Chapter 4 #2
Pelna examined it, and her blood ran cold. “It is.”
“Well, there ye have it, then,” growled Aidan. “In the struggle, it seems Bran gave us all we needed tae identify those who dispatched him.”
“Perhaps,” Pelna mused, “but it still makes no sense. Why would the McDaughs risk crossin’ our borders just tae kill a single farmer?”
“Tae anger and provoke us?” Jamie guessed.
The hopeful, eager-to-please tone in his voice confirmed what Pelna had long suspected—that he fancied her and hoped to impress her with his suppositions.
She had often caught him looking at her with affection and longing, though each time she did, his eyes had promptly returned to the ground, usually as a bit of color sprung up into his cheeks.
The attraction was harmless enough, she supposed.
A guardsman from a poor background could never hope to marry a noblewoman such as her, but as long as he knew that and was content to admire her from afar, there was nothing wrong with it.
Indeed, although she had no genuine attraction to him in return, she nevertheless found him somewhat cute, like a forlorn puppy.
“They’d hardly need tae gild the lily in that regard, now would they?” Aidan retorted. “We’re already at war, fer heaven’s sake! Do they believe we will lose our minds and attack blindly tae avenge a lone farmer?”
“They might if they believe that threatenin’ the innocents among our populace will drive us tae such action,” Pelna said.
“Which it very well might, if such things continue. Our own people won’t stand fer this sort of thing.
If they do not feel we can protect them, we might end up fightin’ a war on three fronts; the Sinclairs, the McDaughs, and our own villagers and farmers.
They might even desert us tae join with the other clans, fer that matter. ”
“That is a dire prediction indeed,” Pelna chided, “nae tae mention a premature one. Fer now, let us do what must be done with Bran and then return tae the castle and consider our options.”
So they carried Bran back to his own field and dug a hole for him, as his wife wept all the while.
When the body was interred, some of his friends and neighbors spoke words of praise about how he’d lived his life and provided for his family, and Pelna’s heart ached on behalf of his widow.
Before they departed, Pelna promised the woman that she would be well taken care of.
The promise felt foolish to her, though, as she herself could not predict what might become of their clan as a whole in the days to come.
Upon her return to the castle, she consulted with her father about what had transpired.
“This is grave indeed, Daughter,” Laird Cameron rasped. “We must respond at once. I shall send Stefan tae speak with Laird Fredric.”
“Father, do ye think it wise tae send Stefan?” she interjected fretfully. “He is known as a killer, and tae have him ride upon the McDaugh keep could make them believe we mean violence rather than discussion. Nae tae mention the fact that once he is there…”
“His temper might get the best of him, and he’ll not return home again.
” Cameron nodded, coughing. “Ye make a fair point, though the thought of sendin’ Daric is dreadful.
He might not even make it there at all since he’ll likely stop at every tavern and inn along the way.
If he does manage tae reach the McDaugh keep, he’ll barely be able tae stay on his horse by then.
And he’ll surely embarrass us all in trying tae speak reason tae them. ”
Pelna gave him a small smile. “Then I suppose that leaves me, doesn’t it?”
“Absolutely nae!” Cameron’s coughing intensified, and it took him quite a while to compose himself. At last, he was able to sputter, “I shall not send my daughter into the lion’s lair!”
“I certainly wasn’t proposing tae go alone,” she replied. “I’ll bring Aidan and Jamie along tae protect me.”
“They won’t be enough against an entire keep full of McDaugh soldiers!”
“Would ye have me ride with an entire battalion, then? That would certainly make them believe we are ridin’ tae combat with them. Admit it, Father. This is the only way.”
“But they will capture ye!” he fretted, wringing his frail hands. “They will hold ye fer ransom!”
“That happened only in aunt Darina’s case with the McDougals, I do not believe Laird McDaughs would stoop tae such dishonorable tactics too. That has generally not been his way.”
“If they have butchered a poor farmer, Pelna, there is no telling what other underhanded deeds they might be capable of!” he insisted.
Pelna reached out to take his hands in hers.
“We are still not entirely sure that they are behind this, Father. Something about the whole affair seems strange tae me. That is why it must be investigated, and that will require someone tae go and speak tae them about it directly. Tae send anyone other than one of yer own children would be considered an insult by them and would get us nowhere.” She kissed his forehead.
“I will be extremely cautious, I assure ye. But I must assume this risk on behalf of the clan. As ye have correctly pointed out, there is no one else who can.”
He considered it carefully for a long moment, then shook his head reluctantly.
“Very well. But remain there no longer than ye must, for I will worry about yer welfare until I see yer face once more. Can I not persuade ye tae take along a few more men with ye?”
“It is as ye’ve said, Father. Two men or ten, it will make nay difference in the end if they mean harm upon my arrival.
What’s more, we must leave as many of our people tae guard this castle as possible.
We are still at war with the Sinclairs as well and cannot afford tae waste manpower on an errand such as this. ”
As she set out for the McDaugh keep the next morning with Aidan and Jamie at her side, Pelna could not help but wish for a whole army to escort her.
She was smart enough to know precisely what was at risk here and screwed her courage to the sticking post, hoping she would live to see the gates of her own home again.