Chapter 14
After spending the day trying to think of a way to help Aftyn that she would accept, and checking on his patients scattered around the village, the glen, and the abbey, Jamie got back to Keith in time for the evening meal.
Later, he gathered his men in Niall’s chamber, where he told them about the Keith laird's visit to the abbey, and being included in the abbot’s interview with the laird.
“The Keith has me much on his mind, that is clear.” Jamie grimaced.
“In one or two more days with the priest, I will feel confident giving him over to another’s care.
But it might be best for the rest of ye to leave in the morning. ”
“Ye think the Keith will use us against ye? He canna force ye to stay, or to become his clan’s healer,” Fearchar said.
“He’d be a fool to think any healer would do as he wishes under duress,” Niall added as Jamie removed the wrapping on his leg and examined the new, pink and healthy flesh in the wound track.
“I’m sorry being at the abbey has kept me from doing as much for yer leg as I meant to by now.”
“Dinna fash,” Niall said. “’Tis healed enough to get me home. Ye can do the rest there.” He flexed his foot, stretching the calf, and grimaced. “I can ride.”
“Good,” Jamie told him.
“As I was saying,” Niall continued, “Why would the laird risk ye doing more harm than good?”
“Nay risk,” Bhaltair argued. “No’ if he threatened Aftyn or Neve, or even one of us. Jamie would have to do as he wished.”
“Which is why I want Aftyn to go with us.” Jamie crossed his arms. “Neve knows enough to clean cuts and bind wounds, chill a fever, and make simple cures. But Aftyn is his daughter. While I’d say no man would harm his own flesh and blood, he holds her in little regard.”
All three of the other Lathans frowned in surprise, but Fearchar spoke up. “Why? What did she do?”
“She was born on the wrong side of the blanket,” Jamie told him. “And she’s been too ashamed to tell us. But it explains a lot about her life here. He hasn’t acknowledged her and won’t support her.”
“Bastard,” Bhaltair muttered. “What can we do?”
“’Twould be dangerous for ye and yer ma for her to be trained at the Aerie,” Fearchar added. “But perhaps another clan…”
Jamie rubbed his chest. The twinge he felt had nothing to do with what he’d done today for Aftyn’s patients around the village.
Fearchar’s words reminded Jamie that what he had begun to hope for with Aftyn seemed impossible.
Yet he still wanted to take her home—to the Aerie.
“I’ve suggested such, but she willna leave. ”
“Ye could kidnap her,” Niall said with a grin.
“And have to wed her? Are ye daft?” That from Fearchar.
Jamie frowned. He hadn’t considered anything so drastic.
He had come to want her, to respect her, and to care for her.
He wanted to help her. But marry her? His thoughts strayed to Aftyn insisting she would never marry, then to their tryst in the woods.
She was unlike any lass he’d ever held, ever kissed, and more.
What he’d felt there with her sparked something like his talent, but with pleasure, not pain.
With longing. With need. He admired so much about her.
Her beauty, aye. No man would regret waking to her smile each morn.
But the beauty of her spirit on the inside was even more important.
As best she could, she fought to protect those who needed her.
Had her mother lived to train her properly, she would have already become a fierce and determined healer.
The more he thought about it, the more the idea gained in appeal.
If only he could convince her that marrying him was in her best interests.
As cold as that sounded, Jamie worried she would come to harm if she stayed.
He wanted her. She wanted him. Many marriages had started with far less.
“’Tis no’ in my plans for her,” Jamie finally said, as the others waited for his reaction. It was too soon to make his feelings for Aftyn known. “But I will continue my attempts to convince her to leave with us. Without help, she has little future here.”
“To stay out of the Keith’s clutches, perhaps ’tis best ye remain at the abbey,” Bhaltair said.
That brought the discussion back to where Jamie wanted it—on what they were going to do, not on him and Aftyn in some future that, if he could not change her mind, would not happen.
Jamie shook his head. “I can ride back and forth each day. I dinna want to appear worried by avoiding this keep. The Keith kenned I saw how he was thinking. He didna make a threat of his comment.”
“Perhaps he dared no’ say more in front of the abbot.”
Bhaltair was an excellent tactician. Jamie knew he’d be wise to heed his advice. “Rabbie, I want ye to take Niall, dressed as Fearchar, back to the Aerie. Leave in the morning. Then the state of Niall’s leg willna be a threat. Ye dinna need haste, but tell them how things are here.”
“Why the deception?”
“If they ken Niall is gone, then none of us would have a reason to stay. Fearchar will stay out of sight and Bhaltair can tend to him as he has Niall.” And Jamie would have a little more time to convince Aftyn to come with him, if only for her own safety.
“With two of ye gone, there are fewer here for the Keith to use, if he has a mind to, and he’ll ken the Lathan will be told all there is to tell. ”
“Aye, but he’ll prepare against it,” Bhaltair added.
“Perhaps.” Jamie nodded. “I’ll bed down in here.
Bhaltair and Fearchar, ye take Rabbie’s chamber and bar the door.
That window gives out onto the roof of the laundry, so ye can get out that way if ye must. But if ye must, dinna come for me.
I’ll no’ be harmed. Rabbie and Niall, sleep in the stable, out of sight, then go as soon as the gate opens at first light to let in the workers from the village.
Try no’ to be seen making yer way there. ”
Rabbie nodded agreement, then said, “If we’re discovered taking these precautions, do ye still think ye’ll be able to go to the abbey? Perhaps we all should leave.”
“The Keith willnae refuse the abbot. I’ll take Aftyn with me in case we can leave from there.”
“Braden, the heir, is keen to try the new mounts that arrived today,” Rabbie added. “If he goes with ye…”
“Nay. We’d have to go with a Keith escort.”
Fearchar crossed his arms. “Is that good or bad?
“Both,” Bhaltair said. “It gets a few of them out of the keep and out of our way, but means there’s a guard to control Jamie’s movements.”
“I dinna think it will come to that,” Jamie said. “But if it does, ye all ken what ye are to do.”
Jamie rose before dawn to ensure Rabbie and Niall, dressed as Fearchar, were able to leave the Keith stronghold at first light. He had not been disturbed during the night. Nor, Bhaltair told him when they met in the great hall, had he and Fearchar.
Jamie and Bhaltair kept their distance and watched as Rabbie and Niall headed out as soon as the gate opened.
Workers streamed into the keep around their mounts.
When the guards made no move to delay or stop them, Jamie breathed a sigh of relief and traded a look with Bhaltair that acknowledged the risk of losing two men.
But Jamie felt it wise to have his men carry home news of their whereabouts and Jamie’s concerns.
If necessary, the threat of Lathan reprisals would keep the Keith laird from doing anything foolhardy.
And remove the risk Niall’s mostly healed leg posed to Jamie.
He hoped he was right. But the prickling at the nape of his neck told him this was no time to let down their guard.
He and Bhaltair went back into the hall to break their fast. As they’d planned, Fearchar remained in their shared chamber, waiting for them to bring food back up to him.
As long as they didn’t have to say who remained and who left, he hoped Niall would not be missed.
He had a moment of regret that Niall had made his way down to the great hall more than once.
It would be simpler now if he had remained above stairs.
Still, their hosts could assume whatever they wished about him no longer venturing out of his chamber.
In the meantime, there was no sense all being together, making it easier for the Keith to do whatever he planned to do. And Jamie had no doubt he planned something.
Everything seemed normal. He didn’t notice any tension among the Keiths who passed through the great hall, nor among those who sat at nearby tables to start their day. They weren’t being surrounded. Nor was the path blocked to the keep’s door or the stairs to the level where Fearchar awaited them.
Jamie finished eating and sat back, keeping Bhaltair company while he ate, and keeping an eye on their surroundings. Neve had returned, he noted, as she crossed near them and gave them a friendly wave before disappearing into the hallway that led to the keep’s kitchen.
Finally, Bhaltair finished. He caught a serving lass’s attention and ordered food for Fearchar.
Jamie stood. “Ye take that up. I’m going to the stable.”
Even if he didn’t ride on a given day, he liked to stop by the stable to make sure the Lathan mounts were being well taken care of.
But today, he needed to find out if the stable master had expressed any concerns about two missing Lathan mounts.
Better he tell Jamie, who could reassure him, than go to the laird.
When he entered, he heard a voice, but not the stable master’s deep tones.
Once his eyes adjusted to the interior gloom, he saw Braden and Aftyn standing outside a stall door, a new horse nosing at their shoulders.
He’d heard Braden, then. Aftyn nodded at something he said to her, and reached up to stroke the horse’s muzzle.