A shadow quietly crept down the tower staircase and exited unseen. It had been a close call. Makenna was supposed to have been out of the castle for several more hours, allowing plenty of time to search Her Ladyship’s room. Lela had no idea for what, but Leon seemed sure Makenna was hiding something of value. Something she would recognize as important as soon as she spied it.
Lela had been waiting for weeks for today’s opportunity. When Makenna was working in the keep, it was impossible to sneak into the tower. There was too much activity, and Her Ladyship had a habit of meeting with servants in her room. Nights were not an option, since the blasted lady encouraged several of the women to sleep in her old chambers, stating it was warmer and much more comfortable than the small beds in the Pinnacle Tower.
So Lela had waited until Makenna’s scheduled day of rest, knowing she would leave the castle walls. Lela first attempted her search several weeks ago, but Makenna had inexplicably stayed within the castle walls to help. The second time, the clumsy cook burned himself. Today, Makenna had indeed left as planned, but returned early. Lela had barely enough time to hide in the nook just beyond the door before the despicable Highlander marched up the stairs carrying his traitorous bride.
In fear of being imminently caught, Lela hid in the shadows. Hearing the two bicker, Lela felt her dread slowly transform into excitement. Leon would be pleased to hear of what she had learned.
Exiting the tower, Lela headed straight toward the gatehouse and into the village. The timing was perfect. Many of the villagers were breaking and relaxing around the Commune Tree for a few moments before they resumed their work.
“Mona! Bidelia! Gillian! Come listen to what I have just learned. You, too, Angus. Bring David and Keith with you.”
Lela waited until a small crowd had gathered around her. “I have just come from Forfar where I overheard the laird and his wife arguing quite loudly.”
Gillian, a short, rotund woman with very curly gray hair and thick eyebrows, shrugged her shoulders dismissively. “That is your news, Lela? Husbands and wives fight all the time.”
Another woman elbowed Gillian and answered, “How would she know? Her husband was too afraid and too weak to stand up to her!”
Lela clenched her jaw. This was not going as planned at all. “My husband never had to explain that I might be pregnant. And my husband never slept in another bedroom because he was too afraid to bed me!”
“Wherever you are getting your stories, you best look again. I doubt the laird’s slept one night away from his wife since he’s been home. Common knowledge,” one of the men replied, turning to walk away.
“Not his current wife, I’m talking about Lady Deirdre! Did you ever wonder why his first wife never became with child?”
“As it is not my business, no, I didn’t. And truth be telling, I don’t care now either. It does make me wonder why you do,” came a muffled reply from a gentleman enjoying a piece of bread.
“Well, you should, David, and you will. Even now the laird speaks of reducing her workload and enabling her lazy ways. Not once did he mention or praise the support of the people tending his manor, just on ways of burdening you and your sons and daughters more.”
“Why do you care?” one of the more respected men asked. “The way my middle daughter tells it, Lady Makenna works more than her share, and most of the women would like her to unload some of her burden onto them. My youngest daughter is even considering helping out a few days a week. I have encouraged her to do so.”
Lela’s jaw slacked. “Did you say encouraged? Have you forgotten that McTiernay is a Highlander? He is not one of us! He has no right to lead the Dunstan clan. Lady Makenna forfeited her right to be one of us the day she married that man.”
A middle-aged woman of medium height with shoulder-length brown hair and dark blue eyes stepped forward. “I once thought as you, Lela. I did not like the idea of an outsider in our midst, and certainly not as our leader. I resented Lady Makenna for making it possible for the Highlander to become our laird. My husband and I both made our feelings well known.” She paused to stand back and get the attention of the crowd. “But my opinion changed the day that my son, Rory, injured himself in the fields. The laird personally carried him home and stopped by every day to see if he was getting better. He even had one of his men help work the fields until Rory recovered.”
Gillian walked over and placed a hand on Lela’s arm. Lela shook it off. “You have let yourself become blind to the truth, Lela. Your petty jealousies have always been unbecoming, but stop whatever vengeance you seek. It will do you no good.”
Lela glowered at the friendly-looking woman. Never will I stop, she vowed to herself. And neither will Leon. But he’d better act soon, if he wants the clan to support his attack.
Moving to leave, Lela took a last look around for the faces who still advocated removing the Highlander. Most were not there. She smiled in satisfaction. They were completing the wall, just as MacCuaig had asked.
Chapter Twelve
“Ready?” Colin asked Dunlop, who had just entered the stables. It was dark outside. The sun was not due to rise for at least two more hours. Besides the night guardsmen, everyone was asleep.
Dunlop nodded, wary of Colin’s strange mood the past week. For the last three nights, Colin had slept with the men in the training fields, something he had not done since he married. Only once did the men inquire as to their laird’s behavior. Dunlop swiftly ended speculations that something was wrong.
But something was wrong.
Colin was pensive and uneasy. Anger would be much easier to dismiss or even understand. Never, since Dunlop had known the Highlander, had Colin acted this way. It was very odd and very disturbing.
Colin ignored his black, grabbed the stable torch, and left on foot for the outer gate. Dunlop followed. They moved quietly until Colin reached the portion of the town wall that was recently completed. The wall, just like his marriage, seemed to be solid and good. In reality, it was not.
Makenna was not happy. She was unusually quiet and aggravatingly agreeable. Her smiles never filled her face. Bold green eyes, once luminescent and vibrant, had lost their mischievous twinkle. Her newly submissive nature was driving him mad.
He hated it, and he wanted it to stop.
Never did he realize how much Makenna’s spirit made everyone, including him, come alive. He needed her passion and fire; he depended upon it. And he was at a loss as to why it was gone.
Thinking her to be angry over some unknown slight, he had tried to be more loving and attentive. It only seemed to make her even more distant and withdrawn. Even their lovemaking was affected. He became aroused by her slightest movement but was reluctant to touch her. The spark, the passion, the wild honesty had suddenly disappeared. Without it, their coupling felt hollow, reminding him that he once had something fragile and precious, and now it was gone.
The loss only doubled when he learned Makenna was not pregnant. But the fact did not explain why she had been withdrawn before her monthly flux had come.
Desperate, he had asked her directly if she was angry with him. Did she want to ride, desire to train, need more help, or wish he would remain at Lochlen more? Each time her answer was no.
He was losing her, and it was killing him inside.
Colin moved to the wall and pointed to a place where the rocks were joined. He pushed on it, and the pieces moved very easily. Then he went to where the wall had been completed just two months ago. Dunlop pushed on it. It was solid.