“When do they make their move?”
“By early next month. Then the Bruce will seek out the Earl of Ross.” She related to him the details of the attacks and the specifics about how many would be involved in the plan.
“Verra good, lass. Next time do no’ make me waste time waiting for ye to come or to tell me what I need to know. I will tell yer father that ye are glad to hear of his return.”
He stepped back and disappeared into an opening in the wall before she could agree or not. Before she could tell him that she would not do this again.
Lara gathered her cloak around her and wondered how she would ever conceal this from Sebastien. From the pain in her face, she knew it would be obvious that she’d been struck. What could she say? How could she explain it?
She stumbled to the door and pulled it open, for the need to breathe fresh air was overwhelming to her. The two guards stood a few yards from the entrance and they turned as she left the church. Positioning the hood of her cloak over her head, she tried to keep her face hidden in its folds. When they arrived at the path that went up the embankment to the drawbridge, she stopped.
“I am not ready to go in just yet. I would like to walk on the shore there for a few minutes.” They glanced at each other and looked as though they would argue, until she pointed out the guards on the battlements and at each corner of the castle, on the beach. “I will be observed every moment and will be quite safe. I need only a short time.”
With a nod, they allowed her to go on, and she walked to the water’s edge. Crouching down and dipping her hand into the water, she knew its chill would soothe the growing pain in her face. Taking the end of her cloak, Lara wet it and held the cold cloth on her cheek. When it warmed, she dunked it again and repeated the action until the pain lessened.
The sun dropped behind the trees and she knew she could not remain much longer. She shivered, both with cold and with trepidation over the coming scene with Sebastien. Now that she knew his true role in the Bruce’s campaign, how could she face him? If he and Eachann were involved in some personal war, did he knowherrole?
Her legs were tired from being in this position for too long, so she immersed the edge of the cloak one more time and then stood with it against her cheek.
“Tell me what brings you to the water’s edge? Surely you cannot mean to swim now?”
Sebastien’s voice was light, even playful, but his face when he saw hers was nothing like that. He wore a deadly expression and she watched him change into the forbidding warrior he was. “Give me his name,” he ordered. “Give me his name!”
Chapter Fifteen
Sebastien strode to her side and took her by the arms. When Lara winced, he released her but did not move away. She was shaking and the dark, spreading bruise on her face told of her being struck. But she would not meet his eyes, so he summoned the two guards assigned to her.
“Explain this,” he ordered as he pointed at her. The two men paled at the sight and said nothing. “You were guarding her. How did this happen?”
“Sebastien,” she called out in a weak voice, “it was not their fault.”
“I will speak to you both later, but now summon Hugh and go back and search that chapel for anyone, anything suspicious.” They seemed frozen in place, so he raised his voice. “Now!”
They turned and ran at his orders. Lara watched his every move as though she would bolt. The terror, fresh in her eyes, overpowered her and her body shuddered. He approached her slowly now and spoke softly. Suspecting he knew the culprit, he needed her confirmation of it.
“Lara, who did this to you?”
“He said that you two know each other. Is that true, Sebastien?”
“Aye, Lara. ’Tis true.” He did not bother to question her or to deny the identity of the person they both knew was responsible for this.
“He said that you are in charge of the Bruce’s spies.”
Before he could respond—and he was candidly not sure of how to answer her—Hugh and a small contingent of men ran down the shore from the castle with swords and axes drawn. They needed to move quickly if they were to find or follow him.
“Jamie, escort the lady back to our chambers. Do not leave her side until I am there,” he said. The young soldier moved forward and took Lara by the arm. To another soldier, Sebastien said, “Search the north tower before the lady enters it and take the children there as well. Let no one join them but her maid.”
He watched as Lara moved with Jamie, not resisting his orders. When they were far enough away that she could not hear him, he turned to Hugh. “Search every inch of that church. Eachann MacDougall was in there.”
Hugh nodded and turned to do as ordered, but Sebastien stopped him for a moment. “I suspect there is another entrance there. Find it, Hugh.”
He needed to secure the castle and make certain that Eachann was gone. If he knew the man, Lara’s cousin would not be found here. Munro had been having no luck in tracing Eachann’s movements over these last weeks. How long had he been this close? Shaking his head, Sebastien recognized that Lara was at the center of this.
It took nearly an hour to accomplish, but the keep and the castle, as well as the surrounding grounds and chapel, were searched completely. Once satisfied of this, Sebastien made his way to the north tower to face Lara and the questions that hung between them.
He stopped in the solar and checked on Malcolm and Catriona before climbing the stairs to their chambers. A guard stood at the top of the steps and another inside the doorway. Jamie took his orders seriously, for he was in the same room as Lara. She sat in the chair and stared at the flames in the hearth. Sebastien did not say a word, but the guard and Margaret left.
He walked to the window and looked out at the deserted yard. No one he did not know personally was inside the walls now, and the same restriction would continue until he was certain Lara and the children were not in danger.
