“Whispering, perhaps.” He couldn’t help grinning at the sight of her, arms crossed over her breasts, walking in circles while wearing nothing but a frown. “There may be some who will be envious, but none, I suspect, who will be laughing.”
“How can you make light of this, Merrick?”
“How, my lady?” He got to his feet and held out his hand. “Come here, Allegra.”
She stopped her pacing and placed her hand in his. Gently he tugged her across the room until they reached the door, where he reached out and threw the brace.
When he turned to her his smile remained, but there was a smoldering look in his eyes that had her heartbeat speeding up.
“Now there will be no interruptions while I show my gratitude for the gift you gave me all night.”
“Merrick...” The words died on her lips as he gathered her close and covered her mouth with his.
Heat poured between them as, on a moan of pleasure, they took each other with all the frenzy of a Highland storm.
Chapter Sixteen
Out of breath, Allegra rushed into her chambers, wearing Merrick’s cloak for modesty. As she burst into the room she saw Mara’s head come up sharply. A handful of dried herbs fell to the floor before the serving wench turned to face her.
Allegra paused in midstride. “What are you doing, Mara?”
“Merely cleaning up your weeds, as I’ve been told.” The servant nodded toward the tub set in front of a roaring fire. “You’d best hurry and bathe before the water cools.”
As Allegra shed the cloak and slipped into the water, the wench approached and began washing her hair.
“Something smells good, Mara. What is it?”
“Mistress MacDonald said I was to use the finest perfumed oils.”
Allegra sighed deeply. “How kind of her.”
“Not that she had any choice. She said now that you’re sharing the lord’s bed, we’d all best treat you like a fine lady, or find ourselves begging in the village streets.”
Allegra didn’t know what hurt more. The words flung with such carelessness, or the fact that the housekeeper would carry such vicious tales. Still, it didn’t seem worthy of Mistress MacDonald. She caught the wench’s hand, stilling her movements.
Mara’s eyes narrowed in challenge. “Do you deny you shared the lord’s bed?”
Allegra’s voice was pure ice. “I have no further need of your services, Mara. Leave my chamber at once.”
“You have to know that if you send me away, the lord will discharge me, and I’ll have no place to go-”
Allegra almost relented. The plight of the girl touched her tender heart. But when she looked up, she saw not remorse but defiance in Mara’s eyes. That only firmed her resolve. “Go now, and I’ll say nothing to the lord about this.”
“Aye. With pleasure.” The girl tossed her head and flounced away, leaving Allegra staring after her.
What had caused such venom? She thought back to the few times she’d been alone with the servant.
Not once had the girl responded to her attempts at kindness.
Allegra sighed as she toweled her hair, then slipped into her gown. She should have expected such treatment. After all, she was the outsider here. Worse, she was feared as a witch. These people had every right to feel protective of their lord.
Still... She paused as she ran a brush through the damp tangles. The servant had gone out of her way to be cruel. The words she’d spoken had been intentionally harsh. As though she’d not only enjoyed them, but had practiced them a time or two for the proper effect.
How many others wanted her banished from Berkshire Castle? She sighed again. The better question would be, were there any here at all who could be counted on as friend?
Before she could despair, she heard her mother’s voice, spoken many years ago to her daughters.
There are some in that other world who take pleasure in creating discontent. They pit one against another, sowing the seeds of distrust. They then sit back, enjoying the battle from a safe distance. Beware such people, for they are truly evil.
Allegra decided to reserve judgment on the others in this place. For now she would wait and watch and learn.
* * *
“M’lord. M’lady.” As Merrick and Allegra entered the great hall, the housekeeper and servants stood at attention beside a table laden with food.
Merrick acknowledged them with a nod of his head, then held a chair for Allegra.
“Will the lad be joining ye?” The old woman hovered at the lord’s elbow.
“Nay, Mistress. He seemed weary this morrow, and asked that Cook fix some gruel.”
She nodded. “I’ll see to it at once.” She poured hot mulled wine and offered the goblets, then looked on as the staff began serving the meal.
Allegra could feel the probing looks as she accepted their offerings. How she wished Hamish were here, to cheer her with his chatter. She’d been so rushed for time, she’d been unable to do more than visit his chambers. But when she’d suggested skipping this meal to remain with the lad, Merrick had insisted she accompany him. He’d even teased her about being unwilling to face the servants’ gossip.
And so she sat, head held high, eating in silence, eager for the meal to end.
As Merrick lifted his goblet, Mordred came rushing into the great hall, trailed by Desmond.
“Forgive this intrusion, cousin.” Mordred took a moment to catch his breath.
His brother seemed almost giddy with excitement. “You’d best hurry to the village.”
“For what purpose?” Merrick looked from one grave expression to the other. “Invaders?”
“Aye.” Mordred could barely control his agitation. “It would appear they attacked in the night, burning several huts that lay just outside the village.”
“So close?” Merrick turned to Allegra. “You’ll stay with the lad?”
“Of course.”
He closed a hand over hers. “You’ll stay close to the castle until I return.”
She nodded. “I understand.” She could see the housekeeper staring at their joined hands with a frown, and Mara’s words came back to her. “I’ll go now and comfort him.”
Merrick was on his feet at once, holding her chair as she stood. “I’ll walk with you, Allegra.” He turned to the housekeeper. “Ask a stable lad to see that my horse is saddled, Mistress.”
“Aye, m’lord.”
He turned to his cousins. “You’ll ride with me?”
“Nay.” Mordred shook his head. “Desmond and I thought it wise to carry the warning to nearby villages while you survey the damage.”
Merrick nodded his approval before striding from the room.
As Allegra moved by Merrick’s side, she gave a soft sigh. “How bold of the invaders to strike so close to the Sword of the Highlands.”
“Perhaps they’ve heard the rumors that he has been bewitched by a beautiful lady.” He looked down at her with a gentle smile. “I warned you, my love. There are no secrets in Berkshire Castle.”
At his words she went very still.
He turned to glance at her. “What is it?”
“Nothing.” She composed her features and continued walking beside him. But as she climbed the stairs the thought persisted. If there were no secrets, then surely some here at Berkshire Castle knew what had happened to Merrick’s wife.
Now, while she was to be left on her own, she must devise a way to pry their secrets from these people.
“Good morrow, Hamish.” Allegra hurried into the lad’s chambers and found him sitting by the fire, spooning gruel sweetened with honey into his mouth. “Your father has gone to the village.” She sat beside him on the chaise. “Are you feeling strong enough for a walk in the garden after you’ve eaten?”
The boy nodded without much enthusiasm.
Alarmed, Allegra touched a hand to his forehead. He seemed much more frail than he had only an hour earlier when she’d left to break her fast.
Though there wa
s no fever, his skin seemed unusually pale, his eyes dull.
“What’s wrong, Hamish?”
The boy shrugged. “I know not. I took the potion you sent me, but it didn’t help.”
“The potion?” Though her eyes went wide, she fought to keep the fear from her voice, so as not to alarm the lad.
He nodded. “Mara brought it just as I awakened, and said I was to take it before eating anything.” He wrinkled his nose. “It tasted so foul, I could barely swallow it. But Mara said you’d be angry with me if I didn’t take all of it.”
“Oh, Hamish.” Allegra drew him close and pressed her cheek to the top of his head. “Did Mara bring you the gruel, as well?”
“Aye.”
She took the bowl from his hand. “You mustn’t finish this.”
“Why?”
“Because it will only make you weaker.” She crossed the room, then paused in the doorway. “I’ll be back within a few minutes with something that will help.”
Once in her room, Allegra worked quickly to crush the leaves of pennyroyal, then steeped them in a goblet of hot water and milk thistle. By the time she’d returned to Hamish’s chambers, the tea had cooled enough to drink.
She handed him the goblet. “You must drink all, until it’s empty.”
When he did as she ordered, she took the empty cup from his hands and drew him close once more. Keeping her tone level, she said, “It will take a while for the tea to work its magic. When it does, you’ll feel your strength slowly return.”
She drew in a calming breath, then tipped up his face until he met her eyes. “I want you to promise me something, Hamish.”
He looked at her with such trust it was almost frightening. She resolved to do all in her power to keep this lad safe.
“From now on, you’re to take nothing unless it comes from my hands. Can you do that?”
“But why?”
She forced herself to smile. “It’s part of the magic. I must touch it before you do. If anyone else touches it, the chain of magic will be broken.”
He brightened and clapped his hands with excitement. “In order for the magic to work, it must come from your hands to mine?”
“Exactly so. And one more thing, Hamish. No one must know about this except us. Do you agree?”
“Aye.”
As he sat back, she could see his strength returning, along with the color in his cheeks. She was grateful that the potion given him by Mara hadn’t had time to take effect before the tea worked its magic.
She deeply regretted deception. But the lad was too young to understand that someone wanted him harmed. Besides, Allegra had no way of knowing if Mara was alone in this villainy, or if there were others. She knew this much. She would have to work quickly to uncover the truth. The lad’s very life depended on it. For somehow, he was key to this mystery.
He caught her hand, breaking through her thoughts. “Can we walk in the garden now?”
She nodded. “Aye. I believe the sunshine would be good for both of us.” And would clear her mind for whatever lay ahead.
As they passed Mara and several other servants, Allegra saw the serving wench’s head come up sharply. She merely smiled and continued walking, her arm firmly around the lad’s shoulders.
As they stepped into the sunshine, Allegra breathed deeply and led Hamish along a grassy path until they came to a stone bench near a fountain. “We’ll sit here and rest a bit before going on.”
As they settled themselves, Allegra closed her eyes and concentrated on her family. Her mother at her loom. Her grandmother working the garden in Allegra’s absence. Kylia splashing in a stream, since she loved the water. And Gwenellen off in the forest, chasing fairies on her winged horse.
A sense of peace came over her.
Hamish tugged on her arm. “Why are you smiling?”
She opened her eyes. “I was thinking of my family, and that always makes me smile.” She had a sudden thought. “Tell me about your mother.”
The boy’s face grew animated. “She was very beautiful. Her hair looked like spun gold. Her eyes were as blue as the sky. And when she smiled, I felt safe.”
“I know the feeling.” Allegra brushed at a wisp of hair that was caught by the breeze.
Hamish’s smiled faded. “She often couldn’t get out of bed. And when she did, she would do strange things.”
“Such as?”
He thought a moment. “She once accused a servant of stealing the circlet of gold that Father gave her when they wed. But when Father searched, he found the trinket in the bedcovers and ordered her to apologize to the servant.”
“Was the servant Mara?”
The little boy’s eyes widened. “Aye. How did you know?”
Allegra said softly, “Just a thought. What other strange things did your mother do?”
“She would fall asleep at table while we supped. She fell down the stairs and said she’d been pushed, though no one was near when it happened. One night she ran into the garden tearing at her clothes and saying they were burning her flesh.”
Allegra thought about all the treasures that grew in the meadows and forests. For every one that healed, there was another that, in the wrong hands, could cause great pain. A healer who chose evil over good could do great harm with such knowledge. “What did your father do?”
“He went after her and ordered her to come inside at once. And when she did, she locked herself in her chambers and refused to come out for days.”
Allegra’s tone softened. “It must have pained you and your father to see these changes in your beautiful mother. What did you do, Hamish?”
“I hid.” His voice fell to a whisper. “I used to hide a lot.”
“Where did you hide?”
“In my secret place.”
“Can you share it with me?”
He took a moment before nodding. “I found a little passageway tucked into a wall in my chambers. I discovered that if I remained very quiet, no one could find me there.” As an afterthought he added,
“While I was there, I could hear everything that was said in my mother’s rooms.”
Allegra’s heart began beating overtime. “What did you learn while hiding there, Hamish?”
The little boy fell silent, watching the flight of a butterfly. When at last he turned back to her his eyes were blank.
Very gently Allegra repeated her question, all the while watching his eyes. “What did you overhear while you were hiding, Hamish?”
He shook his head. “I can’t recall.”
She could tell, by the way his eyes remained vacant, that he was telling the truth. Whatever he’d overheard, it was now buried deep inside his mind. But why? Because whatever had happened to his mother on her last night was too terrible to recall? Or because the truth might condemn the father he adored?
Allegra’s mind simply refused to accept that. But she knew, deep in her heart, that her love for Merrick MacAndrew could be blinding her to the possibility that he’d had a hand in his wife’s death.
As painful as the truth might prove to be, she had a right to know. As did the others.
She had earned Hamish’s trust. Now she must learn the secrets locked in some small comer of his mind, no matter who might be harmed in the process.
Chapter Seventeen
“Mistress MacDonald.” Allegra saw the startled look that came into the old woman’s eyes.
“What’re ye doing in the scullery?” The housekeeper backed away. “Ye shouldn’t be here. ‘Tisn’t a fit place for the likes of ye.”
“The likes of me? What does that mean?”
“Just...” The old woman glanced around nervously, to assure herself that they were alone. “Now that ye’re so special to the lord, ye shouldn’t be seen in the scullery.”
“I’m the same person I was yesterday.”
“If ye think that, lass, ye’re a fool. The lord’s lady doesn’t mingle with the servants.” Eyes as sharp as a blackbird’s peered into hers. “Why did ye c
ome down here?”
“To ask you a question.”
“Ask, then. I’ve work to see to.”
“How long has Mara been a servant here in Berkshire Castle?”
“Mara?” The old woman thought a moment. “Four years now. Since she lost her parents. The lady Catherine was quite taken with her and asked the lord to invite her to live at the castle, as he has with so many who have no home. It’s always been his way.”
“Did Mara grow up in the village?”
“Aye.”
“Does she return there, to visit with friends?”
The housekeeper shook her head. “Not that I know of. She prefers life here in the castle.”
Allegra started away, then as an afterthought turned. “Were her parents killed by the invaders?”
Mistress MacDonald chewed her lip. “As I recall, they died in their beds. Some said they were cursed. Others thought they’d eaten rancid meat. Whatever the reason, they went off to their beds one night and were found dead the next morning. It is the reason I put up with the lazy wench, for I realize she has no other family.”
“And what of Mara? Did she eat what her parents ate? Was she sick? How did she escape the curse?”
The old woman shrugged. “I don’t recall. Ye can ask her yerself.”
“Aye. Thank you, Mistress. I shall.”
As she turned away the housekeeper cleared her throat. “M’lady. Hold a moment.”
Allegra turned. The old woman’s tone softened. “It gladdens my heart to see that ye and the lord have found... comfort in each other. He’s been alone far too long. And though ye’re not like us, I’ve seen a goodness in ye. Ye’ve brought laughter into the lad’s life. And love into the lord’s.” She looked down at her hands, as though aware she’d overstepped her bounds and said far too much. “Go now. I’ve work to see to.”
“Aye. Thank you, Mistress MacDonald.” Allegra could have hugged the old dear for those words, but she knew if she did, she would cause the housekeeper discomfort.
Her heart was pounding as she hurried up the stairs to Hamish’s chambers, determined not to leave him alone again. Though she’d found a friend in the housekeeper, she knew in her heart that the serving girl Mara was a dangerous adversary.