Debbie Mazzuca - Lord of the Isles

Obviously her acting skil s needed work. “I’m just a little concerned is al .”

“Aboot what? Mayhap I can be of some help.” He leaned toward her. Elbows propped on his knees, he regarded her with heartwarming sincerity.

Ali choked back a sob. There was so much she would miss when she left. “Maybe you can, but you must prom ise not to tel anyone of my suspicions.”

He nodded.

“You know about the fairy flag, don’t you?” She held her breath.

His eyes widened. “Aye, ye ken aboot the flag?”

“Of course, Ro—Lord MacLeod told me al about it. And that’s what concerns me, Connor. I think Lady MacLean knows about the flag as wel and means to use it as a way to force Lord MacLeod into the union.”

“I doona’ think she needs much to force his hand. As I hear it the papers wil be signed this day.”

Damn .

“But the papers are missing, and she might get desper

ate. I’m sure that’s what she was doing when she had every

one cleaning the keep from top to bottom yesterday. She was searching for the flag, Connor. I’m sure of it.”

“She’l no’ find it. She wouldna’ enter the laird’s cham

bers without his permission. Besides, ’tis wel concealed. The wal —” He clamped his mouth shut. LORD OF THE ISLES

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Bingo.

Ali rose from the chair, anxious to begin her search. She schooled her features. “That’s a relief. I should’ve known Lord MacLeod would do everything he could to protect the flag. I’ve kept you long enough, Connor. You’ve been a great help. Thank you.”

“’Twas no’ a problem, my lady, I—”

The door squeaked open and they both turned to see Mari, one foot over the threshold, frantical y motioning for someone to fol ow her. “Ye must let my lady see to ye,”

she urged.

Ali frowned. “What’s going on, Mari?” She moved toward the door and gasped when Mari gently guided one of the serving girls into the room, bloody linens pressed to her face. It was one of the girls Ali had worked with in the kitchens. One of the three that had attacked Mari.

“Good Lord, what happened? Bring her here,” Ali said, holding out a chair. Connor took hold of the girl’s arm and helped her to sit.

“Tilt your head—that’s it.” Ali careful y removed the blood-soaked linens and sucked in a ragged breath. A deep, sixinch gash sliced from just above her brow to her cheekbone, barely missing her eye. Mari twisted her blood-spattered apron in her hands. “I had her press the linens to the wound like you did fer me, my lady.”

Ali reached over to squeeze Mari’s arm. “You did ex

actly right,” she reassured her. “Now I’l need a bucket of water, and make sure you boil it. And the herbs I used to keep Lord MacLeod asleep, I’l need those, too. Connor, you remember the ones I mean?” At his affirmative nod, she continued. “A needle and thread and some of that . . . Uisge na beatha, I think Fergus cal ed it. Anyway, ask Mrs. Mac. She’l know what I’m talking about.”

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“Nay!” The girl gave a strangled cry. “No one can ken. She’l kil me.”

“Shh, now.” Ali patted her shoulder. “No one is going to kil you. Mari, what’s going on?”

“’Tis Lady MacLean who done it. She told Ina she’d kil her if she said anythin’. Told her to see to it on her own, but I made her come to ye. I said as how ye would protect her.”

Ali’s hands bal ed into fists, and she had to take a calm

ing breath before she said or did something she’d regret. Crouching beside the girl, she took her hands in hers. “Ina, we’re going to take care of your cut, and for now no one wil know, but Lady MacLean can’t be al owed to get away with this. Whatever I do, I promise you won’t suffer be

cause of it.”

“Ye didna’ see her eyes, my lady. She looked crazed.”

“I can imagine.” Ali stood up and removed the linen, re

lieved to see the bleeding had slowed. “Do you know what set her off ?”

“Aye, the papers were missin’ from Lord MacLeod’s study and she was in a rage, castin’ blame on us fer cleanin’

near his desk.”

Dear God, do you know what you’ve gotten yourself into, Rory? Leaving him was hard enough, but knowing what his life would be like made it that much more diffi

cult. But maybe he wouldn’t care. He’d have the men to help fight his battles. He’d have done his duty. Once Ali finished stitching Ina’s cut, with Connor and Mari’s help she settled the girl into her bed despite her groggy protests.

“Mari and Connor wil stay with you while you rest. I won’t be long.”

“My lady, please take care. I doona’ want her to harm ye,” Ina pleaded.

“You don’t have to worry about me, Ina, but I can’t say the same for Lady MacLean.”

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Mari giggled behind her hand, and Connor gave a snort of laughter. “Give it to her good, my lady.”

“I plan on it, Connor. Now do either of you know where I might find her ladyship?”

“Mrs. Mac was grumblin’ as to how she had to show her the gardens. They’d be to the back of the keep, my lady,”

Connor informed her.

Ali descended the stairs, avoiding the servants who scurried about as best she could, afraid someone would question her as to what she was about. She bowed her head and hurried past Rory’s study. As she did, she heard voices raised in anger, and recognized two of them as Rory’s and Cyril’s. Good, she thought, grateful the men were occu

pied. It was time Moira MacLean got what was coming to her. Mrs. Mac had been right from the beginning. Men didn’t see clearly when it came to the woman. Hurrying out the doors of the keep, she spotted Fergus. Trying not to attract his attention, Ali lowered her head and strode to the opposite side of the castle.

“Aileanna.” Fergus waved to her from across the court

yard. “Where are you off to in such a hurry?”

“The gardens.” She smiled and kept on walking.

“Hold up there, lass,” he said, closing the distance be

tween them. “Aileanna, mayhap it would be best if you were to see the gardens at another time.” He took hold of her elbow and turned her back toward the entrance of the castle.

She shook his hand off. “Fergus, don’t be sil y. It’s a beautiful day to visit the gardens. I hoped to find a smal patch where I could add some of the plants I’d read about in the book Iain lent me. Actual y he read it to me, too. Re member, the one the physician from Edinburgh wrote?

Where I found the herbs to drug Rory—wel , not drug him, but you know what I mean.” She waved her hand. 174

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He narrowed his gaze and crossed his arms. “What are you up to?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Yer ramblin’, lass. You do it when you have somethin’

to hide. Now tel me.”

“No, and you can’t stop me. Omph, ” she grunted when he flipped her over his shoulder and marched determinedly toward the keep.

With a cry of outrage, Ali pounded on his back.

“Stop yer caterwaulin’. You were goin’ to make trouble with Moira MacLean, and doona’ deny it. I can see it on yer face. And if you do, Rory wil have yer head.”

She kicked her feet. “You don’t understand.” He whacked her soundly on her bottom. “Ouch, Fergus, that hurt,” she cried.

“Then stop yer kickin’, lass. Those parts I’m a mite fond of,” he said as he pushed open the doors to the keep.

“Bloody hel , Fergus. What’s goin’ on here? Put Aileanna down.”

“Nay, I think it would be best if I lock her in her room and let her cool down fer a wee bit.”