by Fiona Faris
“Rest. I will have a bath brought up tae ye.” Duncan left the room and found both of the MacDonald warriors standing outside of her door.
“She is safe here with us, lads. Ye dinnae need tae fash o’er her while she is here.”
“We will nae be leavin’ her side until she has been returned tae her faither. We are sworn tae protect her and that is what we will do,” Robert MacDonald stated, his eyes boring into Duncan’s as if to show that he would not tolerate any argument on the subject.
“As ye wish. I will have some food brought up for ye.” Both men nodded their approval and Duncan went back down to the kitchen to relay his guests’ needs. Once he was done, he rejoined his father in the great hall.
“Duncan, my son, I cannae tell ye how happy I am tae have ye back unharmed.” The MacGregor laird embraced his son. When he started coughing he pulled away and sat back down in the chair beside the fireplace. “What happened, son? How did ye manage tae get involved with a MacDonald lass? ‘Tis no’ my first choice o’ a bride for ye given who her faither is, but I see the way ye look at one another.”
“I met Marra at the gatherin’. From the moment I saw her, Faither, I kenned she was the lass for me, just as ye did with Maither,” Duncan explained, begging his father to understand with his eyes.
His father nodded and smiled at the memory of his dearly departed wife. “I could tell from the moment I saw ye with her. Ye both have the same look that yer maither and I had.”
Duncan smiled at his father’s words of acceptance. He had been concerned that his father would reject her for her parentage. It was a great relief that he did not. “We arranged tae meet at the gatherin’ grounds the next day, but when I arrived she was no’ there.”
“The day ye went huntin’ and did nae return with any game.”
“Aye. She arrived afore I did, but was taken while she was waitin’ for me. She does no’ ken who it was that took her, but she says the man claimed that he had taken her as a way tae become a laird.”
“How would takin’ the lass do that? Do ye think it was one o’ her own clansmen?”
“I dinnae ken. I had the same thoughts, but she said she did nae recognize the voice as one o’ her own, and we both ken that Angus MacDonald would no’ give up his lairdship e’en for his daughter.”
“Nae, he would no’,” his father agreed.
“The only thing that takin’ Marra accomplished was tae nearly cause a war between our two clans. The man told her that he did no’ plan tae become the MacDonald laird, but I cannae think o’ any other clan that takin’ her would hurt. She is no’ yet promised tae wed.”
“I dinnae ken.” His father shook his head in confusion. “I dinnae think it is wise for ye tae go with her to Jura. I am no’ certain that Angus will let ye leave unharmed. Ye did no’ take her, but she was there waiting for ye, and he is no’ likely tae forget or forgive such a thing.”
“I gave my word that I would deliver her tae her faither safe. I cannae do otherwise nae matter the threat.”
“I kenned that ye would. I have raised a man o’ honor, and I cannae help but be proud o’ ye for it e’en if it puts ye in danger.” His father coughed again this time harder than the one before.
“Ye dinnae sound or look well, Faither.”
“Dinnae fash. All will be well in time, my son,” his father waved away his concern. “Go and rest.”
Duncan nodded. “I will leave with Marra upon the morrow.”
“Do what e’er it takes tae return home tae me safe, my son. If Angus MacDonald harms a hair on yer head I will come down on him as a storm o’ death.”
“I will return, Faither.” I hope.
Chapter Nine
Marra awoke to morning light streaming through the window feeling more refreshed than she had in days. She lay in the room that had once belonged to Duncan’s mother and wondered what kind of a woman she had been to have raised such a wonderful man. A painting of the Lady Campbell and a little boy who she assumed was Duncan hung above the fireplace. Their matching blue eyes stared out at her from the canvas. He looks like his maither. Marra smiled at the pair of them. They make a bonnie family. The way her father had talked about Fergus Campbell you would have thought that the entire family had horns. They are no’ the monsters that Faither claimed them tae be.
Hearing people in the hall, Marra sighed and sat up. She was not ready to go home, but she knew she had no other choice. Standing up, she pulled on her clothing, ran a comb through her hair, and opened the door to find Robert and Liam awaiting her. The three of them moved down the stairs to the great hall where they found Duncan awake and ready to see them on their way. His father stood up upon their approach and took Marra’s hands between his own.
“Ye are welcome tae return at any time ye wish, lass.”
“I thank ye, my laird.”
“No’ at all, lass. ‘Tis my hope that ye will be joinin’ our family someday,” he winked at his son, and Marra blushed, happy at his words of acceptance.
“What o’ my faither?”
“He will no’ be pleased, but he loves ye, lass. Given time, mayhap he will come tae think differently, but our feud is an auld one. ‘Twill no’ be an easy road ye have chosen for yerselves, ye and my son, but I had love with Duncan’s maither, and I wish the same for my son.”
“Ye are a rare man, my laird. I have ne’er heard such romantic musings from a man o’ yer station. I must admit ye are no’ what I expected.”
“Pleasantly surprised I hope?”
Marra smiled. “Verra much so, my laird. I see why Duncan’s maither chose tae wed ye.”
“Ye had better watch yerself, laddie. Yer auld faither might steal yer lass away,” Fergus chuckled.
Duncan laughed. “’Tis the family charm, Faither.”
Marra grinned, kissed the laird’s cheek, and followed her father’s men from the room. As she departed, she saw the laird embrace his son. “Return tae me safe, Duncan, nae matter what it takes.”
“Aye, Faither. Dinnae fash. Rest. I will return tae ye as soon as I am able.”
“Take Lachlan with ye,” his father suggested.
“I dinnae ken where he is. I have no’ seen him since my return. He is probably with Auntie.”
“Aye, my sister and her bairns have gone tae visit her husband’s family, but they should be returnin’ any time now. I did no’ ken that Lachlan had gone with them, but I am glad o’ it. He was in such a foul temper after the gatherin’.”
“Aye, he was no’ happy about comin’ in second at the tournament,” Duncan chuckled.
Marra exited the door, and their conversation faded from her hearing. She envied Duncan his family ties. She loved her father, but their relationship was one of distance and control, more than open affection. Part of her wondered if it was because Duncan had had his mother longer than she had or if it was the love that his parents had shared for one another. She had lost her mother in childbirth at such a young age she did not remember hardly a thing about her or the life she and her father had shared. Mayhap if Maither had lived longer things would have been better? She was not sure, but she somehow doubted that her father would have been much different even with a mature feminine influence.
Duncan joined her in the courtyard, and they mounted, heading for the place where Marra had left her boat. The four of them climbed aboard the small craft and rowed across to the Isle of Jura. Marra climbed out of the boat and stepped onto her home soil. She could not help but feel equal parts relief and disappointment. She felt relief that she was safe from her captors, but disappointment that her briefly found freedom had come to an end. After what had happened, her father would never let her out from under guard again. She inhaled her last breath of freedom and nearly choked.
“What is that smell?”
Duncan, Robert, and Liam all looked up from beaching the boat to where she stood, then glanced above her head to the sky. “Smoke!” Robert and Liam took off running toward the castle. Marra attempte
d to follow them, but was unable to keep up with them, and they swiftly disappeared from sight. The smoke billowed black and rolling overhead. Marra’s heart filled with terror as she gasped for air. She ran until she thought her heart would burst. When she stumbled over an upraised root, Duncan was there by her side to catch her before she fell.
“Slow down, lass.”
“I cannae. I must get tae my faither.” She pushed past him and kept going.
When she arrived at the castle, she found it in smoldering ruins, the charred bodies of her fallen clansmen and women scattered across the ground. She found her father at the center of a group of fallen warriors as though they had fought and died back to back. “Nae!” she screamed, falling to her knees in a crumpled mass of sobs. He was the only family she had left, and now he was gone.
“They were caught unawares. It appears that many o’ them died in their sleep,” Robert growled, clenching his sword in his hand as if he could will himself back in time to the battle.
“The laird died in his nightshirt,” Liam noted in dazed disgust. “What kind o’ a man kills another man in his nightshirt?”
“One without honor,” Duncan noted, taking Marra into his arms. “Are there any survivors?”
“I dinnae see any signs that there are,” Robert shook his head raking his hands through his long blonde hair now streaked with soot. “I looked all through the rubble. There are tae many dead tae tell. It appears that most o’ them died in the fire. The laird must have found a way out tae fight only tae die.”
Marra rocked back and forth, moaning and sobbing. She clutched her chest in pain unable to catch her breath. She had wished for freedom, but had never dreamt that she would be granted it in such a fashion. She felt guilty for having wished to be apart from her family. As she knelt there, staring into the charred features of her father’s face, she found herself wishing she had died with him. The smell of cooked human flesh filled her nostrils, causing her to empty the contents of her stomach onto the ground at Duncan’s feet. He did not even flinch, but continued to hold her, moving her hair back from her face. When she finished vomiting, he picked her up and carried her away from the horrific scene. She fought him at first, unable to bear the thought of her father being left lying upon the ground alone, and then she realized the foolishness of it. He was dead and had been lying there without her for some time. Her presence would not make any difference to him at this point, but she could not shake the feeling that she had abandoned him somehow.
“Who would have done this?” she asked, looking up into his eyes, searching for answers.
“I dinnae ken,” Duncan answered, shaking his head.
“The Clan Campbell would do such a thing,” Liam answered angrily, eying Duncan threateningly.
“I cannae speak for other families within the clan, but this was nae my family’s doin’. My faither would ne’er do such a thing.” Duncan stood ready to face his accuser.
“The Clan Campbell are our mortal enemies,” Robert remarked, moving to flank Duncan’s other side, sword in hand.
“We did nae do this,” Duncan answered, backing away slowly.
Marra looked from man to man unsure what to say or do. “Duncan did no’ have anythin’ tae do with this. He was with me. He saved me.”
“It was a distraction tae cover his faither’s plan. Fergus Campbell and Angus MacDonald have hated each other for years. ‘Twas a matter o’ time afore one o’ them finally attacked the other,” Liam moved forward a step.
“’Tis no’ possible. Our people are allies in the Jacobite cause. Nae matter how much they disliked one another, my faither would ne’er jeopardize the cause. He would no’ attack a man in his bed or slaughter innocent women and bairns. There is nae honor in such an attack.”
“The Clan Campbell has nae honor,” Robert spat on the ground in disgust.
“Ye desire someone tae blame, but my family are no’ the ones who did this. I swear tae ye upon all that is holy that we did no’ do this.”
“How do we ken that ye are no’ lyin’ tae us tae save yer own skin? Ye ken well enough that my brother and I would gladly take yer head here and now, Campbell scum,” Robert threatened.
Marra stepped between her clansmen and Duncan. “Ye will no’ do anythin’ o’ the kind. Duncan did no’ do this and we will no’ find out who did by standin’ here threatenin’ one another. The enemy is out there somewhere no’ standin’ here.”
“Move out o’ the way, Marra. Ye dinnae ken the evil these Campbells are capable o’,” Robert moved to the side in an attempt to get around Marra.
“Ye dinnae ken them at all, Robert MacDonald. All ye ken is what my faither ranted and raved about our entire lives. Ye dinnae ken anythin’ at all. Duncan’s family have been nothin’ but kind tae me, showin’ us hospitality and compassion when they did no’ have tae do so. My faither is dead and with him the anger and the hatred. I will no’ let his death be in vain. We will find who did this, but we will no’ be able tae do so if ye slaughter our only ally.”
“Mayhap, but it would make me feel better,” Liam admitted, sneering at Duncan, his eyes roaming from his head to his toes as if he were judging the best place to stab him with his sword.
Duncan stopped moving, took Marra by the shoulders, and placed her behind him. She was not sure what he planned to do. “Do what ye will, lads. I refuse tae spend the rest o’ my life lookin’ o’er my shoulder waitin’ for ye tae attack me in retaliation for an atrocity I did no’ commit. Let us settle this now and be done with it.”
Both men looked startled. “Ye ken we would kill ye in battle?” Robert pointed out.
“Aye,” Duncan nodded his head.
“Will ye no’ draw yer sword?” Liam asked gesturing toward the weapon.
“Nae, I will no’.”
“Why would ye be so foolish?”
“I will no’ kill the last remainin’ family that Marra has e’en tae save my own life.”
Both of the MacDonald brothers stepped back with a puzzled look on their faces. Marra wanted to hit Duncan for being so reckless with his own life. “I cannae believe ye would do such a thing,” she whispered from behind him.
“I will no’ be responsible for takin’ them away from ye,” Duncan replied, not taking his eyes off of Robert and Liam.
The brothers lowered their swords and stared at him in wonder. “If ye will no’ kill us tae save yer own life for the love o’ a MacDonald, then I cannae believe that ye would have any part in this,” Liam replied, the hatred gone from his eyes. In its place was a new found respect.
Marra’s head spun from one emotion to another. She was filled with sorrow and anger over the loss of her family, relieved that her clansmen had not killed Duncan, and terrified that she was all alone in the world with the people who had done this still out there to continue their reign of terror whenever they wished. “How are we tae bury all o’ these people? Where will we live?” She felt so very lost.
“Ye will come and live with me, all o’ ye.”
“Duncan, I…”
“Ye will be safe under my faither’s protection. Nae one will dare tae harm ye if my family has anythin’ tae say about it. We will help ye tae find who did this, and I promise that ye will have yer revenge.”
“Do ye swear it?” Liam MacDonald asked, stepping forward tears in his eyes replacing the anger. Marra could tell that the loss of everything they had ever known was getting to him.
“I swear it. My people will come and help ye tae bury yer dead, as well as search for any survivors.”
Marra could hear the words that were coming out of his mouth, but the world had begun to fade. The image of her dead faither’s charred face floated before her eyes once more as the world spun around her. The last thing she remembered was hearing Duncan’s voice calling her name.
Chapter Ten
“Marra!” Duncan scooped her up before she hit the ground. “We need tae take her back to the castle.” Duncan carried Marra back to the boat, Robert
and Liam following close behind. They pushed the boat back out onto the water and rowed as swiftly as they could. By the time they returned to the MacGregor stronghold darkness was falling. Lachlan met them in the courtyard taking in the soot covered trio of men and the unconscious lass in Duncan’s arms.
“What has happened?” he demanded, grabbing Duncan’s reins.
Duncan dismounted and lifted Marra from the saddle. “The MacDonalds on Jura were attacked. I dinnae ken if there are any survivors, but it does no’ look good.”
“What are they doin’ here?” Lachlan demanded, glaring at the MacDonald warriors.
“I have promised them aid in dealin’ with the dead, but for now we need tae provide them with a safe place tae rest. It has been a long and difficult day. They are our guests, Lachlan, and should be treated as such.”
Lachlan spat on the ground in disgust but remained silent. Duncan carried Marra into the castle. His father sat in his chair by the fireplace. Since becoming ill, it had become his favorite spot to sit and rest. Upon seeing Duncan and Marra, he stood and met them at the stairs. “What has happened?”
“The MacDonalds were attacked. Angus MacDonald is dead, along with most o’ his people.”
“God in heaven! Poor lass.” His father’s face went pale. “I had nae love for the man, but I would ne’er wish such a terrible thing tae happen tae anyone, especially such a lass as yer dear Marra.”
“I have promised her and her clansmen sanctuary here with us.”
“O’ course, lad. They are welcome tae stay here with us. I will see tae her clansmen, while ye get her settled in. Was she hurt?”
“She fainted.”
“Poor lass.”
Duncan nodded and carried her upstairs to his mother’s old room. He laid her upon the bed and removed her shoes. A maid entered the room with a pitcher of warm water. He dipped a cloth into the water upon the washstand and bathed the soot from her face. “I will change her clothes and clean her,” the maid offered.