Highlander of My Heart (Mcardle Sisters of Courage 1)

“And why would that be?” Willow asked.

“You are kind, understanding, patient, reasonable—”

“I’m not a saint,” Willow snapped.

“You could fool me.”

“Perhaps one day I will. Now tell me everything.”

Sorrell explained it all, Willow stopping her every now and again, confirming things, since the telling seemed more of a tale.

“Ruddock’s da sold him to the barbarians?”

“Finn denies it,” Sorrell said.

“Ruddock rode with the barbarians?”

“He had no choice.”

“Ruddock’s mum confessed cheating on her husband on her deathbed and claiming Ruddock isn’t Lord Finn’s son?”

“So claims Father Andrew,” Sorrell said.

“Who is dead and can’t confirm it,” Willow said and Sorrell nodded.

“I thought Wilda an unpleasant woman when I first met her,” Sorrell said.

“She does have a prickly nature especially for a healer. It seems like people irritate her.”

Sorrell was glad to know her sister thought the same as her. “Yesterday Wilda said some odd things to me. She told me that lies and secrets are everywhere.”

“Unfortunately, both are common among families, even ours,” Willow said sadly. “Lies and secrets tend to work together and often bring far too much heartbreak than they’re worth.” She raised her finger. “Lies and secrets can also produce hatred and revenge.”

“Which I believe is what goes on here,” Sorrell said. “The question is revenge against who? Wilda told me to look at who suffered the most from all that has happened. I told her many had suffered, in different ways, but suffered nonetheless.” Sorrell leaned closer to Willow as if imparting a secret, the way Wilda had done with her. “She told me that only one who suffered is different from the others and that one holds the missing piece.” Sorrell threw her hands up in the air. “I have no idea who she refers to.”

“Who are the ones that suffered?”

Sorrell counted them on her fingers as she had done when talking with her husband. “Ruddock, Lord Finn, the clan, Hugh, and Lander.”

“You left one out. One who is different from the others,” Willow said.

Sorrell got annoyed. Her sister couldn’t have solved it that fast. “Who else suffered and how is he different?”

“She is different because she is dead… Ruddock’s mum. She suffers with her name being besmirched, and her heart would break if she knew what happened between father and son. But worst of all there is nothing she can do to clear her good name, even her husband turns against her.”

Sorrell popped out of her chair. “Good Lord, it’s Ruddock’s mum the culprit is out to destroy; her name, her husband, her son, her clan.” Sorrell dropped down on the chair a look of shock on her face. “What if Ruddock’s mum hadn’t taken ill? What if she was poisoned like Lord Finn?” She rested her hand to her chest, her heart already hurting for her husband. “What could she have done that warranted such revenge?”

“Lies and secrets,” Willow said. “Perhaps there are things Ruddock doesn’t know about his mum.”

“But if it was a secret she kept through the years, how do we find out now with her gone?”

“With great difficulty.”

Sorrell popped out of her chair again. “I just realized something. Sage, the healer in the woods. She claimed that Wilda’s brew was poisoning Lord Finn.”

“That’s odd,” Willow said. “Any skilled healer would never claim that.”

“I need to tell Ruddock about this. We need to talk with Sage again.”

Sorrell grabbed her sister’s hand and rushed her out of the room.

After searching several areas, she found Ruddock in the Great Hall speaking with Erskine.

“I’ve been looking for you. I thought you went to speak with your father,” Sorrell said.

Ruddock was pleased to see his wife. With his father being poisoned, it meant the culprit was close, too close, and he worried over Sorrell’s safety.

“My father sleeps peacefully and Erland ask that I not disturb him, since he rarely has a peaceful night sleep.”

“He needs his rest,” Willow said.

“The sleep will do him good. Besides, we need to talk to Sage again,” Sorrell said.

Ruddock turned to Erskine. “That will be all, Erskine.”

Erskine bobbed his head and walked away.

“I’m having Blodwen removed as your servant. Erskine has informed me that he’s been told by other servants that Blodwen has insisted on serving you your food and no other. She’s been adamant to the point of arguing with the cook about it.”

“You will do no such thing,” Sorrell said. “Blodwen wouldn’t hurt me.”

“Don’t be foolish, Sorrell,” Willow warned. “You don’t know that for sure.”

“You could be right, wife, but I’m not going to take that chance with your life,” Ruddock said. “If it proves otherwise, Blodwen will be returned to her post.”

“You leave me more vulnerable without her,” Sorrell argued.

“Not with Willow here,” Ruddock reminded her.

“Where is Blodwen?” Sorrell demanded.

“She is being confined to a room in the keep until I say otherwise,” Ruddock said, seeing anger flaring in his wife’s eyes. “You will leave this be, wife, and I’ll have your word on that.”