“Nothing happened,” he reassured her. “I dinnae drink it. I noticed that somethin’ was wrong with the smell and so I tossed it out.”
“So that time I asked ye if ye liked me Faither’s wine…?”
“Aye, I suspected that might have been poisoned as well.”
“As well?” She screeched. Hysteria was mounting in her. Jonet felt as if she had been teetering on a precipice, and one strong gust of wind would have her falling headlong into an abysss of terror.
Matthew patted her on the leg, trying to be reassuring. “I noticed it once when I was in me bedroom and again when I was talking with yer family. But I daenae think—”
“How could ye nae tell me that someone might have been poisonin’ ye?” she demanded to know.
“I dinnae ken if I was right. I was goin’ based of a smell, and I just assumed. I dismissed it because I thought I was only gettin’ a little uneasy and might have been overthinkin’ it.”
Jonet did not know what to say. All this time, she had been believing that she was safe, while Matthew was fighting with the question of whether someone was trying to poison him.
“It seems ye were suspicious enough to instantly assume it was poison,” Rinalds pointed out. “Perhaps ye were nae as convinced all these happenin’s were coincidences as ye have been sayin’.”
Matthew sagged a bit at that, yet still he nodded. “Aye, perhaps.”
“Have ye told anyone else?” Jonet asked.
“I had mentioned it to the Laird a few days ago.”
“Goodness, now, he will have someone taste all our food.” Rinalda sounded as if she was forcing her slight irritation. Jonet doubted she was very opposed to the idea, considering the situation they now found themselves in.
“If that is what must be done,” Jonet said determindedly. Then, she looked at Matthew. “When did ye speak with him? Ye have been with me ever since ye told us about the letter.”
“I have me ways, woman,” he said with an easy grin, and Rinalda laughed.
Jonet, despite herself, rolled her eyes good-naturedly. She felt much too relieved to let herself wallow in her surprise and anger at his silence.
She had also promised herself that she would not sink into despair. She would try to do whatever she could to find this suspicious person. Instead of beating up herself for something that was completely out of control, she should do what she could to keep both her and Matthew safe.
“I dinnae think this would ever happen to me,” Jonet murmured. “To think that I’ve been targeted is…”
Rinalda shook her head, her braided hair slipping off her shoulder. Jonet absently put it back in place. Her mother was wearing a lovely auburn dress, and though it looked a little too small for her now, it did not diminish her kind beauty as she regarded Jonet.
“It is the fault of whoever this is,” Rinalda spoke in a very comfortingly dismissive manner. “I would nae be surprised to find that they have done all this because they are jealous of ye.”
“Jealous?”
“Ye’re beautiful, smart, funny, and everyone loves ye. Nae to mention ye are the Laird’s daughter. A maid lookin’ in on yer life might want that for themselves.”
“But it is hard for me to think of anyone like that,” Jonet gnawed on her bottom lip as she thought. “I ken nearly all of the maids here. They have all been so kind to me.”
“Ye forget how easy it is for some people to lie, Jonet.”
She sighed silently. Sunlight streamed in from behind them, casting a golden
glow on her mother’s covered legs. When she looked at Matthew, she noticed he too bathed in that glorious light, and for some reason, her heart felt lighter.
A moment did not go by without her being aware of who stood by her side. Despite the danger that lurked in the shadows, Jonet felt safe. She felt protected with her angel by her side, someone who she believed would never hurt her. Physically, or otherwise.
It still did not diminish her restlessness. “I cannae just sit around nae knowin’. I need to do soemthin’.”
“Yer Faither and Uncle are takin’ care of everythin’,” Matthew assured her.
A thought struck her. She looked at Matthew. “There is one woman I ken that might be able to tell us somethin’.”