Page 104 of The Splendor of Fire
Two guards threw Gordon to the ground in front of their horses, and he looked up at them, eyes rimmed with disbelief and steel. “What’s the meaning of this?”
Niall’s voice raised. “I have it on the authority of my mother that while I was away you took advantage of your position of trust and stole her keys. It seems you used them to gain entry to Mistress Allen’s room. The maidservant Ardis, and the housekeeper, Isobel, have confirmed this story.”
Léo’s chest clenched, and he said another prayer. Ardis, Isobel, and Moira were all in trouble.
Having enough pieces of information to avoid entrapping himself, Léo nodded. “I heard a scuffle as we passed Moira’s chamber and ripped the door down. You’ll have noticed its replacement.”
Niall nodded. “Aye. But what I cannot understand is why you didn’t kill the man or send for me at once.”
Careful to keep his face neutral, Léo explained. “A fair complaint. Iwould’ve killed him but didn’t want to foster a misunderstanding and be sent to Cràdh for murder. Additionally, I decided in order to keep Mademoiselle Allen protected it was best to hold it over his head, guaranteeing his good behavior until you returned.”
Niall grunted. “My mother searched for her keys and found they’d been stolen.”
Gordon gave a small convulsive shudder as Malvina’s lie left him abandoned. She would’ve had to tell it in order to clear herself from suspicion, only admitting to the partial truth. There was no recourse for Gordon. The keys had sealed his fate.
“I—I did no such thing.”
Feeling no pity for him, Léo watched as a guard hauled him up, exposing an oozing, angry-looking wound at the top of his chest from the pin Moira had plunged into him.
“How do you explain this wound?”
Gordon’s jaw hardened. “You’ll take the word of a wench no matter what I say.”
A flash of movement from the bushes caused Léo to look up. Crouching beneath the heather was Angus MacKay. He moved his hands.Birdy sent me and Eoghan. Said you may be in danger.
Blessing her, Léo gave the subtle sign forstay.
Angus signed back.We will.
Niall sneered at pale-faced Gordon. “My only regret is that my half brother didn’t end your life when he had the chance. Take him.”
The guard dragged Gordon kicking and screaming toward a lone birch tree, throwing a rope around his neck. Screeching like a wounded animal about to be devoured, Gordon pointed at Léo. “Don’t trust him. Don’t trust him, Laird. He’s up to something…the man has always been up to something.”
Stony-faced Niall watched as the noose was tightened around Gordon’s neck and the rope thrown over the branch and tied to a horse.
“What man gains weight in prison? Why? Don’t trust him. He’s hiding something. He’s always been—no—no…”
In one quick motion, the guard slapped the horse’s backside sending Gordon up by the neck, still kicking, protestations strangling in his throat.
Turning Thorny, Léo walked the horse away from the gathering, unable to bear the sight of the execution.
Niall headed straight for him. “You’re in charge of the granaries now. See this job completed. I expect you home before sunset. If you’re not back I’ll send the guard for you. Ardis has shared much. You’re next.”
After securinghundreds of pounds of harvested grain and setting watches of guard, Léo had barely enough time to ride for Dun Ringill before the sun would set. Praying with all his might, he navigated over the hills on the spooked horse toward the settlement of Heaste, where he would meet Angus to exchange information. Each time he urged the gelding into a canter, he bucked. If he couldn’t get the horse to go faster, he wouldn’t make it to Dun Ringill on time.
Sweat poured from Léo’s brow. Because Ardis had divulged Moira’s sickness, Malvina would have picked her out as the weakest link in the chain. A bug on which Malvina could lean until it squashed beneath her shoe. What else did Ardis know, and what did she guess at? Malvina would find out.
Angus and Eoghan walked into the middle of the road, a look of concern on their faces.
Angus shook his head. “You’re nearly an hour behind. You’ll not make it back to Dun Ringill before nightfall. Come back to Dunvegan with us.”
“I can’t. She’s in danger. I’m losing my mind trying to get this beast above a trot. He keeps bucking. I can’t look at him or raise my voice. He’s the most useless horse in the stables, which is of course the point.”
Rapt with interest, Eoghan came toward the horse and immediately the gelding began to shy. “Get off the horse.”
Annoyed, Léo rolled his eyes. “We don’t have time. I’ve been riding horses all my life, I’m telling you he’s useless.”
Eoghan waved a hand at him. “Trust me. Get your bum out of the saddle.”
