Page 62 of Hunting for a Highlander (Highland Brides 8)

“She was in here stripping the bed to remake it when I came to fetch Dwyn to take her to the waterfall,” he explained, answering that silent question. “She’s the only person who kenned where we were going.”

“Well, she is no’ a very good maid, then,” James Innes informed him dryly. “The bed was stripped, but no’ made when we got ye up here. The linens just sat there on the bed. Rory and I had to make it quick while Aulay waited, holding ye in his arms.”

“Ye think she told Brodie where ye were after he killed Simon,” Aulay said on a sigh, and then shook his head. “Ye canno’ blame her if she did. She would have been terrified.”

“I do think she told Brodie I’d taken Dwyn to the waterfall,” Geordie agreed quietly. “But I do no’ think Brodie killed Simon. I think she did.”

“What?” James gasped with shock.

Aulay merely stared at him, his eyebrows high on his forehead.

“She’s the only one who kenned where we were, and the only one who could have told Brodie. But she would have needed a horse to reach the man to give him that information.” When Aulay remained silent, he said, “Simon said he and the soldiers followed the path of the men in the woods to the border of Buchanan land. Which border?”

“MacGregor,” Aulay answered without hesitation.

“That’s two hours on a fast horse,” Geordie said thoughtfully, and then nodded. “Simon’s horse could do it in less time with a wee lass like Katie on his back.”

“How long were ye at the falls?” Aulay asked, stone-faced.

“We left after the nooning meal. Dwyn went up to continue packing, you and I talked a bit and then ye took Jetta above stairs for a nap. That’s when I decided I should take Dwyn and show her the falls. I went up to fetch her at once,” he told him. “And ’twas nearing time for the sup when I decided we should head back to the keep, so we were at the falls for . . .” He paused to think briefly, deducting the time he thought had passed before he’d gone up to fetch Dwyn, and the time he’d thought they had left before the sup when he’d suggested they leave, and finished, “Mayhap four and a half or five hours.”

“Enough time,” Aulay said, looking disappointed at the realization.

“Wait a minute,” Dwyn’s father protested with disbelief. “Ye’re suggesting that little maid who brought ye back killed yer second, a big burly soldier, so that she could use his horse to ride out and tell Brodie where to find you and me daughter?”

Geordie nodded and pointed out, “It’s more believable than that it took her four and a half or near five hours to calm the horse and ride him back to where Simon was killed.”

James Innes frowned at that, but then shook his head. “Nay, it does no’. If she wanted Brodie to kill ye, why would she bring ye safely back to the keep?”

It was Aulay who said, “Because she did no’ want Geordie dead.”

“She just wanted to get Dwyn out o’ the way,” Geordie finished, and then added, “How do ye think she got me on Simon’s horse?”

“What?” James asked with surprise.

“Dwyn could barely drag me through the woods on a plaid,” he pointed out. “Yet Katie claims she somehow got me across Simon’s horse’s back and returned with me.”

James frowned and said uncertainly, “Well, maids are stronger than ladies.”

“Dwyn climbs trees and wrestles dogs to the ground who are bigger and heavier than herself. She’s no’ a weakling,” Geordie said firmly.

Laird Innes was silent for a minute, and then asked, “Why would the maid want me Dwyn dead?”

“No’ dead, just out o’ the way,” Geordie muttered wearily.

“Do ye really think she cares if Dwyn is dead or just out o’ the way?” Aulay asked, and then pointed out, “If what ye’re thinking is what happened, she killed Simon for a horse.”

Geordie’s mouth thinned.

“Ye did no’ answer me question,” Laird Innes said now. “Why would she want me Dwyn dead or out o’ the way?”

“Because I tupped her,” Geordie admitted after a hesitation. But when his father in-law stiffened, he quickly added, “Long ago . . . ere meeting Dwyn.”

Laird Innes relaxed at once, but simply said. “Nobles tup servants all the time. It rarely leads to murder.”

“Aye,” Geordie sighed. “But after tupping her, I was stupid enough to allow guilt to influence me into showing her a kindness she misconstrued.”

It was Aulay who explained. “Some time ago Katie and Geordie were mistaken for meself and me wife, Jetta, who does have dark hair like Katie,” he added heavily. “Because of that mistake, Katie was shot with an arrow while riding back to the keep with Geordie.”

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