Page 61 of Beloved Enemy
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Reid sat tall in the saddle, surveying his army as they were engaged in their daily training. The rain poured steadily, dampening the field beneath them and soaking through the thick wool of his plaid, but he paid it no mind. The training ground lay just beyond the keep, nestled between the rolling hills and the tree line, where the ground was rough and unforgiving, perfect for hardening soldiers.
Men sparred in pairs, the clash of steel muted by the rain. The squelch of boots on the sodden earth as they practiced their footwork filled the air, along with the occasional grunt of exertion. Others practiced archery at distant targets, their bows straining against the inclement weather.
He watched with a critical eye over everything, noting the precision of their movements, the sharpness of their strikes, the strength in their stance, and where this was lacking, making note of the areas and soldiers for which more work was needed.
His officers barked orders, voices carrying through the downpour, as soldiers battled through mud and fatigue. He observed as Gilles MacPherson, the master-at-arms, corrected a young lad's grip, and Tavish, ever watchful, moved among the ranks with an assessing eye. This weather was the norm, not a singularity, and the men needed to hone their skill in it.
At length, Tavish mounted his destrier and made his way over to where Reid sat, turning to watch the training from a distance as well. His expression was as dark as ever. His mouth was twisted unusually hard, though, as if his anger had taken physical form, so that Reid was not entirely surprised by the content of his speech when he opened his mouth after a moment.
“I’ve kept the peace long enough,” Tavish spat, his voice tight with frustration. “Ye’re acting the fool, in regard to the woman.”
Reid clenched his jaw but said nothing, knowing well enough where this conversation was headed.
“She’s a witch, Reid! How can ye be so blind?” Tavish’s voice was a harsh whisper, laced with both anger and fear. “I was there when Autumn and Marcus vanished, remember? Vanished, just like that.” He snapped his fingers for emphasis, his eyes narrowed and accusing. “This one is nae different. She’s nae one of us, nae even mortal for all we ken, and nae to be trusted. And yet ye bring her here, to Kingswood—return her, even, when ye should have left her on the mountain.”
Reid’s fists tightened on the reins, his pulse quickening. Honestly, he thought the argument was a long time coming, hardly able to believe Tavish had held his tongue for as long as he had. But he was wrong about Charlotte, just as Reid had been.
“She’s nae a witch,” Reid growled before Tavish might have continued. The words came out with more force than he intended, the sound of his own anger surprising him. “She’s a bluidy spy.”
Tavish stared at him, his eyes narrowing further in disbelief. “A spy?”
Reid exhaled sharply, hating to admit it, but unable to escape the truth. “Aye. Think about it. Did we stumble upon her or had she been waiting for us that first day? Then Angus says he hears English voices. On Nicholson land. And only days aftershe arrived. And now, it’s nae coincidence she wanted to go to the mountain on that particular day. The English were there, waiting for us. Waiting forher.” His voice was calmer now, more measured, but the tension in the air remained thick. “She kent something.”
Tavish’s eyes filled with suspicion and his destrier danced a bit, possibly sensing his rider’s agitation. “If she’s a spy, why have ye nae imprisoned her?Jesu, Reid, 'tis worse than only a witch. We cannae trust her.”
“I want to discover the conspirators,” Reid said, his tone low but resolute. He frowned down at his fisted hands upon the reins briefly before returning his piercing regard to his cousin. “If I lock her away, we’ll learn naught. Whoever she’s working with will vanish the moment they ken she’s caught. I want to catch them—all the conspirators—in the act.”
Tavish's lips curled into a sneer. “Catch her in the act? That’s a dangerous game, nae? Ye sure ye want to play that? Again?”
Reid’s gaze darkened. Aye, he knew it was dangerous. And aye, he had been down this road before, once. But what choice did he have?
Still, his mind flashed back to a memory he wished he could forget, the scene playing vividly in his mind's eye—the day he had discovered Elspeth’s betrayal. Her wide, guilty eyes, the flush on her cheeks, the tangled bedclothes wrapped around her and her lover. He could still recall the staggering weight of that moment, how the truth had hit him like a physical blow, how it had ripped him apart, the fact that he hadn’t suspected. His throat tightened as the memory of her face passed before him, that half-clothed, shameful circumstance she hadn’t been able to lie her way out of. She had tried, of course—her lips moving frantically, forming words of denial that fell empty between them, nothing but air.
Now, he would catch Charlotte, too—if she was indeed playing him for a fool. He would find the truth. He would not let his fascination with Charlotte cloud his judgment. Not this time.
At least this time, he had some inkling of the truth in advance.
“I will nae make the same mistake again,” Reid muttered, more to himself than to Tavish. His voice was thick with the weight of it all.
Tavish’s brows furrowed. “This is different, Reid. She’s nae Elspeth. She’s far worse. 'Tis nae a woman deceiving a man, but an enemy intending to bring harm to all of Kingswood.”
“God’s bluid, but do ye ken I dinna understand that?”
Reid looked away, his jaw clenched tight. God, how he wanted to believe Charlotte was different, that she wasn’t capable of such treachery.
The silence between them stretched, heavy with old wounds and new fears. Finally, Tavish spoke again, softer this time.
“Ah, but it’s already too late, is it nae?” Tavish guessed, an edge to his voice. “Ye’ve let her get to ye.”
Reid shook his head, though a part of him knew Tavish was right. “Nae.”
“Is that so? Then why did ye nae leave her at the mountain? Why the bluidy hell did ye ever bring her here in the first place?”
Ignoring the second part of his query, Reid addressed the first. “I want her to lead me to the truth.”
Tavish didn’t respond, but the look on his face said enough. He didn’t believe that for a second. With a hard but quiet snort of disbelief, Tavish steered his destrier away from Reid and back toward the training field.
