“Can we go tomorrow?” Agnes interjected, seeming to realize that now wasn’t the time to demand she be taught to ride. Then, she glanced at Katherine. “If ye’re feelin’ well enough, that is.”
“I believe I could go on a ride tomorrow,” Katherine said thoughtfully, “but I wouldnae be able to go incredibly fast. And we may need to stop and take a break halfway through. I daenae want to push meself.”
Liam’s brow furrowed, and for a moment, it looked as if he were going to insist they wait. Agnes spoke first, though, saying, “Perhaps we can have a picnic halfway through.”
“I would like that,” Katherine said with a smile, allowing herself to be a little giddy about the prospect. “If we daenae go too fast, and if ye are willin’ to ride with yer father, I believe I could manage an outin’ tomorrow.”
The corner of his mouth twitched, but he managed to keep his face mostly neutral. “Then it is set.” He unfolded the second map, this one depicting the MacDougal lands. “But, before then, I’ll show the two of ye where we’ll be ridin’.”
* * *
When Agnes and Katherine left a few hours later, Liam couldn’t bring himself to focus on the reports. It wasn’t as if anything was conclusive. Every single missive he’d received held the same information.
There had been no sightings of the Pirate Laird and his crew, but there was evidence of bandits that they’d yet to sight. It left Liam feeling uneasy, but it wasn’t as if he had any solid leads to follow. His only option was to continue his vigilance, to prepare his guards for the bandits.
If that’s who they truly are.
He sighed, folded the maps, and put them away. Then he picked up the missives. Without reading the words, he glanced through them again. It was more out of habit than anything else, but there was nothing more he could do.
Eventually, he pushed it aside. It wasn’t giving up but a tactical regrouping. Standing, he scoffed and shook his head.
Dwellin’ on this doesnae do a damn thing.
He walked over to his window, folding his hands behind his back and looking out over the grounds. Agnes and Katherine were outside now, Tilly following behind them. They’d seemed exhilarated when they left, Agnes murmuring excitedly about the trip they’d be taking tomorrow.
Before Katherine had come to stay with them, Agnes hadn’t allowed him to see her excitement. He refused to believe that the girl never had anything to look forward to. She loved spending time with her great-grandmother, but he had taught his daughter to keep her emotions close to her chest.
He knew that it had been his doing.
Three sharp knocks sounded on his door, and he didn’t need to check to know it was Cillian. Without turning around, he grunted, “Enter.”
Cillian stepped into the room, walking straight to the chair Katherine had inhabited no more than an hour before. Liam heard the flutter of a page being placed on his desk, the solidthunkof Cillian’s fingers against the wood. When Liam turned around, his man-at-arms was watching him with a detached air.
“Another missive,” Cillian said, leaning back in his chair. “I took the liberty of readin’ it in advance.”
“And what did ye find?” Liam asked, grabbing the parchment from his desk.
“The same as all the others,” Cillian replied. He was quiet for a beat, letting Liam read it himself. “Seems we’ve got some particularly elusive bandits runnin’ around. Nay sightings of the pirates. Though I have to admit, it is a bit odd we havenae heard anythin’ about them in so long.”
“Perhaps we can start an investigation into these bandits,” Liam said, putting the parchment back on his desk. “Send out missives to all of our allies, tell them that we’re launchin’ a formal investigation into them, and instruct them to send any leads they have to us.”
“Ye daenae think they’re simple bandits,” Cillian observed, already rising to his feet.
“I daenae ken who they are,” Liam countered expertly. He wouldn’t let himself sound paranoid. All these bandits were, at the moment, an oddity. “I’d like to ken the damage that they’re causin’ and what they’re leavin’ behind. We need to ken our enemy if we want to have any hope of defendin’ ourselves against them.”
“Ye’re right,” Cillian said, walking toward the door. “I will begin me work now. I’ll get them sent out shortly.”
“Aye,” Liam said, settling into his chair and steepling his fingers in front of him.
“They will be safe,” Cillian said, pausing at the threshold. “Nay one is goin’ to let them be hurt, especially nae ye.”
“I willnae,” Liam vowed. “I will keep them safe even if it is the last thing that I do.”
Chapter Twenty-Three
When Liam arrived at the stables just as the sun was peaking over the hills, the groom seemed surprised to see him. He was working with Brimstone, the beast seeming to take pleasure in giving the man a hard time. The groom stopped moving, standing straight as if waiting for a directive. Brimstone, however, jerked his head back in a show of displeasure.
“Me Laird,” he said, ignoring the horse attempting to throw a fit behind him, “ye’re here early.”
