Page 5 of Highland Guard

Harcourt sighed and gave her an apologetic smile. “Poison does tend to be a lass’s weapon.”

Considering the other ways there were to kill a man, she supposed he was right. There was something less intimate, less violent about poison. Women could be violent but they had the disadvantage of usually being smaller and weaker than a man. Poison required neither strength nor stature. Yet, again, she could think of no one who would do that to poor David.

“Could it not have simply been as we thought? A sickness, some kind of wasting illness we had just ne’er seen before?”

Sir Callum smiled. “It could be. It was just that the signs ye mentioned sounded akin to what my cousin suffered.”

“And that means it would be wise to consider the possibility,” said Harcourt. “Ye ken weel that there is one who wants what David had, who has always wanted it. He may nay have been close enough to easily do the poisoning himself, but there is always the chance he found someone within these walls who did it for him. Through lies, promises, or threats.”

Annys nodded. “Ye are right. It would be wise to consider it. If only so that we keep a keen eye out for any hint that it is happening again.”

“And to take some time to watch those who would have had the chance to do it,” said Joan.

“Ah, Joan, I dinnae want to do it. I ken it, but it must be done. If that mon has convinced someone in this keep to do his sinful work for him then we need to find them.”

“Now that David is gone there remains you and the lad in his way. He could decide to set that ally on either of ye.”

That was the fear she had tried to ignore. It was foolish to do so. Ugly though it was, if there was even a small chance that someone inside Glencullaich helped Sir Adam, he could turn that person against her or Benet next. It was only wise to accept that hard truth and act to protect herself and her child.

“Agreed,” Annys finally said. “Mayhap we shall be fortunate as someone will be so crushed with guilt they will simply confess. Then we will have them and Sir Adam.”

“I will wish ye luck in that,” said Harcourt and briefly raised his tankard in a toast before taking a drink. “Howbeit, I would like ye to make up a list of those who would have had the chance to slip some poison into David’s drink or food.”

Annys nodded and then politely excused herself. It was early to turn in for the night but she needed some time alone. Seeing Sir Harcourt again, realizing he could still stir a fire in her blood, and discovering that someone could have murdered David was all she could bear for now. She needed time to just be alone, to think about it all, and sort through her confused emotions.

It was not until she entered her bedchamber that she realized Joan had followed her. Annys told herself she had no reason to be surprised by that. The woman did act as her maid after all. Yet she had taken no notice of Joan falling into step behind her. She said nothing as Joan helped her prepare for bed. Sitting still before a fire while Joan brushed out her hair worked to ease a lot of the knots in her belly, however, and Annys was soon glad the woman had followed her.

“Dinnae let it prey on you, m’lady,” Joan said as she sat down beside Annys.

“I dinnae want it to but I am nay sure I can stop it.” Annys stood and moved to her bed, sitting on the edge so that Joan could lightly braid her hair for the night. “So much has happened today. Mayhap it is just that I am unaccustomed to so many disturbances in my life.”

Joan laughed softly. “Weel, six verra handsome men coming in answer to your request for aid is certainly disturbing. It would be to any lass with blood in her veins.”

“True and it will be verra hard to keep the maids in hand while they are here.” She looked at Joan. “But ye ken why I find one of them more disturbing than all the others, aye?”

“He is as handsome as he was all those years ago.”

“And looks so verra much like Benet.”

“Only if ye ken to look for it.” She patted Annys’s arm when she saw the woman’s look of doubt. “Truly. Our laird had black hair and brown eyes. And ye have that touch of gold in your eyes. Any other features that may match Sir Harcourt’s willnae show for many a year yet. But, in truth, there is a strong similarity betwixt him and our poor laird. The mon is just bigger, stronger, than Sir David e’er was.”

“Are ye just saying such things to ease my worries?”

“Nay. ’Tis the truth. Only if ye ken what we do can ye look and see it. If ye dinnae ken that he bred the lad, weel, then it isnae so clear to see.”

Annys sighed in relief. “Good. That is a trouble I dinnae need.”

“Nay, ye have enough to deal with now. I think ye should write to Sir Adam’s sire and tell him what that fool son of his is doing.”

When Joan stood up, Annys settled herself in her bed as she thought over that suggestion. “And how can I be certain his father isnae the one prodding him to do this?”

“Ye will ken it by what the mon says in reply.”

“Ah, there is that. It cannae make matters any worse, I suspect. I will think on what to say. Sleep weel, Joan. I forsee a verra busy time ahead for us.”

“If only because we have six big knights to feed and tend to.”

Annys laughed softly and made herself more comfortable in her bed as Joan left. She thought on Sir Callum’s suggestion that poison may have caused her husband’s death, unable to banish the thought as she wished to. Having spent so many years at Glencullaich she found it hard to believe that anyone would hurt David. She did not even understand why Sir Adam would have done such a thing for it was not enough to place Glencullaich in his hands. There was still Benet standing between him and the laird’s seat.