"There wasnae any kinswoman to take her in?"
"Several of them offered, but, either they were widows with a large brood of their own or didnae live on Dubheidland lands. Sigimor thanked them all kindly, but said Ilsa's place was with us. A lot of orphaned cousins came to live with us and they were all males, too." Tait shrugged. "She may be a wee bit rough, but she willnae be troubled by a nursery full of wee lads to tend to, either."
"Nay, that has been clear to see." A little surprised at how kindly he felt toward his wife at the moment, Diarmot turned his attention to the rumors that had brought Ilsa's brothers to the keep eager to break his bones. "So, the people of Clachthrom and the village think I killed my wife?" He had thought those suspicions had died, but admitted to himself that he had mostly closed his ears to them.
"Only the mon Wallace spoke of it. No one here at the keep has e'er implied it." Tait grimaced, "Ilsa was right. We should have paused to consider the mon making the accusation, mayhap asked him a few hard questions. If Ilsa wasnae concerned, Sigimor would have hesitated to listen to a mon who openly confessed to cuckolding his laird. Probably would have just knocked the fool senseless and carried on with his drinking and wenching."
"And with leaving Ilsa wandering about with only Gay for protection." He may not want Ilsa for his wife or trust her, but it was his duty to protect her.
"Didnae ye heed me when I told ye some danger stalked me?"
"Ye, nay Ilsa," Tait said, but frowned slightly. "Ye truly think she may now be in danger, as weel?"
"If ye truly arenae the ones who tried to kill me, then, aye, tis possible."
Diarmot was a little disappointed when Tait did little more than glare in response to that subtle insult, and then frowned in thought.
"I cannae see what anyone would gain by hurting Ilsa."
"Neither can I, but I dinnae ken who seeks to harm me or why. The why may include harm to my wife and bairns." Diarmot dragged his hand through his hair.
"I should ne'er have thought to marry. I should have cleared this trouble away first, as ye say I had planned to. After the beating naught much else has happened and it has been verra quiet, verra safe o'er the last few months.
Mayhap the beating was nay more than ill luck for I was robbed, yet, unclear though my memory is, I feel certain that it was much more than that."
"Weel, my brothers and cousins will search out the truth."
"Dinnae ye think we have tried?"
"Aye, but ye arenae weel kenned by the people of Muirladen. The Camerons are.
Some of my kin have wed lasses from those lands. Ye were but a stranger hurt whilst traveling o'er their lands. I suspicion my brothers will make full use of the kinship we have with some of the Muirladen folk." Tait frowned. "Might set Liam to searching out nay only who holds those lands, but who might rule o'er that mon."
"Cannae ye just speak with the mon holding the keep now?" asked Connor. "I tried, but he wasnae there and we needed to get Diarmot away so I couldnae linger. He hasnae answered any of the queries I have sent him, either."
"And he probably willnae," said Tait. "He hides in that keep like some troll.
His wife is long dead and there were no children. I think he isnae supposed to be laird there now and tries to remain quietly out of sight and mind. If I am right, he certainly willnae help anyone seeking his laird, the true owner of the land. Liam will ken where to look. It has to be recorded somewhere. One of the elders in Muirladen might have a name to give us, too."
"I hope so. My instincts say the answers lie there." Connor looked at the two young men strolling through the gates. "Didnae ye notice the Camerons had left ye behind?" he asked Nanty and Angus.
Angus frowned. "Aye. Did wonder on their leaving for Sigimor and Tait hadnae done any wenching yet." He grinned at Tait. "Maggie was fair disappointed to find ye gone when I was done with her."
"Is she any good?" asked Tait.
"Would be better if she would just stop talking and expecting ye to talk to her."
"Hilda didnae talk much," said Nanty, "though she does smell strongly of onions." He frowned at Connor. "Were we supposed to keep a watch on the Camerons? We did hear someone say they thought they had come here to pummel the laird, but ye look fine to me, Diarmot."
"They changed their minds." Connor succinctly explained what had brought Tait and Sigimor back from the village and how the ensuing confrontation had been resolved.
"Do ye want us to go and have a wee word with this Wallace?" offered Angus.
"He may be the enemy ye seek, Diarmot."
"I doubt it." Diarmot declined to point out that the Camerons ought to be watched for the same reason because he knew his family did not share his suspicions. "Once I was recovered enough to do so, I began to investigate my late wife's lovers."