The Campbell Trilogy Read online

  Duncan wasn’t laughing any longer. “Who thinks this? Not Archie?”

  Colin shook his head. “Nay, he defended you, but even he could say nothing when they found the bag of gold. Forty gold ducats are hard to explain.”

  Duncan felt the first prickle of true alarm. ’Twas a small fortune. But it was not his. “There must be some mistake.”

  “There is no mistake. They searched our tent and found it in the bag you attach to your saddle.”

  Someone had put it there. Someone who wanted him to look guilty. Grant?

  “Anyone could have put it there. Let them bring these spurious charges to my face.”

  “With the king on his way the chiefs are out for blood. You will be arrested. You must go.”

  Arrested? “I won’t run. I’ll stay and prove my innocence.”

  “Where, from prison?”

  His jaw squared. “I’ll not leave father.”

  “He would not want you to stay, not like this.”

  From the courtyard below, Duncan heard the unmistakable clatter of soldiers.

  “Go,” Colin said. “I will stay with father until you return. I swear it.”

  He didn’t want to go, but Colin was right. He could do nothing to prove his innocence from prison. And without his father, who would fight for him? Archie would be having a time of it himself, defending himself before the king.

  He clasped his brother around the shoulders. “Thanks for the warning, little brother. I’ve yet to have the chance to explain about Jeannie. I’m sorry if you were hurt, it was not intended.”

  Colin brushed off the apology. “We were both fooled.”

  Duncan gazed at him quizzically.

  “You haven’t heard?” He shook his head. “Jeannie Grant is betrothed to Huntly’s son, Francis Gordon.”

  Duncan froze, every muscle rigid with shock. It wasn’t possible.

  Was it?

  For the first time a shadow of doubt crept into the back of his mind and he allowed himself to consider what he’d been staving off thinking about for days. Why hadn’t she told him? And what had happened to the map? He’d had it with him the whole time, removing it only to sleep. He recalled his sporran neatly arranged with his belongings.

  And now she was betrothed to Francis Gordon.

  It suddenly cast what had happened between them in an entirely new light—a sinister light.

  His stomach turned. Had his brain been too addled by emotion to see the truth? Had Jeannie been lying to him? Had she used him? He didn’t want to think it possible, but he damned well intended to find out.

  Leaving Colin to watch over their father, Duncan slid out of the chamber, down the corridor, past the men coming to arrest him, and into the darkness of the night beyond.

  Chapter 9

  Jeannie startled awake, wrenched from a deep sleep by a sound. Her heart raced with fright. She didn’t breathe, waiting in the darkness for another sound, slowly exhaling when none was forthcoming.

  She rolled to the side and settled into the mattress, trying to quickly reclaim the slumber that had just abandoned her, trying not to think …

  Of Duncan. Too late, she realized, resigning herself to another sleepless night.

  In the three days since her father returned she’d learned little of the fate befallen the Campbells. She could not ask her father, and she doubted he would tell her if she did.

  Her father was anxious for her marriage to Francis Gordon to secure the alliance and Jeannie knew she would not be able to put him off much longer, especially now that Francis had arrived.

  Duncan was alive. He had to be. But why hadn’t he come for her? A snippet of a conversation she’d overheard this evening would not leave her. Her father had been speaking with Francis in the solar after the evening meal about the battle, reveling in their success, “thanks to Campbell’s map.” At first she’d given it no thought, continuing her duties in clearing the hall, until the mention was made of treason and gold.

  It couldn’t be Duncan that they were talking about, but the prickle of unease would not leave her.

  Oh, why didn’t he come?

  All of a sudden, a man stepped out of the shadows. She gasped, opening her mouth to scream, but he smothered it with his hand.

  In the beam of pale moonlight she made out his face. Her body sagged with relief and tears of joy sprang to her eyes.

  He removed his hand and she bolted upright. “You’re alive!”

  He didn’t say anything. He was strangely still, keeping to the shadows, maintaining distance between them, rather than enfolding her in his arms as she’d dreamed would happen at this moment.

  Indeed, now that her eyes had adjusted, she could see that he had the strangest expression on his face—almost menacing. If she didn’t know him she might be frightened by the cold look in his glowing blue eyes, of the cruel flair of his nostrils, of the square set of his jaw. She sensed the tension, the anger radiating from him. “Duncan, what’s wrong?”

  His eyes scanned her face. “Tell me it’s not true. Tell me you aren’t betrothed to Francis Gordon?” She paled and he swore. Before she could defend herself he grabbed her arm and dragged her from bed. “How long have you been keeping this from me? Were you engaged that night you sent for me?”

  He read her answer and pushed her away, but she clung to him. “Don’t you see? That’s why I came? I don’t want to marry him; I want to run away with you. The betrothal was my father’s doing.”

  “But you agreed.”

  “I was scared. He was so angry when I told him about you. But I never intended to go through with it. I wanted to tell you, but I couldn’t because I feared …”

  “You feared I would realize that your father intended to double-cross us. You’re right. It seems there is much you have kept from me.” His eyes bit into her. “Why did you send for me?”

  “Don’t you see? I feared for your safety.”

  “Well, as you can see there was nothing to fear, though I’m afraid my father wasn’t as fortunate.”

  Her stomach turned. “Oh, Duncan, I’m sorry. But can’t you see there was nothing I could do.”

  His face was tight and unyielding. “You made your choice.”

  “That’s not fair,” she protested. “Surely you can see what a precarious position I was in? If I told you what my father had planned it would be him in danger.”

  But it was clear he didn’t see. To the noble Duncan, honor and integrity would always trump treachery. “Your loyalty to your father is to be commended,” he said mockingly. “But tell me Jeannie, just how far does that loyalty extend?”

  She didn’t like what she saw in his eyes. Her brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”

  “You were quite insistent that I not leave. Quite insistent.”

  She sucked in her breath, not wanting to believe what he was suggesting—that she’d purposefully seduced him. “I was worried about you.”

  “Is that all?”

  “Of course. What other reason could I have?”

  His eyes bored into her. “Why did you move my belongings?”

  She opened her mouth to deny his charge, then remembered that she had moved his things. Heat pricked her cheeks. “I had to use the garderobe. I almost tripped on them, so I picked them up.”

  He didn’t believe her. “Are you sure it wasn’t to look for something? A map perhaps?”

  “Of course not—” She stopped, realizing what he’d said. She swallowed hard. “A map?” Her voice squeaked.

  The look he gave her, hard with betrayal, could have cut glass. He took a step back and looked at her incredulously. “God, it was you.”

  She shook her head, grabbing onto his arm. “No. I took nothing. It’s only that I heard my father mention a map.”

  But her attempt to explain only seemed to damn her more in his eyes. “Enough!” he said, tossing her away from him. “I’ve heard enough.”

  “No, you haven’t.” Anger burst inside her. She stood before him, fists