Fortunately, a knock sounded at the door then, saving her from having to think about that further.
Leaving her to do up her tunic, Tildy moved to answer the door and Evina’s eyebrows rose when she heard Saidh’s voice, followed by the excited chatter of other women.
“Lady Saidh would like to ken if yer ready fer visitors?” Tildy asked, amusement ringing in her voice.
Since Tildy would have simply said no if there was a man in the group, Evina assumed it was women only and said, “Aye.”
The moment she did, Tildy pulled the door wide and Saidh swept into the room with Jetta and two blond-haired women on her heels. Knowing from what Saidh had said that Murine and Edith were both blondes, Evina was just thinking that Niels must have arrived with his wife, Edith, when Saidh announced, “Evi, this is Dougall’s wife, Murine, our sister-in-law and dear friend, and this is Jo Sinclair, a dear friend to all of us and sister of our hearts.”
“Oh.” Evina was a bit disappointed that the woman wasn’t Edith, but she managed a smile. “’Tis a pleasure to meet ye.”
“Thank ye. ’Tis a pleasure to meet ye as well,” Jo assured her, and then added, “And I’m so sorry that we’ve just shown up like this. I fear we thought to surprise Saidh with a visit, and when we arrived at MacDonnell only to discover they were here, we thought to stop on the way home to at least say hello. But I promise we don’t plan to stay and trouble ye with more guests.”
“Oh, but ye must stay for Evina and Conran’s wedding,” Saidh protested, turning on her with a frown. “And then ye can come home with us to MacDonnell. Ye can hardly just turn and ride all the way home without visiting as planned.”
“That would be lovely,” Jo said, but then added with regret, “But I’m sure there isn’t room here for us with the whole Buchanan clan already in attendance.”
“Nonsense,” Evina said at once. “We’ll find room. Somewhere,” she added with a frown as she realized they were fresh out of rooms. They were going to have to consider adding rooms above stairs now that she was marrying into such a large family, she thought.
“They can have the boys’ room,” Saidh announced, turning to Evina now. “Alick and Geordie probably won’t be sleeping in there until yer attacker is found anyway, and Rory can sleep on a pallet in the hall with them, or go down to the barracks. If ’tis good enough for yer poor cousin Gavin, ’tis good enough for him.”
“That would work best,” Tildy murmured.
Evina nodded. It was probably the only solution.
“I’ll go prepare the room after I have ye dressed,” Tildy announced, and moved to the chests to fetch her a clean gown.
“I told the men at the gate that the blackguard they’re looking for may have clean clothes now rather than dirty, ratty ones,” Fearghas Maclean announced as he returned to the table, trailed by two huge deerhounds. “They’re going to stop and check anyone who tries to enter.”
Conran nodded as he watched the man reclaim his seat at the high table. Noting the caution with which he settled himself, Conran glanced to Rory. But his brother had noticed as well, and suggested, “Perhaps I should take another look at yer wound after we’re done here, m’laird. Be sure infection has no’ set in again, put some salve on and rebandage it.”
The Maclean grimaced, but nodded on a sigh. “Aye, mayhap. I think ’tis just tender from me being overactive yesterday. But ‘twould probably be good to be sure.”
Conran relaxed a little, but then turned to glance along the table at his brothers, as well as Greer MacDonnell, and Cam Sinclair. “Is there anything else anyone can think of that we can do?”
When no one else spoke, Aulay commented, “All ye can do is put guards on Evina for now. Perhaps if we kenned more we could do more, but we have no idea of the who or why behind the attack.”
“The why is usually coin or madness,” Rory pointed out, and when everyone turned to him, he pointed out, “Well, the woman who was trying to kill Jo was crazy.”
“Aye,” Cam Sinclair agreed grimly.
“As was yer aunt, Greer,” Rory continued. When the man nodded, he added, “With Murine ’twas to take over Carmichael, or for coin.”
“’Twas coin for Edith too, then, if ye count taking over Drummond as coin,” Conran pointed out, and