Chapter 34
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Despite Hugh's instructions, Anna couldn't just go to her chambers. Things here were reaching their tipping point. If she didn't act now, she'd be at the mercy of the rumors that were circulating.
Instead of heading for the staircase and returning to their wing of the castle, she marched straight to the meeting room.
She didn't know exactly when the meeting was supposed to start, but she hoped Callum would arrive early.
From what she'd gathered, he was desperate to control the council meetings, even though he wasn't the head of the council.
For the second time that day, her timing was correct. As she tore down the hallway, she spotted Callum making for the room. Picking up her pace, she said, "Callum. May I have a moment?"
"Ye're busy today, me Lady," he said, barely keeping his annoyance in. "I can give ye a few seconds, but I'm late for a meetin'."
"I know," she said, raising her chin as she came to a stop in front of him. "I know everything, Callum."
He stiffened, staring down at her with a mix of disbelief and panic. Then, he pulled his top lip back. When he spoke, it was low, barely more than a hiss. "Ye best watch what ye're sayin', me Lady. Such rumors are dangerous to spread."
"The same way the rumors that you've been getting money for me are dangerous?" she challenged. "You're the one who started those, aren't you? I should tell Hugh exactly what you've been doing."
She wasn't sure what she'd expected to happen when the words left her lips. It was reckless. The man in front of her was unpredictable.
Her mistake was immediately obvious. Callum's body coiled before he lashed out at her. His hands found her wrists, holding onto her hard enough to hurt. She twisted violently, wiggling slightly out of his grasp but not enough to escape.
"Ye will keep yer mouth shut," he said, so close to her that she could smell the sourness on his breath. "If ye daenae, ye can say goodbye to yer precious wee life as Lady McDonald. Ye willnae have a life any longer. Do ye understand?"
Anna nodded, tears welling in her eyes. She yanked her wrists free, the sudden movement throwing Callum off balance. As he staggered, she ran. Her footsteps thudded against the floor, her breathing deep and ragged.
She wasn't sure where she was running to. The only thought she had in her mind was that she needed to surround herself with others. Even if their opinion on her was changing, surely they wouldn't let her be torn apart by Callum.
Her mind was so clouded that she didn't realize she was on a course directly for Emelia until the maid stopped her. Every instinct in Anna's body was screaming at her to free herself. She nearly pushed Emelia away, stopping when her hands landed on the maid's forearms.
"Me Lady!" Emelia said, glancing behind Anna as though she expected someone to be pursuing her. "Are ye all right? Ye look frightened."
"Callum," Anna whispered, unable to form a complete thought. "I… He—"
"Shh," Emelia shushed her, steering them into a private alcove. "Ye're all right. Just speak slowly."
"I… I saw Callum going into a room," Anna said, taking a few deep breaths to steady herself.
"And I saw where all of the missing money has gone.
I confronted him but…" She closed her eyes, telling herself that she had to tell someone what had happened.
"He threatened me, Emelia. He told me if I spoke about it that he would take my life. "
Emelia blanched, her hold on Anna's shoulders tightening. She drew her bottom lip between her teeth, chewing as she turned over what Anna had revealed. Finally, she said, "Ye must tell the council. Both about the money and the threat that Callum made against ye. He cannae get away with it."
Anna wanted to argue, but she knew that her maid was right. If she let Callum get away with this, she'd be under fire either way. The rumors about her being the thief of the money would continue to circulate. She knew the truth, and it was solely on her to bring it to light.
"You're right," Anna finally said, letting go of Emelia. She smoothed the front of her skirt, then tucked away the hair that had come loose from her ribbon. "Staying quiet is what he wants me to do. I won't give him what he wants."
Emelia smiled, a wavering thing. Her eyes widened when she saw Anna beginning to exit the alcove. "Ye should at least sit down for a moment, me Lady. Ye'll need a clear head."
"I don't know how long the meeting will last," Anna said urgently. "I must get there as quickly as I can. I'm…" she trailed off, looking away for a moment as she collected herself. "I'm not sure if I'll get another chance."
Hugh sat as his council argued amongst themselves. He wasn't sure why his presence was requested. Perhaps, he thought, they only wanted him here to derail his investigation into what was going on with the ledger.
Callum hadn't spoken at all since the meeting began. It seemed as though he were ruffled by something. Hugh could practically see the steam pouring from his ears.
Somethin' must have happened after I dismissed him. He seems even more upset than when he left.
As they argued about what had happened during the villagers' visit, Hugh held himself back from demanding to know what the point of this was.
He knew it was best to behave as diplomatically as possible.
Still, it was difficult, as every part of him screamed at the wrongness of sitting idly by while they openly discussed what was likely their plan to strip him of his title.
It wasn't until Aaron said, "It seems as though the more the villagers get to ken our Lady, the less they like her. It makes me wonder if we werenae too hasty to dismiss our concerns about the Laird choosin' his own wife."
"Aye," Callum agreed, speaking for the first time since the meeting convened. "I believe that the issues we've been experiencin' began when our Laird left Scotland and returned with a wife that we didnae have an opportunity to approve of."
"The villagers," Hugh said, the physical strain of remaining civil making his voice tight, "daenae dislike Anna.
They daenae like that the clan's money is unaccounted for.
They daenae like the rumor they'd been fed.
That was the reason that so many of them came to the castle.
I already proved to them that me wife's dowry was exactly as large as I told them it was.
Once the village head is presented with the ledgers, they will nay longer take issue with her. "
"Ach, but do the ledgers reflect where all the money has gone?" Callum asked savagely. "Ye told me that ye cannae find where the clan's gold is goin'. They willnae be pleased if ye daenae have answers for them about that.
"I'm gettin' somewhere with balancin' the books," Hugh countered, his hands balling into fists on top of the table. "If it werenae for this meetin', I would be workin' on findin' it."
Callum scoffed, but before he or any of the others could speak, the door flew open.
Everyone's heads snapped in the direction of the disturbance.
Anna marched into the room, her shoulders back, her chin held high.
She was radiating a kind of confidence that made Hugh proud, even as his own annoyance at her inability to follow directions flared.
"Anna," Hugh said, rising from his chair and crossing the room to stand next to her. He leaned in close, lowering his voice as he said, "I told ye to go to yer chambers. Ye shouldnae be here right now."
"He's correct, me Lady," said Aaron, a smirk on his face as he spoke. "We're in the middle of quite an important meetin'. Whatever it is ye need will have to wait until we finish."
"I do believe you will all want to hear what I have to say," Anna said, stepping in a bit closer to Hugh as though she were using him as a shield.
"Ye can speak with him after the meetin'," Callum said quickly, his hands moving a bit wildly over the wooden surface. "I will determine whether or nay it's an issue that should be brought before the council."
"Let her speak," Hugh said, his eyes locked on the way Anna's jaw set. "If she deemed it pressin' enough to interrupt our meetin', I'm inclined to believe that it's important."
"Thank you," Anna said, giving him a small smile before turning back to the others.
"Yesterday I came across something… strange.
I went to speak with Callum about a rumor I heard concerning my asking for money and him delivering it to me.
I've never asked him to do such a thing, nor have I been given a penny, so I went to speak with him. "
"She doesnae ken what she's sayin'!" Callum interjected, his panic obvious. "Ye cannae—"
"Quiet, Callum," Aaron snapped, not looking away from Anna. "Continue, me Lady."
She nodded. "He dismissed me, so I did something I'm not particularly proud of. I followed him to see what he deemed to be urgent at the time. When I did, I saw the money, all of it. I believe that Callum's been the one taking the missing money."
The room devolved into arguing. Callum cried that she was lying, while other members of the council began speaking to one another.
Aaron desperately tried to regain order, politely at first, before slamming his fist against the table.
At the noise, Anna shifted closer to Hugh, tucking herself against his side.
"What ye said, Lady McDonald, requires investigation," Aaron said, shooting Callum a withering look. "Even if it is nay true, we must look into it. However, we will sequester Lady McDonald in her chambers as we investigate. It will ensure that she doesnae influence the investigation."
As though his word was law, the rest of the men stood. Hugh wrapped his arm around Anna protectively, glaring at them as they approached. He swung her away from them, saying, "I will escort the Lady to her chambers."
"Someone must accompany ye," Aaron said diplomatically.
"Someone impartial." He nodded to the man at his right.
"Ensure the Laird takes the Lady to her room and doesnae do anythin' that may hinder our investigation.
" He turned to Callum. "And ye will be accompanied by somebody else at all times until we learn whether or not these claims are true. "
Hugh accepted the directive, his mind racing as he tried to make sense of the information she'd brought forward.
As they walked out of the room, he wondered why he hadn't thought to look that closely at Callum.
He could have had anyone trail him to see what he was doing when he thought no one was watching.
It would have saved Anna from the trouble.
He could feel her shaking as they walked. Adrenaline mixed with what he could only assume was fear coursed through her. It was a wonder that she was keeping herself as steady as she was. Anyone looking at the three of them wouldn't have a clue what her interruption had cost her.
"That was quite brave," Hugh told her as they walked. "Ye could have told me privately, but instead ye told everyone and forced them to act. Ye're brilliant, Anna."
"It felt as though it was the only thing that I could do," she admitted, relaxing slightly. It was obvious, though, that each step closer to her quarters was weighing heavily on her. "And he would have wanted me to keep quiet. To try to handle things privately. I couldn't let that happen."
"Well, it was the correct thing to do," he told her. "Even though they're puttin' ye in yer chambers."
"I'm sure there are worse places they could have put me in," she said without a hint of humor. "At least I'll be comfortable while I'm locked away."
"Aye," Hugh agreed.
The rest of the journey passed in a strained silence. There was more that he wanted to say, but couldn't seem to find the words for. It was as if Anna was having a similar dilemma, her body stiffening incrementally as though she was working her way toward saying something.
Finally, they came to a stop in front of her door. The man that had joined them stood by, watching the two of them as though he expected something to pass between their hands. Anna pressed herself closer against Hugh, wrapping her arms around him.
He returned the embrace, putting all of the emotions and thoughts that he couldn't voice into the contact. Against her ear, he mumbled, "Ye willnae be here for long. Once they investigate, the truth will be clear and ye'll get yer freedom back."
"I know," she replied, her arms tightening. "And… the money. Callum's been keeping it in a chest. I don't know if the room was his chambers or another that he has access to, but it's in the same wing as the meeting room. The second to last door on the left."
Hugh nearly crushed her as a way to give his thanks. Then, he released her, taking in the feminine curves of her face. She stared up at him with her trusting, green eyes. Gently, he tucked a strand of her brown hair out of her face with his callused fingers.
"I will instruct Emelia to keep ye fed and comfortable," he said. "Even if it means that she'll need to be accompanied by another servant to monitor yer interactions. This willnae be miserable for ye. I willnae allow it to be."
"Thank you, Hugh," she said, tears collecting in the corners of her eyes as the reality of the situation set in. "I love you."
"I love ye, too," he murmured, his voice fierce. "We will bring the truth to light. And it will be because of yer help."