Page 61 of Bride of the Sinful Laird
He breathed in the salty cool air from the sea, and let his gaze roam over the countryside he was coming to care for deeply.
His heart lifted as he gazed upon the landscape. There had been rain in the night and everything had been washed clean and fresh, drops of rain sparkling like precious jewels on the leaves and grass.
When he returned to the bedchamber, he found Annora already dressed and threading ribbons through the long braid she wore down her back. A milky shaft of early sunlight poured from the window high above and caught her in its pearly glow, lending her an other-worldly appearance.
For a brief moment he could see her as truly one of the faery folk herself. A wanton creature from the land of the fae, who had bewitched the poor mortal man who had fallen under her spell.
She looked up, her eyes shining with pleasure, smiling at him as he walked in.
“Were ye on the battlements?”
He nodded, grinning, inordinately pleased to see her. He took her hand and pressed it to his lips, his fingers tracing the soft contours of her palm as he breathed in her special, musky, lavender-scented fragrance.
“Lionel has been here and gone, leaving a message fer ye.”
There was scarcely time for Edmund to stoke the fire in the grate back to life, before Lionel was at the door. Edmund gestured to the chair next to his and crossed to the table to take up the decanter and pour three drams into the goblets.
Lionel nodded, taking a seat as Edmund passed him the whisky.
“Well. Let’s hear it then.” Edmund leaned back in his seat, and took a good swill of his dram.
Lionel cleared his throat and offered a grim smile.
“That man Harris is naught but the Devil’s spawn,” he said, shaking his head.
Annora snorted. “Aye, tell us something new, Lionel.”
Edmund leaned forward, elbows on his knees, waiting to hear Lionel’s news.
“Ye’ll nae be surprised tae learn that our lads who’ve been keeping watch on the gate, spied two of MacDonald’s men in the same spot as before.”
“They are determined wee foxes.” Edmund said with a small laugh. “And did they succeed in what they were about? I assume they were attempting tae bend the bars tae allow access tae a wean, as they’d done before.”
“Aye. Only this time they cut through two of the bars, leaving them hanging in place by the merest shred of metal. It would be the work of nay more than a minute to tear them out.”
“And what did our lads dae?”
“They are waiting on word from ye.”
“Tell them tae take nay action. Let the miscreants believe we dinnae ken what they’ve done. That way, if someone daes enter, we will surprise them.”
Lionel got to his feet, but Edmund gestured to him to sit.
“If MacDonald’s men are helping someone on the outside tae attack the keep, I can only assume he has been in touch with whoever it may be. If that is so, there may be evidence of communication between him and this other person.”
Annora sucked in a sharp breath. Both Edmund and Lionel turned to her.
“Dear God in Heaven, could he have made contact wi’ me faither?”
Edmund shook his head and reached a comforting hand to squeeze her arm. “If he has, there must be evidence of messages passing between them. I suggest that while he is enjoying his supper in the refectory this night, and basking in the accolades he’s anticipating, we search his chamber fer evidence of such contact.”
Annora nodded eagerly. “Aye. Dinnae leave me out of this. I’ll keep watch fer ye while ye scour his chamber. There may well be letters that will tell us what perfidy he’s dabbling in.”
Edmund shook his head. “’Tis dangerous, lass. I dinnae…”
“’Twas me life that was almost snuffed out by a rock, Edmund. I wish tae ken who might be behind it.”
Edmund and Lionel both nodded at this.
