The Legend of a Rogue - Darcy Burke Page 0,27

blocked part of a shield, so she pushed it nearly closed.

Her gaze arrested on a sword standing in the corner behind the door. It was quite long, the blade broad. But it was the hilt that drew her attention. Made of gold, the upper and lower guards bore interesting markings.

Elspeth went to look more closely. The markings were runes, she thought, and upon closer inspection, the blade had a herringbone pattern. It didn’t look like any sword she’d seen. The longer she studied it, the faster her heart raced.

She held the candle closer and crouched down to use the light to study the hilt.

“What are ye doing in here?”

Carrie’s shrill question startled Elspeth, causing her to drop the sword. It clanged against the floorboards, and the candle sputtered.

Elspeth stood. “My goodness, you frightened me. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude.”

Carrie’s green eyes flashed with annoyance. “And yet ye are.” She didn’t move to pick up the sword. Probably because it was nearly impossible to do so. How did she even get it here?

“I really am sorry. I was…curious. This is quite a collection.”

“It’s my Chamber of Sorrow.” She walked to the shelf and fingered the necklace. “Everything here is from Culloden.”

“From…the battle?” Elspeth whispered in wonder as she once again perused the room.

Carrie nodded. “I’ve gone a few times. I felt like I had to. The first time, I found this.” She held up the necklace. “And that dagger there.” She pointed to a short, well-worn dagger that was missing the very tip. “As well as a few other tidbits. Sometimes people come through Calvine and give me something for the chamber.”

Elspeth gestured to the sword. “How did you come to possess this?” She felt like she already knew, but wanted to be sure.

“A friend gave it to me.”

“Do you know what this sword is?” Again, Elspeth didn’t know for certain, but she was willing to wager all the stories she’d written that she was right.

“It isna mine,” Carrie said, sounding frightened. Her gaze was guarded once more, as it had been when Elspeth had talked to her about Neil Kerr.

“Is it Neil’s?” Elspeth asked softly.

Sniffing, Carrie nodded. She wiped the back of her hand over her nose. “He asked me to hold it for him, said I couldna keep it even though I wanted to. It’s unlike anything else in my collection.”

“Did he tell you what it would do?”

Carrie sucked in a breath, and even in the dim light, Elspeth could see that she’d gone pale. She chewed on her lip but didn’t answer.

“It’s all right, Carrie. I know what it does, and I know who it really belongs to.”

“Not Neil?” Lines furrowed across Carrie’s brow.

“No. I think he must have found it at Culloden.” Elspeth considered what to reveal. “The owner lost it in the battle, and he would like it back.”

“Is that why ye and Mr. MacLean were both asking me about him. About Neil, I mean?”

Elspeth hesitated but ultimately answered. “Yes.”

“It belongs to Mr. MacLean, then?”

“It’s not for me to say,” Elspeth said. The less Carrie knew the better. She now understood why Tavish hadn’t told her about Lann Dhearg. It wasn’t something anyone should have to bear. That he’d revealed the sword and his true identity to her showed her just how much he valued her. Didn’t it?

“Why did Neil ask you to hold on to it?” Elspeth asked.

“He said men were after him, that they wanted it. He left it here a few weeks ago.”

So recently? “And you truly don’t know where he is?”

She shook her head.

“That’s unfortunate, because Mr. MacLean wants to help keep him safe. He hides Jacobites.” The moment the words left her mouth, Elspeth wondered if she shouldn’t have told the serving maid. She was so gregarious in the common room. What if she divulged Tavish’s secrets to someone?

She stared at Elspeth in disbelief. “That’s what he does? Dougal said I could trust him, that he wanted to help.”

“He can even take this sword for you and keep it safe.” Elspeth held her breath, hoping Carrie would agree. It wasn’t as if Elspeth could pick it up and flee. Not only did she have nowhere to go, she could hardly lift the bloody thing.

In fact, how she was she going to get it up to Tavish’s chamber?

“He will take Neil’s sword?” Carrie asked, drawing Elspeth back to their exchange.

“I’m certain of it.”

“Yes, please.” Carrie looked at her with a mixture of relief and joy. “Thank you.”

Elspeth squinted one