“I willna, but I’ll mention yer kindness to a few of the guards, too.”
Meg’s frown smoothed out. “Aye.”
“And yer friend’s name? The one whose husband gave this to her?”
“Annie, she is. Ye’ll find her at her loom, most likely.”
“Thank ye, Meg. I’ll do that. And thank ye for this.” Jamie turned the comb over in his hand then tucked it in his shirt.
With a nod, Meg went on her way. As soon as she passed out of sight and he stood alone in the hall, Jamie collapsed against the wall and rested the back his head against the cool stone. He laid his hand over the comb under his shirt, holding it over his heart as tears slid silently down his cheeks. He hadn’t cried in years, but the shock of seeing the gift he’d made his sister after so many years, and in this godforsaken place, unmanned him. He stumbled down the stairs and made it to his door without seeing anyone—or anyone seeing him in this state. Inside his chamber, he let the tears come, and the sobs, dry, silent screams that came from the grief-stricken lad buried deep inside him. He turned the comb over in his hands, running his fingers along every tooth, every curve he’d painstakingly carved into the bridge. Ach, Netta, sister. Who did this to ye?They’re here. Or they were, before Flodden.
****
Jamie had resolved to get some rest, and try again during the night to find an opportunity to speak to Caitrin when the guard slept, or left his post, thinking no one would be the wiser. But when he awoke hours later, he found he’d allowed his reaction to Meg’s tale to exhaust him. He’d slept far longer than he’d intended.
He needed to know what Caitrin had discovered, if anything, and what had happened to her once MacGregor discovered her.
And how much MacGregor knew.
While he’d succeeded in avoiding his old classmate all day, he could not miss the evening meal without causing comment. The hall seemed subdued as everyone became aware of Caitrin’s absence. MacGregor, much to Jamie’s relief, left her empty chair between them, avoided conversation, ate quickly and left. Everyone in the room seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
Including Jamie.
He needed to see Caitrin, to determine if she’d been harmed again in any way. The MacGregor would pay handsomely if he’d touched her again. Jamie didn’t think his easy-going reputation would survive a public confrontation with MacGregor, but given that the man had physically harmed Caitrin, and then locked her in her chamber under guard, Jamie would be pleased to take advantage of any opportunity to cut him down.
He simply could not do it in cold blood.
Kyle entered the hall and shook his head when Jamie met his gaze, then retreated the way he’d arrived. So the guard remained outside Caitrin’s door, but apparently the MacGregor had gone elsewhere and not to her chamber when he left the hall.
Jamie met Kyle in a side hall. “We’ve been doing the random passes, as ye instructed,” Kyle reported. “The guard changes, but there’s always someone there. MacGregor has no’ approached her, nor had he ordered her brought before him during the day.”
“That’s been my observation as well,” Jamie answered, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “We’ll continue to keep watch. I want to be informed the moment MacGregor enters her chamber, if he does, or sends for her. I dinna trust him around her.” Had he spent the day trying to determine what she might have learned while in his solar unsupervised? If so, he might send for her at any time.
“He’ll no’ be left alone with her, if we can help it.”
“Has anyone seen Uilleam since we arrived?”
“Now that ye mention it, nay. Did Fletcher send him home, then?”
“I’ll inquire. I’m going to talk to Fletcher now. There’s one more thing ye should hear.”
“Aye?”
Jamie blew out a breath. How to begin? “One of the serving lasses had my sister Netta’s comb in her hair today.”
“What?”
“One I carved for her. I couldna mistake it.”
Kyle crossed his arms over his chest and frowned. “Did ye speak to her? Where did she get it?”
“From another woman, a widow, whose husband may have given it to her. I’ll talk to her, of course. But this is another reason to get Caitrin out of here. The man who killed my sister may be here. Or he may have died at Flodden.”
“We’ll find ye if we need ye.”
Jamie clapped Kyle on the shoulder. “Good man.”
“Keep a cool head,” Kyle told him with a grimace and left him to his errand.
