Page 24 of A Highlander’s Heart

Once more, silence descended on the group as they digested the information. “Laird, what are yer thoughts on what to do with Morgan Gunn?” One of the elders asked.

“I doona intend to raise the king’s wrath by throwing the new laird into the dungeon.” He paused for a moment, then said, “But I will demand some compensation from Morgan Gunn in order for us to let him go, starting with an alliance between the Gunn and Mackenzie clans.”

After a few moments, Daniel addressed the group. “I think ’twould be best for me to speak to Morgan Gunn with only Gregory present.”

He sensed a bit of a huff in his wife, but he reached under the table and covered her hand with his and gave it a slight squeeze, hoping it would soften whatever objection she might have for him not including her in his meeting with Morgan Gunn.

Daniel looked over at Gregory. “I doona want to have this conversation with him in the infirmary.” He addressed the group. “We will disband for now. I will speak with Morgan today and report back to ye what has been decided.”

As she rose to leave, Daniel said, “Emma, please wait for a minute.”

She sat back down as the others left, except for the laird and Gregory, his Second-in-Command.

Chapter Thirteen

Emma watched the group leave the room. Once the door closed on the last member, Daniel clasped his hands and rested them on the table. “Emma, ye have spent more time with Morgan Gunn than anyone else here at the keep. How do ye find him, what sort of a mon is he?”

She thought for a minute. “He was quite surly when he was first brought to the healing hut. I think it had a lot to do with his feeling of helplessness, which ye would both understand, being warriors yerselves.”

Daniel turned to Gregory with a smirk on his face. “Recently, for the first time since the mon was carried into the healing hut, I can find some sympathy for him.”

Gregory nodded, and Emma continued. “Now he is feeling better about himself, just because he can stand and walk a bit. He is still concerned about resuming his Second-in-Command position, which, of course, he won’t have anymore, as laird.”

The laird placed his forearms on the table. “I’d like to speak with him as soon as possible so we can get this situation resolved. Two clans without lairds can be dangerous, especially with Gunn and Sinclair lands sitting right where the Sutherlands would love to attack and claim their lands for their own, making them much too powerful.”

Emma nodded. “Do ye want me to bring him here? ’Twould be difficult for him to climb the stairs. but he is able to walk slowly.”

“Return to the hut now and tell Morgan that ye will be taking another walk in the garden. Send someone to find me when ye leave, and Gregory and I will join ye.”

Emma nodded and left.

*

Gregory looked over at Daniel. “What will we do about the Sinclair clan?”

“I doona ken who is next in line for that group, but I assume the king realized that once the two men were hanged, their clans were without lairds.”

“Except Gunn,” Gregory added.

“Aye. Was the subject of Morgan Gunn in our custody brought up to the king?’

“Nay,” Gregory said. “Since I was focused on finding Megan, I dinna even ken that Morgan Gunn was here. I’m thinking the king might have questioned the two lairds before the rope went around their necks, but ’tis known among the Highlander clans that Gunn was desperate to marry a lass so he could have his own.”

Daniel smirked. “Even if he had to steal one.”

Gregory huffed.

*

The hut was busy when Emma returned. Janet had two lads whose mams had reported that they had been jumping from a rather high cliff. Now, both lads were sitting with tears on their faces and with the way one held his arm, most likely he’d broken it. The other lad had a nasty-looking bruise on his forehead. Their mams didn’t look happy with them as they were kept busy trying to control younger bairns.

Enoch, who was now in the healing hut all day, was busy pounding the herbs Emma had brought in earlier. He looked up when she entered the room and smiled.

Morgan announced, “I’m ready for another walk.”

Emma grinned back. “I will go for yer noon meal and bring mine back with me. We’ll eat, and then we can go.”

She took a few minutes to check with Janet to make sure all was well, then left the room. She had to admit that she was a bit nervous about the conversation Daniel, Gregory, Morgan, and she were about to have.