Alana trembled. She did not believe it.
He stared. “And how is it that I now have your interest and attention?”
Iain had turned Boath Manor into a pile of ash-strewn rubble. But no one had been murdered or raped—not that she knew of. In fact, she had seen him risk his life to rescue Mistress MacDuff and her two children.
“He sounds frightening,” she said.
“He does not take prisoners, and he leaves no enemy alive.”
Alana bit her lip. She was the enemy and she was very much alive. But of course, she was a woman.
“How is it, Alana, that he or his watch did not remark you?”
Alana shook her head. “I told you—we hid in the woods until we thought we could go back down the road to the old farmhouse.” And there had been an abandoned farmhouse on the road, one partly burned, but hopefully, inhabitable. They had just never paused there.
“Then you are very fortunate. I am fortunate that you were not captured.” He eyed her with continued skepticism. “How fares Godfrey? Brodie?”
She felt chilled, and she rubbed her arms. “When we left, the castle stood, unharmed. Do you think it will be attacked?”
“Bruce’s army has made camp to the south of us. He could strike Nairn, Elgin or Brodie, or any number of smaller castles and manors.” He gave her a dark and long look. “We do not know where he will strike next, Alana.” He walked over to her and laid his hand upon her shoulder.
Alana trembled. Did he expect her to predict where Bruce would next attack? She pulled away from his odious touch.
Eleanor asked, “Has the Earl of Buchan arrived, my lord?”
“He is expected at any time. Why do you ask, Eleanor?” He was mocking.
“I have not seen the earl in a great many years and I am curious.” Eleanor smiled pleasantly.
“Curious? Come, old woman, we know one another too well. You seek something from the mighty earl—everyone does.”
“And do you truly care?” Eleanor asked.
Duncan stared at Alana now, his blue gaze unwavering. “If you think to place Alana under Buchan’s protection, then yes, I care. She ismyward.”
Alana was stunned and dismayed at once. “You have no care for me,” she began.
“Shut up,” Duncan said. He now approached tiny Eleanor. “She has always been your sole concern. Will you not appeal to her great-uncle, on her behalf?”
Eleanor still smiled. “You know me well, Sir Duncan. Alana needs a husband.”
“Alana could be valuable to me, old woman. I need her.”
Alana inhaled. “I have never been valuable to you! Not in the dozen years I have been under your protection at Brodie Castle!”
He approached, smiling coldly. “But we have never been in such danger. The earldom is under attack!”
A terrible silence fell. He suddenly found her valuable because of her sight. “What do you want of me?” she asked. But she knew. This was not about the lie she had told his son. He wished to know about Bruce’s plans—he wished for her to foresee them!
He slowly smiled. He touched her chin with his stout finger. She recoiled inwardly, but did not move. “You begin to please me, at last.... Tell me what you saw the other day.”
She stepped back, and his hand fell away. “I saw a battle, that is all.” Images from her vision—from the battle at Boath Manor—flashed. They competed with every memory she now had of Iain, and of her last glimpse of the manor, burned to the snowy ground.
“No. Godfrey says you saw me triumphant in battle.”
Alana did not dare glance at Eleanor. Her mind raced. She did not want to have any value to Duncan. It had been bad enough being his ward for most of her life, when he mostly ignored her and occasionally lusted for her. If she let him believe she had had a vision about him in battle, he would certainly think her a valuable asset. He might even think her valuable if she told him that she had foreseen the battle at Boath Manor. She could do neither, then.
But she did not want to anger him, either—not if she could avoid it. She decided to try to hedge.
