Connor saw far too much of his father and his other uncles in Archibald.
“I’ve been chieftain for some time,” Connor said. “Why have ye come now?”
“Ye may look like your mother, but you’re direct like your father.”
Archibald attempted a smile, but Connor did not respond in kind. He waited for his uncle to stop fidgeting and say what he had come to say.
“I am here in the hope,” Archibald finally said, “of bringing peace between you and Hugh.”
“Hmmph, ’tis late for that,” Connor said. “I hold him responsible for the deaths of my father, my brother, and a great many other clansmen.”
“Well,” Archibald said, tilting his head, “Hugh blames you for the deaths of two of our brothers.”
“There’s a difference between justice and murder.” Connor leaned across the table and grabbed Archibald by the front of his tunic. “Those two were marauding pirates guilty of taking food from the mouths of children and then raping their mothers, so do not speak to me as if their deaths are the same.”
Connor released him and sat back, annoyed with himself for losing control.
“I understand your feelings about it,” Archibald said after clearing his throat, “but there’s been enough bloodshed among our family.”
“I doubt Hugh would agree, judging by how many times he’s tried to have me murdered,” Connor said. “He won’t be satisfied until one of us is dead.”
“Hugh is mean as a cornered rat, but he’s no fool—he can see that he’s losing this fight with ye,” Archibald said. “He sent a message through a lass named Rhona, asking me to serve as an intermediary.”
So Duncan’s former lover was still with Hugh. The mention of her name soured Connor’s mood further.
“Now that Hugh has earned the Crown’s favor by capturing a couple of other pirate leaders, he’d like to give up the game himself,” Archibald said.
“As they say, there’s no honor among thieves.”
“Hugh wants—”
Archibald stopped speaking when the door opened and Ilysa came in with a tray. Connor was grateful she had brought it herself since her loyalty was beyond question. By the saints, he was tired of looking over his shoulder, wondering which member of his household was involved in treachery with Hugh.
As Ilysa poured the whiskey into two cups, Connor motioned to Archibald to continue talking.
“Hugh wants to settle his differences with ye.” Archibald leaned forward. “I suspect ye could buy him off with a wee bit of land.”
Connor kept his expression blank while rage rolled through him. Give that murdering bastard some of the clan’s land?
“Surely it’s worth at least meeting with Hugh and hearing what he has to say?” Archibald said.
The only way Connor wanted to meet Hugh Dubh again was with the point of his sword sunk in Hugh’s belly. He forced himself to tamp down his temper and think it through coldly. This violent contest with Hugh was a distraction from the most important challenge, the battle with the MacLeods for Trotternish. The clan did not have the strength to fight both at the same time.
He did not believe for a moment that Hugh was ready to give up his quest for the chieftainship. Eventually, Connor would have to settle the problem of Hugh once and for all. Yet, if he could delay that final reckoning with his uncle until after the fight with the MacLeods, he would stand a far better chance of succeeding at both.
“Hugh asked me to host the meeting at my home,” Archibald said. “You’ll both be my guests, and as such, you’ll be protected by the ancient code of hospitality.”
“I’ll consider it,” Connor said, though he had already decided to go.
“If ye wish to meet Hugh,” Archibald said, “be at my home in exactly five days.”
***
Ilysa’s heart raced when she heard Archibald suggest Connor meet with Hugh. Unfortunately, she could not tell if it was fear or a true premonition. She needed to attempt to bring on The Sight. This time, she could not use Connor’s chamber to help connect the vision to him, so she stole a loose hair from each of the men’s tunics to mix with her herbs.
After ramming the bar across her door, she put an extra peat log on her brazier, then cut the hair into the herbs with her dirk. Her hand shook as she spread the mixture over the brazier.
Only rarely had she been able to see the future. On those times she did, what she saw was more a riddle than a clear vision. But now, when she breathed in the pungent fumes, a vision came to her so quickly and with such clarity that she gasped.
