Highlander Enchanted(43)

“Ye lied t’me, Niall. That displeases me,” Cade replied. “But Brian is right. We are brothers, and we fight this battle together.” He started to smile. “And, I believe ye just solved one of our problems.”

“How so?”

“Yer gonna marry a MacDonald and become their laird and shelter yer kin.”

Niall considered. “But yer our laird, Cade.”

“Yea, and I will remain so. But I’ll also lead our few warriors into battle and when it’s done, I’ll leave t’find a place for our kin while ye protect them.”

“With me,” Brian said.

“And ye’ll stay behind t’defend our clans.”

“Cade!” Niall objected. “I belong with ye both in battle!”

It was almost a relief to relinquish part of his duties to his cousin. Niall would die before he would allow harm to befall their clan. All they had to do was win back the MacDonald’s land first.

Though how, Cade did not yet know. He shook his head firmly. “This is yer penance fer lying t’me. Ye get t’stay behind.”

Niall appeared ready to object. Brian punched his arm.

“Did ye no hear the man?” he snapped. “Ye get yer lass and a keep.”

Niall’s expression softened, though he scoured Cade’s face. “This isna because I shamed ye?”

“Ye shame me only if ye fail to protect our kin,” Cade responded.

“Verra well. If ye wish it.”

“I do.” He rose. “Give me peace, cousins. I need to talk to the priest. Brian, send up the healer. Niall, assess our warriors and weapons.”

“MacDonald’s healer or … ours?” Brian asked.

“Ours.”

“Cade,” Niall breathed in objection. “Ye risk discovery by healing a man older than most those in their graves.”

“I mean t’heal him,” Cade replied. “He needs t’witness yer wedding.”

“I will tell him I prayed him back to life,” Father Adam offered.

Niall appeared ready to challenge him but relented, following Brian out of the bedchamber.

With them gone, Cade’s mood began to sink once more. Fatigue weighed heavily on him, and he wolfed down bread and dried meat before sitting across from Father Adam.

“Ye didna tell me what the second message is,” Cade said, glancing at the two scrolls Father Adam held. Both were damp, an indication they had arrived at the same time, not too long ago.

“It doesna matter,” Father Adam said.

“What is it?” Cade plucked it from his hand and turned it around, unable to make out any of the writing. “This is Duncan’s seal.”

“Yea.” Father Adam took the write from him. “But ye said ye doona want t’hear anything about her.”

“About who?”

“Lady Isabel.”

Cade lifted his gaze to Father Adam’s. “What can Duncan say about her?”

“Just that she is still his prisoner.”

“Still?”

“Yea. He captured her the day she left.”

Startled by the news, it took a moment to find his voice. “Why didna ye tell me?” he demanded.

“You said ye didna wanna hear about her,” Father Adam repeated.

“I meant …” Cade stopped himself, uncertain why his stomach was in knots knowing she was in danger. “Why does he address me about her?” He ripped the missive from the priest’s grip once more and stared at it, willing the foreign squiggles to speak to him.

“He wants ye t’affirm her story, that she is a lady who can be ransomed. He hasna the coin t’feed her through the winter if she canna bring him a purse of silver at least.”

Cade bit back the yell at the tip of his tongue. Two days before, in a fit of temper, he had told Father Adam in no uncertain words he never wanted to hear her name again, even if Father Adam wished to tell him about the information contained in her writs.

“Where is Lord Richard?” he snapped.

Father Adam shrugged. “Laird Duncan only speaks of her.”

Cade had hoped her departure would assist his ability to focus on the matters at hand and found the contrary to be true. Whenever he considered his clan – and the MacDonald’s – might both be homeless by winter, he began to look upon her wild claims with more interest. Niall’s claim to the MacDonald’s land would mean nothing if they could not force Laird Duncan off it.

Too many lives were at stake for him to ignore any small hope of sheltering his people and soon, Niall’s. At least, this is how he convinced himself to ask about a woman he knew was more trouble than Duncan MacGomery.

“Shall I confirm her story when I send back the response about the MacDonald’s?” Father Adam asked.

Cade almost cursed afore the holy man. If he had any tie to Isabel, he risked her life if his answer this night angered Laird Duncan. The lady, however misguided and lost, was an innocent caught in a Highland struggle.

“I will think on it,” he replied, mind on her large blue eyes and quiet strength.

“Laird Cade, I ken ye do not want t'ken more of her, but the writs. They are important,” Father Adam ventured.

Cade nodded once brusquely and leaned back. He was once more sensing the danger of learning too much about the English woman and her secrets. “Verra well.”