Carenza couldn’t breathe.Her smile congealed on her face.
“Is that so?”her father said in surprise, chuckling.“So I’m to believe the caterans are an army o’ monks?”
“M’laird?”the physician said, blinking in confusion.
“Ne’er mind, Peris.Perhaps I’ll pay a visit to the monastery myself in the morn,” he decided, “save the Boyle lads the trouble o’ retrievin’ the beast.”
“I’ll come as well,” Carenza blurted out.Why she said that, she didn’t know.It wasn’t as if she could stop the ugly confrontation sure to occur.It just didn’t seem fair to leave the Rivenloch man without an ally.
“Is that to your likin’, Laird Hamish?”
Hew scratched the beast behind its ear as it chomped down a breakfast of fresh hay.It was a pleasant enough animal, despite its intimidating girth.
Lady Carenza had sent coin along to keep the coo fed.So while the physician tended to the novice’s broken arm, Hew picked up a cartload of hay from the village.
By the time he returned, Brother Cathal had arrived as scheduled to collect the alms.
Hew questioned the brother with careful diplomacy, commending him on his charitable profession and feigning an interest in how the funds were equitably distributed.
Brother Cathal, however, was reluctant to share details.Unwilling to make conversation, he wouldn’t even meet Hew’s gaze.He was a man of few words and little time.Driven to do his work and move along, he picked up the donation from the chapter house, slung the satchel over his shoulder, and made his way briskly across the cloister.He flinched in surprise just once when he saw Hamish grazing beside the well, then continued on his brusque way out of the monastery.
Hew wasn’t sure whether the man’s manner was efficient or suspicious.
Brother Cathal had unlimited access to the monastery.The monks let him come and go as he pleased.He could have easily stuffed something extra into his satchel on any of his visits.
But he didn’t seem conniving enough to pull off such a theft.He wasn’t exactly feeble-minded.But there was something different about him.An odd sort of self-absorption and disconnection from the world around him.He seemed intensely focused on one thing, the task at hand.And anything that distracted him from that task—like a coo in the cloister or a layman asking too many questions—rattled him.
If Brother Cathalwasinvolved in the thefts, it could only be as an unwitting accomplice.An accomplice to someone aware he had access to the monastery’s wealth.Someone who could be directing him to bring them certain items.
Could it be Father James?
It wasn’t out of the question.But anyone on the outside might be capable of manipulating Brother Cathal.
Hamish lowed suddenly, and Hew jumped, startled by the loud sound.A moment later, the bell at the gates of the monastery rang out, indicating a visitor.
A pair of monks bustled to open the gates.
Hew gave Hamish one last pat and then retreated to his cell.Unless it was a sickly patron, the visitor probably wouldn’t be let in.But one day, he feared, it would be the king’s men coming with an English bride for him.
So it surprised Hew moments later to hear the sounds of raised voices coming from the cloister.Seizing his axe, he peered out through the crack of his cell door.
Shite.
On one side of Hamish stood the Laird of Dunlop.On the other appeared to be the Dunlop cooherd.The cooherd was inspecting the animal’s ear notch.
The Boyle brothers paced nearby, bellowing and pointing accusatory fingers at the abbot and the prior, who paled in shock.
Monks milled about in distress and confusion.
And in their midst, like a delicate flower blossom dropped onto a field of thistles, stood Lady Carenza, looking distraught.Out of place.Achingly beautiful.
Though she uttered not a word, he could see the silent misery in her face.Her eyes filled with tears, but she bravely held them back.And she had a white-knuckled grip on the stones of the well.
Hew couldn’t let her languish.He had to come to her rescue.
Without a second thought, he flung open the door and stormed out.
The monks gasped and scattered.
