Page 51 of At the Highlander's Mercy
And, if he happened to catch a glimpse of Lilidh as she passed through on her way to Isla, well, that was good too. There would be so few days left to them now and he would take advantage of every hour of them.
* * *
Symon left Rob and went to see his sister. So many things did not make sense now. Rob did not reject his ideas as Tyra said he would—not about defence or even about changes to some of the farms. So, as he approached her chamber, he decided that he was not so opposed to some of the things Rob wanted to do.
And he would tell Tyra exactly that.
Walking through the hall and up to the tower thatheld their chambers, Symon realised that Tyra was beginning to overstep her place. He’d heard about her striking Lilidh MacLerie and leaving a mark. If she’d stayed away from Rob’s chambers as he’d ordered, that would not have happened.
He knocked and entered without waiting. She should be waiting on him since he’d told her he would come directly here after meeting with Rob and the elders. Instead of her maids attending her, a man he did not know stood there speaking to her.
‘Who are you?’ he asked, walking towards them. He’d not seen the man before. ‘What business do you have here?’
‘Symon, this is Connell from the stables. My horse has thrown a shoe and injured her leg. Connell was bringing me news of what needs to be done.’ Tyra ushered the man out as Symon watched. Once the door was closed, he berated her.
‘Where are your maids? He should not be here in your chambers without a chaperon of some kind. Servant or not.’
‘Aye, you are right, Symon,’ Tyra said, nodding her head. ‘The maids left but a moment before you arrived. I am surprised you did not pass them in the corridor.’ She filled a cup and offered it to him. ‘Sit and tell me what happened?’ When he sat in one of the chairs, she knelt down before him and sat on her heels, looking up at him.
‘He was angry about me speaking in front of the
MacLeries,’ he began.
‘Of course he was! You took the strongest position and defended the clan’s honour as he should have done.’She patted his leg and smiled at him. Sometimes he forgot that she had been his biggest supporter after their mother died.
* * *
By the time he left her chambers, Symon’s anger was stoked again over the demeaning way he was being treated when he should be laird and chief. And if someone needed to make that clear, not only to Rob and his cronies, but also to the high-and-mighty MacLeries, well then, who better than him to do it?
* * *
Lilidh left Rob’s chambers, following Ranald down the stairs. His bulk filled the stone stairway and, at least, she knew if she stumbled, he would block her fall. Her leg seemed stronger over the last day or so and the time it took to reach the bottom was much less than the last time. She paused once there and looked around, hoping and dreading that she would catch a glimpse of her cousins Duncan and Rurik.
They walked through the empty hall and down the corridor to the chamber where Isla stayed. Opening the door for her, Ranald stepped aside so she could enter and then closed the door behind her. Isla slept—once more or still she knew not—and Lilidh sat down at her side. Only a short time had passed when the door opened next. Expecting Siusan with some chore or to see to Isla, her mother entered.
‘Rob let you back in? I am surprised!’ she said, rising to greet her mother.
‘As am I,’ her mother replied, laughing. Then sheturned her attentions to the woman on the bed. ‘Does she sleep constantly?’
‘No, Mother. She wakes and sleeps throughout the day.’
‘A better sign than sleeping all the time, I think.’ Her mother turned and sat on the other stool facing the bed and Lilidh. ‘So, now that we have some privacy, can you tell me what happened?’
‘Did Duncan send you on this mission, then? You must bring back information he can use?’ she asked, only half in jest.
‘I will tell him what you say I can, but nothing you do not wish to share.’
Why did she feel like crying now? She had never cried when attacked or brought here. Only the news of her maid Isla’s death and the others killed when she was taken brought her to tears. And when she thought she’d lost Rob. Even as a girl, she did not surrender to tears often. But now? One look at her mother’s soft expression of concern and she was lost.
One moment she was thinking about how strong she needed to be and the next one found her wrapped in her mother’s comforting embrace, crying out a list of emotions she could not name.
‘Easy now, sweetling,’ her mother whispered, rocking her to and fro as she held her tightly. ‘Worry not, let it out,’ she said. And Lilidh did.
It was a short while before she could stop the tears. Then, a few more minutes before she could speak.
‘Just tell me the daft man did not force you,’ her mother said, under her breath with more than a hint ofhostility in her voice. Her mother did not suffer fools well or easy.
‘Oh, no,’ Lilidh said, sitting up and wiping her face. ‘Never.’
