Page 36 of Highlander’s Haunted Past

“Lady Kenna is too conniving fer Lady Florence!”

“Perhaps the Gordon infected the mind of the Fraser!”

The assumptions, all deadly and dangerous, flew around the room in a frenzy. Rob caught Florence’s eye, and she gave him a small shrug, so casual for the moment.

“Silence!” Queen Mary shouted, clutching her head. “Take her away from me!”

“But, my Queen—” one advisor dared.

“Take her away!” Queen Mary nearly ran from the room. Then with pounding footsteps, she returned. “She is not to leave anyone’s sight. Not fer a moment.”

Rob didn’t hesitate; he quickly grabbed Kenna and escorted her from the room.

Florence took an extra moment to curtsey at the advisors gathered there before bidding them a good day.

Rob would have run back to the inn if Kenna didn’t seem to be dragging her heels.

Florence, meanwhile, glided over the cobblestones, commenting on this house and that, as if they were out for a casual morning stroll.

Womenare beyond my ken, Rob thought.

The first floor of the inn was nearly empty, other than his father beside a couple of men, all of them talking with haste. Rob knew what the discussion was, and he needed to join it fast. But he had another thing to handle in the meantime.

Before Rob could guide Kenna, her face still stony and silent, back into their room, Florence tapped her on the shoulder.

“Not that this is necessarily the time, but a couple of the new things we ordered yesterday arrived, and I had them sent to yer room. I’m sure it will be nice to wear…” Florence hesitated as she gave Kenna a quick look up and down. “Well, clothes will be good.”

“To be sure,” Kenna replied softly as she crossed the threshold. “Thank ye, Florence.”

When Rob slammed the door behind them, he felt the long-rumbling anger start to spill over.

“So, ye’ll talk to my sister-in-law about dresses, but ye won’t even look at me.”

Nothing.

“Why won’t ye speak to me?”

Nothing.

“Damn it, Kenna,” he yelled, picking up one of the goblets left on the table and throwing it onto the floor. “Say something!”

Kenna looked down and then at him. “Before the Queen came into the room, ye asked me to tell ye what I did.”

“So I could help.”

“Ye assumed there was something to help me with.”

“Kenna,” he said, crossing the room to pull her into his arms, “the evidence was so damning.”

She shoved him, and Rob released his grasp, sensing the danger of trying to contain a fire before it had a sufficient chance to burn.

“Ye asked me before the Queen even told us why we were there. Ye assumed I was guilty of something before ye had an inkling of what it could be. I have given ye no reason to admonish me so. Even the Queen, who despises me, can’t find me guilty of any crimes, so why were ye so sure that she would?”

“But, Kenna, ye’ve escaped her executioner only because the Queen is willing to rely on promises and lies.”

“Who lied fer me?”

“Florence.” He winced. “Ye were all by yerself when I returned last night.”