"Nay? What of the message?"
"What of it?"
"'Twas just too convenient that Duncan should be called away the day before Greenweld laid siege to the castle. And then there is also the question of how he and his men managed to get all the way to the castle without news of his approach reaching us. Lady McInnes told me that there is little if anything that the laird of a clan does not know or learn about right quickly. Yet Greenweld marched across not only the better part of Scotland, but the entire stretch of Dunbar land without anyone noticing. He must have had help."
Allistair smiled his relief at that. "He did. The messenger."
"The messenger?"
"Aye." His smiled turned wry. "Greenweld is as clever as he is greedy. He came across the messenger while still in the lowlands. Recognizing the king's standard and suspecting the message the man carried might have something to do with his wife--"
"My mother is not his wife!" Iliana snapped irritably.
Allistair gave a half-apologetic shrug. "I fear she is."
"Not for long."
"Whatever the case, thinkin' the man might have news he could make use of, Greenweld gave a false name and invited him to join his camp fer the night. Around the fire, he learned he was headed fer Dunbar. He offered his escort. The messenger thought 'twould be safer to travel in a group and agreed. Little did he ken that he actually offered safety to Greenweld."
Iliana frowned over that and Allistair explained. "He held the king's banner. We Scots learned long ago not to make trouble with the king's men; it tends to bring his wrath down on us."
"So, because Greenweld traveled with the king's messenger, he traveled safe?"
"Aye. No one even approached to ask what his business was. Most like they just assumed it had something to do with the business Lord Rolfe has been tending to."
"But once they arrived at Dunbar there was no more need for the man," Iliana concluded grimly.
"Not once I met with them."
"That was the day Duncan left?"
"Aye. I truly did notice something amiss when I went to fetch the merchant back. 'Tis hard to hide signs of so many men."
"So, you returned to seek them out."
He nodded.
"They could have killed you," she commented solemnly.
He shrugged. "'Twas a chance, but not much o' one. In truth, Greenweld needed me as much as I needed him." Moving back to the barrel, he dipped his tankard in again.
"That explains how he got here unfettered, but there are other things people will question."
"Such as?"
Iliana moved to sit on the pallet and peered at him calmly. "The message."
He arched an eyebrow. "What of it?"
"Greenweld could not have known that Seonaid had gone to St. Simmian's. I did not even know that until after Lord Rolfe returned with Sherwell. As far as I know, he probably did not even know that my husband had a sister. Nor could he know that the Colquhouns were enemies of the Dunbar and might seek revenge such a way."
"Everyone in Scotland kens the Dunbars and Colquhouns are at war," Allistair argued with amusement. "As for St. Simmian's, the real message Lord Rolfe sent spoke of it. It said that Lord Rolfe and Sherwell had collected Seonaid from St. Simmian's, but that she had escaped. Several times." The words brought an affectionate smile to his face. "They've been chasing her all over Scotland. Lord Rolfe was writing so that Angus didn't fret." He shook his head again. "Nay, the fact that they kenned about Seonaid wouldn't give me away."
"Mayhap not," Iliana murmured, then peered at him silently for a moment before asking, "Why did you leave the keep the morning of the siege?"
"I couldn't be present once the siege began."
Iliana's eyebrows rose. "Why?"
"Well, how could I do that? I would have been forced to tend to Greenweld then. No one would want me for laird did I allow the castle to fall to an English."
"Ahh," Iliana muttered dryly.
"It was for the best anyhow. Greenweld needed to ken how many men were left and the like."
"Knowing how few men there were, why did he not attack the day Duncan left?"
Allistair shrugged. "They had only arrived that morning and had been traveling hard for days. The men needed the rest, and then there were a few things I had to ready first."
"Such as?"
"The boiling pitch."
Iliana's mouth tightened as she recalled Angus's irritation on hearing that the fire had gone out below the pitch and 'twas cold. Then she realized that Allistair was smiling at her crookedly and she arched an eyebrow questioningly. "What?"
"Nothing." He shrugged, then asked, "What was it you substituted for pitch? The men said it tasted good but burned like the devil."
"Elgin's stew. I shall pass along your compliments. Mayhap it will help him forgive the loss of his vat."
"You shall not see him again," he reminded softly.
Iliana managed a shrug. "Mayhap not. We shall see."
His expression tightened in displeasure at her seeming lack of concern and he started toward her.
She spoke quickly to distract him. "So, Greenweld avoided attacking the first day Duncan left, out of care and concern for his men? I find that difficult to believe. I have yet to see him show concern for anyone."
Allistair paused, hesitated, then relaxed and shrugged. "'Twas more like because he himself was tired. 'Sides, there was the slight possibility that Duncan might turn back for some reason. It seemed better to wait until the next day."
"And what if he still returns early?"
Allistair smiled slightly. "Unless he returns within the next hour or so, it will not matter. Once Greenweld takes the men in through the passage, we shall have succeeded."
"Ah, yes. The
passage."
Allistair frowned at her sudden smile. "What amuses ye so about the passage?"
"Naught, my lord. Except that if nothing else does, it shall surely see you hanged."
Allistair stilled at that.
"I presume the passage is a secret? Known only among close family?" she queried gently and smiled at his expression. Janna's not knowing about the tunnel leading out of the castle had made her wonder. That and the fact that no one had mentioned it to her. The dismay on his face confirmed her belief that only close, trusted members of the family knew of the passage, and she nodded. "I realized that on the way through the tunnel. And that is why I was not surprised to see you in the clearing. Duncan is away, as are Seonaid and your sister, and Angus is within the walls, doing his best to defend it. None of them could have revealed the presence of the passage. If close family are all who know of it--"
"Then the only suspect left would be ye."
Both of them whirled toward the tent entrance at those hollow words. Iliana was as stunned as Allistair to see Duncan standing there flanked by two men. One of them was Ian McInnes, Iliana did not recognize the other man, but he wore English clothes.
"Surprised to see me?" he asked dryly when both of them continued to stare at him as if he was a ghost.
Allistair's expression tightened. "Greenweld's men?"
"Gave up without a battle once surrounded by McInnes men, ours, and those of their own king."
"The king?"
Duncan nodded. "He had men watching Greenweld from the moment he received Lady Wildwood's message. When news reached him that Greenweld had headed north in pursuit of Lady Wildwood, he sent a regiment after him. They arrived on the border of Dunbar land just as we returned from that wild goose chase ye would have sent us on."
"How did ye ken--"
"That 'twas a ruse? We came across the Campbells on our way north. They had just come from a rather entertaining evening sharing a fire with my wayward sister, Lord Rolfe, and Sherwell. On hearing the tale, I realized the message had been a ruse and we had left Dunbar unmanned. We returned at once, collected the Inneses on the way, and met up with the king's men, who affirmed my worries. As I said, Greenweld's men have surrendered. Only Greenweld remains to be found."
"He is attempting to enter the castle through the secret passage," Iliana blurted at once. The sudden anxiety on her husband's face, made her hurry to add, "He will not succeed. Your father was there when I was forced into it by Greenweld's man. He could not stop my being taken, but no doubt he has the passage blocked by now."