Thistle and Flame - Her Highland Hero (9 page)

“I don’t...I suppose so, how did you know?”

“I know things. Two mornings from now, look into
the sun as it sinks below the horizon.”

“Why? What will I see?”

“Your hair, oh my Kenna, I’ve wanted to do this
since I was eight.” He slid his hands behind her head, fingers scratching her
neck softly as they tangled in the hair at the base of her neck.

He held her there for a moment. Nothing in the
world existed, not the brawl, not the screaming sheriff or the panicked nobles,
or the two rogues dancing around and playfully dodging clumsy blows. Nothing
matter, except for her, and for him.

“Gavin,” she said. “I kept it. I never lost it.”

Gavin arched one of his eyebrows. His deep,
ocean-blue eyes sparkled.

“The thistle,” she patted her chest. “I never take
it off.”

A corner of his full lips curled into a smile,
Gavin drank her in for another instant, and then pulled her to him, pressing
his lips against hers. She shuddered as he parted her lips and slipped his
tongue between them such that her very core tensed and released.

He tasted her deep, breathed her air, and inhaled
her scent as though he was trying to never forget. Another moment passed as he
looked at her, then Gavin kissed her again, pulled away and squeezed her hand.

“Don’t forget,” he said. “Two days from now at
dusk. Straight out your window.”

Tears welled up in Kenna’s eyes as emotions she
didn’t know she had flooded her heart. Gavin darted between wide-swinging
sabers and drunken nobles who were waving around un-cocked pistols, and reached
his friends.

He pointed back at her, John and Red both looked.
Red touched his forehead and bowed slightly. The man called John flashed a
roguish grin and Gavin pressed two fingers to his lips.

They ran, scrambling up the side of the hall onto
a table. The two slender men snaked up a pillar, tossed a rope down to Red Ben,
who wrapped it round his wrist, and managed to climb high enough that the other
two could grab him under the arms, and then out the window they went, Red
first, in a sparkling shower of exploding stained glass.

“Lady Kenna!” Orrick shouted as he neared her
side. “Are you alright? That knave, he-”

“Remember the man I told you about, Orrick?” Kenna
said through tears that washed her flushed cheeks.

“Yes, but-”

“He’s real,” she said. “And he’s most certainly
not dead.”

––––––––

“W
hat is it, exactly, that I pay you for, if not to
stop things like what just happened?” Ramsay Macdonald paced back and forth in
front of the sheriff, wringing his hands. “Gunfire! In my estate! Right here,
right under my own roof, Sheriff. I paid you for security, not to have you eat
my food, then promptly get drunk off my brandy!”

“I – I’m sorry, sir,” Sheriff Alan said.
“Everything seemed so calm, I didn’t-”

“Think? You didn’t think? Is that what you were
going to say?”

“Now look, sir, I know I made a mess of things,
but I’m the King’s man. You can’t just-”

“I canna talk to you like that?” Macdonald slipped
out of his practiced borderland accent in his anger. “I canna say how useless
and how awful you are? I canna tell you what kind of worm I think you to be? I
canna even give you a wee little bit of my anger, because you’re in the King’s
employ. Is that it?”

“Well, I...”

“Finish your sentences, man! At least have that
respect for me if you have none other.”

“All I was going to say, sir, is that even if I
hadn’t been in my cups, it would not have mattered much. I was out of the room
dealing with another pair of your guests who decided your party the best time
to deal with their personal squabbling about honor.”

“So while you were breaking up a fist fight, some
brigands started shooting in the room next door?”

“Yes sir, and as soon as they did, I came
running.”

Macdonald squeezed his hands together so that his
fingers popped at the gnarled joints. The Sheriff fished out his tobacco plug,
and cut himself a slice.

“Why are you doing that?”

“Oh well, sir, if Rodrigo isn’t around, I got to
do it myself.”

“No, you great bumbling fool, why are you doing it
at all? Do you think this is a horse stable?”

“Now look, sir,” Alan said. “I know you’re upset,
but let’s not get at each other directly. There’s little point to it. The
matter at hand is the fact that Reid Crannaugh expects you to pay him back for
the purse that was stolen.”

“All this? All this over a stolen pouch?”
Macdonald shrieked. “A stolen purse? Why did he not just give the robber a few
pounds and ask me to replace his coin purse? Or better yet, why didn’t he just
stop the thief? Grab his hand and slap him across the face? Everyone knows that
robbers are just overgrown children. If you confront them, they cower.”

“Well, my lord, in a manner of speaking, that’s
what he did. Although admittedly he did it with a lot more squealing and a
little bit of crying and a knife to the man’s face.”

“Cut in the face, laden with coin and, from what
my butler has told me, with my silverware and some china, and even a few
bottles of whiskey and two very expensive bottles of brandy, they escaped! One
of them, Orrick said, was Red Ben Black, a great fat man with a huge beard. How
could a man such as he just pranced off without you having anything to say
about it?”

“Well I tried to stop them. They went out a
window.”

“A
window
?”

“Yessir, the two little ones scampered up, got
into one of those display windows that goes outside, and dropped a rope for the
fat one. He’s a strong one, no matter how fat, because he climbed right up and
punched through the window, then they jumped.”

Laird Macdonald, going gray in the face, sat down
at the desk in his office and put two fingers from each hand into his temples.

“He jumped.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“Ben Black, with his belly to rival mine, and his
great fat arse, leapt from my window. That’s what you’re telling me?”

“Right, sir, that’s-”

“If I could do it and not be hanged, I would take
the pistol out of my desk and I would shoot you.”

Alan laughed. “I’m sorry sir, but-”

“I would shoot you in the stomach, and then I’d
put my fingers were the ball went, and I’d push it deeper. With you writhing
about on the floor like a beheaded worm, I’d push it in until I couldn’t manage
any more. Then I’d pull the dirk out of my belt,” he tapped his fingers on the
hilt for a visual aide, “and I’d use the point of it to push the ball until it
came out of your back.”

Footsteps outside the door and then a series of
soft knocks interrupted Macdonald’s fantasy. He stood up from his desk, never
taking his eyes off of the sheriff, straightened his waistcoat and adjusted his
wig.

“Who’s there?”

“Orrick, sir. I’ve finished checking with the
guests.”

“See?” Macdonald turned to the Sheriff. “My butler
is a more able investigator than you. What would your precious king thing of
that?”

Alan pursed his lips.

“Come in, Orrick, come in.”

“Sir, I’ve got some strange news.”

“If you’re going to tell me one of the brigands
was Ben Black, I already know.”

“Well, in that case, yes sir, that was the main
point I wanted to raise. It would seem that he was responsible. I believe the
motivation was little more than anger at your missing his pay for-”

“Alright, that’s enough Orrick. What else did you
find out? What about the two men with him?”

“Aside from their interest in fine china and
silverware?”

“Yes,” Macdonald growled. “Aside from that.”

Orrick clenched his jaws. “No, nothing. They seem
to have swooped in from outside, robbed us, lifted Mr. Crannaugh’s purse and
dashed off into the night.”

“Don’t forget that he ravished Kenna,” the sheriff
added.

“He what?”

“I wouldn’t call it ravishment, sir,” Orrick said.
“The fellow with the long hair asked her for a dance while I was next to Miss
Kenna and him with the drink tray. It all seemed perfectly innocent. Of course,
he did steal an improper kiss from her, but it was just a youthful silliness.
Nothing to worry about, I wouldn’t think.”

“Oh, you wouldn’t think?”

“No sir,” Orrick said.

“Good thing you’re not paid to think.”

The butler stiffened and pushed his shoulders
back. “Sir.”

“You’re dismissed, Orrick. Oh, one more thing. If
you happen to find anything more about our visitors, don’t hesitate to tell me.
I have the feeling that’s not the last time we’ll see those three, but I’m not
sure why I’ve become a target.”

“Aye, sir, I’ll do it,” Orrick said, slipping back
into his Highland voice. “Sorry sir, I’ll do as you ask.”

“See that you do. Go on; make sure the footman and
the maids get the mess cleaned up. I’d rather not go downstairs and see the
mess that I’m sure is there.”

“Sir.” Orrick bowed low and left, closing the door
behind him as he went.

“Alan, tell me something.”

The sheriff crooked an eyebrow in response.

“Do you think Kenna had anything to do with this?”

“Lord Macdonald, I don’t-”

“I don’t mean that she's at fault or that she
called those brigands down on us, but before I left to acquire her, we’d never
had so much as a peep from any of the wretched Scotch.”

“Remember, sir,” Alan said, “you’re one of them.
Maybe it’s some kind of retribution for your taking land in a grant from the
king? These are people with long memories. They hold grudges very well, though
I’ll not say anything else good about them.”

“I am, yes. One of the two regrets I have is
having been born a Scot.”

A moment passed in silence, punctuated by Alan’s
spit hitting the back of a small cup.

“God, but that’s awful.” Ramsay Macdonald said.
“Get up, you great horror. We’ve got someone else to talk to. I doubt she’ll be
any use, but I need to slake this curiosity.”

“Yes, sir,” said Alan taking a deep breath and
sighing heavily. “I suppose we do. But, there’s something I need to tell you
before we do.”

“What is it? I’m growing tired of your babbling. Wipe
your face.” Macdonald handed the sheriff a handkerchief, then tossed it aside.
“We need to speak with Kenna before she forgets what happened or gets
emotional.”

“Yes, but, I have a feeling that those three
knaves were the same men I’ve been looking for. You’ve heard of the Edinburgh
Ghost? The Scotsman said to haunt the night and steal from the rich? A gape-jawed
fool playing at Robin Hood?”

“Get to the point, Sheriff.”

“I heard that they might have gotten another
obnoxious ragamuffin to tag along with them on their adventures. It’s something
that’s been in the back of my mind since I saw the scene play out.”

“And?”

“Are you not following me? I thought for sure I’d
spelled it out.”

“Stop wasting my time, sheriff.” Macdonald turned
to leave but Alan stopped him with a hand on his chest.

“They’re one and the same, Lord Kilroyston. Don’t
you see? This ghost is the one I’ve been hunting. Never seen him this close
before. He played a jape at me in front of your estate, and then once showed me
his arse. But it all has started to make perfect sense. And then, that means
he’s the one who stole the jewelry box a few nights back. Wasn’t just some
thief, it was him in the flesh.”

Ramsay Macdonald’s eyes clenched shut.

“No one,” he said, “makes a fool of Ramsay Macdonald.”

“Twice,” added Alan.

“Come on!”

––––––––

K
enna wiped her eyes and her nose when she heard
the rapping at her door.

“Wh – who’s there?”

“Open the door, Kenna, I’ve got some questions for
you.”

Oh no, it’s Macdonald. He knows. He must know.
He’s got to know that Gavin and I...

“Open the door!”

“Yes, yes my lord, one moment, I’m not dressed.”

Pulling the shawl around her shoulders as tight as
possible, Kenna’s hand shook violently as she tugged the bar off the back of
her door and permitted her visitors to enter.

“What can I do for you, Laird Macdonald?”

Alan shuffled in afterwards, though she pointedly
refused to acknowledge him. He crossed the room and addressed her with good
manners, bowing deeply and kissing her hand. Kenna shuddered at the vague brown
stain on her skin and wiped it on the sheriff’s lapel.

“She’s spritely, for a certain,” Macdonald said.

“Tell us about your lover!” The sheriff said. He
shouted and pointed, so close that Kenna smelled the sweet drink on his breath.

“My what?” She said with a hand on her chest. “I
don’t have the slightest idea what you’re talking about.”

“Leave us, Sheriff,” Macdonald said. “I’ll speak
to my fiancée privately. Go.”

He watched the sheriff dodder out of the room and
down the hall before shaking his head and turning back to Kenna.

“You had some contact with one of the brigands.
Orrick said that he asked you to dance and then kissed you before he darted out
the window with half my dishes and spirits. All I need to know is if you’ve got
any idea who he was. That’s all.”

“But no! Why would I know him? I’ve only been here
a day. I left behind everything I knew when I left Fort Mary.” Her lips were
trembling, and despite her best efforts, tears streaked how down Kenna’s
cheeks.

“Ah no, no, don’t do that. No need for crying,
dear Kenna.” Macdonald said. “I’m not accusing you of any complicity you
understand.”

“Then why are you asking me this? I’m as scared as
anyone else who was there, what with the guns and all the to-do.”

“I have to investigate all possibilities. You were
dancing with one of the men, so I thought you had some connection.”

As he spoke, Kenna sat down on the bed and
accidentally let part of her wrapping slip and she caught a glimpse of Macdonald
looking at her before he shifted his weight.

Why does he keep moving around like that?
Kenna thought.
It’s like he’s trying to hide something.

“I’m sorry I reacted as I did, my lord,” Kenna
said. “It’s been a very exciting evening. I’m very tired, very anxious. Is
there anything else you need from me? If not I’d like to get to sleep. I want
to go back to town tomorrow and see the rest of the sights I couldn’t today for
lack of time.”

“Oh, that will be quite impossible, I’m afraid.
You can’t leave the manor, not with this group of brigands on the loose and obviously
going after me. That’s out of the question.”

“You mean I’m to be locked inside?”

“Until things have settled down, yes. You’ll be
confined to the estate. I don’t even want you going to the gardens. I don’t
want you hurt, or worse.”

Don’t want me to have any chance of getting
away you mean
, Kenna thought.

A moment passed in silence before Laird Macdonald
began to speak again.

“It may sound overcautious, but there is a threat
of such a thing. If you were to be kidnapped now, even though you’re my betrothed,
the only crime under the law would be person snatching. And a slight against my
honor, but that’s not worth much to the Crown.”

Macdonald paced back and forth, thinking out loud.

“But, if we were married, and
then
you were
kidnapped...what a horrible scandal that would be. Just imagine the nobles’
reaction. My wife! The Lady of Kilroyston! Snatched away by a brigand. I
imagine we could even get one of the local militias to assemble and hunt him
down. And rescue you, of course.”

He walked in a circle, wringing his hands. Kenna
watched him as Macdonald grew more and more excited and spoke at a quicker
rate.

“Then again, if it ever came out that I’d not only
married you and then used you as bait to get the militia after this man who’s
made a fool of me the scandal would turn.”

“Bait? Laird Macdonald, I’m sorry but I’ve lost
what you’re saying.”

“No, no, Ramsay,” He said. “She wouldn’t be used
as bait.”

He wants to lure Gavin by letting him kidnap
me? There’s no way they could make things that easy
.

“It’s a risk, but if it worked, it would go quite
a long way to restore my honor. After all, he did kiss my wife.”