The Promise of Peace (16 page)

“I don't want them, and I mean it. I'm a simple man, Keifer. I am happy to serve others, to serve ye, if ye'll have me.”

Keifer had no reason not to believe Owyn. Still, he hesitated.

Owyn held out his dirk, the blade glinting in the firelight. “Keifer, I need to do this. My father is wrong. He isn't interested in what's best for his son or the clan. Ye will make a far better laird than I ever would.”

Owyn had shown himself to be a good friend and amiable companion. Could Keifer trust him? He thought so. “I almost envy you, Owyn.”

“Ye don't want to be laird either?”

“Not really.”

“Then why do it?”

Why indeed? “Duty. To honor my father's memory. To keep my family safe.”

“I am determined to swear my loyalty to ye, to promise to protect ye.”

“You would go against your own father?”

“Aye.”

Was taking Owyn's pledge going to further that goal or hasten trouble? He looked his friend in the eye and could not believe he would do Keifer harm. God help him if he was wrong.

Keifer nodded. “All right. I accept your allegiance.” He handed the dirk back to Owyn.

Owyn kissed the blade. “I swear my loyalty to ye, Keifer Macnab.

May this very knife pierce my heart if I dishonor my oath.”

“So be it. And I pray for your deliverance when your father finds out what you've done this day, Owyn Macnab.”

TEN

Homelea 1326

A
T LAST THE TIME CAME for Keifer to be knighted. Nola was delighted when her father agreed to take her to Homelea for the celebration. In fact, the whole family would make the trip. And Adam invited Will Macpherson to accompany them.

Will had been pressing her to let him ask her father for her hand, but while he had managed to needle his way into her heart, again she put him off. The promise she'd made to Keifer remained closer still. Was there any hope?

Nola was determined to enjoy the time away from the glen and to not obsess on Will's pressing ways or the worry over Keifer. The trip seemed to take much longer than her earlier one, not only because of Will's presence, but because Nola was anxious to see Keifer again. She was anxious for him to see that she was no longer a child.

She caught Will staring at her bosom—he had certainly noticed the changes. And if he mentioned his desire for a betrothal one more time, she would forbid him to speak with her!

Will had changed since his mother died. It seemed that without her hand to gentle him, his arrogance went unchecked. Will's father had all he could do to care for his land and tenants, and precious little time to deal with his son. Still, Nola had to admire Will's brash ways, his confidence. And he made her feel wanted and constantly admired. Yet she worried that all the good things she saw in him would fade once he had her at his side for good. Will was a conqueror by habit, not a partner.

Nola no longer lived with the Macphersons at Inversie, but she went there once or twice a week to help with Mary. Nola loved the little girl and grieved for Suisan and the child that had died within weeks of its birth. This journey to Homelea came as a much-needed respite from caring for others. For once Nola planned to selfishly look to her own interests.

When they arrived at Homelea at last, the place bustled with guests. Sir Bryan came to meet them in the bailey and gave orders for their horses to be tended. As her father greeted Sir Bryan, Nola scanned the busy courtyard for Keifer. Her father drew her forward.

“You remember my daughter, Nola.”

Nola brought her attention back to her father and the handsome man she'd met on her earlier trip to Homelea.

“You've become a lovely young woman, just as I predicted,” the earl said as he took her hand. She dipped a curtsy.

“And this is our neighbor, Will Macpherson. He and Nola and Keifer grew up together. Will's father and I thought it would be good for him to see some of the country.”

Nola bit her tongue. She'd had to beg to get her father to bring her along. Yet he invited Will because it would be good for him to see some of the world.

“So, where is our knight to be?” Adam asked.

“He is in the village, helping with the preparations. Come, Adam, Will. We'll go fetch him.”

Disappointed that she hadn't been included in Sir Bryan's invitation, Nola joined her mother as Lady Kathryn ushered them, along with her younger brothers, into the hall. Nola and her family would remain here as guests. Most of the other guests would have to stay in tents in the village. Nola waited anxiously for her father and Will to return, knowing Keifer might be with them.

THERE WAS MUCH WORK TO BE DONE in preparation for the ceremony that would take place tomorrow at the abbey. Keifer was assigned to set up tents on the outskirts of the village of Homelea. That's where Sir Bryan and his guests found Keifer near the end of the day.

As Sir Bryan and Adam Mackintosh walked toward him, Keifer noted Will Macpherson was with them but Nola was not. Keifer was disappointed—perhaps she hadn't come with them from Moy. Adam clapped his hand on Keifer's shoulder. “It's good to see you, Son. You remember Will.”

“Aye, I do.”

“Nola and I welcomed the opportunity to see you, old friend,” Will said, reaching out his hand. Keifer didn't much care for the proprietary tone of Will Macpherson's voice when he said Nola's name. Nor his assumption of friendship. But he took the man's hand and looked him over, as a knight sizing up his competition. Competition? What was this roiling through him?

“Aye. My daughter is back with the women, Keifer.” Adam smiled.

Keifer couldn't wait to see her but kept it to himself. And something in Adam's voice didn't ring true either. What was going on here? “If you will wait a few more minutes, I'll be finished and can accompany you back to Homelea.”

Sir Bryan said, “Take your time. I'll show our guests the lay of the grounds.”

They tied their horses under some shade trees, and Keifer continued to set up the tent he'd been working on. He had completed his work and was sitting under the shade with the horses when the others returned. As the sun began to set, the four men rode to the castle.

Sir Bryan and Adam rode side by side, as did Keifer and Will behind them. The two men in front engaged in conversation. Hoping Will would speak of Nola, Keifer asked, “How was the journey?”

“Uneventful.” Then quietly Will added, “You will learn soon enough that I have been courting Nola.”

That Will would court her didn't surprise Keifer. What would surprise him is if she encouraged him. “How goes your suit?” Keifer asked. He just couldn't picture Nola with Will, yet she could very well have changed in four years. Changes Keifer wouldn't know of from her letters.

“I hope to seal our betrothal when we return home.”

Keifer's heart pounded. Nola and Will were as good as betrothed.

Could he have misheard?

Keifer calmed himself and did not speak further. Much could happen in four years—perhaps she truly cared for Will. Hadn't he thought as much?

Still, she'd promised not to give her heart before seeing Keifer again. He expected her to hold true to that vow, if for no other reason than out of the depth of their friendship.

When he saw Nola, he would not act in an unseemly manner, hovering about another man's betrothed. By the time they reached Homelea, he had his emotions firmly under control. He hadn't spent the past four years training for battle for nothing. But he would find out the truth of the matter.

OWYN WOULD NOT BE KNIGHTED—he had decided to remain a squire—Keifer's squire. The position suited him. And unlike Keifer, Owyn had no sponsor, no one to provide his weapons and horses.

Owyn walked to the church yard where he had agreed to meet his father. As a young boy, Owyn had spent three lonely years waiting for his father to be released from Bruce's prison. His mother had died, and Owyn longed for the company of his remaining parent. When Angus had come home, Owyn tried to listen to him, to understand him. But the old man had left prison near desperate for Eveleen Macnab to forgive him, and for the life of him, Owyn couldn't figure out why his father couldn't move on.

Apparently Angus had come to Homelea for the festivities. He had sent a message to Owyn, asking to meet with him. Today was the first chance Owyn had to get away. He walked through the yard to the cemetery behind the church.

The older man stood by a grave marker looking hale and hearty, belying his years. “Father. Ye are looking fit.”

“Aye. Never better despite some disturbing news.”

More disturbing than having his lands and title taken from him? Owyn's inheritance. An inheritance Owyn didn't want. “What is it, then?”

“Eveleen has married another.”

“What?” Owyn wanted to feel sorry for his father, but he just couldn't. It seemed no sooner had Owyn's mother died but Angus had set his sights on marrying his brother's widow. Owyn feared Angus might not listen to reason. Nearly twenty years had passed, and still he obsessed over the woman.

“Six weeks ago. One of the neighboring lairds. He has an heir, no need of a young wife. But he has allied himself with Keifer and Morrigan.”

“So that even if Keifer should die, Morrigan will have a strong ally to defend her lands and hold them for her own son.”

“Aye.”

“And Keifer has Black Bryan Mackintosh as an ally as well.”

“Doesn't matter—I want Keifer dead.”

Owyn had never heard his father sound so determined and it frightened him. “Da, ye don't mean that. He's Eveleen's son, yer brother's son.”

Angus waved the words away. “Between the two of us we need to see it done, once and for all.”

“I'm not killing him.”

Angus slapped him, so quick Owyn had no time to react. His father's hand split Owyn's lip, and blood dripped onto his tunic.

Owyn wiped his mouth on his sleeve.

Then in a perfectly calm voice, as if he discussed the weather and not murder, Angus said, “No, I don't suppose ye have the stomach for it. It'll be up to me.”

With sudden clarity, Owyn knew he mustn't admit to his allegiance to Keifer. If Angus knew that, he would walk away and neither Owyn nor Keifer would be safe. In fact, the cold expression on Angus's face gave Owyn reason to believe his father would see Owyn himself killed rather than serve Keifer Macnab.

Owyn grabbed his father's arm. “Ye need to start thinking clearly.

Keifer's death won't make any difference. I don't want the land.”

“Not for the land. I have other lands that suit me well and a growing band of men who are loyal to me.”

Other men? Men like his father who had ulterior motives for everything they did? Owyn didn't like this and tried again to reason with his father. “Keifer has powerful allies. Ye can't kill him and expect the king to hand over the land to me.”

“I said it's not about the land.”

“Then what is it about? Help me understand.”

“She won't have me, never would have me. Now she will suffer as I have suffered for love.”

He held his father's arm. “Don't do this, Da. Let it go. Go home and tend the sheep; lead yer men for Bruce. But forget about murdering yer brother's son.”

Angus pushed past him without a word. Owyn watched his father walk away, distressed at the man's obsession and powerless to halt him. Their conversation haunted him.

He must warn Keifer of Angus's intent. Owyn was no saint, but he didn't want the blood of an innocent man on his conscience. He would confront his cousin when he returned to Homelea.

ANGUS STALKED OFF INTO THE VILLAGE and found the tavern. He went in and ordered a tankard of ale. The ale slaked his thirst for refreshment but not his thirst for revenge.

He would bide his time, enlist Owyn's help. The boy would change his mind. After all, the killing would benefit Owyn most of all. He had been wrongfully denied his birthright, no matter that Robert the Bruce himself had taken it.

Aye, and given it to Eveleen and Ian's son. Keifer. Ian had taken the woman Angus loved, and though Angus had married another, he'd never stopped caring for her. His woman, his land, his title. All taken from him.

He'd lied to Owyn. It wasn't just about Eveleen. The time had come to take things back. If she'd shown even the slightest appreciation for his honesty that day he'd confessed, he would have settled back and accepted her son as his laird.

But she'd scorned him. And now she had married someone else. Angus had received no forgiveness nor honor, and he would give none.

Keifer Macnab was a marked man.

That would teach her.

AFTER THE MEN LEFT to find Keifer, Lady Kathryn took Gwenyth and Nola into the hall. Da had made it clear that Nola was to stay with the women. She tried not to let her resentment show at being left behind. Lady Kathryn provided refreshments and introduced her children. Then she showed them to their guest chamber.

Nola's mother was nearly as anxious as she to see Keifer again, and both waited in anticipation for the men to return to the castle. After what seemed like hours, a knock came on the door of their chamber.

Nola opened the door to Lady Kathryn. “Do you have news?”

“Aye, the men have returned.”

Nola raced to the winnock and looked down to the bailey where her father and the others were dismounting. She raced for the doorway and then remembered to walk. Until she reached the stairs. She ran down them, nearly tripping over her skirt, managing to resume a decorous walk when she reached the landing.

She walked out to the bailey. The first person she saw was Will, a deep frown on his face. Her father and Sir Bryan stood between Will and a tall, broad-shouldered youth. His short hair, darkened with perspiration, was curled about his face and neck like a babe's.

Was that Keifer? The hair seemed too dark, but the curls were familiar. With all the discipline she possessed, Nola willed herself to walk like a young woman and not a child as she approached them.