The Highlander's Secret(45)
Jain’s heart ached watching her beloved aunt lurch forward and throw herself on the body of the man she loved. “Oh, Keenan!” she sobbed.
Heart wrenching cries from Gracie’s tears echoed through the square. The other men stood by and watched, them stoically supporting the mourner. Duncan tried to lead her away so they could more discreetly dress and prepare the body, but she was unmoved.
Jain sobbed, keenly aware of Gracie’s pain like a dagger to her own heart. “It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t even be here.”
All eyes fell on Keenan lying dead on the litter, stained red with his own blood. His wife, Gracie, was sobbing uncontrollably and kneeling next to him.
Conrad stepped forward and declared, “None of this would have happened if Keenan had called in reinforcement so we could deal with the heathen miscreants. He was weak and that’s what got him killed. What our clan needs is a strong leader who can actually defend us when the time comes.”
Duncan scowled, taking a step towards him threateningly. “Hold yer tongue! Keenan is not yet cold and ye’re already speaking ill of our fallen leader. How dare ye! And ye’re next in line.”
“I would be a better choice fer chieftain, to lead our clan instead of that old coot! Ye heard what Laird Gordon told us in the summit, the Vikings aren’t just looking fer gold this time. It’s something else they want.”
He cast his eyes on Jain and narrowed them with an evil grin. “And I think I ken who they were looking for.”
The crowd began to murmur. Conrad grabbed Jain by the arm and pulled her away where they could talk in private. “What are ye doing?” she demanded angrily. “Dinnae touch me!”
Conrad sneered at her defiance and leaned in forward to hiss, “I think ye ken exactly what the Vikings are looking fer, Jain. After all, ye’re one of them.”
Jain ripped her arm away from him and stared up at Conrad horrified. “What are ye talking about?”
“I went by yer house the other day, but ye weren’t at home.”
Jain gritted her teeth and said, “Ye had nae right to be there.”
“On the contrary, I’ll go anywhere I have to if there’s a scandal brewing. Ye see I found this among yer things.”
Her face went pale as she glanced down and saw the pinnacular brooch within his hand. “How did ye...?”
“So, ye do recognize it,” he confirmed. “I saw the same one on a Viking’s tunic earlier. I should have guessed ye were one of them, what with yer father’s story about finding ye in the rubble. It wasn’t one of our settlements that was massacred on the coast was it? It was the Norsemen invading our lands. As if they hadn’t taken enough from us already.”
Jain swallowed hard and looked up at him with angry tears pricking at the corner of her eyes. “What are ye going to do?”
Conrad backed away from her with a grin and walked toward the crowd. “Do ye want to tell them, Jain? Or should I?”
“Please, dinnae do this,” she said desperately.
Conrad sneered, raising both his arms and said, “Jain is what these northern invaders are looking fer! She’s one of them. I found this in her house the other day tucked away amongst her things, it’s a Viking brooch. How do I ken that? Because I saw the exact same one on the Norsemen we fought today.”
“What is this?” Duncan asked him angrily, glancing back and forth between them. “Is it true?”
Jain didn’t say anything. She was too afraid to speak.
Everyone was casting wary glances her direction, and Alan took a step in front of her defensively. “Ye dinnae ken what ye’re talking about. Let’s not jump to conclusions.”
Conrad’s smile widened, exposing his canines. “Eamon knew what he was bringing into our village when he brought her back with him. He knew what she was, and still he risked all of our lives by harboring the enemy in secret. Now they want her back. Well, I say we give her to them. I say we hand her over as a pretty package and keep the rest of our village safe.”
“Jain brought that brooch with her from the ashes of her village, but that dinnae mean anything,” Eamon argued. “I saw a child in need and I’ve taken care of her as best I could. Moira and I have loved her since the day she joined our family. So what if she brought a token from her past? It’s harmless. Let it go, Conrad.”
“Dinnae take me fer a fool, Eamon. I ken what I saw on the battlefield.”
“Ye are a fool if ye ken we’re going to follow ye instead of the rightful leader,” Alan snarled.
“I’m not the one who lied to our people, Alan Gillies. Eamon did. He’s the one who put our clan in danger. He’s not fit to be chieftain, I am.”
Duncan cleared his throat and said, “I understand what ye’re saying, lad. But let’s pretend ye’re right and Jain’s what the Viking hoard is looking fer. Ye could hand her over to them, but what’s to keep them from slaughtering us afterwards? Ye’ve already given them what they wanted.”
“Good point!” Alan shouted. “Have ye got a plan fer that?”
Conrad’s smiled widened. “We’ll call on our brothers fer aid like I suggested in the meeting. If any of them try attacking us again, our clan will slaughter them like cattle. First, we’ll try it the easy way.”