The adults laughed with relief. Hunger was a very good sign.
“Only broth for now.” Grizel handed a bowl and spoon to Sybil. “Don’t let him eat too fast.”
While Sybil spooned the broth into Kenneth’s mouth, Grizel tsked over the jagged cut on Rory’s leg, slathered a smelly poultice on it, and bandaged it. He escaped her ministrations before she could start on his lesser injuries and came to stand beside Sybil next to the bed.
“That cut on your forehead will make a manly scar,” Rory told Kenneth with a wink. “But a knock on the head can make ye feel a wee bit confused for a time. Do ye remember what happened?”
Kenneth gave him a solemn nod.
“You remember falling into the river?”
“I didn’t fall,” Kenneth said. “I did just as ye told me and stayed away from the edge.”
“Then how did ye end up in the river?” Rory asked. “Ach, don’t tell me ye jumped.”
“Lads!” Grizel said behind them. “’Tis a wonder any of them live to be men.”
“I didn’t jump,” Kenneth said.
“Hmmm,” Rory said. “Then I suppose ye must have glided down to the river on a faery’s back.”
Rory and Grizel were taking the boy’s denials with humor, but a cold chill of premonition went up Sybil’s spine.
“There’s no shame in admitting a mistake,” Rory said, turning serious, “so long as ye learn from it.”
“But I didn’t fall or jump,” Kenneth said in a stronger voice. “I was pushed.”
***
“He was pushed!” Rory shouted, raising his hands in the air. “Who would do such a thing to a bairn? And on MacKenzie lands!”
Sybil watched Rory pace up and down their bedchamber, where they had retreated after Grizel told them Kenneth must rest.
“So ye do believe someone meant to harm Kenneth?” she asked.
“Harm him? Nay, they meant to kill the lad,” he said, his eyes blazing. “And they had the bollocks to attempt it while he was withme,” he said, ramming his thumb against his chest. “Right under my damned nose!”
“Now that ye know the threat exists, ye can protect the lad.”
“I’ll give whoever did it his just desserts and drown him in the river,” Rory said, squeezing his hand as if he were holding someone by the neck. “I’ll hold his head under and watch the life go out of him.”
He looked so fierce that Sybil had to brace herself not to take a step back.
“Ye can’t drown whoever is responsible until ye know who it is,” she said. “Ask yourself who would gain by Kenneth’s death—that is, besides you and me.”
“Besides you and me?” Rory said, his tone full of outrage.
“People will assume I want my own son to be the heir,” she said. “As for you, ye made it clear to the Grants that you didn’t want to claim him and resented being pressured to keep him here.”
“That doesn’t mean I’d harm him.” Rory scowled at her. “For God’s sake, he’s just a bairn.”
“Iknow ye wouldn’t.” She rested her hand on his arm. “But if Kenneth died under suspicious circumstances while living under your care and protection, the Grants would be sure to cry foul and blame you.”
“And who would benefit from that?” he said, echoing her question. “I see what you’re saying—and who must be behind this.”
Sybil nodded. “It’s got to be Hector.”
“He wouldn’t risk doing it by his own hand, especially this close to the castle.” Rory clenched the handle of the dirk at his belt and looked off into the distance with narrowed eyes.
