She gasped. “Ye’re my father’s man. I thought I recognized ye in the bailey.”
The man spit and blood splattered from his mouth. “Aye. Better run along, lass. Off with ye now.”
“Why are ye here? Why are ye dressed in the MacLeod tartan?”
“’Tisnae your concern, my lady. Ye best seek your bed before your husband finds ye missing.”
“But ye wear the MacLeod tartan. Ye donna understand. My husband will kill ye. Tell him ye are a MacKenzie and spare your life.”
“That isnae part of the scheme, my lady.”
Sybella’s jaw dropped. “Part of the scheme? What scheme? I demand answers, and ye will give them. Now.”
The man laughed. “Och, lass, MacKenzie blood still flows hot through your veins.”
“I’m waiting.”
“Look around, lass. I donna think I’m going anywhere soon.”
“Ye will speak to me before the guard comes. Tell me what this is about. I will nae ask again.”
He paused. “The MacKenzie wants his stone back.”
“What are ye talking about?” she asked with exasperation.
“I shot the arrow in the woods to force the MacDonell to keep ye inside the castle walls so that ye could hunt for the stone.” He shifted, wincing at the painful movement. “Your father was giving ye ample opportunity to search for the stone. I assume ye havenae had any luck.”
“Ye shot the arrow? Ye barely missed my head.” She wasn’t about to tell the man she hadn’t begun to search for the damn rock.
He chuckled in response. “I am a good shot, my lady. Besides, I had to make it appear real enough that the MacDonell would try to protect ye. I succeeded, did I nae?”
“Ye could have killed me.”
“But I didnae.”
“I still donna understand. Why are ye wearing the MacLeod tartan?”
“Your father is a verra cunning man. Your husband would ne’er suspect the MacKenzie now that he has wed ye. The daft fool even sent a score of his men to Lewis to keep the MacLeod under control. The MacLeod tartan colors suit our purpose, solving two problems with one solution, so to speak.”
Sybella seethed with mounting rage—mainly at herself for being such a fool. And with the MacKenzie man’s declaration, she found herself clenching her teeth. She knew that when she was crossed, her temper could be almost uncontrollable. God help her. Her chest was going to burst. The MacKenzies may want the stone, but they also had another goaclass="underline" to destroy Alex. They wanted him to purposefully destroy the MacLeod. Her marriage was a mockery, only a pretense to do her father’s bidding. And having the truth confirmed before her very eyes…This was not what Sybella had agreed to.
She felt as if her breath was cut off. Her own father. Colin was right. The man would do anything to get back this stone. Had she been blind all of these years? She’d believed her father was a true and just man. She shuddered when she thought of what her poor mother might have thought of this situation. The woman would be so ashamed. For the first time in her life, Sybella was thankful for her mother’s passing because this whole scheme would surely have broken her heart.
Although Sybella did not currently hold Alex in a favorable light, she could not stay the feelings that he stirred within her. Whether she wanted to admit it or not, her husband was right. He didn’t trust the MacKenzies, and in truth, her clan was no better than the bloody Campbell that Alex had talked about.
She was furious and her nostrils flared with anger. But she had come here with an intention, and she would get all of the answers she sought. A pulsing knot within her demanded more.
“Ye said that ye shot at me in the woods so that the MacDonell would keep me within the walls of the castle. He did. I donna understand why ye would take another shot at me upon the parapet.”
“Your father was making it easier for ye to find the stone. And I didnae say I was aiming for ye upon the parapet, my lady.”
Fourteen
Before Alex broke his fast, he sought the captain of his guard in the bailey. The words John spoke were not exactly what Alex had expected to hear first thing in the morn. When his eyes widened, John confirmed what Alex already knew.
“He is dead,” repeated John. He leaned back casually against the wall. “Ian found him this morn.”
“Did he say anything about the MacLeod or anything at all?”
“Nay.”
“’Tis of little consequence. Break your fast and then gather some men. We travel to Kintail. When I tell the MacKenzie of the threat upon his daughter, I will use our alliance as a means to take the MacLeod’s head. The MacLeods of Lewis will nay longer be a problem to the MacDonells or the MacKenzies. And King James will be pleased that there will nay longer be constant turmoil on Lewis.”
John turned and walked away as MacGregor approached Alex. “Any word?”
Alex shook his head. “The man is dead.”
“Verra unfortunate.”
“I didnae need for the archer to speak to know his orders were given by the MacLeod. Even though the MacLeod wars with the MacKenzies and I donna agree with the way the MacKenzies killed innocents, the MacLeod made a grave error in judgment by aiming to kill my wife. Sybella is a MacDonell, and I protect my own. We ride to Kintail to speak with the MacKenzie. One way or another, I will have the MacLeod’s head.”
“I will ride along with ye. I donna necessarily want to leave Rosalia and Lachlann to travel to Lewis, but I will support ye in any way I can,” said MacGregor.
“Ye have my thanks. Let’s break our fast and then I’d like to leave with much haste.”
Sybella was already seated at the table when Alex walked into the great hall. He took his seat beside her and noticed that she played with her food. She sat with a worried expression on her face, and he sensed that she was disquieted from last eve.
“How do ye fare this morn?”
“I am a wee bit sore but nae nearly as bad as yester eve.” She kept her eyes down on her trencher.
“MacGregor and I travel to Kintail after we break our fast. My cousin will be able to assist ye if ye need anything.”
Her eyes widened and her expression darkened with an unreadable expression. “Kintail? Why?”
“There are matters I need to discuss with your father.” He took a drink from his tankard and could feel Sybella’s stare drilling into him. When he turned his head, she continued to keep him under silent scrutiny.
She leaned in toward him and lowered her voice. “Ye cannae travel to Kintail.”
“What do ye mean, I cannae travel to Kintail? Why? Will ye miss me, Ella? I know it has been a while since I joined ye in your bed.” He scanned her critically and beamed approval.
Biting her lip, she looked away. “Please, Alex. I donna…feel safe with that man in the dungeon. Ye leave me alone and unprotected.”
“Ye nay longer need to worry about him, lass.”
A shadow of alarm touched her face. “What do ye mean?”
“He’s dead.” She flinched and seemed to have trouble looking at him. “Listen to me. There is naught more to fear. I will try to return this eve, but I must ride to Kintail and speak with your father about the MacLeod.”
She paled.
Alex continued to speak, but Sybella only half listened as she struggled with her conscience. She stirred uneasily in the chair, and the nagging feeling in the back of her mind refused to be stilled. She would have to guard her own actions as well as his. One wrong move and her father might make another attempt on her husband’s life. She had no choice. There was no time to falter. She needed to decide quickly where her loyalties lay.
As she sat at the table, her nervousness slipped back to grip her. She tried desperately to force her emotions in order. No matter what her husband’s feelings or her own were toward the MacKenzies at the moment, she and Alex were as one—husband and wife. She only knew one thing for certain: she was determined to make her mother proud. And deep down Sybella couldn’t live with herself if she knew her mother wouldn’t approve of her actions.