Highland Hawk: Highland Brides #7 (24 page)

Back in his own chamber, Haydan hurried through his toiletry, taking a pumice stone to his whiskers, tying back his hair. A silent reprimand rasped through his mind for his hurry, but he stilled it. After all, 'twas his job to ascertain the young king's safety. 'Twas good for him to be at the lad's side, he thought and he hurried down the steps toward the stable. His boots rang against the flagstones in the courtyard. From a nearby alcove the sweet sound of a lute filled the air.

Haydan glanced in that direction and saw Rory strolling along with the bottle-shaped instrument against his chest. Nodding, Haydan continued on. The music stopped. "You are looking more the hawk this morn," said the Rom.

Haydan halted. "What say you?'

Rory gave a crooked grin. He was a handsome lad, which did little to improve Haydan's mood.

"I could have told you, you would get nothing from Grandmother last night."

"Get nothing?" Haydan asked, struggling to keep his tone casual.

Rory shrugged, his expression disarming. "She can be as tight-lipped as a monk."

"Hardly tight-lipped," Haydan said. "Indeed, Blackburn's ale supply is much depleted since last eve."

Rory laughed. "Oh, aye, she can drink her weight in ale. Yet still she told you nothing, aye?"

"Told me nothing of what?"

The Rom's gaze didn't flinch. "About Catriona. 'Tis what you wished to know, is it not?"

Haydan said nothing, but Rory only shrugged. "You are hardly the first mouse to be snared by the Cat."

"I think you are imagining things."

"Then you have no interest in her?"

"On the contrary, I owe her a great debt of gratitude."

"So you only wish to help her?"

"What help could I give her?" he asked, his tone tighter than he wished it to be.

"I think mayhap that is for my Catriona to decide."

Careful now. Careful.

"Mayhap your Catriona is too cautious," Haydan warned. "I would help her if I could."

The Rom was silent for a moment. "Nay, it seems she yet depends on me to mend her wounds. And 'tis right, of course. For despite her flights of fancy, I am the one she shall wed," he said. Giving Haydan a hard stare, he turned to walk away.

"Lady Cat."

Catriona turned abruptly from her gelding. "Your

Majesty," she said. "You are about early." 'Twas indeed early for the young king to be in the stables, but 'twas good that he was here away from the prying eyes of the nobles who surrounded him.

"I am come to practice my horsemanship," he said.

"Are you, now?"

"Aye." He grinned. "I thought I would see if I could damage the remainder of my person."

" 'Tis a lot to ask on an empty stomach."

"But mine is filled with scones and honey mead."

"Ah, then why delay?" she asked. "Unless Sir Hawk would object to more injuries."

"He gave his blessing."

"Truly?"

"Aye, so we may as well be started."

Catriona acquiesced, for her time was rapidly slipping away, and fate or God Himself had delivered the lad into her hands.

Though the hour was early and Bay was less than jovial about leaving his stablemates, James was an enthusiastic student and a determined horseman. With a little coaching he improved his ability to launch into the saddle and became increasingly adept at cuing the gelding for his spectacular leaps and strikes.

The sun was halfway up the morning sky when James slipped over the gelding's rump for the final time.

Galloway and Cockerel stood against the stone stable wall as they watched their young ward.

"So I am ready," James said, his freckled face still flushed from exertion.

"Ready?" Catriona patted the gelding's neck and loosened his girth. "For what, Your Majesty?'

"For our adventure."

Cat's heart bumped abruptly against her ribs as her hands fumbled with the saddle straps. "Adventure?" she asked, skimming her gaze breathlessly toward the guards.

"Aye," James said, his own gaze cutting toward Galloway. "I've decided I want to do it on my birthday."

She tightened her grip on the stirrup leather. "Do what, exactly?"

His grin was effusive, his eyes alight with mischief. "We will sneak from the castle, of course. Just you and I."

For a moment she forgot to breathe.

" 'Twill be the perfect opportunity, with all the festivities. 'Twill be marvelous. No one will know that I am freed."

"But what if we are caught?" 'Twas not her place to dissuade him, she thought frantically.

"You shall bring him to us," Blackheart had said. "Just you and the young king. Or your brother will know us very well indeed before he dies."

"We will not be caught," James whispered. "You are of Durril's wild blood. Surely you can see this done in the dark of the night."

"I..." 'Twas what she needed to do, but terror and guilt gripped her in a tight fist. She spurred her gaze sideways as fear pumped through her. She was certain there would be a guard there to drag her to the gallows. "But what of the Hawk?"

James shrugged. "I am
here
alone. I think he has other things on his mind. Or perhaps he is ill."

"Ill?" she rasped.

Galloway removed himself from the wall to stride across the springy turf toward them. "Is something amiss?"

"Nay," they said in unison.

"Nay," Cat repeated, her gut burning with bile and fear. "I but wondered why Sir Hawk is not here. Is it true that he is ill?"

"I do not know," Galloway said.

"He did not insist on accompanying me here," James said. "And he looked the color of the moat in midsummer."

"The Hawk sick?" Catriona asked. 'Twould be best for her plans if he was well out of the way, and yet she was torn. "Mayhap I should notify Physic."

Galloway cleared his throat. "In truth, my lady, I do not think you need concern yourself."

"But if he is ill—"

"I believe 'tis naught more than a wee case of poisoning."

"Poisoning!"

"Ale poisoning."

"Oh?" The Hawk did not seem like one to drink to excess. She frowned at the guard. "Is this a common occurrence?"

"I have never known it to happen before."

Perhaps he was not drunk at all! Perhaps he had only pretended so that James would think it safe to discuss their plans.

"In truth, lady, I believe 'twas your grandmother he was drinking with," Cockerel said, joining their small group.

"Grandmother?" She had heard nothing of this. But then, Grandmother was well known for her tendency to divulge what she wished and keep the rest silent.

Cockerel's full lips quirked up suddenly. "I believe Sir Hawk was intent on matching your grandmother's considerable appetite and therefore—"

" 'Tis always a pleasure to hear my name on your lips, Cockerel," Hawk said.

Catriona jumped, and Galloway paled to the color of weak cream. Only Cockerel grinned.

"Sir Hawk," he said, nodding.

"Aye," said Haydan. "In the flesh."

"The lady was just worrying over your absence."

"And you felt it your duty to reassure her?"

Cockerel bowed. "I only do what I can, sir."

Haydan glowered at the dark guard for a moment, but finally turned his attention to James. "And what trouble have you found for yourself, lad?"

"Trouble?" Innocence, it seemed, was the boy's forte. Cat wished she could say the same for herself, but her heart was still thundering overtime and her head felt light. "No trouble, Sir Hawk. Lady Cat was assisting me with my horsemanship."

"Was she, now?"

"Aye," James said. " 'Tis my duty to improve my skills."

Hawk gave him a skeptical glance. "And you care?"

"Of course. 'Tis as you say—even the king of the sky must make his arduous journey west each day. No matter how weary or worn," he said, his tone dramatic.

Haydan scowled then nodded toward Cat's gelding grazing placidly nearby. "And what has that to do with this horse?"

"Like the sun..." James lifted his hand skyward. "I too must fulfill my destiny and learn to conduct myself as befits my station."

The Hawk's brows lowered even further over ice-blue eyes. " 'Tis not the fact that you discerned the message that concerns me most, but that you listened to the moral at all."

James grinned. "Who can tell, Sir Hawk?" he quipped. "Pigs might yet fly. Who knows what the morrow might bring?"

Chapter 19

"On his birthday," Catriona said, abruptly pacing again. Caleb wobbled on her shoulder, but found his balance without the aid of his bandaged wings after a bit of scrambling.

"You will take him then?" Marta asked, her old voice rusty in the narrow room.

"Unless we can learn who the culprit is, I have no choice," Cat said. She turned hopefully toward her grandmother, but the old woman shook her head.

"For a time in the hall last night I thought I felt the evil. But the place was full and I could not determine the source, though I sat long trying to sort out the emotions. As the crowd diminished I hoped to identify the feelings. But even with only a few men left, the place felt filled with passions. The kitchens were less confusing." She turned shrewd eyes to her granddaughter. "Was it not the MacKinnon lad who you drugged and ransacked?"

"Aye. It was."

"It seems he enjoyed it."

"Noblemen are strange," Cat said, distractedly pacing again. "What did he say?"

"Something about your purity, and that only a lout would besmirch your name."

"Who did the besmirching?"

" 'Twas a dark fellow with half-lidded eyes."

"Drummond. He was speaking to MacKinnon?"

"Even as I left Haydan the Hawk asleep on the table."

"But why?"

Marta sighed from her place on the bed. "Ahh, lass. If every man who spoke of you was guilty of treason, there would not be an innocent left."

"There are no innocents left."

Marta was silent for a moment, then, "What of Haydan the Hawk?"

"What of him?"

"Is he innocent, I wonder?"

Catriona shook her head. "Innocent? Nay. Well-meaning?" She shrugged. "I do not know. But it matters not—I dare not trust him."

"Mayhap you have no choice but to go where your heart leads you."

" 'Tis not my heart that is important here," Cat said, fear spurring up inside her. " 'Tis Lachlan."

"And the king?"

"Aye." Catriona clenched her hands and paced again. Calum flitted through the open window to land on the cage and taunt Caleb with his ability to fly. "Aye, the king, too."

"When do you meet Blackheart again?"

"Two days."

"Where at?"

Cat shook her head. "I do not know. I go first to the livery stable in Burnsvale. There I shall be told what to do next."

"And tonight?"

"When all is quiet I will continue my search."

"You will be careful?"

"Aye," Cat said and forced a smile for her grandmother's worry. 'That is exactly what I shall do."

Lightning slashed against the iron-bound window. Fractured light burst in the darkness then subsided, throwing Catriona's life back into blackness. From the direction of the great hall came a burst of raucous laughter. The sound itself seemed to blow Catriona toward the nearest door. The inhabitant of this room was yet in the hall. That much she knew, thus her reason for being here.

His door opened noisily under her shaky hand, but she was inside in a moment. The chamber was bathed in darkness, but she risked no lamp. There was no sound but the noise of her own breathing, rapid and harsh as she hurried to the far side of the room. But the floor was cluttered and she tripped.

Startled, her heart, beating like a wild drum, she turned to determine what had tripped her up, and in that moment she realized the truth.

'Twas a person on the floor! She recoiled. A servant had been left behind to wait in the darkness. But perhaps she hadn't awakened him. Cat turned to rush for the door, but lightning cracked across the ebony sky. Forks of silver slammed brightness into the narrow room, illuminating that space like the light of day and showing a narrow rivulet of blood on the face of—

"Lachlan!"

Catriona hissed his name in horror, and in that moment she awoke, but the nightmare pursued her.

Lightning crackled like the lash of a whip outside her window. She jerked wildly to her feet. Thunder snarled.

She whimpered at the sound as the image of her brother's bloodied face ripped through her mind. She must find him!

Flying across the room, she yanked open the door and launched into the hallway.

"Catriona!"

She heard the voice but did not stop. There was no time. Every moment counted. The floor flew beneath her bare feet.

"Catriona!" Something snagged her arm. She fought it off, but her captor was strong.

"Nay! Let go! I must—"

"You must what?" Haydan asked, his voice deep.

Reality slashed across her consciousness. "I must..." Words deserted her. Only fear remained; the rancid taste of terror on her tongue.

"What? You must what, lass?"

She winced, remembering. "I had a dream," she whispered.

"You shall be his only hope and you shall not fail him. Nay, you are the Princess Cat, willing to sacrifice all if needs be."

She shivered as dreams and reality melded in a confusing swirl of uncertainties.

"Dreams cannot harm you, lass. All is well." Haydan's hand felt warm and unearthly strong against her skin. "I will see you safely back to your room."

"Nay!" Lightning crackled outside. Fear exploded within her again. "Nay." She calmed her tone, but her heart still raced and in her mind she saw the door again. But now she realized that the hinges were twined with unruly vines. 'Twas not a room inside the castle at all, but the door of a crofter's cottage that she had seen. "I cannot go back just yet Please."

Up ahead and around the corner a man murmured something indistinguishable and another chuckled.

Haydan scowled and paused a moment, then, draping his arm around her, he herded her away from the on-comers. It took only a few minutes before they stepped inside a small room. He closed the door behind her. Candlelight flickered in the draft.