Devil of the Highlands Page 0,102

bathe, use the privy, and such. Cullen hadn't appeared to be listening at the time. He'd merely kissed her until she forgot what she was angry about and distracted her with other lovely diversions.

And then this morning he'd told her he loved her, she recalled, a smile tugging at her lips.

A burst of laughter drew her gaze to the men at the table, and she recalled the task she'd set herself. She needed to find and speak to Biddy, and the sooner the better. Shoulders straightening, she crossed to the tables. It was no longer just Rory and Gillie. While she'd been in the kitchen, Fergus had joined the two men, and they were all laughing softly at something as she approached.

"Have you seen Biddy?" Evelinde asked once she'd reached them.

The three men turned to peer at her.

"She left the keep just before the laird," Gillie informed her helpfully.

Evelinde was frowning over that when Fergus said quietly, " 'Tis Jenny's day."

She raised her eyebrows, shifting guiltily as she noted his curious gaze on the letter in her hand, then asked uncertainly, "Jenny's day?"

"The anniversary of her sister's death," he explained, his gaze shifting from the letter to her face. "Biddy always goes to take flowers to her grave on this day."

"Oh. Thank you," Evelinde murmured, and turned away, moving toward the chairs by the fire where she'd last seen Mildrede. The woman wasn't there anymore, but she'd left her embroidery behind, so should return soon Evelinde supposed a bit absently, her thoughts on Biddy. Evelinde was eager to talk to the woman, but not so eager she was willing to hunt her down at the cliffs. That was the last place she wanted to meet Cullen's aunt. His father and first wife had already died there, and Evelinde had no desire to chance making her own the third death on the spot.

She would just have to wait for Biddy to return, Evelinde supposed. Were she foolish enough to go out there and get herself killed, no doubt the blame for her own death would somehow land at Cullen's feet as well, Evelinde thought on a sigh. She paused as she suddenly realized that perhaps she could go looking for Biddy at the cliffs. After all, unlike Cullen's father and first wife, she would have Rory and Gillie to escort her. They should be able to keep her safe.

Pleased that she would not have to wait to confront the woman after all, Evelinde turned back to the tables, but her smile faltered when she saw that Fergus was alone at the table now. Her gaze slid to the doors of the great hall in time to see Rory and Gillie slip outside and the doors swing closed.

"Where are Gillie and Rory going?" she asked, moving back to the table.

"I'm no sure," Fergus admitted. "They just asked me if I'd keep an on ye for a few minutes. Why? Is there something ye need?"

Evelinde hesitated, unsure she should risk going out to the cliff with only one man, but then she felt rather silly. Biddy was an old woman. She might have taken Cullen's father by surprise, and might have won out against Maggie by herself, but surely both she and Fergus would be able to manage her?

"I killed Darach."

Cullen reined in sharply and glanced at his aunt at those softly spoken words. They hadn't been riding long and had done so in silence until she'd spoken that confession. The words had come out of the blue and hit him like a stone to the head. He stared at her with incomprehension for a moment, then asked, "Why? Ye loved the man. I ken ye did. Everyone knew it. Ye forgave him every slip with other women, every—"

"Aye well, he finally did something even I could not forgive," she said bitterly.

"Jenny?" Cullen asked, recalling Evelinde's suggestion that morning.

Biddy nodded, sorrow mingling with anger on her face before she turned away to peer over the hills ahead of them. "I didna have any idea at the time. Oh, I knew he flattered and teased her like the others, and perhaps I should have seen, but I never imagined… My own little sister." She said the words with bewildered disgust.

"How did ye find out?" Cullen asked quietly.

"I didna until it was too late," she admitted. "I truly thought she'd killed herself rather than marry the Campbell, as everyone else thought. For two weeks I mourned. And all that time, Darach—" She shook her head.