Darcy jumped in. “Aye, we jested about ways of creating a stir, but I certainly wouldn’t have risked the precious Rowan MacKenzie’s life. The alliance with the MacKenzies is too important.”
“Is that true, Finola?”
“Aye, Laird MacIan, they never mentioned harming Rowan, or anyone. I wouldn’t have wanted anyone hurt.” She turned toward Tadhg. “Please, Laird, ye need to understand. Darcy told me Lady Matheson was an old friend, a lover, and she would want to see him. He said they were to be married, the betrothal fell through, and her heart was broken. He said they just wanted a few moments alone.”
“Finola, why would ye put your lady in danger so?” asked Tadhg in disbelief.
“I didn’t think he meant her any harm, Laird. I thought he told me the truth. And if what he said was true then it meant Lady Matheson had played ye false and ye deserved to know.”
“Then ye should have come to me.”
“Ye wouldn’t have believed me.”
“Nay, I wouldn’t have and with good cause. I know the truth, but, Finola, I would have listened to ye and helped ye understand. We will discuss what’s to be done about your involvement in this later. Laird MacIan, ye have your answers. If ye are through with my clanswomen, I will have Hamish escort them to our encampment and I will take my wife to our chambers. She needs to rest.”
“I understand Mairead has been through a lot. However, I need something from ye and Cathal and Lachlan before ye go. We still need time to sort this out and determine who injured Rowan. I don’t want to risk a feud starting. I want your vow that ye will bring no violence against each other within my borders. I will hold ye each personally responsible for harm done to any guest at Duncurra by one of your clansmen.”
Tadhg glared at Niall but gave him the vow he sought, as did Cathal and Lachlan.
~ * ~
Afterwards, Tadhg swept Mairead from the hall, away from the Frasers. If he were being honest with himself, he needed to distance himself from them more than she did. He had just vowed to harm none of them and all he wanted to do was crush the sniveling bastard who had caused her so much grief. When they reached their bedchamber, he scooped her into his arms, holding her as close as he could while still allowing her to breath. She buried her face in his chest, holding him equally as tight. Sitting in a chair by the hearth, still with her in his arms, he said, “I’m so sorry, love. I know that was probably the hardest thing ye have ever had to do, it was very brave. I am so proud of ye.”
She smiled. “I’m proud of me too.”
He chuckled. “Ye have every right to be. Ye kept your head. Ye used what I taught ye. But perhaps more importantly, ye didn’t let fear rule ye.”
“Not bad for MacKenzie’s Mouse.”
“My brave lass, if mice had your courage all the cats in the Highlands would tremble with dread.” She laughed before taking his face between her palms and kissing him soundly. He kissed her back, gently, so as not to cause any pain but he desperately wanted to wipe away her ugly memories of Darcy. “I love ye, Mairead.”
She laughed. “I know. Your love helped me find my courage. Ye believed in me and I knew ye would never doubt me, no matter what vile lies Darcy told. I didn’t need to see your face, or even feel your touch. It was enough to know ye were there. I love ye with all my heart, Tadhg.” She kissed him again.
Before he was ready to let her go there was a knock at their door, so rather than moving her from his lap he called, “Enter.” The door practically flew open as her parents rushed into the room. Her mother’s eyes were still red and swollen from crying and Mairead leapt up immediately to try and comfort her.
“Mama, I am so sorry.”
“Mairead, love, ye are not the one who needs to be sorry. I should have known. Years ago, I should have known something horrible happened to ye. My poor bairn, I’m the one who should be sorry. Ye must have been so afraid. Dear God, how did I not know? I would run the swine through with your father’s sword if it weren’t for that dreadful vow.”
“Brigid, love, I never knew ye had such a bloodthirsty side,” Cathal jested weakly.
“He hurt my child! If I ever have the chance, I swear he’ll pay.”
“I don’t know, Brigid, Mairead did a rather nice job of emasculating him today on her own.” Wrapping his arms around Mairead, he said, “My precious wee lass, ye were magnificent. When I think, I nearly married ye to the bastard. God’s teeth, lass, ye should have told us.”
“I know, Da. I’m sorry. I was young and afraid. I just wanted to pretend it never happened. I didn’t even know who he was until today.”
“Aye, I suppose I understand that. And ye, Matheson, ye never wavered. Ye never doubted her.”
“Did ye?” Tadhg asked.
“Nay, of course not, she is my daughter. I know her. I love her. I never believed him for a moment.”
“Cathel, she is my wife. I know her. I love her, too. Like ye, I never believed him for a moment.”
Twenty Four
Finola was near panic as Hamish escorted her and Meriel back to their encampment. The laird was furious, and when they arrived and her father found out, he was too.
He went white and barely spoke to her. “Go to your tent and stay there,” he ordered.
She went with Meriel to their tent, but she did not plan to stay there. She had intentionally delivered Lady Matheson into Darcy Fraser’s hands. The fact that she believed Darcy wouldn’t harm Lady Matheson would mean nothing. The whole clan had opposed the wedding, hadn’t they? But now no one would believe she only wanted to help the laird see his bride’s true nature. She could be beaten or banished and she would not sit quietly and wait to find out which it would be. The long summer days meant the evening was still bright but Meriel had fallen into an exhausted sleep. Finola managed to slip out of the tent and away from the encampment unseen.
Once away, she had no idea where to go. Darcy had been nice to her. She liked him. He hadn’t hurt her, well, not more than any lass’s first time, she guessed. It was hard for her to believe he would force Lady Matheson when she was willing. No, that couldn’t be. Lady Matheson must have lied to save herself. Finola decided to try to find Darcy. He would help her. He would protect her. After all, she had protected him by admitting to being with him.
She made her way through the gathering twilight to the Fraser encampment. She didn’t see Darcy, but his cousin Guthrie stood alone, brooding. She approached him. “Excuse me, sir, I am looking for Darcy.”
“Well, lass, ye needn’t look here. He is an unwilling ‘guest’ in the castle.”
“Why?”
“Oh, it’s just the wee matter of a severely injured MacKenzie.”
“But Darcy didn’t do it. I told Laird MacIan that.”
Guthrie looked more closely at her, recognition dawning. “Ye are the Matheson lass he tupped. Aye, ye pulled his arse out of that fire.”
“And in so doing, I landed myself in serious trouble.”
“Aye, I’ll warrant ye did.”
“I was hoping he could help me. My father and my laird are not likely to forgive what I did, but I did it for him. Surely he can help me.”
Guthrie’s expression held only pity. “Lass, ye’d be well advised not to seek his help. He is not likely to put himself out for ye, no matter what ye’ve done for him. Ye’d be better off trusting your own kin.”
“Laird Matheson is furious, so is my father. There is no one else to turn to,” she wailed.
“Aye, I expect they are furious. Laird Fraser might have parted your head from your shoulders if he had been your laird. Still, Matheson is rumored to be fair. Perhaps a beating is all you’ll get. Go back to your clan, lass. It is the best thing ye can do. There is nothing for ye here.”
Choking back a sob, Finola turned and ran from the camp. Once she was far enough away so that no one would hear her, she sunk to her knees and sobbed. After a few moments, someone placed a hand on her shoulder. Afraid, she jerked away, jumping to her feet to run.
“Easy, lass, I mean ye no harm,” said a soft male voice.
“Who are ye?”
“My name’s Rafer. I’m a Fraser and I overheard ye talking with Guthrie earlier.”
“Then ye know he wouldn’t help me, he sent me away.”
“Aye, lass, I know. But he was wrong to do that. Darcy does want to help ye. He told me so. After what ye did, he was worried about ye and told me to look for ye. I was heading to your encampment to find ye. Imagine my surprise to see ye here talking to Guthrie only to hear him turn ye away.”
“Darcy sent ye to help me?”
“Aye, lass, he did. He wants to see ye. He bid me find ye and take ye to a safe place. He will meet ye there as soon as he can get away from the castle. Will ye come with me?”
Finola was flooded with relief. Darcy did care for her and he would protect her. “Aye, I’ll come with ye. I knew he cared.”
“Wait here for me, then. I will fetch a horse. We won’t get far on foot.”
She waited as he bid. Before long, he returned mounted on a large black gelding. He pulled her onto his lap and rode along the northern edge of Loch Craos to the heavy forest on its eastern bank. When she tried to make conversation, he told her to be still. He didn’t want to risk anyone hearing them. Surely, the sound of the horse’s hooves was louder than her soft voice, but she didn’t argue. Eventually they came to a small cave at the base of a rocky hill. It was little more than an indention in the rock but it provided a small bit of shelter.
He helped her dismount. “Ye must stay here, undercover. Darcy will come for ye as soon as he can.” He tossed her a wineskin and a bag containing a little dried meat and oatcakes. “Here is a bit of food for ye. Try to rest and he’ll be here before ye know it.”
Fear gripped Finola as she watched him ride away. She was alone, in the middle of a forest, without any means of protection. Still, the night was quiet and she doubted there was anything that could harm her. Perhaps it would be best if she tried to rest. She wrapped her plaid tightly around her and curled up to sleep in the shallow cave.
~ * ~
As the sun rose, Tadhg awoke, his sweet Mairead snuggled close to him. His anger from the previous day returned as the morning light illumined her bruises. He might not be able to exact vengeance from Darcy, but he could certainly deal with Finola today and he intended to. Mairead stirred as he slipped out of bed. “Wheest, sweetling, go back to sleep. Ye need to rest.”
She stretched, wincing slightly. “I have rested. Where are ye going?”
“I need to speak with David.”
Mairead sat up in bed, her brow furrowed. “Tadhg, Finola made a mistake. She didn’t know what would happen.”
“Aye, she made a huge mistake. If she had come to me, her laird, with her concerns, ye wouldn’t have been harmed. As it was, ye could have been raped or killed.”
“But she didn’t know that.”
“Mairead, she delivered ye into the hands of another man and then lied to me about ye being safe. Even if she thought it was what ye wanted, she never should have taken the risk. She betrayed us both by doing so. I can’t ignore her reckless actions.”
“I know ye can’t. But please, remember she is just a lass. She has been disgraced. That will be hard enough.”
“Nay, Mairead, it won’t. There is no suitable punishment for what she did.”
“Then what are ye going to do?”
“She has no mother, and her father seems unable to control her. I don’t want her living under my roof any longer.”
“Are ye planning to banish her?” Mairead looked aghast.
Tadhg chuckled. “Nay, my tender-hearted, wee wife. I am going to see that she is wed.”
“Your punishment is marriage?”
Tadhg laughed outright. “Nay, Mairead, I don’t consider marriage punishment. However, she is certainly old enough to marry and perhaps a husband can keep her out of trouble. In any event, she will no longer reside or work within the keep.”
“I want to come with ye.”
“Sweetling, I know ye do. Surely, ye can see how hard this will be for David. Perhaps it is better if I speak to him alone first.”
She sighed. “Aye, I suppose it would be better if ye went alone.”
“Ye will have two guardsmen here with ye at all times. After extracting that outrageous vow from us, Niall opened Duncurra last night. I don’t want ye out of their sight unless ye are in this chamber.”
“Don’t worry, I appreciate their protection.”
Tadhg kissed her and left the chamber. When he reached the Matheson encampment, his people surrounded him, asking about Mairead. Their concern touched him. She truly had found a place in their hearts. After assuring them she was well, he sought out David, who looked drawn and haggard.
“Laird, I am so very sorry for Finola’s behavior. I don’t know what could have possessed her to do what she did. There is no excuse, but please, Laird, she is my daughter and I beg your mercy on her behalf.”
“David, she betrayed me and Lady Matheson. I know she thought her reasons were sound, but it doesn’t excuse her actions. It is only by Mairead’s strength, and the grace of God, no serious harm was done. I cannot overlook her behavior. I do not want her living or working under my roof any longer.”
“I understand, Laird. If ye mean to banish her, allow me to go with her.”
“I don’t ye mean to banish her, David, she is just a lass. However, she must acknowledge her errors and I must know she can cause no further harm. I want her married, preferably to a crofter, so she is well away from Cnocreidh.”
David looked relieved. “Aye, Laird. I understand.”
“Angus lives near our border with MacIan. His son Seoras lost his wife several years ago and has two small children. Angus and his wife have been helping him, but they are getting on in years. Seoras needs a wife and someone to care for his children. He would make a good husband for Finola, but I will not consider the match if she is unwilling. Seoras and the children deserve better. There are other men.”
“Aye, Laird, I understand.”
“Good. Then I suppose ye should bring her to me. There is much to discuss.”
David left, only to return agitated and with Meriel instead of Finola. “Laird, she is gone. Meriel was still sleeping, but there is no sign of Finola. No one remembered seeing Finola after she returned from the castle.”