Page 137 of Highlanders for the Holidays
Chapter 4
Ronald waseasy enough to find. He was in the gathering room, pretendingnotto be interested in BridgettingenComnell. With a roll of his eyes, Connor pulled his youngest brother away from the table where he’d been eating and gave him a quick summation of what was happening.
“Ye really think she be the babe’s mum?” Ronald asked as he took a healthy bite from the roasted chicken leg he held in his hand. How anyone could eat as much as Ronald did and remain as thin as he did, was a mystery to Connor.
“Aye, I do. But I want ye to keep that to yerself. Ye tell no one.”
He nodded as he chewed. “I’ll tell no one, ye have me word.”
Connor thanked him. “Have ye seen Braigh?”
Ronald grinned mischievously. “He be above stairs with his wife. Ye might want to give him about a half an hour.”
Connor shook his head and rested his fingertips on his hips. “I swear he will kill himself if he does nae stay away from her for at least a day.”
Ronald laughed heartily. “I think he’d argue he’d die if he did.”
He left Ronald to go in search of men to bring a bed, trunk, and other things from the storage room in the north tower. Standing in the shadows near the kitchens, he found Bridgett, who was pretending not to be interested in Ronald.
“Bridgett, I have a favor to ask ye.”
She was easily startled, this lass. She jumped, squealed in fright, before grabbing her chest with her hands. “Connor! Ye nearly scared me out of me skin!”
If ye hadn’t been so focused on me brother…“I be sorry, lass.”
Taking her by the elbow gently, he drew her out of the shadows. The petite, pretty girl with light brown hair and hazel eyes had been in love with his brother for years. She simply hadn’t gotten up the courage to tell him yet, or anyone else. But everyone in the keep knew how she felt, for there was no mistaking it. At each meal, she saved the best cuts of meat, the warmest slice of bread, the freshest fruits for Ronald. She had a distinct look of awe and longing whenever she glanced his way. Hopefully, they’d both get up the courage to admit how they felt before they died of auld age.
“What is it ye need?” she asked as she tried to catch her breath.
“I have found someone to care for me daughter,” he informed her. “She be above stairs with her now. Could ye help settle her in? See that she has everythin’ she needs?”
“Och! I be so glad ye found someone,” she smiled up at him. “Of course I shall help. Who is she?”
“Her name be Onnleigh.”
Bridgett repeated the name a few times, searching for some memory. After a few moments, her eyes grew wide. “Nae Grueber’s daughter?”
Connor nodded, curious as to why she sounded worried. “I have some vague recollection of the name but I fear I cannae remember him.”
Lowering her voice, she motioned for Connor to draw nearer. “Grueber be a thief,” she explained. “He be a layabout and drunkard as well. Do ye remember the time yer da caught him tryin’ to steel a sheep?”
Connor searched his mind for some memory.
“I was just a little girl then, but I remember it. Yer da caught him red handed, tryin’ to steal the sheep. Grueber lied his way out of it by sayin’ the sheep had escaped and he was only tryin’ to return it. He was famous forfindin’things people hadlost. Why yer da put up with him, I dunnae ken.” She shook her head in disgust. “I’ve nae seen Onnleigh in at least ten years, mayhap more. We used to hold our pouches close when we saw Grueber comin’. I have nae seen him in at least a year.”
Now, he remembered. Not the lass, but her da. Aye, Grueber’s reputation was well known. Suddenly, he began to wonder if the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. Was the daughter as big a thief as her father?
“Ye’ll need nae worry about Grueber. He passed away in the spring.”
“I wish I could say I was sorry to hear it,” she admitted.
“What of Onnleigh? What do ye ken of her?”
“I fear I dunnae ken her well at all. As I said, I have nae seen her in at least ten years. I do remember her bein’ verra quiet as a child. Her mum died when we were verra young. After that, she did nae visit verra often.”
Ten years was an awfully long time to stay away from the keep and the village. Connor wondered if by chance she had stayed away out of shame. And who had fathered her babe? The more questions he asked, the more questions he found.
“Thank ye, Bridgett.”
