Page 90 of Laird of Smoke
Feiyan agreed, but he could tell she wanted to get involved.She was frustrated that her condition made it impossible.
Though Adam would never tell her so, he was glad she was incapacitated.Galloway was too close to Darragh for his comfort.The last thing his pregnant sister and her new laird of a husband needed was a war so soon after the battle for their castle.
He told her his plans.He meant to see if what the other lairds at Perth had said was true, that Fergus had been making raids on their lands.
“One more thing,” Feiyan said as he rose to bid her goodnight.
He turned at the door.
“I know you never go to tournaments,” she said.
That made him smile.He never missed a Rivenloch tournament.It was just that no one ever recognized him, and he always slipped away before they could.
“But we’re having one in late summer, here at Darragh,” she said, rubbing her round belly again.“Dougal has promised I can spar in the tournament after the bairn is born.And we’d be honored if you would attend.”
Adam knew that was Feiyan’s way of inviting him to meet his new niece or nephew.He wouldn’t miss that for the world.But he couldn’t resist teasing her.
He arched a brow.“You think you’re going to be fit to compete?”
She scowled, then arched a brow back at him.“You’ll have to return and find out.”
“I’lltryto make it.”
She sighed.“Fine.”
He winked and nodded as he left the solar.“Good night.”
Her announcement made this business between the king and Fergus even more pressing.A summer tournament meant the whole Rivenloch clan would be coming to Darragh.If war began at Galloway, they would be the nearest warriors at hand, the first to engage in the fighting.
He had intended to stay longer at Darragh, but with this greater urgency, haste was imperative.
If Fergus had installed spies among the king’s men, it was necessary for Adam to be the eyes and ears of the king in Fergus’s army.
To infiltrate Fergus’s ranks, Adam needed to appear nondescript, ordinary, a simple man-at-arms.He knew a fine warhorse would make him too noticeable.The Fergus holding of Kenmure was two or three days away on foot.So as much as he’d disappoint his sister, he’d have to bid her farewell on the morrow.
Adam couldn’t afford to risk having anyone in the Fergus clan recognize him.So from the Darragh armory, he chose discarded armor—battle-scarred plate, mail that was missing a few rivets, a dented helm, a splintery spear, and a sword that had seen better days.Things no self-respecting Rivenloch knight would own.
Feiyan naturally thought her brother was a clodbrain for taking such inferior gear.
He also needed a disguise that would be easy to maintain, yet make him difficult to identify.
Normally he didn’t like to make long-lasting changes to his appearance.It made him less flexible in a crisis.But this was a serious mission with a serious purpose.He might need to inhabit this character for a month or more.
So as soon as he left Darragh, he used his dagger to cut his long hair short.
Over several weeks, the thick stubble of his jaw would grow into a proper beard.
Once he drew near to Fergus’s holdings in Galloway, he took his time, loitering at inns and alehouses along the way, picking up bits of conversation and casually inquiring about work.
He wasn’t disappointed.It seemed Fergushadbeen sending raiders out to trouble the neighboring clans.The activity had escalated in the last several weeks.Most of the clans were recruiting men to guard their towns and herds against attack.
But they weren’t the only ones.
When Adam crossed into Galloway and arrived at the keep at Kenmure, it was clear Fergus was building his clan forces as well.
Joining the ranks of Fergus’s men-at-arms at Kenmure was easy.His captain was eager to enlist the services of dark-bearded, short-haired Ness MacNeill, a man-at-arms who had all his own equipment, even if it was rusty and dented.
As for learning the laird’s ambitions, Adam didn’t need to bother becoming a trusted confidante.Fergus was open and boastful about his plans.He regularly visited the armory to discuss strategies with the captain.It was clear he meant to expand his already sizable holding.
