She held up her hand to stop Iain and looked Palmer in the eye. “Ask him. Ye’ll find I’m telling the truth. And I’ll tell ye another truth. I don’t know what happened to the soldiers or who killed them.”
Palmer seemed to think about that. Finally, he nodded and stood, Iain and Cait following his lead. Palmer turned toward the door and paused, his gaze fixed on something in the kitchen.“Those are a lot of loaves of bread for a woman who lives alone in the woods,” he said.
Cait’s stomach lurched, but she rallied. “I do what I can to help the women and children who lost husbands and fathers in the battle. They’re finding it difficult to put food on the table. A single loaf of bread goes a long way.”
Palmer looked at her with cold eyes. This was the man Iain spent time with? “That’s very admirable of you,Mrs.Campbell.”
“Like I said, I do what I can. For both the English and the Scottish.”
He made a humming sound that was clearly a sign of disbelief. “I’ll talk to Halloway straight away,” he said.
“Give him my regards, please.”
He looked at her sharply, but she merely smiled, and he walked out, Iain trailing after him.
She slumped into her chair. She’d made a powerful enemy today, and all while she was hiding people hunted by the English. She wasn’t certain why Palmer had taken a sudden dislike to her. He’d become suspicious when she’d mentioned John, and while she wasn’t certain why, it didn’t really matter because she’d made an enemy of someone who should have been a friend.
She leaned forward and put her head in her shaking hands and breathed deeply.
This was not good. Not good at all.
Chapter 15
As they rode away from Cait’s cottage, Palmer was contemplative and Iain was silently fuming. He was furious at Palmer for questioning Cait so harshly and with Cait for harboring those damn fugitives. It was getting far too dangerous for her, what with the murders and the extra English patrols.
“Where would you like to go next?” Iain asked, not relishing spending more time with Palmer. But after that escapade, with Palmer clearly aggressive toward his people, Iain was not letting the man roam freely on Campbell land. Iain had never seen Palmer that way. With Iain, he was affable and a bit of a jester. The way he’d treated Cait was unacceptable, and Iain had tried to defend her as much as possible. It didn’t help that she had been visibly terrified and that Palmer had latched on to that.
“I think I’ve had enough for the day,” Palmer said quietly.
Iain looked behind him to make sure the four soldiers were far enough back. “Surely you don’t suspect Cait Campbell of the murders,” Iain said.
“I’ve made no determination either way.”
“Cait’s husband was my commander and loyal to me. I will personally vouch for her.”
“You sound like you’re trying to convince yourself,” Palmer said.
“It’s only that I firmly believe she had nothing to do with any of this.”
“It’s not that I don’t trust you, Campbell. I know you are loyal to England, but I can’t blindly trust everyone named Campbell. Why do you think she had so many loaves of bread?”
Damn you, Cait Campbell.“Because she feeds those in need.”
Palmer glanced at him. “Isn’t that your responsibility?”
“She helps wherever she can.” That was not a lie.
They came into sight of the big house. “I’ll leave you here,” Palmer said. “I’m off to speak to Halloway.”
—
Cait was waiting at her open door when he rode up.
He marched toward her, so angry that he had no idea what he was going to say or do. As if sensing this, she lifted her chin and squared her shoulders.
He stopped so close to her that her skirts brushed the top of his boots.
And then he did something surprising. He hugged her, nearly crushing her to him as he breathed in the scent of bread and muted roses.
