Owen did not believe a word, for Sawyer was a known gossip. Indeed, that was precisely why Owen had told him the truth, for he hoped that the news would filter slowly through theClan. That way, the shift in demeanor toward Heather would be gradual, and she would not suspect anything strange.
I hope ye’ll adore her as much as I do, just as I hope she will nae be leavin’ us.He smiled, thinking of her and their exploits the previous night. He could still hear her gasps of pleasure, though if he concentrated on them too eagerly, he would find himself awkwardly hiding the stirring of his loins. As such, he turned his attention back to Sawyer, who was beaming from ear to ear.
“Look at ye, grinnin’ like the cat that got the cream!” Sawyer cheered. “Och, I didnae ken it was love, M’Laird. Ye should’ve said sooner. I’ve been cold as snow-covered bollocks toward her. From now on, she’s gettin’ the Sawyer Connelly that this Clan adores. I’ll have her laughin’ so hard she squirts milk from her nose.”
Owen narrowed his eyes. “Ye’ll warm to her slowly, and ye will nae be makin’ her laugh. Ye’ll treat her as ye’d treat any future Lady Dunn, with respect and dignity.” He paused. “Though, I’d ask ye to keep watch over her when I cannae. I daenae want her to ken her faither might be comin’, so if she ventures outside the castle walls, daenae take yer eyes off her. They might try to kidnap her.”
“Ironic,” Sawyer muttered, his enthusiasm deflating. “What does the other letter say?”
Remembering there was a second, Owen unfolded it more cautiously. Now, he feared what it said, in case it announced that the Earl and his Englishmen were at the gates already.
Would he really be foolish enough to march an army up here after a war has just ended?He prayed not.
To his fleeting relief, the second letter was not from Elias.
Laird Dunn,
Apologies for the hurried nature of this letter. I am at an inn, writing this, in the hopes that it will reach you before I depart. I could not delay informing you, as I intend to ride north tomorrow at dawn.
I have news of William’s killer.
If you wish to discover more, you will also ride north as soon as you receive this. Meet me at the White Hart Inn in the village of E—K. I have it on good authority that it is not far from Dunn Castle, over the mountains. I will wait for you there. If I have not yet arrived, I would urge you to wait for me. This is not something I can reveal in a letter, in case it is intercepted.
With this information, I believe your innocence can be proven. However, if this information is correct, it will also reveal something far more troubling, which will require your aid.
I send this in good faith.
Yours Sincerely,
Brandon Watson
“Does this mean anythin’ to ye?” Owen showed Sawyer the letter, pointing to the location that had deliberately been omitted.
Sawyer frowned for a moment, before his eyes lit up. “It has to be Erinkillie. E. K. It’s the only village over the mountains with those letters in it.”
In that moment, Owen thanked the heavens that his man-at-arms had been studious in his youth, for so many of his Clan were content in their illiteracy.
“Do ye think it might be a trap?”
Sawyer hesitated. “I cannae be certain, M’Laird, but I daenae think he’d have us ride to a Scottish village if he was goin’ to ambush us. The villages in those parts are from the McVey Clan, so he wouldn’ae have a hope.” He rubbed his chin. “Then again, it does seem somewhat suspicious that his letter came at the same time as Elias’. It might be that they’re nae goin’ to ambush us, but they want ye out of the castle.”
The McVeys were bannermen of Clan Dunn, but it was not much of a comfort to Owen. Even if Brandon was not a spy or a double-crosser, the threat of Elias’ attack weighed heavy upon Owen’s shoulders. On one hand, discovering the true culprit would free him from Elias’ wrath. On the other, Owen could not leave Heather here alone until the real killer was revealed, one way or another.
“Saddle the horses. Three of them,” Owen instructed: his heart straining under the stress of what lay ahead. “Tell the gray guards what is afoot, but swear them to secrecy. If Elias arrives, they’re to seal the gates and inform him that Heather is inside. They’re to hold that position and that lie until we return.”
The gray guards were Owen’s most skilled, elite soldiers. Clad in gray garments, they were easy to distinguish among the rest of the castle’s forces. And if anyone could be trusted to hold the castle in a siege state without faltering, it was them. They would not protest or be swayed, for they were as loyal as they were talented.
Sawyer’s frown deepened. “Ye cannae be serious, M’Laird. Tell me ye’re nae thinkin’ of takin’ Lady Heather with us?”
“I have to,” Owen replied firmly. “I cannae risk her bein’ snatched while we’re away. Like ye said, there’s a chance Brandon might be trickin’ us to get me away from the castle. If thatisthe case, Elias and Brandon would never think I’d be daft enough to take Heather with me.”
Sawyer puffed out a weary breath. “Aye, but there’s still a risk in takin’ her with us. If Brandon sees her, and he isnae our ally, then he might try to kidnap her himself.”
“I can fight one man, Sawyer,” Owen chastised, feeling affronted. “Meanwhile, our army will contend with Elias. So, saddle those horses and inform the gray guards. I’ll tell Heather meself.”
With urgency crackling in the air, the two men left the arsenal together, before parting ways to undertake their respective tasks. It eased Owen’s nerves, somewhat, that Sawyer had not continued to protest. Evidently, he had come to realize it was their only choice, too.
“Ye better nae be a lyin’ bastard, Brandon,” Owen hissed, as he marched toward Heather’s chamber. He knew she would be there, for they had not slept until the early hours of the morning. While he had been forced to rise and perform his duties, she had the luxury of being allowed to sleep late.
