Page 81 of The Forest Bride
“Please, Duncan Dhu.”
He sighed, reached out a hand, and cupped her cheek. Craving that touch, she leaned toward him, but he dropped his hand away and stepped back.
“Dress and come downstairs. You may know some of these guests,” he added with a smile both teasing and sad. Leaving, he closed the door behind him.
For a moment, she nearly called him back to her, feeling keenly how much she missed him. But he was needed to return to the visitors, and she needed to hurry. Why had he said sheknew them? Puzzled, she gathered her clothing and found a comb.
Soon, she entered the great hall, blinking at the bright flames leaping in the fire basket while darkness still shadowed the windows. Golden firelight fell on the faces of those who stood about, men in cloaks and chainmail, one woman in black, most holding cups, talking. One by one, they turned as Margaret entered. Smiles grew.
She set a hand to her heart, and tears rose. Henry—and Liam!” she said, crossing the room as she saw her brother and brother-in-law. “Agatha too!”
Arms out, she was soon enveloped in embraces.
Duncan smiled, feelinga hint of Margaret’s warmth and joy as he watched her hug her brother, embrace Liam Seton, and turn with affection to the slender nun who had traveled with the group. Dame Agatha Seton—Sir Liam’s sister—came with them to provide female company for Margaret and Lady Lilias, who he felt sure would be here soon. He would not entertain any lesser thought regarding the child.
Folding his arms, waiting, he wished he had acted sooner on Margaret’s repeated insistence. He had wanted to believe her, but a justiciar needed firm evidence and could not rely on impulse and intuition. Yet Margaret Keith had taught him to give more rein to feelings he had learned to temper or lock away. Rely less on caution and doubt. Take more chances. And reveal the love he held inside before it was too late.
He was pleased she was happy in this moment, and content to give her the time now to enjoy it. Another wish came to him then; what if he had never walked away from her, what if her kin had accepted him into their caring fold? He wanted to give that a chance now. He hoped she would let that happen.
The morning had brought another reunion, he thought, glancing at the tall knight standing to one side. To his surprise, his brother Iain Campbell had disembarked with the rest. Three years had passed since he had seen his sibling, older by just a year. Iain had joined a group of Scottish rebels centered in the great forests of Ettrick and Selkirk, and had all but disappeared. Just moments ago, he had explained to Duncan that he ran with Sir James Lindsay now, an outlawed laird whose name was known to nearly every sheriff and justiciar in Scotland. Through James he had met Sir Liam Seton, and now Iain, too, had been recruited to help Bruce with certain tasks—including, this time, rescuing Lilias Bruce.
Smiling at the thought, Duncan clapped his brother on the shoulder. Iain grunted. Even taller and darker than Duncan, his natural demeanor had not changed. It had always been that of a silent, somber fellow. Only a few knew he hid a good heart and a surprisingly intuitive soul. More than his brothers, Iain had inherited their mother’s gift of the Sight. As a lad, he had been the only one to see strange visions through the hole in a stone.
“Once all that is done,” Iain said, gesturing toward the laughing Keiths and Setons, “what is next, brother?”
“We will gather together and discuss what to do. Con and Lennox and I have a plan to share. We must act quickly now that we know who may have the Bruce girl. Iain,” he said, “what do you think?”
He grunted, looked about the hall. “I think the place looks almost as good as it did when we were lads. Well done.”
“What else?” Duncan sent him a wry look.
“I believe,” he said in low, rumbling tones, “we will find the child. But something is… You must be wary, Duncan. There is true danger in this. But I am at your back.” He clapped Duncan’s shoulder hard. Margaret turned.
“So you found the Keith lass, did you?” Iain huffed. “Took you long enough.”
“Arrowshot! We hadnot heard that,” Henry said later, as Margaret and Duncan shared what they knew with Henry and Liam. “We saw Menteith at Dunbarton Castle. He was lame with an injury, but did not explain it.”
“You saw him?” Margaret asked. She leaned forward, eager to hear more, hoping they had also heard some hint of Lilias. Seeing Duncan’s frown, she felt sure he was hoping the same.
“We went there to ask if he, as sheriff, knew aught of an escort expected at the Firth of Clyde that did not arrive,” Liam Seton said. “He told us his men stopped an attack on an escort and took a girl to her MacDougall kin. As for the foot, I took it for gout and did not ask.”
“He was shot?” Henry asked.
“Injured in the heel like Achilles of old,” Duncan said. “He cannot walk or ride easily for a while. He left Dunbarton to go to his castle at Loch Roskie, a morning’s ride east of here. We can thank your sister for delaying whatever plans he may have made while we puzzle out where Bruce’s daughter may be.”
Henry lifted a brow. “Meg delayed him?”
“I entered an archery contest. But my shot went awry. Sir John walked near just as I released the arrow.” She touched the pendant at her throat.
Henry glanced at the arrow-shaped pendant; her brother knew its origin, but said nothing. “Well,” he went on, “it is lucky for us that his plans changed, if he has the girl.”
“He also told us his men took a girl to her MacDougall kin,” Constantine said.
“We did not mention Bruce’s daughter,” Henry said. “He was willing to meet with me as I am deputy sheriff of Selkirk, nor did he question that Seton Dalrinnie and his sister, the prioress,were with me. Iain Campbell,” he added, “stayed outside with the rest of our escort.”
“Best he did not know that I was lately with rebels in Ettrick Forest,” Iain said.
“When I mentioned that my sister and a fostered Murray lad were also with the missing escort,” Henry said, “he went pale. It made me suspicious, I swear.”
