Relief pressed like a heavy blanket across Ella’s chest, and she gave in to the support of the chair. Kenneth wasn’t cold and hungry, but she still needed to find him.

So,” Merida said, glancing at Jamie, “that bastard father of yours actually sired a son. And ye kept the lad hidden from him.” A wicked smile cracked her frown. “He died never knowing.” Alec Sutherland had banished the woman from Dunrobin and divorced her because she could not give him a son, so the smile was genuine. But it made Ella sad for her. To be tormented with such anger inside was not how she wanted to live.

Ella laced her fingers together to lay in her lap. “My mother begged me to hide him when he was born and she lay dying. I swore to see it done,” Ella ended with a whisper.

“Denying the bastard the one thing he wanted in the world.” Merida shook her head. “A perfect revenge.”

“I suppose,” Ella said, glancing back at Jamie, who had their mother’s light-colored hair and blue eyes. He had both of his parents’ coloring, unlike Ella. She studied him as she thought back to their kind, docile mother. Mary Sutherland was light and happy most of the time, keeping Ella away from Alec Sutherland. Never had she spoken an ill word of anyone. Revenge was not within her.

“Lots of beautiful curls after your bath last night,” Hannah said. “Let us get ye dressed in one of the other gowns we brought ye before. There is much to do today.”

“Much?” Ella asked. “Are the brothers still battling?”

“Heavens no,” Merida said. “Once the warriors loyal to Randolph Mackay were killed, the others surrendered. None of the townspeople wanted him as their chief to begin with.”

“What of Viola? She is not a Sinclair but half Mackay and half Sutherland like Randolph.”

Hannah’s face pinched inward with sadness. “The Sinclair family who took her in years ago are petitioning Cain to let her live even though she acted the traitor. There is no immediate family member left on her Mackay side, and those who knew her Sutherland mother have never known Viola.”

“Where is she?” Ella asked.

“Being guarded by Mackays at Varrich,” Merida said. “Gideon is still deciding her fate.”

Hannah pulled part of Ella’s hair up and secured it with a small silver hair brooch on top. “All my brothers have their parts. Gideon is judge, Bàs executioner, Joshua makes war—”

“Quite easily and with great delight,” Merida said with a snort.

“And Cain—he is the leader, the one who was born to conquer,” Hannah finished. “He has won Varrich Castle.”

Her words tightened into a ball in Ella’s stomach. And now he would take Dunrobin as he always said he would. Regardless of his feelings for her.

“Cain has ridden out to talk with the warriors in your clan this morn,” Merida said.