“Aye,” Elaine sighed, “I suppose yer right.”
“Will we see ye at the feast tonight, Elaine?’ he asked, a brighter expression lighting up his face.
“I havnae been invited, Samuel. Perhaps it’s for the best. I cannae imagine the laird’s mistress wandering about will be looked upon with any approval.”
“Och, well. Then I am certain I will see ye around about. I must take away, however, for I have these medicines to store,” he said, nodding down to a satchel that sat at his hip. “We are lucky we live in such parts where nature provides such abundance for us. I’ll bid ye farewell, Elaine.”
“Yes, and tae ye, Samuel.”
Elaine returned to her chamber to find a note on the floor. Evidently, someone had passed it under her door. For the life of her, she could not imagine who might send her a missive in such a way. Picking it up with her curiosity roused, she broke open the wax seal and unfolded the single piece of paper.
There’s a feast tonight.
It will enable ye tae leave the castle unnoticed.
Meet me outside the castle walls at the same place we met on the last occasion.
There was no signature, but as Elaine’s heart now thunderedheavily against her breast; she did not need one to know who the message was from. The mystery man had finally contacted her. Her reprieve from him was over. And tonight she'd have to face his dreadful mask once more.
CHAPTERSIXTEEN
“Yer going tae have tae forgive my confusion, Duncan,” Keir said. “But I thought ye were going tae tak’ Elaine for yer wife.”
“I never committed tae such a decision, Keir. I took yer advice, which I am still grateful for, and I looked at the alternatives that were put before me. It’s in the best interests o’ everyone that it happens this way.”
The brothers were sitting in thestudy. Duncan had avoided telling Keir his final decision until he couldn't anymore. Sooner or later, his brother would need to know about the feast. Perhaps his silence was due to his fear that Keir would try to change his mind. And perhaps, with his feelings for Elaine growing stronger by the day, Duncan would be persuaded to listen to him.
“I’m nae sure I see it from yer view, brother,” Keir said, shaking his head with an expression of doubt. “How is marrying a woman ye dinnae ken in the best interests o’ everyone?”
“I cannae lose another person I care about, Keir. I cannae suffer it again. Besides, by taking Elaine as my wife, I may be putting her in danger. Until we ken who killed Cora and Eoin, the bastard is still out there.”
“And yer worried he’ll come after Elaine,” Keir concluded.
“It’s clear that killing my wife and bairn was an attack on mesel and the clan. I am now fully convinced of that fact, Keir. There’s nae other logical conclusion. Cora had nae influence with the decisions in the clan that would have made her a target, and Eoin’s death accomplished two things,” Duncan continued, though not without struggle. “Their intent was to hit me at the very core,” he punched his chest, making a deep hollow sound, “while at the same time, getting rid of the next in line for the lairdship. It was shortsighted in that regard, of course,” Duncan sighed heavily. “I can remarry and produce another heir. With that said, it will hardly be the same, and yet, I refuse tae be put in a position where I can be used in such a way again.”
“But as ye say,” Keir added in a soft tone, “their intent was tae wound ye.”
“More than all the scars that cover my body, Keir,” Duncan said with a nod.
By killing them both, their murderer had intended to destroy Duncan, and perhaps hoped, in his grief, that he would be unable to love another. Duncan had had that feeling before Elaine arrived. Yet, while the perpetrator had indeed wounded him greatly, clearly, he did not know himas well as he might have imagined. Duncan, as obstinate as a warrior, refused to play into their hands. He would fight as he had always fought to ensure the clan's survival and safety.
“So, ye have decided tae choose a woman ye dinnae love,” Keir replied. “But how will the man who took the lives of yer children ken such a thing?”
“How did he ken I loved my wife in the first place, Keir?” Duncan said, looking intently at his brother.
Keir frowned and shook his head slowly, as if deeply considering his words.
“I’ve been thinking long and hard about it,” Duncan continued. “And I can come up with only one answer.”
“Which is?” Keir looked at him with interest.
“It has tae be someone in the castle. Someone…”
Keir now shook his head determinedly. ‘Nae, Duncan. It doesnae. Yer love for Cora was kent by many people, even the lairds round about us,” Keir gestured generally around the room. “Granted, I ken the tenants and those who live on the land hardly ken what happens in the castle, but ye have tae look at all the time ye and Cora were together. Ye’ve been tae dinners and feasts in castles and noble houses all over the land, and neither of ye were ever bashful when it came tae showing how much ye cared for each other.”
Duncan thought about his brother’s words, and could not deny they were true. He and Cora had always been open in their affection, no matter where they were.
“I think perhaps, brother, this entire circumstance has taken such a toll upon ye. Yer desperate tae find someone tae blame. But ye cannae be so narrow in yer view.”