Iain glanced at the four soldiers who had ridden in behind Palmer. In the past the captain had either come alone or with a foot soldier who would retire to the kitchen. He’d never come as a small army.
They left the other soldiers with the horses and walked through the house and into the formal sitting room, where Iain went straight to the whiskey. When he held up the bottle to silently offer Palmer a glass, the captain shook his head. “I shouldn’t drink on official business.”
“That’s twice you’ve said that. This is concerning.”
“I’m charged with opening an investigation into the murders of Beckett and Catley, the soldiers found on your land.”
“I know nothing about it.”
“I still have to consider you a suspect.”
Iain had hoped it wouldn’t come to this, that Palmer had enough influence with his superiors to discount Iain as a suspect. He’d had nothing to do with the murders and trusted that Palmer’s investigation would prove that. It all was such an inconvenience that he did not need at the moment. He would have to pull back his patrols for Graham’sTèarmannair,for one. Iain thought of Sutherland and wondered if he should warn him that the English army would be in the area. He probably should.
“I heard about the deaths—”
“Murders,” Palmer interrupted.
“I heard about the murders yesterday afternoon. I know nothing other than they were English soldiers. Of course I will begin my own investigation and question any Campbell who lives in that area.”
“I appreciate that. I want you to know that this isn’t personal. Cumberland knows you are loyal to England and that you have helped us quite a bit in the aftermath of Culloden. But when an English soldier—twoEnglish soldiers—are killed in this manner, something must be done.”
When a Scotsman is killed, it’s ignored?Iain kept his thoughts and his surge of anger to himself. “I understand.”
“I thought I would give you the courtesy of forewarning you that we will be talking to your clansmen.”
“I would like to be present for that.”
Palmer hesitated.
“I’m their chief.”
Their gazes clashed. Iain was not allowing Palmer and his men free rein of his land and easy access to his people.
“I think we both know that many Scots are not fond of the English here in Scotland,” Iain said. “You’ll get much better results if I’m with you because they trust me.”
Palmer seemed to think about that for a moment. “Very well, but if you’re not available for some reason, we won’t wait for you. My superiors want answers, and they want to make certain this isn’t the beginning of more attacks on English soldiers.”
Iain doubted this was the beginning of more attacks on English soldiers. He was certain it was an isolated occurrence. More than likely, the soldiers had stumbled across something they shouldn’t have or had been doing something they shouldn’t have been doing. There were dozens of stories of English soldiers harassing innocent Scots. It was the reason Graham had started the special patrols—in response to the violence perpetrated against the Scots.
Again Iain kept those thoughts to himself. He was finding it more and more difficult to keep his anger in check and to continue pretending he was a friend to the English, but he would do it because he was helping to defeat the English in small ways.
“Were you heading out today?” Iain asked, thinking of all the things he needed to get done but would have to wait on while he followed Palmer and his men and made sure they didn’t harass his people.
“I thought I would start with the healer, since the murders happened closer to her home.”
Iain was glad that he’d lived his entire life hiding his emotions. He wasn’t afraid that Cait had anything to do with the murders; he feared having the English around Cait. It seemed he was very protective of her.
“Let’s at least get a good meal in us before we travel that far. Not many inns from here to there,” Iain said with a forced smile.
Palmer grinned and patted his stomach. “You have the best cook in all of Scotland. Why do you think I’m at your door all the time?”
Both men laughed and Iain was relieved that he’d put off, at least for a few hours, the trip to Cait’s house.
—
Cait was surprised to find Sutherland at her door this late in the afternoon. He almost never made an appearance until after dark.
“What’s happened?” she asked in lieu of a greeting.
