Chapter 145

Two days after her last visit, Teárlag's carriage and two carts of her things, primarily clothes, arrived at the Keep. Stuart was there to greet her. Teárlag looked around, but didn't see Thorburn, who was even now, eyeing her from a window on the second floor. Thorburn sighed. Too bad she'd betrayed him. He'd really cared for her; thought it possible he could marry her. She was so unlike the women he knew, prim, proper and buttoned up tighter than a drum head. Teárlag was laughter and fun, sexual games and excitement. He'd looked forward to every moment he was with her. Her treachery had wounded him deeply.

Though he appreciated all she'd done since disclosing her falseness, he could never see himself forgiving her. He could not imagine placing his trust in one so faithless. He saw her looking around and realized it was for him, but he remained hidden. She'd become an unwanted burden, someone else to worry about. Stuart would make the necessary arrangements. A meeting of the household had been set for later in the afternoon where his engagement to Teárlag would be announced. It was a small step, but might afford her some protection. The worst part of it was he would have to spend his nights with her to maintain the deception. The last thing he wanted was to share a bed with her. It would remind him of the times when he had and she'd thrilled him to do so. He would never hear her scream in pleasure again, unless it be some ruse to allow people to believe they were together. He would give anything to be done with Blackthorne, and done with Teárlag as well.

"I'm sorry Thorburn isn't here to greet you, Lady Mackintosh," Stuart said. "He's so busy right now. We'll have a meeting this afternoon at two, where your engagement will be announced to the Keep. We'll have food and refreshments afterward to celebrate the happy announcement."

"It wouldn't be necessary, dear Stuart. I know your family is not all here right now. We could delay the announcement until a happier time when we're all together," Teárlag replied. "I wouldn't mind waiting."

"Nonsense. Thorburn feels the sooner everyone knows about the wondrous news, the better for us all. He's concerned your spending your nights in his bedroom without this announcement would cast your reputation into serious disrepair. I'm sure it's for the best."

"Whatever you think is best, Stuart. I'm perfectly willing to go along with whatever you want. You know your people better than I do. My house is being closed up, but I had to bring my maid, my driver, and a couple others with me. I'm sorry I had to bring so many things, dresses and the like, but a woman of means must keep up appearances. You can have my wardrobe and night clothes brought up to Thorburn's room. Do you have a spare room where I can store the rest of my things?"

"I'm sure we can find someplace to put everything, Teárlag. It's a large place."

"Lovely. My maid shall have to be fairly close so she can serve me, but my driver and the others can be given rooms with the rest of your servants."

"I appreciate your need to keep the maid close. We'll have somewhere fairly close to your room where the maid can sleep and a bell installed so you may call for her. Is there anything else?"

"I'm very tired. I've been so busy the last few days and done so much traveling. If you could have a tub filled with hot water, I should greatly enjoy a leisurely soak before the announcement this afternoon. Is Thorburn in his room or may I use it for my bath?"

"His room is vacant at the current time. I'll arrange for you to have your bath up in his rooms."

"Thank you, Stuart. You're most kind. Come Bonnie. You can help me with my bath and to dress for the festivities this afternoon. I think the green taffeta if it's not too dusty from the road."

"Yes, Mistress."

Bonnie found the aforementioned dress and followed her into the house. A couple of the Keep servants soon brought a brass tub up to Thorburn's room with plenty of water.

Teárlag let Bonnie prepare the bath and help her out of her traveling clothes. When she was naked, Teárlag sat in the tub and let Bonnie sponge her off.

"You do know if you're going to spy for Blackthorne," Teárlag spoke softly, "you can never let any of the Cameron's know. They'll kill you if they find out."

"Yes, Mistress," Bonnie replied in the same tone of voice.

"If you sleep with any of their servants, you mustn't engage in pillow talk and give yourself away. If they tell you things, you should tell me first. Blackthorne will expect you to tell him also, which you should. Never withhold information from him. I don't know why he punished you before fucking you a few days ago, but he's capable of much worse if you keep things from him. What did you do to offend him?"

"I found something in Laird Cameron's desk and I tried to copy it. Unfortunately, I cannot read and what I gave him he could not understand. He was upset I could not read. I could not even tell him what it said. I said it looked like your writing, but it's all I could tell him. That is why he caned me."

Teárlag's heart was suddenly in her throat. Had Bonnie found the map and tried to copy it? Maybe Blackthorne understood more than he intimated. Maybe it why he was so brutal with her the last two times she visited. He knew she was betraying him and wanted to get whatever else she could discover before taking her. Would he have let her return to the Cameron's if he knew she'd informed them of the way through his tunnel? He never let on all he knew or guessed. He kept you wondering all the time. Oh, God! I might have signed my death warrant already and don't know it. She wanted to sink into the water and drown herself. Would it be possible?

Instead, she said, "See, that's the reason you should speak to me first. If it was something important, I could have read it and told you what it was. I did leave Thorburn a love message. Perhaps it was only that, or perhaps it was something else altogether. We'll never know now. Please speak to me if you believe you've found anything important. We could miss something valuable."

"I don't think it was only a love letter, Mistress, there were drawings on it I didn't really understand, but it wasn't only writing."

What was on the paper? The cabinet in the house leading to the tunnels and some little dots representing houses on a map, but if she couldn't read the words, it could be anything. Please pray it's so.

"Yes, I told him we would need a new wardrobe in his room to hold all of my clothes and I drew a picture of what I wished it would look like. I'm sure that's what you found. You'll see. He'll start building me a new wardrobe in this room and it will look much like my drawing."

"I guess it did look like a cabinet or wardrobe. You're probably right."

"All the more reason you need to speak to me first. In the event you do something stupid and they kill you before you pass your information on or you don't know what it is. Do you understand? This is a perilous undertaking and your life might hang in the balance. The Cameron's and Blackthorne are mortal enemies. Blackthorne tortured a Cameron maid to death for any information she held and the Cameron's would do the same to you and me if they find we are spies. Blackthorne will also torture you if you betray him, so don't be sweet talked by anyone into giving away his secrets. He will reward you handsomely if you're valuable, but snuff your life without a thought if you anger him. I have no problem if you tell Blackthorne everything I do. It's your job, but don't be careless or you'll kill us both."

"Yes, Mistress."

"Go now and find a towel. I need to get dressed."

Bonnie nodded and left. Teárlag was shivering despite the warmth of the water. Either she'd narrowly escaped a major disaster or her goose was already cooked and she didn't know it.

The maid returned with a towel and Teárlag began drying herself off when Thorburn suddenly entered the room. Teárlag raised the towel, holding it over herself.

"Laird Cameron," she said. "Can I help you?"

"I came to put on some finery for the announcement," Thorburn said. "I'm sorry to disturb you in your bath, my Lady."

"We're going to be sharing a bed, Thorburn. If you're comfortable dressing while my maid dresses me, you may remain. If you're not, give me about fifteen minutes. As soon as I'm in my dress, I shall go to another room where she can do my hair."

"I'll give you some privacy, my Lady."

"Very well." As Thorburn turned to leave, Teárlag dropped the towel giving him a brief glimpse of her nudity before he left. Thorburn wanted to turn back to look, remembering well her form and figure, but he tore himself away and left.

"He's a good looking man, Mistress. What does Blackthorne think of you fucking him?"

Teárlag slapped her hard. She whispered softly. "What did I just tell you? Do not speak that name aloud in this house. Is it possible the Laird's standing right outside the door right now listening to everything we say? Don't be stupid girl, or you'll kill us both."