“Are you thinking of Kerr?”
Hamish nodded and wiped the rain from his face.“He had good qualities, my lord, as well as bad.”
It was a kindly concession from the one who had probably endured the greatest torment from Kerr, and Fergus took that as a measure of Hamish’s character.“Which is why the truth of his nature will not be revealed by any of us,” Fergus reminded him.“I think Duncan’s counsel most wise in this matter.”
“Aye, my lord.”
“I will tell them of his death, Hamish,” Fergus said and the boy’s relief was obvious.“You will not need to answer questions about it.”
“Thank you, my lord.”
They were clearly spied and identified, for the portcullis creaked as it was raised.A man stepped into the middle of the opening.He folded his arms across his chest, braced his feet against the ground, and watched their approach.
It was Stewart himself, his posture indicating that he anticipated a challenge.
Fergus took this as an indication that Isobel had not been so willing to wed the other man.His heart skipped at the possibility that she might have been loyal to him, if she had been granted the choice.
Not that it mattered now.Duncan had been right in that.It would be a balm to his pride, though, and proof that he was a good judge of character.No more than that.
Though he had always been Fergus’ senior, Stewart looked much older now, his hair silver-gray and his expression harder than once it had been.He wore a mail hauberk with his plaid and his boots, adding to Fergus’ impression that the other man was prepared for battle.
“The crusader returns,” Stewart said by way of greeting, a hint of mockery in his tone.He walked toward Fergus when the arrivals paused outside the gate.His smile was cold and his gaze assessing.“I trust the Saracens have been routed from Outremer with your aid?”
“Just the opposite,” Fergus acknowledged as he dismounted.He strove to keep his tone light, even friendly.“You must have heard that Jerusalem itself was lost in October.”
“We did,” Stewart said.His ostler came forward to take the reins of Tempest and a boy reached for those of Hamish’s palfrey, but Stewart waved them both off.“I doubt my neighbor will linger,” he said, surprising Fergus with such a lack of hospitality.Man and boy retreated and Fergus noted that the boy shared Agnes’ striking coloring.This must be her brother, Nolan.
Stewart smirked.“I apologize for this greeting, but I will not have my lady wife disturbed.”
“I have tidings I would like to give to Isobel myself,” Fergus said, for he imagined she might find the news of Kerr troubling.
“But it is my obligation to defend my lady wife.”
“Surely not from a friend?”
“Particularly so, when thatfriendis returned after years away,” Stewart replied evenly.“Isobel is with child, again, and is in need of calm and rest during her time.”
“I see.”
“You may grant any message intended for her to me.”
Fergus understood that he would not be permitted to see the lady himself.The realization irked him but he hid his reaction.“Of course.She had asked me to take her nephew, Kerr, in our company as a squire, and I regret that he has not returned.”
Stewart arched a brow.“Did you sell him in a Saracen slave market?”
Fergus tempered his reply.“He was killed, when we were attacked by brigands west of Venice.We laid him to rest in a cemetery there.”
Stewart flicked a look at Hamish.“And yet the boy from Killairic returns with you.”
“Hamish did very well in defending himself.”
“While Kerr did not?”Stewart scoffed.“I suspect there is more to this tale than you are sharing, but Kerr is dead either way.”
“He is.”
“These are tidings that will trouble Isobel deeply,” Stewart said.“She was very fond of the boy and often has expressed concern for his welfare in distant pagan lands.It is good that I did not allow you to see her.Is that all?”
That he would push Fergus from the gates without so much as a cup of ale after such a long ride in the rain was an abomination and an insult.But Fergus could see that Stewart was trying to provoke a response, so did not give him one.“Perhaps you might give Isobel my regards, as well as this gift.”
