Page 63 of Highland Spy

“Mayhap he’s doin’ it just to have somethin’ guid to write, to impress the king.”

“I suppose that could be true.”

“Bridget, will yer faither sleep the rest of the night?” asked Caleb.

“Aye,” she answered.

“Then leave him, and help me spy to find the saboteur of this contest. Perhaps if we figure it out, we’ll be in the king’s graces.”

“And if we are? Do ye really think the king will be lenient with me and Da if he finds out what we’ve done?”

“I hope so,” said Caleb, pulling her to him and kissing her, wanting nothing more than to protect her from harm. “I promise ye, Bridget, I will find a way to make things right. And when I do, ye will never have to fear for yer life or for yer faither’s life again.”

Chapter 21

Caleb hurriedly went through the bags of his competitors while Bridget kept watch at the door. Slink snooped around the room as well.

“Did ye find anythin’ yet?” whispered Bridget, peeking out the open crack of the door in Caleb’s chamber.

“Nay, there is nothin’ here that suggests any of them are the saboteur.” Caleb didn’t like having to secretly inspect the others’ possessions, but he had no choice. If he was going to find out who was sabotaging the events, he had to get sneaky. The king wanted answers – answers that Caleb had yet to be able to give him.

“Someone is comin’,” whispered Bridget, closing the door. “We need to hide.”

“Over here, lass.” Caleb ran over to a trunk near the wall and opened it for Bridget. “Stay inside until they’re gone.” He helped her step into it, then started to lower the lid.

“Where are ye goin’ to be?” she whispered to Caleb.

“Behind the tapestry,” he said, slipping behind the wall hanging, hoping the dark room would conceal his presence. He’d just managed to hide when the door opened and two people walked in. Holding the hilt of his sword should he need it, he listened, but didn’t dare to poke his head out. Not yet.

“Go quickly,” a low voice said to another. “Ye ken what ye have to do.”

“I’ll do things my way,” said another man.

“Ye’ve already made a mess of things. No one was supposed to get hurt.”

“I’ll no’ only hurt them, but kill them if I please. Ye willna tell me how to do my job.”

“If ye dinna do what I ask, I’ll no’ give ye want ye want.”

“On the contrary, if ye interfere again, I’ll make certain ye’re the next one hurt.”

“It’s already headin’ in that direction, if ye havena noticed. I will no’ be imprisoned because ye canna stick to the plan. Ye were only supposed to slow them down. Now, I have a target on my back.”

“Leave that to me. I have a plan that is sure to work.”

Caleb was about to step out and confront the men when one of them screamed.

“God’s eyes, what’s that?”

He heard the hiss of Slink, and then commotion in the room, and something falling over and hitting the ground.

“It’s just that stupid weasel.”

Caleb peeked out from behind the tapestry, seeing Slink run out of the room and the backs of two men following him. He shot out from behind the wall hanging, running over to open the trunk for Bridget.

“Did ye see anythin’?” he asked her.

“Nay. I peeked out of the trunk, but their backs were toward me. Did ye?”