Grogginess began to settle in. Giving up his pursuit for solid answers, he rolled out his pallet and settled in for another fitful night of sleep.
Richard was out of doors as soon as the sun crept up over the horizon. The rain from the night before still clung to everything. A slow steady drip of rainwater fell from the corners of the keep, splashing in the puddles. Out of doors smelled fresh, damp, and clean.
Up to his ankles in mud, he knew ‘twould be too dangerous to work in the quarry this day and too muddy to work in the fields. With few choices and too much pent-up energy, he decided to chop wood. When that task was done, he fixed the broken door on the chicken coop, oiled the pulley on the well, and even helped their stable master clean a few stalls.
What normally would have made him exhausted seemed to instead, invigorate him. For those few hours of hard work, he didn’t have time to feel like a louse.
It had been days since he had seen Aeschene. Just as many days since his brothers had uttered even a good day to him. Even Rory and Lachlan had been giving him the cold shoulder. They had left yesterday morning without so much as a by-your-leave.
Everyone was giving him a wide berth. ’Twas readily apparent their loyalties lie with Aeschene.
How many times had his father warned him about his strong-mindedness? Yer stubborn head is goin’ to be the death of ye someday.
Begrudgingly he was left to admit his father had been right. ’Twas his own foolish, stubborn pride that had placed him right where he was; alone and miserable.
The sun now hung high overhead in a pale blue sky dotted with white, billowy clouds. Birds flew lazily overhead and he could hear cattle lowing from the glen.
Were it any other time in his life, he might have smiled at the sights and sounds.
He was tired of the silent treatment.
He was tired of being treated like a leper inside his own keep.
And he was damned bloody tired of sleeping alone, whether it be the floor of his study or his bed. He wanted to see his wife smile again, to hold her tightly, to feel her breath upon his skin. He wanted her back.
Wiping the sweat from his brow with the sleeve of his tunic, he made his mind up then and there to put a stop to the madness.
Even if it meant begging his wife for forgiveness.
Richard was heading toward the keep when he heard a shout come from the wall. “Laird! Rory and Lachlan are comin’,” his guard called down to him.
They had left yesterday, with only a few sillars to their names. Richard knew it was too much to hope that they had managed to procure at least a small amount of salt for Hattie. Mayhap if they had, it might lighten her mood and spread to the rest of his family.
Rounding the corner, he came to an abrupt halt.
Lachlan was driving a wagon that appeared to be laden with supplies. Behind him, Rory was riding his gray gelding, with Lachlan’s mount cantering behind him. Both men were smiling at him.
Lachlan pulled the wagon to a stop and jumped from the wagon. After greeting Richard, he began pulling a heavy tarpaulin away to reveal the contents of the wagon.
Richard let out a low whistle. “Who on earth did ye kill?” He asked in wide eyed amazement. “We do not steal, but if it was a Chisolm …” he let his words trail off as he eyed the contents with a good measure of suspicion as well as glee. Bags of flour, salt, spices and various other sundries piled inside, along with three barrels, and a few bolts of fabric.
“We did not kill anyone,” Rory told him with a hearty laugh.
Richard didn’t believe him. “Betwixt the two of ye, ye had mayhap two sillars,” he said with a scrutinizing glare. “How on earth did ye acquire this? Were ye gambling? Or did ye hire out yer sword arms as mercenaries?” Those were the only two possibilities that made any sense.
Lachlan threw his head back and laughed. “Nay, our sword arms weren’t purchased. But ye might could say ’twas a wager of sorts.”
Richard shook his head. “A wager of sorts?” He began to wonder if the two men weren’t into their cups.
“Aeschene’s necklace fetched more than just a pretty price,” Rory said as he handed the mounts off to a stable boy.
Confused, Richard drew his brow inward. “Aeschene’s necklace?” He had no idea to what he was referring.
Lachlan smiled and slapped a hard hand to Richard’s back. “Mayhap ye should ask yer wife.”
“In case it has escaped yer notice, my wife is not exactly speaking’ to me right now,” Richard politely reminded him. Neither were his men until just now.
Lachlan climbed back into the wagon. “Help us unload this in the kitchens and we will tell ye what we know.”
Dumbstruck. It had been a good number of years since Richard had felt simply dumbstruck.
They were standing near the kitchens and Rory and Lachlan had just given him a recounting of Aeschene’s plan. The plan to sell her necklace, the only thing of value the lass had to her name. Apparently, the necklace was worth far more than just a few sillars as she had believed.
“Those were not pieces of colored glass,” Lachlan said with a broad smile. “They were real. Real rubies and emeralds and garnets.”
Guilt filled Richard’s gut. “Lads, she might not have wanted to sell it if she knew ’twas truly worth that much coin.”
Lachlan and Rory shook their heads at their friend and laird. “Then ye do not know yer wife verra well,” Rory muttered under his breath.
Richard chose to ignore the remark and instead, focused on what he should do. “Mayhap we should return these things and get the necklace back.” Guilt tugged at his heart. He was the chief of this clan. ’Twas up to him to provide and protect his people.
“Good heavens! That be salt in that wagon!” ’Twas Hattie making the discovery and exclamation. Before he could stop her, she had climbed into the wagon with the agility and energy of a woman a fraction of her age. She was scouring the rest of the contents with a smile so bright and hopeful Richard didn’t have the heart to stop her.
Lachlan leaned in and whispered. “If yer wife could see Hattie right now, I would wager she would not tell us to return it.”
Richard knew he was right. Still, he felt he owed it to his wife to at least discuss the matter with her.
“Salt?” Alyce had stepped out of the kitchens at hearing the word. “Do we have salt?”
Richard shook his head and rolled his eyes. “I will go discuss this with Aeschene. Do not unload that wagon until I get back.”
Rory looked at him as if he were insane. “I would rather fight a herd of rabid jackals than to tell Hattie she cannae have her salt!”
Hattie looked up from the rear of the wagon. “What? Who says I cannae have this salt?” She looked positively murderous.
The walls were beginning to close in on Marisse. For days, she had stayed by her friend’s side, in her self-imposed exile. ’Twas as depressing as it was maddening.
“We were held virtual prisoners by yer father for far too many years,” Marisse said bluntly as she pulled on her cloak. “I will nae allow ye to do the same.”
Aeschene shrugged her shoulders, dismissing her friend’s complaint as she continued to stare out of the window at things she couldn’t see.