“Are ye listenin’, or is there a more pressing matter that needs yer attention?”
Theo didn’t like Howard’s tone. He could feel the challenge rising in him.
Just as he opened his mouth to rebuke the councilman, movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. Hope and fear spiked through him as he recognized the rider instantly.
He rolled his shoulders back and straightened. “As a matter of fact, there is a more pressing matter. Gentlemen, I trust yer judgment on the cost of repair to the fences in the south. We need to ensure that our borders are secure. We dinnae need anyone causin’ a ruckus or questionin’ where our lands begin.”
“And what of the archways for the border wall? Some of them have fallen into disrepair and either need to be replaced or mended.”
Theo made his way to the door and, with the wave of his hand, answered, “I leave it to yer capable hands. I trust ye’ll do what is needed.”
With that, he was out of the room before the councilmen could rope him back.
His steps echoed through the corridor as he made a beeline for the stables.
The familiar scent of straw and leather greeted him like an old friend. Stephen came up in a rush and dismounted just as quickly. The glint in his gaze was unsettling.
“I take it ye took the horse back to its rightful owner?” Theo asked, trying to dispel the tension in his shoulders.
“Aye, of course,” Stephen answered with a chuckle. “But between us, I dinnae see why ye returned it. That man was horrid. Believe me, I wanted to keep it. It was a fine beast. But it wasnae right to do so.”
“Aye,” Theo said agreeably, but he was clearly disgruntled. “And what of the other matter I had ye look into?” he pressed, his chest tightening.
Stephen stiffened. “Nae good. The bandits work for Laird Lewis.”
“Aye, I suspected as much when they tried to take the girls back to his lands. Tell me something I dinnae ken.”
“I’m afraid there’s nothing to tell,” Stephen sighed. “The bandits had marks on their wrists, though.”
“Come again?” Theo asked, his eyebrow arching with suspicion as he gave his man-at-arms his full, undivided attention.
“The men who tried to take Maisie were branded as pirates.”
“That cannae be a coincidence…” Theo trailed off. He felt as if more bricks were being dropped on his chest and he was being crushed into the ground. “We’ll have to widen our net if we’re goin’ to catch a bigger fish.”
“And who exactly are we tryin’ to catch?” Stephen furrowed his brow in confusion.
“A killer,” Theo answered, glancing around, ensuring the stables were empty.
“Intriguing, but who would be dumb enough to do such a thing on yer land?” Stephen asked.
“That’s the conundrum,” Theo answered. “All we have to go on is what Lavina heard from her father’s man-at-arms when he came to tell her the news of her family’s passin’.”
“That’s nothin’ to go on,” Stephen answered with a disbelieving expression plastered on his face.
“Maybe if ye can find the man, we can learn more. He goes by the name of Johan. Maybe he’ll be able to point us to someone who would have wanted to kill them. But I dinnae want ye to make a fuss or let Lavina ken what yer doin’,” Theo said. He flexed his jaw as he mulled over what he was going to do. It wasn’t like he knew any of the McBride clan. They had kept their distance from his lands for so long that he barely batted an eye in their direction.
“Johan is it? I’ll start askin’ around the village and such to see what news I can gather for ye. But why nae start with someone a bit closer to the family?”
“Ye’re thinkin’ the uncle killed them?” Theo asked without a hint of shock lacing his voice as his attention shifted to Stephen for a moment. Stephen gave a small shrug as if he agreed with the idea, but was too scared to take credit.
“Aye,” Stephen answered after a few moments.
Theo bobbed his head. “I’ve thought of it too. And he does have the most to gain by bein’ laird. Lavina’s uncle sent those men to kidnap Lavina. What if he hired the same people who killed her family, too?”
He rubbed his temples to soothe the throbbing ache there as the pieces fell into place. As much as he didn’t want it to be true, he couldn’t deny the plausibility.
“And has Lavina figured it out yet? That her uncle is responsible?” Stephen asked.
