Devil of the Highlands (Devil of the Highlands #1)(33)
Author: Lynsay Sands

"Little Maggie was a sweet lass."

Evelinde forced herself to turn her gaze back to the man lest her distraction warn him they were no longer alone.

"But she had to poke her nose into this business. Like you," he added grimly. "The only difference was she came to me first with her plans to resolve the matter. She fancied Cullen would be so pleased to have his name cleared, he’d vow his undying love for her… the little fool.

"I tried to sway her from looking into it, but she, too, thought Jenny’s death might be involved, and turned her suspicions on Biddy. The moment she did that I knew I’d have to kill her. But I liked the lass, and hesitated until the day came when she searched Biddy’s room as you obviously did this morn."

Evelinde’s gaze skittered in apology to the door, but Biddy’s attention was focused solely on Fergus as he spoke.

"When she found the letter, Maggie came running straight to me. I hurried her out here to the cliff. She was so excited telling me of her find, she hardly noticed where I was steering her. If thinking Biddy had killed Darach wasna bad enough, the lass also concluded that Biddy must have killed Liam because he somehow sorted it out.

"And then we stepped through the door and out here onto the cliff, and the wind near to stole the breath from both of us. She turned to me with confusion asking, why we were here and I struck her, knocking her out at once. I then set her on Jenny’s grave and tried to sort out what to do. Maggie had to die to protect Biddy, but how? And then I decided just to throw her off the cliff while she was still unconscious. She would just never wake and never suffer."

"And my accidents?" she prompted when he fell silent. "That was you as well."

"Aye. I’ve been trying to make it look like an accident so no one could turn on Cullen, but ye keep escaping with yer life." He grimaced, then admitted, "And I am sorry about having to kill you, too, as it seems obvious the lad loves ye, but he’ll get over ye in time."

Evelinde’s mouth tightened at the words. The man had no idea what love was if he thought it was so easily forgotten. However, he was moving forward again, and she searched her mind for another question to keep him talking.

"What of the rumors?" she asked, grabbing at the question, as Cullen began to slide through the partially open door behind the man. "Did you start those, too?"

Fergus paused again. "Not a purpose. It was after Liam’s death they started in whispering about murder and wondering about Darach as well. I worried they’d look to Biddy. So, to turn the gossip away from her, I mentioned to someone that I’d heard someone else had seen a dark man fleeing the area about the time that Liam would have died. The next thing I knew the rumor returned to me with Cullen’s name inserted in place of ‘a dark man.’ I have ever been sorry for the trouble that’s caused ye, Cullen."

Evelinde had been watching her husband creep slowly and silently up behind Fergus as she listened to the man speak, but his last words made her stiffen as she realized some sound or perhaps her watching had given away Cullen’s presence. She glanced sharply to the soldier and was somewhat surprised to find that while she’d been watching her husband, Fergus had been sidling closer to her. Now he was little more than an arm’s length away. Before she could rectify the matter and move out of reach, he lunged forward, catching her upper arm and hauling her back up against his chest as he turned to face Cullen, and added, "But ye’ve handled it well, lad. Yer father would have been proud."

Cullen had stilled, his jaw clenching with frustration as she was caught, but that was the only reflection of his feelings as he glared at Fergus, and said, "He might be were he still alive."

"Fergus," Biddy said quietly, slipping through the door in the curtain wall and moving up beside Cullen. "Let Evelinde go."

The sharp prick of a knife against her neck told Evelinde he wasn’t ready to do that. She stood completely still, holding her breath lest she accidentally slit her own throat as she waited for an opportunity to free herself or otherwise bring an end to the situation.

"I did it all for you, Biddy," Fergus said solemnly.

"But I didna want it done," Biddy said sadly.

"Ye shot him," he pointed out with exasperation.

"Aye, but—That was in a moment of rage over what he’d done to Jenny," she said, trying to explain her feelings. "Murder is wrong. I should have—"

"It isna murder when ’tis someone like him. Darach deserved to die," Fergus insisted. "He was a cold, heartless bastard. Had he lived, he’d have just broken yer heart over and over again, made ye more miserable and ruined countless other young lasses."

"Aye, but at least I’d have not suffered the guilt I’ve suffered all these years thinking I’d committed a mortal sin and murdered my own husband," Biddy countered, sounding angry for the first time. "And Liam and little Maggie didna deserve to die. They were both good people, both friends and loved ones whose passing I’ve mourned."

Her gaze flickered to Evelinde’s face, and her lips tightened before she added, "And then there is Evelinde. Ye planned to kill her, too, did ye not? Who would have been next? Cullen, when he tried to find out who killed his wife and sought vengeance? Would ye kill everyone I love in your supposed effort to ‘protect’ me? I’d rather ye’d killed me that night than any of the others, including Darach. Ye’ve done nothing but cause me more pain, Fergus. Do ye no see that?"

Evelinde swallowed and shifted her eyes to the side, trying to see Fergus. He was still as stone behind her, but his breathing was rapid, and she wasn’t sure how he was responding to Biddy’s words.

"Let Evelinde go," Cullen said grimly, drawing her gaze back to his stony face. "Her death will win ye nothing now. ‘Tis over."

"Aye, ’tis." Fergus sighed by her ear, then began to back up. "I’m sorry, Biddy. All I ever wanted was to make ye happy and protect ye. Ye deserved better than the cards ye were dealt. But I’ve managed to muck everything up."

"Fergus, let Evelinde go, and fight me," Cullen growled, moving forward as Fergus continued to drag her back toward the cliff.

"I’ve no desire to fight ye, lad. I feel bad enough fer killing yer father. I’ll no add yer death to the list of me sins."

"Well then, doona add Evelinde either," he said desperately.

"Please, let her go, Fergus," Biddy said quietly. "Cullen and Evelinde love each other. They deserve the happiness neither of us found."

"Aye, mayhap they do," Fergus agreed, but backed up several more steps before pausing to say by Evelinde’s ear. "I’m going to let ye go, lass, and when I do, yer to walk straight away from me to yer husband."

"What are you going to do?" she asked with concern.

"Never ye worry about that," he said. "Ye just go to yer husband and love him. Biddy’s right, ye deserve each other."

Evelinde opened her mouth again to ask what he was going to do, but Fergus suddenly pushed her forward. Unprepared for it, she stumbled, but Cullen was there to catch her, steadying her with one hand even as he lunged past her to catch at Fergus. Evelinde whirled as his hand left her, eyes widening in horror as she saw Fergus pitching off the cliff and Cullen throwing himself forward to catch him.

Evelinde wasn’t the only one to scream out, but she was the only one close enough to make a grab for Cullen as he caught at Fergus and was pulled off-balance. She caught him by the back of the plaid and followed him to the ground as he fell. Cullen landed with his legs on the cliff but his chest hanging over the edge. Fergus, however, was hanging in midair, kept from plunging to the bottom of the rocky incline only by Cullen’s hold on his tunic. When his weight began to drag Cullen forward, Evelinde scrambled onto his legs, adding her weight to his own to anchor them.

"Let me go, lad," she heard Fergus say almost kindly.

"Nay," Cullen growled. "Take me hand, yer plaid may rip."

"Take his hand, Fergus," Tavis coaxed, as the men rushed forward to try to help.

Evelinde relaxed a little as Gillie and Rory knelt on either side of her and caught at Cullen to help keep him from going over the cliff with the man he held.

"Take me hand, ye stubborn bastard," Cullen snapped, as Evelinde heard the faintest tearing sound. "I’m trying to save yer life here."

"Why? So ye can later hang me fer murder?" Fergus asked dryly, then repeated, "Let me go. I’m ready."

Cullen was stiff and silent, and Evelinde knew he was hesitating, unwilling to let go the man who had been a first to him for years and probably had trained him in his youth, but also aware that did he save him now, he would then have to punish him for three murders. It would mean hanging him.

Evelinde’s heart went out to her husband, knowing how agonizing a decision this must be for him, but then the choice was taken out of his hands. The hard wind that had been pounding at them suddenly died an abrupt death, a brief hiccup just long enough for her to hear the sound of Fergus’s tunic tearing away; and then the wind roared back, slapping at them as Fergus plunged downward. He never screamed, the only sound was the shriek of the wind around them.

Chapter Eighteen

"There is no need to carry me, husband. I am not hurt. I can walk," Evelinde repeated for about the tenth time since Cullen had been pulled back up on the cliff, swept her up in his arms, and headed for the keep. And for the tenth time he ignored her and continued silently on his way.

Giving up on the possibility of walking, Evelinde peered over his shoulder to the small group following. Biddy, Tavis, and Mildrede were in front with Mac, Rory, and Gillie following. Her gaze settled on Biddy, taking in her lost expression. The older woman’s face was pale, and her trembling was visible across the ten-foot span between them. Mildrede had her arm around Biddy’s waist and was helping to support her as she walked, while Tavis had his mother’s arm clasped in his hand in the first show of familial support she’d seen between the two since arriving at Donnachaidh. Cullen’s cousin also looked shaken by the revelations this day, and Evelinde wondered if learning what he had about his father might not steer him toward changing some of his ways. She hoped so, but would just have to wait and see what happened.

She was not willing to wait and see when it came to Biddy, however.

"Husband?"

He didn’t speak, but his eyes did flicker toward her briefly before returning to the path ahead. Knowing that was the equivalent of a "Yes, wife?" from him, she said, "What will you do about Biddy?"

One corner of his mouth twitched toward a frown before settling back into its usual expressionless pose, but she could see the fretting in his eyes and knew he wasn’t sure what to do about his aunt and what she’d done.

"She did not kill him," Evelinde said softly. "She shot him with an arrow, ’tis true, but that is not what killed him. Darach deserved that and more for what he did to Jenny. Can you not just forget what she did and let it go?"

"Aye." Cullen sighed. "In truth, she has been punishing herself for years for what she thought she’d done. I do not feel any great need to punish her further."

Evelinde tightened her arms around his shoulders in a brief hug, then relaxed in his hold and smiled.

"Ye shouldna be smiling. Ye should be furious with me," Cullen growled, as they reached the door leading into the kitchens at the back of the castle, and he kicked it open with one booted foot.

Evelinde’s eyes widened in surprise, but she waited until they had passed out of the kitchens and were crossing the empty great hall before asking, "Why?"

"Because once again me refusal to speak has caused ye grief, and this time it nearly got ye killed."

"It did?" she asked, perplexed.

"Aye," he said as he started up the stairs with her. "He wouldna have been able to lure ye anywhere had I but spoken of my uncertainties where he was concerned."

Evelinde glanced at him sharply as they reached the landing. "You suspected Fergus?"

"Nay," he admitted, pausing to allow her to open the door to their chamber. He then stepped inside, kicked the door closed, carried her to the bed, then simply stood there holding her, as he said, "But the business with the fire in the solar troubled me. He claimed to be in the great hall and should have seen anyone ascending the stairs, yet said he hadn’t and was very insistent it had to have been an accident. Even when I pointed out that the torch had fallen too far from the cresset to be accidental, he insisted it had to be." Cullen grimaced. "They claimed he’d looked away briefly to open the door for Tavis and Mildrede, but I ken Fergus. He takes his duties seriously and woudna have looked away from the solar even as he crossed the hall and opened the doors for them, so it troubled me. Mayhap if I had mentioned that to ye, ye would have thought twice about going anywhere with him alone."

"Aye, I would have," she agreed calmly, but there was no anger in her words. She simply wasn’t experiencing any.

"I’m sorry," he said solemnly, then vowed, "I shall change. I will tell ye everything in future. I will—" Cullen paused, his eyes widening with surprise when she covered his mouth with her hand, forcing him to silence.

"You need not change, my lord husband. You—"

"Aye, I do," he insisted earnestly, twisting his face away to dislodge her hand. "I love ye, Evelinde. I do. And I ken ye doona love me back. How could ye when ye hardly know me? ‘Tis all me own fault. As ye pointed out, ye’ve told me everything about yerself. I know about yer childhood, yer family, yer beliefs… everything. But ye ken nothing about me. I would change that. I would have ye love me, too."

"I do love you," Evelinde said quickly.

Cullen blinked. "Ye do?"

She chuckled softly at his startled expression, then hugged him tightly. "Aye, husband. I do."

"How can ye love me when ye hardly know me?" he asked with confusion.

"But I do know you," Evelinde assured him solemnly. "I know that you are strong and honorable. I know that you have and will always do your best to see to my well-being and happiness. I know that you are fair and compassionate in your dealings with your people…" She shook her head. "Cullen, what you said earlier in our relationship was true. Your actions do speak louder than words."