They walked through the hallway, down the curved stairs, and into the great hall, which was empty. She continued on until they made it to the kitchen, which was a bustle of activity. There was so much action, Chloe wasn’t sure where to look first.
Maids were busy washing pots and other utensils. Another was busy preparing fish to be smoked or dried. A tall man she didn’t know stoked the fire in the massive hearth to keep it going. Roslyn had her hands in a ball of dough as she kneadedit. She paused her kneading, reaching for a kitchen towel to wipe her hands when she saw Evie enter.
“My lady, did ye need something?”
It was hard for Chloe to get used to hearing her sister calledmy lady.
“Any leftover pottage? My sister was indisposed and missed the evening meal,” she said.
Roslyn gave her a grin as she bustled around the kitchen. She ladled a large portion of stew into a bread bowl, stuck a spoon in it, then carried it over to her.
“Here ye are, lass,” she said as she handed it to her.
The bread was still warm from the stew as she took it from her with a nod. “Thanks.”
Evie waved her to follow. “Come on.”
Back in the great hall, Evie perched on one of the seats at the long table. Thankfully, they were alone. No one else was about. Chloe sat next to her. Smelling the delicious stew made her mouth water. She dug in, taking her first bite of the steaming stew. It was thick and hearty and delicious. Evie waited with her hands folded in her lap.
“Well?” she prompted when she her patience ran out.
Chloe took another bite, thankful her stomach was no longer rumbling. “I had a strange experience in the tapestry room.”
“What happened? Did they change again?” Excitement mixed with a hint of fear was in her voice.
“No. Well, sort of. The keystone—”
She sucked in a breath and dropped her spoon as the realization pounded through her. She’d left the stone in Malcolm’s room. In her haste to flee, she had forgotten it. Well, she would be damned if she was going back to get it now. In the morning, she’d find her way to his room and retrieve it. Hopefully while he was out so she didn’t have to face him again.
“What about it?” Evie asked.
She held up her bandaged hand. “When you cut my hand, we thought nothing happened. We thought wrong. After you bandaged me up, I noticed the stone started to hum and I felt this incredible pull to go to the tapestry room.”
She told her about Bridget speaking to her in her mind, warning her to guard the stone with her life, that there were those who wanted it for themselves and they would stop at nothing to get it.
“I think it was the magic in the stone,” she said.
Evie stared at her with wide, round eyes. “You heard her voice in your head?”
She nodded. “And that’s not all. Malcolm found me in there. The stone was humming still. I was holding it. I noticed there was a bloodstain on it. He took my hand and when he touched me…” She paused, wondering if her sister would believe the weirdness of what she was about to say.
But she had a knowing look on her face. “You saw something, didn’t you?”
“Yes. I saw his past. When he burned the village.”
Evie’s face drained of color as she stared at her, unblinking. “You saw this?”
“He made everyone leave their houses. He told them to tell their laird the MacLeods send their regards. Then he and his brother torched it.”
Evie said nothing as she leaned back into the chair, her face devoid of color. “No one died?”
“No.”
A breath shuddered out between her lips. “All this time, he led us to believe he had killed innocents. Why? Why would he do that?”
“He wanted to send a message to MacDonald.”
“But why would he never tell Callum the truth?”
