Page 70 of Wolf Heir
“Aye.”
Aisling returned with more ale for everyone at the table. “Rupert looks like he could kill you where you sit,” she whispered to Coinneach.
“Aye. I wouldna put it past him to try and find someone else to do the job,” Coinneach said. “Even if he had sent the hunters in the first place.”
“Och, and Osmond is giving you the evil eye,” Aisling said.
“If he’s behind sending his thugs to hunt us down, I’m no’ going to let that go,” Coinneach said.
“Nor will I,” Aodhan agreed. “The men worked for him. I canna imagine someone else could have convinced them to hunt you down.”
Morag came to mind.
Aisling hurried off to serve ale to the others at the champion’s table.
“So what do we do?” Aodhan asked.
“Talk to him?”
Aodhan drank some of his ale. “I’ll do it. Osmond willna know what is coming. If you confront him, he will, if he is the one who arranged this.”
But Coinneach wanted to be there when Aodhan questioned him. He really wanted to learn the truth for himself.
Once the meal was done, Coinneach walked off to speak to Aisling before he went up to the wall walk, but was surprised when Blair stopped him with a hand on his arm. “We need to speak. I’ve heard rumors that two of Osmond’s men who work in the stables have…uh, vanished.”
Coinneach looked around. Everyone had left the great hall. “Aye?”
“I wouldna think anything of it if some other men went missing. But when Niven told me the two men who work for Osmond left the outer bailey carrying bows and, as far as he knew, never came back, the rumors started. He said you and Aisling went running as wolves last night. Nelly carried Aisling’s bow and was with you. The men didna have Hamish’s permission to hunt, from what I learned.”
“Certes, no’, just any pack members. But they were trying to hunt down no’ only me, but Aisling as well. Luckily, Nelly was at the croft and safe.”
Blair’s eyes filled with tears. “What are we going to do about it?”
“We have to expose that Rupert isna Hamish’s son.”
“And that you are?”
“Nay. No’ at the moment. We need to prove Rupert is no’ Hamish’s legitimate son and mayhap Hamish will force Osmond, Morag, and Rupert out of the pack.” At least that’s what Coinneach hoped for. “Then they will no longer be a threat. I’m going to see Aisling and then go to work.” But he decided he couldn’t let Aodhan be the only one to speak with Osmond.
“Let me know what you plan to do.”
“Aye. I need to know who else was in the birthing room with you when I was born.”
“Senga and Isla.”
“All right. Thanks.” He didn’t know the women, but he was sure Blair or Aisling could point them out to him. He hurried off to the kitchen and found Aisling helping to clean up after they had eaten their meal. Then he kissed her and said he had to hurry to work.
She eyed him with suspicion.
He smiled. “Aodhan will no’ be happy with me if I dinna join him on the wall walk and he has to do all the guarding.” He kissed her again. “I will see you at the meal?”
“Aye. Dinna get yourself into trouble before then.”
“No’ me.” Then he gave her a bear hug of an embrace and hurried out of the kitchen. It didn’t take him long to leave the castle and head straight for the stables.
Aodhan was talking to Hamish’s brother, Collum.
What wasthatall about?
