Chapter 18
“Brandon!” Heather shrieked, gesturing wildly toward the ragged fellow who had just walked through the inn door.
Sawyer jolted upright: her cry having awoken him from a deep slumber. Meanwhile, Owen blinked, visibly startled. He had been fighting sleep for the past hour, refusing Heather’s suggestion that he retire for the night. As such, Brandon’s arrival could not have come at a better moment.
Brandon turned in their direction and a wave of relief washed over his worn and solemn face. “Thank goodness,” he said, approaching the table and sinking down into the vacant chair. “I did not know if you would have arrived before me, or if you would even heed my request to meet.”
“What reason would we have to nae meet with ye?” Sawyer grumbled, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.
Brandon smiled tightly. “I am aware of your mistrust. If I were in your position, I would not trust a person who was formerly my enemy, either.” He claimed a bowl of stew for himself. “As such, I am grateful you have put your faith in me, for I have no one else I can rely upon.”
“I assured them of your trustworthiness. We are here to help you and to help my brother.” Heather replied, feeling sorry for her dear friend. He looked as though he had ridden to hell and back: his hair lank and greasy, his eyes dull, his jaw covered with a stubbled beard.
Owen stretched out his arms. “Ye spoke of news?”
“I did.” Brandon swept his hands through his hair, visibly rallying himself for what was to come.
“Since leaving Dunn Castle, I have been met with blockade after blockade. Those who I thought would have information have either disappeared or had no information to offer me. I should have expected that for, after a war, all any man wants to do is return home. Indeed, I was beginning to feel as though I would have to give up this endeavor, when I remembered something.”
Heather leaned forward. “What, dear Brandon?”
“The night before your brother and I departed to join with Cromwell’s forces, I noticed him sneak away from Gallagher Castle.
He returned a few hours later, and when I asked him where he had been, he told me he had gone to visit the priest,” Brandon explained.
“I thought little of it, for many men visit a priest before they are about to ride toward an uncertain fate.
“As it was the only trace of William I had remaining, I decided to pursue it.” Brandon paused: his eyes filling with tears. “I went to the priest closest to Gallagher Castle, though I was careful not to be seen. To my surprise, he was expecting me. Indeed, he had something for me.”
Heather’s heart lurched. “What?”
“A letter from William. I wanted to bring it, but your brother gave specific instruction, at the end of the letter, for it to be burned,” Brandon replied apologetically. “In it, he revealed that he was married. Not only married, but married to a Scottish woman by the name of Edith Morton.”
Heather stared at him in disbelief. It did not make a jot of sense to her, for William had always told her everything. If he had suddenly gotten married, she would have known of it.
“That cannot be,” she insisted, but Brandon just sighed.
“I thought the same, but the letter was written in your brother’s hand, and he said on several occasions that I was to believe every word, no matter how outlandish it might seem.
” He paused. “There is more, however. Your father knew of this secret union, after the wedding had taken place. He was not best pleased, as you can imagine.”
Heather shook her head slowly, struggling to accept what Brandon was saying. “My father did not mention it. Are you certain that the letter was written in William’s hand? Do you believe this to be the truth?”
“It was his hand, Heather, and your brother’s last words were a plea.
He asked that we find his wife and protect her, for no one else will.
Indeed, he feared that some harm might befall her, which was why he left the letter with the priest, in case anything happened to him while he was away.
If I did not come back either, the priest had been granted permission to open the letter and seek help on William’s behalf. ”
A sharp pain gripped Heather’s heart. “He did not mention me?”
“He did not, but you know how much he loved you,” Brandon replied sadly. “It is my belief that he did not want to implicate you, accidentally, if anyone but me came for the letter.”
“Do ye ken if the priest read the letter?” Owen interjected, discreetly placing his hand upon the small of Heather’s back. A gesture of support, for he could show nothing more in front of Brandon. Two weddings to two Scots might be enough to finish him off, in his present condition.
Brandon furrowed his brow. “It does not appear so. The seal was intact, and I could detect no signs of tampering. Indeed, the priest informed me that he had been instructed to wait until a certain date before he could open the letter. I had arrived before that given date.”
“Do ye reckon this Edith lass kens somethin’ about William’s fate?” Owen pressed. After all, they had come to the inn on the assurance that Brandon had definitive news about the real killer.
Brandon nodded hesitantly. “I believe so, yes. He had told Heather and I that he feared his life was in danger, but neither of us considered it to be a genuine terror. After all, he was going to war. Every man fears for his life at such a time.” He paused.
“That being said, I think he might have confided more in his wife. She might know whom he suspected.”
“Tell me ye ken where she might be?” Owen rubbed small circles against Heather’s back, soothing her.
Brandon gestured around the room. “Why else do you think I brought you to this village? The name of it was given in William’s letter. Apparently, she lives in a cottage in the forest not far from here.”
“Then we shouldn’ae be sittin’ here flappin’ our lips.” Owen got to his feet. “If she’s here, we find her tonight.”
Heather joined him in standing. “If this woman truly is my sister-in-law, I would see to it that she is safe.”
“Aye, I wasnae lookin’ forward to a good night’s rest anyway.” Sawyer lumbered upward: his face a picture of displeasure. Bedchambers had already been arranged for them, but it appeared they would have no use for such comforts.
You are not the only one who was looking forward to it, Heather mused inwardly. Nothing could have warmed her as quickly as Owen’s touch upon her skin, or his intimate kisses.
A relieved smile cracked Brandon’s fatigued face. “Gratitude to all of you. I had hoped you would be forthcoming with your help.” His smile turned into frown. “If I may ask, however, why is Lady Heather with you? I had assumed you would leave her at the castle, for her own safety.”
“Did ye now?” Sawyer’s eyes glinted with accusation, but Heather hurriedly jumped in.
“My father has made a threat against Laird Dunn. He did not think it wise to leave me there, in case my father managed to breach the defenses,” she explained.
The color drained from Brandon’s already pallid face. “The priest lied.”
“Pardon?” Heather tilted her head to one side.
Brandon gulped. “I asked the priest if he had seen or heard of any Gallagher men leaving the castle. He informed me that he had not, and he had been to the castle just that morning.”
Owen’s face twisted into a mask of anger. “Aye, the priest lied, and that means that Elias kens where this lass is. He made the threat to get me out of the castle, as we suspected, but nae for the reason we suspected.”
“What do you mean?” Heather grasped for his arm, staring up into his eyes in desperation.
“I’m the one he wants killed for his son’s death,” Owen replied, taking hold of her hands.
“It was never about me bein’ innocent or nae.
He decided it was me and he disnae want to blame another.
But he kens I want the true culprit to be found, to clear me name.
What better way to kill me and to capture the lass yer brother married, by lurin’ me out with a trap like that? ”
Brandon looked like he might be sick. “I think you might be right, Laird Dunn, which means we might be running out of time. If the priest informed the Earl of when I departed, he will have sent men directly afterward. I rode as fast as I could but, even so, they cannot be too far behind me.”
“Then let’s make sure we get to that lass first and get out of this place before they can take home a victory,” Owen commanded, squeezing Heather’s hands. “I daenae want to bring ye into that, Lass, but if we must make a hasty escape, then ye’ll have to be with us.”
Heather smiled bravely. “You would not be able to stop me from coming with you, even if you ordered it.”
“Aye, well let’s hurry ourselves then!” Sawyer barked, already heading for the door. They all knew they would not be getting any rest that night. At least, not until they were all safely back at Dunn Castle, with William’s mysterious wife in tow.
How many other secrets are there, William? Only Edith Morton could tell them, now.