“What, do you have cloven hooves hidden under that dress?” Lachlan’s amused tone failed to lift her spirits. If the villagers ever saw her fangs, saw her lips stained burgundy red with blood, they would chain her in irons and leave her in the village square till sunrise.
“You don’t understand, Lachlan.” Isla’s tone conveyed the gravity of her situation “The sith are said to shrivel in the sun.” She turned to Douglas. “I have told Lachlan that Nikolai infected my blood. He knows I cannot go out in the daylight, that the illness makes me react severely to the powerful rays.” Shrinking back behind Lachlan’s broad shoulders, she shook her head to convey that was the extent of their conversation. “I know I can trust Lachlan not to mention it to anyone.”
Douglas blinked rapidly, dragged his palm down his face and exhaled. “Aye, ye’ll nae want to make it common knowledge.”
Malmuirie finally let go of her hands. “Someone said they saw you in the forest last night. That you wear your red cape to hide the blood stains of your victims.”
The whole thing was growing more ludicrous by the day.
Isla thrust her hands on her hips. “The cape belonged to my mother, and they damn well know it.”
“They say the baobhan sith are shape shifters. They say their animal of choice is a wolf.”
“Good Lord, have they forgotten what century we’re living in? Next, they’ll be saying they’ve seen her with fangs.” Lachlan shook his head. “Ah, when they’re drunk they’ll listen to anything anyone tells them. How long have they believed these wild tales?”
Isla pursed her lips whilst she contemplated his question. For almost a year, she had hidden away in the gloomy depths of the castle, only daring to venture as far as the garden at night.
“In the beginning, they assumed I had gone away with Nikolai. Then one night, Douglas was taken ill, and Malmuirie went to Mrs. Brody for a tincture. The woman insisted on accompanying her and administering the medicine herself. Consequently, come the morning, the whole village knew I’d come home. As time passed and I failed to surface during the daylight hours, there was talk that I was too ashamed to face people after being abandoned by my husband. There were a few strange whisperings but nothing like this. Then shortly after you arrived home two weeks ago, a cow was found slaughtered in the pasture.”
“There have been at least five slaughtered in the last week alone,” Douglas added gravely. “The cattle are their only means of income. It’s like robbing the bread from the mouths of hungry children. Once anger flares, it soon festers. Someone is determined to see Isla gets the blame.”
Lachlan folded his arms across the vast expanse of his chest and turned to face her. “Do you know of anyone with a grievance against you?”
Isla stared up into eyes as blue as the sea on a sunny day, eyes that made a woman want to dive in and explore their unfathomable depths. “Only you, Lachlan. You’re the only person I know with just cause to despise me.”
“Me?” He slapped his hand to his chest as though mortally wounded. When he visibly swallowed down his surprise, she saw a hint of disappointment mar his face. “Despite all that has occurred, you must know I would never want to hurt you.”
The intimacy of his tone caused the familiar pain of regret to return. “I trust you, Lachlan. I know you would never intentionally wish to cause me any harm.” Her heart never lied to her. She had faith that it conveyed the truth when irrational emotions filled her head.
Lachlan breathed a sigh. “Then we must find out who’s behind these rumours. Someone is killing the village cattle, and we must think of a way to catch them in the act if we are to clear your name.”
A sudden sense of relief flooded her entire body. Lachlan possessed the physical strength of a warrior of old. He had a Highlander’s resilience, an unshakable resolve. Lachlan was the only man capable of banishing her nightmares. He was the only man capable of fulfilling her dreams.
Chapter 4
Lachlan bid them all goodnight. He mounted his horse and rode to Carrick Hall to take supper and change his clothes before riding back to the castle. In truth, he found the vicious rumours circulating the village rather disturbing. Even the most kind-natured people behaved irrationally when it came to the loss of their livelihood. No man wanted to see his wife and children deprived of food or coal for the fire. In that respect, he had decided to keep watch on Castle Craig. Just for a few nights. Just until he could talk some sense into the locals, perhaps find another explanation for the death of their cattle.
Nestled on the bank of the River Earn, there was only one way to access Castle Craig: over the bridge leading directly to the gatehouse and then into the bailey. Hiding in the cluster of trees opposite the gated entrance to the bridge, La
chlan had a clear view of the castle. He found a log to perch on, wrapped his greatcoat across his chest and settled down to keep watch for a few hours.
In Edinburgh, he would often fall into bed just before dawn. A night spent in the company of a drunkard or a lady with loose morals was preferable to spending time alone with his thoughts. Indeed, his mind was akin to an annoying relative, one quick to remind a man of his shortcomings, one eager to point out his many failings.
As expected, barely five minutes had passed before his weak mind drifted to the one person he always tried to avoid thinking of — Isla Maclean. When he’d visited her on the night before her wedding, she had been so clear in her intentions. She’d told him quite clearly that she planned to spend her life with Nikolai. Had there been even a glimmer of doubt in her determined eyes, he would not have left.
Keen to focus on something other than a tempting beauty with golden hair, he raised the collar of his coat to shield his neck from the biting wind and stared at the castle’s facade. A silvery stream of light had broken through the mass of grey clouds, casting an eerie mist over the whole scene. Any passerby would only need to glance once at the ominous-looking building before bowing their head and hurrying on their way.
It was not difficult to notice the shadowy figure crossing the bridge towards him. The faint light from the lantern shone like a single star in the night sky. Even with the hood of her cape raised, he knew it was Isla. She had a unique way of walking. Her short yet purposeful strides brought a smile to his lips which faded as soon as his mind began to question her intention.
Why would a woman go out alone at night, knowing that half the village believed her responsible for a whole host of evil deeds? It didn’t make any sense. Perhaps Douglas was right, and Nikolai had poisoned her mind. Perhaps she was the one responsible for these wicked things and had done them at her husband’s behest.
He shook his head and muttered an obscenity, refusing to believe the ridiculous train of his thoughts.
As she closed the iron gate at the end of the bridge, Lachlan shrank back into the shadows and waited for her to pass. He would give her time to walk ahead before following stealthily behind. Taking a moment to glance back over her shoulder, she exited the muddy road to follow the path leading through the thick forest of pine trees.
One thing was certain; she did not fear being alone in the dense woodland at night.
With her lantern held aloft to illuminate her way, she stepped over scattered branches, moved quickly along the carpet of shed vegetation. The crunching underfoot disguised the sound of his measured steps trailing after her. The wind whistled through the trees to offer its assistance, the noise accompanied by an animal orchestra of scuttling and scratching. Once or twice she hesitated and glanced back over her shoulder, forcing him to stop. Wrapped in his over-sized coat, he knew he would appear as nothing more than another dark shadow.