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Morna bit her lip. ‘Is it true the Laird’s wife was his lover?’ she said as casually as she could.
‘Aye, what of it?’ said Braya narrowing her eyes.
‘Were they very much in love?’ said Morna.
‘Love! Hah, Edana Bain had no more love in her heart than a serpent. Nay, lass, all she had was spite and greed.’ Braya spat on the floor. ‘As to loving her, Will was no fool, even back then. He saw her for what she was.’
‘And what was that?’
‘A sucking leech of a woman, through and through, with a heart full of malice. The bitch came to Fitheach with her father, and a worthless wretch he was, impoverished, barely a lord, with nought but a bit of barren land up north and a child born out of wedlock to a peasant woman, to recommend him. He wanted to snare Edana a husband, for she was a tempting little morsel, and one look and she set her sights on Fearchar Bain, didn’t she. Why, his wife’s dead bones had not had time to stiffen before she was throwing herself at him. Fearchar was a far better catch than she could have hoped for.’
‘And did Fearchar love her?’
‘Bah, he was a coarse brute with little in the way of looks and no time for women aside from salving his raging lust on them. And of course, Edana was very beautiful and turned a few heads here I can tell you. There were none to compare to her.’
Morna beat the dough hard with her knuckle.
‘So they wed,’ continued Braya, ‘and more fool them for it was all for show and for lust.’
Heat flooded Morna’s face.
‘And the woman, Edana? Did she fall in love with Will?’ Bang went the dough again.
‘She wouldn’t give him the time of day until the fever came and carried off Fearchar’s eldest son and heir, leaving only Drostan to inherit. You’ve seen the state of him - a weakling if ever there was one. Will took his chance and climbed to the top of Clan Bain and then she saw him. Who could not? He is a fine figure of a man, and when he got power at Fitheach, he became even more pleasing. Lasses are like ants to a honey pot with Will Bain. A sticky trap it is too. Mind you don’t fall victim to it, lass.’
‘If you are you trying to protect me from Will, you’ve no need to,’ said Morna sinking her knuckles violently into the dough, until she hit the table beneath.
‘I am trying to protect you from yourself, Morna Buchanan.’
‘I’ll be gone soon, so no need, Braya, but I thank you for your kindness in looking out for me.’
‘Aye,’ she said, looking away, ‘mayhap you’ll be gone soon, aye.’
‘Braya, I think I will walk down to the beach for some air,’ said Morna.
‘Aye, air must be what you need for you’ve beaten all the fight out of my dough. Will you be alright going through the cave? I can come with you if you fear the darkness still.’
‘I will go the long way around the cliffs and stay in view of the men on the wall, don’t fash.’
Wiping her floury hands down her dress, Morna sped out of the kitchen, feeling the old woman’s eyes boring into her back. She must find Will so that she could understand why he was giving her the cold shoulder. Yes, that would be good and make her feel better, for she was a swirl of emotions today and none of them good.
***
Will had almost finished supervising the unloading of the ship when he saw Morna pick her way across the rocks towards him. He gestured at her to stop, lest a wave knock her into the water, and weaved his way towards shore around sacks of grain and barrels of ale. Waldrick had threatened a small merchant vessel plying its way up the coast, slim pickings and not worth violence to get what he wanted. Intimidation had succeeded, with the men on board handing over a large share of their cargo in return for safe passage north.
‘What are you doing out here in the wind,’ he shouted at Morna, over the crash and pound of the surf breaking all around them.
‘I needed some air and was minded to take a walk along the beach,’ she replied through chattering teeth, clutching her mantle about her as it billowed and flapped in the wind. The brown fur around the collar complimented the warm chestnut of her eyes, and Will struggled not to take hold of her and taste her lips, blue with cold. He could think of a thousand ways to warm her up and none of them decent.
‘Come, let us get out of the sea spray, ‘tis more sheltered further along.’
When they got back to the beach there was only silence between them, aside from the crunch of their steps on the shingle. Dark clouds were scudding in from the east, whipping wisps of hair across Morna’s face.
‘We should not go too far, those rain clouds look ominous,’ he said lightly.
Morna grabbed his arm and turned him to look at her.
‘Will, must we talk like polite strangers? What is wrong? Why are you avoiding me?’
