concern.
“It appears that ye and I have the same goal this time,” he replied. “We both want Ranald dead.”
Katerina inwardly winced at that blunt truth. She loathed the fact that she wanted a man dead, but could not deny that, in many ways, she did. The only way to be safe from Ranald was to bury the man. Ranald was not the sort of man to meekly accept any loss and, when she won the battle against Agnes, Ranald lost. The man liked the power he now wielded far too much to give it up without at least seeking revenge upon the ones who took that power away from him.
True. If there is to be peace in Dunlochan again then Ranald must be slain.”
“Because he betrayed you? Who does he obey now?”
The same one he has always obeyed—Agnes. ’Tis because of her and all of her plots that Dunlochan is now under siege and we must hide inside this hill.”
“Ye expect me to believe that Agnes has kept ye and your men running and hiding for a year? That lass hasnae the wit to do that. The only thing that lass can think about is men and gowns.”
“Agnes rules Ranald and the two of them are cunning and cruel.” Katerina shook her head. “I suspect my father thought as ye do, that Agnes was naught more than a witless girl whose only thoughts were for teasing and luring men and spending too much of his coin on gowns. To be certain, Agnes does spend far too much of her time pondering such useless things, but she is also cold and cruel. There is a hard, cold viciousness in Agnes that she hides weel from the men she seeks to enthrall. Her husband was bewitched for a while but he finally saw her for what she truly is. Sadly, it took the death of a maid he had flirted with to open his eyes.”
“He saw Agnes kill a maid?”
“Nay, but he had nay doubt it was her doing. He hadnae e’en been unfaithful, had just exchanged a few smiles with the maid and a jest or two, but it cost the poor lass her life. I think Agnes had Ranald do it, that she and Ranald were already lovers. So did her husband Robbie. Robbie left soon after and hasnae been back since. Agnes has been hunting him, but I dinnae think it is for a loving reunion. Nay, she wants Robbie dead.”
“Because the men your father chose as advisors dinnae approve of him?”
“Ye and William had a nice wee talk whilst I was gone, didnae ye.”
Lucas found himself almost smiling at the look Katerina gave William, a look that cried the man a traitor. He quickly pushed aside that feeling. Katerina had always been able to make him smile, but Lucas now felt that was one reason he had never seen a hint of warning concerning her betrayal of him.
“He told me what he believes, aye,” Lucas drawled.
That hurt, but Katerina just turned her scowl back on him. “Nay, they dinnae approve of Robbie. My father didnae, either. Robbie isnae a bad mon, but he isnae exactly what a father would want for his daughter. He is poor, a wee bit feckless, and a mon who would much rather talk or buy himself out of trouble than pick up a sword. I think their judgment harsh. There is good in Robbie and I believe he would have made Agnes a verra good husband if she had actually been interested in having one.”
“Aye,” agreed William, “but, mayhap, nay such a good laird for Dunlochan. Robbie didnae really want to be one, either. Far too much work for the lad.”
True.” Katerina smiled briefly. “Far too much work. Unfortunately Robbie’s lack of ambition is one reason Agnes now wants to be a widow. I e’en think she might be considering making Ranald her next husband.”
“And the council would approve of such a mon?” Lucas asked in surprise.
“They might,” replied Katerina, “but I am nay sure why. Fear, mayhap. They have to ken that Ranald would nay hesitate to kill them or their families if they tried to stop him from grasping the laird’s seat. ’Tis easy to say aye or nay to a lass’s choice of husband when the mon is no true threat to ye, isnae it.”
“True. So