Still, her heart longed for home, to see her parents and assure them that she was at least alive.
“Pull up the hood of yer cloak, lass,” Malcolm told her as the village drew larger. “We cannae take a chance with Neacal’s men.”
Edna dutifully did as he asked, her fingers trembling. She only wished to be off the traveling road, to quit this journey that she found herself on.
When they reached the keep, there was something somber about the mood of those they passed.
“Malcolm?” one of the guards at the gate called out. “Ye are home?”
“Aye,” Malcolm replied evenly. “I need tae see Irvine.”
“Ye mean the laird?”
The two exchanged looks, and Edna’s heart caught in her throat. “Laird?” Edna knew that she wasn’t supposed to say anything, but the word caught her off guard. Before all this, McGregor didn’t have a laird, and now her cousin held the position.
“Aye,” the guard replied, motioning for them to follow him. Edna walked into the keep that she knew fairly well, thinking of her great-aunt that had to be gone if her cousin was laird. While she had only met her great aunt a handful of times, her heart mourned for the lady of the keep and her own mother.
They were led to the study, where her cousin was pouring over a mound of ledgers, muttering to himself. The moment that they entered, the quill pen in Irvine’s hand slipped, and he was up out of the chair, pulling Malcolm into a tight embrace.
“By God, man,” he replied, his voice tight. “I didnae think ye were still alive.”
Edna watched the friends embrace, tears crowding her vision. It was clear that they cared for each other, and to hear that her cousin had suffered through the thought that he wasn’t alive…
She lowered her hood, and Irvine’s eyes widened.
“Edna!” he exclaimed as he released Malcolm. “Wot are ye doing here?”
“Wot are ye doing being laird?” she countered as he pulled her into a rough embrace.
“It was unexpected putting me in this position,” Irvine murmured as he pulled away. “But Edna, she passed on nearly a month ago.”
No one had told her. Edna forced herself to breathe, pushing the grief deep down for now.
“More importantly,” Irvine continued, looking at them both, “I received a missive from yer da. Neacal is demanding yer hand or a passel of funds for the death of his brother.”
Malcolm swore, his gaze cutting to Edna. “See? He doesnae want yer head. He wantsye,lass.”
“Someone is going tae have tae explain this tae me, and quickly,” Irvine cut in. “Because I dinnae believe that mah cousin killed someone.”
“She didnae,” Malcolm replied. “But first, can we have some respite? We have been walking for nearly two days now.”
Irvine immediately called for some food and drink, motioning for them both to take the chairs near the fire. Edna did so gladly, feeling relief to be off her aching feet. Too many things were taking place, however, and the weariness in her body didn’t even compare to the heaviness in her heart. Neacal had figured out a way to get her in the end, for the McGregor didn’t have any sort of funds to be paying the laird.
They would have no choice but to hand her over.
The food and drink arrived, and Irvine waited until they had their fill before he sat behind his table, his hands steepled together. “Talk.”
So Edna started before Malcolm could, giving her cousin the information that he sought about her being captured by Neacal and what he wanted to begin with.
Malcolm cut in when she started to explain their escape, telling him about his elaborate plan to get her out of the keep safely and how they had been on the run ever since. He even told Irvine about the attack and how Declan had tried to kill them both, resulting in his death instead.
“I killed him,” Malcolm finished, wiping his hands on his breeks. “Not Edna. The bastard, he wants her and will stop at nothing tae have her.”
“Aye,” Irvine said heavily, slumping in his chair. “He says he has witnesses, but yer da doesnae believe him. After all, his own men are going tae lie for him.”
“She cannae go back tae her land right now,” Malcolm argued.
“Aye, I agree,” Irvine said quickly. “But no one can know that she’s here.”
