Page 47 of Tempting the Highland Captive

CHAPTERTWENTY

By nightfall Ron, Amelia, and Maggie had interviewed all the castle’s staff, while Lucas had spoken with the castle guard and the village’s fighting men. No one had confessed to being a spy for Rossell or at having seen anything suspicious other than Michael Rossell’s unannounced visits over the last several months. Word of the poisoning spread quickly through the village. Many of the clan’s men and women had been friends with the castle steward and mourned his loss. The castle staff had gone through the food stores, especially the wine, to ascertain what might have been poisoned. Lucas brought in the hunting dogs and had them sniff out the contaminated items.

Once they had finished their examinations of the food stores and castle staff, Ron, Amelia, Maggie, and Lucas all sat down to discuss how they were to handle food safety in the future. “All o’ Amelia’s food and drink will need tae be tasted,” Ron wasted no time in beginning the discussions, coming to sit beside his wife. No one had eaten or drank anything since the poisoning incident.

“So will yers,” Amelia pointed out. “I dinnae wish tae risk the lives of any o’ our people tae do so.”

“Nor do I. It would be best if one o’ the hunting dogs was given a portion of everything that is tae be served tae our people here in the castle.”

Amelia held Ron’s eyes for a moment in concern, then turned to Lucas. “Was the granary effected?”

Lucas shook his head. “Nae, there were nae signs o’ tampering.”

“So, whomever is responsible for the poisoning was only interested in the wine served tae Her Ladyship and her guests?” Maggie frowned in concern. She shook her head angrily. “When we find who has done this…” She could not finish the sentence; her anger was so potent.

“Aye,” Lucas agreed with the silent threat. “I will have a hunting dog here in the hall at all times and another to guard the food stores against further tampering.”

“We have lost much o’ our wine stores,” Amelia noted. “It will be difficult tae provide for a meeting o’ the lairds with what we have remaining, but we will do our best. Ale and mead will need tae suffice.”

“Och.” Lucas shrugged his shoulders. “Give ‘em a wee dram o’ whiskey or two and the lairds will be as congenial as ye like.”

Amelia gave that some thought. While whiskey made some men docile, it made just as many men mean. She was not certain she could risk it given the agenda that was to be discussed. She wanted the lairds clear headed when they made their judgements of Rossell’s actions against her. She prayed that her spies would find more evidence that they could use against him. Unfortunately, Rossell had a habit of being able to talk himself out of trouble.

“Perhaps,” she murmured, but said no more on the subject. “Between the loss of the rents in the attack and the loss of the wine, we will need tae be careful this winter. Our food supply has been unfortunately effected.”

“We will hunt more,” Ron offered, and Lucas nodded his head in agreement.

“If the council votes tae see Rossell punished for his actions, surely they will require recompense tae be made in kind from Rossell’s own stores,” Maggie pointed out.

“If.” Amelia let the word hang between them to remind them all that there were no certainties in the matter.

The group fell silent for a time. Only the sound of Father Jacob’s prayers over the dead coming through the chapel door mingled with the crackling of the fire could be heard. It was an unusual moment, as there was always something going on about the castle and its grounds, but the death of the steward had left all subdued. Lucas had hunted a few hares and ptarmigans for the evening meal, but no one had come to the hall for supper for fear of being poisoned. Rossell’s attacks upon their clan put more than lives in danger, it put the clan’s trust in their leaders at risk as well. His actions were undermining everything that Amelia and her father had worked so hard for.

Amelia buried her face in her hands and sighed. She was exhausted beyond measure and was very near her breaking point. “Come tae bed, wife,” Ron coaxed her, taking her elbow, and assisting her to her feet. “Leave tomorrow its own troubles.”

“Aye.” Lucas sighed in agreement as he arose for his own bed. “Maggie, I’ll see ye home.”

Maggie nodded and followed him, bidding Amelia and Ron a good night.

Amelia let Ron lead her up the stairs to their now shared bedroom. She removed her dress and laid it over the chair near the fire to deal with later and crawled into bed in her shift. Ron undressed and crawled into bed next to her. He took her into his arms and held her close against his chest. Amelia laid her head on his breast and listened to the steady beat of his heart. The sound brought her comfort. It was reassuring in its consistency. His breath ruffled her hair as he bent to kiss her forehead. “I like having ye here with me,” she murmured, tracing the ridges of his abdominal muscles with her forefinger.

“I enjoy being here,” he replied, stroking the hair down her back. The warm width of his palm against her skin, comforted Amelia further. “Ye are a balm tae my soul, lass.”

Amelia smiled. She propped her chin on his chest and studied his face. “Ye are far more than I e’er could have imagined.”

Ron chuckled. “Aye, given the way we met, it would nae be difficult.”

Amelia kissed the skin over his pectoral muscle, then laid her head back down. Her fingers wandered up to draw circles across his chest. The fire in the hearth popped and crackled cheerily in the quiet night, unaware of the trauma of the day. Amelia moved her leg to rest on top of Ron’s and snuggled closer, absorbing his warmth. “I love ye fiercely,” she whispered, burying her face in the scent of his skin. “I dinnae ken what I would have done had it been ye tae drink o’ the wine first. I am sorry that Stuart is dead, but I cannae help but be relieved that it was nae ye.”

“I feel the same for ye, my bonnie. The mere notion o’ it seizes me with a fear unlike any other I have e’er felt afore. I cannae live without ye, wife. My verra life is bound tae yers. If ye die, I die.” He pulled her beneath him and kissed her with a fierceness that left her breathless. He made love to her then, sweet, intense, and slow. When they fell over the ledge into oblivion together, Amelia surrendered to the night’s call.

* * *

Ron lay in the dark and listened to Amelia’s soft breathing as she slumbered next to him. He was loathe to leave her warmth and the afterglow of their lovemaking, but he had promised Father Jacob that he would come to him in confession, and he could not break that promise. Sliding out of bed, he dressed, and quietly left the room. Descending the stairs, he listened to see if anyone else was about. Hearing nothing, he walked across the great hall to the door of the chapel and knocked.

“Enter,” Father Jacob’s voice summoned from the other side.

Ron obeyed and pushed the door open. He found the priest kneeling before the crucifix in prayer. The steward’s body now lay in a wooden coffin, courtesy of Angus the blacksmith. The burial had been set for the next day at the kirkyard. Ron, Father Jacob, Angus, and Lucas were to carry him there upon the morn. “I have come for my confession.”