“What the devil were ye thinkin’?”
“He’s trouble.”
“I know he’s trouble.But it can be managed.”
“That’s what I was doin’.Tryin’ to manage it.”
“By killin’ him?”
Carenza listened closer.They were talking about murder.This was something her father needed to hear.
“’Twould look like an accident.”
“Not to the laird.And not to his daughter.”
Carenza bit her lip.They were talking abouther.
“I could explain it.Say ’twas an infection.Or ’twas worse than it looked at first.They’d trust me.”
A chill shivered down Carenza’s spine.That voice.It was Peris the physician.
“Ye know the laird has plans to make the man his heir, aye?”
“He can find another,” Peris said.
“Not like this one.Have ye ne’er heard o’ the Rivenloch clan?They’re the king’s favorites, for God’s sake.They keep the border from bein’ overrun by the English.A marriage into such a clan…”
“But if he finds out—”
“He won’t.Because ye’ll be careful.”
“I don’t like this.”
“Ye don’t have to.Just stay quiet.And don’t do mad things like tryin’ to kill a Rivenloch warrior.”
The opium.Ithadbeen intentional.And if Carenza hadn’t walked in when she did…
“The laird doesn’t want him to go back to Kildunan.”
“O’ course he doesn’t.Not when he’s got his daughter waitin’ on the prospective bridegoom, hand and foot.”
“But he can’t stay here,” the physician complained.“He’s too meddlesome.I can’t work this way.”
“He can’t go back to the monastery.”
“What!Why?”
“Father James is suspicious.”
“Father James?Why?”
“Why do ye think?He’s wonderin’ why there’s a Rivenloch warrior stayin’ at his monastery.”
“Laymen stay at monasteries all the time.”
“Maybe in the infirmary.Not in the monks’ cells.”
“Maybe he’s joinin’ the order.”
