Highland Courage(73)

“Good morning, my lady. The laird asked me to send for him when ye awoke. Turcuil here has been keeping me company. He is one of your brother’s fellow guardsmen. Turcuil, would ye mind popping down to the great hall to let Laird Matheson know Lady Matheson awaits him in their chamber?”

Mairead arched an eyebrow—someone the size of Turcuil doesn’t “pop” anywhere. “That won’t be necessary. If Tadhg is in the great hall, ye can escort me down.” However, Turcuil was already lumbering toward the stairs. Yes, lumbering, that is the word, not “pop.”

“Ye see? The laird will be up here in two shakes of a lamb’s tail.”

“What’s wrong, Hamish? Why can’t I go to him?”

“My lady, please be patient. There was a little upset early this morning. Ye know yourself, things can get tense when so many clans are gathered. The laird will explain it to ye in a moment.”

“I suppose I will have to wait for him, then,” she said, stepping back into the room and closing the door, but his explanation did not appease her. There had been at least as many clans in attendance at her wedding and nothing untoward happened. It didn’t take long for Tadhg to join her but, as anxious as she was, it felt like ages. As Tadhg told her what happened, panic began to rise.

“This makes no sense. Why would someone want to hurt Rowan?”

“We don’t know yet, love.”

“I have to go to him, Tadhg. I have to help.”

“Sweetling, he is being well tended. Both your mother and Lady Katherine are with him. They think he just needs a bit of time to recover.”

“I can’t stay up here,” she moaned plaintively. “I need to be with my family.”

“Ye needn’t stay up here. I will take ye downstairs, but, pet, most of your family was outside the walls of Duncurra when this happened. Niall has closed the castle to ensure everyone’s safety. No one can enter or leave for the moment. Quinn is with Rowan, but I’m sure your father will take comfort in having ye near. Mairead, as ye can imagine, the situation downstairs is volatile. Either Hamish or I will be near ye at all times. Turcuil will be close as well. If anything happens, do as we tell ye, instantly, even if your da or one of your brothers tells ye something different. Do ye understand?”

“Aye, Tadhg. I love ye and I trust ye.”

He pulled her into a fierce hug. “Everything will be fine, Mairead. Things will sort themselves out.”

Mairead hugged him back tightly. She wished she had the same confidence.





Twenty





When they arrived downstairs, it looked as if every living soul within the keep had gathered in the great hall. The tension was palpable. People clustered in small groups engaging in furtive conversations. Niall MacIan was having an intense discussion with his commander, Dairmad, but on seeing Tadhg enter the hall, motioned him over.

“Mairead, love, I’m sure your father would like your company. Hamish will stay with ye. I am just going to see what Niall needs.” He kissed her on the cheek before joining Niall and his men.

“Is there any new information?”

“Perhaps it is nothing, but one of your men, a man named Bryant, said he witnessed a Matheson lass speaking with Rowan earlier in the evening. He says Rowan seemed to become irritated.”

“Who questioned him? What else did Bryant say?”

Alan, one of Niall’s captains, stepped forward. “I spoke with Bryant, Laird. He said the lass had been standing on the steps to the keep. He was on the other side of the courtyard and wanted to dance with her, but by the time he wove through the throng she was gone. He kept looking and caught a glimpse of her walking toward the back of the keep. He still tried to catch up with her, but she entered the hall through the doors to the kitchen and he lost sight of her again. I was surprised that he pursued her so persistently just for a dance. He said she has been known to cause mischief, and as her father is a fellow guardsman, he thought to keep an eye on her, so he kept searching. He finally caught sight of her near the buttery, talking to Rowan. Apparently Rowan had her by the arm and looked angry. Before he could reach them, she was gone again. He continued looking for her outside the castle, but never found her. He assumed she had returned to the encampment.”

“Did he say who she was?” Tadhg asked.

“He called her Meriel.”

“Meriel?” Tadhg asked in disbelief. “That lass has stirred up trouble before, but I can’t believe she had anything to do with injuring Rowan.”

“No one is saying she did,” assured Niall. “Perhaps she witnessed something or knows something that will point us in the right direction.”