Page 70 of Rebellion's Fire

The Lady of Ross said, “Fergus thinks to use our help to overthrow the King of Scots and then turn on us and take the throne for his son through Cairistiona’s claim.”

“Maybe,” Adam said. “Or just hold the possible threat over us to extract cooperation or concessions from my father.”

Gormflaith sighed. “Then our promising alliance with Fergus is over.”

“It most certainly is not,” Halla said roundly. “Not until he has arranged the release of your father as he promised.”

Gormflaith frowned with incomprehension. “He really means to try for that?”

Adam nodded. “Of course. He doesn’t know we’re aware of whom he took on his detour from the Great Glen. Once my father is free, we can renegotiate.”

One had to get up very early in the morning, Christian reflected, to beat the MacHeths.

*

Although Cairistiona appearedto forget her anxiety and her anger in the discussion about her ancestry and Fergus’s plans, Adam knew she hadn’t forgiven him. Which was probably for the best, although he hadn’t set out to offend her. It was just that his feelings and his plans were getting muddled along the way, and he didn’t really know yet how to deal with that.

When his mother sent Cairistiona off with Gormflaith to make herself comfortable for dinner, he knew he had another problem. He tried to avoid it by slipping past in the wake of the girls, but his mother stayed him with one word.

“Adam.”

He could have pretended not to hear her as he’d done with many people as a boy, although somehow blocking out his mother had never made him feel good. So, he halted and turned to face her.

At least she came halfway to meet him, which meant she wasn’t furious.

“Why didn’t you tell us before?” she asked mildly enough.

“About Cairistiona? I thought you knew. My father knew. And then I had no time.”

She took his arm and gave it a little shake. “Adam. Weallneedallthe facts if we’re to think and plan together. Why did you bring her here? You know what the world will say.”

He shrugged that off as unimportant. “It will bring Lanson out and let us defeat him. With Fergus’s help, we can keep the king too busy in the south to invade Ross until my father is released. By then, more galleys will be ready, Somerled, hopefully, will be king of Man, and we can all attack the king in earnest. If that’s what my father wants. If it isn’t, the threat of it will surely strengthen our hand for the earldom of Ross.”

His mother blinked. It was a good plan, and one she would already have grasped. It didn’t deflect her. “And the girl?” she said with patience.

Adam turned away. “She unites our claim with that of Malcolm Canmore’s line. I brought her for Donald.”

*

Somehow, in therevelations and discussions, the awkward fact of Christian being here against her will had gotten lost. She found herself in a bedchamber with Gormflaith, being given water to wash in and fresh clothes to change into.

The other girl’s presence was irritating. For one thing, despite the short moment of understanding in the hall, Gormflaith radiated dislike. For another, Christian found that washing her face was suddenly complicated in company. She couldn’t remove the mask. She settled for wetting the drying cloth and wringing it out before scrubbing her face with that, merely pushing it flat under the mask with her fingers.

“Were you frightened?” Gormflaith threw the words at her as she drew on her fresh overgown.

“When?”

“When Fergus abducted you.”

“I was unconscious when Fergus abducted me. I was certainly afraid when I woke up.” She glanced at the other girl, who sat now on a chest by the wall, brushing her hair.

“I’ve never been abducted,” Gormflaith said.

“Neither had I until I came to Ross. Now it’s almost familiar.”

Gormflaith bridled at the implication. “At least my brother never hit you. And he rescued you from the one that did.”

Christian turned and searched the other girl’s face. There was a hint of pride in her eyes, something that might have been anger in the set of her lips and the tilt of her head. She’d been right. Gormflaith really didn’t like her.

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