“Truthfully, Father, she wasn’t really a mother to either of us. She went to court for the first time when I was five. Eventually she chose to live there permanently.”
“Without your father?”
“Our father loved the Highlands, but my mother didn’t, and after I was born, she was never able to carry another bairn to term. I think the fact that she lost so many other pregnancies trying to give him more children made him want to do whatever it took to make her happy, so he let her stay there.” Fingal shook his head at the memories. “He turned a blind eye to everything she did, and while she was there, she practically destroyed this clan single-handedly.”
“How did she manage that?” asked Father Colm.
“She acquired a massive debt, the true magnitude of which was only discovered after my father’s death. The clan was on the brink of ruin. Niall was forced to seek help from King David, who provided a solution, in the form of marriage to a Lowland heiress.”
“The Lady Katherine?”
“Aye.”
The old priest smiled and said, “I would hardly call that a sacrifice.”
Fingal smiled too, and said, “There would be many who would agree with ye, Father, however, for Niall, at the time, it was. Years ago the woman he intended to marry betrayed him. The entire clan witnessed her deception and his heartache. He vowed never to marry. However, for the sake of the clan, he did marry Katherine, paid off all the debts, and is trying to help the clan not only survive, but prosper.”
“That sounds an awful lot like admiration from someone who is supposedly seeking his brother’s downfall.”
Fingal smiled, but he felt profoundly sad. He had just lost the only thing that ever mattered to him. They both sat silently in contemplation for several minutes. Then Father Colm said, “Based on what Tomas overheard, the conspirator expects he will gain Duncurra for himself, but someone else will kill Niall. Could Laird Matheson be an accomplice?”
“I admit it has been a number of years since I have had any close association with him, but this is completely out of character. He is one of the wealthiest lairds in the Highlands and has never been covetous of others,” said Fingal.
“Men do change,” offered Father Colm.
“Perhaps, but I can’t see what Tadhg could hope to gain by helping someone bring Niall down.”
“Then, other than ye, who would have a reason to destroy Laird MacIan? Does he have any enemies?”
“Father, Niall has a temper, but with one notable exception,” Fingal said dryly, motioning to himself, “he usually does not release his anger without serious cause. He is a force to be reckoned with, but he is also generally considered to be fair—much more so than our father was.”
“Perhaps someone from Katherine’s past? A family member or a disappointed suitor?”
Fingal snorted. “Her only family was a merciless uncle who damn near beat her to death, and he made sure she had no suitors.” Father Colm looked askance. “Tis true. Nay, her uncle benefitted by her marriage to Niall, he was happy enough. Frankly, Katherine lost the most, but there was no one to champion her.”
Father Colm nodded, saying, “Fingal, lad, I can understand why the laird thinks ye are behind this. Ye have argued against it being anyone else but ye.”
Fingal answered wryly, “Aye, Father, even I am beginning to suspect me. The fact is my brother is a good man, and well respected. The only person I know who neither likes nor respects Niall is my mother.”
“If there is so little fondness between them, why did she leave court and return to Duncurra?”
“After Niall resolved all the debt she accrued, he made it clear she was no longer to be extended credit. He gave her an annual stipend on which to live, but she arrived here after spending the lot in a few months.”
“Could she be the one behind this?”
“Not alone. She has become very close to Malcolm, and in recent months he has not only stirred discord between us, he has done the same between Niall and Katherine.”
“He was here at the Epiphany. It could have been Malcolm who Tomas overheard.”
Fingal thought for a moment before saying, “Tomas said one of the people he overheard said something about ‘pretending to be something for too long’ and he was ‘sorry he wouldn’t be the one to kill Niall.’ That could certainly be Malcolm, if the loving uncle role was just an act. Malcolm could have been behind the raids and the kidnapping. It was his idea to take Katherine to Brathanead in the first place. Instigating a war with Matheson would weaken us sufficiently to allow Malcolm to successfully lay siege to Duncurra, and could certainly get Niall killed.”