“It was all my fault,” Roderick admitted in a dull and troubled voice.
“How so?”
“I was arrogant enough to believe that my castle would never fall. I dinna leave enough men to protect it. That will never happen again. I’ve worked hard to double my army since that time.”
She placed her hand on his arm. “You cannot blame yourself for my evil brother’s doings. Now I wish my vision had been about you, then I could have warned you.”
Siena’s heart went out to Roderick. For once he’d let his guard down, and she could see the hurt he was experiencing. She wanted to wrap her arms around him to give comfort, but she knew for now he fed off his loss and that is what drove him. She let her arm drop back to her side.
“Perhaps if I really concentrate, I can see what happened to Michael. Maybe he was taken. I would have seen him if he’d been brought to Berwick, so I know he isn’t there. I’ll need Elen’s help, but I promise I will try.”
“I’ll hope for the best, lass. Ye are dismissed for now,” Roderick said, turning his back on her, wanting to be alone.
Chapter 8
Siena moaned as she rolled over and opened her eyes to the shadows of light peeking out from the window where a shutter had come loose. She hadn’t slept well at all last night. The reason was simple, she couldn’t get Roderick off her mind. One minute he was angry with her and the next he was holding her telling her everything would be all right. She lay in the drowsy warmth of her bed, thinking. Should she have stayed with the child until his mother came? That was something she would never know, but for now a stab of guilt still lingered deep inside her. Instead of saving them as she had intended . . . in the end the warning hadn’t done any good.
Agatha entered the room. “Good morning. It’s freezing in here.” She went to the window and closed the shutter.
Siena threw back the covers and slid out of bed, then grumbled, “Burr, it is cold.” She stumbled over to the fireplace and stirred the embers to get the flames going, then tossed more wood on the fire.
“What happened last night after you left the table with Laird Scott?” Agatha asked. She held a robe up so Siena could slip it on. “He looked very angry.”
“He was angry.” Siena tied the sash of the robe. “He told me that Fidach killed his wife, and he doesn’t know what happened to his son.” She sighed. “He said they never found the child’s body.”
“Oh, no.”Agatha visibly blanched. “I’m so sorry, milady.” Her face changed from sad to full of contempt as she continued, “We both know your brother was capable of killing the child.”
“If only I could picture the boy and see what happened to him.” Siena paused to splash water on her face, then patted it dry. “At least, I could bring Roderick a little comfort. I feel so guilty that I didn’t do more than I did. Somehow this seems all my fault.”
Agatha placed a hand on Siena’s arm. “You thought you were doing the correct thing by warning them of the attack. You couldn’t have known that they wouldn’t take your warning. And if Fidach had caught you, he would have killed you. I’ve no doubt of that.”
“I know, but I still feel bad.” The child’s name lingered around the edges of her mind. “Help me get dressed,” Siena said, then added, “I’m going to see Elen.” Siena had made up her mind that she needed some help. “Do you know which room belongs to Elen?”
“Aye, milady,” Agatha said as she slipped a pale yellow bliaut over Siena’s head. “This wool will feel good, today. It is very cold this morn.”
“Thank you, but you didn’t answer my question.”
Agatha ran her hands down the bliaut to smooth it out. “Elen lives in the treatment room, milady. Remember where you treated that nasty woman who tried to kill you?”
Siena smiled at Agatha’s indignation. “How could I forget that?”
* * *
Siena madeher way down a second set of stairs, winding through the hallways until she found Elen’s room. When she’d been down here before, the door had been open, but this time it was closed, so she knocked and waited until she heard someone call out to enter.
Slowly, Siena slipped into the room. The many shelves along the walls were filled with different size jars lining the shelves, which she assumed contained lots of herbs for healing. There were two beds in the middle of the room for the sick that were neatly made and thank goodness empty.
“Milady,” Elen called from the corner of the room. She’d been sitting on a third bed shoved against an outer wall. “I was wonderin’ when I’d see ye again.”
“Good morning,” Siena said. “I didn’t see you when I first entered.”
“I’ve not lit all the candles yet, lass. I should request a room with a window.” Elen smiled. “At least I’d have more light down here.”
“I agree, nothing like fresh air to help the sick. Why are you way down here?”
“’Tis the safest place in the castle and when yer the only healer they tend to make sure no harm can come to ye.”
Elen withdrew a clay pipe and lit the herbal blend with a straw.
