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‘I’ve done nothing wrong, Conall. I’m no witch.’
‘I know that. Everyone does.’ He smiled. ‘How could you be when you are my love, my life. But someone has condemned you, and that has emboldened the witchfinder enough to take you. That puppet would never have gone up against my father unless he had someone powerful pulling his strings. So we must be prepared to fight our cause and rebut the testimony of anyone they may bring against you?’
‘My brother?’
‘Aye, most likely, remember he cursed you before all at Dunslair. We will find out, but for now, be strong, my father’s influence affords you some protection, and we will get you out as soon as can be. I swear I won’t let anything happen to you, Kenna.’
Conall kissed her desperately, all over her face, grabbing her close, but she could feel the fear he was trying to hide in the way he held her a little too tightly against him, the catch in his voice when he said he would come back soon. Before she knew it, she could hear footsteps outside, and then the door clanged open.
‘Leave the witch now. You have to go before someone finds out you are here, and I am in a deal of trouble.’
Conall was wrenched from her, and at the door, he called out. ‘Stay strong, Kenna, I love you, I love you,’ over and over as his footsteps echoed away, and then Kenna fell in a heap on the floor, her misery doubled by having seen him. Now he would go outside these walls, and then an impenetrable fortress would lie between them. What had she done to deserve such a punishment?
The Moncur curse. That must be it. The spirit was angry at her because she had broken free of it. It was angry and intent on dragging her to hell.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
From his table, in the corner, Conall looked around him in dismay. This tavern was a disreputable place, rank with the sweat of those down on their luck, and heavy with the threat of violence. A slovenly girl leered at them as she filled their cups with ale. ‘My, but you’re a pretty one, aren’t you?’ She placed a hand on Conall’s arm.
‘Go away,’ he said, shaking it off. She did so at once and went up the other end of the tavern, whispering in the landlord’s ear, cursing him to hell for sure. But wasn’t he already there?
‘Manners, Conall. No need to draw attention to yourself.’ Murray gave him a hard look.
‘We’re wasting time. Why have you brought me here?’
‘Information. This tavern is frequented by guards from the castle who may know something that can help us.’ Murray beckoned the girl back over.
‘Good evening to you, lass. I need something from you, and I will pay well for it.’
‘Find me more appealing than him, do you?’ she spat, with a glower at Conall.
Murray slid a coin across the table, and she snatched it up greedily. ‘Do you know any of the guards up at the castle?’
She smiled seductively. ‘Aye, many of them, intimately.’
‘Well, point them out to me, and there’s more coin in it for you.’
She looked at him suspiciously for a moment, and then, stuffing the coin down her bodice, she jerked her head in the direction of a group of men gathered around the fireplace. ‘That lot, ruffians and fools, all of them.’
Murray stood up and towered over the woman, narrowing his eyes. ‘Now you look like a clever girl. You can keep this to yourself, can’t you?’
‘Aye, I know how to keep my mouth shut, apart from when it matters.’ She grinned and sauntered off.
Murray looked over at the men and froze.
‘What? What is it, Murray?’ asked Conall.
He smiled broadly. ‘I think I’ve just found an old friend.’
***
William Penhale looked down at the empty whisky glass with a sullen look. ‘Been a long time, and looks like fate has been kinder to you than me, Murray.’
‘Aye, I’ve done alright since I left London, to be sure. And how did you come to be in Edinburgh, guarding up the castle?’
‘'Tis a long story and not a happy one. Went back to war, didn’t I, after you left. Ended up in the service of that corrupt bastard of a King. Fought in his wars, bled for him and got trampled by a horse in battle, leg broke and didn’t heal right. What did I get for all my years of loyalty? What did we soldiers get? Thrown out of the army when I got too old and useless to fight, with this limp. I wasn’t even fit to dig the latrines, they said. I travelled up here on a ship, needed the work, see. Little better than a slave, I was, and got off in Edinburgh. I did have a notion I would look you up, see if you could help me out, but, well, a man has his pride and besides, I thought you’d be dead by now.’ Penhale grinned and grabbed Murray’s glass, downing it in one go. ‘By God, we had some times together, didn’t we, fighting and whoring our way around London.’
‘Aye, we did, Will and those were dangerous times too. Do you remember you once said that you owed me your life many times over?’
