Page 40 of The Forest Bride
“And more. Menteith may have Bruce’s girl, though he claimed that the girl his men rescued on the road was taken up to the MacDougalls.”
Malcolm set the book aside and leaned forward. “Tell me more.”
Explaining what he knew and had reasoned thus far, Duncan drew a breath and then mentioned the broken betrothal. Malcolm huffed.
“I remember. You are still unhappy over it. That wee bit lass, here? God’s foot! What an odd coincidence. Providence brought her to you. So perhaps it is a miracle.”
“I hold no faith in miracles, nor do I trust Providence to mess about in my life.”
“Says the justice man. But think, now. Lady Margaret escaped, or she would have been taken too. If Menteith arranged this deliberately—though he claims not—I wonder if Margaret was part of his scheme, considering who she is.”
“Henry Keith’s sister and a niece of the Marischal of Scotland?”
“And a granddaughter of Thomas the Rhymer.”
Duncan looked up sharply. He had forgotten that. “Certainly Henry and the Marischal, too, would be incensed over harm done to a Keith daughter, not to mention Bruce’s lass. But True Thomas is long dead. What bearing would that have on this?”
“Bruce said the Rhymer left part of his legacy to the Keiths of Kincraig. Last autumn, one sister—she married William Seton—was pursued by Edward’s men. Something to do with the Rhymer’s legacy.”
“Why would Edward care about that?”
“A book of prophecies or some such. But he never got it. And since the sisters are co-heiresses, he may hunt them too, their brother as well. Edward wants something that belonged toThomas the Rhymer. But they say he is mad, and growing more so.”
“Mad or cunning, either is dangerous,” Duncan muttered. “So Liam Seton married a Keith sister? I did not know. He carries out tasks for Bruce. I would think the fact that she is Bruce’s daughter would be enough reason for Edward—perhaps through Menteith—to order her pursued and caught.”
“True, with the queen and others captured by English, Bruce has tasked Seton and others to watch over certain Scottish noblewomen. That would include the child. Henry Keith and Liam Seton would have been discreet in arranging to move the Bruce girl, and Margaret Keith with her. Apparently someone found out.”
“Menteith sends spies about,” Duncan said. “Sheriffs communicate with one another, so perhaps there was word of the escort. Given the rumors about Menteith’s previous deeds, he would be wary. Perhaps he had someone watching Henry Keith.”
“Menteith’s deed—betraying Wallace, as many suspect?”
“That he sent that good man to a horrible death, aye. So he is not above threatening Scotswomen who have ties to Bruce. But a lass close to Thomas the Rhymer—that is more difficult to understand.”
“Bruce trusted Thomas, who carried out missions for him.”
“Ah. Then he had knowledge Edward would covet.”
“He had magic Edward would covet. Predictions. Potions. Who knows? Listen, Brechlinn. If your wee lass has something Auld Thomas gave her, Edward will want it. He never got the whatnot off her sister.”
“I see. This is making more sense. Margaret Keith was with Bruce’s lass, and she may have something of the Rhymer’s as well. So both lasses might be targets. If Menteith, Edward’s sworn man despite his Scots blood, is behind it, this may beanother arm of Edward’s revenge against Bruce. Yet there is something else at work here.”
“It seems so. But we cannot divine it sitting here.”
“Lady Margaret wants us to go after Menteith. For now, we will keep a close eye.”
“Thanks to your lady, he will be stuck by the fireside nursing his foot for a while.”
Duncan sent him a sour glance.
Moonbeams shining throughthe window woke Margaret often until she finally sat up in the darkness. Yawning, she went to the window and pulled open a shutter for a breath of cool air. Beyond the wall, the rippling loch reflected the moon’s gleam.
From the tower’s height she could see the bailey as well as the outer curtain wall that sheared down to the water. Out there, she spotted a rowing boat beached on the pebbled shore.
If she could get to that boat, she could row down the loch and return to the forest to look for Andrew. If Duncan Campbell would not act soon, she would find her own way through this predicament. She felt so strongly that she bore responsibility for Andrew and Lilias—she could not bear to think either might come to harm.
The last few years had honed her natural independence, changing a dreamer, a naïve lass with a wild streak, into a stronger, more insistent soul. Within a year of Duncan Campbell’s rejection, she was in a convent, ill and grieving—thinking him lost, thinking her chances gone. Healing slowly, she discovered her ability to be determined and capable, while her stubbornness, and that wild streak, only grew. She refused to marry her father’s choices and decided she would never be a bride. So be it.
Yet meeting Duncan again, she felt relieved and aye, joyful that he was alive and well after all. Seeing that he had become areserved, competent, certain, very handsome man reminded her of what she had lost—what they could have had. Even more, she realized what she had gained without him. She was a stronger woman because of it. If she were honest with herself, she owed him for stirring that in her.
