“Laird Ciaran MacGregor of Glenorchy, my cousin’s husband.”

The MacKenzie gestured the men to the chairs as Colin stood again by his father’s side. “Please sit. Ye are a long way from Glenorchy, are ye nae?”

“My wife visits with her seanmhair.”

“Ye are also the one who killed the hand of the king.”

MacGregor’s eyes darkened. “It was naught that wasnae deserved.”

The MacKenzie quickly turned his attention to Alex. “Laird MacDonell. And how fares my bonny daughter?”

“Sybella is the reason for my visit.”

The MacKenzie turned around and pulled ale from the shelf. “Can I offer ye and MacGregor a drink?”

“Nay, we will return to Glengarry.”

“Verra well.” The MacKenzie sat back casually in his chair. “I know my daughter is willful and rarely minds her tongue, but if ye give her time to adjust—”

“The MacLeod tried to kill her. Twice,” Alex blurted out.

The MacKenzie sat forward and folded his fingers on his desk. “What do ye mean?”

Alex continued. “The first time was when we walked in the forest. An archer took aim at her head and barely missed. I had my most experienced tracker search the trail, and it was if the man had simply disappeared. The man was good and left nay trace. I confined Sybella within the walls of the castle and there were nay other attempts.”

“But ye said there were two attempts,” said the MacKenzie.

“Sybella and I stood upon the parapet, and the archer—”

“God’s teeth!” The MacKenzie pounded his fists on the desk. “What are ye doing to protect my daughter? I placed her in your ca—”

Alex interrupted the MacKenzie’s words vehemently. “We found the man.”

The MacKenzie’s face clouded with uneasiness. “Ye did?”

“Aye. He wore the MacLeod tartan but wouldnae speak.”

“Where is he? Ye let me speak to him.”

“He is dead,” Alex simply said. “I donna know all of what went on between ye and the MacLeod of Lewis, but now the man has attempted to kill my wife. I demand justice.”

“What do ye propose?” asked the MacKenzie.

“I will travel to Lewis with some of my men. I will either bring the MacLeod before King James to pay for his crimes or dispense my own Highland justice—sword against sword, man against man. I havenae yet decided. One way or the other, I will have the man’s head.”

The MacKenzie nodded. “Give me three days to arrange your passage to Lewis. I will have a few of my own men at your disposal as well. After all, the man attempted to kill my own daughter. We shall place his head on a pike together.”

Alex stood. “I will return within three days.”

MacGregor and John stood, following Alex to the door. Damn. Alex had almost forgotten and turned in midstride.

“Colin.”

Sybella’s brother looked at Alex in surprise.

“My wife wanted me to tell ye that she will do as ye ask.” For an instant, Colin’s gaze sharpened. Alex added, “Ye asked her to make something for Anabel.”

“Aye. Thank ye for letting me know.”

* * *

As soon as the door closed, Colin attempted to speak but his father held up his hand to silence him. The MacKenzie stood from the chair and disappeared into the hall for a moment. When he walked back into the study, he closed the door behind him.

He chuckled with a dry and cynical sound. “Och, the MacDonell is naught but a daft fool.”

“What do ye mean?”

“The MacLeod archer was my own man, Fearghas MacKenzie. ’Tis a shame I lost a good man, but he accomplished what he set out to do, unlike ye. By the time the MacDonell figures out what is afoot, it will be too late.”

Colin started to pace and ran his fingers through his hair. “Father, what the hell are ye talking about?”

“Fearghas took the first shot at Sybella in the woods. And just as I figured he would, MacDonell confined her within the walls of Glengarry. Had ye done as ye were told, your sister would have already found the stone and it would already be back where it belongs.”

Colin was breathless with rage. “Ye had a MacKenzie take aim at Sybella? Ye could have killed her! What if he had missed? ’Tis one thing to use your daughter to hunt for the stone and entirely another to take aim at the lass’s head! When I talked with her and she told me about the archer, I didnae realize the man was our own kin! Ye didnae even give her time. She would have found the stone.”

“Colin, spare me your excuses. Ye do your tasks at one pace, always have. By the time my stone is returned, I will be an old man. I told ye I need that stone before the king’s men travel to Lewis.”

“I donna understand. The MacDonell said two shots were made. If the MacDonell kept her within the walls, why would ye have Fearghas take another shot?”

His father’s response held a response of impatience. “Fearghas obviously missed. The second shot was meant for the MacDonell.”

“When the bloody hell did ye decide to kill the MacDonell?”

His father shook his head and waved Colin off. “It doesnae matter now. Sybella searches for the stone. Things couldnae have worked out more perfectly, if I say so myself. Now I just have to simply sit back and donna have to do a damn thing. The MacDonell will take care of our problem on Lewis by killing that blasted MacLeod, and King James will nay longer bother us. ’Tis only a matter of time before we MacKenzies rule Lewis.”

Fifteen

Sybella fumbled for a plausible explanation and her voice broke miserably. “Rosalia…I was searching for ye. I thought mayhap ye were trying to put Lachlann to sleep so I opened the door.”

“My seanmhair watches him, and I came to see if ye were going to join us or if ye wanted me to bring ye a tray.”

“I will join ye and Aunt Iseabail to sup. The walls of my bedchamber have started to close in upon me.” Sybella led Rosalia away from the door, trying desperately to mask the guilty expression on her face. She said a silent prayer of thanks when Rosalia followed her and appeared to believe the words that had hastily escaped her lips. No matter, Sybella recognized that she needed to be much more cautious.

When they entered the great hall, they saw Aunt Iseabail sitting at the table and holding Lachlann on her lap. With a bright smile upon her face, she bounced him gently on her knee. As Rosalia and Sybella approached the dais, Aunt Iseabail looked up.

“My great-grandson is quite a delightful lad.”

Rosalia giggled. “Give him but a few minutes, Seanmhair, and he will be back to his ways. Just like his father.”

“Be that as it may, until then, I shall enjoy him.”

Rosalia pulled out her chair and sat down beside Aunt Iseabail. “Would ye like me to take him now? I know he can become quite heavy after a while.”

Aunt Iseabail kissed Lachlann on the head. “Nay, I am having a wonderful time with him. He loves his seanmhair.”

Sybella sat down at the table and smiled. “Of course he does. He is a wise lad.” She reached for a piece of bread and took a bite. All of this searching did wonders for her appetite.

“How do ye fare, my dear?” asked Aunt Iseabail.

Sybella nodded, wiping the crumbs from her chin. “I am much better, thank ye. I am surprised Alexander and Ciaran havenae returned yet. Do ye think it will be soon?”

“I wouldnae expect them until later this eve. They did ride the entire way to Kintail, ye know. And leave it to the men. Once they start talking amongst themselves, time passes and they pay it nay heed. Unless, of course, it’s time for the midday meal or time to sup.”

Sybella and Rosalia couldn’t help themselves as they burst out laughing. This was definitely one of Aunt Iseabail’s clearer days. The woman was pure delight. In truth, Sybella hated to see Aunt Iseabail’s mind falter. And not only because of how Aunt Iseabail’s decline affected Alexander. Naturally Sybella felt sympathy for her husband, but Aunt Iseabail was the type of woman that simply grew on a person. Sybella truly cared for her.

Aunt Iseabail waved her finger. “Ye laugh, but ye best remember that ye two havenae been wed all that long. I’ve had years to discover the ways of men.”

Rosalia leaned in toward Aunt Iseabail and gave the woman a conspiratorial wink. “It doesnae take that long to figure out our men. I think Sybella and I already understand what ye mentioned, though. Food is definitely the way to a man’s heart.”

Without missing a beat, Aunt Iseabail responded. “Well, that or tupping.”

Rosalia brought up her hand to stifle her giggles while Sybella was half laughing, half crying from Aunt Iseabail’s blunt declaration. The woman was obviously in rare form this eve.

“What are ye two laughing at? I may be old, but I am nae dead.”

Sybella sat back, watching the jesting between Rosalia and her grandmother. She couldn’t help it when her mind drifted back to the many conversations with her own mother. Sybella realized she’d been far too long without female companionship—even crazy Mary. In truth, Sybella simply enjoyed hearing laughter, any laughter. Something she’d sorely missed as of late. Everything around her had quickly become far too serious.

When a thought of Colin popped into her mind, Sybella hoped her husband had remembered to deliver the message. Hopefully, she’d bought herself more time before her father decided to do something rash—again. Praise the saints. Her nerves were on edge. She wasn’t masterful in the ways of deception and didn’t like it at all. She’d almost been caught rummaging through Rosalia and Ciaran’s bedchamber.