Chapter 21 #2
Fergus looked around the dining hall. “I daenae think the Laird will be happy about ye feeding the dog. Bad habit,” he said casually.
Lilliana shrugged. “Well, he should be here if he wants to have an opinion,” she said a little more sharply than she had intended.
Fergus gave her a sidelong glance. “I believe he’s down at the bottom pasture, seeing to a sick calf. He should come back soon.”
Lilliana smiled tightly. She hated that everyone seemed to know more about the Laird’s movements than she did.
“In any case, ye were saying about the water…?” Fergus prompted, reminding her of their conversation before Rua interrupted.
“Oh, yes. I’m certain that I know the source now.”
“How did ye come to that conclusion?” Fergus asked.
“Well, by questioning people mainly. I went back to the village and talked to my patients and their families. Most reside on the northern side, nearest the stream that comes down from the hills. I thought it might be the loch, but according to the villagers, they use that water mainly for cleaning.”
Fergus frowned. “But if that stream were poisoned, wouldnae the animals who drink from it also fall ill?”
“Not if she’s only poisoning the well it feeds. I don’t think she’s poisoning the stream—she’d need an awful lot of poison for that. But a well that is fed by the stream, on the other hand…”
“Hmm. And who is this ‘she’ ye’re referring to?”
Lilliana shrugged. “The Laird mentioned a suspicious woman going around, saying that she could heal the sick. A stranger. The timing is suspicious, don’t you think?”
Fergus frowned. “Have ye told the Laird all of this?”
“I haven’t told him what I learned today, since I haven’t seen him yet.”
Fergus nodded. “See that ye do. I’m sure he’ll have this woman apprehended as soon as possible.”
Lilliana pursed her lips. One of the boys she had treated was in bad shape. He was hanging by a thread at this point. The longer this woman was allowed to run free, the more risk people would be in.
“As soon as possible will not do. We need to stop her now.”
Kayden spent most of the morning in the lower yard.
The air was cold and bright, the sort that sharpened a man’s thoughts whether he wished it or not. He watched two lads struggle to mend a broken cart wheel, correcting their grip once and then stepping back to let them figure the rest on their own.
A laird could not do everything for his people. They had to learn to stand without him hovering over their shoulders.
“Ye will never get it straight if ye keep forcing it,” he said, nudging the spoke into place with the toe of his boot. “Ease it. Wood bends before it breaks.”
One of the lads flushed. “Aye, Me Laird.”
He left them to it and crossed towards the paddock, where the cattle were being counted. The steward handed him a slate, murmuring about feed stores and a broken gate near the southern ridge. Kayden listened, nodded once, and issued a few short instructions.
As he turned to go, a woman approached him hesitantly. He recognized her as one of the crofters’ wives from the village. She dipped into an awkward curtsey.
“Me Laird… I wished to thank ye. And Her Ladyship,” she added quickly.
He stilled. “For what?”
“She sat with me wee lass yesterday. Wouldnae leave her side even when the fever made the lass difficult.” The woman’s eyes softened. “The English may speak fine and act like they are keepin’ us safe, but they daenae always stay when things grow unpleasant. Yer lady does.”
Kayden inclined his head. “She does what she believes is right.”
“Aye,” the woman said. “And folks have noticed.”
He moved on without comment, but the words lingered.
Near the stables, he found Jacob leaning against a post, arms folded, watching him with too much interest.
“What?” Kayden muttered.
Jacob smirked. “Nothing. Just observing how often ye circle the castle doors like a hound waiting to be called.”
“I am inspecting the grounds.”
“Aye,” Jacob drawled. “And I am the King of France.”
Kayden shot him a flat look.
Jacob pushed off the post, falling into step beside him. “I spoke with Old Fergus this morning. Says the villagers near the loch are getting better.”
“That is good.”
“And he says yer wife was the one who noticed the pattern of the sickness.” Jacob glanced sideways at him. “Folks are starting to listen when she speaks.”
Kayden grunted. “They would be fools nae to.”
Jacob grinned. “Listen to ye. Two weeks ago, ye would have said they should be cautious of a sassenach healer.”
“Two weeks ago, I hadnae seen her work,” Kayden replied evenly.
Jacob laughed under his breath. “Aye. Work.”
Kayden ignored him and mounted his horse, taking a short ride along the outer fields where the trackmen reported no sign of the mysterious healer. The wind bit at his face, clearing his thoughts. Still, more than once, he found his gaze drifting towards the path that led down to the village.
By midday, he returned to the castle to mediate a small dispute between two shepherds, settling it with a few firm words and the promise of shared grazing rights until spring.
One of the older men clasped his forearm before leaving.
“Her Ladyship came by the lower cottages this morning,” he said. “Brought herbs. Didnae fuss over rank or dirt. Sat right on the ground with us.”
Kayden nodded once, expression carefully neutral.
“She is… different,” the man added.
“Aye,” Kayden agreed quietly.
Jacob found him again near the armory steps.
“Ye ken,” he said lightly, “if ye keep walking around like that, folks will start placing wagers.”
“On what?”
“On whether ye will ever manage to eat a full meal without staring at the door.”
Kayden snorted despite himself. “Ye talk too much.”
“And ye brood too much,” Jacob returned easily. “Come. Dinner is about to be served.”
They entered the dining hall together.
Rua appeared at his side as if summoned by his thoughts, and Kayden huffed. As he walked slowly towards the high table, he passed his housekeeper, who avoided his gaze. Everyone in the castle seemed upset with him these days.
Aye, well, it cannae be helped.
Kayden refused to be rushed. He could only deal with one crisis at a time. Once they had eradicated the sickness, he would turn his attention to Lilliana.
He nodded to her as he took the seat opposite her, and a maid placed a plate of food in front of him. He pulled it close, with a nod of greeting to Fergus.
“How is the calf?” Lilliana asked.
Kayden cocked an eyebrow in surprise, and then his gaze flicked to Fergus as he realized the old healer must have told her. “He’s fine. Just a bit of colic.”
She nodded. “That’s good.”
“And ye?” he asked, taking a bite of steak. “How was yer day?”
She gave a deep, tired sigh. “Long. I’ve narrowed down the area from which the villagers are getting poisoned water.”
“Is that so? Ye must show me on the map, and I’ll send men to investigate.”
She leaned forward, her gaze intent. His fork froze midway to his mouth as he stared back at her.
“I can help,” she said.
He blinked, having not expected that. “Help? Ye already have.”
“No, I mean with the search.”
His brow furrowed as he sat back, shaking his head. “That’s a job for me men, nae the lady of the castle,” he said firmly.
She huffed. “It’d be faster if I were on site as they looked. I could confirm whether we were right—”
“Nay.” His heart sped up at the thought of her out there alone, with this evil woman running around. There was no way he could risk it. “I will send two guards to check the wells once ye point them out to me on the map upstairs in the study.”
She looked him in the eye, her own narrowed in annoyance, and he had to fight not to smile as she sneezed not once but twice. He knew if he showed any sign of indecision, she would jump at it and insist that she go with his men.
She took a deep breath, and he found himself doing the same.
“Is there a reason for your refusal, or are you—” She bit her bottom lip, probably to keep from saying something inappropriate.
He smiled. “I have already sent out two men to investigate, and we should wait for their report.”
She huffed, her cheeks red, still looking annoyed. However, she gave him a stiff nod. “Alright, thank you.”