Forgiving Hearts: Duncurra 1-3 (43 page)

“They won’t believe ye.”

“Nay?” He struck her again. “I wouldn’t count on that if I were ye. I can be very convincing. Still, I suppose the easiest thing would be simply to slit yer throat with my dirk. After all, someone cracked yer brother’s skull. Perhaps they have a grudge against the MacKenzies.” As if contemplating it, he picked up his dirk and stroked it lightly across her throat.

He repulsed her. She wanted to fight and scream. She couldn’t live through this again. Once more Tadhg’s words filled her head and her heart.
Do whatever it takes to stay alive.
She could do this. She could do whatever it took to stay alive. She took a deep breath to steady herself. “Nay, please don’t hurt me. I said I will do what ye want.”

“That’s better.” He tossed the dirk to one side then raised himself up, lifting his weight from her so he could push her skirt up. Her hips were free for an instant and his hands were occupied. This was her opportunity. She twisted out from under him, kneeing him hard in the groin then ramming an elbow to his nose. He screeched in pain as she scrambled to her feet and ran screaming from the kitchen. The man called Guthrie grabbed her arm as she passed but she easily broke his grip. She never stopped yelling for help.

As punches began to fly in the great hall, Tadhg looked for Mairead. Hamish fought to free Meriel from the clutches of a Fraser clansman. Mairead was behind him and Finola’s arm was around her. Tadhg started forcing his way through the brawl to reach her when someone grabbed him from behind and jerked him around. Tadhg drew back his arm, preparing to smash the face of whoever was keeping him from Mairead. It was Lachlan Fraser, but before Tadhg let his fist fly, Niall bellowed over the din, “
Ye will stop fighting now!”
Instantly, his guardsmen enforced his order, restraining both Tadhg and Lachlan.

As Niall’s men attempted to restore order in the hall, Tadhg struggled again to reach Mairead. “Dammit, Muir, I am just trying to get to my wife.”

“Laird, she is fine. I helped her leave the hall just as Hamish said to,” Finola told him.

Muir loosened his grip and Tadhg wrenched free, turning to Hamish. “Ye told her to leave the hall?” A terrified Meriel cowered behind Hamish.

“Aye, Laird I told her to seek refuge in a tower room and bar the door until we came for her.”

“And she left the hall safely?” he asked Finola.

“Aye, Laird, she left the hall safely.”

“Ye and Meriel go find her, and stay with her.”

“No ye don’t, Matheson,” yelled Lachlan Fraser. “Meriel will stay here and tell what she knows.”

“I’ll go, Laird,” said Finola. “Meriel can stay here.” Tadhg nodded to her and she left.

Niall MacIan stepped forward again and said, “Laird Fraser, we tried to discuss this with ye privately and ye would have none of it. If tempers erupt again, I will hold ye responsible. Do ye understand me?”

“Ye have maligned my daughter, MacIan.”

“Fraser, I simply told ye the facts as I know them. Yer daughter Eara was overheard last night arranging to meet with one of yer clansmen, a man named Rafer. As questioning Rafer discreetly now is impossible, I will have him brought into the hall and ye can hear his side of the story.”

“Aye, bring him in, then.” Laird Fraser fumed until one of Niall’s men led Rafer into the hall.

“Rafer, ye have been accused by a Matheson of arranging a tryst with my daughter Eara. What have ye to say?” Rafer looked confused. He glanced around the room as if searching for someone. “Well, man, did ye or didn’t ye?”

“Laird Matheson has accused me?” he asked, appearing dumbfounded.

“Tell them it isn’t true,” Eara shrieked.

“Nay, of course it isn’t. What reason would I have to meet with Lady Eara?

“Ye see, Da? That Matheson wench is after Rowan. She just wanted to start trouble. I told ye not to believe her, Father.”

“What have ye to say now, Matheson?” Laird Fraser asked.

Tadhg looked at Meriel. She stood alone, pale and trembling, with her arms clutched around her middle. “Meriel, do ye wish to change yer story?

She looked directly into his eyes, with no trace of guile. “Nay, Laird. I don’t. I told ye exactly what they said, and no more. The man named Rafer arranged to meet Lady Eara in the chapel.”

Eara pounced. “She is lying. I bet she also lied about the attack on Rowan.”

Meriel backed away from her. “I know nothing about Rowan’s attack. The only thing I know anything about is the conversation ye had with Rafer.”

“Rowan’s attack?” Rafer asked.

Eara crossed the room to Rafer. “Aye, this lying cow accused us of cracking Rowan’s skull open.”

“I said no such thing!” Turning in fear toward Tadhg, Meriel said, “Laird, I didn’t say that. I don’t know anything about what happened to Rowan. I swear.”

“I know, Meriel. Laird Fraser, Laird MacIan, my clanswoman has said repeatedly she did not hear details about the attempt on Rowan’s life.”

A look of concern crossed Rafer’s face. “Wait, I had nothing to do with harming Rowan. The last I saw him, he was angry, but very much alive.”

“And when exactly was the last time ye saw him?” asked Niall.

Aware of his mistake, Rafer glanced at Eara. “I’m sorry, love, I am. But I don’t want to be blamed for a murder I didn’t commit.”

“He is not dead, Rafer,” hissed Eara.

“Still, I had nothing to do with injuring him, Lairds, and neither did Eara. We did arrange a tryst.” Shocked exclamations rippled through the hall. “Laird, I’m sorry. I love yer daughter with all my heart. We were together in the chapel when Rowan found us. He left, angry. I swear I didn’t see him again. We both hurried back into the hall expecting him to decry us, but when he didn’t, we thought perhaps he wasn’t going to. After all, he had no witnesses. It would be his word against ours. Eara slipped up to her room in the east tower and I returned to the Fraser encampment.”

Eara had gone pale and Laird Fraser looked as if someone had knocked the wind from him. “Eara, is this true?”

Eara started, “Father, I—”

“Nay, Eara. Just answer my question. Is this true?”

“Aye, Father.”

“And have ye given yerself to Rafer freely? Were ye forced?”

“Nay, Father, I wasn’t forced. I do love him.”

Niall snorted. Tadhg suspected this must be painfully close to what had happened to him years ago. At that moment, Finola burst into the hall from the back door to the kitchens. “Laird Matheson, come quick!”

The crowd parted. Tadhg ran toward the open door and the sound of his wife’s screams.

As he exited the keep, his heart nearly stopped. His wife, her clothes torn and her mouth bleeding, rushed toward him from the kitchen. Cael and Garvey also came running from the front of the keep at the sound of her screams. Mairead ran into his arms, bursting into sobs. “What took ye so long?” she demanded, while clinging to him for dear life.

“Sweetling, Hamish thought ye had gone upstairs as he told ye to. I didn’t know ye hadn’t until just now.”

“It was Darcy Fraser,” she sobbed.

“Darcy attacked ye just now?”

“Aye, but he was the one. The one from the Michaelmas Fair.”

“I’ll kill him,” Tadhg growled.

“Please, just get me away from here.”

Tadhg lifted her into his arms. “Cael, Garvey, find Darcy Fraser and drag his sorry carcass to the great hall.”

When they stepped back into the hall, it was still in an uproar, people reacting to Eara and Rafer’s confession, but silence spread as soon as people took in Mairead’s torn clothes, bloody mouth, and tear-streaked face. She buried her face in Tadhg’s chest.

Her father and mother pushed through the crush of people. “God’s teeth, MacIan, do ye have a madman on the loose?” Cathal demanded. “Mairead, lass, what happened? Who did this?”

“Darcy Fraser,” Tadhg ground out.

“Nonsense!” roared Lachlan. “MacIan, I am a guest in yer home but ye have allowed Matheson to call my daughter’s virtue into question.”

“With good reason,” countered Tadhg.

Ignoring him, Lachlan continued. “Now he is accusing my son of perpetrating this attack. I don’t know why Matheson is trying to destroy me, but, MacIan, I demand ye let Darcy enter this hall to defend himself.”

“Please do, Niall. Although I am at a loss to know how he thinks he can defend brutalizing my wife.”

“Come, Tadhg, she needs her wounds tended and then to rest,” said her mother, gently pushing Tadhg toward the tower entrance.

“She’s not going anywhere!” yelled Lachlan. She has accused my son of the unthinkable. By God, she’ll give witness.”

“Lady MacKenzie is right. Mairead is injured and needs to rest. She is in no condition to give evidence now,” said Tadhg.

“Ye want to drag my son in here like a criminal, but ye’ll give his accuser time to relax and think of a good story? I won’t have it. I want these charges put to rest now, or I am leaving with my clan even if I have to slice my way out.” There were murmurs of agreement from Fraser’s allies. “This is yer land. What is it to be, MacIan?”

“Niall, look at her, she’s hurt and afraid. Ye don’t know the whole story. This is asking too much.”

Mairead raised her head from his chest and said, barely above a whisper, “I can do this. I’m not going to let fear rule me anymore.”

“Are ye sure, sweetling?”

“Aye, I’m sure.”

Her mother hastily wiped the blood from her mouth, clucking about her bruised face. Mairead did not want to do this. She wanted to go her chamber and pretend it had never happened.
That’s worked really well for ye in the past, hasn’t it?
No, her first instinct was right. She needed to end this, and running away to hide while the Frasers closed ranks was not going to accomplish that. Tadhg wrapped a plaid around her gently. “My brave wee lass, ye don’t have to do this. I know ye are afraid.”

She smiled weakly. “Someone once told me fear and courage are brothers.”

“That arse should shut his gob.”

She gave a little laugh, which somehow ended in a sob. “Nay, Tadhg, ye were right. I can do this. I must do this.” He put his arms around her, holding her close.

The moment of calm abruptly ended when Darcy and Guthrie were brought into the hall. Although Darcy looked decidedly worse for the wear, his clothes stained with blood from his nose and bruises forming under his eyes, he sauntered in as if he hadn’t a care in the world. When he glanced toward Mairead he gave her an evil little smile, saying, “Guthrie, why is it one minute a lass can barely keep her hands off ye, but the minute she is discovered, she changes her tune?”

Her father bristled but Tadhg lunged at Darcy. Niall restrained him with difficulty. “Tadhg, if ye don’t want a war, cool yer anger, man, and let this play out.”

“Yer little mouse plays the innocent act very well, but I think ye’ll be interested in what I have to tell ye. Perhaps it isn’t me who will receive the brunt of yer temper in the end.” It was clear to Mairead that he was going to make good his threat.

“That’s enough, Darcy,” said his father. “Lady Matheson has accused ye of attacking her. Just tell us what really happened.”

“Attacking ye? Oh, little mouse, ye wound me. I didn’t want to have to do this, but ye leave me no choice. Laird Matheson, it isn’t a case of me forcing my attentions on yer wife at all. The fact is, she is a wanton and has been for years.”

Shocked murmurs, mixed with exclamations of denial from the MacKenzie allies present drifted through the crowd. This time it was her father who had to be held back, but Tadhg adopted a bland, almost bored expression.

“Ye’re a lying worm, Fraser!” her father roared.

“Am I? Well, suppose ye keep quiet and let me tell my story. Then we’ll see who the liar is.”

It took several men to hold her father back and Laird MacIan said, “Cathal, control yerself. He has the right to present his side.” Her mother’s face had gone pale with shock. Dear God, how was she going to do this? The horrible secret she had hidden for years was now to be played out before her parents. Tadhg slipped his arm around her waist and drew her closer to him, as if willing her his own strength.

“He’s spewing rubbish and slandering my daughter. Matheson, stand up for her!”

“Cathal, let him finish,” Tadhg said calmly.

“Thank ye, Matheson. I thought ye might want to hear the whole story. Although ye may feel less like cozying up to yer wife after ye have. Ye see, a number of years ago, yer wee wife was wandering around alone at the Michaelmas Fair and made some rather bawdy suggestions to me. Being the agreeable fellow I am, I accepted her offer. She led me off for a tumble in the woods.”

Her father looked ghastly white. “Ye attacked her then as ye did today?”

“Oh, it wasn’t an attack. No, she practically begged for it. Guthrie, ye were there too. Several of us were. She said she had plenty to go around.” The room erupted again in response to his outrageous statements. Still, as Mairead looked around, many of those gathered gave her accusatory stares.

“It was quite an afternoon, I can assure ye. But it didn’t stop there. The MacKenzies attend the Michaelmas Fair every year and every year we managed to find a few moments together. What braw lad says nay to a free tumble, willingly offered?”

“That isn’t possible—” Cathal started to argue.

“Nay, Da. Let him finish,” said Mairead quietly.

Darcy ignored the interruption. “Imagine my surprise when my father tried to arrange a betrothal to her. Who would want a wife like that?”

He was clearly goading Tadhg, who remained still, holding her firmly against him and showing no reaction.

“I pity ye, Matheson. Yer mousey little wife took the opportunity to seek me out again when everyone’s attention was on my poor sweet sister. Frankly I wouldn’t be surprised if yer wife was behind the whole charade simply to cause a diversion. I confess, it was such fun the first time, I couldn’t deny her. When we were through, she begged me to run away with her. She became angry when I told her nay and attacked me. I only hurt her defending myself. Then the moment she thought we had been discovered, she pretended to be affronted and charged me with attacking her.”

As Mairead looked around the room. She began to see more looks of doubt cast her way.

“There ye have it,” said Lachlan triumphantly. “We’re done here.”

Mairead shook her head and stepped away from Tadhg. “Not quite. Darcy tells a scandalous tale, but he has muddled the details a bit.”

“Get yer wife under control, Matheson, before she draws ye into more trouble than ye can handle,” Lachlan warned.

“Lachlan, I have listened patiently to Darcy’s story. Now I want to hear Mairead’s. Sweetling, do ye have anything to say to this?”

“Aye, I do. Let me make sure I haven’t misunderstood him first. Darcy, as I understand it, ye want everyone to believe I wanted ye to molest me seven years ago and it was such a pleasant experience I sought ye out again today?” Mairead glanced at her mother and was shocked. Her mother wasn’t staring at her with disapproval or shame as Mairead had always imagined. No, she glared at Darcy, and if looks could kill, Darcy would be lying dead at her feet.

“Molest ye? Nay, pet, that isn’t what happened. Ye gave yerself to me like a wanton the first time seven years ago and every year since then.”

“Did I?”

“Aye, ye did.”

“Now, that would have been difficult, Darcy. Da, would ye care to tell him why?”

“Aye, lass. Ye see, Darcy, while the MacKenzies always go the Michaelmas Fair, Mairead hasn’t gone with us in seven years.”

Clearly caught in one lie, Darcy tried to bluster. “Well, that may have been an exaggeration, but don’t try to deny it happened the first time, because there are four Fraser warriors who will attest to it.”

Mairead laughed mirthlessly. “Ye are a bigger fool than I thought ye were. To start with, how many people in this hall do ye think believe any lass of four and ten would willingly give herself to five lads or even to one lad in front of four others?”

“I don’t care if they believe it or not. Facts are facts and I have witnesses.”

“And clearly ye think I don’t.”

“There was a bit of a crowd there, lass, but nay, it was just the five of us with the MacKenzie whore, wasn’t it, Guthrie?”

“Aye, Darcy, that’s the way I remember it.”

Darcy smirked. “Ye must be thinking of some other time ye had a romp with a few braw lads.”

“Da, ye may want to rethink marrying one of us to this clan. If Guthrie and Darcy are any mark of them, they seem to have a bit of trouble remembering things. Frankly, it surprises me, Darcy. I would think every time ye see yer reflection ye would remember the other person who was there. After all, he is the one who pulled ye off me and spoiled yer pretty face by breaking yer nose.” Darcy’s expression darkened as some of his smugness slipped away. “Oh, are ye beginning to remember now?”

“Do ye expect people to believe that? Have ye found some kinsman who will lie and say he saved ye from me? What wee favor did ye grant him for that falsehood? Besides, what is one man’s word against five?” He regained a little of his bravado. Clearly, Darcy thought she couldn’t possibly find the priest in question.

“I’m not worried about people believing this one man. Ye know full well ’twas no kinsman who saved me that day. I suppose yer strongest memory of him might be the sight of his fist slamming into yer nose, but it really would have been hard to miss his priest’s robes.” Surprised gasps rippled through the hall. “Ye remember now too, don’t ye, Guthrie? I believe it was ye who said, ‘Sorry, Father, it was a misunderstanding. No harm done.’ Ye see ye really are an eejit, Darcy, because if ye had paid the slightest attention to anything around ye save yer own desires, ye might have noticed Father Colm there is the priest who broke yer nose that day.” Darcy’s eyes narrowed and he looked much less confident.

“Is that true, Father? Were ye there?” asked Laird Fraser.

All eyes turned to the priest. “My lady, do ye give me permission to discuss this?”

“Aye, Father. I was a scared child and should never have bound ye by confession. As ye said when it happened, my sin that day was disobeying my father by going to the fair without an escort, nothing more.” The shock of awareness crossed her father’s countenance.

“Since Lady Matheson has released me from the sacramental seal, aye, Laird Fraser, I was there. I heard her screams from the road. Yer fine strapping son needed four kinsmen to hold the frightened wee lass down. I pulled him off and broke his nose, just as Lady Matheson said. Thankfully, I stopped him before he could do worse than terrorize her, but that was harm enough.” Mairead glanced around the hall. She no longer read condemnation in the faces but rather shock, pity, and even respect. Her glance rested on her mother, who had tears standing in her eyes.

“Have the good Father and Lady Matheson jogged yer memories, lads? Do either of ye fine Fraser warriors still want me to believe she willingly went into the forest with ye?” Laird Fraser asked menacingly.

“Da, surely ye don’t believe—”

“Shut yer gob or I’ll shut it for ye. Ye have shamed me, yerself, and our whole clan.”

“She’s lying. She wanted it then and she wanted it today. She came looking for it. She said she’d do whatever I wanted,” Darcy sneered.

“Aye, I said that after ye overpowered me and had me pinned to the floor. I didn’t want ye to hurt me anymore. I needed ye to loosen yer grip so I could get away. Nay, Darcy, I didn’t want ye to force yerself on me. No lass does.” The hall was silent. Mairead’s glance fell on her mother and she nearly lost her composure. Lady MacKenzie stood rigidly with her hands clenched into fists at her side, tears streaming freely down her cheeks.

“When a lass kicks and bites, it’s usually a sign she’s not interested. When she breaks yer nose for ye, well, I’m not sure how ye could mistake that for desire.” Several people chuckled. “Ye see? I don’t think anyone believes I went looking for ye. I’m not certain how ye managed it, but I have no doubt ye laid a trap for me. Ye told me ye did. Don’t ye remember? ‘Even eels can be caught in a trap, and so can wee mice.’”

“Eels?” asked Tadhg blandly, but Mairead could see his tightly reined anger.

“Aye.” She shrugged, and smiled. “He had a wee bit of trouble holding on to me.”

“Well done,” he said, pulling her close to him again.

“Did ye plan all of this, Darcy? Have ye hurt another MacKenzie?” his father asked.

“I charmed a Matheson lass to bring the mouse out, that’s all. But if anyone else was hurt, ye need to look to Eara for those answers.”

Eara cried, “How dare ye, Darcy? I had nothing to do with Rowan being injured!”

Darcy mocked her. “Was Rowan injured? Oh, Eara, I’m so sorry. I know ye were so desperately in love with him, but I’m sorry to tell ye I had nothing to do with that either.”

“Really? Ye had no idea?” asked Mairead.

“I said I didn’t,” he snapped.

“That is odd, because not long ago, as ye held yer dirk to my throat, ye said the easiest thing for ye to do would be to simply slit my throat. After all, someone had cracked my brother’s skull and perhaps they had a grudge against the MacKenzies.”

The room erupted yet again in exclamations of shocked outrage. Laird Fraser looked old, tired, and ashamed and Mairead couldn’t help but feel pity for him.

“Enough!” Niall shouted over the din and the room slowly quieted. “Lachlan, yer son stands accused of attacking Rowan MacKenzie and he brutally assaulted Lady Matheson, twice. The evidence regarding those attacks at least is clear.”

“It isn’t clear! She wanted it, I tell ye. I don’t care what she says and I had nothing to do with Rowan. If I had wanted to injure Rowan, I wouldn’t have chosen so craven a method.”

“Would ye like trial by combat, Darcy?” Tadhg asked in a deadly calm voice. “I would be more than happy to send yer soul to hell.”

“
No!
He is my son. I promise ye, I will deal with him. He will be punished for harming Lady Matheson. I promise ye.” Lachlan clearly read the menace in Tadhg’s voice and was not willing to risk his son’s life to soothe his pride. “But the issue of Rowan’s attacker remains unclear. Just because Darcy was aware it happened doesn’t mean he did it.”

“Nay, it doesn’t,” agreed Niall.

“Then let us leave,” demanded Lachlan. “There will be no wedding. Eara has admitted her involvement with Rafer. I cannot deny it. Cathal has legitimate grounds to break the betrothal.”

“Lachlan, Cathal’s son, one of my guardsmen, was brutally attacked under my roof. I will not allow that crime to go unanswered. The fact Darcy lied about knowing Rowan was injured, among other things, does not help his cause.”