Chapter Twenty-Seven
It’d been a long week for Shane and Alec to fix what needed immediate attention at Collier so they could return home. In that time, Shane had nearly healed, making the trip back to Cluny easier to manage than his trip had been in getting there.
They arrived home late, when everyone was already in bed. After pilfering some food from the kitchens, Shane went to his study to see to any correspondence. He lit a lamp and sorted through the messages on his desk. The first missive held the Cameron crest on the seal. Shane worried if the clan that helped them win against the MacColls was now sending a bill for their services. If it was so, they’d be disappointed.
Shane didn’t have two pennies to rub together. A familiar throbbing began behind his eyes as the pressure of his new role began to build. Collier had given nothing of great value that a poor laird could sell to feed his people.
He’d found a village in worse shape than at home and fields that had been planted but poorly tended. There wouldn’t be many viable crops to harvest next month.
Laird,
I thank you for the opportunity to fight beside you to destroy our common enemy. We have proven we are an unstoppable force when we work together. Perhaps it is time the MacPhersons and Camerons stop raiding each other’s lands and create an alliance. Let us consider building each other up instead of breaking each other down. Our fathers have held on to this hostility between our clans for far too long. I doubt they even knew why they hated each other. It was simply done because their fathers had acted the same. Let us stop it with us. If you are interested, I look forward to discussing it.
The letter was signed by Robert Cameron himself. Shane read the letter again, scouring the words for tricks and finding none. Could it be? A bit of good news after months of nothing but more and more impossible situations?
Alec entered, looking as tired as Shane felt.
“I thought you would have gone straight to your bed.”
“I may have, but there is a woman and three bairns in my bed. So I came here so as not to disturb them.”
It made sense that Tory and Lindsay would have made use of every available bed, with the castle overrun by needy families looking for a safe home. Shane and Alec discussed strategies about what to do with everyone, and Shane was impressed by Alec’s ideas. They must’ve dozed off, for Tory woke them when the sun was shining through the window.
She held out yet another missive, despite the remaining ones on his desk that still went unopened. One of them was from the MacLeods, and he could only guess that they demanded the remaining balance on a ship he would never use.
Tory frowned at them. “I see you’ve returned, even though you didn’t deign to tell me you left.”
“I’m sorry, Tory. I’d not wanted to hunt you down and be lectured about my health. As ye can see, I’m fine.”
“Are ye?” she said with a shake of her head and a sniff. “Fine? Ye don’t even realize how far from fine you are at the moment.”
“What has happened?” Shane tilted his head before asking after his wife. “Where’s Lindsay?”
“That’s a good question,” his sister said with a shrug. “I imagine she is nearly home with her father. I expected this might be word of your annulment, but it’s from Ronan.”
“She left?”
“I would point out, you left her first. What did you think was to happen?”
If he thought his sister would have his back in all things, he’d been mistaken.
“She was new to the castle, a stranger to everyone, thrust into taking over for ye when you were wounded and then abandoned. All this after she’d heard you plan to leave her to marry another. What did you expect would happen? That she’d feel welcomed and loved and wish to stay? Ye are daft.”
“I didn’t have to because I was already married to her! And I changed my mind almost immediately after agreeing to that foolish plan of annulling my marriage to her,” he said. “I thought it would be the right thing but realized right away it was not. I am not without faults, you know.”
“Well, ye won’t be married to her for long. I overheard her father offer to take her home and end your marriage, since you’re unable to care for her the way ye should, and she leaped at the chance. I can’t blame her.”
“She saw I wouldn’t be able to clothe her in the fine garments and jewels she was accustomed to and decided to find someone else who could offer her more.”
Tory laughed but not with humor; instead, she glared at him. “Men! Ye think ye know everything, but ye are as helpless as a newborn babe.” She reached into the bag tied at her waist and pulled out something that shimmered in the light. As she slammed the jewels down on his desk, Shane realized it was the necklace he’d last seen draped around his wife’s neck. “It’s the only thing she left behind. My guess is it was her way of helping in the only way she could. In a way you don’t deserve.”
Shane stood holding the emeralds and rubies as he watched his sister storm away out of his study. He’d made yet another mistake.
“Aye,” Alec said beside him, making Shane think perhaps he’d said it out loud. “Look at this.”
He held out the missive Tory had brought in—the one from Ronan that Shane hadn’t realized he’d dropped. He was still reeling from what Tory had told him.
Lindsay had left him.
Hadn’t he already worried he wouldn’t be able to take care of his wife as he should? That his clan would grow lean over winter and go without because they had no money?
He’d already decided he’d do whatever was necessary to make sure Lindsay got the life she deserved. He didn’t realize he only needed to stay out of her way and she would see his promise fulfilled.
Alec frowned when Shane didn’t move to take the letter. “Should I send someone to bring her back?” Shane might’ve laughed at his younger brother. Surely, he didn’t know much about women if he thought that was an option. As if Lindsay were a child that had wandered off and needed someone to bring her home.
“Nay. Tis true, I have nothing to offer her here. I will grant her freedom and wish her well, wherever she is.”
His words were met with silence. Of course he didn’t expect Alec to have any grand plan for winning his wife back. Instead of waiting any longer, he nodded toward the letter still in Alec’s grip.
“What word does our brother send? I pray it’s not more bad news. I’ll not be able to bear it.” He slumped back in his seat.
“He has good news. He’s found Deirdre. One of his men has a daughter who married a MacKenzie. He reported that Deirdre is living there and a wedding between Deirdre and the laird is being planned. I’m not a friend to the MacKenzie laird, but no man deserves to be swindled of all his money.”
Hearing this stirred him to his feet, his earlier fatigue gone. If he could recover his funds, he might have a chance to get Lindsay back.
“Let us ride. The sooner we get there, the better chance we have of catching her with our money.” They prepared quickly, and Shane put his angry sister in charge while he was away.
It was quite a thing to see the laird, the war chief, and the ten soldiers in their entourage leave the castle to chase down one small woman. But Deirdre was wily and not to be underestimated.
…
Lindsay did not get to meet the laird her first night at Leod, and the next morning she slept late in the day. So it wasn’t until that afternoon that she found her cousin.
“You must take me to your laird,” Lindsay demanded. “This woman he plans to marry is a conniving witch. I must warn him.”
Meaghan shook her head. “Ye said as much last night, but I canna believe it’s the same woman. She is beautiful and poised.”
“As is the most venomous serpent.”
“But you can see how much she loves the laird when she looks at him.”
“She sees only the gifts and riches he can give her.” Lindsay doubted she’d sway the laird if her own cousin didn’t believe her, but she had to try. She couldn’t remain quiet while Deirdre ran off with yet another clan’s funds.
Meaghan’s brow creased, and she blinked a few times. “She has commissioned a number of expensive items. Her chamber has been elaborately decorated. The bed coverings are made of the finest silks. Her gowns. Her jewels. The laird has lavished her with many gifts. And just this morning, she asked him for a carriage.” She shook her head. “You say she did this to the MacPherson laird?”
“Aye.” Had Lindsay not slept so late, she might’ve been able to stop the woman sooner. “She did the same with the MacColls, though she stayed with the MacPherson laird for many years because he continued to treat her as a queen.”
“Come, then. We must tell him. Whether he chooses to believe us is another matter.” Meaghan led her to the study and whispered to the guard next to the door. Lindsay only heard the words: “… of the utmost importance we speak to him alone.”
The guard slipped inside the room as Lindsay’s heart pounded. How would she convince this man, who thought he’d found love, that his would-be bride was nothing more than a lying monster?
She knew well enough the pain that came from thinking one was in love only to find out the other person had different plans.
The guard returned to the corridor and held the heavy door open with a nod. Lindsay forced her feet to move forward, grateful Meaghan had stayed with her for this important conversation.
The laird was younger than her father, but the white hair at his temples spoke to his age.
Lindsay dipped into a curtsey. “Thank you for allowing me to stay at Leod while I visit my cousin, my laird.” Her voice shook slightly.
“You are quite welcome.” He looked to Meaghan in question, and Meaghan in turn looked at Lindsay.
“Allow me to introduce myself.”
“It is not necessary. Your father already told me. You are Lindsay Wallace.” He nodded regally toward her but paused when Lindsay shook her head.
“Nay. I am Lady MacPherson, wife of Shane MacPherson, the new laird of Cluny.” At least for the moment. It sounded odd to use the title she never planned to have and didn’t yet know if she planned to keep.
His brows rose, and a smile pulled at his lips. “Ah. I didn’t realize the MacPherson laird was here as well. It is very good to see some of my bride’s family has deigned to attend our wedding after all. She said everyone from Cluny rejected her. I’m glad to see you’ve had a change of heart.”
Lindsay swallowed loudly in the silence that sat between them. What could she say to convince him? She decided it was best to just wade in.
“My husband is not here. And I’m afraid you have been misled, my laird. You see, Deirdre fled Cluny after stealing the clan’s funds. From there, she went to the MacColls and married their laird only to do the same thing, leaving them with nothing but empty coffers. And now she is here, most likely planning to do the same with you.”
“What madness is this? Do you think I don’t know the woman I intend to marry?” Any hint of pleasantness had fallen from his face. She couldn’t blame him. No one wanted to believe such things about the person they loved.
Lindsay may not have believed Shane planned to abandon her if she’d not heard him say it with his own lips. The pain of that memory sent a shiver down her spine. She pleaded with the MacKenzie laird. “I’m sorry, but you do not know her. Not the real Deirdre MacPherson.”
The man blustered about as the door opened. Joshua came in, asking his wife what she was doing.
“This woman thinks my Deirdre is planning to empty my coffers and leave me. She brings unbelievable tales about a diabolical siren who captured the MacPherson and MacColl riches.”
Joshua’s brows shot up as he looked to Meaghan.
Lindsay worried she’d risked her cousin and her husband by speaking the truth, but she couldn’t stay silent and allow another innocent clan to fall victim to this woman. Rather than go with Joshua, Meaghan came closer to stand next to Lindsay.
“My laird, I have seen the things she has purchased. The gowns, the jewels. It makes me question her intentions,” Meaghan said as Joshua gasped and begged the laird’s forgiveness for her accusations. But Meaghan wouldn’t have it. “What reason would Lindsay have to lie about such a thing? She only wants to warn you to save us from the same fate as her own clan.”
The man was looking at Lindsay now as if he was considering locking her up in the dungeon for heresy against his bride. It was a testament to how numb Lindsay’s emotions had become that she didn’t really care if she ended up in a cell. The man needed proof, and she had none. But that didn’t mean they couldn’t get it.
Lindsay held up a hand. “I have an idea—one that will allow you to know for certain if I am telling the truth.”
The laird dropped his crossed arms. “Go on.”
Lindsay quickly explained her plan, which flowed from her lips while she was making it.
“And you see, if I’m wrong, no harm will be done. But if I’m correct, you’ll have your answer.”
The man walked back and forth behind his elaborately carved desk. Finally, he nodded to Joshua. “I’ll write the letter. Tell no one else of this. Once we confirm this is untrue, I’ll not have my betrothed think I didn’t trust her.”
“Yes, my laird,” Joshua said before leaving the room.
“Now we will see the truth,” the laird said.
Lindsay nodded, wishing someone had been able to save her from giving her heart to someone who planned to toss it aside. Love was a treacherous wave that carried one far from the steady ground on which they’d once stood. She worried she might already be swept away to the sea with no land in sight.