He hoped that was the case. He still wasn’t sure if the lass would have the nerve to go through with the plan. She’d been quite shaken earlier when she knew that Arran suspected her lie.
It wasn’t until he saw Arran’s shadow burst through the castle doors and saw him retch all over the ground that he knew for certain the lass was dead.
He was finally free of the young, foolish, ignorant lass, and his soul smiled at the knowledge of it.
Tormod remained in his hiding spot watching the activity in the castle throughout the night, enjoying every moment of knowing how Arran would blame himself for her death, how just as his sister had predicted, he would be at his most weak and vulnerable in the weeks ahead.
There would be many in the village that would find Edana’s sudden death surprising. Now, all Tormod had to do was plant the seed of suspicion as to the cause of her death. If he could bring the townspeople to turn on the new laird, it would go a long way to ensuring his own place as laird once he did away with Arran once and for all.
He was so close to all that he wanted. Ridding himself of the wretched Edana was the hardest part. His sister would know just the right way to proceed to finish his task. Within a fortnight, he planned to be residing within the very castle he was lurking outside of now.
Chapter 36
Conall Castle
“So you said aye to him, love? And ye are at peace with yer decision?”
Father appeared in the doorway late in the night, shortly after we’d returned from the cottage. I’d just made me way to bed. It was clear that he’d waited up so that he could learn whatever answer I’d given him.
“Aye, Da, I did. ’Tis the answer ye hoped I would give him, is it no?”
He surprised me by shaking his head. “Nay, lass. I dinna wish for ye to say aye if ’twas no what ye wanted, but I canna deny that I am pleased that ye will be taken care of. Baodan is a good man. He will treat ye well.”
I was so tired I could scarcely keep me eyes open, and I yawned wide, speaking to him in between deep breaths. “Aye, I believe that he will.”
“Well, I’m happy for ye, lass. Baodan is anxious for ye to marry so that he can take ye away to yer new home up in the McMillan territory. If it pleases ye, I told him I’d like ye to be married at home.”
“Aye, I would like that verra much.”
“Good, lass. We shall all set out the day after tomorrow, the McMillans, the Conalls, and us. Sleep well, daughter.”
He turned and left, and I chuckled lightly to meself. He was more pleased than he cared to let on to know that I was to be married, and he’d been quick to make the arrangements, no wanting me to run out on another wedding.
*
The Castle Formerly Known as Kinnaird
Gara waited until all of the other servants were to bed in the wee hours of the morning, after Edana’s bedchamber had been cleaned and her body removed for burial preparation, to seek out Arran. She knew their new laird would not find sleep tonight.
She’d done as Tormod and Edana had bid her earlier for the sake of her family, but even she had not known the malice behind their plan. She’d gone to assist in the cleaning of Edana’s room once she heard news of Edana’s death, and as she’d bent to scrub the pool of blood off the floor, Gara had spotted the small bottle turned over on its side.
She’d picked it up, tucking it away as she tried to understand why the poor lass would’ve done something so vile to herself. It had taken her only a moment after she saw the source from where the blood had come to realize that Edana’s death was not self-inflicted.
It was Tormod. The bastard had played Edana for a fool and she’d fallen for it, drinking the solution as he bid her. She must have thought it would feign the loss of the child so that Arran would not find out that she’d lied to him.
Gara’s realization caused her to fear Tormod more than she already did. So she slipped the bottle away so that no one else would see it, but her guilt over the lie she’d told for them was becoming too much for her to bear. She could no longer allow Arran to believe her lie. If she couldn’t bring herself to tell him the truth over the cause of Edana’s death, the least she could do was to tell him the truth about the child.
*
At first he thought he’d imagined the knock at his door. The previous commotion throughout the castle had long since settled, and he’d assumed he was the only one still awake. When the soft rap began again, he moved from his stupor of self-loathing and guilt to see to whomever was at the door.
When he opened it to find Gara, he was certain she’d come to tell him what he already knew, that Edana’s death was no one’s fault but his own.
“I am verra sorry to disturb ye, sir, so late and especially on this night. May I speak to ye a moment?”
He stepped away to grant her entry. “Aye, o’course ye can. What is it, lass?”
“Before, sir. I lied to ye.”