Page 79 of Wolf Heir
"My laird, Lady Morag has requested my presence, but I must discuss a very urgent matter with Coinneach first." Aisling was certain Hamish regarded her as if she were out of her mind.
"What is this about?" Hamish eventually asked, now seeming to believe it could be significant and that she should not be dismissed so readily.
But then she blurted out, “I was going to tell Coinneach not to remove his shirt while fighting the others.”
Hamish raised his brows.
“Because he has a wolf mark on his shoulder and some would want him and others dead if they knew he was…he was…well, if he were kin to you.” She couldn’t say his son. Mayhap Collum had dallied with a lass and had a child by her; she had died, and the child was given to another family to raise. She hadn’t considered that before.
Though none of that had aligned with anything her mother had told her.
Hamish motioned to his brother, and Collum quickly joined him, glancing at Aisling as if knowing she was the reason the fight was being held up. “Come with me, brother.”
Aisling wrung her hands. She had done it now. As soon as the brothers headed for the tower stairs, Blair joined Aisling.
“What was said?” Blair asked.
“Oh, Momma, Morag wanted to see me. I was afraid she would stop me from telling Coinneach to wear his shirt. And then I had the brilliant, but no’-so-brilliant, plan to tell Hamish I was to see Morag, but I had important business with Coinneach. Then I blurted it all out. Well, just about Coinneach wearing a wolf mark, and he might be kin to Hamish.”
“That’s why they’re going up to the tower stairs?”
“Aye.”
Everyone was talking and laughing. A few of the men ready to fight glanced in the direction of the wall walk.
Hamish was talking to Coinneach, and then Coinneach removed his shirt.
Tears filled Aisling’s eyes. She hadn’t had time to tell him the new story that his mother had made up.
Then Coinneach put on his shirt, and he and Aodhan followed Hamish and Collum down the stairs.
Morag and two of her lady friends approached Aisling and Blair. “I told you to come see me, Aisling. I wished to have you serve me as one of my ladies-in-waiting. I would have done that with Blair, but she’s indispensable as our healer. Beth and Jane will take you up to my solar and explain what you will do as your assigned duties.”
Morag glanced at Blair. “You come too so you know what your darling daughter will be doing.”
Aisling knew this wasn’t good. She said, “Aye.” Then she hurried off to the women’s quarters.
“Where are you going?” Morag asked.
“To get something from my quarters.”
Morag eyed her with distrust but finally relinquished. “Jane and Beth will meet you up in my solar. My mate wishes me here.”
“And Blair also,” Aisling said. If Morag had someone on her solar who wished Aisling harm, she didn’t want her mother to get hurt also.
“Aye, she can return to the inner bailey if anyone gets hurt.”
Blair left with Aisling, and she said, “I dinna believe she wants you on her staff.”
“Nay, she wants to get rid of both of us so you canna tell Hamish the truth.”
“But others know about it,” Blair reasoned.
“The crofter family? Morag willna think for a moment that Hamish would believe what they have to say is the truth. You see how the chief did nothing to her even after Osmond accused herof being his lover for all those years. And he probably confessed that he is Rupert’s da.”
The men began fighting, and Aisling paused to see who Coinneach was fighting. Hamish, but Coinneach was at least wearing his shirt. Did Hamish not believe Coinneach was his kin?
“What do you have to get from your quarters?” Blair suddenly asked.
