cast by Aulay’s torch. Conran was about to suggest his brother move farther down this way, but Aulay did it of his own accord.
“Stand there.” Fearghas took Conran’s arm to shift him so that his body blocked what he was doing from his brothers. The old man then turned a rock that looked just like all the others, and stepped back as a section of wall slid outward.
“We’ll search the laird’s room before we lock the entrance from inside,” Conran told his brothers as he started to follow his soon-to-be father-in-law into the room. “We’ll open it again and give ye the all clear before we lock it and move on to Evina’s room.”
He heard Aulay’s grunt of acknowledgment as he stepped into the chamber.
The bright light after so long in the dark was blinding. Conran paused just inside the room, blinking rapidly in an effort to regain his sight more quickly.
“Damn, we were in there so long I forgot ’tis early morning yet,” the Maclean growled, rubbing his eyes irritably.
Conran glanced to the open shutters. Dazzling sunlight was pouring through them and filling the room, highlighting the fact that it was empty, and didn’t have much in the way of hiding spaces. Just two places that he could see—under the bed, or in one of the chests against the wall.
“I’ll check the chests,” Fearghas growled when Conran moved to the bed and dropped to his knees.
Conran merely nodded, and looked under the bed. He was getting back up almost as soon as he got down. The only thing under it was a half-gnawed bone. He supposed it must have been left behind by one of the dogs the Maclean had mentioned. Joining the man at his chests, Conran opened one and began pulling out shirts and plaids.
“Surely that’s no’ necessary,” the Maclean said with surprise.
“We once had someone we were hunting evade us by hiding under the clothes in a chest,” Conran said grimly.
“Oh.” Fearghas eyed him with interest. “Did ye catch them?”
“Aye. Eventually,” he muttered, and dropped the clothes back in. Conran closed that chest, and moved to the second one even as the Maclean started dragging bed linens out of the one he’d been searching.
“Empty,” the Maclean announced a moment later.
“Mine too,” Conran said, letting the lid of the chest he’d been rifling through slam shut.
Nodding, Fearghas moved back to the passage entrance, opened it and stuck his head out to tell Aulay and Rory the room was clear, and they were locking the entrance and moving on to the next room.
Geordie was standing guard outside the door to Evina’s room as requested. But there were so many people around him it was hard to tell at first.
“Get on with ye,” the Maclean growled as he led Conran through the group. “Surely ye’ve all got work to do. Get to it. Me daughter’s fine and there’s nothing more to see here.”
The crowd dispersed quickly, everyone heading for the stairs, and Geordie nodded in greeting. He also raised an eyebrow at the fact that they’d come from behind the crowd rather than out of Evina’s room, but Conran didn’t explain. He merely nodded at his brother in response and followed Fearghas Maclean into Evina’s room. Aulay stood in the open entrance to the passage when they entered.
Conran acknowledged him with a glance and then peered around the room. Everything looked just as it had when last he saw it. As with the Maclean’s room, there were just the chests, and under the bed to check. They made quick work of it.
“Rory and I’ll move down the passage to the next entrance,” Aulay said once they’d finished. He then slid away from the entrance as the Maclean started to close and lock it. That done, they moved on to the next room, nodding at Geordie again in passing.
After a quick search of Gavin’s room, where Saidh and Greer were staying, they were moving on to Conran’s own room. He didn’t even have a chest though, so it was a quick check under the bed and they were done.
Conran had entered each room with his hand on his sword, ready to draw it if needed, but as they approached the room Rory and Alick had been given, he unsheathed it altogether to hold it at the ready.
“Aye, I’m getting a little tense meself,” the Maclean said quietly.
“Trouble?” Geordie asked, approaching.
“The bastard has to be in one of these last two rooms,” Fearghas explained solemnly.