“I’ll make them maself,” Deirdre offered.
“I’ll arrange for a bath,” Ceit offered. “Tavish, fetch him some of yer clothes. Ye’re the closest to his build.”
Tavish had inherited Liam’s barrel-chested build. Magnus Óg’s build was similar and didn’t taper the way the other men’s did. Magnus Mòr and Blake’s build was thicker across the upper back, so their leines would drown a man even as broad shouldered as the other Sinclair men.
Tavish, Ceit, and Deirdre didn’t linger, each off to their separate task. Blake left, presumably to find Cerys or to go to the lists. Thormud left to prepare the room for Óg and to let Torquil know they would have a roommate.
“Óg, we will learn who’s doing this.” Liam spoke with the authority of being not only Laird Sinclair but the Earl of Sinclair and the Earl of Orkney, governing as the Earl of Caithness. “I pray it isnae one of our people, but if it is, justice will be swift. Ye are as much a member of this clan as ye are the Mackenzies. This is a threat against the laird’s family, and I willna go lightly on the perpetrator. As Siùsan’s brother and our fosterling, ye are as much ma son as Tristan is as ma son-by-marriage. An attack on ye is an attack on all of us.”
Óg listened to Liam. If he didn’t feel like he was about to keel over, he might have felt bad for whomever was ill advised enough to threaten him under Laird Liam Sinclair’s roof. He shifted his attention to Saoirse, who gazed up at him.
“Can I have a moment with Saoirse?”
“Aye,” Alex answered. Everyone filed out of the chamber, but they kept the door open.
“Mo ghaol,I swear I am nae leaving ye yet. Ye are stuck with me for at least three score years.”
Saoirse nodded, but the lump in her throat made it impossible to speak. Tears burned her eyes as she fought to maintain her composure.
“Dinna feel like ye failed because ye didna figure this out sooner. There’s a reason arsenic is such a preferred poison. With nay real taste or smell, most wouldnae recognize it. I canna even smell what ye did. The strong scent of mint must have disguised the garlic ye said ye smell now. This isnae yer fault.”
Saoirse shook her head. He understood how she felt, but his reassurance did nothing to ease her guilt. “If I were a better healer, then it never would have gotten to this. Ye’ve suffered for days, sleeping in a bed with a deadly powder covering it.”
“And I didna notice it. How could ye have kenned there was a problem when I didna ken? I am alive and marrying ye because ye are the best healer. Ye willna convince me otherwise.” Magnus placed his hands around her waist but didn’t draw her closer. He wore a fresh leine, but he wouldn’t feel comfortable until he bathed. “I love ye, and I place all ma faith in ye.”
“I love ye. I’m scared I didna figure this out soon enough. I’m scared this person will just find another way to harm ye. It’s obvious they’re patient if they’re willing to wait for the arsenic to kill ye gradually.”
“I’m nae dead yet. I might need a couple more days to regain ma strength, then I shall chase ma bride around our chamber. Once I catch her, I will make love to her for days.” Magnus didn’t want to worry Saoirse further, but he suspected it would be more than a couple of days. He fought throughout the conversation with their family not to show how much pain he felt. He’d swallowed his cough and been grateful for not sneezing anymore. But he needed more sleep.
“Ye need to bathe and go back to bed. Yer body has been through much lately. Ye need more rest.”
“I ken.” Magnus sighed, which caused him to cough again. Saoirse’s eyes widened in alarm before she shook her head. She walked with Magnus to Thor and Tor’s chamber, where a bath already awaited him. “I love ye.”
“I love ye, too.” Saoirse waited until Magnus closed the door before running to her chamber. She collapsed onto her bed as she sobbed. She knew he’d seen her fear, but she’d fought valiantly so he wouldn’t know the depth of it. She was unconvinced she could cure Magnus, and that fear broke her heart. Frustration that they didn’t know the culprit and the constant delay to their handfast only compounded her consuming emotions. She cried herself to sleep, remaining there until Magnus asked if she would dine with him in his newly shared chamber. As always, they left the door open. They spent the evening talking, but Magnus grew tired quickly. They spent the next four evenings the same way until Magnus convinced her he was finally well enough to leave the chamber for longer than a half-an-hour constitutional three times a day.
As much as they needed to discover the would-be assassin, there was something else more pressing.
CHAPTER15
“Do ye wish to handfast alone?” Brighde asked.
Saoirse stood beside Magnus in the bailey, five days after she’d discovered the arsenic. He’d recovered faster than she expected, but the bland food that she, her mother, and her aunts personally cooked seemed to encourage his rapid recovery. Beside those women, Saoirse made it clear that she only trusted Rose, Mirren, and Nessa to bring him anything to eat or drink. She spent any time not tending to other clan members with Magnus. They shared more stories about their lives since Magnus finished his fostering. She read to him and sang. They enjoyed long stretches of companionable silence as she sewed.
Now they looked at one another and nodded to Brighde and Alex. They’d sought the older couple that morning, unwilling to wait any longer. They didn’t need to discuss their answer. They looked toward the postern gate, sharing the same idea.
“The tide is out. We could go right now,” Saoirse suggested.
“If that’s what ye wish. I’d like naught better.” Magnus kissed the back of her hand before he turned his head toward Alex and Brighde. “Are ye all right with this?”
Saoirse’s parents nodded. The younger couple left the older couple holding each other as they watched their daughter cleave to her husband. It was a bittersweet moment for them, but they’d known it would come one day. And as much as they’d contested Magnus’s suit in the beginning, they’d always known he was the best choice for their oldest daughter.
Once outside the gate, Magnus linked hands with Saoirse. His impending handfast tore his emotions between being bright with excitement, and the seriousness of knowing Saoirse now relied on him to provide for her and to protect her. He wouldn’t take the duty and privilege lightly. He had no hesitations committing to his bride, but he realized that his days of thinking only about what was best for him, even when considering his duty to his clan, were over. He prayed he never disappointed her.
Saoirse didn’t want to let go of Magnus’s hand when they reached the entrance to the cave, but they had to remove their shoes and stockings. Neither dallied, and soon Saoirse held Magnus’s hand again as he guided her into the cave. The sun shone through the hole in the rocks above them, making the pool glow as though lit from below. While the pool was tidal, a warm spring fed it. It was one of the few places where the North Sea wasn’t frigid year-round.
The narrow ledge caused them to stand close to one another. Magnus unpinned the length of plaid from his shoulder, and together they bound their wrists. They both savored a moment of marvel at the sight. It was the first step in joining their lives.
“Saoirse, I dinna have a ring for ye, nae even at home.”
