“Ishould like to leave, mistress, but I was made to believe I was a prisoner,”Ruari said.
“Iwasnae speaking to you.” With a distinct flounce of irritation Sorcha sat downon the edge of the bed and stared at Crayton. “I ken that ye dinnae believe aword I say about spirits and ghosts, but I fear one has come to annoy me.”
Ruarifrowned and looked around then wondered why he bothered. Did he really think hewould see proof that she was not a victim of strange delusions? He realizedthat her claims of being able to talk to ghosts were not as unsettling as heractually doing so.
“Icannae see anyone,” he said, watching her warily as he wondered if her madnesswas truly the harmless kind.
“Ofcourse ye cannae. If ye could see him, ye wouldnae be eyeing me as if ye fear Iwill suddenly begin to drool, babble, and tear at my hair. Believe me if yewill or think me a sad, addled lass, I really dinnae care at the moment. All Ican say is that I speak the truth when I tell you there is a ghost in this room.Nay,” she cried when, cursing softly, Ruari got to his feet.
Sorchacould not move quickly enough to stop Ruari from walking through Crayton. Allshe could do was catch Ruari as he swayed and began to fall. The grin onCrayton’s face annoyed her. She waved him out of the way as she helped Ruariback to his bed.
“Imust have gotten to my feet too swiftly,” Ruari muttered as he laid down.
“Weel,that may be some of your trouble,” agreed Sorcha as she helped him getcomfortable. “Howbeit, what ye were just afflicted with happens when ye walkthrough a ghostie.”
“Iwalkedthroughhim, did I? He wasnae gentlemon enough to step out of myway?”
“Nay,he wasnae, and ye need not speak so bitingly.” She poured him a drink of ciderand handed him the tankard. “Dinnae ye believe in ghosts at all?”
“Nay,I dinnae believe in anything I cannae see and hear.”
“Ah,then ye have spoken with and seen God, have ye?”
“Dinnaebe impertinent. That is quite different. And, since ye mention God, why wouldHe allow spirits to wander the land when He has so many places for the souls ofthe dead to go?”
“Iwouldnae be so blasphemous as to try to explain God’s ways.”
“Verraclever,” he snapped. “Have yeanyexplanation for why spirits wouldwander the earth,ifthey do, and why they should choose to speak to awee lass?”
“Doesthe fool think ye are some bottomless font of wisdom?” asked Crayton dryly.
“Hush,Crayton. Why dinnae ye go and visit with my Aunt Neil?” suggested Sorcha.
“Shecannae hear me. She just kens that I am near and talks to me.”
“Thenwait for me in my bedchamber. Ye should have more concern for this mon. He waswounded fighting the English.”
“Doye think he saw the mon I search for?” Crayton asked, drawing near to the bedagain.
“Nay,of course he didnae. Ye were murdered when my mother’s mother was but a bairn.Your killer is long dead now and having his toes roasted in hell. I dinnae kenwhy ye willnae heed me when I tell you that.” Sorcha sighed when Crayton glaredat her then left, fading into the wall. She turned to find Ruari staring at hera little too intently for her comfort. “He is gone.”
“Yedidnae answer my questions. Why are there ghosts, and why should they come toye?”
“Idinnae ken why these spirits linger,” she replied. “My mother believed it wasbecause they had left something undone, and until they felt that all wascleared away, they wandered the earth. As far as I ken, none of my kinswomenhave met a spirit who died peacefully, his priest at his bedside, and his deathnot only expected but accepted. The spirit who spent the most years with mymother was a young woman named Mary who had been cruelly murdered by herhusband. It took years for the truth to be discovered but when it was and themon was punished for his crime, she left and my mother never saw her again.”
“Andye said this Crayton was murdered.” Despite himself, Ruari was interested,although he tried to convince himself that it was simply because he liked agood tale.
“Aye.An English raiding party stumbled across him and his lover, Elspeth. The poorlass was raped and murdered before his eyes, and then he too was murdered. Themen responsible must all be dead by now, for it happened so long ago, butCrayton lingers, needing someone to be punished.”
“Hecannae find many Englishmen here.”
“Nay,but he died not far from here, and I think he may be stuck here. Why do ye askso many questions if ye think I am mad?”
“MayhapI but try to see the reasoning behind your delusions.”
“Andmayhap ye are just bored.” She stood up and moved to the door. “Ye will have toseek your entertainment elsewhere, sir. I dinnae really like being the sourceof your amusement.”
Ruarisat up as she opened the door. “Ye cannae expect everyone to believe ye withoutquestion.”
