“It has been two cursed years. Near three.”
“True. Yet, some touch of those feelings should be there when we are so verra close to home.”
“Mayhap it was seeing Aunt Maggie’s house burnt down and nay kenning why or e’en if she got to safety.” Niall smiled widely at the plate brimming with meat and a few vegetables set in front of him by a shy serving maid. “Some food will help.”
“I dinnae think so, but my belly is telling me to cease fretting and eat.” He grinned when Niall laughed.
For a while Niall and David quietly enjoyed their meal. David kept looking out the window and he was not sure why. He watched one of the maids hurry by with full tankards, caught Niall doing the same, and they shared a grin. A moment later he was staring out the window again and suddenly he knew why. Four men rode up and dismounted. They stood by while one argued with the stable lad. The torches lighting the front of the inn gave off enough light to show him the man’s face, and David cursed.
“Grab your food and cider,” he told Niall as he collected his own. “We will finish this in our room.”
Niall picked up his plate and drink, then frowned at David. “Why?”
“The Ogilvy brothers have just arrived.”
Niall cursed and gently grabbed the arm of the busy serving maid as she started past them. He asked if there was another way to get to their room and, after she refilled their tankards, she quickly led them to the back stairs the servants often used. Once David and Niall were in their room, they locked the door and settled at the small table there to finish their meal.
“Are ye certain it was them?” Niall asked as he finished his meal and sat back to sip at his cider.
“Oh, aye. It was them.” David carefully stacked their plates, then sat back to savor his own tankard of cider. “Robert was arguing with the stable lad. The other three just stood there watching him and getting wet.”
“Do ye think they are all in it together?”
“If they are, the other three are in it due to fear of Robert. They have always feared that fool.”
“Aye, that is true. Yet, to follow him when he is trying to kill off his own blood kin is rather odd.”
“We dinnae ken how or for how long he has kept his boot on their necks. I do ken that the laird made certain young Murdoch was guarded weel until he learned how to fight with some skill. Also recall often thinking that the three, Duncan, Lachlan, and even Murdoch, should just get together and beat the meanness out of him.”
“How did ye learn that about Murdoch?”
“Heard Maman and Da talking about it once. Something happened that made putting a guard on the boy a necessity. Da said he was of the opinion one should be put on Robert.” He grinned when Niall laughed, but his expression grew worried. “We should have gone home.”
“Aye, but now we need to ken what happened to Aunt Maggie and why her house was burned.”
“We will despite how strongly my innards tell me I dinnae want to ken.”
“We could just ask one of the people here.”
“And I would if Robert and his brothers were nay here.”
“Ah, weel, best we get some sleep as I feel we will have a lot to do come the morning.”
David stood up and went to the door to set the plates and tankards outside. To his delight one of the serving maids was there collecting other things set outside the doors, and he requested the full breakfast for two in the morning plus a small jug of cider for the night.
She returned with an admirable speed, so he gave her a coin in thanks, and he set the jug and small tankards on the table. Her prompt cheerfulness was quickly explained when she made it clear she thought they were Camerons. David did not correct her because he did not want their real names mentioned where Robert might overhear.
Locking the door securely, he stripped off his clothes, washed up with the water and cloth left out for guests, and then went to the bed. He kicked at Niall, who was taking up more than his share of the bed, and then settled down. It was going to be a long night, he decided. He had too many questions and no answers. David knew they would prey on his mind for most of the night. It was time for them to find out the fate of Aunt Maggie and then get home.
* * *
Mora was just climbing into bed when Gybbon slipped into her room. She just smiled and he began to strip out of his clothing. Although she knew it was bold, she could not stop watching as he undressed. He truly was a fine-looking man. Lean yet well-muscled and all of it covered in smooth, slightly swarthy skin with only a few scars.
When he was naked, and she was trying very hard not to stare at his groin, he reached out and yanked off her shift. Mora squeaked and slid down beneath the covers. Her sudden attack of shyness faded when he grabbed hold of her and held her close.
Leaning into him, she decided she really liked the two of them sharing a bed. He was warm and the sound of his breathing or his heart beating was comforting. She knew what they did was wrong, but she simply could not find the heart to care.
Gybbon doubted she had any idea of how badly he wanted her. He was very pleased that she had not backed away after their last time together, but welcomed him into her arms again. As he smoothed his hands over her slight yet temptingly curvy shape, he kissed her and kept kissing her until she got that faintly dazed look in her eyes that he liked.
