Thirty-Six
Connor gave the sign to be careful. They were in the forest hunting. The men were tense, expecting the intruders to come forward. When they did, Connor’s men came forth with drawn swords.
“Athyn! What are ye doing here?”
“For crying out loud, Ram, I was on my way to Keisealle from a hunt,” Athyn said as he and his men lifted up rabbits.
The old competition between the friends caused a smile to form on Connor’s face. Iain and Kiel were relieved at Connor’s change in mood, and they shared a smile with the rest of Connor’s men.
“Aye, looks good, Athyn,” Connor said and Athyn smiled in return. He was smug about his prizes. “But, I believe my men and I did better,” Connor said, as his men dragged a deer forward.
“One deer in comparison to five rabbits! Nay, Connor, we did better,” Athyn proclaimed.
“Obviously ye’ve never hunted a deer, or perhaps, ye’ve never been capable of hunting one. If ye had, ye’d know well that hunting deer is more difficult,” Connor said and laughed for the first time in months.
Athyn joined in.
“Why doona we eat here? I am parched and could eat that whole dear myself. I would eat before mounting my horse again,” Athyn said.
Connor thought about it and nodded his head.
“Aye. I have Kirk and Hugh at Keisealle. They’re more than capable of overseeing my responsibilities. Let us prepare a fire.”
The men readily began picking sticks to start a fire. Hours later they sat before it, eating, drinking ale, and jovially speaking.
“Ye know, I never apologized to ye, Ram.”
Connor raised his eyes and eyebrows at the man he once considered a close friend.
“I should have believed ye about Leesa.” He shook his head and offered a self-loathing smile. “She pulled more than the wool over my eyes.”
Connor nodded in understanding and gave him a wry smile.
“I couldna understand then what had ye so enamored about a lass.” He paused and threw a rock. “I can understand it better now.”
Athyn smirked. I bet ye can, with that lovely of yers.”
The smiles on Connor and his men’s faces melted off. Athyn looked confusedly at them.
“Did I say something?”
Connor just let it be, and asked, “There has been a question in my mind for a long while now, Athyn.”
“Ask it.”
“How did ye find out about Menzies?”
Athyn knew what he was asking. He laughed, which threw Connor off.
“Believe it or nay, I was raiding Wynton. I began to converse with the drunk guard. ‘Twas easy to get by him. He caught me entering the land and began laughing when he saw me. He let it slip that Wynton would be too busy to see him raiding. That is Wynton’s only guard, if ye’ll believe that.”
Connor nodded his head.
“Aye, and I nearly killed Wynton over that.”
Athyn nodded.
“I asked what he meant and the drunk said that he was entertaining guests, a man named Binouix. Then, surprisingly, he went on to tell me that he was courting Madeleine and that if Wynton had his way, the bitch, as Wynton had referred to her, would be out of his hair. I asked him why he would want his daughter out of his hair, and that is when he told me that she wasn’t Wynton’s daughter.”
Connor finally understood and slowly nodded his head as it became clearer.
“That guard, if ye can call him that, has no loyalty. He speaks as freely to the enemy as to his own,” Athyn said and laughed. “So then, without any further questioning from me, he told me that the Ramsay laird was her father. He’d said that the Ramsay laird had taken Lady Anne for ransom and had gotten her with child. After receiving the information, I left. Knowing full well that yer father was no adulterer, I set out to find who it was. I found out that it was Menzies who had taken Lady Anne for ransom and figured that the laird never knew about Madeleine. I intended to take Madeleine and ransom her to her true father.”
“I see,” Connor said and threw a pebble into the fire.
“Listen, Connor. I should have never allowed my man to mistreat her, especially if I had known how noble and genuine she was. I just needed her sufficiently afraid of me to go the distance to Menzies without trouble. He is no longer a part of my ranks. I don’t condone such behavior against women.”
“How would ye be knowing that she was noble and genuine?” Connor asked quietly.
“Why do ye speak as if in the past?” Athyn asked rhetorically, and continued. “If ye married her, she has to be noble and genuine. The man who vowed to remain forever unmarried would have never married anyone but.”
Silence followed.
Athyn nodded towards Connor’s chest.
“I notice ye wearing that ring around yer neck. What is the significance?”
“It’s to remember,” Connor replied softly.
Athyn noticed the changes in Connor. Although he was more muscular, he looked worn down and verra bronzed, which seemed out of sorts to Athyn. He was newly married, so why would he be spending more time outdoors instead of with his new wife indoors?
“How is Lady Madeleine?” Athyn asked. “I believe she and I have found a new peace,” Athyn joked, but stopped as Connor’s men looked over at him. Connor stared into the fire, but his men gave Athyn very hard stares. They were bordering on hostile.
“She’s dead.”
Athyn mouth opened in shock, as did Athyn’s men.
“How? When?”
“She took her own life.”
“That is difficult to believe.”
Connor nodded. “I also found it difficult to believe.” It was the first time he had discussed her death. It was the first time he was able to articulate what happened.
“She was too proud and had too much of a fighting spirit. She was too pious to do that.”
Connor nodded again.
“When did this happen?”
“Four months ago.”
Athyn nodded. “After her visit to Wynton.”
Connor looked over to Athyn, who had his mouth in a grimace.
“What do ye speak of, Athyn? Well ye know that I would have never allowed her to speak to that English bastard again, much less allow her a visitation. Ye were there the day Binouix took her. Her father sold her.”
Everyone grew serious. Iain was glaring murderously at Athyn, and although Athyn noticed, he still continued the conversation with Connor.
“Connor, for Heaven’s sake, ye allowed her to visit her father. Yes. It was about four months ago. It was when Lady Miriam and Katie visited the McLeans.”
Connor stood up. Something wasn’t right here. Iain and Kiel stood up, and the other men who rode with them followed suit. Sensing the tension, Athyn and his kinsmen rose to their feet.
“What are ye talking about, Athyn? My wife is dead! She died four months ago, and aye, it was around the time my mother and Katie traveled to the McLeans. It was when I went to pay a visit to Menzies. From what we believe, it happened the same day my mother left. It was the same day I left. It would have allowed her the freedom to take her life.”
Athyn shook his head, his denial fervent.
“I am telling ye, Ram, that I saw her after Lady Miriam and Katie arrived at the McLeans. In fact, after I saw to Maddie’s arrival at her home, I went in search of Lady Miriam and Katie so that I may see for myself that Maddie didna travel alone.”
Connor looked over to Iain, and his breath left his body. Confusion was evident on all of their faces.
“Start from the beginning, Athyn. Leave nothing out.”
Athyn looked at everyone before settling his gaze onto Connor.
“I saw her riding alone around the borders. She was scared until she saw it was me who approached her. She said she was lost and asked me to take her to her home. She said I owed her for taking her from there in the first place.”
“Continue,” Connor said with relative calm, although his hands were fists at his sides.
“I asked her where ye were and she said that ye had left Keisealle on an errand. I told her that I didna believe that ye had allowed her to travel alone. She told me to believe what I wanted to believe, that she had traveled with Lady Miriam and Katie. She said that she had convinced Lady Miriam to allow her to make her way to the borders alone, for the distance was short. Maddie said that if I didna believe her, to go to the McLeans to speak with Lady Miriam and she would confirm what she said. So I took her to Wynton’s and went to the McLeans.”
“My mother confirmed what she said?” Connor asked in shock.
Athyn shook his head.
“I spoke to a guard who confirmed Lady Miriam’s presence. Then I asked if he had seen Lady Madeleine, and he confirmed that he had.”
Connor stood there dumbfounded.
“What is the problem?” Athyn asked, confused as well.
Connor couldn’t speak. Iain informed Athyn and his men of all that had transpired regarding Maddie’s death. Once done, Iain addressed Connor.
“Let’s return to Keisealle and speak to Mother,,” he said when Connor made no move to do anything.
“We’ll also go,” Athyn said and Iain nodded.
Connor was held in a state of confusion and hope as he returned to Keisealle. He was struck silent by what Athyn had told him. Their group rode back at a furious pace. Once there, they sought out Miriam.
“What do ye mean? Maddie did not ride with Katie and me. I would have seen her.”
Connor walked over to the window as Kiel informed Miriam and Malcolm about what Athyn had said. Connor turned around to all of them, catching their attention.
“We ride to the McLeans to speak to the soldier who spoke to Athyn. Kirk, prepare a contingency of men. Ye and Hugh will ride with me. Bruce will stay behind. Let’s get on with it. Now.”
A hard glint appeared in Connor’s eyes as he strode over to the door.
Malcolm hurried over to his son.
“What are ye thinking, Connor?”
Miriam stepped in hesitantly. “Surely, he’s thinking that Maddie wanted to follow behind to go see her family. She knew that Connor would refuse to take her, so being headstrong, she decided to go herself.” Miriam turned troubled eyes to her son. “Right, Connor?” Miriam’s voice lacked conviction.
“And the letter she left?” Malcolm asked, casting more doubt into the flames.
“Connor?” Miriam’s voice was hollow and unsure. “Doona ye think?”
He turned around abruptly and surveyed all.
“Nay. ‘Tis simple enough,” he said and paused. Once assured of everyone’s attention, he continued. “She feigned her own death.”
Now it was time to find her.
Although she was good at Hide-and-Go-Seek, she didn’t know that when he and his siblings were younger, he always won. Aye, Maddie may be good at hiding, but Connor was the best at seeking.