He knew how hard Durell worked for him, but creating the antidote moved slowly. With each day, Eoghanan grew more concerned that Niall would harm another before he could find him.
Three days passed with no sign of Niall in the village. He looked for him the first night but, after finding him nowhere, Eoghanan decided his time would be better spent aiding in the creation of the antidote. He spent nearly every moment at Durell’s side assisting him in whatever way he could, and today Durell tasked him with gathering more herbs.
On his way to do just that, Eoghanan saw three young lassies huddled together whispering. They caught his eye immediately, and it only took him a moment to realize why. Two of the girls, the youngest ones, were Niall’s conquests, young girls who’d been tricked into bed and then quickly removed from it.
The third lass and by far the oldest, was Greta, the only woman Eoghanan had ever seen enter his brother’s bedchamber twice. While she didn’t receive money for the services she offered men, he knew the married woman to be a bedtime favorite for many lads in the village.
He could see the women out of the corner of his eye as they watched him, smiling as they paused to laugh between hushed words. They had no reason to be talking about him. He socialized with no one, and he’d not joined any of them in bed. Perhaps they spoke of his brother and watched him to ensure that he couldn’t hear.
Staring them down so that they would prepare for his approach, Eoghanan moved toward them. “Morning, lassies. Do any of ye happen to know where I could find Niall?”
The younger girls said nothing, only stared at him with wide eyes in terror at being found out. Intimidated by no one, Greta allowed her eyes to roam up and down him. “Why would any of us know? As ye can see, he is no with us now.”
Eoghanan moved closer so that they stood around each other in a tight circle. He couldn’t be easily intimidated either. “Aye, I can see that just fine. Is yer husband away again?” Greta’s face showed nothing, and Eoghanan knew that he assumed correctly. “Aye, I dinna think that he would be. He stays away often does he no? If I followed ye home, would I find Niall in yer bed? Let us go and see, shall we?”
He started to move away from them but stopped as Greta ran to block his path. “No, ye willna find him in me bed. While I’ll no deny that I did see him two days ago, he couldna join anyone in bed.”
“What do ye mean by that, Greta?” He remembered Rhona’s mention of his limp. He must have been injured badly. The thought brought Eoghanan great joy.
“’Twas just what I told these lassies about. He told me quite willingly, though I canna imagine why he would have wanted anyone to know.”
“Well, what was it?” He needed to know so that he could get the herbs back to Durell. If Niall had truly been gone for two days, he had little time to get the antidote. Niall could reach nearly anywhere he wished within a few more days.
“I’m telling ye, am I no?” Greta stared at him briefly, rolling her eyes before she continued. “He said that ye had a whore staying at the castle, which surprised me. I would think our Laird wouldna need to pay for the company of a lass, but ’tis no matter. He tried to purchase her. The lass refused but eventually gave into him, but it was no for long. After she had him naked, she apparently injured his,” she paused and glanced down at herself. “He said it hurt him so badly he couldna stop her before she fled the castle.”
Eoghanan let out a large breath of relief. At least, Mitsy got away from him. The lass was fiery and smart. No doubt she would have found her way to the Conalls by now. “So he came to ye for what reason?”
“I doona know. He couldna do what he usually wants to when he pays me a visit. He simply rested for a day and then went on his way.”
“Did he say where he was going?” He feared he already knew the answer.
“He said that he was traveling to Cameron Castle. That he wished to see yer mother.”
Eoghanan said nothing as he turned and left them, running as fast as he could back to Durell’s. He knew getting their mother away from McMillan Castle to be only a temporary solution. For that reason, he hoped to have proof of all Niall had done before Baodan returned. Once Baodan returned to McMillan Castle, Eoghanan knew Niall would leave to go after their mother again.
Rushing inside the old man’s small home, he threw the herbs in the alchemist’s direction. “How much longer, Durell? I need the antidote immediately.”
The old man shook his head, and Eoghanan’s heart sank.
“I am close, sir, but it willna be ready for at least another day.”
Eoghanan slumped against the wall as grief took him. It would be too late by then. He couldn’t reach his mother in time, nor could he send her warning. She would be dead before the antidote was ever prepared.
*
McMillan Castle