“Mistress Oria, I can’t thank you enough for what you have done for me and my family,” Ross said when he stopped in front of her. “Aine prays for you and Chieftain Royden every day. It was generous of him to assign us a fine cottage and some land to plant once again. The lads are happier than they’ve been in a long while. We are forever grateful. Life here is good. Very good.”
“I am pleased to hear that, Ross, truly I am. But now I need a favor from you,” Oria said.
“Anything, Mistress Oria, anything,” Ross said eagerly.
She glanced around and comfortable that no one was close enough to hear their conversation, though keeping her voice low to be sure, she asked, “Have tongues been wagging, not so kindly, about my da?”
The sudden, tense change in his demeanor and that he appeared lost for words told her what she needed to know.
“Please tell me what you’ve heard and from whom,” she said and braced herself for what she was about to hear.
Ross nodded, worry filling his eyes. “I can’t say who I heard it from since I don’t recall. You know how wagging tongues are. You hear a little from one person, more from another, and before you know it, you can’t recall who was the first to whisper in your ear. It was little bits of whispers at first. There was mention of your da meeting with a dark figure late at night, curiosity as to why he pushed for a quick wedding between you and Royden instead of sending you away until the trouble passed. Inquisitiveness grew when your da, not given to fits of anger, got furious after learning that a chieftain wouldn’t attend your wedding. He even went as far as to go speak to that chieftain and get him to change his mind.”
That puzzled Oria. She had believed all had accepted the invite of their own accord except Chieftain Thurbane and Lord Learmonth, who had declined for obvious reasons.
“That hardly speaks of betrayal,” Oria said even more puzzled.
Ross appeared hesitant to say more.
“Please, Ross, I trust my clan to be truthful to me and I can’t defend my da’s good name if I’m blind to what is being said about him.”
“You’re right and I will help you however I can,” he said. “But I can only venture to guess that when people have questions, which they did, and no answers are offered, which they weren’t, curiosity grows. Somewhere someone couldn’t resist to ask the obvious. How do you explain that our clan continued on unscathed compared to others? Few enemy warriors were left behind. And none of our warriors were taken. Your da continued to lead the clan without interference and he continued to meet with that dark figure.”
It took a few moments with Oria searching back in her memories to put together what others already had. She spoke her thought aloud. “Why now? Why do I hear this only now?”
Ross shrugged. “I can only surmise that people who returned here with you feel safe enough to discuss it with those outside our clan.”
Was that it? Or had someone purposely wanted the speculation made known?
“Do you believe my da betrayed his friends?” Oria asked.
“Your da was a good chieftain and good to his clan and I will always remember him that way.”
Oria wasn’t sure of his response. Did Ross mean that regardless of what her da had done, he would remain faithful to the man? She thanked Ross for his honesty and walked away. How had she been so blind to what had been going on? Why hadn’t she known that her da was meeting with someone he didn’t want known? And why had he gotten angry when a chieftain had turned down the invitation to her wedding?
She stopped suddenly, turned, and ran back toward Ross, calling out, “A moment, Ross.”
He turned and walked toward her.
“Who was the chieftain my da got angry with?” she asked.
“Chieftain Galvin of the Clan Macara.”
Royden went in search of Penn shortly after his wife had left his solar. He would have summoned the man there, but he didn’t want to chance his wife returning while he spoke with him. He intended to keep private what he discussed with Penn. It was too dangerous a task he sought for anyone to know except him and Penn. He would rather chance Oria’s wrath than see harm brought to anyone over his decision.
Not seeing Penn anywhere as he walked through the village, his task was delayed when stopped by a few seeking help or a friendly chat. He took the time, since he didn’t want anyone to know he was intent on a mission. When he failed to spot Penn anywhere, he went to his cottage.
Penn’s eyes went wide when he opened the door and saw his chieftain standing there.