Mary howled.
As the cold truth of it swept over her, Ailsa lost the ability to kneel and sat heavily on the ground.
‘Ailsa?’ Rory asked, concern sweeping away all anger from his voice.
‘I’ll be well,’ Ailsa said, still averting her eyes from Rory and his friend, who would appreciate knowing he had some privacy when he woke. ‘Care for Paiden.’
‘The bastard’s heavy. He’ll hear of this later.’
Ailsa welcomed the relief in Rory’s voice. Despite what occurred in the room, if all went well, Rory would have Paiden well again.
Still... ‘My father. You meant injury to my father?’
‘Hamish meant ill to your father,’ Frederick corrected. He placed a hand on Mary’s shoulder. She startled.
‘Talk to me,’ he demanded. ‘As Ailsa’s father, tell me what happened.’
Mary raised her head. ‘Hamish. He ordered me to.’
‘How much did he tell you?’
‘He knows what you wanted from Lochmores.’ She gulped, rubbed her nose on her sleeve. ‘He knew that when they came, you would not oust them from McCrieff land. That you...intended to grant them the land.’
‘Were you angry about my decision?’
‘My father wouldn’t like it.’
‘Did your father know?’
‘Hamish told me to be quiet.’ She wiped her face, glanced at Ailsa and then back to Frederick. ‘He didn’t mention the marriage.’
‘How did the goblet get to Paiden instead of Frederick?’ Rory asked.
Mary shook her head. ‘I don’t know. I was sospecific. I couldn’t be there because I was supposed to be caring for Hamish as Ailsa told me to.’
‘You couldn’t be there because you didn’t want to watch my father collapse to the ground!’ Ailsa said, the venom in her voice not feigned this time.
Mary met her eyes. Agony. Regret. ‘Yes.’
‘What happened since then?’ Frederick said.
‘I thought Paiden would wake,’ Mary said. ‘I haven’t been giving him any more, honest. Just that once and by accident.’
‘Why isn’t he waking?’ Rory said, a grunt to his voice, a thump of a leg or arm flopping to the floor.
‘Because—’ Ailsa started, the truth of it all sinking in. ‘Because he’s been getting it from other sources. The clothes, the wash water to take care of sores. We’ve been using cloves as well to help with stomach ailments. Our curing has been harming him.’
‘And Hamish?’ Frederick stated. ‘He’s not waking either, is he? Did you give him the same oil?’
Mary raised her chin. ‘I couldn’t... I wouldn’t allow him to make any more orders.’
‘Ah...’ Frederick pinched the bridge of his nose. ‘You were ordered to harm me by Hamishand you did it because of your own family, because you are loyal to the Chief.’
At Mary’s quick nod, her father continued, ‘You should be loyal to the Chief, child.’
It was true. If the Chief gave an order, it was punishable if it wasn’t followed. Ailsa felt all the hatred drain instantly. Her father didn’t seem surprised or angry that Mary had done what she had. Her father acted as if he’d expected it. From the ‘others’ he’d mentioned, perhaps?
Frederick cleared his throat. ‘But the poison accidentally went to the Lochmores and Rory married Ailsa. You care for her, don’t you?’
