“Osmond is with Collum. He’s going to reveal to Chief Hamish that he’s Rupert’s da. I just didna want Morag tocome after you, should she think you will tell the laird about Coinneach.”
“Are you sure Osmond will do that? Hamish could kill him for his traitorous actions,” her mother said, sounding and smelling anxious.
Aisling glanced at the mother in labor, now birthing her twins as wolf pups. “I dinna know. See to the mother and her pups, and I’ll watch for Morag or anybody who might show up who shouldn’t be here.”
“Aye. The other lasses are here who attended Orla’s mother when she birthed her bairn.”
Aisling inclined her head, then went to her palette and retrieved her bow and arrows. Then she stood near the entrance to the ladies’ chamber, watching for trouble. At least she didn’t need to be in the kitchen just now.
“Do you have yoursgian dubh?” her mother asked.
“Aye. Always.” Then Aisling peeked out of the chamber and kept guard.
On the wall walk,Coinneach told Aodhan about what Osmond had told them, and that Collum was taking him to see Hamish.
“Osmond must be crazy to want to do so,” Aodhan said.
“Aye, but what will Morag do? Agree with him? Tell Hamish that Osmond has lied so she can keep her position as the chief’s mate? But here’s the thing. Osmond said Rupert doesna have the mark of the wolf on him, as if that proves he isna Hamish’s son.” Coinneach glanced down at the inner bailey, waiting to hear some commotion that would indicate Hamish was ready to kill Osmond.
Aodhan frowned. “But you wear the wolf’s mark.”
“Aye. Is it inherited then?” Coinneach asked.
“Mayhap.”
“Have you ever seen a wolf mark on Hamish or Collum? If a child of Hamish’s should bear the mark, it would have to come from Hamish’s line, wouldna you think?” Coinneach asked as he gazed out at the forest beyond the meadow.
“Unless it came from your mother.”
“Oh, aye, I hadna considered that.” Coinneach felt bad that he had discounted his mother. He wished he had known her.
“I wish I could hear what is being said between Hamish and Osmond.” Aodhan leaned against the outer wall.
“Me also.” Coinneach glanced back at the castle. “I wonder if Hamish will put Osmond in the dungeon, kill him outright, or banish him.”
“And Morag and Rupert. Unless Morag denies it’s true or Osmond gets scared and doesna tell the chief the truth.”
“That’s a possibility. He doesna appear to be a strong man. He was sneaky and underhanded. I was shocked to learn he planned to tell Hamish that Rupert was his son.”
Then they heard a commotion in the inner bailey and both of them turned their attention there.
Two of the guards were dragging Osmond out of the castle. He was bruised and bleeding and shouting for all to hear, “Rupert is my son! Morag has been my mistress for years!”
Humans did such a thing, but wolves mated for life, unless the one they mated had died. And even then, they might never take another mate. But have an affair on the side? Rarely. In Morag's position, it was unbelievable. Sometimes, though, people in power thought they could get away with anything. Often, they did. For many years, she had.
Dunstan and two guards, including Tristan, forced Osmond out of the inner bailey, through the outer bailey, and beyondthe gates. He was lucky he hadn’t been killed outright for his transgressions.
“Banishment, it appears,” Aodhan said.
“But what about Morag and Rupert?” Coinneach couldn’t believe she would get away with what she’d pulled.
“How much do you want to bet she convinced Hamish that Osmond was out of his mind, and she had no idea what he was talking about?”
Coinneach considered what she’d already done that he knew of. What else had she been up to over the years? “Aye. She convinced the chief to mate her. And threatened Blair to get rid of me. She could be capable of deceiving anyone about anything.”
“I agree.”
They watched as Osmond headed across the meadow, Drustan, Tristan, and the other guards watching him leave.
