Page 42 of Highland Hearts

“Henry found nothing, my lady,” Sloan said.

Cree saw the disappointment on his wife’s face. “Perhaps it was not a monk’s cloth you saw, Dawn.”

She shrugged, both men understanding she asked if not a monk’s robe, then what did she see?

“That is something we need to think on, for I have no doubt you saw something,” Cree said and though his wife nodded at his acknowledgment, he could see the news had upset her.

A quick gesture from her returned their attention to the monk.

“Aye, we need to find out if this monk is truly a monk or if he is here for the drawings as well,” Cree said. “See the monk is kept occupied with food and drink while I speak with Tate. This time he can help us determine why the monk is here.”

* * *

“You wantme to find out if this monk was also sent to me?” Tate asked. “But what of the one in your dungeon?”

“Who is to say another was not sent—by someone else,” Cree suggested.

“This grows more confusing by the day,” Tate said and began to pace in front of Cree, where he stood in front of the dais.

“Aye, that it has, and it is why your help is needed, the sooner the better,” Cree urged.

Tate stopped pacing and kept his voice low. “Your plan. You do not want this to interfere with your plan.”

“You are paying better attention.”

Tate beamed at Cree’s praise. “I can do this, my lord. I will approach the monk—”

“Nay. You will go find a tree to sit under where you can be clearly seen drawing and wait for the monk to approach you,” Cree ordered. “Someone will be nearby to hear what is said.”

“What if the monk grows suspicious?”

“Worry not, the monk will pay no heed to those around,” Cree assured him.

“I will gather my drawing items and go do as you say,” Tate said with a nod and hurried out of the Great Hall.

Cree turned to Sloan. “All is set?”

“Aye, they wait to see where Tate sits and will listen closely,” Sloan confirmed.

“And the other?”

“They eagerly wait your command,” Sloan said with a nod.

“As soon as it is done with the monk,” Cree said.

Sloan nodded again. “I will go make certain Tate does as he was told.”

“His concern for his brother will let him do nothing less, though that does not mean his worry might cause his good intentions to go amiss.”

“All is in place, I believe it will go well,” Sloan said and took his leave to see that it did.

Cree turned to his wife, standing at the end of the dais. “You have been silent, wife.”

She smiled and tapped her lips as she closed the short distance between them.

Cree laughed and reached out to catch her around the waist and hug her to him. “You may think you have no voice, but I hear you more clearly than others and your silence tells me you are upset with me.”

Her smile turned to a glare, and she tapped his lips, then her chest.