A Very Highland Holiday - Kathryn Le Veque Page 0,135
helping Jacobites, about keeping some number of men safe from capture and harm. She recalled his behavior with the English soldiers yesterday, how he’d leapt to the defense of the men discussing Culloden.
And the sword.
The sword she’d hoped to write about but now couldn’t. It existed! She could still scarcely believe that fact.
She suddenly realized she was in Carrie’s room. Alone. Her gaze drifted to the man on the bed. Well, not alone, but close enough.
Elspeth stood hastily and poked around the chamber, looking for any clue that might lead her and Tavish to Neil or the sword. Not that Carrie would know where the sword was. But maybe she did.
The room wasn’t large, but it was well lived in, with a bed, dresser, small table, and chair, and, of course, the hearth. There was also a narrow door at the end of the bed.
Elspeth slipped the latch and slowly pushed it open. “I hope this doesn’t lead to someone else’s chamber, and that they’re inside,” she murmured to herself.
The room was dark, so she had to fetch a candle from Carrie’s room. Armed with flickering light, Elspeth stepped into the other chamber and instantly froze. It was rather small, but it was full of…things. What drew her eye most were the weapons—swords, daggers, a pair of shields. One shelf held an odd assortment of badges and brooches as well as a necklace and a ring.
Elspeth ran her fingers over one of the brooches, a gold lion with an intricate design. What was all this? She turned in a complete circle, moving slowly, as she surveyed the items. The door 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.”