“Weel,now ye are going to tell someone instead of continuing to fret. Why not thinkof poor Ivor if ye need some more backbone to face Ruari? Think of how he hassuffered, rooted here when he wishes to finish his journey. Think of howtormented he has been kenning that his whole clan is embarrassed over his deathand that that scorn is born of a lie.” She took Mary by the hand and draggedher out of the room. “Ye are going to speak to Ruari right now.”
Marydid not drag her feet too much as she allowed Sorcha to lead her toward thesmall room next to the great hall where Ruari and Malcolm spent hours goingover the books and trying to find ways to improve Ruari’s fortunes. Sorcha hadbeen a little piqued when Ruari had not returned, but word had reached her thatMalcolm had demanded some of Ruari’s time to sort through the books.
“Ishould speak to my husband first,” Mary protested weakly as Sorcha opened thedoor and tried to yank her into the room.
“Nay,for he will quickly try to stop you, and I grow weary of doing Ivor’s businesswhen I have enough problems of my own to ponder.”
“Sorcha,”Ruari murmured as he and Malcolm stood up out of courtesy to greet the twowomen. “Is there something wrong?”
“Nay,not truly. Howbeit, this shaking woman has something she must tell you. She haskept this secret in her heart for years. ‘Tis past time that everyone knew thetruth about that rogue Ivor.”
Aftera stuttering beginning, the whole sordid tale began to pour out of Mary. Sorchaslipped away as Ruari sent for Mary’s husband. She paused only to get awhispered assurance from Ruari that the couple would not be hanged for thedeath, although they would have to suffer some retribution for their lies andthe blackening of Ivor’s name. Now all she had to do was let Ivor know that hecould seek peace at last.
Onceshe was back in her bedchamber, Sorcha sat on the bed and looked around theroom. She could not see Ivor but she knew he was near. It was not easy to lether spirits go for they were her friends and she missed them when they were nolonger around, but she knew it would be cruel to hold him.
“Iken ye are here, Ivor. I ken ye were here when Mary came to confess.”
“Ididnae hear her say she would confess to anyone else,” Ivor said, still too dimfor her to see, but his voice came from near the window.
“Weel,she has already confessed to Ruari. They were calling for her husband when Ileft.”
“Whatdid my nephew have to say?”
“Hewas angry that they had let your name be so blackened and that they had held tothat lie for so long. Ye are now in a better standing although I believe hestill sees it as a senseless loss of a kinsmon.”
“Oh,aye, I found it most senseless as weel. ‘Tis done, then.”
“Aye,‘tis done,” she assured him. “Go, Ivor.”
“Iam somewhat afraid of where I am going to go.”
“Yehave done a penance by being forced to linger here. I should think ye will bequite happy once ye let go.”
“Andye are certain she willnae hang?”
“Verracertain. Ruari himself said so.”
Along moment of silence passed, and she began to think he had quietly left whena soft voice whispered near her ear, “Thank ye, lass. And dinnae let thatnephew of mine escape. Ye are what he needs and what he wants.”
Sorchaprayed he was right. She sat quietly on her bed for almost an hour before sheaccepted the fact that Ivor had left her. A heavy sigh escaped her just asRuari walked into the room. There was such a dark look on his face that shebegan to fear that he had changed his mind and decided to hang the couple.
“Whathave ye decided about Mary and David?”
Hesat down beside her and took one of her small hands between his. “I havenaethought of a good punishment for their lies, but I will. Howbeit, David’s taleof what happened that night was much the same as Mary’s so I feel they aretelling the truth.”
“Oh,aye, their story matches Ivor’s as weel.”
“Haveye told Ivor that we all ken the truth now?”
“Aye,I told him. He is gone now.”
Ruarifrowned. “Gone where?”
“Ifear I cannae answer that. I dinnae really ken what happens.”
“Yewill miss him?”
“Aye,as I miss all of my spirits when they leave.”
