Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
“Are ye feelin’ well enough for a lesson?”
Katherine looked away from her breakfast, smiling at Agnes. Finally, after two days of sickness that seemed to drain her ability to do anything beyond sleep, she had managed to get out of bed and move to the great hall. She wasn’t surprised that Agnes found her so quickly.
“I suppose we could do somethin’ light,” Katherine mused, picking up a bannock. She took a bite, chewing thoughtfully. As she ran through the possibilities, Agnes leaned in close.
“Perhaps ye can show me maps,” she said quietly. “I should ken the lay of the land, aye?”
“Aye, I suppose ye should,” Katherine said, smiling at her warmly. “We could go to the library to find some maps to study.”
“The newest ones are in Father’s study,” Agnes whispered. “Perhaps we could ask him to assist.”
“I’m nae sure he’d oblige,” Katherine observed, putting her half-eaten bannock on her plate.
She hadn’t seen Liam since she’d awoken in Agnes’s bed.
He hadn’t come to visit her though that didn’t necessarily mean that he was still avoiding her.
She didn’t think she could stomach finding out that he was.
“He’s a busy man. The two of us can manage with the maps in the library. ”
“But did he nae say that me education was important?” Agnes asked, tilting her head innocently. She had her mind set, it seemed. “I think he would help. Kennin’ the surroundin’ areas is important.”
“Well,” Katherine said, deciding that it wasn’t worth her energy to try to reason with the girl. “I suppose that we can ask him. But if he’s busy, we willnae insist. We can begin our lesson in the library.”
“Excellent,” Agnes said, continuing to stand directly in front of her. “We will go when ye finish eatin’.”
“Are ye goin’ to stand there watchin’ me, then?” Katherine asked, wiping her fingers off on a napkin.
“It looks as if ye’re nearly finished,” Agnes said, putting her hands on her hips. “There’s nae point in goin’ back to me chambers or the solar.”
Katherine chuckled, putting the linen aside and rising to her feet. “I am finished,” she said. More slowly than she’d normally move, she began to walk toward the doors, Agnes’ footsteps following her. “Let’s see if yer father will indulge us.”
As they walked to Liam’s study, trepidation began to sink into her bones.
She had plenty of time to overthink every moment Liam had spent with her during the night she stayed in Agnes’s room.
Tilly told her he had spent the entire evening with her, and the healer said that if it weren’t for his efforts to lower her temperature, Katherine might not have made it.
“Ye’re quiet,” Agnes said, glancing up at Katherine. “Are ye sure ye’re well?”
“I’m simply tired,” Katherine said, which was more true than she’d care to admit. “Are ye protestin’ me bein’ quiet? Ye miss me volume?”
“That’s nae what I said,” Agnes grumbled though she was smiling as she did.
When they reached Liam’s study, the door was pulled closed. Katherine nearly told Agnes that he was clearly busy, but the girl stepped forward and knocked on the door before Katherine could speak. A beat passed before Liam’s voice said, “Enter.”
Katherine took a deep breath as she grabbed the handle. When she pushed it open, Liam was already looking at the two of them expectantly. His eyes lingered on Katherine, his gaze feeling like a physical caress.
“Ye’re lookin’ well but distracted,” Liam said, folding his hands on his desk in front of him. He sounded much too formal, almost like he was forcing himself to check in on her. “Has somethin’ happened?”
“Nay,” Katherine said, allowing Agnes to step into the study. “I’d like to give Agnes a lesson on the lands around us, but she insists that ye have the best maps hidin’ away in here.”
“He does,” Agnes said to Katherine. Shifting her attention to her father, she said, “Ye told me ye keep the most accurate maps here. The ones in the library are dated.”
“Aye, ye’re correct,” Liam said, unmoving. Katherine braced herself to be sent away, but he continued, “I keep hold of the most accurate records though the maps in the library do accurately depict the major landmarks.”
“Then we will conduct the lesson in the library,” Katherine said, putting a hand on Agnes’s shoulder to lead her away. It was better to dismiss herself than wait for the dismissal to come from his mouth. “I apologize for?—”
“Come in,” he said, stopping her from rambling any longer. “And close the door behind ye.”
He’s… welcomin’ us? Me?
Agnes rushed forward, putting herself in one of the seats across from him. Katherine closed the door slowly, ensuring the latch caught. Then, she walked over and settled next to the girl.
Liam had opened his desk, pulling out several large, folded pieces of parchment.
As he put away the document he must have been working on when they entered, he said, “It’s important to ken the lands and who owns them.
” He unfolded the map on top, spreading it out in front of him.
“And it’s even more important to ken who owns the land.
We’re surrounded by allies, but the second ye go further than this area here, ye could run into enemies. The?—”
He cut himself off suddenly. Agnes didn’t seem to notice, but as he tapped his finger against the parchment, Katherine saw how his jaw clenched.
If they had been alone, she might have questioned him, but whatever it was, she could tell he was protecting his daughter from it in the same way he was shielding her.
His finger traced a circle, marking the zone he’d designated as safe. Agnes stood, getting closer. She asked, “So, if I ken whose lands I’m on, I ken whether or nae I’m safe?”
“Nae necessarily,” Katherine said, trying to memorize the places his fingertip touched. “There is always the chance of bandits or ill-intentioned men.”
“Precisely,” Liam said, meeting her eyes again.
The praise and heat in his eyes made her heart race in her chest. Despite wanting to look away, she didn’t. It felt like the world had narrowed down to just the two of them.
“Then why does it matter if the land belongs to our allies or nae?” Agnes asked, pouring water on the fire that she hadn’t realized was starting to burn.
“For one thing,” Liam said, clearing his throat and returning his gaze to his daughter, “if our allies find ye, they’re nae goin’ to imprison ye.
And ye’re goin’ to be much more welcome on our allies’ lands than on the lands of those we daenae have agreements with.
” He pushed the map closer to Agnes. “But, as ye can see, our lands cover quite a large amount of the surroundin’ area.
As long as ye’re on our lands, there will always be guards nearby to keep ye safe. ”
“I will admit that I daenae ken exactly where the boundaries lie,” Katherine said, reaching over to trace the line that represented the river. “This, I ken. But if there’s nae any natural borders, I’m a wee bit lost.”
“I should take ye both out and show ye the lands that belong to us,” Liam grunted, not looking away from the cartography in front of him.
“I’m aware that ye’re ridin’ Brimstone about.
I’d rather the two of ye ken the places that are safe than pretend ye’re nae goin’ out.
Though I can make it clear that I’d prefer ye didnae go without me accompanyin’ ye. ”
“Does that mean we can all go out ridin’ soon?” Agnes asked, her eyes sparkling. “Could I ride me own horse?”
“Ye’ve nae learned how to ride yet,” Liam said though his tone wasn’t unkind. “Once ye’re older, we can all ride our own horses. For now, ye’ll have to ride with Katherine or me.”
“Are ye…” Katherine began, looking between the two of them. “Are ye sayin’ that ye’d like to go on a ride with us?”
Was he nae doin’ everythin’ in his power to avoid me just last week? What has changed? Can I trust it?
“As part of Agnes’s education,” Liam replied. There was a quality to his voice that she didn’t quite recognize. “And yers as well. I cannae have either of ye ignorant of somethin’ as simple as the boundaries of our land, but I willnae send ye out to discover it yerselves.”
“Can we go tomorrow?” Agnes interjected, seeming to realize that now wasn’t the time to demand she be taught to ride. Then, she glanced at Katherine. “If ye’re feelin’ well enough, that is.”
“I believe I could go on a ride tomorrow,” Katherine said thoughtfully, “but I wouldnae be able to go incredibly fast. And we may need to stop and take a break halfway through. I daenae want to push meself.”
Liam’s brow furrowed, and for a moment, it looked as if he were going to insist they wait. Agnes spoke first, though, saying, “Perhaps we can have a picnic halfway through.”
“I would like that,” Katherine said with a smile, allowing herself to be a little giddy about the prospect. “If we daenae go too fast, and if ye are willin’ to ride with yer father, I believe I could manage an outin’ tomorrow.”
The corner of his mouth twitched, but he managed to keep his face mostly neutral. “Then it is set.” He unfolded the second map, this one depicting the MacDougal lands. “But, before then, I’ll show the two of ye where we’ll be ridin’.”
* * *
When Agnes and Katherine left a few hours later, Liam couldn’t bring himself to focus on the reports. It wasn’t as if anything was conclusive. Every single missive he’d received held the same information.
There had been no sightings of the Pirate Laird and his crew, but there was evidence of bandits that they’d yet to sight. It left Liam feeling uneasy, but it wasn’t as if he had any solid leads to follow. His only option was to continue his vigilance, to prepare his guards for the bandits.
If that’s who they truly are.
He sighed, folded the maps, and put them away. Then he picked up the missives. Without reading the words, he glanced through them again. It was more out of habit than anything else, but there was nothing more he could do.
Eventually, he pushed it aside. It wasn’t giving up but a tactical regrouping. Standing, he scoffed and shook his head.
Dwellin’ on this doesnae do a damn thing.
He walked over to his window, folding his hands behind his back and looking out over the grounds. Agnes and Katherine were outside now, Tilly following behind them. They’d seemed exhilarated when they left, Agnes murmuring excitedly about the trip they’d be taking tomorrow.
Before Katherine had come to stay with them, Agnes hadn’t allowed him to see her excitement. He refused to believe that the girl never had anything to look forward to. She loved spending time with her great-grandmother, but he had taught his daughter to keep her emotions close to her chest.
He knew that it had been his doing.
Three sharp knocks sounded on his door, and he didn’t need to check to know it was Cillian. Without turning around, he grunted, “Enter.”
Cillian stepped into the room, walking straight to the chair Katherine had inhabited no more than an hour before.
Liam heard the flutter of a page being placed on his desk, the solid thunk of Cillian’s fingers against the wood.
When Liam turned around, his man-at-arms was watching him with a detached air.
“Another missive,” Cillian said, leaning back in his chair. “I took the liberty of readin’ it in advance.”
“And what did ye find?” Liam asked, grabbing the parchment from his desk.
“The same as all the others,” Cillian replied. He was quiet for a beat, letting Liam read it himself. “Seems we’ve got some particularly elusive bandits runnin’ around. Nay sightings of the pirates. Though I have to admit, it is a bit odd we havenae heard anythin’ about them in so long.”
“Perhaps we can start an investigation into these bandits,” Liam said, putting the parchment back on his desk. “Send out missives to all of our allies, tell them that we’re launchin’ a formal investigation into them, and instruct them to send any leads they have to us.”
“Ye daenae think they’re simple bandits,” Cillian observed, already rising to his feet.
“I daenae ken who they are,” Liam countered expertly.
He wouldn’t let himself sound paranoid. All these bandits were, at the moment, an oddity.
“I’d like to ken the damage that they’re causin’ and what they’re leavin’ behind.
We need to ken our enemy if we want to have any hope of defendin’ ourselves against them. ”
“Ye’re right,” Cillian said, walking toward the door. “I will begin me work now. I’ll get them sent out shortly.”
“Aye,” Liam said, settling into his chair and steepling his fingers in front of him.
“They will be safe,” Cillian said, pausing at the threshold. “Nay one is goin’ to let them be hurt, especially nae ye.”
“I willnae,” Liam vowed. “I will keep them safe even if it is the last thing that I do.”