Page 57 of Tempting the Highland Captive

CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE

Ron arrived with Maggie too late to save Ysenda. In all reality they probably would not have been able to save her at all either way, but Amelia had needed to try. She did not understand what had just happened or whether what the woman had said was even true, but she could not imagine why Ysenda would have acted as she had were it not so. Amelia told Ron and Maggie what Ysenda had said. “We were told that the bairn died in childbirth,” Maggie replied in shock as she stared down at the dead woman that she had known most of her life.

“So, it is true then?” Amelia did not want to believe it.

“I dinnae ken,” Maggie admitted. “I ne’er saw the bairn.”

“Once we have dealt with the lass’ body, we can summon the midwife and question her,” Ron offered.

“How are we tae explain this tae the clan?” Amelia’s heart was racing, and tears stung her eyes.

“Tell them the truth,” Ron suggested. “We o’ all people understand what can happen when we lie or omit the truth in important matters such as this. We dinnae want tae lose the clan’s trust that ye have fought so hard tae gain.”

“And what of her son?”

“We will ascertain the truth o’ that before we share it with anyone outside o’ this room. There is nae need tae start a civil war within the clan.”

“Aye, yer husband is right about that,” Maggie agreed. “The elders would be in an uproar. We dinnae ken who this man is. He could be anything. We dinnae need an unknown person coming in and taking over everything.”

“Did my faither ken his existence?”

“I dinnae ken,” Maggie shook her head, “but had he kenned it, I believe that he would have done something about it afore his death.”

“Aye, he was obsessed with spawning a son,” Amelia agreed.

“We dinnae ken anything for certain yet. There is much tae learn o’ this afore any decisions can be made.”

“Faither left the clan tae my husband and my son after that. There is nae that they can do tae change that legally. His last dying wish will stand as I am my faither’s only legitimate child. But if I die without issue…” The thought hung between them heavy. “If some of the more hate filled elders find out about it, my life may verra well be forfeit.” Amelia’s heart ached at the thought of what her father had done to Ysenda. The thought of having a younger brother brought her a mixture of emotions that she could not quite sort out.

“What I dinnae understand is why Ysenda waited until this night tae act.” Maggie shook her head in confusion. “She has had years tae bring harm ta eyer faither or yerself. She has had access tae yer rooms and food from the day ye were born.”

“And the wine,” Amelia breathed in realization.

“Do ye think…” Maggie’s question so upset her that she could finish it.

“Could she have been responsible for poisoning the steward in an attempt tae get at ye?” Ron finished for her.

“It is possible. She has had the access to do so.” Amelia sighed, overwhelmed with the notion.

“And yet again the question arises, why did she wait so long tae act?” Ron frowned in thought. “Is it possible that she could have been my faither’s spy?”

“She was clearly discontented enough tae attempt tae take our lives. I dinnae ken whether espionage against her own clan would have been tae her advantage if she wished her son tae inherit instead. Had Rossell won, she would nae have gotten what she wished.”

“Unless my faither made a deal in exchange for her actions against ye. The only way that he could have controlled yer clan would have been tae kill them all, marry ye, or place another o’ yer faither’s blood as laird, a laird he himself could control.”

Amelia’s frown deepened at the thought of the deviant secrecy needed to uphold such an action against one’s own people. “She said that her child was hidden. If she remained tae work here in the castle without anyone knowing that she had a living bairn, where did she take her son?”

“Does she have any family?”

Maggie shook her head. “They disowned her when she became with child out of wedlock. They did nae believe her about the laird.”

“Then it remains that we must speak with the midwife.”

“I will have her brought tae the castle.” Amelia’s heart quickened as she spoke the words. She was about to find out if she really did have a brother. Equal parts fear and uncertain anticipation warred inside of her. If she did have a brother, then the first thing she would be forced to tell him was that his mother was dead. And by my own husband’s hand. But it also meant that she had more family to love. May he nae be as our faither was, or e’en his maither. A heart filled with hate is a poison in and of itself killing the soul.

Maggie carefully wrapped Ysenda’s body in a blanket from the bed. Tears slipped silently down the cook’s cheeks as she gave the woman that she had believed to be her friend this one last courtesy. Ron laid a hand on Maggie’s shoulder in comfort, then bent to lift Ysenda’s body into his arms. Blood dripped onto the floor in dark crimson droplets as he turned and walked to the door. “How do we tell those who loved her the truth? Tae do so seems so cruel,” Amelia mourned the woman she thought Ysenda to be as she came to terms with the woman she had truly been.

“Cruel or nae, the truth is all we have,” Maggie murmured, rising to her feet.