Free Love Across Time by B. J. McMinn Page A

me harmed.” Yet, he wondered why Conner would ride into the dark woods without so much as an arrow notched in his bow.
    “Glad I be that ye ken it. But who would be behind these incidents. They be too many to call accidents, like I first thought.”
    “I nae believe they be accidents anymore, either. Nae more than I believe Margaret’s fall be an accident.”
    “Yer wife’s fall wasnae an accident?”
    “I havenae had time to think on it clearly, but the hallway above where she fell was dark. The stairs be nae too steep and if she’d just slipped, she would have caught hold of the railing afore she tumbled to the bottom. She be a nibble lass.” He shifted sideways to stare at his cousin. “’Tis certain someone shoved the lass.”
    Anger grew inside him each time he thought of someone harming Margaret.
    “Aye, it sounds like ye have the right of it.” Conner massaged his jaw. “But, why would anyone want to murder ye wife?”
    “I nae ken. ’Tis a puzzle for sure.”
    He dismounted in front of the stable and gave instructions to have Raven’s wound tended. Conner tossed his reins to a young lad and stayed at Liam’s side. Liam motioned to Rory, his captain, to follow him to the castle.
    His uncle was descending the stairs as the door closed behind them.
    “Dugan, I need to have a word with ye after I have spoken to Rory.”
    Conner went to stand beside his father and Liam told Rory what had happened.
    “Send a couple of men out to see if they can pick up the trail Conner lost. And if any strangers be seen in the area report to me at once.”
    “Aye, laird.”
    Liam stood and watched Rory leave for a moment before he strode to where Conner and Dugan waited.
    His uncle’s gaze shifted from his son to Liam. “Conner told me what happened.”
    “Good.” Liam held up the arrow that had nearly pierced his thigh when he lay helpless on the ground. “Have ye seen the markings on this arrow afore?”
    Dugan gripped the shaft then turned it upward to study the fletching. “Bloody hell. Come with me.”
    His uncle whirled and climbed the stairs two at a time. Liam and Conner raced to catch up. Dugan entered an unused chamber and when Liam and Conner entered, he closed and locked the door behind them.
    He strode to the other side of the room, opened the lid to a trunk, and rummaged through it. “’Tis the same markings, me be sure.”
    “The same markings as what?” Liam asked.
    “As the arrow that came near to hitting ye when we rode to the Campbell’s holding.”
    “’Ere sure sure?” At the time, his uncle felt certain that a careless archer had been responsible for Liam’s near miss of a serious wound.
    Liam cast an uncertain look at his cousin and Conner shrugged.
    “Here it be. See fer yerself.”
    His uncle held an arrow by the shaft with the fletching pointed upward. Both arrows had the same cock feather.
    “Why did ye keep the arrow if ye felt it be an accident as ye said that day?”
    “I had me suspicion, but didn’t want to sound like an old woman if I be wrong. If ye hadnae noticed lad, ye’ve had a muckle lot of accidents of late.”
    “Aye. Conner and I discussed it on the ride home. The only ones to gain from my death would be ye and Conner, and I ken it be neither of ye. Have ye any idea who might resent me enough to see me dead?”
    Something indefinable darkened his uncle’s eyes. He blinked and the expression dissipated as quickly as it had appeared.
    “Nae one with something to gain.” Dugan shook his shaggy head and turned to replace both arrows in the trunk.
    Liam puzzled over the two arrows as they descended the stairs. The first arrow shot at him had been on Campbell land, a full day’s ride from here. That is why he had thought it a careless huntsman. But it appeared that whoever was aiming for him had either followed him to the Campbell’s or had followed him home.
    “Liam, the men willnae ken where to search for the intruder if I nae ride with them.” Conner