“Where is Master Evan now?” Annista could only be impressed by how steady Mistress MacKallan’s voice remained, though her hands trembled visibly. “I hope ye managed to hold him there.”
“Nay, Mistress. He got awa’. Legged it off while we were caring for our Geoff. No’ before he turned over the lantern and tried to burn down the hay store—wi’ us inside it. Our farmhand, Luke, managed to douse the flames but burned his hands quite badly in the doing.”
“I see. Master Duncan, I much regret—regret the ill that has befallen ye. I hope and pray your son will recover, and I do assure ye, we shall be responsible for the physician’s fees.”
“’Tis no’ that, Mistress!” Duncan’s eyes bulged with his vehemence. “I am that feared for wha’ the young Master may do next.”
Were they not all feared for that? Annista wondered.
“Wha’ if he comes back and fires the house out o’ revenge? And us all inside, mayhap in our beds?”
“I am sure he will no’,” said Mistress MacKallan, sounding anything but.
“I left one o’ our hands on guard and came straight to Master MacKallan that he might deal wi’ his son and thus ha’ an end to it.”
“Just so. Where did Master Evan go when he left your farm?”
“If I knew that, Mistress, I’d be much easier in my mind. He dashed fro’ the shed and out into the rain. We were occupied wi’ all else and did no’ see.”
Precisely why Evan had used the fire—for a distraction.
“To be sure, I quite understand.”
“I maun see the master,” Duncan insisted.
“Quite impossible, I am afraid. But ye may be certain I will convey to him all ye ha’ said as soon as ever I am able.”
“But, Mistress—”
“The best ye can do, Master Duncan, is go back to your family, assure them all is as well as can be, and await the physician.”
“Aye, my lady. But—the Master maun act on this and collar his son. Mistress, I ha’ never seen such a murderous look in a man’s eye.”
For the first time, Mistress MacKallan wavered. She swayed on her feet and Annista feared she would go down. Deep sorrow scored her face.
“I assure ye, Master Duncan, we shall turn all our resources to finding Master Evan. Seumas, if ye would please show Master Duncan out?”
Duncan, seeming struck by the expression on Mistress MacKallan’s face or perhaps grasping the wisdom of returning home, went.
Mistress MacKallan and Annista were left gazing at one another.
“By God,” Mistress MacKallan breathed. “By God, wha’ are we to do?”
Annista reached into her pocket, feeling for the knife stowed there.
She knew what she would do—what she must do—if Evan came within her reach. Fulfill the promise she had made. And she could not allow herself to hesitate.
Chapter Thirty-One
Father’s unexpected—and in Alan’s opinion unwelcome—guests insisted on departing before dark, even though Father offered them lodging for the night. They had other stops to make, so they confided.
No one was completely satisfied with the answer Alan had finally given them, not even Alan himself. He felt it a sham, him making a promise not truly his to give. As if, once again, he spoke only in his brother’s place.
By God, he did not like giving empty promises.
And the men to whom he spoke had been able to tell. Though he’d spoken the words they wanted to hear, and those Father hoped he would, Eskine and Cunningham had not been wholly convinced.
No more than Alan himself. Aye, a promise was a promise. But could he hold to one made in his brother’s stead? He was not heir to Kallan and had no reason to believe he ever would be. Father, as so often lately, merely used him.
