Knight Protector (Knight Chronicles) (17 page)

“You have our complete attention,” Robert said.

Colin reminded the men of Coillteach and MacBirnum’s pending visit and the plan to argue with Sorcha and share confidences with the chamberlain and the steward.

Ranulf’s eyelids lowered, and he turned away from the spray rising at the base of the waterfall. The movement put his face in shadow.

“What will you share with your knights to lure them into exposing themselves, if they are traitors?”

“We’ll claim that someone approached me with an offer to sell me the missing letter from France. I am to meet this person at the
tabhairn
two nights from now to discuss his fee. The message said to wear a white feather in my cap so he can recognize me easily. We believe that if either the chamberlain or the steward is a traitor, he will arrive before us and try to get the letters for himself. I need one of you to wear a feather in my place and watch for whoever shows up.

“I should do that,” Robert said. “I can go early to the
tabhairn
and pretend to drown my sorrows over Sorcha.”

Ranulf nodded. “That might work. But there are risks.”

“As I am well aware.”

“Why those two men?”

“Because I’ve spoken with and observed everyone living at Strathnaver, and only these two have lied to and misled me.”

“You are certain?”

“As certain as I can be. Sorcha and I came up with this plan to confirm our suspicions.” He described the conversations held with the two senior knights.

“If lies are the criteria for identifying our spies and avenging Alex, Lady Agnes would be a much better suspect,” Robert suggested.

“Really?” Colin had discounted her as being too emotional to be a spy.

“The woman was once Edward Plantagenet’s mistress.”

“True, but that does not make her his spy.”

“She lies herself blind about that boy,” Ranulf added.

“Her son, Henry?”

“’Tis nae her son, nor your father’s, nor even Edward I’s.”

Colin’s brows met. He’d known something about Henry was off but had imagined it was simply that he was Edward’s bastard. “Then whose child is he?”

“He’s the get of a
tabhairn
wench from the south end of the loch and the
tabhairn
keeper. They wed when she got with child, but the child disappeared when it was born. The story is that it was stillborn, but they never held a funeral.”

“If the boy is nae Edward’s bastard, England’s king canna claim Strathnaver through the lad. Brice would have to be dead as well,” Robert noted.

“Are you so certain your brother died a natural death?” Ranulf asked. “ʼTwould be easy to poison a man already weakened by illness. Then, since your father claimed Henry as his, no proof of legitimacy is necessary. The dowager, as the boy’s guardian, could sell or give Strathnaver to the English.”

Plots within plots. There was something in what his friends were saying, but Colin could nae see it clearly. He needed time to think. “Hmmm. ʼTis worth looking into. Sorcha and I have already searched most of the stronghold. But Lady Agnes had a locked box that we couldna open hidden in one of her chests.”

“If you can find a way to get me the box, I’ll open it without damaging it and report what I find when I give it to you to be returned,” Ranulf volunteered.

“Good idea. We’ll do that the next time Lady Agnes insists on being driven out to the market. She goes every week, so we should be able to do that before Coillteach and MacBirnum arrive.”

“Now as to Henry. I would remove the boy from my stepmother’s care. However, ʼtis sure to alert her that I suspect something. She might flee, or try to harm the boy before he can reveal anything he might know. One of you must befriend Sir Broc to get close enough to watch over the lad.”

The two knights nodded. “We’ll work out the details between us,” Ranulf said.

“Will you tell Lady Agnes of our expected visitors? And do you think we should send Coillteach a message and ask him to bring more men?” Robert asked, changing the subject.

“Preparations for the celebration and visit must be made. Lady Agnes will find out when the news is announced to the household. As for sending to Coillteach, more men would be useful, but I dinna know exactly how many he intends to bring, and if Coillteach changes his plans at the last minute, MacBirnum may decide trying to meet with his spies is too risky. He is the greater threat to Scotland, so we want him more than the other traitors. However, we canna leave the small fish. They will soon find another leader. Besides, once they are captured we can bargain with them to give evidence against MacBirnum.”

Ranulf nodded. “Then you’ll nae send word to Coillteach of what goes forward?”

“ʼTis no need,” Colin said. “He knows what work I do here and will receive the details as soon as we can meet after he arrives. Nae, if extra men are needed, I must rely on Baron MacKai.”

“Are you sure that’s wise?” Robert interjected. “Peace may be offered between your clans, but it is not yet assured. You could very well be inviting your doom into your home.”

“Raeb MacKai is one of Scotland’s staunchest defenders. His clan follows where he leads. Nae matter what he feels about me or Clan Marr, Raeb will defend Scotland and protect Sorcha. Once he arrives, you, Davey, and Robert will be free of guarding her to help me confine the spies in the dungeons and present the proof we’ve gathered to Coillteach. That is all I have to share with you at present. Now give me your reports.”

“’Tis little to say. We’ve no luck finding the letters, identifying any allies or enemies within the stronghold, and while there is plenty of suspicious activity and skulking about going on, it all seems to be related to which man or woman is sleeping with another’s spouse.” Robert spoke, and Ranulf nodded his confirmation.

“That’s fairly typical of any large household.” And could easily be used to cover meetings between traitors. Colin kept the thought to himself—why had his usually perceptive men nae considered the possibility? “Were you able to speak with the English priest and check on the chamberlain’s story about the missing supplies?”

“That was the one odd thing. When questioned, he appeared confused and denied any knowledge of the mortar and pestle or any other supplies. Yet I believe Lady Strathnaver reported that the priest confirmed the chamberlain’s version of events.”

“When last I asked, she said she had nae been able to question the priest privately and couldna confirm or deny the chamberlain’s story.”

“She’s a canny lass,” remarked Ranulf. “If she canna report, she canna be accused.”

More fuel on the fires of suspicion surrounding Sorcha? Why was such a wealth of evidence appearing at the same time Lord Coillteach’s visit was planned?

“And all the more reason to capture at least one of these spies very soon and find the truth. You’d best be about your duties. I’ll remain a while to give truth to the impression of discord between Sorcha and me.”

Nodding, his men mounted then left.

Colin was relieved to see his friends go. He needed to think a while before returning to the stronghold. Could Sorcha have been deceiving him all along? Everything Ranulf said made sense, and Sorcha looked guilty, especially if her delaying tactics were added. But it still made no sense for her to ally herself with Clan Marr in any way, unless she was more cold-hearted and calculating than he could imagine. In that moment that she’d claimed Brice had coerced her into marriage, she’d been neither cold nor calculating. However, Brice wasna alive to confirm or deny the story. ʼTwas possible that she didna really spy for the English but sought to blacken Colin and Clan Marr by making them appear guilty of treason. He nodded to himself. That was a much more likely motive for the actions laid at her door.

Either way, it appeared he’d taken a dangerous woman into his confidence and his bed.

A day later, Sorcha went to the kitchen, held a short discussion with the cook, then cut up an onion and breathed enough of the fumes to cause a flood of tears. Then she’d headed for the accounting chamber, burst into the room, and had come up short at the sight of Sir MacClaren, as if surprised to see him there.

“Oh, dear. I’d thought to find some privacy here.”

“I will leave, Countess. I can finish this work later.” He shuffled some vellum sheets together and stuffed them into a bound tome.

As he turned his attention to cleaning his stylus and putting away the ink, she placed her hand on the book and lied with all her heart as she had when she told Raeb she wished to marry Brice.

“Please, dinna leave on my account. I’m sure I can find privacy in our chamber. The earl still rests there often, but his health is so much better, he might be about the small bit of Strathnaver’s business he is able to handle.” She sniffed and tried to look mournful and needy.

“There, there, your ladyship. I am certain his lordship is much more recovered than your loving concern leads you to believe.”

The man dared to pat her hand like a child, but she let him so he would put faith that her need for comfort was greater than any need for formality.

“The first years of marriage are always the most difficult,” he continued. “Still ʼtis nae right that Lord Strathnaver neglects you. He risks losing you to a better man. Someone like Sir Robert, perhaps?” His brows arched.

Was Sir MacClaren accusing her of adultery? She made her lips tremble and clasped the book to her chest. “I would never break the sacred vows of marriage. But Brice has caused me more pain than one woman should bear.” How ironic that she used truth to support lies.

The chamberlain took the book from her grasp and set it back on the table then helped her to the only chair in the room and seated himself on a nearby footstool. “I would be honored to listen to your troubles, my lady. I might even be able to shed a little light on Lord Strathnaver’s behavior. I’ve much experience of young men gained during my years here.”

She blinked her still watering eyes and sniffed once more.

He handed her a kerchief.

“Thank you.” She blew her nose and handed it back. “I could use the advice of a wiser head.”

He stared at the damp cloth a moment before setting it on the table near the book. “I am glad to be of service. But to advise you I need to know precisely what the problem is.”

She let her prepared complaints rush forth like an unstoppable tide. “He’s been ill for so long, and I’ve worried about him so. Then he ignored my warnings nae to do too much and went riding alone on his first day out of his chamber. He is so careless of his own health. And he practically ordered me to have Sir Robert accompany me everywhere. ʼTis almost as if Colin wants me to sin with Robert. I suspect Colin is swiving one of the laundresses and seeks to blame me for his infidelity by proving I am just as faithless as he is. Then that letter came. He broke the seal, read it, and hid it from me. So of course, once he was gone, I had to search for it and read it. I know Strathnaver is wealthy, but that letter demanded more coin than I’ve seen in a lifetime.”

The chamberlain’s brows met. “Dear lady, I am afraid I dinna understand. If you could slow down a wee mite, ʼtwould help me help you.”

“Oh, I am sorry.” She sucked in a huge breath and released it slowly.

“Now what exactly was in this letter?”

“I may have misunderstood, but the person who wrote it is demanding money from Colin to pay for the return of another letter written by a person named Philip.”

“Someone is extorting coin from the earl?”

“I think so.” She let her voice tremble.

“Who? Was the letter demanding money signed?” His voice rose as if he were worried.

“No, there was no signature.”

“Then how will this person get paid and give the other letter to Lord Strathnaver?”

“The message said for Colin to come alone to the
tabhairn
in the village two nights from now and wear a white feather in his cap so the letter writer could identify him.”

“’Tis obvious the letter came from a stranger, or the feather would nae be needed. Everyone hereabouts knows what the earl looks like.”

Sorcha gave him her most wide-eyed stare. “You don’t imagine that request was made to fool Colin into thinking this person was a stranger?”

“’Tis possible, but unlikely.”

Someone knocked on the door.

“Excuse me, my lady.” Sir MacClaren turned away to open the portal.

“I am occupied,” the chamberlain said in a low voice. “Come back later?”

“I carry a message from the cook, who wishes to see you in the kitchen.”

Sorcha leaned forward and slid out the documents from within the book where the chamberlain hid them earlier, rolled them and quickly slid them up her wide sleeve.

“This is nae a good time,” MacClaren murmured. “I’ve an unexpected visitor.”

“ʼTis most urgent, Sir MacClaren. The cook said I shouldna accept nae as an answer.”

The chamberlain sighed. “I will come with all possible speed and tell the cook why I couldna come immediately. Now be gone.”

Sorcha bent her head as if she’d been weeping again.

“Forgive the interruption, Countess.”

She waved a hand and sniffed. “’Tis nae matter.”

“You mustna worrit yourself so, my lady.” He spoke sternly and sat before her again.

She lifted her head and blinked sorrowfully at him.

“What am I to do, Sir MacClaren? I canna allow my husband to be threatened.” She scrunched her face to show how concerned she was. ’Twas nae difficult, for she truly was worried that this plan might work better than she expected and Colin could be in danger

The chamberlain smiled indulgently and softened his tone. “I suspect the earl can take care of such a threat on his own. But just to be certain, allow me to look into it for you. I should be able to easily identify any strangers in the area and have them questioned.”

Sorcha let her shoulders slump as if relieved. “Would you do that for me? How very thoughtful of you.”

“Think nothing of it, my lady.”

“And….”—she let her breath hitch—“what of my other problems?”

“I can speak to his lordship about his recklessness. Without an heir, any unnecessary risk is imprudent to say the least.”