A sudden change came over the demeanor of thevillagers. Some folk quickly separated from the others and hurriedback toward their huts. Others simply backed away until Tess caughtsight of a rider and a half dozen armed men on foot who wereapproaching the market square on the road coming down from thecastle. None wore the Highlander’s kilt, dressed instead in Lowlandbreeches and chain shirts. Even from a distance, she could see thatall were heavily armed.
“’Tis Flannan,” the child murmured, half hidingbehind Tess’s skirt.
Tess turned to Bella, who was still standing nearher. “Is he someone who knows me?”
The old woman shook her head. “He is the steward ofRavenie. Yer mother sent him from the Lowlands, lassie. He runs thecastle and manages the land, and collects rents from the croftersin yer name. He has been here near ten years…maybe more.”
The severe looks Tess had received on her arrivalwere nothing compared to the hostility that charged the airnow.
“Is he a just steward?”
Bella’s back was bent with age, but the woman stillmanaged to raise her gray eyes to Tess’s. “Maybe in the eyes ofwhoever he collects the rents for in the Lowlands. He doesn’t givea rush about any of the folk here. He takes what he says we owe,and turns out those who cannot pay. We are here to serve him andhis mistress, he says. We are to work and not complain. ‘Tis theway of the world, he says. ‘Tis the way of things here, to be sure,since the laird’s death.”
“Could you do nothing?”
“We chose leaders over the years to speak for theclan, but it made no difference.”
Anger like none she’d ever experienced burned inTess. In her name, in her mother’s name, these people had beentreated unjustly for ten years. She handed the little girl to Bellaand approached the men.
The crowd continued to back away, forming a largecircle as Flannan and his men reached the open area around themarket cross. Tess didn’t have to turn to know Colin had movedbehind her. To her right and left, she saw Macpherson men keeping awatchful eye.
Flannan was approaching middle-age, bald with anenormous belly that sagged over the thick belt he wore over agreasy doublet and breeches. Tess noted the swagger of the armedmen with him. Bullies, one and all, she thought angrily as theydrew their swords and leaned on the hilts, the points buried in thedirt.
Tess was not deterred though, and she continued toapproach. The steward’s small eyes focused for a moment on Tess,but he made no move to get down from his horse or acknowledgeher.
“Are you Flannan the steward?” She came to a stop afew steps away.
He looked over Tess’s head, at whom she could onlyguess was Colin. “My men brought me news of some travelers passingthrough the village. Macphersons, they said.” He gestured to thearmed men to his right and left. “We are much better prepared toreceive company at the castle. These lazy bastards need to beplanting the fields.”
“You haven’t answered my question,” Tess called,taking a step closer. If he knew about the Macphersons being here,he must have been told about her, too. Perhaps, she considered, hehadn’t heard, though. Deciding to give him the benefit of thedoubt, she introduced herself. “I am Teresa Catherine Lindsay. Ibelieve ‘tis in my name that you are steward of thisholding...”
“What are you looking at, you filthy curs?” thesteward shouted at the crowd. “Back to the fields.”
A few people shuffled nervously, but no oneretreated.
“Are you just going to ignore me?” she shot at him,growing livid at his insulting behavior.
The steward turned the head of his horse away andmurmured some orders to the man nearest to him. Tess was too angryto think through any consequences. She started toward the man, onlyto stop in shock as everything exploded with activity aroundher.
Colin shot past her and had a grip on the back ofthe steward’s belt in an instant. With one quick jerk, the fatsteward was off the horse and on his hands and knees in thedirt.
There was a brief and short-lived scuffle betweenthe Macphersons and Flannan’s armed men, but the Lowlanders were nomatch for Colin, James, and the others…including the Lindsays whohad joined them. In just a few moments of struggle, the Lowlandershad been overpowered.
Tess was not naïve enough, though, to think thebattle was done. She was certain Flannan had more men at thecastle.
“Would you care to answer your mistress’s questionsnow?” Colin was standing behind the steward. The man had pushedhimself off his hands, but still was on his knees. He cast a quicklook at his subdued cohorts before scowling at Tess.
“I would have answered her to begin with if Ithought the lass was telling the truth. She is no daughter of LadyEvelyn’s.” The steward pushed himself to his feet and spoke to theLindsays that had once again surged forward to watch the spectaclebefore them. “This creature is nothing more than an imposter paidfor by the Macphersons. See for yourselves! She was brought here totrick you fools.” He turned and pointed an accusing finger atColin. “Leave it to these pirates to think of a way to steal whatis yours.”
CHAPTER 13
“She will hate me. She will think me the mosthorrible of mothers.” Lady Evelyn continued to pace back and forthacross her bedchamber. “And what happens if she decides that shedoes not wish to see me? What should I do if she remains in theHighlands with the Macphersons and the rest of those animals?”
“If she is truly who she says she is, then she willunderstand.” David Burnett reached for the willowy woman’s hand andforced her to stop. “If this young woman istrulyTheresaCatherine, then she will come to you.”
“’Tis she. I just know ‘tis Theresa. For a longtime, I have known that she would come back.” The mother’s fairfeatures were flushed. She tugged her hand free and walked to thenarrow window overlooking the courtyard. “Everything makessense—where she was found to what age she claims to be. I’ve knownthis was coming for a long time.”
Burnett’s strong arm encircled Evelyn’s waist, andhe pulled her against his chest. His voice was soothing andreassuring in her ear. “We have done everything that we can, rightnow. You have answered her letter. I have sent a group of my mosttrusted men to Benmore Castle to escort her back. There is noreason to fret over this until she arrives at our gate.”
