“Because he was afraid that I suspected he had something to do with it? I had never considered he might have been behind the attempt on my life.” Aisling thought he should have kept his mouth shut.
“Me either.” Nelly finished clipping herbs for the meal. “Then you could still be in danger. Not only from Rupert’s wrath but also from his mother’s.”
Aisling thought about Coinneach being Hamish’s son and the danger from that also. But what if she could prove that Rupert wasn’t Hamish’s son? Would Hamish banish Morag and Rupert from the pack? And that would end the problem with them?
“I have a secret to tell you.” Aisling wouldn’t tell Nelly about Coinneach’s birthright, but she would need some help proving Rupert wasn’t Hamish’s son. Then again, what if Hamish knew and didn’t care? Or he didn’t want to admit that Morag had slept with another man when she’d been married to Hamish?
“Och, what else?” Nelly sounded serious because Aisling’s voice was dark with warning.
“It’s a dangerous thing to know, but my mother believes Osmond is Rupert’s da.”
“Nay, really?” Nelly looked around to make sure there was no one within hearing distance. “He does look like Osmond though.”
“Aye. Both have the same facial features, high-bridged noses and no chin, the same red curly hair, the same slight body build. And they have the same kind of hair loss on their temples.”
“I agree. Do you think Hamish knows and doesna want anyone else to learn the truth?”
“Perhaps.” Aisling wanted to tell her the rest of the story. That having an illegitimate heir wasn’t the half of it. Attempting to kill Hamish’s true son was truly important.
“You want to expose him because of the trouble he still may cause you,” Nelly said quietly.
“I want both of them gone, mother and son. But proving any of it could be impossible. And there’s always the possibility that Hamish willna care since he has raised him as his own son. He may even vehemently deny that Rupert isna his son.”
“How does your mother know?”
“She had seen Osmond and her together in the stables.”
“Och.” Then Nelly smiled. “We can share the rumors in a secretive way. Dinna you think Rupert favors Osmond? And then the rumors would spread. You know how that goes.”
Nelly and Aisling walked through the garden to the keep. “We dinna want anyone to know we are the ones starting the rumors. When Morag learns of it, she will want us both dead.”
“Aye.” Nelly opened the door to the keep. “We will have to think about it.”
When they arrived at the kitchen, Cook wanted Nelly and Aisling to teach the washer women how to prepare meals. The women looked a bit overwhelmed, but Aisling said, “We’re so glad you are working with us. Working here, we get better food than most.” Other than the more important members of the clan.
Ann and Marie smiled.
“It’s hard work, but you've already done hard work with the washing, so you’ll fit in fine.” Aisling hoped the ladies would be friendly toward her and Nelly and not like Kenna and Wilma had been.
“Aye, we are eager to work on the kitchen staff,” Ann said.
Marie nodded vigorously. “We didna think we would ever be anything but washer women, though we are sorry for the reason we gained the positions.”
“Aye, so are we,” Aisling said.
“We saw Rupert grab you before we moved inside the keep. He’s a bully,” Ann said. “And there are rumors he’s no’ even the chief’s son.”
Aisling’s mouth gaped. She hadn’t believed anyone else would think that. “What makes you believe that?”
“He looks just like Osmond, dinna you think? While cleaning laundry, we saw Morag and Osmond sneaking off to the stable often enough,” Marie said.
“They looked disheveled when they left the stable,” Ann said. “Morag had no reason to check out the stable, dinna you see?”
“Do others feel that way?” Nelly asked.
“All the washer women. We all saw the same and talked about it,” Ann said.
13
