Chapter 27
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
Callum's arrival and the abrupt end to the heated moment Anna had been sharing with Hugh left a hollow ache in the pit of her stomach.
It was all but impossible not to dwell on what had just happened.
She also couldn't shake the realization that both times she and Hugh had approached marital intimacy, Callum had appeared.
Something about that man doesn't sit right with me.
As the groom prepared her horse, Anna wondered if she was wrong for feeling uneasy about this man. Everything that Callum said seemed as though it was done out of concern for Hugh. His actions, though…
She shook her head, unsure of what Callum could even be accused of. It wasn't as if she'd ever witnessed him doing anything objectionable. Perhaps he simply had unfortunate timing when it came to the interruptions. And his personality could simply be overbearing and abrasive.
"Come this way, me Lady," the groom said, appearing with the horse saddled and ready for a short ride.
"Yes, thank you," Anna said, almost grateful for an excuse to abandon that line of thought.
She was new to the castle and had no reason to be suspicious of anyone.
The conversation she'd had with Emelia about the missing money was another piece of information she needed to synthesize.
On top of that, nearly every interaction Anna had with Hugh left her head fuzzy and effectively shut down the part of her brain responsible for critical thinking.
"I advise ye daenae ride past the tree line," the groom informed her as he handed over the reins. "The Laird has asked I keep an eye on ye. As long as ye ken how to ride, I'll let ye ride on yer own."
"I do know how to ride," she assured him. Showing off her ability, she pulled herself onto the horse. "And I won't go too far. Just a short trip."
"Ach, take yer time," the groom said, taking a step away. "And keep yerself out of trouble."
"I will," she promised with a laugh before urging the filly forward.
The animal moved obediently, clearly already well-trained by the groom. It took her only a few minutes to feel completely comfortable. She simply had to suggest the direction that she wanted the horse to go, and she would go.
Picking up speed, Anna tilted her head up slightly. Warm sunlight spread over her cheeks. All the shivering and discomfort from the chill were forgotten. Instead, it was as if she were loads lighter, floating through the air of the castle grounds.
The green scenery blurred around her, dots of leaves losing their color and tufts of wildflowers that she couldn't yet name passing by.
She let out a wild giggle, her laughter echoing off the trees surrounding the space.
All of her worries seemed to escape her in that moment, the Highlands wrapping around her, welcoming her into the fold.
Once she'd fallen into a steady rhythm, it was as if nothing else mattered. They made several laps around the grounds, not stopping until Anna felt herself beginning to sweat. Only then did she guide them back to the stable where the groom was waiting for her.
"Ye werenae lyin' when ye said that ye kent how to ride," he said, offering his arm to help her to the ground. "The two of ye looked quite skilled out there."
"It's been a bit," Anna said, straightening her skirts as the groom grabbed hold of the reins. "And I've never met a horse like this one. I don't believe I've gone that fast, nor have I had so much fun while I was riding."
"It seems that this girl enjoyed the ride as well," he said, scratching the filly's neck.
"I'm glad. I will make sure that I make plenty of time to ride with her," Anna said, pressing her palm against the horse's muzzle. "I think the activity is good for both of us."
She took a few more moments to give the animal affection before dropping her hand. The groom led the filly away, but Anna still lingered. Her lips were curved slightly, her hand coming to rest on her chest to contain the swell of emotion.
After a beat, Anna took a deep breath and turned. Her feet carried her back toward the solid wooden doors of the castle. For a moment, she nearly forgot about the underground politics of the place. She was quickly reminded, however, when she spotted Callum walking out looking smug.
Something about the curve of his mouth made her uneasy. She knew she had no reason to feel this way, yet her instincts disagreed. There was a tight, insistent twist in her gut that screamed at her to be wary of him.
I've got to see what I can learn about him, if only to prove myself wrong.
When Hugh arrived in his study nearly an hour later, Callum was already there, pacing the floor. With a grunt, Hugh asked, "How did ye get in here?"
"Ye left yer door unlocked," the other man answered easily, stopping in his tracks. "Which ye shouldnae be doin'. Ye wouldnae want someone comin' in here and seein' all yer paperwork."
Even though Hugh knew for a fact that he'd locked the door when he left last, he didn't see a reason to press the issue. It was obvious to him that his brother had been visiting the study with his key. If Marcus was the reason for the room being unsecured, it was best that Callum didn't know.
"Ach, I was sure I did," Hugh said as he crossed the room, folding his arms over his chest. "So, what is it that ye needed to speak to me in private about? Ye said me council was havin' meetings without me."
"It's nae uncommon for a council to meet without their Laird on occasion," Callum said, infuriatingly calm, and with an air of superiority hanging around him.
"Uncommon is one thing," Hugh said, his exasperation bordering on the edge of vexation.
"But it seems as if every time I turn around, ye've all had another meetin' without informin' me.
" He closed the distance, stopping when they were chest to chest. "And it seems to me that ye are always the one deliverin' the news. Why is that?"
Callum scoffed, a dark glint in his eye. "If it werenae for me, ye wouldnae be informed of these meetings at all. They have nay reason to tell ye. I'm doin' ye a favor, yet ye refuse to acknowledge it."
"A favor would be informin' me before ye get together," Hugh countered, his voice ruthless. Callum was getting far too comfortable with him. "I ken ye arenae havin' meetings before the sun comes up spontaneously. Ye should be informin' me the night before these gatherings take place."
"Or perhaps ye should have been listenin' to their advice," Callum said, completely unimpressed. "If ye'd been doin' that, they wouldnae exclude ye. Invitin' ye seems like a pointless exercise, do ye understand what I'm sayin'?"
"I'm beginnin' to wonder if there was a point to you interruptin' me wife and me," Hugh said, filing away Callum's claims. Hugh could put him in his place after Callum told him about the meeting he wasn't informed of.
"Aye," Callum said, taking a calm, measured, professional step back. His composure masked the self-satisfied energy that Hugh caught a glimpse of earlier. "Yer wife is precisely the reason I'm here to speak to ye."
"And what issue are ye tryin' to invent now, Callum?" Hugh demanded, a furious streak of protective possessiveness flaring. "Ye have already interrogated her. She's nae an issue. She's brought in a large sum of money that we desperately need. The villagers are fond of her as well."
"Those things daenae matter as much as ye think they do, me Laird," Callum stated.
"We didnae get acceptable answers yesterday.
Ye pulled her away before we could form an opinion on the lass.
And ye keep referencin' her dowry, hidin' behind it.
We could have arranged a marriage to someone we approved of, one that would have carried a dowry just as significant.
And that's the biggest problem we have. When it comes to yer wife, ye disregard each and every request and tradition we have," Callum spoke slowly, obviously intending for each word to cut like a dagger.
"We cannae find a reason to like her. She's terrible for yer reputation, and it's only a matter of time before ye make a mistake ye cannae come back from. "
Hugh glowered at him, clenching his fists at his sides. "Ye've already told me how ye all feel about her. What is yer point in tellin' me again?"
"I'm warnin' ye," Callum said without hesitation, the leather of his shoes squeaking as he leaned in with his gaze narrowed.
"I'm tellin' ye that they're ready to act against ye.
I'll personally tell ye what actions ye should take.
I'll help ye find a compromise. But if ye daenae listen to me, they'll move. "
"And what are you suggestin' they are goin' to do against me?" Hugh asked. "Because ye keep tellin' me I must listen to ye, or ye cannae help me. What are ye protectin' me from, Callum?"
"They can take yer Lairdship, Hugh," Callum said, the way he'd been positioning himself suddenly making sense. "I've been doin' what I can to keep ye from bein' removed. It's impossible to keep them on yer side if ye're continually goin' against our advice."
Hugh stared down at him, unmoving. It hadn't occurred to him that they'd attempt to oust him. There had never been a documented incidence of a Laird being removed from his position in Clan McDonald. If they decided to take action against Hugh, he would be the first in the clan's history.
Begrudgingly, each word tearing at his pride and at the command that he held, Hugh said, "Thank ye for your warnin', Callum. Ye're dismissed."
"Do ye nae want to hear how I think ye should approach our next meetin'?" The councilman attempted to look empathetic, but Hugh could see through the act now. "They'll want to see ye in a week or so."
"Nay, Callum," Hugh said, his jaw tightening the longer he looked at the other man. "I daenae want to hear any strategies right now. If I need yer assistance, I will ask for ye. Until then, I daenae want ye interruptin' me unless it's absolutely necessary."
"Aye, me Laird," Callum said as he began to walk toward the door. His hand on the knob, he turned back to Hugh. "I've also been informed that yer brother has been actin' erratic. Somethin' about yer trip to the village bein' bad for his head. Ye might want to keep an eye on him."
The final warning seemed to linger in the air for hours after Callum left.