Page 55 of Highland Treasure (Highland Brides 9)

“Mayhap he was already above stairs,” Rory suggested quietly.

Tom stopped shoving the mop around at that suggestion, his eyes widening and imagination taking over. “Aye, he could have come above stairs earlier, mayhap while you and I were still sleeping. He could have been hiding in one of the rooms, or in the servants’ stairwell, just waiting for an opportunity, and then you brought Lady Elysande up here and left Alick and Simon to guard her, but Alick left and then Lady Elysande sent Simon for water. He saw his chance, slipped into the room and attacked.”

“’Tis possible,” Rory allowed.

Mouth tightening, Tom snapped, “Damn de Buci! If she dies and the king is never warned—” Pausing, he shook his head and growled, “Edward III is a good king. Better than the alternatives. No matter what, we have to warn him,” he said firmly. “I’ll take the damned messages meself if I have to.”

Rory blinked at the words, and then nodded slowly as he turned them over in his head. His voice was considering when he said, “I’m thinking ye may just ha’e to do that.”

When his words made Tom cast a stricken look at Elysande, Rory realized he’d misunderstood him, and almost explained that he hadn’t meant the man would have to go because Elysande was near death. But then he changed his mind. He wanted people to think Elysande was at death’s door, after all. This could only help. Still, it made him feel bad, but he pushed those feelings away and took the mop from him. “I’ll finish this, ye go check on Simon and see if he’s done washing the hall and stairs. If he is, tell him to go get some rest, and then find Conn and Inan and tell them the same thing. The three of them will be guarding Elysande tonight and I want them alert.”

Tom hesitated, his gaze sliding to Elysande, and then he nodded and slipped from the room, pulling the door silently closed.

Rory started swishing the mop over the floor then, his mind only half on the job, as he considered the plan that had started forming in his mind since Tom had made the comment about delivering the warning to the king himself. The idea actually had merit and he considered it as he cleaned the floor.

Once he’d finished, Rory stuck the mop back in the bucket and strode to the rolled-up fur Alick had set beside the bed. He quickly unfurled it on the floor. The remains of Elysande’s plaid, gown and tunic rolled out with it. His gaze slid over the bloodstains, and then he began to run his hand over the skirts until he found what he was looking for between the layers of cloth. Pausing, he began to shift the material until he found a long narrow pocket sewn to the inside of the skirt. Opening it, he plucked out the thick, stiff scroll inside and stared at the de Valance seal for a moment, imagining Elysande pressing her mother’s ring into the wax. Then he slipped it into his plaid and rolled up the fur and cloth again.

Straightening, Rory then turned his mind to Elysande’s attack, and walked to the window to open the shutters again.

The squeal of metal seemed loud in the room, but he hadn’t heard it from below. Elysande would have heard it in here though. Her attacker definitely hadn’t come in through the window. He peered down at the ground below for a moment, but then closed the shutters once more. Finally, he moved to the bed, and settled next to Elysande.

Leaning his back against the wall, Rory closed his eyes and tried to recall what the room had looked like when he’d entered, and then replayed everything that had happened from the time he heard the scream until now. Somewhere in there was a memory of something that had bothered him.

He was still going through his recollection of events when Alick entered the bedchamber, looking a bit upset.

“Tom told Simon, Conn and Inan that ye said they should go to bed and sleep. That they’d be standing guard tonight,” he said, and then raising his eyebrows, he added, “I thought ye trusted only you and me fer the task?”

“Aye. Well, I trust only us in the room. But Conn, Inan and Simon can stand in the hall.”

“Oh.” Relaxing, Alick nodded and moved to the bedside to peer down at Elysande. “She has no’ woken?”

“Nay.” He peered at her solemnly, and then leaned down to feel her forehead. It was cool and dry, but that didn’t really mean anything. It could take a full day and up to three for fever to set in. Straightening, he asked, “Are the men resting?”

“Aye,” Alick said. “Well, they were going as soon as they finished their drinks. Which should be soon.”

Rory nodded and then announced, “I need more linen. Between the lass’s chest wound, head wound and my binding her ankle, I’ve used up nearly all o’ mine. I’ll need more to change her bandages later.”

“Do ye want me to go to the shops and—”

“Nay,” Rory interrupted, getting up off the bed. “I’ll go. I need some more weeds anyway. I’m taking Tom, Fearghas and Donnghail with me. Do no’ leave Elysande’s side while I am gone. No’ even for a moment. No’ even if one o’ the other men offers to stay with her. Understand?” He waited for Alick to nod before heading to the door, assuring him, “I’ll be back as quick as I can.”

“Rory?” Alick said as he reached and opened the door.

Rory paused, and glanced back in question.

“What are ye no’ telling me, brother?”

He hesitated, and in the silence heard footsteps approaching up the hall. Rory didn’t turn to see who it was, and spoke in normal tones when he said, “We obviously canno’ leave tomorrow as I planned. I’ll have to pay fer the extra time here. I’m thinking to send a couple o’ the boys to Buchanan to fetch back some coin to cover our stay here just in case. Probably Donnghail and Fearghas, and maybe Tom too.”

Alick blinked in surprise and opened his mouth, probably to protest that he couldn’t possibly be out of coin. The Baron of Monmouth had paid him a small fortune, but Rory gave him a warning look that silenced him, and after a hesitation, Alick merely said, “That’s probably a good idea.”

“Aye. The lass could linger fer a while,” he said grimly, and then repeated, “I’ll be back as quick as I can,” before pulling the door closed and turning in the hall to find Simon standing before him, a stricken look on his face. Conn and Inan were a couple of steps back, their own faces grim.

“You think she will die?” Simon asked, looking half-dismayed and half-guilty. “I never should have let her send me down to the kitchens.”

Rory considered him briefly, and then moved past him, saying only, “I do no’ ken. She’s in God’s hands now. Get yerselves to bed. I need ye to guard her later.”

He left the men in the hall and headed down the stairs.

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