“Why get the cat?”
“She will want to see it when she is freed and I think all that scratchy yowling might be bothering Annys.”
“Ye get the cat then and I will get Andrew so she can have both when we get her free.”
* * *
“Aiden! What are ye doing here, laddie?” asked Annie, Dubheidland’s cook, as she hastily dried her hands so she could hug the boy.
“She brought me.” He pointed toward the woman standing behind him.
“Hilda? Why have ye come here so early? Ye ken I love to see the lad, but today isnae a good day. I am just finishing the meal to break the night’s fast, then I must pack up things as we will return to Dubheidland today.”
“I need to speak with the laird.”
“Weel, I fear ye may have to stand in a line and wait as we already have visitors and more stepped in just as ye did. Ian popped in to tell me.”
“If the visitors are who I think they might be, then I may speak with them, too?” She reached out and ruffled Aiden’s bone-straight black hair, which too often fell into his eyes. “Are ye ready, lad?”
The boy held on to a piece of paper and nodded, then looked at his aunt. “Is the laird in the hall, Aunt Annie?”
“Aye, but ye cannae go there. He has men with him and they are doing whate’er it is men born higher than we are do when they get together.”
“I have to. I have an important letter for him.” He walked out of the kitchen and Hilda smiled at Annie.
“Hilda, he shouldnae be interrupting the laird!”
“Dinnae fret. The laird willnae care after he reads the letter.”
“What is in it?”
“Wheesht, how would I ken that? I cannae read. Now, what can I help ye with?”
* * *
Niall frowned at the manor as he and David were about to ride past it. “That doesnae look empty anymore. I wonder whom Sigimor allowed to live there.”
“Himself,” David replied, and turned his mount toward the large stone house when a tall, red-haired man stepped out. “Those guards must have told him about us riding by. Hope nothing happened to Dubheidland,” he said as he reined in before Sigimor.
“Nay, save for the fact that all my people fell ill with something, so I brought my wife and bairn here. I am looking and I am sure I ken who ye are, but no name is coming to mind. Havenae broken my fast yet. Ye arenae kin, are ye?”
David dismounted as he laughed. “Only verra distantly. David Ogilvy.” He held out his hand to shake Sigimor’s as Niall dismounted and came to stand beside him.
Shaking Niall’s hand, Sigimor then turned and opened the door. “Guards didnae recognize ye, either, so I will take some comfort in that. Come in. Food will soon be served. I fear I have some verra bad news for ye.”
As they followed him in, David said, “We have heard it. We talked to Morag Sinclair. She told us but she also had some good news. Aunt Maggie made it to her sister’s. She had some burns though, so will be staying there for a while.”
“For the best. Things are nay right here as yet. Now what?” he grumbled as a boy walked into the hall and headed straight for Sigimor. “Who are ye, lad?”
“I am Aiden, the cook’s nephew. I have a letter for ye.” He thrust it toward Sigimor.
“What does it say?”
“I dinnae ken. Cannae read, can I. Ye can. Ye are a laird.”
“Who sent it?”
“A lady. Our laird has put her in the dungeons.”
