“Liam Oliphant,” Graham stated. “When the MacDougalls gave Laurel to Monty, they assumed she would go to Balnagown. She’d be out of the way long enough for the Lamonts and them to attack with the MacGregors and MacArthurs on their side. MacFarlane and MacBain broke it off with the MacDougalls in truth, and Gunn eventually went home, too. But Oliphant was Nelson’s lackey, even though it seemed like Liam was the leader and Nelson was the follower. Nelson was canny and made it appear that way. Liam went to tell the Lamonts where to wait for us.”
“You counted on a lot of different things playing out just as you needed them.” Laurel shook her head, going back to her list once more. “You needed the MacMillans to end the alliance with the Campbells, thinking the Lamonts and MacDougalls would stand a chance when they attacked in full force. You needed to keep Brodie from marrying again, and when that didn’t work, you needed to be rid of his new wife. You needed Nelson and his friends to take care of that part, and you likely encouraged the wagers to trick them into doing your bidding. Not that it would have been hard since the MacDougalls already wanted to weaken Brodie—personally and politically.”
“When none of that worked, and you returned to an angry mistress, Colina decided she would take back control and kill the current Lady Campbell just as she did the previous one,” Brodie remarked. “Assuming you succeeded and had killed Laurel, when did you plan to kill me and Dominic?”
“We’d hoped you’d have the courtesy to die in battle,” Colina hissed. “But your wife got in the way again. Her bluidy strategy worked. You killed my uncle.”
“All of it—every minute of our marriage—has been a lie,” Dominic whispered. Laurel watched as Dominic retreated into a shell, visibly shaken by what they all learned.
“With no wife, Brodie had no heir. If he and Dominic were dead—the laird and his tánaiste, it was likely the council would elect Graham as the new laird. He was Brodie’s second, and it seems like no secret that Graham is Brodie and Dominic’s brother,” Laurel surmised.
“You really want to be laird that much?” Brodie asked, still unable to believe the depth of Graham’s betrayal.
“Nay, but it still should have been my position,” Graham shook his head.
Laurel had been watching Colina and Graham’s body language throughout the showdown. Graham hadn’t relaxed his protective posture for a moment. But there was also a gentleness to how he held her. Colina, however, had done nothing to show even a moment’s interest in Graham. There was no affection from her. It was almost as though he didn’t stand behind her.
“You did it for her,” Laurel stated matter-of-factly. “You might believe you deserved it, but you wouldn’t have tried to take it if she didn’t want to be Lady Campbell.” Laurel canted her head as she tried to meet Colina’s gaze. When their eyes locked, Colina’s disinterested mien fell away, and the hatred returned. “You want to be Lady Campbell because of what comes with the title. The prestige and power you believe the position holds. That’s why you never took on the duties of chatelaine. You really do think they are below you. You want the glory without any of the work. You believe you are entitled to be Lady Campbell.”
Brodie shook his head, the effects of the poison still lingering as he fought to appear confident and in control as his clan surrounded him, his duplicitous sister-by-marriage, and his best friend—former best friend. But he needed to sit down before he fell down. He needed to speak to Laurel to untangle everything they learned. It was too confusing for his still fuzzy mind.
“Lock them below. Separately,” Brodie commanded.
“Brodie,” Dominic turned to his brother. “She’s still my wife. Put her under house arrest in a chamber.”
“No, Dom. She’s a danger to everyone, especially Laurel and you. I can’t risk her wheedling her way out and coming after either of you. She goes to the dungeon but to a cell separate from Graham.” Brodie’s heart ached for his younger brother. The man’s devastation was clear for everyone to see. He’d been besotted with his wife since the day they met, and she’d manipulated him every moment that they knew one another. “Come to my solar with Laurel and me.”
* * *
Laurel walked beside Brodie as the three went to Brodie’s solar. She signaled for Berta to send food. She would have preferred Brodie went straight to their bed, but he couldn’t. She settled for pouring several drams of whisky, praying they would be fortifying and not soporific. Brodie eased himself into his chair before the fire, tugging Laurel onto his lap after she handed a mug of whisky to Dominic and poured a healthy portion for herself. Dominic sat in the other chair. No one spoke for a quarter of an hour, all lost in thought while sipping their drinks. Finally, Brodie reached out and placed his hand on Dominic’s shoulder.
“Thank you,” Dominic whispered. He turned a rueful look at Laurel. “I owe you an apology. I sensed Colina’s dislike of you immediately. I thought she knew you from court or somewhere else. I trusted my wife’s judgment, so when she didn’t offer a warm welcome, neither did I. I’m sorry.”
Laurel nodded. “I don’t think there’s really aught I can say to make this easier for you. But your apology is appreciated and accepted.”
“What would you have me do?” Brodie asked Dominic.
“She doesn’t deserve to retire to a convent. She killed our mother. That alone warrants her death, never mind how she’s plotted against us.”
“But you asked for her to go to a chamber,” Brodie noted.
“She was going to have an accident or take her own life,” Laurel whispered. She shot Brodie a pointed expression.
“Your wife is far too astute. Thank God you married her. We’d be dead by now if she were our enemy,” Dominic mused. “You know what must be done, Brodie.”
“Doesn’t mean I have to like it if it pains you.”
“I think it would pain me far more knowing she lived. I don’t know what to say aboot Graham. He and I were close, but not as you were.”
Laurel looked between the two brothers, their resemblance undeniable. A smile flickered at the corner of her lips. When Brodie asked what prompted it, she confessed, “I hope one day that we have two sons who look as much alike as you two do. And I hope they love and respect one another as much as you two do. If we’re blessed with sons, they will have two fine men to look up to.”
Brodie kissed Laurel’s cheek warmed by her sentiments. He wondered if they were already on the path to that, but he knew it was too soon to tell. He turned his attention back to Dominic. “The stalks will go up this afternoon. They’ll spend the night there. I would make it longer if Laurel and I didn’t need to leave so soon. Tomorrow, Graham will go to the gallows, and Colina will go to the drowning-pool.”
A shiver ran along Laurel’s spine. She’d assumed that would be their fate, but to hear it aloud—especially Colina’s fate—made her shudder. She understood they often drowned women for such crimes as Colina committed—adultery and treason—but she wasn’t convinced it was a more humane or lenient death, like men argued. She thought the gallows were, assuming the person’s neck snapped.
“We leave the day after tomorrow.” Brodie’s announcement jolted Laurel back to their conversation. They’d decided when to leave during their ride that morning, but they had told no one yet. “Will you be all right here?”
“Aye. It’ll keep me occupied and give me purpose,” Dominic nodded. “Brodie—”
“Aye?” Brodie waited for Dominic to continue.
“I’m sorry I didn’t stay, that I came back here. Colina begged that I return, saying she feared she’d be unwell with worry. Now, I think she wanted to learn if I lived or died, so she could adjust her plans if I survived. I knew it was wrong to leave, but she’d been so adamant. I hadn’t wanted to upset her.”
Brodie nodded. He’d suspected as much, but he hadn’t confronted Dominic. Returning to find Laurel missing had been a higher priority. With a night’s sleep, his anger subsided. He’d opted to overlook it for the time being, intending to address it before they rode out the next time. He thought it would be better to be fresh in Dominic’s mind before the next battle rather than long forgotten.
“It’s forgiven.”
The trio left the solar soon after. Dominic organized the raising of the stalks and the gallows, while Brodie and Laurel went to their chamber, so Brodie could rest.
