Cait took Graham’s arm and steered him toward the house. Iain was right. She found the strength she needed. She always found the strength she needed. She heard Iain give orders to the grooms, who were taking the horses away, and to the housekeeper about food.
Maggie came out of the house and went to MacLean, who hugged her tightly. Eleanor emerged as well and met up with Sutherland. How the women came to be at the big house, Cait didn’t know, but she was inordinately glad to see them.
Iain caught up to Cait and her grandfather and directed them to his study, where Graham sat down heavily and looked at Cait with sad eyes. “Just tell me.”
She knelt before him and took his gnarled hands in hers while Iain poured three glasses of whiskey. “Rory has been arrested, Grandfather.”
His fingers jerked in hers. “Those damn bloody English. What charges have they thought up now?”
She squeezed his fingers lightly. “It’s not like that. Rory admitted to killing Donaldson and the other soldiers.”
He yanked his hands from hers and put them on the arms of the chair as if to rise. But the strength went out of him and he slumped back into the chair, hanging his head and rubbing his eyes. Iain squeezed his shoulder. “Why?” Graham asked in a scratchy voice.
“He said he was tired of the English forcing their authority on us. He wanted them gone from Scotland.”
Graham raised his head with fire in his eyes. “So the big numpty thought he could kill them one by one? Is the lad daft?”
“I don’t know what was going on in his head.”
Graham looked over at Iain. “So ye didn’t kill the bastard Donaldson?”
“No, sir.”
“But yet ye said ye did it. Why?”
“To save Cait.”
Graham’s jaw worked for a bit. “Ye love her that much?”
“I do.”
Graham looked at her. “And ye love him, too?”
“More than anything.”
He nodded. The lines in his face appeared more stark than when they’d first walked in. His once proud shoulders were bowed.
“I’m sorry, Grandfather.”
He jerked his head up. “For what?”
“For Rory.”
Iain cleared his throat. “There is some good news. They’re taking him to England, and I will hire the best man to represent him. Hopefully, we can get the charges dropped and Rory released.”
Graham shifted his attention to Iain. “And what if he really did do this? Then what?”
“Then he will be convicted.”
“And hanged,” Graham said, his face paling. “My God. I had no idea. I don’t like the English any more than the next Scot, but I would never condone this type of killing.”
“You are free to stay here for as long as you want,” Iain said.
Graham straightened his shoulders. “Nay. I need to get back to my own clan before word spreads. Rory was well liked, and it will be a blow to our people.” He pushed up from the chair and looked at Cait with watery eyes.
“I’ll come to ye when I can,” she said softly.
“I know ye will, lass.” He glared at Iain. “Ye take care of her. She’s all I have left in this world, ye know.”
