He made tae attend me, but I said, “Nae, stay here with yer masons, I will return in a moment.” I followed the women intae the Great Hall and found a way tae situate myself near their table as they ate their mornin’ meal. I kent I couldna easily approach and speak as a stranger, I dinna want them tae feel alarmed. And if I frightened them, Sir Colin would nae trust me. There were a great many men here, and I was alone. So I stood nearby tae listen tae their conversation, but then I saw it.
A flash of gold on a hand, out of place as it was the only one in the group. It was on the oldest of the women, one with an ugly pinched face. She was wearin’ Kaitlyn’s wedding ring.
She was talkin’ about the nursery, the bairn. She was wavin’ her hand as if proud of the theft.
I stalked out tae the courtyard and demanded of Sir Colin, “I hae seen yer nursemaid, in yer hall. She has a hand that is adorned well past what I am used tae seein’ on a woman of her stature — tis the ring of m’wife, Lady Kaitlyn Campbell.”
"What are ye sayin’?”
"That this fortress holds liars and thieves and possibly worse. Yer nursemaid kens the whereabouts of m’wife. I am a lord and I expect ye tae come tae the truth of it.”
Sir Colin looked shocked. “I assure ye, the nursemaid is nae a thief.”
“I am nae accusin’ her of thievery. Did ye nae tell me ye would be aware of every woman in this fort? That ye would personally ken if m’wife was here? Ye just said that tae me in yer office, and then ye took some of m’gold with a promise tae help me find her, and yet, here ye are, discussin’ yer tower, while m’wife is nae found.”
He looked shocked.
“I hae come tae ye as a man, without m’guard, tae ask for yer assistance, but with these facts afore me I will need tae return with my soldiers—”
The man called, “Mary!” He stalked toward the door, calling again, “Mary!”
I moved tae follow him.
She emerged from the Great Hall. “Aye, Sir Colin?”
“Shew me yer hand.”
She tentatively held out a hand.
“The other one.”
She tentatively held out a hand shewin’ Kaitlyn’s gold wedding ring. The garnet stone was nae as large as I had wanted, but twas plenty out of place on this woman’s hand.
“Where did ye get this ring?”
She said, “I found it, I—”
He withdrew a stick from his belt and hit her hard against the back of her hand. “If ye found it ye should hae returned it tae me. Tis nae yours. It belongs tae me. All things belong tae me. I am the rightful owner as I am your Laird.”
He smacked her again. “This man, Lord Magnus Campbell, says ye are wearin’ his wife’s ring. Dost ye ken the whereabouts of his wife?”
"Her name is Lady Kaitlyn,” I added.
She shook her head.
He smacked her on the back of her hand. “For thievery," he smacked, "and lying!" He smacked again.
Big welts raised on her skin, but she stared straight ahead and wouldna answer tae the charges.
He yanked the ring off her hand and called, “Lady Katherine!” It was easier tae hear him because all work had ceased.
A woman who I assumed was his wife, richly dressed, and verra young, emerged from one of the buildings. Her head bowed. “Aye, milord?”
“Dost ye ken why yer nursemaid has been wearing a golden ring? She has adorned herself with a piece of jewelry she claims tae hae found. Lord Magnus Campbell says it belongs tae his wife.”
“Nae!" She shook her head. “Mary! Ye hae been a thief?” She held her hand tae her heart as if she couldna believe a word of it.
He asked, “Dost ye ken where his wife might be?”
Mary shook her head. “Nae, I daena ken.”
I said, “I am nae leavin’ until all the rooms of this fortress are turned over and m’wife is found.”
“Ye are accusin’ me of hiding a Lady within the walls of m’fortress?”
“Unless the maid Mary will speak tae how she came tae hae my wife’s ring on her hand, then aye, I am of the belief that ye hae m’wife, and ye are attempting tae keep her.”
She repeated, “I found it, tis mine.”
Sir Colin said, “Search the grounds, we are looking