Page 42 of The Handfasting
“I’m two years older than Cathalin.”
He rattled his head. Surely that wasn’t right. “Ye’re the oldest?”
“Aye.”
No?l closed his eyes. Was he missing something? “Ye’re theoldest?”he repeated.
“Aye,” the siblings said together.
“The oldest, as in the rightful heir to the laird?”
“Oh. Well, nae,” Ysenda explained. “The laird has never…he’s never claimed Caimbeul as his heir.”
“Hold on.” No?l’s heart started to race. He didn’t want to get prematurely excited. But something was awry here. “Are ye sayin’ ye’re the next in line?”
“In principle, aye, but—”
“Nae, nae, nae, nae,” No?l interrupted. “Not in principle. In actual fact.” Now his heart was pounding. This could be his answer. “Exactly why has he not claimed ye? Are ye not his son by blood?”
“I am.”
“Are ye a bastard?”
“Nae.”
“Why then?”
Caimbeul flushed and lowered his gaze.
Ysenda answered for him. “He’s never claimed Caimbeul as his son because he’s a cripple and unfit to rule.”
“But he’s not unfit,” No?l insisted, beginning to pace eagerly now as he considered this new piece of information. “Ye saw him on the field. Not only is he bright and clever, but he can even hold his own with a sword.”
Ysenda and Caimbeul stared at each other. Clearly, the thought of contesting the inheritance had never crossed their minds.
He supposed he could see why. The Highlands were so remote that a clan laird was essentially the ruler of his own domain. The Scottish king might lay down the law of the land. But the laird felt he had the power to bend that law as he saw fit.
In truth, however, laws were a matter of record. No man could alter what was written down by a king to suit his own wants or needs…not even a laird.
“It doesn’t matter whether the laird wishes to claim him or not,” No?l explained. “Caimbeul is his son. As long as he’s fit to rule—and anyone can see he is—by law, Caimbeul is the true heir.”
“So ye’re sayin’ the holdin’ doesn’t rightfully belong to Cathalin,” Caimbeul mused aloud, “no matter who she weds? It belongs to me?”
“Exactly.” No?l crossed his arms over his chest in satisfaction. “Which means—”
“Which means we can all have what we want,” Ysenda gushed. “We can stay married and go to France. Cathalin can wed her Highlander…”
“And I can come to train with your men,” Caimbeul inserted, for fear he might be excluded.
No?l gave him a slow grin. “Aye.”
Caimbeul rubbed his jaw, thinking this over. Then his brow creased. “It doesn’t seem possible. Do ye truly think ’twill come to pass? My father is very strong-willed. And the Highlands is a long reach for the arm o’ the law.”
“Which is why the king sends men like the Knights o’ de Ware to enforce the law,” No?l said.
“Ye’d do that?”
“Aye, o’ course. Ye’re one of us now.”
