dirk into me da’s heart. Right here.” She pointed to her own chest. “But I dinnae cry.”
Keevah was perplexed to say the least.
“I dinnae cry because I was glad Da was dead. He was a mean man. I am nae worried he will take me away because he is dead. But he dinnae get to go to Heaven like my mum did. Because he has a black heart and Mr. MacElany sent him to hell.”
Lachlan knelt beside them. “Brigid, I am glad ye told us yer secret.” He smiled warmly at her. “But ye must nae tell anyone else. Can ye give me yer word?”
She agreed with a nod. “Because I dunnae want Mr. MacElany to get into trouble.”
“That is right, lass. We dunnae want Mr. MacElany to get into trouble.” He patted her head before turning his attention to Keevah. “I think we should try to sleep now,” he said.
Keevah wasn’t sure if she’d be able to sleep or not but decided she should at least make the effort. They had one day left in Inverness. If they couldn’t bury Kiernan on the morrow, she would be forced to leave without her.
Lachlan extinguished the candle and crawled back into his own cot. Keevah lay in the dark, one palm on Brigid’s chest. While she waited for her to fall asleep, she couldn’t help but think of what Brigid had told her.
She didn’t know who Mr. MacElany was but she felt she owed him a debt of gratitude.
They’d been tucked away in the attic for what was beginning to feel like an eternity. It felt as though the walls were to close in on the four of them. Murdoch was just itching to take to the streets looking for any kind of information or tiniest bit of evidence that might lead them to the identity of the killer. This was their last day in Inverness and he didn’t like the idea of leaving until they caught the killer.
Lachlan was itching to return to his new keep, find a priest, marry Keevah and get to beginning their lives together. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind that she loved him. The one kiss they had shared that afternoon said everything. She loved him.
And what more did a man need other than the love of a good woman? For the life of him, he couldn’t think of anything.
Keevah was still consumed with guilt. She’d deserted her friend years ago when she left Inverness the first time. Unable to bury her now, she couldn’t help but feel she was deserting her all over again.
Brigid was begging to go out of doors to play. “But why?” she had asked for what seemed the hundredth time. “’Tis nae rainin’.”
As if a bit of rain could keep any child from the out of doors. “Mum used to take me out to the garden every day,” she told Keevah. “Even when it snowed.”
How on earth could they explain to her that there was a raving lunatic on the loose? “I promise ye, as soon as we get to yer new home, ye can play out of doors every day. Even when it snows.”
“When?” she asked with a pout. “When will we get to our new home?”
This stubbornness was definitely something she inherited from her birth mother. Kiernan was always the quiet, well-behaved child who was a stickler for following the rules. On those rare occasions when Kiernan did get into trouble, one could guarantee ’twas because Keevah had instigated something.
Lachlan was doing his best not to laugh. Keevah certainly found no humor in it.
“Brigid, we will leave on the morrow. We will be out of doors for at least two days, on horseback. There will be plenty of time for ye then to play.” She was doing her best to maintain her temper, but Lord above, this child would try the patience of a saint.
Lachlan was able to divert her attention away from the argument at hand by offering to give her a piggyback ride around the room. She squealed with delight as he sat on the edge of the cot and told her to climb up.
The room was barely big enough to sleep in let alone rough housing. But if it kept Brigid from complaining, Keevah wouldn’t argue against it.
After a half an hour of traipsing about the room like a loon, Lachlan began to grow weary. “All right lass, we need to rest.”
“But I am nae tired,” she told him.
“But I am,” he said.
On and