Part 25 (2/2)
”I'm sorry, Daniel. What are you showing me?”
Daniel let out an exclamation of surprise. ”Now, I'm not giving it to you that easy, boy! You were a detective once.”
Bruce looked up at him, arching a brow, and then back to the remains.
And then he saw it.
It was impossible to decipher the weave of the cloth tied around the neck; the rich mud had seen to that. But it had once been emblazoned with a raised crest, embroidered into the fabric. And it wasn't the MacNiall crest.
Though it took a moment's study, the encrusting mud had actually made the crest and surrounding letters more visible beneath the light. He couldn't guarantee it, and wouldn't bet on it, but it seemed that elaborate letters, GD, sat above a peregrine falcon atop a sword. Bruce instantly felt a thrill of excitement himself.
Any schoolchild who had grown up anywhere near the village was aware that the GD with the peregrine on the sword had been the battle emblem chosen by the traitor, Davis, who had brought down the great MacNiall.
”So...!” Bruce said.
”Aye, quite so!” Daniel said cheerfully. ”Looks as if Grayson Davis did in the Lady MacNiall, and not her laird husband. Well, certainly, there could be those arguing that Bruce did it with Grayson's colors, but what would Bruce have been doing with such a garment from his enemy? Nae, now, I'm no historian, but it seems as if our local hero has been vindicated!”
Bruce looked up, smiling. ”Well, we'll see what your experts have to say, Daniel.”
Daniel nodded.
”You're definitely right about one thing,” Bruce told him.
”Eh?”
”Well, I've always loved you, Daniel, old boy. But I do adore you now.”
”Ach, now, Ma!” the man said, stepping forward to take the old woman's arm. ”Now I know y'see the old fellow about now and then,” he said, tenderly bringing her to him. ”But y'll be scaring away these fine folks!” He rolled his eyes at the group around him.
”They don't be seein' it, none be seein' it!” the old woman said.
She was still staring at Toni, her watery, faded blue eyes seeming to see things that no one else could.
”Y'must take care!” she whispered feverishly.
Toni nodded, her throat tight, dismayed by the chills that iced her limbs and bloodstream. The old woman was senile, she tried to tell herself. A victim of superst.i.tion, of a way of life.
Thayer's arm came around her shoulder. Even Lizzie and Trish, whom she barely knew, seemed to be standing closer to give her a.s.surance against the strange onslaught.
”Ma, come away, now, the flowers be at Da's feet,” the younger woman said, flas.h.i.+ng them an apologetic smile. ”I'll get y'some o' the fine scones down the street. We'll have a wee spot o' tea, eh?” With a last look of apology, she gently became the escort, taking the old woman's arm. She started from the cemetery, looking over her shoulder to smile at the group, that simple look explaining all.
The old woman was daft but theirs, and they loved her.
”Enjoy your tea!” Toni said, feeling the chill the old woman's words had given her fade, and anxious to say something just to let her daughter or daughter-in-law know that it was lovely the way they guarded and cared for the woman.
The man lingered a moment, shaking his head. ”Finan MacHenry,” he told them. ”And I do apologize, miss. Ma can give one the w.i.l.l.i.e.s, sure enough. But take no note, please. I am so sorry. The townsfolk here, well, we've done a bit o' watching--no one here could reckon with the fact that Bruce had rented the place!--but y're doin' us all a service here, and we're pleased.” He grimaced ruefully. ”I own a pub, and yer tour folks have spent a good deal there, just in the few nights' time. Please don't be listenin' to me ma. She's always thought she saw Bruce MacNiall--not our current laird, but the old Cavalier--in the forest. And she's a wee bit disappointed, being of the thought that he was innocent. Now, with the bones found and all...”
”Thank you, Mr. MacHenry,” Toni said, extending her hand. ”You and your wife and your mother seem very dear, and we're grateful that you've taken the time to tell us that you're glad we're here.”
He inclined his head. ”My pleasure. And again, I'm so sorry about Ma givin' ye that kind o' fright. She's--” he didn't say off the wall, daft or crazy as a loon. ”Ma's just old, and she's really dear. I imagine she was just thinkin' y're a fine young woman and worryin'. Well, I'll let you folks get back to yer day. I'll be havin' me tea and scones then,” he said. ”Good day!”
”Good day,” they called in unison as he departed.
”Well, that was interesting,” Thayer murmured. ”Toni, you all right? It was strange as b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l, the way that she looked at you!”
”She's just old,” Toni murmured, repeating what Finan MacHenry had said.
”Aye, and a bit daft. But it was unnerving, to say the least!” Trish offered.
”Giving you the evil eye, or whatever!” Lizzie said, and s.h.i.+vered. ”I'm glad she didn't look that way at me! Oh, I am sorry.”
”It's all right, really,” Toni said. ”Actually, it was quite touching, to see the way that they take care of her.”
”Well, that's the Scottish for you,” Lizzie said. ”A bit of the superst.i.tious and whimsical, and then the good hard logic that we're famed for, as well. Let's be putting it behind us. Honestly, we'd certainly love to be part of a tour, though, even if we're not American, and can't quite make it on a bus from elsewhere!”
”Tomorrow night. Come a bit early if you like,” Thayer said.
”I'm not the management end of things,” Toni said, ”but I'm sure we can arrange something special for you both.”
”We've got to catch up with 'management' soon,” Thayer said. ”Why don't we head to the pub now. We'll buy you lovely ladies a drink, and we can talk about tomorrow?”
Lizzie looked at Trish, and Trish looked back. They must have come to a silent agreement because they both looked at Thayer. ”Why, that would be lovely.”
”I think I'll let the three of you go on,” Toni said. ”I was going to wander around here a bit more, if you'll allow me to beg out.”
Thayer looked at her with a slight frown, as if he were afraid the ladies would beg out also if she didn't come with them.
”I'll be right along, of course, and our other friends will be arriving bit by bit,” Toni added quickly.
Trish s.h.i.+vered. ”You want to stay in an old cemetery alone, after that?”
”I like these places,” Toni told her.
”All right, then,” Thayer said, anxious to move on with the women. But he had come with her, so he hesitated one last time. ”You're sure? You're sure you're all right?”
”Absolutely. We are just right off the street. If a hand shoots out of a grave, or the like, I'll be out of here faster than a speeding bullet.”
The three laughed.
”Shall we order you anything?” Lizzie asked.
”No, thanks. I'm sure service is quick enough,” Toni said.
”Well, then...shall we go?” Thayer asked.
”Oh, aye, then,” Lizzie said. ”See you in a bit, dear!”
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