“Ye think I would agree to let ye and yer men search for my son? Ye are as likely to kill him when ye find him as anything else.”
“Lachlan, I have taken a vow not to harm him.”
“Then ye will have no trouble keeping it sitting here in MacIan’s hall.”
“Ye’d like that, I’m sure. That way ye can let him escape any justice.”
“I have promised ye I will see him punished. I’m not proud of what he did, but he is my son, dammit!”
“And Rowan and Mairead are my children!” roared Cathal. “Lachlan, ye should be more worried about me than Matheson. Mairead is gentle and may stay his hand, but not mine. When this is over, I will seek vengeance.”
“Stop this. All of ye.” Sine’s voice was quiet but firm. “Da, ye wanted to be allied with the MacKenzies. Ye needed their strength. Laird MacKenzie, ye wanted it, too. It seems to me, if anything, we all need this tie now more than ever. Da, what Darcy did was vile. Ye can’t defend that.”
Eara started to object but Sine silenced her. “Nay, Eara, for once keep still. Ye have brought this disgrace on yourself, too. Rowan is a fine man and would have made ye an excellent husband, but ye couldn’t be content with that. Ye are willful and wanton. Why Da is listening to ye now is beyond me.”
“Sine, my little dove, ye don’t understand—”
“Aye, I do. The betrothal between Eara and Rowan was intended to strengthen us and ensure peace. But if Darcy killed that peace, Eara drove the nail in the coffin. Ye have no cause to be angry with the MacKenzies or the Mathesons and yet they have more than one reason to start a feud with us. Da, ye can’t afford to let that happen.”
“Darcy is missing, Sine.”
“Aye, but even if Laird Matheson strangled him with his bare hands, which I doubt, do ye deny he had the right? By all the saints, Da, what would ye have done if someone attacked me as Darcy did Lady Matheson? If ye don’t stop this feud before it starts, it could be disastrous for the Frasers and their other allies.” She glanced around the silent hall at Laird Munro and Laird Urquhart. No one disagreed. The fire crackling in the hearth sounded unnaturally loud in the stillness.
“It’s too late, Sine,” Cathal said bitterly.
“Nay, Laird MacKenzie, don’t say that. It isn’t too late.”
Her father tried to reason with her. “My little dove, ye can’t expect Rowan to marry Eara now, after what she has done.”
“Nay, I don’t. I expect him to marry me.”
Tadhg smiled. The hall, which had been completely silent moments earlier, erupted in a cacophony at her declaration. It seemed Fraser’s “little dove” was no meeker than his Mairead, who had always been called a mouse. Furthermore, Sine was right. Regardless of what happened to Darcy, the only way to prevent a bloody feud at this point was to bind the clans, as planned, with a wedding. Eventually, when the uproar died, Cathal and Lachlan accepted this, too, and settled down to discuss the terms.
~ * ~
Niall sent his men searching for the missing Frasers. By mid-afternoon, a rider returned with news, which he delivered to Laird MacIan privately.
“Laird, we found a riderless horse near the eastern edge of the loch, its saddle smeared with blood. The rest of the men continued the search, but knowing how fractious things were here, we thought it best to let ye know.”
“Aye, that is probably for the best. Don’t say anything to anyone until we know more. Even though Lachlan agrees Darcy has brought this ill on the clan, if he has been killed, we still may have a feud on our hands.”
Later the watch announced the search party was spotted carrying two litters. Niall had no choice; he had to prepare the lairds for what might be coming.
He entered the hall somberly. Seeing Katherine there with their daughter in her arms, he motioned to her and she joined him. “What is it, Niall?”
“Where is Tomas?”
“He is in the village with Shona.”
“I want ye to take the baby, Mairead, and Lady MacKenzie to Rowan’s room and stay there until I send for ye. I will send guardsmen with ye.”
“Has something happened?”
“I’m not sure. The search party has been spotted returning with two litters. I have no way of knowing who they bear or if the occupants are alive or dead. I don’t want any of ye in the hall when Laird Fraser learns of it.”
“But if someone is injured, ye may need me.”
“Then I will send for ye. Go now, sweetling. I need to know ye are safe”
“I don’t want ye to worry. I will go.”
As she turned to walk away, he stopped her and gave her a quick kiss. “I love ye, sweetling.”
“Oh, Niall, I love ye, too. Please be careful.”
~ * ~
Tadhg became instantly wary when Katherine asked Mairead and her mother to go with her to check on Rowan, and two of Niall’s guardsmen followed. At his signal, Hamish, too, followed them.
Perhaps sensing Niall’s uneasiness, the hall grew silent and all eyes turned to him.
“Something has happened,” Lachlan stated flatly.
“Aye, Laird Fraser. The search party has been spotted returning, but they bear two litters.”
“Who is on them? Are they injured or dead?”
“I don’t know. Earlier my men found a riderless horse with blood on the saddle. I urge ye to remain calm, at least until we know what happened.”
For once Lachlan did not bluster. He looked sallow, as if he dreaded the news. Sine slipped into the seat beside him and clasped his hand. “It will work out, Da. No matter what, everything will be all right.”
They found out what had happened sooner than expected. One of Niall’s captains, Alan, rode ahead of the party with the news.
“Lairds, I suspected ye would be worried when it became evident we carried litters.”
“Did ye find my son?” Lachlan asked almost hesitantly.
“Aye, we did, and he is alive, but injured.”
“Who is on the other litter?” Niall asked.
“The Fraser clansman named Rafer.”
“Is he injured, too?”
“Nay, Laird, he is dead.”
“Nay!” wailed Eara. “He can’t be dead. Ye are to blame, Matheson,” she yelled.
“Be still, Eara,” Laird Fraser commanded. “What happened?”
“Apparently, Rafer was the one who attacked Rowan.”
“Ye lie!” shrieked Eara.
“Be silent, lass, or I will have ye removed!” her father warned. “Tell me what happened.”
“Rafer hoped to kill Rowan so he could marry Eara. He was the one who helped the Matheson lass, Finola, disappear. He told her Darcy wanted to protect her. He lured Darcy away, too. He intended to kill them both, but planned to make it look as if he killed Darcy in self-defense after Darcy had attacked and killed Finola. He was nearly successful, too. He stabbed Darcy in the shoulder and Darcy lost a lot of blood defending himself and Finola. Apparently, he stumbled and fell, losing consciousness, but before Rafer could run him through, Finola struck Rafer in the head with a rock, and he fell on Darcy’s sword.”
“Ye see, Da, Matheson is to blame. I was right.”
“Nay, Eara. Rafer is to blame and I have had enough of ye. Guthrie, escort her from the hall.”
Eara cried and cursed, but Guthrie threw his cousin over his shoulder and removed her as ordered.
Twenty Seven
Although the wedding wouldn’t take place until Rowan was well enough, the visiting clans left as soon as the mystery of who had attacked Rowan was solved. Lachlan also sent Eara home with a heavy escort. He did not want to risk the fragile peace that had been forged, and her foul tongue and vile temper could do just that. He would have sent Darcy home as well, but his injury was too serious to risk travel right away. Thus, Darcy was lying in a small chamber at Duncurra several afternoons later when Finola slipped silently into the room.
“Well, lass, what are ye doing here?”
“I wanted to check on ye. I was worried about ye.”
“And why would ye be worried about me?”
“I care about ye.”
Darcy snorted. “If ye have come to jest with me, I am not amused.”
“Nay, Darcy, I’m not jesting. I do care.”
“Fiona, lass—”
“My name’s Finola.”
“Fiona, Finola, it matters not. Whatever your name is, ye are a fool.”
“Don’t say that, Darcy. I love ye.”
“Well, that is rich. I took your maidenhead in a stable loft, publically embarrassed ye, damn near got ye killed, and I don’t even remember your name, but ye love me. Oh, and leave us not forget, I attacked your lady. Twice. And I coerced ye into helping me do it, thus earning your laird’s wrath. It seems to me ye aren’t a very good judge of character, Fiona.”
“Finola.”
“Finola, then. Leave me be. I don’t love ye.”
“Ye don’t mean that. Ye saved my life.”
“And ye saved mine. We’re even, and I do mean it. Even if I remotely cared for ye, which I don’t, ye are daft if ye think my father would let his heir have anything to do with a Matheson guardsman’s daughter. Not to mention that if ye ever find yourself within my sister Eara’s reach, she’ll kill ye.” Finola stood there stubbornly staring at him. “Did ye not understand me, lass?”
“Nay, I understood ye better than ye think. Ye do care about me.”
Darcy cracked a little. He looked away from her for a moment before saying, “Aye, Finola, I care for ye a bit. Ye are an odd little thing. Ye saved my arse.”
“Twice.”
“Aye, twice. But, Finola, it doesn’t change anything, and I don’t love ye.”
“Ye don’t love me.”
“Nay, lass. Now run on. Your da will find ye a nice strapping Matheson lad who won’t mind that ye aren’t quite as pure as the driven snow and mine will find me a sniveling laird’s daughter who will overlook my reputation because I’m the Fraser’s heir and will be laird someday. I will keep her fat with bairns and everyone will be satisfied. It’s the way of things.”
She looked a bit hurt, but consolable. She turned and left as quietly as she had arrived. Aye, she was an odd little thing, but she would be better off without him.
~ * ~
Tadhg wasn’t sure how to approach Finola’s transgressions after her ordeal. He let things pass for several days, but they could not be ignored forever. Thankfully, he didn’t have to raise the issue. After the evening meal, David approached him with a contrite Finola in tow.
“Laird, may we speak with ye and Lady Matheson, please?”
“Aye, ye may.”
“Finola has some things to say to ye.” Her head was down and she seemed disinclined to speak, but her father nudged her, saying, “Go ahead, Finola.”
“My lady, Laird, I am truly sorry for everything I have done.”
“What have ye done, Finola?” Tadhg asked gently.
“More things than ye know. I was the one who damaged your harp and left the recorder under the rushes, my lady. I’m sorry.”
“Finola, why?” asked Mairead.
“I was jealous of ye. I—well, I—it’s like Jock said that night, I was hoping the laird would choose a Matheson bride. I was hoping maybe he would choose me.”
“I’m sorry ye were disappointed, lass, but as I explained that night it was never my intention to marry from within the clan.”
“I know ye did. I understand now. It’s the way of things. But I didn’t then. I was also angry about Meriel.”
“Because I made Meriel work in the kitchens as punishment?” Tadhg asked.
“Nay, because Lady Matheson arranged for her to learn weaving after what she had done. I’d been working as hard as ever and no one did anything for me.”
“Did ye want to learn weaving too? Ye need only have asked,” said Mairead.
“Nay. I didn’t want to learn weaving. I didn’t want to learn cooking. I just wanted to be noticed.”
“And ye thought destroying Lady Matheson’s instruments would get ye noticed?” Tadhg asked, unable to keep the anger from his voice. Mairead laid her hand gently on his arm.
“I don’t know what I was thinking, Laird. I’m sorry. Truly I am.”
He took a deep breath before saying, “That is behind us now. But what on earth possessed ye to do what ye did here?”
She was quiet for a moment before saying, “For the first time ever, someone seemed to notice me. Darcy said I was pretty and he wanted to dance with me and kiss me. He was so handsome and a laird’s son. He seemed interested in me. I thought he was wonderful. I liked him and I thought he liked me so I let him—I mean, we—well, we—”
“They know what ye did with Darcy, Finola.” Her father looked ashamed.
“Aye, well, after that I thought he loved me. I believed him when he told me ye knew him, my lady. I thought ye loved him and he said he only wanted to talk to ye. I guess part of me thought maybe now I had taken the man ye loved away from ye. I also thought that if ye did love him and the laird found out, he would be angry with ye.”
“Oh, Finola,” Mairead said, dismayed.
“I’m sorry, my lady.”
“I understand ye are sorry, Finola, but do ye understand the danger ye put Lady Matheson in?”
“I do now, Laird.”
“Do ye also understand that while I can forgive ye, I cannot risk having ye in a place where your poor judgment could do that kind of damage to my loved ones ever again? Ye cannot live and work in the keep at Cnocreidh.”
“Aye, Laird. Da told me.”
“Your father and I have decided the best thing is for ye to be married. Ye will have a husband and family to occupy your time.”
She nodded but still didn’t look up.
“I was thinking perhaps Angus’ son, Seoras, would be a good husband for ye.”
“Really?” For the first time that evening, she looked up. “Do ye mean it? Seoras has always been nice to me. His children are lovely.”
“I haven’t spoken to him yet obviously, but yes, I will make the suggestion. If he is willing and ye believe ye can be a good wife and mother to his children, then ye can marry.”
She looked down again, dejected. “He won’t want me. Not after what I have done.”
“Don’t borrow trouble, Finola. Let’s wait and see. I believe he will be pleased to have ye as a wife.”
Twenty Eight
Just over a week after Rowan MacKenzie’s wedding to Eara Fraser was to have occurred, he married Sine Fraser instead. To his delight, he learned Fraser’s “little dove” was forged from steel. No one, not even his mother, could bend her when her mind was set. A quiet evening wedding ceremony, followed by a small meal, was all she would allow.