“I suspicion he presented a fine image for them back then,” said Callum. “And, to be fair, he may have thought she would come to love him but she disappeared into dreams about Brett Murray, the one who gave her Bethoc.”
“Now we can free her but this does naught for that other poor woman. Ye are sure she is innocent?”
“Bethoc is and what we learned about her husband’s murder makes me believe Bethoc’s instincts are right. She has been treated poorly. I need to get Bethoc out of there before they treat her the same.”
“We need to find at least one of those five men.”
“Ye think he would confess or turn on his companions?”
“They tied a mon to a chair and cut bits off him until he died. They attacked ye, a lone rider, as a group. They were after a little boy, one they probably intended to kill or kenned they would be asked to do so. All for what, I suspicion, would seem a pittance to us. Aye. It may take a wee bit of persuasion, but any one of them will confess and point fingers at anyone involved in a vain attempt to save their own miserable lives or e’en just to be sure they dinnae hang alone.”
Callum nodded and began to understand how this man had risen to become the king’s man and gain such a fearsome reputation. “Then we best hope our Simon and Uven find the bastards for I cannae wait long when I can use these papers to free Bethoc.”
“Ye fear they will abuse her.”
“Aye,” Callum said between gritted teeth. “I doubt my threats will deter them.”
“Nay, nay for long. So we best make an effort to get those men.”
“Will two of them do?”
Sir Simon and Callum were startled by Uven’s voice, not having heard him enter. Right behind him came Robbie dragging two tightly bound men. Sir Simon strode over and stared down at the two men Robbie dropped to the ground and Callum quickly followed.
“Ye caught the leader,” Callum said, nudging the scarred man with the toe of his boot.
“Have we?” Uven shrugged. “Mayhap he will ken something useful.”
“What happened to the other three?”
“One escaped although I am nay sure he will live long with the wound he has. The other two are dead. They proved reluctant to come along willingly.” Uven grinned.
“Weel, at least ye left two to speak.”
“Ah, knocked them out first then tried to persuade the others.”
Sir Simon grinned. “Good work. Now we wake them and get information.”
Robbie walked off and brought back a bucket of water, which he dumped on the men’s heads and Sir Simon laughed softly. “Thank ye.”
Consciousness was regained slowly and then Sir Simon crouched down next to the scarred man. Callum saw the expression that had undoubtedly struck terror into the hearts of many. The scarred man could not successfully hide all his fear as he looked at Sir Simon.
“Why did ye take the boy Cathan?” Sir Simon asked.
The man’s voice was calm even if his face was cold and threatening. It revealed a great control over himself. That was terrifying and it was evident the scarred man thought so as well. Callum knew he would never want to be questioned by the man if he was hiding something.
“His family wanted the boy back,” said the scarred man.
“Why?”
“’Cause he is family.”
“And holds both coin and land.”
“Aye.”
“Yet his mother, when she ran to Whytemont, gave the rights of guardian to Sir Callum MacMillan.”
“She was sick and not in her right mind,” the scarred man spoke as if reciting a hard-learned lesson.
