CHAPTER SIXTEEN
The next morning was the most pleasant one Blake had experienced in a long time, if not since he was a wee bairn. He woke with Reyna in his arms, smiling at him. Even the chill of the morning and the lack of food couldn’t dampen his joy at being able to hold Reyna and kiss her good morning like he’d dreamed of doing for so many years.
It was even better when she smiled lazily into his eyes. “Och... me bonny warrior…” Her hand caressed his chest, and he felt himself begin to harden anew. Reyna clearly sensed it too, for she giggled. “None o’ that now, or we’ll never reach yer clan-folk. And in any case, I’m a wee bit sore.”
The mention of her soreness, and his clan, killed his arousal. He swallowed hard and leaned his forehead against hers. “Reyna…”
“Dinnae fret about me.”
“’Tis nae only that which troubles me.” He hugged her closer. “I’m afeared o’ returning tae me clan. I ken Hutch wrote I’ve been proven innocent, but that doesnae mean everyone will believe it. Worse, I dinnae ken if everyone will accept me, even so. What if I’m only riding intae another place where I’m considered nae more than an outcast?”
He shuddered. “’Twas difficult enough, being alone in Murray clan. If it had nae been fer Preston, I might have taken me chances on the road anyway, but tae face the same among me own clansmen…”
Reyna’s arms around him, and her lips on his in a gentle kiss, silenced him. “It willnae happen. And if fer some reason yer clansmen are tae much the fools tae realize that ye’re a good man and a worthy member o’ the clan, then ye can come with me. I ken fer certain that Finlay and me faither both would welcome ye, once they ken everything that’s happened.”
Blake snorted with laughter. “Yer faither’s likely tae want tae chase me with a horsewhip when he finds out everything that’s happened between us.” Still, he felt better. He returned her kiss with a chaste one of his own, then reluctantly released her. “Still, ye’re right that we need tae be getting ourselves dressed and on the road.”
They got underway as soon as they were dressed, and the fire was put out. This time, when Blake helped Reyna into the saddle, she offered him a brilliant smile and wrapped her arms around him as much as she could, reveling in their closeness as much as he did.
As they neared Sinclair Castle, however, Blake began to feel nervousness replacing the calm, joyous haze of the morning. Despite Hutch’s letter, he was still unsure of his welcome. It had been so long since he had been home – ten long years. He knew from Hutch that his mother was still alive, and he was no longer under suspicion of killing his father. But would he still be welcomed among his clan-folk and his kin after so long away?
As they neared the main gates, Blake spotted a tall, lean-built man waiting at the gates, along with a small, slender female figure. His fingers tightened on the reins as his composure faltered, and it was all he could dae tae keep riding forward, instead of turning and riding for the hills and Gregor Keep.
Then he saw the face of the man who was striding out to meet them. “Hutch!”
He slid down off the horse and helped Reyna down, then strode forward. Hutch met him halfway to the gates and wrapped him in a bruising embrace. “Ye’re finally here! I’ve had men watching fer ye ever since I sent the letter, but I was beginning tae wonder if ye’d received it at all, until the watchtower reported a rider headed this direction.”
Blake nodded, unable to speak as his eyes studied his cousin. As teens, he’d been better built and stronger than Hutch, as well as taller by an inch or so. “Ye’ve grown. Ye’re nay longer a weedy runt as ye were when I left.”
Hutch was now nearly his height, and broad shouldered as well, his wild hair tamed into a warrior’s tail befitting a laird. Helaughed as he tugged Blake forward, toward the woman still waiting at the gate. “Ye’re nae a stripling yerself, lad. I’d heard rumors o’ ye, or o’ a man I assumed was ye, but ye’ve grown intae those awkward long legs o’ yers.”
Blake might have responded, but his attention was caught entirely by the woman who stepped forward. His mother, Hannah.
She was smaller than he remembered, her petite frame thinner with age and the sorrows of loss. Her hair was entirely silver, plaited back away from her face, and there were fine lines around her eyes and mouth. But she was smiling, in spite of the tears that traced down her cheeks, and she held a hand out to him.
“Maither…” Blake didn’t know who moved first, but all at once his mother was in his arms. Her own wrapped tight around him. The delicate scent of her soft heather soap, unchanged in the ten years he’d been gone, enveloped him.
Any fears he had about being welcome fell away, dispelled by the deep sense of being home for the first time in a very long time.
“Och, me boy... me dear, bonny lad. I’ve been waiting fer ye fer so long.” His mother pulled back to look up at him. “When they started tae accuse ye o’ killing yer faither, I didnae ever think ye’d dae such a thing. I tried tae argue fer ye. But yer uncle was furious, and he’d hear naething o’ it. He told me tae stop bringing it up unless I had proof that ye werenae the murderer.”She sighed. “I couldnae defy him, nae when he was me laird as well as me kin.”
“I understand. Dinnae fret about it.” Blake sighed. “He and me faither were fair close. I’m nae surprised he couldnae see reason after losing him.”
He frowned and turned to Hutch. “I ken ye said the clan believed me innocent, but have ye found any sign o’ who the killer is yet? ‘Tis dangerous tae have a poisoner on the loose, especially if he’s patient enough tae tak’ so long. I wouldnae want tae see ye as the third victim.”
Hutch shook his head. “I wish we’d more tae go on, but beyond kenning it’s the same poisoner fer both yer faither and mine, we’ve nae found anyone, and we’ve nae idea o’ where tae look. The only thing we ken fer sure is that it’s someone who has access tae the laird’s food and drink, which is how I convinced the Elders it wasnae ye.”
Blake nodded, but his mind was drifting over Hutch’s words. Someone with access to the laird’s food and drink... that could be any of the clansmen, from servants to Elders. Anyone in the keep could tamper with such things.
Which meant Hutch was in danger. And so was he, if the murderer decided to cast suspicion on him again, or worse, get rid of him for some reason. For that matter, so were his mother and Reyna. His mother because she’d been his defender all these years, and she was the Lady of the Castle, with Hutch unmarried. And Reyna if anyone remembered her skills with herbs andpotions and thought she might be able to save a poisoning victim.
As if his thoughts had been a signal, a hand touched his arm, and Reyna stepped forward.
“Laird Sinclair, Lady Sinclair, thank ye fer welcoming us intae yer home. I apologize fer nae greeting ye immediately, but I wanted Blake tae be able tae enjoy his return fer a moment. Since he hasnae had a chance tae tell ye, I am Reyna Gregor, o’ Clan Gregor.”
Reyna saw Blake flush slightly at the slight, implied rebuke for his failure to adhere to proper courtesies and offered him a small smile to indicate she understood. She was more concerned about the uneasy expression that had crossed his face while talking to his cousin.
She had no more time to consider it as Blake’s mother swept her up into an embrace. “’Tis good tae finally meet ye lass!” The older woman stepped back. “If Blake hasnae told ye me name, ye may call me Hannah.”
