Chapter 14

Will shrank in his boots. Kate Campbell’s scowl could do that to a man. Even bold Angus and upright Alasdair were shuffling their feet and hanging their heads in the face of Kate’s wrath.

“Ye let her do what?” Kate demanded, untying her brewster’s apron and smacking it across the tavern counter.

Fortunately, ’twas after hours, so no one else would witness Kate hauling the three of them over the coals. Will supposed they deserved her sharp tongue-lashing. Not only had they let Jossy go to Edinburgh on her own, but they’d lied to Kate about it, telling her the lass was off visiting some long-lost cousin. They’d never dreamed Josselin would decide to remain in Edinburgh.

’Twas inevitable that Kate would eventually find out. Sure enough, though the three fathers had managed to keep Jossy’s missive secret for over a week, Kate had finally seen through their deception, forced them to surrender the note, and was now demanding an explanation.

Will swallowed hard and tried to sound reasonable. “The lass is the same age as Mary, after all.”

“Ye mean the queen,” Kate bit out, “who has the Scots army at her beck and call to defend her everywhere she goes?”

Will reddened.

Kate narrowed her eyes. “That Mary?”

He shuffled his feet. “Ye don’t understand. I couldn’t tell her nay. ’Twouldn’t have been honorable.”

“Honorable?”

“Aye,” Will said, straightening with pride. “She won the fight, fair and square.”

“Fight?”

Will winced. Perhaps he shouldn’t have mentioned that.

“Fight?” Kate shouted, making the candle beside her flicker wildly.

Will realized he was too deep in the mud to claw his way out. He might as well admit the truth.

“Aye,” he said. “Listen, Kate, I know ye wanted to make a proper lass out o’ Jossy, but I couldn’t let her grow up helpless like her ma. So I taught her how to use a blade.” He added, “But she only sparred once a week.”

After an uncomfortable silence, Angus grumbled, “Twice.”

Will raised a surprised brow.

“Ye, too?” Kate asked, incredulous.

Angus kicked at the floor. “The lass has a natural talent. ’Tis a shame to waste.”

“A shame,” Kate said in disgust. “And what about ye, Alasdair? What did ye teach our young lass?”

“Readin’. Writin’. Sums.” He cleared his throat and murmured, “And duelin’. But only after her other studies were done.”

Kate planted her hands on her hips and shook her head. “Ye know, I’d knock your three heads together if I thought ye had half a brain among ye.”

Will frowned, but he knew Kate was right to be upset. The three of them had unwittingly fed Jossy’s hunger for war until she was obsessed with it. Now, because of them, she might have come to harm.

“Read it again, Alasdair,” Kate commanded, stabbing a finger at the missive clutched in his hand.

He read, “Dear Kate and Da’s, It is with great pride that I send you the happy news that I have entered into the service of the queen. I cannot say more, but if you wish to send me correspondence, I am staying at The White Hart Inn in Edinburgh. Yours faithfully, Josselin.”

“The service o’ the queen,” Kate repeated, turning an accusing gaze on Will. “And ye said she was dressed as a lad, aye?”

He slowly nodded.

Kate’s shoulders drooped, a gesture far more terrifying than her accusing finger. “Ye old fools,” she growled. “Don’t ye know what she’s done?”

They frowned.

“What do ye think?” Kate sighed. “She’s joined the queen’s army.”

Angus and Alasdair scoffed in disbelief, but Will knew Kate was probably right. It had always been Jossy’s dream to fight in battle like her mother. ’Twas only a matter of time before she pursued that dream.

Still, Will didn’t think Kate could blame them entirely. They’d done what they thought was right.

“Well, at least she’s well-trained,” he told Kate. “At least she won’t go into battle unprepared like her ma.”

“Lilliard?” Kate said with a humorless chuckle. “Her ma didn’t die from lack o’ trainin’. She died from lack o’ judgment. From what I can see, ’tis a flaw she’s passed on to her daughter, and a flaw ye’ve done nothin’ to fix.”

Will considered her words. Jossy had always been impulsive, a lass of action, not words, and she tended to overestimate her strength, her reach, her endurance, and her capacity for patience. Was it possible? Had she done so rash a thing as to use her disguise to earn her a spot in the ranks of the Scottish army?

’Twas a sobering thought.

Of course, she’d be found out eventually. A beauty like Josselin couldn’t pose as a lad forever. But what if she got herself into trouble and came to harm before anyone was the wiser?

Will shivered at the vivid memory of the poor, pale corpse they’d found so many years ago on the battlefield, the maid with the same fair face and honey hair as her daughter.

Dear God, what had he done?

“Ye’re a sorry lot,” Kate scolded. “But ye’re goin’ to fix this. In the mornin’, the three o’ ye are goin’ to set off for Edinburgh.” She dug several silver coins out of the till. “Ye’ll go to The White Hart and settle up her account. Then, I don’t care if ye have to drag her, kickin’ and screamin’, but ye’re goin’ to bring her back home. Do ye understand?”

All three of them nodded. The lass would be as angry as a cornered kitten when they showed up to haul her back to Selkirk. But Will knew Jossy’s temper, as fierce as ’twas, was no match for Kate’s.