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Chapter 20
Alastair held the burning torch, ready to light the funeral pyre that would send his father’s soul on to either heaven or hell. Every day lately had been mentally exhausting. Finally, he’d managed to free his father from Clan Grant’s prison, only to end up seeing him die in the end.
“Go ahead, Alastair,” said the priest, giving him a nod to light the fire. Fia stood at his side, seeming almost more upset than he was if that was at all possible. He’d yet to have a chance to ask her why she was alone in his father’s room when he’d died. Niven told him that Duncan had called for her right after he left to find the priest. Odd, since his father didn’t even seem to accept the fact that he was going to marry Fia.
“My laird, everyone is waitin’,” said Niven, urging him to do the one last deed that would finalize the fact Alastair would never see his father again. He nodded and stepped forward slowly, touching the fire of the torch to the dead branches and twigs under his father’s dead body. Flames shot up, licking at the air. He threw the torch into the fire and stepped back, watching as fire consumed his father.
“They are waitin’ for ye to say somethin’,” Niven reminded him.
Alastair wondered what he could possibly say to his clan that would bring any of them peace. He felt turmoil wracking his body and rattling his nerves. If he hadn’t looked over to see his beautiful bride-to-be, he didn’t think he’d be able to speak at all.
“Come, Fia,” he said, holding out his hand. She walked forward to take his hand and join him. “Ye are my strength that will get me through this hard time.”
“I am?” she asked, sounding as if the thought disturbed her.
“We are gathered here to say our last guidbyes to a man who I have idolized my entire life,” Alastair told the crowd. “My faither was strong through all the troubles in his life. Duncan MacPherson was my rock when my mathair left us because of the jealousy of another woman who had claimed my faither’s heart.”
Fia coughed and pulled her hand from his. He looked down at her, wondering if the smoke was bothering her. “Are ye all right, my love?”
“Aye,” she said, forcing a smile. “Go on.”
He turned back to the crowd. “I will continue to be chieftain of this clan, and I will follow in my faither’s footsteps. My actions will be the same as those of my faither when he walked the earth.”
Fia started coughing more now. He figured he had better finish quickly and take her away from the funeral pyre. She seemed to be having a very hard time with the death of his father.
“I dinna want to dwell on anythin’ upsettin’ anymore, and that is why I will be married first thing in the mornin’ to the beautiful Lady Fia.”
Clapping and cheers went up from the crowd. Still, Fia didn’t seem very happy. Alastair realized that she had been through a lot lately and that, after tomorrow, things would be better for everyone.
“Cheer up, Fia,” he whispered in her ear. “In the mornin’ we will be married. And I canna wait to claim ye as my wife – in all ways.”
* * *
Runningher hand over the heart brooch that Alastair kept in the wooden box, Fia couldn’t stop thinking about what Duncan had told her. Had this pin once been worn by Alastair’s mother and was she a member of the queen’s secret group? And had she been the one to save him on the battlefield? It was too much to be just a coincidence. The brooch looked exactly like Fia’s. Besides, there was no way Alastair’s father would have been able to make up such a story.
Secrets ran rampant at Cluny Castle, and Fia was now the keeper of them all.
She heard the door open behind her, and slammed down the lid and replaced the box on the shelf. “Alastair,” she said, taking a deep breath and faking a smile. Why did she feel like such a traitor when she hadn’t done anything wrong? Or had she? She no longer knew.
“Fia, why did ye leave the great hall right after the meal? I thought we would have time for a dance or two before retirin’.” Alastair entered the room with Cerberus sneaking in right behind him before he closed the door. He walked over to the shelf and put what looked like a small box behind the chest that held the brooch.
Her stomach clenched. It seemed difficult to breathe. After hearing Duncan’s story early this morning, she sent a messenger boy to the Iron Eagle with a note to Lorraine that she needed to talk to her right away. She had hoped the boy would be back by now, but it wasn’t a fast trip. For all she knew, he might not even return until the morning.
“I wasna feelin’ well,” she said, laying her hand on her stomach.
“Ah, ye are nervous about the weddin’ in the mornin’. I am a little fidgety myself.” He removed his sword and weapon belt and hung them on a hook on the wall. Then he kicked off his boots. The hound picked up a boot and started running in crazy circles around the room, knocking into everything. The dog jumped up in the air, hitting things and acting possessed.
“Cerberus,” she said, trying to still the dog.
“Nay.” Alastair stopped her with his hand on her arm. “I have this.” He whistled. Immediately, the dog came running, stopping in front of him and dropping the boot. Alastair pulled a dried smelt from his pocket and flipped it to the dog. The dog snatched it right out of midair. “Guid boy, but ye have to leave now. I need to talk with Fia.” The dog followed him over to the door. He took another smelt from his pouch and threw it into the corridor. The deerhound ran after it, and Alastair quickly slammed the door. He turned around with a huge smile on his face, and a sense of pride in his stance. “How’s that?” he asked, brushing off his hands.
“Ye gave the dog a smelt?”
“Aye. I figured there are barrels of them in the larder. Since I canna stand the taste, I willna miss them. I took a lesson from ye and started rewardin’ the dog for bein’ guid instead of yellin’ at it for bein’ bad.” He pulled her into his arms and kissed her. The dog scratched at the door and barked, trying to get back in.
“I think he needs a little more trainin’,” she told him.
“He’ll calm down and head to the great hall for scraps of food once he realizes I am no’ goin’ to open the door.”
