Chapter Twenty-Six
Connor
The next day, Connor sat in the solar with Drew, Alaric, and Maitland. Drew had shared what he learned at the tavern last night. It seemed they were about to be attacked again. But why?
“I need to know what they’re after. Did he give you any idea about that, Drew?”
“Nay. Naught. Just that it would be happening within a sennight.”
A knock interrupted them. Connor said, “Enter.”
Hagen stepped in, someone behind him that he couldn’t see.
“What is it, Hagen? We’re busy.”
“Brynja has some information for you. She heard the two men talking when they were in the boat.”
Connor nodded. “Please, escort her in.”
Hagen ushered her inside, and the four men all stood. By the shock on Brynja’s face, he knew that she’d never been treated like this before. The expression on his father’s face told him he thought the same.
Brynja blushed and said, “Good morn to you all.”
Hagen said, “You’ve met my sire and Maitland. This is Grant’s grandsire, Drew Menzie, Avelina’s husband and Maitland’s sire, and this is Alaric, another cousin, husband to Eli.”
“How is Hildi, lass?” Connor asked, waiting for her to sit before taking his seat again.
“She awakened last night and this morn. She’s improving slowly.
” Hagen ushered her to a chair in front of his father’s desk.
Even though it was technically Maitland’s or Dyna’s chair, Maitland and Dyna both allowed Connor to sit behind the desk when he joined the conversation out of respect for his previous lairdship.
Dyna stuck her head in and said, “Sorry, Sandor is being a wee devil this morn. Have I missed anything?”
“Nay, Brynja has something to tell us. Go ahead, lass.” He waved Dyna inside.
Dyna took a seat and nodded to Brynja, so the lass began. “When we were on Ulva, I heard the two men talking before they saw us. One wanted to know how many guards the Grants have.”
“Did you hear their names?” Maitland asked.
She thought for a moment, tipping her head. “I did. Sholto and… Dugald? Nay, Dugan. That’s it. Dugan.”
Connor looked at Drew. “Is that the name you were given last eve?”
“Aye, his name was Sholto. Brown hair, long, short brown beard. A head shorter than me but broad shoulders. Scar on one cheek.”
“Aye, the same. That’s the man I hit with my dagger.”
Drew smiled and winked at her. “And you’re still causing the man pain from it, lass. He was limping last night and rubbing his inner thigh. Well done.”
“There aren’t many with aim like that,” Connor said. “I hope you are proud of yourself for that.”
She blushed but said naught, moving her chair a wee bit closer to Hagen’s. Connor wondered if his son knew what a telling movement that was. Probably not, but he surely did.
Connor said, “Continuing. Do you know why he wished to know how many guards we have?” Suddenly he felt so tuned into the lass that he had to calm himself. He had the oddest inkling that nothing could prepare him for what she was about to reveal.
“He told Sholto that if he didn’t attack, that if he stayed on Tiree, he still had to know how many you would bring.”
“Did he say anything else that you recall? Anything at all.”
She nodded, swallowing hard. “He asked if any of Alexander Grant’s heirs were here. He said your name and asked about Kyle and James, I think?” She looked at Hagen, who turned wide-eyed to his father.
Connor held his hand up to Dyna, who jumped out of her chair. “Might he have said Kyla and Jamie?”
“Aye. One said Kyle and James, the other said Kyla and Jamie. He wanted to know if any of you were here and if any grandsons were here.”
“That bastard,” Dyna said, pacing the floor now. “Why? Did he say why he wanted Connor? And what about granddaughters? I’m right here waiting for him.” Her fist came up from her side as if she were about to punch someone.
Brynja paled, so Connor motioned for Dyna to sit again. They needed this information as accurately as possible. Brynja was exhausted and in strange surroundings. Connor said, “Let’s give Brynja the time she needs to recall everything.”
Dyna sat and muttered, “My apologies, Brynja. Take your time.”
Then Connor gave his attention back to the lass in front of him, the trembling in her hands evident. “Did he say anything else that could be important? Why he was interested in the Grants? Or in me?”
Brynja cleared her throat. “Dugan said Alexander Grant killed his father.”
“Oh hellfire,” Maitland said. “That could be a hundred different men, Connor.”
Drew said, “Could be another Buchan.”
“Or a MacNiven,” Dyna said.
“Brynja,” Connor asked. “Did he say who his father was? An earl, a baron, a jarl, anything like that?”
She shook her head, glancing at Hagen seated next to her. Connor heard him whisper to her, “You did a great job. No worries.”
Then his son squeezed her hand. Connor glanced at the two faces, noticing something there that hadn’t been there before. The two were definitely in a relationship, and it was more than a simple friendship.
His son was falling in love with Brynja. And she was returning his feelings.
Connor wasn’t surprised. She was beautiful in a different way.
There wasn’t a dainty bone in her body. The lass’s constitution was tougher than the hide on an old buck, and she was feisty as hell.
She reminded him of Eli Ramsay, Alaric’s wife.
She wasn’t going to let anyone bowl her over with lies.
He’d wager she’s tossed a few punches before, though her prowess with a dagger was already known.
She just had to get used to a wild, but loving, bunch of Grants.
He was confident she would.
The chatter continued amongst the group as they tried to guess who Dugan could be, laughter here and there at the memories that surfaced of Connor’s father and his many battles.
But out of the corner of his eye, he caught the change in Brynja’s countenance, the expression on her face changing with the rest of her body.
“I remember.” She bolted up from her chair, looking at each one in the group.
“What is it?” Connor asked, his voice quieter than it had ever been, the group silent and waiting to hear what she had to say. Dyna stood up and gripped the back of the chair next to her.
“Sholto asked him who his grandfather was. He didn’t say the whole name, just his first name. He said his grandfather’s name was Niles.”
Everyone in the chamber stilled, Dyna fighting to keep herself from charging out the door. Connor could feel the tension shoot up at just the thought that this could be who they initially thought of.
Who they were all thinking about.
Poor Brynja looked at all the shocked faces. “Did I say something wrong?”
“Nay, lass. You are doing beautifully.” Hagen squeezed her hand again.
Then Connor asked, “Did you hear the name Niles Comming?”
“Nay, just Niles. Alexander Grant killed his grandfather, Niles. He wants vengeance.”
“Oh my God in Heaven,” Dyna whispered.
Drew said, “Connor, don’t let this change how you handle anything. It should have no bearing on anything.”
Maitland said, “That’s not possible, Da.” He looked at his father and arched a brow.
Brynja looked at Hagen. “Who is Niles?”
Connor said, “Niles is the man who raped my mother. And aye, my sire killed him for it. He deserved worse.”