She sank into the water, knowing that without a doubt, she'd done well.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
"What are ye doin'?" Hugh's voice demanded from just outside Anna's door. "There's nay reason for ye to be in this part of the castle."
There was silence, and Anna had to pull herself out of bed. She shuffled to the door, pressing her ear against the surface to hear better. The reply is muffled, male, and unidentifiable to Anna.
"There are empty rooms in this part of the castle," the voice said. "I was simply checkin' for intruders."
"If there were intruders," Hugh said, his voice echoing in the corridor, "I should have been the first person that ye contacted. Ye should nae have been takin' over the search yerself."
"We didnae think it would be worth wakin' ye," the man said, his voice sounding more familiar with each passing moment. "If it werenae just before sunrise that the information came through,ye would have been informed. We didnae want to wake ye with rumors."
Anna's hands shook as she mentally went through her evening. She distinctly remembered locking her door, and that knowledge made her shoulders relax. If there was someone in this part of the castle, they wouldn't have been able to get into her room.
"Well, in the future," Hugh said, his voice a growl, "ye will tell me about it even if it is rumors. It doesnae matter if ye didnae think they're worth mentionin'. I'm the Laird of this castle. I need to ken what's goin' on."
"Aye," the voice said. Then, when he spoke again, Anna recognized the voice. It was Callum. "Ye must ken that the council doesnae trust yer judgment right now. It was decided that it would be better for us to investigate these claims than get ye involved."
The pause went on for so long that Anna forced herself harder against the wood, wondering if they were whispering now. She was aware that this conversation wasn't for her to hear, but theywerehaving it just beyond her chambers. While she wouldn't go looking for this kind of interaction on her own, they had brought it directly to her.
Finally, Hugh said, "I daenae care what their opinion of me is. If there's a breach in the castle's security, Ihaveto be informed. How are ye goin' to act if ye daenae have me orders? The command of the men? All ye're doin' is puttin' yourselves and the castle at risk."
"Understood," Callum grunted, sounding like a chastised child. "Ye ken that I'm just lookin' out for ye. Ye've been pushin' them with all of yer decisions. I'm still tryin' to get them back on yer side after ye cut the meetin' short."
"Did I ask ye to do that for me, Callum?" Hugh challenged, two sharp footsteps signifying his approach toward the other man. "I daenae need yer help. If the council doesnae like what I'm doin', there's nothin' that anyone can do to change their minds. I daenae want ye stickin' yer neck out for me and then holdin' it over me head."
"If that's what ye really want, then I suppose I'll leave ye to deal with them on yer own," Callum said darkly, his voice getting slightly further away. "But daenae be surprised if ye find yerself in situations ye cannae navigate."
"Ye underestimate me," Hugh said, a dismissive edge in his tone. "I'm nae the same person that took over this position two years ago. I may have been confused when ye first met me, but I was never weak nor incapable. Ye seem to think that I need ye."
With that, Hugh took one hard step forward. It was nearly enough to make Anna slink away. The motion had its desired effect on Callum. Almost immediately, the other man's feet caught against the stone in a frantic shuffle away. Then, when he seemed to collect himself, the sound of his retreat became measured, but no less hurried.
Anna stayed where she was, frozen by the confrontation she'd inadvertently overheard. Despite the good that had happenedfor her here, something darker was going on beneath the surface. She knew that if she asked Hugh, he'd shield her from the truth. If she wanted to know what was being hidden from her, she'd have to investigate on her own.
It wasn't until she heard Hugh's footsteps fade down the hallway that she dared to breathe properly again. Slowly, she straightened, careful to keep quiet. Gliding across the floor, she tried to convince herself that the tension coiling in her chest was nothing more than politics.
That worked for a few minutes, carrying her through the process of getting dressed. Though once she'd prepared herself to leave her chambers, doubt crept back in. It felt as though she was missing a piece of the puzzle. And, even worse, she was sure that whatever she was missing had to be obvious.
Surely there are ways to learn what I'm not seeing. Perhaps Emelia could provide some insight… or someone in the kitchens.
With that at the forefront of her mind, Anna quickly did her hair before creeping out of her room. The corridor was blessedly empty, and she walked with purpose to get out of this wing of the castle. She couldn't articulate the reason, but this area felt like a warzone. She needed time and distance from it.
Somehow, despite hearing the sounds of others moving about the castle, Anna didn't run into anyone until she was nearly at the great hall. She nearly collided with a worried-looking Eilidh.If Anna hadn't stepped to the side, they would have slammed into one another.
"Is everythin' all right, Eilidh?" she asked when her mother-in-law didn't immediately say anything. Her silence felt uncharacteristic.
"Ach, aye dear," Eilidh said, forcing a smile. "It's just been a headache of a mornin'. I cannae say there's ever a dull day here."
"I'm beginning to see what you mean," Anna murmured, making the decision to keep from mentioning what she'd overheard less than half an hour ago. "I'm looking for Emelia."
Eilidh paused for a moment, her brow furrowed. "She should still be in the great hall. And even if she's nae, ye should still eat somethin'."
"I will," Anna promised, the concern for her well-being a beacon of light in the rocky start to her morning.
"Good lass," Eilidh praised. She began to walk away, but stopped abruptly. She glanced back at Anna and asked, "Have ye seen Hugh this mornin'? I'm lookin' for him."
"I haven't," Anna murmured. Then, because she simply couldn't bring herself to lie, she added, "But I did hear him in the corridor leaving his chambers not too long ago. I'm sorry I didn't see which way he went."
