He felt an instant of remorse.After all, monks weren’t used to seeing a warrior crossing the cloister with an axe.Not since his forefathers had raided monasteries centuries ago.But when he beheld the gratitude in Carenza’s face, he knew he’d done the right thing.
The Boyles behaved like a pair of untrained hunting hounds, uncertain whether Hew was a fox for them to chase or a wolf they should fear, and looking to each other for support.They ultimately decided to stand their ground.
“That’s him.That’s the cateran,” the bearded one declared.Then he glanced at Carenza.“Themaincateran.There were dozens.”
“Dozens,” the beardless one confirmed.“Aye, but I recognize this one’s axe.”
“Now hold on,” the laird said, stopping them.“So ye’re sayin’ this man and dozens of his fellows reived my coo last night, and he brought the beast here?”
“Aye,” the Boyles replied together.
The laird shook his head.“Lads, I think ye want to be careful who ye’re accusin’ of—”
“They’re right,” Hew intervened before the laird could reveal his name.He lowered his axe, planting it between his feet.
“What?”The laird’s jaw dropped open.
The Boyles looked astonished as well.
The abbot was mortified.“Explain yourself, sir.”
Silently praying for mercy for telling yet another half-truth, Hew said, “’Tis fairly simple.Last night, I was unable to sleep.While ranging afield, I happened upon three caterans fighting over a coo.”
“What?”the bearded Boyle exclaimed.
“We told ye last night we weren’t caterans,” said the beardless one.
His brother gave him a hard elbow in the ribs, realizing he’d said too much.
Hew continued.“I seized the beast, and they scattered, so I ne’er got a good look at their faces.”He glanced at the Boyles, who were wisely silent.“Then, not knowing who the animal belonged to, I brought it to the monastery until the matter could be sorted out.”
The laird nodded, satisfied.Then he turned to the Boyles.“Ye see?A perfectly reasonable explanation.”
Hew noticed Dunlop asked no further questions of the Boyles.He was a wise laird indeed, not wishing to stir up trouble with neighboring clans.
As for the Boyles, they didn’t dare reveal any more of the story and seemed happy to let it lie.Indeed, they decided to leave straightaway for home.
As the laird bid them farewell, Hew let his glance fall on the woman for whom he’d just borne false witness.
He expected her to be relieved.Awestruck.Grateful.
She was none of these.Instead, she looked more miserable than before.
He frowned.Then he realized, of course…
He hadn’t solved her problem.
He’d only solvedhis.
The laird of Dunlop would take Hamish home now.He’d slaughter the beast along with the rest of the six-years, as planned.
In her eyes, all of it—her efforts, their plan, his rescue—had been for naught.
“Ye can take the hay for your cattle, m’laird,” the abbot offered.“We won’t have any use for it.”
Hew kept hearing the lady’s words in the back of his mind.Hamish saved your life.Ye owe him his.
It was that haunting refrain and the hopeless look in Carenza’s eyes that made him act impulsively yet again.
