na long after you returned this evening. He had Owen’s horse, and told Andrew he found the beast wandering at the edge of the forest near the Billingsworth border.”
“What of Owen?” Mariel asked, but a sinking feeling in her stomach relayed the answer before Amos could.
“Dead.” Amos mumbled a prayer and made the sign of the cross, then continued. “The crofter found his body in the woods. He had taken an arrow to the chest afore his throat was cut.”
Despite having her own suspicions, Mareal asked. “Who would do such a horrible thing? Does Andrew think he was attacked by thieves?” She didn’t trust her cousin, but she hated to think he would murder her father’s warriors—men he once called friends. She prayed nightly that he would come to his senses, take responsibility for his own actions, and accept what fate dealt him. She hoped he’d change his vindictive ways and move on with his life, but it appeared to be a dream on her part.
Owen Quin was one of her father’s best warriors and catching him off guard would not be easy. Now twenty and four summers, he’d come to stay with Clan MacCurtry when he was ten and eight. Despite the difference in their ages, they had become good friends, and there had at one time been speculation that he and Mareal might marry. The nuptials between her and the son of Laird Quin would have solidified the alliance between the two clans. But he had fallen head over heels in love with Elsa, the blacksmith’s daughter, and they wed in secret four summers ago. They had two bairns and another on the way.
Mareal hung her head and muttered a prayer, her thoughts turning to Owen’s wife and daughters. Someone would have to tell them what happened. The responsibility of delivering this sort of unwelcome news would normally fall on the laird’s shoulders. But in Andrew’s absence, and given she was lady of the castle, it would be up to her to tell his widow.
“Thieves are a possibility, but na likely,” Amos said. “Andrew suspects it might be the work of your cousin, Kayden.”
“Was there any sign of the other four men?” Mareal hoped that no bodies meant the others might have escaped. However, if that were true, they would have returned by now.
“Nay. But after he found Owen, the crofter dinna look any further, and I canna say I blame him,” Amos said. “Fearing for his own safety, he decided it best to come to the castle and allow Lord Andrew to deal with things as he saw fit. Lord Andrew led a search party of men out to look for them, and Seamus went with them. James is in charge during his absence” Amos pointed toward the stairs. “I’d suggest you retire to your chambers. If you need anything, send one of the maids to fetch either James or myself.” He bowed, then returned to the great hall.
A wave of trepidation washed over Mareal. A sense of foreboding she couldn’t shake. If Kayden was responsible for Owen’s death, and found Andrew and his men lurking in the forest, he would show no mercy. Andrew was a strong, capable warrior, a match equal to Kayden’s skill and cunning. Yet she feared for his life.
Some might think she would welcome a chance to rid herself of Andrew’s constant interference. Since his arrival, he had been like a thorn in her side. He made it his mission to dictate her every move and remained bent on seeing her married to a stranger, regardless of her wishes. He was angry with her, again, and she didn’t look forward to the inevitable reprimand. Yet, Elise was right in her assumption. Mareal thought of Andrew as more than a protector and her father’s temporary replacement. She cared what happened to him, and while she had never been in love before, if the flood of new emotions, desires, and wanton thoughts she had of late meant anything, she was falling in love with him.
“Judging by the unmistakable look of concern on your face, you dinna believe what you said about Andrew being fine,” Elise began, then abruptly stopped speaking and pointed down the hallway. “Who is that man?”
“What man?” Mareal spun around, catching a glimpse of a cloaked figure as he rounded the corner and out of sight. While she did not get a good look at his face, there was something familiar about him, so she took off running, hoping to find out who he was, and why he was skulking in the shadows. “Wait. I wish to speak to you,” she shouted, then halted. Chasing a strange man through the corridors of the castle was foolish at best.
Elise followed, joining Mareal at the end of the corridor. “Where did he go?�
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“I have no idea, but he is gone. Almost as if he disappeared into thin air.” Mareal glanced down the empty hallway, then back at Elise, frowning. “He is quick, I will give him that much.”
“Did you get a look at his face afore he vanished?” Elise asked.
“Nay.” If she didn’t know better, Mareal would swear it was the young man who had spoken to her at the graveside. However, since their first encounter, she had not seen him again, and other than to pay his respects, Andrew had yet to determine if he was a friend or foe. With the death of Owen and Andrew’s failure to return yet from his search, she couldn’t help but wonder if he had something to do with the trouble. Maybe Andrew was right, and he was helping Kayden and was an enemy, not a friend and admirer of her father as he claimed.
“We could go after him, or mayhap we should report him so the guardsmen can find out why he ran.” Elise said.
Unnerved by what happened, Mareal cupped her friend’s elbow, and steered her toward the stairs. “Following him isna safe. We should return to my chambers and send word to James. He will know what to do.”
“We could wait until Andrew returns and tell him,” Elise suggested.
“I dinna think it wise to wait.” She looped her arm around Elise’s shoulder, and nudged her forward.” Once we are in my chamber, I will ask the maid to find James. As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Mareal felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end, and quickly glanced down the corridor, but saw no one. Yet she felt as if someone was watching her every move. “On second thought, you go on ahead to my chamber and I will find someone to fetch James right away. I willna be long.”
Elise nodded, and continued up the stairs, while Mareal looked for a servant to relay her message to James.
Chapter Fourteen
“Over here,” Andrew shouted. After the return of Owen’s body to the castle, he had feared the worst, but nothing could have prepared him for what he discovered in a clearing not far from a well-worn footpath. After carefully searching the periphery of the unsecured area, he entered with a torch in one hand and his sword in the other.
“Did you find the missing men?” Seamus ran up beside Andrew, then came to an abrupt halt, his mouth gaping open. “God’s teeth. Only the son of Lucifer could have ordered this?”
Stunned and appalled, Andrew stared at the decapitated bodies of the four MacCurtry warriors—their heads displayed on pikes only a few feet away. He’d seen his share of dismembered bodies on the battlefield, but this was different. Suddenly finding himself doubled over at the waist, he fought the overwhelming urge to vomit, but stiffened his spine when he noticed something written in blood on a large boulder. He raised his torch so he could read what it said.
I warned you, Fraser.
“Damnation,” Andrew cursed when he read the message, then turned to Seamus. “Gather the bodies, and make haste. If na lurking in the shadows, those responsible for this carnage could return at any moment, so we must depart for the castle at once.” Unable to shake the feeling of impending doom, he again searched the forest at the edge of the clearing.
“The blackguards would have to be fools to return and risk getting caught,” Seamus added.
“You saw the message Kayden left for me. He is na like other men, and doesna fear being caught.”
“Are you certain Kayden is responsible?” Seamus placed a hand on Andrew’s shoulder.
“Positive.”
Seamus shook his head and clucked his tongue. “He was always a bitter lad, oft looking for trouble. Sadly, as he got older, the more twisted Kayden became.” He motioned with a sweep of his hand at the slaughtered warriors. “But he knew these men, and at one time called them friends. I find it hard to believe he is capable of this heinous deed.”
“Kayden has no friends. Dinna forget, I knew him too,” Andrew said through gritted teeth. “I should never have underestimated the bastard.”
Anger and remorse battled for Andrew’s soul as he watched his men wrap the body of one of the slain warriors in a length of plaid, then carefully ease him over the back of a horse. “When we were lads, I saw him pluck the wings off butterflies with no remorse, and kill animals just to watch them die in agony. I have no doubt it was Kayden. His message was clear.” The encounter he and Mareal had with her cousin flooded his mind, Kayden’s threat, and the look of hatred in his eyes were not something Andrew could easily forget.
“He does consider himself the rightful heir to Laird MacCurtry’s title.” Seamus blew out a heavy sigh. “But this is the work of the devil, a madman.”
“Aye. And I fear Mareal is in grave danger.” Andrew couldn’t ignore the knot of dread twisting his gut any longer. He grabbed the reins of his horse and quickly mounted. “See this gruesome task is completed as quickly as possible, then return to the castle. I will meet you there.”
“If your suspicion holds true, Kayden and his men might lay in wait,” Seamus warned. “I think it would be safer if you waited until we finish, and we all returned together.”
Andrew was not afraid of a confrontation with Kayden or his assassins. After what happened here, he welcomed the chance to see him and his henchmen pay for their treachery. But he also wondered if this could be a cunning ploy to lure him away from the castle, and he wanted to check on Mareal.
“Your concern is appreciated, but I need to get back to the keep without delay. I will meet you there.” Andrew dug his heels into his horse’s sides, the beast lunging forward. He leaned low over the animal’s neck as they raced across the rocky terrain with only the light of the moon to guide them. As he neared the castle and saw the guards patrolling the parapets, he slowed his mount to a walk. Everything appeared as it should be, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong.
“Open the gate, Brodie,” Andrew shouted to the sentry.
“At once, Lord Andrew. But where are the others you left with?” Bryan asked.
“They will be along soon,” Andrew replied, then quickly redirected the subject. “Has all been quiet? Have you noticed anything strange since we left, or anyone lurking about that shouldna be here?” He impatiently drummed his thumbs on his saddle as he waited for the iron gate to rise.
“All has been quiet, m’lord. But given your questions, I suspect that could change.”
“There was trouble in the forest, and I want you to double the guards,” Andrew said. “Once Seamus and his men have returned, no one is to enter or leave the castle until further notice. Do I make myself clear?” There would be plenty of time to go into detail of what they found in the forest later. Right now, finding Mareal was his main concern.
Brodie bobbed his head. “Aye, Lord Andrew.”
Before it was fully open, Andrew ducked beneath the iron spikes of the portcullis and entered the bailey. The sooner he checked on Mareal, the better.
Upon reaching the keep, he quickly dismounted and darted up the castle steps, taking them two at a time. One of his guardsmen met him at the top and rather than stop, Andrew motioned with a quick flip of his hand for him to step aside, so he could enter.
“Have you seen Lady Mareal?” Andrew asked a passing maid, his apprehension grown rapidly.
“My mistress and your lady cousin headed up to her chamber following the evening meal, m’lord.” The lass dipped a curtsy, then continued. “She called for me a few minutes ago, and asked me to fetch James at once. I was on my way to do so right now.”
“Did she say why she needed to see him?” Andrew did not bother to hide the concern in his voice.
“Nay, m’lord. She told me it was urgent and to make haste, but she dinna explain further,” the maid said.
“Be on your way. Tell James that I will meet him in your lady’s solar.” The news that Mareal was in the castle and safe came as a welcome relief, but an ominous feeling continued to gnaw at his stomach. Wasting no time, he bolted up the stairs and down the corridor, but stopped when he saw Mareal standing in the doorway of Elise’s room.
“She is gone.” Mareal blinked several times and wrapped her arms around herself.
“What do you mean she is gone?” Andrew grasped her by the shoulders and gave her a shake. “What are you saying?”
“Is something amiss?” James sprinted down the hallway and joined them. “Glenna said you wanted me to meet you in Lady Mareal’s chamber.”
“I was just about to find out.” Andrew returned his attention to Mareal. “Where is my cousin?”
“I wish I knew.” She released a shuddered breath. “Amos told us that Owen was found murdered in the woods,” she stammered. “Elise and I were discussing it in the hallway outside the great hall following the evening meal when she noticed a man lurking in the shadows. I called out to him, but he ran off afore we could inquire who he was. I—”
“Saint’s teeth, woman, are you daft?” Andrew cut her off before she could finish. “After our encounter with Kayden, then learning about Owen, you saw a stranger and tried to speak to him rather than call for the guards?”
“I thought I recognized him.” Mareal lowered her gaze and studied the floor. “But I wasna certain, so rather than pursue him, I decided it was better if we went to my chamber and send for James.”
Andrew released Mareal, took a step back, then continued to question her. “Who did you think it was? Could it have been Kayden?”
“I canna be certain, but I thought it was Callum Forbes, the young man I spoke to at my father’s graveside the day of his funeral. He dinna reply when I called out to him, so we decided it best to send word to James.”
“Damnation!” Uncertain what to think, Andrew dragged his fingers through his hair. He was sure Kayden was responsible for the attack in the woods, and was so upset about Elise’s disappearance, that he had forgotten about the young man from the graveside.