"Ten years," Alana said. "Who was the other man who wanted me, Landon?"
"I dinna know. I never knew. Just that the one didna want you, and he thought to turn you over to the other who did."
"MacDonald?" she asked. She was glad MacDonald and his sons were not hearing this.
Landon shook his head. "I dinna know." His voice was merely a whisper as his body was fading fast.
"Why did you turn on our people?"
"They said you were a witch. MacIverson would have drowned you. I couldna let that happen. The other man who wanted you knew, yet he would have kept you safe."
She thought again of how her da had come for her to help her find the way home. Tears welled up in her eyes again, and she swiped away more trailing down her cheeks.
"I couldna tell Connell." Landon looked in her brother's direction. "He believed, as everyone else did, that MacIverson wanted you. Only your uncle—he didna like the man and tried to convince your da to choose another."
"I chose another," Alana said, holding Dougald's arms around her.
Landon looked at Dougald. "A MacNeill?" He snorted. "What are our Highlands coming to?" He took a deep breath. "I am sorry, Alana, for leaving you alone in the woods. But if I had stayed with you, they would have found you."
"I understand," she said. She wanted to tell him she forgave him, as upset as she was still that he had not warned her da or the other men what was to happen. Mayhap her da would not have listened, but Landon should have made the attempt.
She didn't have time to tell Landon she forgave him, because he melted into nothingness right before her eyes. It was different than when her brother left her alone to come and bother her at some other time. The spirit brightened a little right before he or she vanished all together. She knew he was gone, and she hoped after all these years he would find peace.
She stood staring at the spot for what seemed an eternity. Everyone was quiet that stood nearby her. Off in the distance, she heard men shouting, probably trying to find the man who attempted to shoot her. Had the man tried to kill her to keep her from telling what she learned from Landon? How would anyone know she could learn the truth from a ghost? That a ghost was standing here talking to her? Unless Hoel heard him speaking with her and thought she might learn the truth. That the MacDonalds had been involved in her da's murder.
Connell said, "I am sorry, Alana, that I hadna known."
She shook her head. "None of us did. You had naught to do with it."
"I might have."
She frowned at him. "How would you have known? You wouldna have risked all our lives."
"Nay, earlier, when we visited MacIverson and Da was making the marriage contract up. Someone who was about my age jested that you were special. He kept on and on and I finally said you were."
"Connell," she whispered.
"Aye. I think the lad was trying to learn the truth about you. He acted as though your being different was a good thing. He must have told MacIverson."
She shook her head. "I saw a ghost girl the one time we visited. I didna speak to her, but MacIverson and his people were always watching me. Mayhap I led him to believe I was distracted by something when I shouldna have been. I am sure they knew something about me and were trying to prove they were correct."
Dougald rubbed her arm, and then realizing he was waiting to hear what was being said, she turned to him. "Landon said MacIverson's men did it."
"A MacIverson didna loose that arrow," Cameron said, rejoining the party, her uncle furious and red-faced.
"How do you know it wasna MacIverson or one of his men?" she asked, her heart pounding. She was afraid to hear who had.
"One of Dougald's men saw him. It was Gilleasbuig."
Her heart skipped a beat. And then she fumed. How many traitors were there among her people?
"I should have killed the mon, when I had the chance," Dougald growled, his arms wrapping securely around her again.
She felt chilled to the marrow of her bones. Her uncle had to decide Gilleasbuig's fate, but she knew if Dougald had any say in it, he'd kill him.
"They have caught him, my laird!" Bran shouted from the forest beyond.
She felt only a shadow of relief that they had him now. She didn't want to see what they would do to him. She only knew that she had to question him.
Dougald helped Alana mount, then they rode with the rest of his men to where they were holding Gilleasbuig. He was lying on his stomach, his black hair hiding his face as three arrows protruded from his back. His breathing was labored. Dougald helped Alana down, then they joined the men surrounding Gilleasbuig.
Before her uncle could question him, Alana said, "Why did you try to kill me?" She had it in mind that he wanted to silence her before she learned from the ghosts that he was involved.
He turned on his side and stared up at her. His blue eyes were glassy. "Nay ye, lass."
Did he think to win her uncle over if he lied? Angered that she'd saved his life and he repaid her by trying to take hers, but also infuriated that his arrow could have hit Dougald, she shook with outrage. "You aimed at me! Dinna tell me you saw a deer behind me and thought to hit it!"
Dougald slipped his arm around her shoulders in a comforting manner. Or mayhap he was worried she might use her dirk on the man to finish him off.
Gilleasbuig narrowed his eyes at Dougald. Her eyes widened. "You…you were trying to kill Dougald?"
"Ye had…" Gilleasbuig gritted his teeth and closed his eyes, then opened them. Pain reflected in them, like the time when she'd treated his sword wound. "…a marriage contract…with Hoel. Ye…belonged to…him."
"And MacIverson? Think you I didna belong with him, either?"
Gilleasbuig spat out blood and coughed. "Ye…saved…my…life, my lady," he managed with great difficulty to say. "He thought…ye a…witch. He would…have got ye…with child…and once the bairn was born…drowned ye."
She cringed when Gilleasbuig brought up the witch aspect in front of everyone here. She wished she could order everyone but Dougald away while she questioned the man. "So you helped the men who killed my da and our people?"
"I…didna. I…I dinna know…who did it."
She glanced at MacDonald. His face was strained. Was he worried Gilleasbuig might implicate him?
"The night in the tent. You came to kill me," she said.
"Nay, take ye to Hoel. Ye…" Gilleasbuig took a shuddering breath. "Ye belonged to him."
"I was married to Dougald!" She let out her breath and folded her arms. "Why did you want Odara for your wife?"
He raised his brows at her as if he needn't say as the reason was perfectly clear.
"She didna want you," Alana said. Surely that counted for something.
"She didna…know me." Gilleasbuig stared off for a moment, then frowned. "If ye could have been mine…"
Cameron snorted.
"I wouldna…have wanted Odara," Gilleasbuig said.
Her lips parted. He could not mean it, yet he sounded so sincere. A chill ran through Alana. In his odd way, had he really wanted her? And since he couldn't have Alana, he wanted to get as far away from her as he could by marrying Odara because she lived near the MacNeill border? Dougald had said their own healer, Tavia, had trouble with saving a man's life and then he thought she wanted him and she should be his.
"I saved your life because it needed saving," she said. "I would have done the same for any man."
"No' this…time…eh, lass?" Gilleasbuig asked. His gray-blue eyes were dimming. "No'…this…time."
She was certain she couldn't save him. He was too badly wounded. Even so, she glanced at her uncle to see what he wanted her to do. He shook his head at her, his expression dark and foreboding. She knew he would have the man killed for trying to murder her husband if he lived.
"You killed one of our kin at the camp. The man guarding us," she said.
"Nay."
She was so surprised, she just stared at him. Was he lying now? "If you d
idna, who did?"
His breathing was so labored now, she didn't think they'd learn much else. She was desperate to learn all she could. "Gilleasbuig, who killed the man on guard duty when we camped?"
He opened his mouth to speak.
Waiting in anticipation, she held her breath.
"Gilleasbuig?"
But he was looking off into the woods. He appeared unable to focus any longer. She moved closer, though Dougald frowned down at her. "Alana."
"The man is dying. We must know." She crouched in front of him. "Gilleasbuig?"
His eyes stared at nothing. She touched his chest, but felt no heartbeat. "He is dead."
Her voice was hollow. She couldn't believe it. Someone else was involved with this vile business? Someone else who had come to the camp that night? Had Gilleasbuig known the man was going to kill the guard?
"Alana," Dougald said, pulling her away from Gilleasbuig's body.
Cameron said to a couple of his men, "Take care of him."
"Aye, my laird."
"Let us hunt, shall we?" Cameron asked the MacDonald men, then cast Alana a knowing look.
She realized her uncle wanted to leave her alone with her escort while he moved the MacDonalds away from there, mayhap so that if Gilleasbuig was still about, only in ghostly form now, she could speak with him further.
MacDonald narrowed his eyes at her. "Lady Alana looks distraught. Mayhap we should return to the keep after what has happened."
"Nay," she quickly said. "I will stay with Dougald and a couple of other men, and we will catch up. Enjoy the hunt, my laird."
MacDonald cast a quick look at Hoel. He nodded and turned to Alana. "I will stay with you and—"
"Nay," Dougald said so vehemently, Alana was afraid he'd unsheathe his sword to make the point more clear if Hoel did not get it. "My wife doesna need your assistance."
Hoel bowed his head to Dougald in the slightest manner possible, yet as the men began to mount to hunt, Hoel hung around, and she thought he must be able to see the ghosts. Or he truly believed she could.
Was he hoping to learn if Gilleasbuig said the MacDonalds took part in this sordid affair?
His fists on his hips, Connell stood with Seana some distance away, and he was glowering at Hoel as if he wanted to take the man to task for having ogled Seana's breasts. Or mayhap it was because Dougald was now Alana's husband, and he'd told the man to move along and Hoel wasn't doing so.
Connell said, "Hoel, you look at Seana's breasts like that again and you will be feeling my sword!"
Chapter 28
Seana was so flushed, she appeared to want to crawl into the earth and hide. Or kill Connell.
Alana couldn't blame her, but she knew why Connell had taken Hoel to task for ogling Seana. Or at least she thought she knew the reason.
Hoel was just as red-faced, his eyes wide as he stared at Connell, finally dropping his gaze to Seana for a brief glance. He quickly turned and said to Alana, "I am off to join the others on the hunt. Please excuse me."
He mounted his horse and galloped off to join the men hunting.
Connell folded his arms and looked down at Seana. "I told you he could see you, and he was indeed—"
Not saying a word, Seana slugged Connell in the chest with her fist, knocking him backward a step, then vanished.
He grinned at Alana. "See? I was right." Then he vanished, too.
***
Dougald thought he'd be used to Alana's conversations with the dead by now, but he couldn't get accustomed to seeing her like this. The emotions played across her face—the anxiety, the shock, the upset, and then the merest hint of a smile. He was dying to know what she was hearing and seeing. He wanted to be there for her, but he felt he could do naught but watch her.
He glanced at Angus and Niall, who were both observing her just as closely. Angus raised his brows at Dougald in question, but no one said a word. Gunnolf was watching also, and he was just as quiet, while the rest of Dougald's men provided a protective guard.
Alana didn't say anything for a moment, then once Hoel MacDonald was well out of range of hearing, she said, "Gilleasbuig, I must know who killed the guard at our camp. Did you draw the man away, and then another killed him?"
Bran, Cameron's military advisor, drew near and folded his arms as he whispered to Dougald, "Has she learned anything yet?"
Dougald shook his head. He wondered then if Cameron had sent Bran so he could ensure that all the MacDonalds left for the hunt and Alana could question Gilleasbuig further.
Alana kept listening, then looking around. Dougald suspected Gilleasbuig wasn't talking to her or she would have remained focused on one location.
"She was conversing with her brother before this, aye?" Bran asked, still speaking quietly so as not to disturb Alana's concentration.
Dougald nodded. He didn't want her to have to stay here for any longer than necessary, nor did he want to bring her here again unless she wished it.
She turned to Dougald. "I have dried flowers in my pouch I want to leave in the area where the men died."
"Aye, lass. As you wish." Dougald helped her onto his horse and once he was seated behind her, they rode in silence.
Angus and Niall flanked them whenever they could in the thickly treed forest.
"You look quite upset," Dougald whispered against her ear, not wishing anyone to hear who should not.
"Hoel can see the dead."
Dougald didn't say anything right away. What if the lass preferred a husband who had special talents like she did? They could discuss what was being talked about between ghosts and the like. Hoel would be able to understand what she was going through much better than Dougald could. Not that he had any intention of giving the lass up, but the notion did bother him that the man might have suited the lass well after all.
Alana cleared her throat.
Dougald waited expectantly to hear what she had to say.
She didn't say anything. She fidgeted in the saddle. He pulled her closer and kissed the top of her bonny head.
She still didn't speak.
"Alana," he said softly, meaning to tell her that she should feel free to speak to him about anything.
She blurted, "He was eying your sister's endowments."
Dougald was so taken aback by what his sweet lassie said, it took him a moment to recover. "Hoel?"
"Aye. Connell was incensed. Seana didna believe Hoel could see ghosts. But Connell proved her wrong when he told Hoel to quit ogling Seana or he would use his sword on him. That was when Hoel took off."
Fighting laughing out loud and possibly embarrassing his wife in front of the other men, Dougald grinned. He imagined Connell giving Hoel hell and his sister blushing furiously, if ghosts could do such a thing, and then seeing for himself that Hoel had become flustered. The way Hoel lighted out of there, Dougald knew someone had said something that had shaken him.
"I feared Gilleasbuig told Hoel something that scared him, and he rode off to warn his da and brother."
"Nay. Gilleasbuig appears to be gone. 'Twas my brother who scared off Hoel." She turned and looked up at Dougald. "I think my brother has finally found the woman for him. Although I canna say she feels the same about him."
Dougald smiled down at Alana and kissed her lips. "All that matters is that you want to be with me." He hoped he would see no doubt in her expression, still concerned that she might believe Hoel would have suited her better because of their unique abilities.
She studied Dougald for a moment. "You look worried."
He shook his head. If she hadn't considered the merits of being with someone like Hoel, he didn't want her thinking in that direction.
She narrowed her eyes at him. "You dinna believe I would be interested in Hoel, now do you?"
"Of course no'," Dougald said, frowning.
She smiled brightly. "Aye, you do. And nay, I am no' interested in him. But, Dougald, if we take a tumble from your horse in the future, next time I want to be on top."
"Do you now, lass?" He was certain his smile turned wicked.
She blushed furiously, and he laughed. How could he have gotten so lucky to find her all alone on their lands?
"You are as bad as my brother."
"You love me for it."
"Aye, I do," Alana said, smiling at him.
Dougald loved her. He glanced at his brother. "Are you going with us back to Braniff, Angus?"
"Aye. After I was to give you the news about Rob MacNeill, James wanted me to watch your back. He said he has plenty of men to take care of our lands. But he worries about you. What if you end up in a dungeon, or worse?"
Niall laughed. "He has already done so once. If you fancy ending up in the dungeon with him, be my guest."
Angus gaped at Dougald. "Already?" He shook his head. "All of us who were betting believed it would take you longer than that." He grinned. "Then the next question is, did a lassie free you?"
"Aye," Alana said.
Angus raised his brows at her, still smiling.
"Someone had to. If I had learned he had good reason to be in there, he would still be there." She tilted her chin up.
Angus laughed. "'Tis a shame you are already Dougald's wife, Lady Alana. 'Tis a shame."
Dougald's arms tightened around Alana. She was all his.
After she left flowers in the area that her kinsmen had died and said a prayer, they all mounted to join the others on the hunt.
Bran was riding in front of them and tossed back over his shoulder, "Laird Cameron said we could return Lady Alana to Braniff after her business here was finished if she preferred, rather than continue with the hunt."
He was speaking to Dougald but he knew she'd wish to have her say and so he remained quiet, waiting for her to speak.
When she didn't, he looked down at her and said, "Alana? What do you wish?"
She looked up at him. "Take me home."
"Aye, lass."
She quickly said to Bran. "Tell my uncle where we will be so he doesna worry about me."
Bran said, "Mayhap one of the lads can ride ahead and let him know."