Page 68 of Highland Jewel
“There she comes, yer sister. Appears she’s looking for ye too.”
Maisie turned and was relieved to see Isabella. She made a promise to Jean to see her later and rushed toward her sister.
“Can I speak to them now?”
“Come with me.”
Maisie was not about to be asked twice. She kept up with Isabella’s hurried steps. But as they moved through the corridors, she glimpsed the serious expression on her sister’s face. She didn’t know if she should be relieved or frightened. She had no doubt they were heading toward the laird’s study.
“Something’s happened, hasn’t it? Something’s wrong.” She tugged on Isabella’s sleeve. “They don’t trust him, do they?”
Her sister stopped and faced her. Maisie saw the look of affection in her eyes, and Isabella reached out and brushed a stray wisp of hair off her forehead, tucking it behind her ear.
“I hope I’m doing right by you.”
“What do you mean? What are you doing?”
“You love Lieutenant Campbell.”
“I do. I love Niall.”
“Tell me something. What did you do after you left my room last night?”
Maisie looked at her sister, puzzled why she was being asked such a question. “I went upstairs to Morrigan.”
“And you didn’t leave the room after that?”
“No. Not until just now, when I came down to the Great Hall looking for you.”
Isabella nodded and placed a kiss on each of Maisie’s cheeks before tucking her hand into her arm. They started walking again. At the door to the laird’s study, she tapped once. After the call came to enter, they walked in.
Inside, a group of men had gathered. They seemed to be waiting. She first saw Blair, who was leaning against the wall by the door and nodded in greeting as they entered. Searc was pacing back and forth like a chained bulldog. He paused only long enough to glare at them. The laird, sitting in his chair, looked tired. He motioned to Blair to close the door.
She turned and saw Cinaed. Beside him stood Niall.
Niall. He was here.
Immediately, her heart leapt and raced with excitement. He was here. Free. She started to go to him, but Isabella’s hold on her arm kept her where she was.
There was no time wasted on greetings or explanations.
Searc barked at her from across the room. “Did you do it?”
Maisie stared at him, uncertain how she was expected to answer his question. “Did I do what?”
“Did you go down to the cells this morning at dawn?”
Maisie felt a flush of heat spread from her hairline to her toes. She looked at Niall. His face was turned away from her. Was she supposed to lie for him somehow? What could she say that would help him? She didn’t know if he was still in trouble. She decided she could only speak the truth.
“No, I didn’t. I only went to that awful place when Cinaed escorted me down there. Yesterday afternoon.”
Cinaed nodded encouragingly to her and then addressed Searc. “I told you. She couldn’t have done it. She wouldn’t.”
She couldn’t have done what? Maisie wondered.
“Just because she says—”
“Enough,” Cinaed interrupted sharply, cutting the little man off. “We’re going to proceed with what I proposed.”
