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“Drop you weapons or die!” Bhric ordered.
The two men did not hesitate. They dropped their weapons.
“Go after Ivan,” Tavia urged, stepping from behind him to stand at his side.
“And leave you?” Bhric shook his head. “Absolutely not. He will not get far.”
Two mercenaries suddenly broke through the woods, grinning snarls on their grimy faces. Their appearance emboldened the two warriors who had dropped their weapons and they were quick to pick them up.
He shoved his wife behind him once again and ordered sternly, “Stay put until I say otherwise.”
“Ivan ran off. He has no coin to pay you, but I do. Any one of you who brings him to me dead or alive will see good coin,” Bhric ordered. “Fight me and I will see you taken alive to live your days out to serve a tribe of Northmen. Your choice.”
The two men who had dropped their swords rushed to their horses, mounted and hurried off.
The larger of the mercenaries, broad and thick, stepped forward. “Glad we met up with you on the way here, Bhric.”
Bhric laughed. “You mean you are glad my warriors discovered your presence before they turned their weapons on you, Finley.”
“There is that,” he said, his sizeable belly shaking as he laughed. “So, we get the money Ivan promised us if we catch him?”
“I should see you dead for accepting coin to attack me and my men,” Bhric confirmed.
Finley laughed. “I had no intentions of attacking you, at least until you offered me more coin not to. A man does have to eat and feed his crew.”
“You do bargain well, Finley, I will give you that and, aye, the coin is yours if you catch Ivan.”
“We’ll see to grabbing those two fools as well for no extra coin,” Finley said.
“I imagine your men already have them, as for Ivan—”
“He’s a slippery one,” Finely said, “but we’ll find him and bring him to you… alive he’ll cost you more.”
“I will spend no extra coin on him. Bring him back dead,” Bhric said.
“Will do,” Finley nodded. “So, the Clan MacVannan is yours now? Your wife is the true daughter of Lord Bennett?”
“Did Ivan tell you that?” Bhric asked and swung his hand behind his back to keep his wife where she was when he felt her move to step from behind him.
“There’s been whispers, tongues wagging among the common folk for years that Lord Bennett was seen sneaking around Clan Strathearn the night your wife was born. Naturally, people grow suspicious, and tales are born, or truths are buried in gossip.” He laughed. “I have even heard ridiculous whispers that your wife’s mum isn’t her true mum. “But I guess the only one who can confirm the truth is your mum since all know she was good friends with Lady Margaret.”
* * *
Tavia smiled as best as she could after returning to the keep. There was much excitement going on and tongues spreading the news rapidly. All were relieved to learn Lord Ivan was the evil that had invaded their clan and that he soon would be caught and punished. The most exciting news, however, was that Ingrid had given birth to a daughter. And while Tavia stood in Ingrid and Sven’s cottage to welcome and rejoice over the little bairn, Tavia’s mind was still in the woods, Finley’s words echoing in her head.
Heard whispers that your wife’s mum isn’t her true mum.
How could that be? How could her mum not be her true mum? Her mum had been with child, her da had talked about how happy she was to carry Tavia. What happened to that child if she was not that bairn? And why had it all been kept from her? But most of all what she wished to know was… who truly was she?
“You will help me keep all men away from her, Bhric.”
Tavia looked to see Sven and her husband staring down at the small-wrapped bundle in Sven’s arms.
“I believe if she is anything like her mother it will be the men who need to watch out for her,” Bhric said with a laugh.
Sven nodded. “That gives me hope.”
“Thank you, Tavia, for seeing that William did not harm me,” Ingrid said as Marta fussed over her.
