Highland Devil (Murray Family #22)(17)

"Because they were built to hold his lemans," said a woman's voice.

They all looked at the black-haired woman standing inside the now open  door. Gybbon was relieved that he was not the only one who had not heard  her open the door. Even Sigimor looked surprised. Quickly counting the  buildings in the row of cottages, he decided the old laird had been a  randy old goat. There was a dozen, if one included the burned out one.  Looking at the older woman's still very pretty face surrounded by a  thick fall of curly black hair, he also decided the mon had had very  good taste.

"The old laird?" Sigimor asked.

"Aye. The son is a bit of a pious fool. His sons, though, are nay so  good. Eldest is pure evil. I willnae let him cross my thresh stone." She  looked them all over and grinned. "What can I do for all ye fine lads  then?"

"We were told that ye might ken something about Maggie, the woman who  lived in the cottage. The butcher said ye were her friend."

"Aye." Tears glistened in her eyes and Gybbon felt his heart sink as she  shook her head and waved them inside. "Take a seat and I will fetch  some cider for us. Dinnae sit on my dog," she called out as she  disappeared into another room.

Sigimor stood in front of one of the settees and glared down at a  mottled gray ball of curls. "That isnae a dog. 'Tis a furry rat."

"I heard that!" the woman said as she came into the room with a tray of tankards. "Impudent boy."

"Boy? Havenae been called that in a long while." Sigimor nudged the dog out of the way and sat down right after the woman did.

"When ye are my age near every mon who isnae gray and bent is a boy. Do the lads with your horses want anything?"

"Nay, they are fine. Ye dinnae need to serve them."

"I wasnae going to. I was going to make ye do it."

Gybbon saw her mischievous grin, then looked over to see Sigimor's  surprise quickly change to a narrow-eyed look with a strong hint of  laughter behind it. "Ye stayed with the old laird the longest."

"I did indeed. How do ye ken that?"

"Ye picked up some of his bite."

The woman's laugh carried a strong hint of bawdiness. She shook her head  and retorted, "Och, nay. Nay. He got that from me. I will fetch ye some  tankards and the jug for the other boys." When she stood up, so did all  the men. "Ye dinnae need to do that or ye will be bouncing up and down  all the time. I am nay one who can sit still for long. Come along," she  said, signaling Sigimor to follow her.

Sigimor did and then went to serve some cider to each of the men  watching their horses. Watching closely, Gybbon saw Sigimor give Fergus a  rap on the head, then hand him some cider. When Sigimor stepped back  inside, the woman rushed to meet him and hand him a tray with four  little tarts on it.

"Go on. Give them to the boys." She nudged him outside and dashed off again.

With a heavy sigh, he walked over to give each of the men a tart, then  paused to glare at the smoldering pile that used to be Maggie's home.  "Hate to reward that brat Fergus for whining about food," he said as he  came in and sat down.

"He is fore'er hungry. Dinnae ken why he isnae so fat ye could roll him  along the road to spare the horse," said Nait. "Fire still smoldering?"

"Aye, and it troubles me that no one has done a thing about it."

"Well, there are four men out there," said Nanty.

"True enough, but we dinnae have any water."         

     



 

"Ye need water for something?" asked Morag as she came back in the room with a tray of tarts.

"That fire is still smoldering under the wreckage and it troubles me. Could just go out but could also flare up of a sudden."

"Aye, it could. Could take down this whole row if it did. If ye have the  men, I have barrels of water at the side of the house. I collect the  rain when it falls. Use it to water the horses and all."

"I have men." He stood up and walked toward the door and then strode back to grab a tart, wink at Morag, and go out.

"Oh, that is most certainly a Cameron."

"I apologize, ma'am," Gybbon said. "I cannae believe we ne'er told ye  our names. Aye, that was Sigimor Cameron, Laird of Dubheidland. Those  men outside are his brother Fergus and three MacFingals of Scarglas.  Here we have Nait Cameron and Nanty, Sigimor's brother by marriage. I am  Sir Gybbon Murray."

"Oh, I once met a Murray at the king's court. Lovely man. All the lassies sighed after him."

"I would wager that would have been Payton Murray."

"Aye, that was his name. Had a bit of trouble, but it must have been  sorted out as he married. Many a lass wept over that, I can tell ye."

Gybbon sighed. "I imagine so." The door opened and Sigimor started to walk in, but the man with him hesitated. "Sigimor?"

Looking at the man behind him, Sigimor grabbed his arm and started to  tug him into the house. "I got the lads to toss some more water on the  fire and met this mon. Think he might have a few things to tell us,  Gybbon."

"Hello, Iain!" Morag leaned forward, waved and smiled at the mon.

"Ma'am," Iain said, and nodded at her.

"Ye ken what happened to Maggie and the boy?"

"I do, ma'am."

"Did ye tell the sheriff?" asked Gybbon.

"I wasnae about when he came, so nay, havenae told him anything. I  hadnae told my wife what I saw, either. Maggie was in the house, ye ken.  Ran back in after she made the boy wait outside. He was watching her  through the door, but then the ceiling fell in and he ran. Maggie came  out after he fled and looked for him, then got in the cart. I ran up to  toss some water on her skirts because they were burning a bit. She told  me to nay say a word, but if the Laird of Dubheidland asked questions, I  should answer and be sure I tell ye she was headed for her sister's."

"Good. Dinnae tell him," said Sigimor.

"I willnae. Is Maggie in trouble?"

"The sheriff has been told she stole and is hiding a child, and also a  killer. Those fool Ogilvy brothers are trying to make him believe little  Mora killed Old William and has tried to kill their father with poison.  'Tis the excuse they use to justify the way they are hunting the lass."

"Little Mora? The one who totes around that cat most others would just  drown? And to think of Maggie stealing anything is laughable." Iain  suddenly stood up straighter. "They did it, didnae they? They want that  bit of land taken out of the estate for David."

"They do. They killed David and Rona for it," Morag said.

"Nay. I willnae say a word to the sheriff. Doubt he will recall me  anyway, or he will think because he talked with my woman, I have nothing  to say to help him. Thinking we should ask for a new sheriff if he can  be made to listen to such lies. Bribed, I suspect."

"Most likely," Gybbon said. "Do a lot of folk in the town ken anything or think like ye do?"

"Most of them, I suspect, and if they kenned it was those Ogilvy  brothers who killed David and Rona, they would hang them themselves.  Those two were verra good to the people in this village." Iain glanced  back at Sigimor and smiled faintly as he said, "He would heed the Laird  of Dubheidland."

"And so he should," Sigimor said as he walked to the settee and sat down.

Iain looked at Gybbon, his eyes a little wide, and Gybbon just shrugged.  "We will have to go hunt down the lad," he said to Sigimor.

When Sigimor reached for a tart, Morag slapped his hand, then held the  tray out to Iain. When he chose one and thanked her she held the tray  out to Sigimor. He was watching her with that narrow-eyed look that held  a hearty laugh in its depths.

Sigimor pointed at himself. "Laird."

"Not of this place." She smiled sweetly as he took a tart and she settled the tray on the table.

"Oh, ye really must meet my wife."

"Arenae ye afraid I will teach her all manner of naughty things being that I was a leman?"

"Nay, hoping perhaps." He grinned when both Iain and Gybbon laughed.         

     



 

"Rogue."

"I do my best."

"Weel, if ye are done flirting with our hostess, Sigimor, I think we  should try to hunt down the laddie. If he thinks he saw Maggie burn up  in the cottage he will be terrified."

"I was just making certain I gave the lads enough time to put out the  last of the fire," Sigimor said as he stood up. "We will go find the lad  now. Ye ken where this safe place is, aye?"

"Do ye want me to go with ye?" said Morag. "The boy kens me as a friend of Maggie's."

"That would be good, but then we would have to bring ye back and we need  to get him away from here as fast as we can," said Sigimor. "Ye could  help by delaying the sheriff if he and his men come looking. I had the  understanding that the boy doesnae tell many about his safe place, but  ye can ne'er be sure of that when 'tis only a child."