“And she would have been right. We must settle this matter and see that Zia is freed of these senseless, vicious, and dangerous charges. I will feel better when you two finally exchange vows, for then she legally has the Sinclare name to protect her.”
“My thoughts as well,” Artair said.
Cavan rubbed the back of his neck. “I suppose the bishop knows of the birth of my sons?”
“He does, though I let it be known that mother and sons still required Zia’s attention. He asked that you, Lachlan, and me, and also Mother if she is not needed to help with the babes, to join him for the noon meal. It was more of a command than a request, I must say.”
“It is best we comply. We don’t want to give him any reason to believe us uncooperative.”
“Agreed.”
“In the meantime keep a close watch on him.”
“I have Patrick trailing him.”
A knock interrupted any further conversation, and a warrior who had been sent to see that the cleric made it to the keep as soon as possible entered.
Artair felt his stomach plummet. From the warrior’s dire expression, he could sense that something was wrong.
“The cleric has been taken ill at a village and isn’t fit to travel,” the man said. “It might be a day or more before he is able to resume his journey.”
Artair refused to allow this setback to defeat him. If he did, he could very well lose Zia. “We must keep the bishop busy with his investigation until the cleric can get here,” he said to Cavan when the warrior left.
His brother was about to agree when another knock sounded at the door.
Another warrior entered. “One of the sentinels has reported a lone rider approaching from the east.”
“How long before he arrives?” Cavan asked.
“Thirty minutes or more.”
“Intercept him and find out what he wants on Sinclare land,” Cavan ordered.
The two brothers looked at each other, both sensing something was not right. It wasn’t long before their fears were confirmed. The rider was from the village Lorne. He was sent to bear witness to marriage documents and to talk on behalf of his village with the bishop. Cavan couldn’t prevent his arrival. If he did, his actions would only make Zia appear guilty.
The man was greeted as any other visitor would be, and when the bishop found out who he was, requested his presence at the noon day meal.
The great hall was empty except for the Sinclares, the bishop, and the messenger, Neil. The tension was thick in the air. Even Champion felt it, the dog standing stiffly to the side of the hearth as if on alert and ready to protect.
The servants were quiet and solemn whenever they entered the hall, and didn’t remain long. The mood remained dour as the meal began and the silence hung heavy. At Champion’s bark, everyone jumped, but then had to smile at the way he ran to greet a smiling Addie.
“Bishop Aleatus, it is an honor to have you in our home and at such an auspicious time,” she said with a respectful bow to the man. “I would be honored if you were to bestow blessings on my grandsons.”
“A gracious request to which I would be only too pleased to consent,” the bishop answered with a smile, the only smile since his arrival. “Please sit by me.”
Addie eagerly joined him, her smile still brimming.
Talk turned general, and seeing that his mother’s smiling presence had changed the charged atmosphere, Artair was grateful to her. She talked of the beautiful service a cleric had conducted for her husband’s funeral and the strength she derived from her daily devotionals.
The bishop conversed mainly with her, which Artair noticed made the messenger Neil, all the more uncomfortable. Finally, the wiry little fellow snapped.
“The witch has bewitched her,” he blurted.
“Why say you that?” the bishop asked.
He stammered for a moment before regaining control of his tongue. “The witch told us to pray for our loved ones.”
“She did?” the bishop asked curiously.
He nodded. “She claimed she’d pray too, but it was the devil she prayed to.”
“But your people got better, didn’t they?” Artair asked, knowing full well they had.
“Every one of them,” Neil said, his hands trembling. “And that isn’t right. Not a one of the ill died. Even the ones everyone thought for sure wouldn’t make it survived.”
“Zia is a good healer,” Artair confirmed, and his brothers agreed with a nod, as did Addie.
“No, no,” Neil insisted. “She let the devil steal their souls, and when they die they’ll burn forever in the fires of Hell.”
“That’s pure nonsense—”