"My uncle didna seem verra upset when he heard the news." Tears formed in Alana's eyes.
"He was…I am certain." Dougald heard the sorrow in Alana voice, not wishing her to be sad about this all over again and wanting to comfort her. "Lass, ride with me."
She sighed and looked at him with such tenderness, he stopped his horse and reached over to pull her onto his. "You realize," she said, "my people and yours will think I no longer know how to ride a horse by myself."
"They will know I dinna wish to be far from you, sweet lass." He tightened his arm around her waist and kissed her cheek, loving to hold her when they rode.
Niall rode up beside her to gather her horse's reins, winked at her, then moved away.
"Cameron must have been in shock," Dougald said to Alana. "When you came home without the hunting party, did he rant and rave and throw a fit that you were alone?"
"Nay. He was verra calm while he was trying to learn what had happened." She snuggled closer to Dougald. "He could have had someone else take me to my chamber, but he didna. He carried me there while Turi waited to hear what my uncle wanted him to do. My uncle had said to my maids, 'bathe her, feed her, and put her to bed,' and then to me, 'I will return soon, Alana. Is there anything…' He choked on the words. I dinna recall my uncle ever being that upset. 'I will be back,' he said, and then he left with Turi. After that, I had nightmares, and I didna want to speak to anyone. No' even to the ghosts I saw. They were sad for me. One girl went everywhere I did until she finally got me to laugh at a silly face she made. My maid was so distraught to see me laughing at naught that she called for a servant to fetch my uncle at once."
"But he didna wish to hear that you were laughing at something a ghost had done, I take it," Dougald said, wishing he could have been there for her. Had they only known she was hiding in the leaves so very close by, he would have seen to her safety.
She gave a little chuckle. "He was glad. First time ever. He took me away to his solar and spoke with me in private. He wanted me to tell him what I had thought was so funny. I was reluctant to say since he had always told me not to speak about ghosts. But he forced a smile and said, 'Tis all right, lass. Tell me what made you laugh.' I told him. The little ghost girl had followed us into his solar and was making faces the whole time. Then she smiled at me and left, and I never saw her again. My uncle warned me about speaking of what I saw, but he also said he was glad I was back. I hadna gone anywhere, so I wasna sure what he meant. But he also had a great feast in my honor.
"Connell plagued me mercilessly, trying to make me laugh, which he succeeded in doing. I think that losing our da like that made us even closer than before. Many asked me over and over again what I could recall. I think I…I didna want to remember."
For a while, they rode in silence.
Dougald envisioned that day so long ago. He had been Connell's age, five and ten, wanting to find the lass, but unable to. James had been concerned that whoever had killed the men were still in the area, and he worried for his brothers and their cousin and Gunnolf. They would be no match for a bunch of armed men since they were vicious enough to slaughter Cameron and his men. Yet, Dougald feared that the girl was somewhere about, and they needed to protect her. James was in charge though, being the eldest of the brothers and chief of the MacNeill clan at just nine and ten. He believed if the girl lived, the brigands, who had done this, had stolen her away.
Dougald and the others had taken her horse, the only one that had survived, to the sheepherder in the shieling near their stream between their borders, and told him what they had found. And then they returned home. He thought it odd that the man hadn't suspected the MacNeill of causing the slaughter. James had still been of a mind that they needed to return home before they had difficulties with the men who killed Cameron and his kin, and with the Cameron themselves should they believe the MacNeills had done the killing.
Dougald thought about how Alana had been buried in leaves nearby, of the man who had been standing there, his boot brushing her arm. Had she recognized him? His voice?
"Who was the man who was standing beside you when you were hiding, Alana? Who was he?"
She didn't say anything for a long time. He thought he might have upset her with asking when so many had questioned her before and she hadn't known, or couldn't remember.
"His voice was familiar," she finally said.
Dougald stopped breathing. Had she told anybody that he sounded familiar?
"But he whispered." She also whispered and said, "A mon's voice is different when he whispers, do you no' think?" Then she spoke in her normal voice again, a shudder wracking her body. "A woman's is the same way. I dinna sound like I normally do when I am whispering. I may have been mistaken. He may have no' been anyone I knew."
"Who did you think it was?" When she didn't say anything, he rubbed her back. "Alana, I willna tell anybody, if you wish. But I will make inquiries. Subtly."
"You promise?"
"Aye."
"I may be mistaken."
"Aye, lass, I understand." It was killing him for her not to just come out and say what was on her mind.
She let out her breath. "Alpin."
"Tell me about him."
"He has always caused trouble since he was a lad. He is older than you and Connell by two summers.
"Wait, this is not the same lad who was in trouble for stealing and his family was going hungry for it? And Landon had told Connell, who then tried to take a loaf of bread from the kitchen to feed the family?"
"Aye, the same."
Dougald contemplated that for a good long while. "If he was always in trouble, he was always getting punished. Alpin, I am meaning. He wasna on the hunt, I take it?"
"Nay, never. His father worked for my da as one of the guards. Duff is a pleasant enough man, though he thinks his sons can do no wrong. And he never disciplined them. Now, they are too old and still causing trouble."
"Where are they now?"
"I dinna know. They may be home still. They never work. Just steal when they can."
"Does your uncle do naught about it?"
"Have you ever known anyone who does bad things, not terrible, but mischief that he gets in trouble for, and you still like the person? The boys are just affable. Well, men, now. 'Tis hard to find fault with them."
"What is it that they do wrong?" he asked. She didn't say anything, her back leaning against Dougald's chest as they rode, relaxing a little, and he thought she might have fallen asleep. "Alana?"
"They…stole…sheep."
"From?" he asked, his voice darkening.
"The MacNeills."
"No longer."
"They shared the feast with others, which is why so many stick up for them when they should be in trouble more often," Alana said.
Dougald mulled that over. "Why would Alpin have been involved with the men who murdered your da and then was attempting to turn you over to someone else?"
"If 'twas him. We dinna know that for certain. I could only think of one reason. My da intended to banish him and his brother from the clan and my uncle didna wish to, or he didna know of it and after my da died, he threw the two boys in the dungeon every time they misbehaved."
"Banishment. Life is hard enough, but being banished from the clan would be hard to live with if they have no skills but stealing sheep. There is no other reason you can think of?"
"Nay."
"Did you see them that day? Before you left on the hunt?"
"I dinna remember."
"And when you returned, did you happen to see them? They were not in the dungeon at the time, were they?"
"I wouldna have known."
"Did you ever hear your da speak of banishing the men?"
She shook her head.
"Would Connell?"
"He might have overheard Da talking, mayhap. Turi would know. He was my da's advisor. They would have discussed it."
"But no' with your uncle?"
"He…was seeking a bride. He
wasna always at the castle." Alana stiffened a little as she watched a couple of men ride off ahead of their escort, and Dougald saw the matter at once.
Alana's uncle told some of his men to ride ahead. Had they been given orders to take Odara into custody?
Alana was afraid her uncle's men might treat Odara poorly, believing her to be a traitor to her uncle. But what if Odara had done what she had out of concern for Alana's safety?
She cast Gunnolf an annoyed look. "Why do you and Niall no' ride with the Cameron men and ensure they dinna hurt Odara?"
"I will stay with you at all times, Lady Alana, should Dougald wish it." Gunnolf bowed his head to her. "And I wouldna leave your side for anything except to protect you on our journey."
"The same is true for me," Niall said, offering her a small smile.
"Someone needs to look out for Odara's welfare. If 'tis true that she sent me away for my protection, it seems to me she should be honored, not badgered about it."
"Your life could have been endangered when you left without escort," Gunnolf said.
She frowned at Dougald. "They better no' harm her."
"Laird Cameron will wish the truth. We all do. The sooner, the better. If she knows of some matter concerning you being in danger, then we all need to be aware of it," Dougald said.
"I want to ride ahead to make certain no one harms her," Alana said. "I will ride my own horse now."
"Nay. 'Tis safer for you here."
They all rode in silence. Gritting her teeth, Alana wanted to question Odara herself about why she'd said the things she had, to learn if any of it was true. She did not want her uncle's men mistreating Odara if she thought to protect whoever was behind Alana's leaving the Cameron lands.
Before they even reached the shepherdess's shieling, one of Cameron's men returned to speak to her uncle. The man shook his head at something that her uncle said.
Dougald moved Alana to her own horse. "Wait here."
But she wasn't waiting. She rode after him and Dougald glanced at her and shook his head, resigned.
"Odara was gone," Cameron said before Alana had a chance to ask him as soon as they reached him. He sounded disgruntled. "As were her sheep."
"What about Kerwin?" Alana asked, feeling a mix of relief and concern for Odara and the boy. "The lad was helping her take care of her sheep."
"We will check with his family on the way home," her uncle assured her.
Again, the men who had searched Odara's shieling led the way to the croft where the boy lived. Only this time, Alana rode off to hear the news herself as she did not want the men treating the boy ill just so they could learn what had become of Odara.
When they reached the croft, a haggard-looking middle-aged woman walked outside, streaks of dirt on her clothes, her hands dirty, sweat on her brow as she frowned at the men and Alana. "What do you want with me? If 'tis about any of my lads—"
"Kerwin," Alana said.
"He run off and good riddance to him. Naught more than another mouth to feed." She waved her hand in dismissal and went back inside her croft.
"Mayhap he and the shepherdess were grazing the sheep?" Alana asked hopefully, but she knew they would have seen her as they rode to her shieling. She prayed she and the lad along with her sheep were living with Rob MacNeill at his farm. It had to be better than living here with a mother who didn't care anything about his welfare.
Dougald said, "Our men are still searching for this Rob MacNeill. If they locate him, they will take him to see James and send word to us. The shepherdess and the lad, as well, if they are with him, to learn the truth of the matter as it pertains to you, lass."
She nodded, trying not to show just how relieved she was that Odara and Kerwin had escaped her uncle's wrath.
When they reached the castle, Turi, her uncle's advisor, hurried out to meet them. But the warning look on his face didn't bode well. His blue eyes were narrowed, and his dark brown brows knit together in a frown.
"My lady," Turi said quickly. "'Tis good to see you return." He gave a quick nod in greeting to Dougald, but then in a rush said to the Cameron, "My laird, Hoel MacDonald and his father and his brother are here, along with a force of eight men. They are in the great hall awaiting your return and were most concerned that Lady Alana was missing and in some danger."
Cameron said gruffly, "She is already married to Dougald MacNeill."
Alana swore a ghost of a smile appeared on Turi's face, but the expression vanished so quickly if it had been there at all, she thought she might have imagined it.
"MacDonald and his men willna be pleased," Turi warned.
"We shouldna have returned so soon," Alana said, but she knew as soon as she spoke, she should not have said such a thing. Not to a bunch of Highland warriors.
Both her uncle and Dougald cast her an annoyed look.
She stiffened, irritated with them. What if fighting broke out between the men? What if Dougald was injured or worse? She just married him, for heaven's sake!
"'Tis best we get this over with as soon as we can," Cameron said. He steeled his expression and rode into the inner bailey.
There, stable hands quickly took the horses in hand as the men and the maids dismounted. Dougald strode beside Alana, flanked by his cousin and Gunnolf. The lads trailed behind.
"I would have you retire to your chamber, Alana," her uncle said. "Wash up and rest. I will arrange for you and the maids to have your meals sent up to you. When we are assured you will be safe, I will have someone fetch you, but no' before then."
She glanced at Dougald to see how he felt about it. In the past, had her uncle told her what he expected of her—except with regard to Odara and her being ill—she normally trusted her uncle's decisions.
Dougald nodded his agreement, a hint of pleasure in his concerned expression making her believe he appreciated she would seek his approval. She didn't do it because she felt she owed it to him now that he was her husband, but because she trusted his judgment also. Her uncle seemed to approve of her actions, which she was grateful for. She wanted him to like Dougald as much as she cared for her husband.
Niall said, "I will go with the lass and her maids."
"I will stay with you, Dougald," Gunnolf said, and Alana was pleased that he would do so and safeguard her husband should he need protecting.
"All right." Dougald smiled at Tavis and Callum who stuck close to Niall, making their preferences known. "Go with Niall and the lasses, both of you."
As they entered the keep, Cameron directed four of his men to accompany Alana and the maids as well, and the remainder of his men and Dougald's accompanied them into the great hall as a united force, while the ladies and their escort headed up the stairs to her chamber. Her skin tingled with dread as she thought about that day so long ago when her da fought in the woods. She prayed she would not hear swords clanging against each other in a real battle before long.
***
"Hoel MacDonald is the man on the far right," Cameron said to Dougald as they entered the great hall, "the one with the sandy red hair. The one next to him is Evnissyen, his brother, and believe me his red hair only gets brighter red when he is angry. Their father, Laird Uisnech MacDonald, is the dark-haired man with the red beard. All are fierce fighters. Watch yourself, Dougald." He glanced at him. "I wouldna want to lose my nephew by marriage so soon."
Dougald gave him a half smile. "I intend to watch my back and yours as well if the MacDonalds dinna like the way of things." He dipped his head with respect.
Cameron gave him a hint of a smile.
Dougald believed he might have won Alana's uncle over after all.
When they drew close to the head table, Cameron motioned for them to take seats.
"Did you find the lass?" MacDonald asked, sounding concerned.
"Aye, that we did," Cameron said. "Lady Alana left Cameron lands to aid someone who was supposed to have been ill."
The MacDonalds did not even look in Dougald's direction, most likely assuming he
was one of the Cameron's men and of no importance.
"Sit." We have ridden a long way today, and we need food and rest. And then I will tell you what I know." Cameron took his seat and motioned for Dougald to sit on the other side of him in a place of honor, which made MacDonald finally take notice.
Ducks and grouse were soon served and Cameron began to relate what had happened concerning Alana, the shepherdess, the shepherd, and the ill niece.
The whole while, as Cameron spoke, none of the MacDonalds sitting at the head table ate any of their food. Dougald was happily enjoying his meal, while Cameron ate bites in between relating the story.
"But you found her safe, I take it, though she isna at the meal," the MacDonald chief said, his brows knit together in a tight frown. "Which I hope means 'tis only because she is so weary."
"Aye. She is tired and is taking her meal in her chamber with the maids. My niece was riding her mare on the MacNeill lands without an escort, I must confess," Cameron continued, stopping to eat a few more bites of his fowl.
MacDonald stiffened. "She had no escort? No maid? No one with her at all?" He glanced at Hoel, who was frowning just as deeply, then turned again to speak with Cameron. "If she has been compromised, the bride price will have to be much more than we agreed upon if my son is to take her off your hands. We will also have to delay the marriage to ensure she is not breeding."
Dougald fought smiling. MacDonald would not take Alana off anyone's hands and he was dying to say so. And if she was breeding, all the better. But this was the Cameron's business to deal with at the moment. He waved his empty tankard to a servant who quickly refilled it.
"Dougald MacNeill discovered her on their lands and took her to see his brother Laird James MacNeill of Craigly Castle," Cameron said, as he held his tankard out for more ale and the servant quickly obliged.
"Dougald MacNeill…," MacDonald said, his voice turning dark.