Page 60 of Her Highlander's Darkest Temptation
“Dae ye ken…?” Lydia trailed off. “I…”
“I ken many things, lass.” Evelyn’s smile was as knowing as her words, and Lydia was suddenly certain that Evelyn had guessed some of the truth, and heard the whispers going around the keep. The healer might not know everything, but she likely knew more than anyone save Maisie or Donall.
She was also certain Evelyn would say nothing about them. The healer would neither confront her nor question her. And if she chose to confide in her mentor, then whatever she said would be kept in confidence.
And in truth, it seemed like nothing needed to be said at all.
They worked for another few candle-marks, until everything was done and packaged. Evelyn tucked everything into a basket. “Well, I’d best be gettin’ down tae the village.”
“Let me come with you.” The words slipped out of Lydia before she could stop to think. She blinked, surprised at her own boldness.
Only a seven-day ago, she would have been too afraid to leave the keep, unless she was with Donall or perhaps Ewan or Alex. But now things were different. She wasn’t certain whether she would end up staying or leaving, but for the time being, she wanted to be a part of the clan. A part of the life among the people of Clan Ranald.
Giving remedies out in the village was also a way to give back to the people that had sheltered her, protected her from Rory Cameron.
Evelyn raised an eyebrow, but all she did was smile a little wider and offer Lydia one of her baskets. “I think that’s a grand idea.”
Lydia followed the healer out of the cottage and toward the gates. She felt the stares of the guards, heard the whispers, but they no longer troubled her.
Whatever might happen, whatever decision Donall made or whatever decision she might be forced to make, she could and would do something real, something true and honest here. For as long as she remained with the clan, she would strive to support Clan Ranald and its laird, as honestly and wholeheartedly as she could.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
“Ihave new information on the attacks by Clan Cameron an’ the reasons behind them.” Donall faced the assembled Council. “Ewan an’ I interrogated the prisoner we captured from the attack on the watch post, an’ he was able tae tell us what Laird Cameron is after, an’ why he’s been sending raiders across our borders.”
“I heard the man died o’ a poison in the blood an’ a fever.” MacEvoney growled. “Are ye sure ye can trust what he told ye?”
“Aye. I’ve confirmed the information he gave me.” Donall took a deep breath. He was tempted to make up some tale, but he knew it would only be delaying the inevitable. “It turns out that Laird Cameron made a marriage contract with an English lord, an alliance in exchange fer the lord’s niece an’ only heir.”
There was a round of cursing, grumbling, even some spitting in derision before Elder McKennah asked the question Donall had been bracing himself for. “What lord? An’ what daes tha’ have tae dae with us?”
“The lord is Lord Cedric Wycliffe. His niece is Lady Lydia Wycliffe, an’ she fled her uncle’s land shortly after the contract was signed.”
Silence fell. Then McKennah spoke, his voice slow and full of clear disbelief. “Lydia… is that nae the name o’ the serving lass ye rescued near a fortnight ago?”
“Aye. It is.” Donall nodded.
“An’ is she the lass set tae marry Laird Cameron?”
“Aye. She is.”
MacEvoney snorted. “In that case, best tae hand her over an’ let the laird have his lass. ‘Tis the best way tae avoid a war.”
Donall scowled. “She asked for safety.”
“She pretended tae be a maid. She deceived us, an’ she even listened in on the Council. Whose tae say she didnae tak’ everythin’ she heard tae her uncle an’ Laird Cameron?”
“She came seekin’ safe haven. She deceived us because she didnae ken if we would protect her. And she didnae want tae put us in danger. She didnae ken that Cameron had discovered she was here. She needed help and was hurt. She planned tae leave as soon as she was better and had made little coin. But she’s done us nay harm, an’ she’s done good work with Evelyn.”
“Apprenticin’ tae a healer…”
“She was deliverin’ medicine tae the villagers this afternoon. An’ I spoke tae her… she’s daesnae want tae return tae her uncle, or go tae Laird Cameron.”
“She lied once…”
Donall clenched his jaw. “I ken why ye’re suspicious, but I want ye tae understand this - I’m tellin ye the truth because ye’re me Council, and ‘twouldnae be honorable tae lie now tha’ I ken the truth. However, what we dae in regards tae Lydia… we’ll nae be sendin’ her away. Nae unless the situation requires sendin’ her tae me sister in MacLean.”
“Ye intend tae protect her, then.” MacEvoney scowled. “Why?”
