Chapter Fifteen
The hour was late when the tap came on her bedroom door. How odd. Daimh was to be away tonight. But, if his plans had changed, she didn’t want to miss spending any time with him. Wrapping a bed robe about her, she walked to the door, her heart beating in anticipation.
No sooner was the door opened, Iona sidled her way into the room. Taken aback by the visitor, she closed the door and the other woman leaned back against it.
“I hae no doubt ye are surprised to see me here, but I heard Daimh would be away, and I did nae want to miss me chance to tell ye the truth. Ye deserve it and he hae no right to continue to lie to you.” She appeared nervous, her lip twitching and her hands shaking.
The hair on Harper’s nape lifted and a shiver crawled up her spine. This couldn’t be good, and Harper had a very bad suspicion that no matter what Iona said, Harper wasn’t going to like it.This woman had done nothing but glare at her since she arrived and now she wants to impart secrets—to protect her? Iona had to know Daimh had told her about Thomas, so what other secrets could she hope to impart? Harper’s gut instinct was to simply throw her out, but curiosity gnawed at her. Deciding to allow Iona to say her peace, she indicated they should sit in the chairs by the fire.
“Nay.” She didn’t move. “I dare not be caught speaking to you like this or I will suffer.”
“Then say what you came to say.”
“I ken ye don’t like me or trust me.”
“Iona, that’s simply not true. I have no reason not to like you and I understand you and your mother care for Daimh’s brother. That alone is a wonderful thing.”
Iona began pacing. “That’s why I came to see ye.” Stopping suddenly, she pierced Harper with a gaze.
“Is something wrong with Thomas?” Fear scratched at her.
“He is nae… what Daimh told ye.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Thomas is my son.”
Confusion swirled. “I still don’t understand.”
“Mine—and Daimh’s.”
This made absolutely no sense. Iona had to be making this up. And she had an obvious motive. She wanted Daimh for herself and this lie she was spouting would be a perfect way to get rid of her rival. That is, if Harper had been na?ve enough to swallow it.
“I see. But I thought you were a widow.”
“Daimh and I concocted this story so no one would suspect we harbored a changeling.” She resumed pacing again. “I assume he told ye that Thomas was his brother and he was just kind enough to care for him. But the truth is he is a man unwilling to admit the truth. And his son and I are paying the price.”
“What price is that?” Harper was still skeptical, to say the least.
“To nae claim me as his rightful wife.”
“I see.”
“I hae proof. That’s what I came to tell ye. If he promised to marry ye, he cannae. He already has a wife. Me. And a child.”
This was one amazing tale. Iona clearly had a huge imagination. Or an ambition to get Daimh to marry her. What she hadn’t counted on was that Harper was not so gullible. “Proof? In what form?”
“I took the precaution of haeing the priest write up a parchment that declares our marriage.”
Was that possible? “I would like to see that paper.”
“O’ course you would.” Her voice dropped. “I counted on that. But I did nae bring it with me. It is at the cottage. Come with me now and I will show ye.”
“I think I’ll wait until Daimh returns and talk to him first.”
“And see me cast out? If he kens I told ye the truth, he will see to it I am sent away. It would kill my mother, to say naught of the pain it will cause… me son.” She shook her head. “Nay. Ye must come now when the castle is asleep so I can prove me story and no one will find out. And then you’ll ken the truth of it.”
Was it even possible Iona was telling the truth? Could Daimh be so two-faced, so dishonorable, as she claims? Harper had made mistakes in the past. She had thought Richard to be kind and supportive and really, he only wanted her for her money. And once he could lay claim to it as her husband, he showed his true colors.
Would Ian, who seemed like a wise and moral leader, allow this to transpire? For Daimh to be so despicable as to deny his wife and the child he fathered? Would the fact that Thomas was deemed a changeling encourage the laird to keep Daimh’s secret?
Harper needed data and the only way to find that was to go with Iona to the cottage. In itself, that was an act of betrayal to Daimh, but then she hadn’t known him very long. She needed the truth. And there was that niggling insecurity, planted by neglect from her parents and constant criticism from her ex. There was also curiosity. Harper knew Iona wanted Daimh, but just how far would she go to see her rival disillusioned and willing to take a step back? Yes, she would like to see her proof.
“Give me a moment to dress.” She grabbed her gown and stockings from the chest in front of the bed. With her back turned, she was careful to tuck the dagger Daimh had given her into a garter, just as a precaution. She was curious, not stupid. She tied the ribbons in the front of the vest and slipped on her shoes.
“Show me,” she said to Iona.
Nodding with satisfaction, the woman opened the door and leaned out, checking the corridor. She turned back to Harper. “Ye must be quiet and when we reach the gate, you must tell the guard ye need to tend a sick child. Tell them the child is in a cottage near the landing and ye do nae require escort. They will let you pass.”
With the knife pressed firmly against her thigh, Harper did not perceive how this woman could pose any type of physical threat. Unless what she had told Harper was true and then Harper’s emotional world would fall apart.
Her heart pounding, Harper followed Iona down the steps, being careful to make as little noise as possible. They slipped out the main door and Iona hurried to the gate with Harper close behind.
“Who goes there?” A guard called down.
“It is I. Harper. I mean the Lady Harper.”
Harper glanced to Iona who had pressed herself against the wall, not visible to the man guarding the gate.
“I must tend to a child on the other side of the loch, who has fallen ill. It will nae take me long.”
“It is late and ye should nae go by yerself. I will send down an escort,” the guard responded.
“No need. “’Tis not far and I shall return quickly.”
“Does not sit right to send ye out alone in the dark.”
“Please, we waste time while the child suffers.”
The guard thought about this for a moment, obviously weighing her words. “If ye hae not returned in an hour’s time, I shall send someone for ye. Which cottage?”
She had to think quickly. “The one closest to the loch to the right of the landing.”
The gate lifted and Harper slipped through as Iona hugged the wall and eased her way out, still holding the shadows. Once they were away from the castle and headed to the loch, a thought occurred. “Iona, why didn’t you show yourself? Surely there would be no harm in my visiting with you and your mother.”
Moonlight lit Iona’s face and an ugly half smile lifted her lips. It was the smile of victory.
Before Harper could react, a sharp blow smashed into her head and a dark cloth was thrust over her face as the world went black.
***
“Pardon, my lady, but hae you seen the lady Harper this morn?” Daimh’s tone communicated his feeling of dread.
He had just returned from a night of scouting and had gone directly to Harper’s room. Being away from her was a new torture he had never experienced before, and he sought to soothe the ache. When he had hastened to her chamber and found her bed undisturbed, a bad feeling in his bones told him that something was amiss.
“She is not in her chamber?” Skye asked.
“Nay. And I have sought her in the kitchens and the hall. No one has seen her this morning.”
“Well, she wouldn’t just disappear.”
A look of panic crossed her face. Skye suddenly turned and ran up the stone steps to Harper’s room. He caught up to her as she dropped to her knees beside the bed, and pulled out Harper’s bag, and rummaged through it. She grabbed hold of something inside and sat back on her heels, breathing a sigh of relief.
“My lady?” Daimh asked. Now he was completely baffled. What did whatever was in that bag have to do with Harper not being in the castle?
Skye hesitated, then pressed her lips together. “She would not leave without this,” she said, indicating the carrier.
“Do ye ken where she might have gone. ’Tis still early.”
Skye was quiet for a few moments, clearly thinking. “I don’t ken. But this is nae like her.” A thought seemed to strike. “Would she hae gone to visit… someone in Dornie?”
“Ye ken, do ye not?” The edge of betrayal was blunted by the fact that, although it was clear Harper had told her about Thomas, there was no judgment in her question.
“Daimh, she only told me because she was so happy ye had shared yer secret. She confessed her love and was worried that before ye told her about yer brother ye were holding back. And when you confessed about him, she loved ye so much more.”
Hearing this from another, especially from the lips of Harper’s closest friend, warmed his heart. Knowing about Thomas increased her love for him. It was a small miracle.
“To answer yer question—I can go and see.”
“In the meantime, I shall ask everyone to help look for her.”
Fear clenched in his gut as he rowed to Dornie and hurried to Eilidh’s house. He was a knot of anxiety. His mind whirred with all sorts of horrible ideas of what may have befallen Harper. And he felt the need to check on his brother. Whoever took Harper may have also come here. By the time he reached the cottage, he was overly distraught. He pounded on the door until Eilidh swung open the portal, her brow was creased with worry.
“Daimh?”
“Is the lady Harper here? Is Thomas well?”
She seemed confused. “Is there a problem?”
Just then, Thomas threw himself into Daimh’s legs and hugged him. “I miss you when yer not here,” the boy whined.
“I ken, lad. I promise to return soon, but now I must find the lady Harper. Ye hae not seen her hae you?”
The boy shook his head. “Maybe Iona knows. But I do nae think she slept here last night.”
Turning to Eilidh, his eyes widened. “Is that true?” Nothing made sense now. Was Iona in danger, as well. Or was Iona’s jealousy the reason Harper was nowhere to be found. Was that possible? Daimh knew she wanted him, but to harm another to further her cause? It was unthinkable.
Eilidh frowned and hurried back into the cottage to check the cot where Iona usually slept. “Thomas is right. Her bed is still made. But I didnae hear her leave, so it must hae been after I went to bed. Or it’s possible she slipped out early this morn.”
Daimh bent down to Thomas. “I will come back soon, I promise.”
“Maybe Iona found a man friend,” Eilidh suggested, her tone hopeful. But Daimh was already up and running to the loch, fear clutching at his insides.