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Authors: Prince of Danger
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might visit you at Lochbuie instead, since you have not said yet what you mean to do, but we need not discuss that now. Indeed, if this business redounds as badly to all of us as I expect it will, both Father and Hector Reaganach will doubtless forbid me to visit you.”
Isobel’s eyes had adjusted to the light, and she saw that Ian MacCaig had stepped into the doorway to stand by Michael. Adela, she decided, was right about one thing. It was no time to discuss future events that would have no relevance if the villains found and murdered them first.
For Michael’s benefit, she said, “Many Islesmen are traveling to Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands next week to attend ceremonies at the great cathedral there for a Scotsman being installed to a Norse princedom. I believe that even the Lord of the Isles means to attend. But Adela is wise to remind us that we must deal with the present before we need worry about the future. What are we to do?”
Adela snapped, “Sakes, Isobel, would you ruin yourself? You will come home with me at once, of course!”
“I cannot,” Isobel said. “Did Ian not explain how we came to be here?”
“He sputtered some nonsense or other about men hunting you, and said that you wanted Father to send an armed escort to protect you. But then he said that the two strangers were doubtless your hunters and that we must do naught to draw their attention. Not only did an army seem excessive to protect you against two men but so many men leaving Chalamine at once would certainly have drawn notice, and since Ian would not answer any question I put to him—not sensibly, at all events—I made him bring me here to you.”
Deciding that her position on the floor put her at a distinct disadvantage, Isobel stood and shook out her skirts. But although she felt less vulnerable to Adela’s displeasure now that she was standing, she still had no idea what to do.
To Ian, she said, “Did the strangers take any interest in you?”
“Nay, m’lady. I wandered about looking like me dad does when he wants folks t’ think he’s daft, and they left me be. We—Lady Adela and me—slipped down t’ the loch gey early this morning whilst the mist were still in, then walked over the ridge, past Glenelg village, and came here. Nae one caught sight of us.”
Isobel looked at Michael, who had not said a word since telling Adela to rest easy, even to explain why she should.
He met her gaze silently.
“We certainly dare not go to Chalamine now,” she said.
He nodded.
“What about Mackenzie?” she asked. “We could go to Eilean Donan.”
“Aye, we’d be welcome, and my man is there,” he said. “But ’tis a fair distance without ponies, and the difficulties we discussed yestereve remain. Waldron is certain to have left men to challenge anyone approaching Eilean Donan. Lady Adela, you said two strangers visited Chalamine. Are you sure ’twas only two?”
“Two who came to the castle,” Adela said. “But one of our lads said two others had stayed behind to watch the track through Glen Mòr. That is why Ian and I slipped away as we did in the mist and chose the route we did.”
“If they learn that you left in such a sly way,” Isobel said, “they are bound to challenge you on your return and demand to know where you have been.”
“I’d not tell them anything if they were so insolent!”
“Sakes, Adela, they would see in a trice that you were hiding something, and they’d soon have it out of you.”
“They would not!”
Isobel shook her head, saying more gently, “You are wholly incapable of the simplest prevarication, my dear, let alone of uttering falsehoods.”
“But my business is none of theirs, and so I would tell them.”
Gesturing toward Michael, Isobel said, “When I first came upon them, they were beating him with a whip. What if they did that to you?”
Adela turned pale but muttered staunchly, “They wouldn’t dare.”
“You would do much better to avoid them, my
Isobel’s eyes had adjusted to the light, and she saw that Ian MacCaig had stepped into the doorway to stand by Michael. Adela, she decided, was right about one thing. It was no time to discuss future events that would have no relevance if the villains found and murdered them first.
For Michael’s benefit, she said, “Many Islesmen are traveling to Kirkwall in the Orkney Islands next week to attend ceremonies at the great cathedral there for a Scotsman being installed to a Norse princedom. I believe that even the Lord of the Isles means to attend. But Adela is wise to remind us that we must deal with the present before we need worry about the future. What are we to do?”
Adela snapped, “Sakes, Isobel, would you ruin yourself? You will come home with me at once, of course!”
“I cannot,” Isobel said. “Did Ian not explain how we came to be here?”
“He sputtered some nonsense or other about men hunting you, and said that you wanted Father to send an armed escort to protect you. But then he said that the two strangers were doubtless your hunters and that we must do naught to draw their attention. Not only did an army seem excessive to protect you against two men but so many men leaving Chalamine at once would certainly have drawn notice, and since Ian would not answer any question I put to him—not sensibly, at all events—I made him bring me here to you.”
Deciding that her position on the floor put her at a distinct disadvantage, Isobel stood and shook out her skirts. But although she felt less vulnerable to Adela’s displeasure now that she was standing, she still had no idea what to do.
To Ian, she said, “Did the strangers take any interest in you?”
“Nay, m’lady. I wandered about looking like me dad does when he wants folks t’ think he’s daft, and they left me be. We—Lady Adela and me—slipped down t’ the loch gey early this morning whilst the mist were still in, then walked over the ridge, past Glenelg village, and came here. Nae one caught sight of us.”
Isobel looked at Michael, who had not said a word since telling Adela to rest easy, even to explain why she should.
He met her gaze silently.
“We certainly dare not go to Chalamine now,” she said.
He nodded.
“What about Mackenzie?” she asked. “We could go to Eilean Donan.”
“Aye, we’d be welcome, and my man is there,” he said. “But ’tis a fair distance without ponies, and the difficulties we discussed yestereve remain. Waldron is certain to have left men to challenge anyone approaching Eilean Donan. Lady Adela, you said two strangers visited Chalamine. Are you sure ’twas only two?”
“Two who came to the castle,” Adela said. “But one of our lads said two others had stayed behind to watch the track through Glen Mòr. That is why Ian and I slipped away as we did in the mist and chose the route we did.”
“If they learn that you left in such a sly way,” Isobel said, “they are bound to challenge you on your return and demand to know where you have been.”
“I’d not tell them anything if they were so insolent!”
“Sakes, Adela, they would see in a trice that you were hiding something, and they’d soon have it out of you.”
“They would not!”
Isobel shook her head, saying more gently, “You are wholly incapable of the simplest prevarication, my dear, let alone of uttering falsehoods.”
“But my business is none of theirs, and so I would tell them.”
Gesturing toward Michael, Isobel said, “When I first came upon them, they were beating him with a whip. What if they did that to you?”
Adela turned pale but muttered staunchly, “They wouldn’t dare.”
“You would do much better to avoid them, my
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