“He be an admiral now. His fleet is growing and will give the Bruce’s allies here in the isles much to worry about.” Eachann nodded at her.
After Eachann’s frightening words, the tone and wording of the letter came as a surprise to her. First her father apologized for the humiliating scene the day of his capture; he explained that it was necessary in order to make her husband believe she’d been repudiated. Her father praised her for keeping the children safe and for the unfortunate burden she’d had to bear over these last few months as wife to the enemy. He promised a warm welcome and his favor once that same enemy was routed from their home and the MacDougalls reclaimed Dunstaffnage, as was their right.
His closing words entreated her to continue to pass information on to Eachann for their use, to undermine her husband in any way she could, and to stay faithful to the clan. He promised he would make arrangements for her safe return when the time came. She felt the tears gather in her eyes as her doubts about what she did lessened. She had not been abandoned at all.
Something within her sent off a warning. This was too favorable to her. Too ingratiating. Too confusing. Who could she believe in this? Her father, who now stood on the brink of a return, or her husband, who treated her with respect and honor and…love? Eachann was watching her as she considered the letter.
“When did he write this, Eachann?”
“He gave it to me just three days ago. The day ye should have been here to receive it, but ye were in that bastard’s bed.” His expression changed and his words and tone softened. “But, he says he understands that ye must do such things as ye must do.”
She feared this instability in him and wanted to leave as quickly as possible. She tore the parchment in pieces and gave it back to him. Without a word about the cross she carried or what she’d overheard, Lara turned to leave.
“Here now, Lara. Ye have something for me?” he asked as he held out his hand to her.
“Why do you need something of his?”
He was around the altar before she could finish her question. With a punishing grip he pulled her to him. “Ye should no’ question my methods, lass. I do what needs doing, too.” He shook her and then pulled her to him again, holding her so close she could feel his breath on her cheek. “Did ye bring something for me?”
She nodded and reached into a pocket in her cloak for the cross. He tore it from her hand and held it up to look at. She thought he might let her go now, but, after placing the cross in his pocket, he smiled at her in a way that made her skin feel as though it were on fire.
“Ye have been entertaining some important people there. Surely ye heard something when the Black Douglas was sitting at yer table?”
How could he have known that? Did he come and go freely, with no one noticing? She knew he’d done it at least once, when he approached her in the yard in the full light of day, so ’twas possible he’d done it before or since. Or…?
“You have other contacts within the household?” she asked.
“Aye. A few well-chosen, well-placed, faithful MacDougalls are there with ye. But ye are the best placed by far, with the mostintimateaccess, shall we say?”
Now that she thought on it, it made sense to her. Lara suspected that she knew at least one of those who still reported to Eachann. And who probably gave an accounting of her behavior as well.
“The sun is going down and I must be on my way, so tell me what you know. What did the Douglas say?” Eachann twisted her arm tighter, until she gasped, and then asked again, “What did he say?”
She did not answer fast enough, for he backhanded her across the face and she fell to the floor. “He is not worth it, Lara. You are trying to protect the Bruce’s spy and it’s no’ something ye need worry about.” He yanked her to her feet and spoke quietly now. “What are they planning?”
“Spy? He is not a spy,” she said, so dazed from the blow she could not focus her thoughts. “He is a warrior.”
“Ye are sleeping with the man who controls all the spies used by the Bruce. Sebastien of Cleish and I are old acquaintances and have faced each other many, many times, Lara. ’Tis like a game now between us. I leave him signs and he answers them in kind. ’Tis fitting somehow that ye should be his downfall.”
“Signs?” She covered her cheek with her hand. It burned from his blow. “Like those people you killed?”
“Just so. Yer husband does the same when he gets close to my trail. ’Tis just sport among those of us in the game. But ye’re wrong in this one—he left them for me, no’ the other way round. They died at his hand and bear his mark.”
“You think this is some kind of game?”
“Oh, aye, ’tis that. Tit for tat. He makes a move, I counter it. He found out about the ambush at Brander Pass. I found out about the gathering at Kilcrenan, but the bastard changed the location and we missed our opportunity to capture the Bruce himself.”
“So, he did not go to Kilcrenan?”
“Nay. The bastard used St. Modan’s instead. He defiled our own priory. But dinna worry, for he will pay dearly for that sacrilege.” He turned his gaze back to her. “Dearly.”
Eachann leaned her back against the altar and faced her, his hands free and menacing before her. “This is the last time I will ask ye. If ye do not give me what I want, I will fetch sweet Catriona and we can finish this with her to spur on yer words.”
“No!” she cried.
“Good. Then speak yer piece and ye can go.”
“The Douglas said that they need to take but three more keeps to control this area. Invercreran is to be last, Glen Gour and the southern tip of Loch Awe first.” She could see him thinking on her words.
