“Are we taking any men with us?” asked Gybbon as he hurried to follow Sigimor.
“Of course. I am a laird. Need some men when I ride about distributing my largesse.” He grinned when Gybbon laughed.
* * *
Although Jolene was not sure it was a good idea, she gathered up her things for healing, making certain she had what was needed to treat a poisoning, and had her mount readied. Five men rode with them as they traveled to the Ogilvy keep. Sigimor just sighed when they had to go through a careful examination of who they were and what they wanted before the gates were opened.
When they were allowed inside the keep they were met by the head of the guard and the woman who ran the household. Sigimor knew the head of the guard and Gybbon watched in amazement as Jolene charmed the housekeeper so well the two linked arms as they went up to the laird’s chamber. The shock of her being English had not lasted long.
The laird’s room smelled of sickness and approaching death to Gybbon. The man in the bed looked gray and he kept moaning, a low, soft noise that made the housekeeper teary eyed. Jolene patted the woman’s arm and walked closer to the bed.
“What is she doing?” he asked, as Jolene carefully looked at the laird’s hands.
“Checking him for signs of poisoning. I occasionally wonder if I should worry that she kens so much about them.” He exchanged a grin with Gybbon. “There is one that is used so often ye have to wonder why all healers dinnae ken what to look for.”
Jolene then spent a long time talking with the housekeeper, who grew more and more upset. She took the woman to a bench under the window and calmed her, talking quietly and seriously until the woman was nodding her head. The head of the guard walked over to Sigimor.
“Your wife thinks someone is poisoning our laird,” said the guard.
“Then someone probably is. When it comes to healing I ne’er question my wife.”
“Unless she tells you that you have to stay abed,” Jolene said, and went right back to talking with the housekeeper.
Gybbon laughed and noticed even the head of the guard was fighting a grin. “It was Robert, wasnae it?” the man softly asked.
“Aye,” replied Sigimor. “He also saw to the killing of David and his wife, may have seen to the killing of David’s older sons, and is now after the boy, Colin.”
“Jesu. There always was a meanness in the lad, but I ne’er would have thought he would do all this.”
“Watch your step, Colin. Ye can do nay good if he kills ye, too.”
“Och, I ken it, but I am verra good at looking like I am doing what I am told without actually doing it, and I can keep a secret.”
“Can the housekeeper?”
“None better. She just has to worry about getting the laird better without telling how she kenned who made him sick. I will watch her as I suspect the cure will be slow.”
“Aye. It all depends on how much the lad has given the mon.”
“He can clean out his system slowly and it will be messy and ugly,” said Jolene.
“So somehow they have to keep Robert from ‘aiding’ his da until there is proof of Robert’s guilt he will believe.”
“That willnae be easy. The other lads? Young Murdoch?” asked Colin.
“It looks as if Robert leads and the others are too afraid nay to follow,” replied Gybbon.
“That feels right. It has always been that way, but the old laird wouldnae listen if ye tried to tell him that Robert needed some reining in. He was a mean, often vicious boy.” Colin shook his head.
“We will be busy trying to keep the lass and the wee lad safe,” said Sigimor.
“Ye shouldnae put yourself in the way, m’laird. Ye have to live here.”
“Oh, I ken it. ’Tis why we are handing that job over to the Murrays.” Sigimor clapped Gybbon on the back. “But if ye think there needs to be someone other than a clan member to do something, ye ken where I am most days, Colin.”
“I certainly do. Thank ye.”
“We best go now. Housekeeper is about to give the laird the first of the cleansing tonics he must drink,” Jolene said softly, and started for the door.
