I set my cup down, aware I was being observed by nine pairs of eyes: the Mackenzies and the laird’s officers, who were big, staunch-looking men with watchful eyes and plentiful weapons.
“Tell us what you know of Campbell,” Wilkie said, more gently than his brother yet no less urgently.
“I—I can tell you that Campbell was a guest of Ogilvie’s not a fortnight ago. Or maybe just.” I readjusted, not knowing exactly how long I’d been here. “I served their table. I’m certain that Ogilvie has offered his allegiance to Campbell’s rebellion at Ossian Lochs. They discussed it in some detail.” I paused, having a passing thought that disturbed me.
“Ogilvie sides with Campbell?” pressed Laird Mackenzie, shock splashing across his words.
“Aye.” Something occurred to me then.
Wilkie detected my unease immediately. “What is it, lass?”
“I’m already a traitor to Ogilvie. And I’ll give you any information I can. But the others of the Ogilvie clan—they won’t be harmed?” I thought of Ismay, and of my friends and acquaintances in the kitchen whom I had worked alongside for almost five years. I even thought of Matilda, who had never approved of me, or my work, but who had very occasionally slipped me extra slices of dried venison, a treat she knew I liked, when she thought I was getting too thin. I thought of Ronan and Ritchie, the fledgling warriors who had taken me under their wing to train me in the arts ofsword fighting and horse riding, because I’d been so interested; Ritchie, too, had saved me from unthinkable miseries at the hands of Laird Ogilvie by letting me escape when he’d found me on my wayward journey. And the others of my clan who had shown me kindnesses over the years, even though I’d had the aura of an outsider, and I had been low in status.
It was Kade who first answered my question. “The men who fight in his army are always at risk. That’s their fate, as warriors. If they attack Ossian Lochs alongside Campbell, then they ask to be harmed. And if what you say is true, then they act as traitors to King William, and for that they deserve retribution.”
The laird continued, and his words were somewhat more reassuring. “The clanspeople who reside and remain at Ogilvie’s keep will not be in danger from us. We aim to defend the king’s rightful holdings, not to stage aggression unnecessarily across the Highlands.”
“Did they say when they plan to hold their rebellion?” asked Wilkie.
I thought carefully. “They didn’t say. First they discussed who else they might approach, to join their alliance. If there were any other lairds who were discontent, or who thought their holdings were smaller than they should rightfully be. They mentioned Buchanan.”
“Buchanan,” said the laird, mulling this over.
“His keep is small,” offered Wilkie, “and in a state of some disrepair, though that’s likely a result of Buchanan’s laziness more than anything else.”
“Did they mention others?” asked the laird.
I wished now that I’d paid more attention at the time. I struggled for the names that they’d listed. “Macintosh. Munro.” Ailie gasped lightly, and I couldn’t help noticingthat the brothers took special attention to the name Munro. I had no idea why that might be, and I continued. “Macallister was another name they mentioned. But I’m fairly certain they decided against all three, as they each have shown their loyalty to the king on more than one occasion, or have links to the royal family through blood or marriage.”
“Any others?” Kade asked.
“Mackenzie,” I said.
The laird stiffened.
“They dismissed you outright, Laird Mackenzie,” I continued. “They spoke of your staunch loyalty to the king. They knew you’d never join their rebellion.” And it was then that Ogilvie had described the traits of the Mackenzie brothers that had lingered in my mind. I didn’t go into those details now.
Wilkie, Kade, Laird Mackenzie and their four officers talked for some time, discussing their plans to gain more information through messengers, to find out if any of the lairds I had mentioned were considering joining—or had already aligned themselves with—the rebellion. Occasionally they asked me more detailed questions, but I had told them all I knew. I was able to eat some of the delicious food. And after a half goblet of ale, I was starting to feel woozy. Without thinking, I stood and began to gather the plates, to clear them away to the kitchen. It had become second nature for me, through my many years of training. I stopped when the room went silent, and I noticed that everyone was staring at me. Wilkie’s eyes flashed. “Sit down, lass,” he said quietly, but with total authority.
I sat.
“Roses is tired,” said Wilkie. “I’ll escort her back to her chambers.”
But Ailie and Christie stood, summoning me to rise, guiding me away from Wilkie. “We’ll take her back to Effie, Wilkie. She’s been recruited to assist in the healing quarters, since she’s obviously skilled. Effie said she’s a wealth of knowledge on healing plants. Come, Roses.”
Wilkie considered me and his eager sisters, who beckoned me to follow them.
“Whose idea was this?” asked Wilkie, inflamed. He did not appear to like this idea at all.
“Mine,” offered the laird baldly. He curtly dismissed the other officers before continuing. “’Tis a reasonable cover while she’s here.”
Wilkie rose abruptly from his chair, with minimal outward signs of discomfort; his pain was eased by his renewed ferocity. The warrior in him had returned in no half measure. Even in the tumultuousness of this moment, I was struck again by his sheer size and strength, and by the beauty of the lines of him. His off-white tunic made his skin appear all the more dark and swarthy. His wild black hair and his face, still shadowed by his days-old stubble, made him look like a renegade pirate. And his energy seemed to radiate in waves of allure that made me want to go to him. But he was already here, storming over to me and standing over me, huge and looming.
“You’re to return to your chambers and stay there until I come for you,” he said.
I took his hand before I remembered the publicness of the scene. But when I loosened my hold, he clasped my hand strongly, not allowing me to disengage.
“Please, warrior,” I said. “Let me make myself useful. There’s no need for me to remain idle when I can be assisting in the healing quarters. There’s no need for me to hide away.”
