Page 7 of Laird of Wrath

“Why would ye allow such a thing?”

“Because Laird McMahon is nowhere to be found,” Douglas hissed. “Because we daenae ken where he is or if he’s even…”

He didn’t finish. He didn’t need to. Rhea knew exactly what he was going to say.

We daenae even ken if he’s alive.

It wasn’t only the servants and the guards thinking it and whispering about it. The councilmen themselves were constantly fretting over Callum’s silence, and the more time passed, the more they were convinced he was dead.

But Sienna didn’t believe it. She was certain her brother was still alive, claiming that she would know it in her gut if he died. And Rhea… she didn’t want to believe he was dead.

“Shame on ye,” she snapped, pointing an accusatory finger at Douglas. “How dare ye even imply that me husband is dead? These rumors… they are what brought us here in the first place.”

“They’re nae baseless, me Lady,” he pointed out. “If the Laird was alive, daenae ye think he would have sent word?”

Rhea swallowed past a dry throat. The very same question had plagued her night after night, but the mere thought of Callum dead was enough to paralyze her with fear.

What would her place in the clan be if Callum was truly dead? What would his death mean for her? She had promised him she would protect Sienna, but she couldn’t even protect herself if he was gone for good.

“It doesnae matter,” she said sternly. “As long as we havenae received word of his death, we must believe he is alive. I willnae bury me husband before his time, and I willnae allow another man to claim the lairdship.”

For a few moments, Douglas was silent, then he leaned closer, their heads almost touching. When he spoke, his voice was barely a whisper.

“Ye have nay heir,” he reminded her, though she hardly needed the reminder. “That was our biggest mistake—sendin’ him off before we made sure ye were with child. We should have waited. We should have stalled as much as we could, but we didnae. And now we’re payin’ the price. All of us, me Lady. Nae only ye, nae only Lady Sienna.”

Rhea froze, a heavy weight settling in the pit of her stomach.

Douglas was right, of course. She, too, had thought the very same thing, and she had even protested her husband’s departure on their wedding night, but no one had listened to her. No one had thought it would take this long for him to return.

What is he doin’ there? Why has he nae sent word?

She didn’t have any updates from her family either, and that unsettled her more than Callum’s silence. She hadn’t heard from her father. She hadn’t heard from her sister. Her father could very well be dead, and she wouldn’t know. Her sister could have been sold off to a lad in search of a mistress.

Nay… nay, I would have heard. We have few spies, but they are good. We would have found out if somethin’ like that had happened.

All Rhea wanted was to send out more men, but the council wouldn’t allow it. They needed the guards there in case of an attack on the castle, they kept saying, but Rhea couldn’t understand who could possibly attack them. They had nothingleft. Nothing but themselves and a bit of wealth and grain to last them through the winter.

“I would suggest ye do as he says,” Douglas advised, much to her fury.

To even suggest she bend the knee to Laird Barclay was insanity. She would not submit to him. She would not let the clan submit to him.

She would not let Sienna submit to him.

“I will do nay such thing.”

“Then forgive me, me Lady, but ye’re a fool.”

With that, Douglas walked off, leaving her standing there, staring after him.

She couldn’t imagine anyone, let alone a council member, speaking like that to a man, and yet Douglas, as well as everyone else on the council, were perfectly willing to speak boldly to her.

Biting back a groan, Rhea stomped off to her chambers, where she could finally be alone. She spent the rest of the day there, refusing to come out for the meals that everyone else had together, and she knew that the same was true for Sienna. Neither of them wanted to be around these men. Neither of them wanted to face their cruelty and ridicule.

When it was time for her to retire for the night, a knock sounded at her door. Lara walked in, her face grimmer than Rhea had ever seen it. Rhea was already in bed, though she hadn’t bothered to brush her hair or change into her nightgown. She had only removed her clothes haphazardly, tossing them onto a pile, and remained in her shift before finally slipping under the covers and blocking out the world.

“I do hope ye’re nae ill, me Lady,” Lara said, concern coloring her tone. “We have enough trouble already.”

“I’m nae ill,” Rhea assured her. “I’m only… frustrated.”