“Neitherof them possesses a farthing or a shearer’s hovel to live in.”
“Exactly.Ye can change that. Your Uncle Ivor left ye a peel tower less than a day’s ridesouth of here. ‘Tis small, with equally as small but good land, and the mon whotends it for you is aged and childless.”
“Andwould probably welcome a rest and a lad to train to take his place,” finishedRuari. “Aye, that will do perfectly, Malcolm. ‘Tisnae much, but ‘tis gainenough for those two bairns and enough to please both families.” His pleasurein the solution was brief, for he was quickly recalled to the insurmountableproblem that had to be solved before Malcolm’s efforts could help the younglovers. “Let us hope ye can present them with this bounty before they are tooold to care.”
“Iwill, Cousin.”
Ruariwished he could share his cousin’s optimism, but he found it hard. Even themorose Beatham had more hope for the future than he did. Both men seemed tothink Neil or Sorcha would devise some plan that would solve their problem.Even though he heartily agreed with their opinion that Sorcha was clever, Ruaricould not believe that she could think of an answer when he could not. He hadthought about nothing else in the long, lonely fortnight since Sorcha had beentaken away, yet did not have even the beginning of a plan.
Hestared at the tankard in his hand. He knew there were no answers in the headywine, but it did help to ease the pain of loss. It also helped him to sleepwithout being tormented by memories that left him aching. He knew that a greatdeal of his pain was caused by the knowledge that it was self-inflicted, thathis own pride and arrogance had led to his loss. And Malcolm’s, he thought, andsmiled faintly at his cousin.
“Iam sorry, Malcolm. Ye could be with Neil now if not for me,” Ruari said.
“Oh,I could be with my Neil now despite ye, but she said she needed to be atDunweare with her nieces. They need her help now. More than I need her.”
“Shecould be trapped at Dunweare for a verra long time.”
“Nay,she, Margaret, and Sorcha will return soon.”
“Ipray ye are right, Cousin.” Ruari looked at the wine he held and thought of howoften he was reaching for it now. “Aye, I dearly hope ye are right.”
“Ihave it,” Sorcha cried as she burst into her Aunt Neil’s bedchamber, startlingher aunt and Margaret. “I am glad ye are here, Margaret. This concerns ye asweel.”
Sorchacould barely contain her happiness. She sat on the bed beside Margaret,glancing briefly at the cloth the two women had spread out between them on thebed, clearly trying to plan Margaret’s new gown. At any other time, she wouldbe interested and offer to help, but she had more important matters on hermind. In the midst of clearing weeds from the herb garden she had suddenlyunderstood Euphemia’s message, understood it clearly and begun to form a plan.She had not even paused to clean the dirt from her hands and gown as she hadraced to find Neil.
“Exactlywhat do ye have?” asked Neil, frowning as she looked Sorcha over carefully. “Excepta great deal of muck which ye are getting on my bed.”
“Euphemiahas had a message,” she explained, ignoring her aunt’s complaint.
“Shehas told ye how we can get back to Gartmhor and our men?” asked Margaret.
“Weel,nay. Euphemia doesnae have visions,” Sorcha said. “I have begun to call themmessages and warnings. They can require some thought to ken what is reallybeing said.”
“Sowhat did our little Effie say?” asked Neil, callously pushing aside the softblue material as she sat down more comfortably on the bed.
“Shetold me that I must put the power back in Ruari’s hands,” Sorcha replied, notsurprised when the other two women frowned in confusion.
“Curseit, what does that mean?”
“Ifound it most confusing at first so I went to work in the herb garden. ‘Twaseasy to see that it was one of her more intricate messages. For a while Ithought it was beyond my reach, but suddenly I could see it all so clearly. ‘Tisso simple.”
“Yemust give the power back to Ruari,” Neil muttered then shook her head. “Icannae see it. What power can ye give the mon? He has a lot now.”
“Ruarihas a lot of power at Gartmhor. That isnae the power Euphemia’s messagereferred to. We have to give Ruari back the power he lost that day he killedSir Simon Treacher. Until the moment when Dougal rode to Ruari’s rescue, thetwo of them could deal as equals. When Dougal saved Ruari and his men fromcertain death, he took that away. Dougal bound Ruari in a debt of blood sotightly that the mon can do nothing. He is now powerless.”
“Iken that everyone keeps saying that, but I dinnae really understand,” saidMargaret. “‘Twas only right that Dougal save Ruari and his men. Why should weall suffer for Dougal doing as he should? How can there be such a heavy debtwhen Dougal couldnae act in any other way?”
“True.‘Twould seem that it should be a favor that needs no repayment,” agreed Sorcha.“Howbeit, confusing as they may be to us, men of battle have rules and customsthey must follow. Dougal saved Ruari’s life and the lives of his men. Aye, hecould do nothing else, but ‘tis still a debt. So, when Dougal says that no Haywill wed a Kerr, Ruari is bound by this blood debt to bow to that wish. To dootherwise would be to stain his honor so deeply there would be no washing itclean again. That would lead to the loss of a great deal more—power, his placein court, mayhap even his wealth. He has to do nothing, absolutely nothing, tobring us back to Gartmhor.”
“Sohow can we get back?”
“Wehave to take the first step. We have to do something that Ruari must act uponor risk looking a complete fool. A Hay has to be the one to break the bondfirst.”
“Andhow do ye plan to do that?” Neil asked.
“Weare going to kidnap a Kerr,” Sorcha said and smiled at the shock on the twowomen’s faces.
“Thisis your idea of simple?”
