the story than Alex had let on. Campbell was unusually cunning for his age, though with Argyll for a mentor, he shouldn’t be surprised.
He decided to tell him the truth. “Nothing specific.” He recounted the conversation he’d overheard at the tavern.
“You’re right. It’s not much to go on.” Jamie paused thoughtfully. “You’re sure they were Highlanders?”
“Yes.”
“There was no mention of women?”
Alex shook his head. He’d asked himself these same questions all night. “Most likely it’s a coincidence.”
“Undoubtedly,” Jamie agreed. “Lawlessness is endemic in the Highlands. I’m sure Meg and her party were not the only travelers to be attacked recently.”
Both men were silent, mulling the situation, neither one completely convinced. Alex would wager Jamie was thinking the same thing he was: What if they were wrong?
“I’ll stay,” Jamie said. “My cousin’s errand can wait.”
Alex gave a snort of laughter. He knew Argyll. “And what will you tell him? That you are refusing to do his bidding because of a conversation overheard in a tavern?”
Jamie clenched his jaw, saying nothing.
Alex realized that Jamie Campbell was going to be a problem for him. Thus far he’d taken Alex at his word, but he didn’t know how much longer Jamie would continue to do so. He’d begun to suspect that Jamie was just as interested in keeping Alex close as the other way around. Jamie was already suspicious. It would be disastrous if Jamie found out Alex’s true purpose at court and thought it his duty to warn his cousin. If the Island chiefs were to have any success in defeating another attempt to colonize Lewis by the Fife Adventurers, Alex could not let that happen. Since it was becoming clear that Alex would get no information from Jamie, it would be best for his mission if Jamie left court.
“Go. I’ll guard her with my life,” Alex said, realizing that he meant it.
Jamie’s gaze sharpened. “What interest do you have in Meg Mackinnon?”
Alex wiped all expression from his face. “None.”
“You want her.”
He didn’t bother to deny it. “Who wouldn’t?”
Jamie looked at him oddly. “So you find Meg attractive?”
The corner of Alex’s mouth lifted at Jamie’s jest. It took him a moment to realize Campbell wasn’t joking. “Of course. Don’t you?”
Jamie looked troubled. “Yes, but at court Meg is not revered for her beauty as much as she is known for her unusual intelligence and frank manner.”
Alex scoffed, “Blind fools.”
Jamie’s mouth lifted in a half-smile. “In this we are in agreement.” But his smile soon faded, and his eyes turned wintry. “But you’ll do nothing about it, because you know you have nothing to offer her.”
Jamie’s words hit him like a blow to the chest. He clenched his jaw but otherwise gave no indication of their impact.
“I intend to marry her,” Jamie said. “Do you offer the same?”
No. And for a moment, Alex regretted it. Striding to the door, he said, “I’m sure she’ll be very happy.”
The worst part was that he knew it was true.
An hour later, Meg had still not found her mother. Coward, she thought. Hiding from her own daughter. Returning to her chambers, she passed by the servants’ quarters and happened to glance down the corridor just as a large man exited through a doorway.
She froze, recognizing the tall, muscular frame. Alex MacLeod. But what was he doing in a servant’s room? A vague, uneasy feeling swept over her. She had her answer a moment later when a pretty, blond, and very buxom serving maid came out of the room after him, calling him back.
She felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her. It shouldn’t matter if he chose to dally with a serving girl, it was hardly unusual, but the dull throbbing in her chest told her that it did. The irony was too perfect, reminding her of another time she’d seen a man she’d wanted to trust dallying with a maid.
Ewen Mackinnon, the son
He decided to tell him the truth. “Nothing specific.” He recounted the conversation he’d overheard at the tavern.
“You’re right. It’s not much to go on.” Jamie paused thoughtfully. “You’re sure they were Highlanders?”
“Yes.”
“There was no mention of women?”
Alex shook his head. He’d asked himself these same questions all night. “Most likely it’s a coincidence.”
“Undoubtedly,” Jamie agreed. “Lawlessness is endemic in the Highlands. I’m sure Meg and her party were not the only travelers to be attacked recently.”
Both men were silent, mulling the situation, neither one completely convinced. Alex would wager Jamie was thinking the same thing he was: What if they were wrong?
“I’ll stay,” Jamie said. “My cousin’s errand can wait.”
Alex gave a snort of laughter. He knew Argyll. “And what will you tell him? That you are refusing to do his bidding because of a conversation overheard in a tavern?”
Jamie clenched his jaw, saying nothing.
Alex realized that Jamie Campbell was going to be a problem for him. Thus far he’d taken Alex at his word, but he didn’t know how much longer Jamie would continue to do so. He’d begun to suspect that Jamie was just as interested in keeping Alex close as the other way around. Jamie was already suspicious. It would be disastrous if Jamie found out Alex’s true purpose at court and thought it his duty to warn his cousin. If the Island chiefs were to have any success in defeating another attempt to colonize Lewis by the Fife Adventurers, Alex could not let that happen. Since it was becoming clear that Alex would get no information from Jamie, it would be best for his mission if Jamie left court.
“Go. I’ll guard her with my life,” Alex said, realizing that he meant it.
Jamie’s gaze sharpened. “What interest do you have in Meg Mackinnon?”
Alex wiped all expression from his face. “None.”
“You want her.”
He didn’t bother to deny it. “Who wouldn’t?”
Jamie looked at him oddly. “So you find Meg attractive?”
The corner of Alex’s mouth lifted at Jamie’s jest. It took him a moment to realize Campbell wasn’t joking. “Of course. Don’t you?”
Jamie looked troubled. “Yes, but at court Meg is not revered for her beauty as much as she is known for her unusual intelligence and frank manner.”
Alex scoffed, “Blind fools.”
Jamie’s mouth lifted in a half-smile. “In this we are in agreement.” But his smile soon faded, and his eyes turned wintry. “But you’ll do nothing about it, because you know you have nothing to offer her.”
Jamie’s words hit him like a blow to the chest. He clenched his jaw but otherwise gave no indication of their impact.
“I intend to marry her,” Jamie said. “Do you offer the same?”
No. And for a moment, Alex regretted it. Striding to the door, he said, “I’m sure she’ll be very happy.”
The worst part was that he knew it was true.
An hour later, Meg had still not found her mother. Coward, she thought. Hiding from her own daughter. Returning to her chambers, she passed by the servants’ quarters and happened to glance down the corridor just as a large man exited through a doorway.
She froze, recognizing the tall, muscular frame. Alex MacLeod. But what was he doing in a servant’s room? A vague, uneasy feeling swept over her. She had her answer a moment later when a pretty, blond, and very buxom serving maid came out of the room after him, calling him back.
She felt as if the wind had been knocked out of her. It shouldn’t matter if he chose to dally with a serving girl, it was hardly unusual, but the dull throbbing in her chest told her that it did. The irony was too perfect, reminding her of another time she’d seen a man she’d wanted to trust dallying with a maid.
Ewen Mackinnon, the son
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