She’d just taken six loaves of bread out of the oven when Black Cat took up his position in front of the door and looked back at her.
Cait wiped her hands on her apron and shot a quick look toward the corner of her sitting room. Ever since Iain and Adair had arrived at her doorstep, she’d had a never-ending parade of visitors. For being so isolated, she was certainly busy entertaining people. She found she didn’t mind it so much.
She peeked out of the window and drew in a startled breath. It was Iain with five British soldiers. She had no time to warn her visitors, so she sent up a small prayer that they were all asleep.
Iain was the first to approach. “I apologize for the unexpected visit, Cait, but these gentlemen are investigating the murders of their fellow soldiers and thought you might know something, since the murders happened so close to your home.”
One of the men had stepped up next to Iain, and from the blue facings on his uniform she figured he was a high-ranking English officer. The other four hung back but were on alert.
“Captain Palmer, ma’am,” the leader said.
“Captain,” Cait said coolly.
“I apologize for intruding, but it’s imperative that we speak to everyone in the area.”
“I don’t know anything about the deaths,” she said.
Palmer paused, obviously taken aback by her abruptness. Iain may have been his friend and supposed ally, but Cait wasn’t and never would be. She was friendly with Halloway, but he wasn’t like these soldiers. He was a mere lad in a set of circumstances he wasn’t comfortable in.
“Can we talk inside?” Palmer asked. “I just have a few questions.” When her gaze went to the four soldiers, he added, “They will stay outside.”
“Of course.” She led the way inside, and the three of them stood awkwardly in her small sitting room while the silence stretched.
“Let’s sit down,” Iain said, shooting her a confused look.
She licked her dry lips. She’d had Halloway in her home while harboring refugees, but that wasn’t nearly as frightening as having Palmer here. He was much more observant and a much bigger threat. She made certain to sit in the chair that covered the hidden door while Iain took the other chair and Palmer the settee. She knew she should offer them refreshments, but she didn’t want them to stay longer than necessary, so she chose to be rude and inhospitable while her heart thundered and her palms began to sweat.
Iain was frowning at her and she looked at the floor, hoping he understood the silent message. His eyes widened a fraction and his gaze followed hers to the floor.
Palmer cleared his throat. “As I’m sure you’ve heard, there were two soldiers murdered on Campbell’s land yesterday.” He paused and seemed to be waiting for her response.
“I heard.” She couldn’t force herself to utter words of condolence.
“I’ve been instructed by the Duke of Cumberland to conduct a thorough investigation into the murders and find the perpetrators.”
She’d heard so many horrific stories about the atrocities the English soldiers perpetrated against her countrymen. She’d seen the ones on the run, hunted like animals until they acted like animals. If the English thought she was hiding something, they would arrest her. If they thought she had information, they would arrest her. If they suspected anything, they would arrest her.
If Palmer knew that eight fugitives were hiding under his feet…
She swallowed and jerked her gaze to his.
“How did you hear about the murders?” Palmer asked.
“I, uh…” Her mind went blank. She could barely remember her name, let alone who’d told her about the murders.
“I told her,” Iain said, pulling Palmer’s intense gaze from her.
“You?”
“Yes. I’m worried about her living so far out here, and when I learned of the deaths, I came out here to check on her.”
Palmer seemed to consider that before turning his shrewd gaze back to her. “So even though you know there’s a killer out there, you choose not to heed your clan leader’s advice and move closer?”
“I don’t lead my clan through bullying and intimidation,” Iain said.
“Yet you are the leader.”
“That’s not how our system works,” Iain said, indicating that Palmer had a lot to learn about the Scottish clan system.
Cait interrupted, feeling that the two were about to come to blows, and that would be just as bad as Palmer finding her refugees. “Where would I go, Captain? This is my home.”
Palmer seemed to gather himself. Iain leaned back in his chair. He’d shown a bit of anger, but his face still revealed none of his thoughts; he appeared as calm as if they were discussing the next social event. How did he do that? She was a nervous, anxious mess, while Iain was calm and collected.
“I hear you are the local healer?” Palmer asked.
She inclined her head toward him, comfortable with this line of questioning. “I am.”
“Whom do you heal?”
“Anyone who comes to me.”
Palmer tilted his head and studied her. “Who would that be, Miss Campbell?”
“Mrs. Campbell,” she said before she could stop herself.
“You’re wed?” Palmer perked up, suddenly very interested.
“Was. My husband died four years ago.”
“Fighting the English?”
“That’s enough, Palmer,” Iain said in warning.
“I’m merely questioning where her loyalties lie, Campbell. You are obviously a supporter of the English cause. Maybe she isn’t.”
“This is about the murders, not Mrs. Campbell’s loyalties.”
“And who would murder English soldiers but someone who does not believe in the English cause?”
Iain tilted his head and studied Palmer. Cait saw something shift in his eyes and his lips tighten, but she knew that was the only emotion he would allow to show. “Are you calling her a Jacobite?”
Unperturbed, Palmer shrugged. “That’s what I’m trying to ascertain.”
“I didn’t kill those soldiers, Captain.”
Both men considered her, almost as if they’d forgotten she was there.
“I’m a healer,” she said. “I was put on this earth to keep people alive, not kill them.”
“You never answered my question. Was your husband a Jacobite?”
“If he was, it doesn’t matter now. He’s been dead four years. I hardly think that affects your investigation.”
“He could have instilled his beliefs in you.”
Cait laughed, more angry than amused or frightened. “I’m my own woman, Captain. Whatever my husband believed, those were his beliefs, and whatever I believe, they are my own beliefs. I help anyone who comes to me for help. I don’t turn anyone away, and I don’t ask questions.”
“So you do help Jacobites? Possibly even Jacobites who are wanted for questioning by the English?”
She’d heard of the English way of “questioning,” and it wasn’t as innocent as Palmer was trying to lead her to believe. “I treat everyone who needs me.”
He sneered. “So you’re telling me you treat Jacobites? What about English soldiers?”
“Yes.”
He snorted in disbelief.
“Do you know Sergeant Halloway?” she asked.
“I’ve heard of him,” he said warily.
“Ask him. He’s been here a few times for various ailments.”
“I will, and if I find out you’re playing me false, I will return.”
“That’s enough,” Iain said so calmly that it startled both Cait and Palmer.
She held up her hand to stop Iain and looked Palmer in the eye. “Ask him. Ye’ll find I’m telling the truth. And I’ll tell ye another truth. I don’t know what happened to the soldiers or who killed them.”
Palmer seemed to think about that. Finally, he nodded and stood, Iain and Cait following his lead. Palmer turned toward the door and paused, his gaze fixed on something in the kitchen.“Those are a lot of loaves of bread for a woman who lives alone in the woods,” he said.
Cait’s stomach lurched, but she rallied. “I do what I can to help the women and children who lost husbands and fathers in the battle. They’re finding it difficult to put food on the table. A single loaf of bread goes a long way.”
Palmer looked at her with cold eyes. This was the man Iain spent time with? “That’s very admirable of you, Mrs. Campbell.”
“Like I said, I do what I can. For both the English and the Scottish.”
He made a humming sound that was clearly a sign of disbelief. “I’ll talk to Halloway straight away,” he said.
“Give him my regards, please.”
He looked at her sharply, but she merely smiled, and he walked out, Iain trailing after him.
She slumped into her chair. She’d made a powerful enemy today, and all while she was hiding people hunted by the English. She wasn’t certain why Palmer had taken a sudden dislike to her. He’d become suspicious when she’d mentioned John, and while she wasn’t certain why, it didn’t really matter because she’d made an enemy of someone who should have been a friend.
She leaned forward and put her head in her shaking hands and breathed deeply.
This was not good. Not good at all.