“Ihave yet to meet a spirit who was prepared. I suppose ye were cruelly murdered.”
“Yehave dealt with this many times before, havenae ye?”
“Aye,Sir Ivor. Many times.”
Hebegan to pace the room. “Weel, I will confess that I had a weakness for thelasses. There was one verra bonny lass here called Mary. Ah, me, we had many afine tussle beneath the sheets and sometimes we didnae e’en trouble ourselveswith a bed.”
“Ireally dinnae care to hear all the sordid details.”
“Theyarenae that sordid. Howbeit, one night her husband stumbled upon us. I had nowish to hurt the fool, so we struggled round and round the west tower room.Mary began to fear that I would kill her husband or that he would kill me, andshe joined the fray. In the ensuing melee, I was struck a mighty blow to thehead. They feared they would hang for my murder and tried to hide their deed. Iwas soaked in ale and tossed out the window. It was believed that I was in mycups, stumbled, and fell to my death.”
Sorchaalmost smiled at the high note of insult that colored the conclusion of histale. It was the disgrace of people thinking he had died such an ignominiousdeath that troubled his spirit. The man clearly had as much stubborn pride ashis nephew.
“Soye wish to make them pay for their crime?” she asked, feeling confident that hewas not really seeking revenge as Crayton was.
“Weel,nay, not truly, although I wasnae much pleased to discover that the cost of afew tosses with a faithless lass was my verra life. Nay, I just want them toadmit what they did, to clear my name.”
“Yeconsider being killed by accident by an enraged husband clearing your name?”
“‘Tisfar better than to be thought a drunken fool who would stumble out of a windowin the verra castle he was born and raised in.”
“Iam not certain if I can be of much help to you, but I will consider the matter.Ye see, I am no guest, but a prisoner for ransom.”
“Idid overhear a few people speaking of that. Is that why ye are so sad?”
“Someof the reason.” She gave the man a brief, circumspect explanation of what hadpassed between herself and Ruari.
Ivornodded. “So ye and the lad became lovers.”
“Inever said that.”
“Yedidnae have to. I ken my nephew. He wouldnae be able to resist wooing you. Aye,and there is something in the way ye speak my nephew’s name. Ye have somestrong feelings for the lad, and he is being a fool.”
“Thatlast opinion I can heartily agree with.” She flopped back down on the bed,turning onto her side so that she could watch Ivor. “As he woos me, he searchesthe countryside for a woman he believes will be a proper wife.” When Ivor spata curse, her eyes widened slightly.
“Isthat young fool still indulging in that fruitless quest?” demanded Ivor.
“Hewas doing this when ye were alive?”
“Oh,aye. The boy has gotten some idea in his empty head that he, as a mon of somewealth, power, and position, needs a very particular kind of wife. He is verraexacting in his requirements. What he needs is a strong wife with skill andwit, yet he looks o’er gigglers, weepers, and swooners.”
Sorcharealized that she had discovered a very good source for information aboutRuari, and at the moment the spirit was being most cooperative. Although shewas not certain how knowing more about Ruari would help her or if it would beany use at all, she smiled at the talkative ghost. Somewhere in Ivor Kerr’smemories might well be the clue she needed to reach a solution to the troublebetween her and Ruari.
“Theevening meal will soon be laid out in the great hall,” Mistress Duncanannounced as she poked her head around the edge of the door.
“Good,”Sorcha replied and tried not to smile at the way the woman gaped over thisabrupt change of mood. “I am feeling verra hungry.” She took one last look atthe pale blue gown she wore and walked out of the bedchamber, gently nudgingMistress Duncan out of the way. “I believe Sir Ruari’s guests are still atGartmhor?”
“Aye,m’lady. They have been told that ye and Lady Margaret are not guests, yet notprisoners, that ye stay here until a small disagreement is sorted out betwixtour laird and your brother.”
“Asmall disagreement, hmm?” Sorcha laughed softly, then, to soothe a worried-lookingMistress Duncan, said, “Dinnae fret, I will play your laird’s game.”
MistressDuncan left her at the outside of the closed doors of the great hall. Sorchatook a moment to restore her wavering courage. Ivor had been a flood ofinteresting information yet had not really given her anything she considered arevelation, something that had immediately revealed what she must do to eitherfind the strength to give up on Ruari or to make him immediately see that theywere a perfect match. What she had learned, however, was that Ruari was a manworth fighting for. She did not intend to demean herself or forfeit all of herpride, but she was now determined to do her utmost to win his love.
Thatdetermination wavered a little as she stepped into the great hall, for herfirst sight of Ruari since he had escorted her to her chamber was that of hishead bent close to Anne Brodie’s. Inwardly stiffening her spine, she strode tothe seat to his left, pausing only to nod a brief greeting to her cousinMargaret. One of her strategies for winning Ruari was to show him that he didnot really wish to marry one of the weak, simpering ladies of the court he wasso assiduously courting.
Asshe took her seat, he finally glanced her way, and she gave him a bright smile.The look of wary uncertainty that crossed his handsome face almost made herlaugh. She had unsettled him, and that could only work in her favor.
“Iam pleased that ye have recovered enough from your journey here to join us,” hemurmured and quickly introduced her to the Brodies.
