Highland Lover: Book 3 Scottish Knights Trilogy (40 page)

As dismayed by the obvious lies as by Niall’s return, Alyson said, “Malcolm, do not disturb my lord father or mother. These gentlemen will not stay, because we have too many visitors arriving to house them as well. Doubtless, the Blackfriars will have room. Do show Sir Kentigern to a room where he can tidy himself. Whilst he does, I’ll talk with Master Clyne in your sitting room.”

“Now see here,” Mungo said, but Alyson cut him off without hesitation.

“I
will
have privy speech with Niall,” she said. “Do not try to interfere.”

Clearly irked, Mungo replied with a curt nod.

“Niall, come with me,” Alyson said as Malcolm led Mungo to the stairs. She entered the porter’s room left of the front door and gestured Niall toward its center.

“What is this about?” he demanded without turning when she shut the door.

She moved to look him in the face and said bluntly, “It is about the pair of you lying to me, Niall. I know exactly what you and Mungo did. You boarded that pirate ship like lambs when they told you to and left me to drown. Mungo had only to crook his finger for you to leave me there.”

“That is not so!”

“It is, aye. And
don’t
tell me that Mungo said he’d sent someone for me.”

“But he did say that!”

“He did not
send
anyone. Even if he had, you should have made sure I was aboard that ship before it left without me. You did nowt o’ the sort.” Hearing Jake’s voice in those last words made it seem almost as if he stood beside her.

“But you are
here
, Allie,” Niall said. “And, I’m delighted to see you. But you must not talk to Mungo as you did. You’ll anger him.”

“I don’t care if I do.”

“But
I
do, and I am your husband, lass. My friends—”

“You are
not
.”

“Not what?”

“You are no longer my husband, Niall. I had our marriage annulled.”

“You cannot possibly—”

“By my troth, sir, I’m already married to someone else.”

“Who?”

“No one,” Mungo snapped from the doorway, startling them. “She lies, Niall. You must teach her not to do so.”

Alyson turned back to Niall. “You know I do not lie, Niall, so you should believe me when I tell you that the Papal Legate, here to consecrate Bishop Wardlaw, annulled our marriage and married me to the knight who rescued—”

She stopped when Mungo clapped a hand across her mouth and wrapped his other arm around her torso so tightly that she feared he would break ribs.

He said to Niall, “I got the porter out of the way. Look and see that no one else is there. We’ll take her out the way we came in and through the North Port to your tower. I’ll sort her out there.”

Struggling, Alyson tried to free her mouth long enough to tell him that Niall had no tower. But she could not. Nor could she manage to bite Mungo’s hand, although she tried, fiercely.

Niall’s eyes widened. But he did nothing to stop his so-called friend.

Jake judged that they were nearly halfway to Stirling when Ranald said in a surly tone, “You said you’d discuss whatever I want to discuss.”

“I did, aye.”

“Did you mean it?”

“I told you, lad, I mean what I say.”

“Well, I don’t see how Allie can have married you when she is plainly married to Niall. What cause could anyone have to annul
their
marriage?”

“I’ll explain,” Jake said. He did so bluntly, explaining the influence he believed Mungo exerted over Niall. Ranald continued to express skepticism until Jake described just as bluntly Niall’s departure from the pirate ship. The younger man’s face paled then, revealing shock and dismay.

“They left her to drown?
Niall
did?”

When Jake just looked at him, Ranald said grimly, “I see. By my troth, sir, although my brothers never liked Niall, I did. I don’t say you’re right about him and Mungo, but I’d never have believed Niall could be capable of such betrayal.”

“Believe it,” Jake said.

Chapter 19

F
urious that Niall had allowed Mungo to carry her off without objection, Alyson felt more helpless than she had aboard the sinking
Maryenknyght
.

Mungo kept a hand over her mouth until they were outside in the close, where she was shocked to see a crowd of men and horses. She had not known that Mungo had men of his own, but they were clearly his, because they merely watched while he used his neck scarf to gag her and Niall’s to tie her hands behind her.

She recalled that Will had said he’d heard horses, but no one had said how many there were. However, Malcolm would not expect MacGillivray people to look after so many, especially after she’d said they would not be staying. Doubtless, he had been as shocked as she was to see Niall and had simply let her put first things first. To him, Niall and Mungo must have seemed harmless.

When Mungo mounted and told Niall to help set her on the saddle before him, Niall obeyed without question. Then he mounted his horse while Mungo draped his own long cloak over her and arranged it and her so that she could barely see. No passerby would notice her gag or bindings.

“If you try to scream or do aught to draw attention, lass, I will make you gey sorry,” Mungo muttered in a tone that chilled her.

She told herself that she was not afraid of him. Despite the armed escort and Niall’s traitorous behavior, she did not believe he would let Mungo harm her.

They rode out of the close, turned toward the North Port, and were soon outside the city wall, crossing the North Inch, where the great Clan Battle of Perth had taken place when she was twelve. Her own confederation, Clan Chattan, had won. Her uncle Shaw, as their war leader, had fought there, and Ivor had, too.

If only Jake, Ivor, or Shaw were there now! But they were not, so she would have to take herself in hand and decide what she could do.

Less than an hour later, Braehead Tower came into view, high on its lofty hilltop overlooking the river Almond two miles before it flowed into the Tay.

“There it is, Allie,” Niall said. Then, glancing at her, he said, “You must remove her gag, Mungo. The men-at-arms there ken her fine.”

“How many?”

“As I recall, nobbut a dozen or so.”

Mungo undid her gag. As she worked her mouth to ease its dryness, he grabbed her chin and made her look at him. “How long have you been home?”

“Since yesterday,” she replied, seeing no reason to anger him.

“Then these people ken nowt of the lies you told about your marriage.” Her silence apparently being answer enough, he added, “You’ll do as I say, or your husband—and they’ll believe Niall, not you, about who that is—will
punish you severely. I’ll watch, too, to be sure he does a thorough job of it.” Giving her chin a squeeze that would leave bruises, he said, “D’ye understand me?”

She could see Niall, but he did not look at her.

When she could talk, she said, “I don’t understand what you hope to achieve by bringing me here. You called it Niall’s tower, but it’s my land.”

“Blethers to that,” Mungo said. “You have marriage settlements, deeding this estate and another one to Niall as your husband. And he
is
your husband. Sakes, you should already be carrying his bairn.”

“Nay, I could not be. He never consummated our union.”

She’d kept her voice down so her words would carry to no one else except perhaps Niall. But she saw that she had stunned Mungo.

He recovered swiftly. “Did anyone examine you to prove the lack of union?”

“Nay, why should they? I told you, I do not lie.”

He smiled. “It matters, lass.” Lowering his voice, he added, “I’ll not deny I was sorry to find you alive, because Niall and I have plans for this Glen Almond land. We’re going to train men-at-arms here for the Crown. We can do it with or without you. I’d liefer it be without. But if you behave…”

A chill swept over her again, and she was glad Jake was not there. The image she’d seen of him that moonlit night, slumped against a wall in darkness, and of herself cradling what was left of him, filled her mind and made her shudder.

“Good lass,” Mungo murmured. “Clearly, you understand me.”

Steadying herself, she said, “I understand that you
mean to have your way, but you misstated the facts. My father deeded Braehead and Ardloch to me, not to Niall. Were he still married to me, he
would
collect the rents. He’d also control the estates during my lifetime. But he cannot inherit them.”

“We’ll fix that when we explain that he did consummate your union.”

“But he did not. Faith, he’ll admit that himself,” she added, raising her voice enough for Niall to hear. “Moreover, my true husband will tell—”

“Niall
is
your true husband,” Mungo snapped. “Nae one else need enter into it. If anyone does, d’ye think I cannot defeat him?”

“You are gey sure of your skill,” she said.

“I am sure, lass. I’m also sure that Niall and I will own those estates. Sithee, the Duke of Albany has… has taken interest in our plans. As Royal Chamberlain, he controls all charters and can take them away or award them as he chooses. He has promised to see that our plans succeed.”

“King David awarded our charter over a century ago, so only the King—”

“The King is old. We’ll wait for him to die if need be. I doubt we’ll wait long.”

Sorrow nearly overcame her. His grace
could
die at any moment, and when he did, Jamie would be King of Scots. But with Jamie in England, no one would be able to keep Albany from doing as he pleased.

Finding Ranald more amenable after their little chat, Jake had encouraged him to talk about himself. When he mentioned that his father was glad Allie had come home to
manage things again, Jake said, “That is not her responsibility, lad. You’re the one who will inherit your father’s large estates. You should be doing all you can now to learn from him how to manage them yourself. ’Tis the only way you’ll know how to go on when the time comes.”

“I doubt he thinks me capable,” Ranald said, sighing.

“Why should he?” Jake retorted. “Thinking you capable would not make you so, would it? One must seek capability for oneself, Ranald. Show him you
want
to learn and I ha’ nae doots the man will welcome the opportunity to teach you.”

They continued to discuss such things, and Jake described more of what had happened on the
Maryenknyght
and during their return. He did not mention Jamie or Orkney, having no idea how trustworthy Ranald might be. But he did describe Lizzie Thornwick and got a laugh from the lad when he did.

They were some five miles from Stirling when Jake recognized an alehouse that had won his favor on a previous visit.

“We’ll have a bite and a sip and see what news we glean,” he said.

Ranald agreed, but the result was not what Jake wanted to hear.