A Perfect Wife(42)

Malcolm squeezed his shoulder. “But ye did it, Fergus. Ye went to your laird though it near killed ye. That’s as brave as a man who takes up a sword and saves my lady at the peril of his life.”

Malcolm decided that Fergus would be the first man he knighted. Respect, and whiskey, was all he could give the man. He noticed a chessboard in the corner, almost hidden.

“Do ye play chess, Fergus?”

“I used to, but none will play with me now. I’m thinkin’ on teaching wee Camden. ’Twill pass the time for both of us.”

He was getting some color back. “Aye, and why will none play with ye?”

“I beat them.” His chuckle was rusty, but there. “Laird MacKenzie gave me a few games whilst he was here. He beat me once,” he said with obvious pride.

“I ken someone who’ll give ye a wee battle on the board. Someone who has beat our liege lord often.”

Fergus ignored the glass of whiskey Duff held out. “Who is he?”

“’Tis a lass.”

“A lass? Play chess?”

“My Lady Kiera not only plays, Fergus,” said Duff. “She wins, too damn often. Now drink yer whiskey so ye can tell us all what ye saw today.”



* * * *



“We have blankets, an oiled canvas to keep off the wet, bread, cheese, ale, and a wee lantern,” said Kiera brightly. She hoped it would cheer up Camden as the boy blamed himself for their predicament.

As they hadn’t searched her she’d used her blade to cut strips from her shift to wrap her ankle as well as to cut into the food. Or, rather, Camden had cut. She’d been in too much pain after climbing from the boat up to the cave. She’d used her knees as much as possible but had to put her foot down a few times. She was lucky she hadn’t slipped and landed in the sea.

But she hadn’t slipped, and she would survive this nightmare. And then she’d really work hard to be the perfect wife, even if it meant staying inside Kinrowan until spring!

Kiera squeezed Camden’s thin shoulder. “In a few weeks this will be naught but an adventure. You’ll boast of how the mighty Camden protected his lady.”

“I didna protect ye, my lady,” he said morosely. “We are still in this cave, and none ken it.”

“Ye waved at someone.”

“Aye, Fergus.” He sighed, slumping against her. “He canna look out at the beach and into the bailey at the same time. He’d wish to watch the football game with the laird.” He choked, almost a cry. “I dinna wish ye te die, my lady.”

She pulled him into her arms. He fought the tears while she said nothing. He was just a lad, alone in the world. When she’d asked him if his mother had made his shirt he’d bluntly said he was an orphan, but he’d been raised right by a soldier.

She kissed the top of his head, loving the feeling of his embrace. She would wait for the right time to tell him, but he was no longer an orphan. Her babe would have an older foster brother.

“They dinna wish me dead, Camden. If I die Kinrowan goes to another. ’Tis Laird Malcolm they want. I be but the bait.” She sighed. “My dear husbands said naught to warn me. I shall box their ears!”

He sniffed back more tears and sat up. She released him, though kept him close.

“Can ye keep a secret?”

“I’ve kept one or two in my life,” she replied.

“Yer husbands kenned ye’d been inside Kinrowan since ye got here and would wish to see the people. They didna wish to scare ye, so they let ye enjoy yer day. I was to be yer guard. Chester was to help. I tried to keep him near with my wee pieces of venison, but he got tired.”

So they knew and didn’t tell her. She should be furious, but they were right. She would not have wanted a couple of guards following her everywhere. The women in the village would not have spoken to her with men looming around.

“I dinna wish Laird Malcolm to die, or them to force ye to marry another. Mayhaps Master Duff will save ye, so the laird can be safe?”

“Can you think of a good laird who would stay behind the walls of his castle and let someone else rescue his lady wife?” She felt him shake his head. “Nay. If we canna escape on our own my blockhead husband will put himself out to be harmed.” She paused, thinking of the obvious.

“Could Master Duff’s scars be covered, so he’d look like the laird?”

She was going to make sure Camden got decent schooling. If he could think like this at seven he would one day be a good leader. They just had to get out of this cave first.

“’Tis a good idea. I shall tell you a secret about those brothers. None ken this but Bessie and Ramsey the keeper. I am trusting you with my life and that of my babe, so I can trust you with this.”