Page 118 of Outlaw Ever After

“That yer sire was the reason his lands were stripped from him.”

Alex’s eyes furrowed in confusion.

“It says so in the history book in the gallery,” she said. Did he not know? “Richard MacGregor conspired against King James IV to carry secrets to the English. Yer sire was awarded these lands for reporting MacGregor’s treachery to the Crown traveling to Flodden Field.”

Alex’s eyes narrowed, and something seemed to lock into place. “It would mean he never forgave my da. He wanted to steal back what had been awarded to my da…”

“The history said Richard MacGregor was noted as a ‘heretic’.”

“Aye, and as Protestants, Bale somehow manages to work in the king’s Catholic court with immunity.” His thoughts ground to a halt.

“Protestant? The MacGregors are staunchly Catholic. We’ve celebrated church holidays with Kendrew before.”

“What?” His brow riveted. “Then why would he wear such a ring?”

“What ring?” she asked.

“The Luther rose.”

“The flower ring…” she breathed, brow furrowed deep in thought, when her eyes snapped wide. “The man I saw do the slaying wore a flower ring…”

Caleb’s face hardened resolutely as a possibility dawned. “Richard would have worn the ring of a Protestant.”

“Could Bale have taken it off his body as a keepsake?”

His eyes lifted to hers. “Only if he was there for the slaying.”

“What does Bale look like?” Peigi breathed.

“Dark hair. One green eye. One blue.”

Her pulse raced as his hand tightened on hers and she thought back to that horrid time, those flashes of memories, of the man in the solar so long ago, one blue eye, one green. That was Bale?

“I ken him! He’s the one who demanded Seamus dismiss my concerns when I told them they were wrong about ye! Laird Bale MacGregor! His name was on the flyer, and aye, he had dark hair like the man I saw wearing the ring and—”

He gripped her shoulders with alacrity.

“The flyer… Christ, that’s what Seamus…”

“What?” Peigi asked.

“Bale was already being addressed as ‘laird’ of those lands in Glen Lyon when his sire was slain. Somehow, he was already laird of Lyon Tower before news of his sire’s death could have possibly reached Court. I bet he made a pact with the crown to slay his sire in exchange for Glen Lyon being returned. And I bet he and Kendrew hoped that by slaying my sire in retaliation, they’d be able to steal back these lands in Speyside.”

“Except my brother fought for the rights to Freuchie and prevailed.”

“So Kendrew wants to marry ye to get them. No Catholic would wear the rose ring of a Luther adherent. He had…permission to… He killed his da.” His gaze hardened on hers and she shivered. “And yers. I’d bet my life he wears it as a trophy.”

Chapter Thirty-Six

“And my sire was witness and therefore, also had to die?” Peigi gasped. “What he didna’ count on is Seamus making a better case for acquiring Freuchie. My God, Kendrew used to be furious that he hadn’t been given the castle.”

Alex squeezed her hand and kissed it, hating what he was about to say. “And if they suspect ye ken the truth about the murders, marriage to ye would keep ye silent. There’s no contract more unbreakable than a marriage contract, which ‘forbids a wife from being compelled to speak against her husband’.” He quoted his law volumes, drawing her into his arms. Fok! He had to protect her from this. “Rather than kill a wee lassie and an important ally’s sister—”

“He wishes to muzzle me with marriage? And now Seamus is about to make it worse.”

Alex shook his head. Seamus was up to something, aye, but what, Alex couldn’t be sure.

“What are we to do? Ye’ve been branded an outlaw and we need him to listen if we are to overcome this.”