AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Saidh suspected that was highly unlikely. She was also beginning to consider that she perhaps should have spoken to Greer ere she'd made her magnanimous offer.
Frowning, she patted Fenella's back and glanced to the door, wondering why Greer hadn't returned. He'd gone to talk to Fenella, but Fenella was with her. Surely he should have returned by now?
"Ye do no' ken how relieved I am," Fenella said, sniffling. The woman did not cry prettily. Her eyes were red, her face blotchy and her nose was running something fierce. "I ha'e lain awake worrying at night, wondering what will become o' me and--" She paused suddenly and slumped unhappily. "I can no' stay here."
"Why?" Saidh asked with surprise.
"Allen's mother," Fenella said grimly. "We got along fine while Allen lived. She e'en seemed to like me, but ever since Allen died she has been saying the most horrid things about me."
"And how ha'e ye responded to those horrid things?" Saidh asked.
Fenella frowned with confusion. "What do ye mean?"
"I mean, I ken she's accused ye o' ha'ing something to do with Allen's death, but did ye tell her ye didn't and ye loved him, or did ye jest burst into tears and run away?" Saidh asked and could read the answer in Fenella's expression. Sighing, she said firmly, "Ye need to tell her that ye had naught to do with Allen's death, that ye loved and were grateful to him, and that ye'll hear no more o' her accusations."
"And what if she does no' listen?" Fenella asked unhappily.
"Then I will speak with her," Saidh said simply, and then added, "But even if she does no' change, she is old, Fenella, and her health has been poorly of late."
She snorted at that. "Her health has been poorly since I married Allen. Goodness, the morning Allen died she was lying in because she felt poorly. Yet she is still here." She grimaced. "I do no' think she is poorly so much as wants attention and sympathy." She blew out an exasperated breath. "E'en does she stop with accusations I do no' think I could forgive and live with her."
Saidh briefly considered suggesting that Aulay might let her live at Buchanan with him and the boys, but then thought better of it. She suspected her brothers would not be pleased if Fenella asked and they learned it was at her suggestion.
"Bowie is handsome, do ye no' think?" Fenella said thoughtfully.
Saidh blinked at the abrupt change in topic and asked with bewilderment, "Greer's first?"
"Aye. He has that fine pale hair and strong features. He is really verra handsome."
"I suppose," Saidh agreed slowly, not understanding where the conversation was going or how it had even got here.
"He was Allen's best friend," Fenella announced.
Saidh stilled and peered at her with more interest. "Was he?"
Fenella nodded. "They were always together, swimming in the loch, going out to check on the villagers, taking off on hunts that lasted for days, and I often found them together in his room at night, just chatting or playing chess," she said, her expression considering as she added, "And he has always been sweet and kind to me too."
"Hmm," Saidh said absently, her mind pondering the possibility that Bowie and Allen may have been more than friends. A man hunting and visiting villagers with his first was not unusual, but the part about Bowie being in Allen's room at night was a bit much. Aunt Tilda had said he preferred the company of men, after all.
"Do ye think if I married Bowie, Greer would set us up in a cottage in the village? That way I could stay close to ye but no' ha'e to live with Tilda."
"Er . . ." Saidh stared at her with dismay. Good Lord! Fenella was like a desperate drowning victim, floating down a river, snatching at every passing branch she saw. First she'd considered Greer, now Bowie. Were Aulay and the boys not Fenella's first cousins, she'd probably be plotting to marry one of them.
"What do you think?" Fenella asked.
Saidh thought that if Bowie and Allen had been the type of "friends" she suspected, then Fenella was barking up the wrong tree, but she couldn't say that. Instead, she suggested firmly, "I think we should worry about that later. After we've convinced the men ye're innocent o' the attacks on me. 'Tis the most important thing at the moment."
"I suppose," Fenella murmured, and peered around the room. "This is quite a nice room, do ye no' think?"
"Aye. 'Tis," Saidh agreed slowly, suspecting she knew what was coming.
"Much nicer than me own," Fenella pointed out. "Mine is ridiculous small, and the bed lumpy, and--"
"Ye can move here if ye like, Fenella," Saidh said dryly.
"Truly?" she asked, a smile starting to pull at her lips.
"O' course," Saidh said patiently.
"Oh, thank ye," Fenella gushed, hugging her quickly and then pulling back. "I do no' sleep well in the room I'm in jest now. 'Tis no just that 'tis small either. I keep hearing sounds in the wall. I'm sure there are rats in there or something. Large ones too from the sound o' it and I jest lay there worrying they'll chew their way through to me room and--"
"Ye must be tired then," Saidh said on inspiration and stood abruptly. "Why do ye no' lie down and ha'e a little nap?"
"Here?" Fenella asked.
"Aye. 'Tis probably best Aulay and me husband do no' find ye until I can talk to them. They still think ye're behind the two attacks," she pointed out.
"Oh, aye. 'Tis probably best I stay here then," Fenella agreed, swinging her legs onto the bed and lying down. "I really am quite weary."
"Then a nap is jest what ye need," Saidh said firmly, pulling up the furs to cover her.
"Thank ye," Fenella murmured as Saidh tucked the furs around her.
"Yer welcome," Saidh said quietly and turned to head for the door, relieved to be able to escape.
"Yer supposed to be resting," Dougall growled as she slid out of the bedchamber and pulled the door closed.
"Well I'm no', am I?" she pointed out with irritation. "I need to talk to me husband."
"He's down below talking to Aulay and the rest o' the boys," Geordie informed her. "Fenella is missing and they are trying to sort out where she might--"
His voice died abruptly when Saidh turned away and headed for the stairs without waiting to hear the rest. She wasn't at all surprised to hear the clump of both men's feet on the stairs behind her as she descended. They were her guards after all, and she supposed she would have to get used to it, at least until this situation was cleared up. Saidh wouldn't be trying to slip her guard again. She wouldn't risk anyone else getting hurt on her account.
That didn't mean she was happy about having a guard though. The very idea of it chafed at her nerves, actually having her brothers trailing her about like puppies was going to drive her mad, she was sure.
"Wife," Greer said with surprise, getting to his feet when Saidh reached the trestle tables. "I'm sorry I did no' return. But Fenella was no' in her room when we went to speak to her. Her maid said she'd left the room intending to come below, but no one has seen--"
"I ken where Fenella is," Saidh announced.
The men at the table all rose at this news, looking to her as if they would charge off and tackle the woman the moment they knew where to find her. Saidh scowled at them for it and sat down at the table.
"Where is she?" Greer asked, remaining standing.
Apparently he was as eager to hunt Fenella down as the others, Saidh thought wearily, but merely said, "I do no' think she is behind the attacks on me."
"She may no' be," Greer allowed. "But we need to speak to her to be sure."
"I already spoke to her," Saidh admitted.
"How the de'il did ye manage that?" Dougall asked. "Ye were in yer bedchamber the whole time and we were guarding the door. She did no' pass us."
"The passage," Greer said grimly when Saidh hesitated. He then explained to her brothers, "There is a secret passage that leads to the bedchamber. O' course, as Allen's wife, she would ken about it and how to open it. She must ha'e used it to visit Saidh and then to leave."
Saidh didn't correct him, she simply sai
d, "It does no' matter how she got in. The fact is we talked and I ha'e me doubts that she had anything to do with what's happened. But we both ken 'tis impossible to prove, so she's agreed to a guard to stay with her day and night so that when the next attack happens, we'll ken 'tis no' her."
Greer dropped onto the bench seat beside her, his expression troubled. "The next attack?"
"There has to be a way to find the culprit without waiting fer another attack," Aulay said with a frown. " 'Sides, what makes ye think 'tis no' Fenella?"
"I asked her and she said she is no'," Saidh said calmly, then grimaced and added, "o' course, she could be lying, but . . ."
"But?" Greer prompted.
"I believe her," she said helplessly.
"Ye can no' ken this yet, Greer," Aulay said quietly, "but Saidh generally has good instincts when it comes to judging people."
Her husband let his breath out on a sigh. "If she is no' our culprit, then we are back to sorting out who is."
"M'laird, ha'e ye found her yet?"
