“You attacked me,” Jacqueline said standing up. “In truth, you attacked me twice. The second time I pulled my dirk to protect myself.”
“I had no weapon,” Catherine said to the elders. “She attacked me, and Connor let her do it because he didn’t want her to know about us. In fact, the next night he came to me at my cottage, to see if I would still service him. It was insulting.”
“That’s a lie,” Connor said. “I haven’t been to your cottage since before my wedding.”
“He’s lying,” Catherine said, letting tears roll down her cheeks. “Then he invited me to his room. Told me to wait for him there, and as I was waiting, his wife came in. She attacked me again that day. She pulled a knife on me but luckily I was able to get it away from her, but I accidentally cut her as she attacked me. Then the Laird came in, she lied again and said I attacked her.” Catherine put on a good performance, pretending to sob.
“She’s lying,” Jacqueline said. “I walked into the room to get my bow, and she was going through my trunk. When she turned, she had my dirk from my trunk and attacked me with it. Luckily I know how to defend myself, and I got it away from her.”
“I heard you, Catherine, as I was coming into the room,” Laird Fraser said. “You were throwing all types of threats at my new daughter. In fact, I heard you tell her you’d kill her for taking Connor away from you.”
“She tricked him,” Catherine screamed. She looked behind her at the villagers, “you all knew he was going to marry me.” Some of the village women nodded in agreement, while others were beginning to doubt her story.
“The only way anyone would have thought that was if you told them so,” Connor said. “There was no way I was ever going to marry you.” Some of the villagers gasped.
“You lie to protect your wife,” Catherine yelled at him. “In fact, when he came to my cottage that night, he told me how sad he was that he hadn’t been the first with his wife. He said she was a whore, and he wished he’d never married her.”
“You lie,” Connor yelled.
“Stop,” the Laird shouted. “Edith, where are you?”
Edith stood up, “right here, Laird.”
“Do you remember what I had you retrieve for me the day after Jacqueline and Connor arrived?”
“Aye, Laird,” Edith replied.
“Did you store it in the trunk in my room, as I asked you to?” he asked.
“Aye, Laird,” Edith said. “Would you like me to go get it?”
“Aye, Edith,” he said, “please.” He then turned to the villagers, “not another word out of anyone until Edith returns.”
She wasn’t gone long and when Edith reentered the hall, she had a piece of linen held in her arms.
“Hang on to that for a minute, Edith,” Laird Fraser told her. “I’m going to ask you a few questions.”
“Aye, Laird,” Edith answered.
“When did you become Lady Jacqueline’s maid?” he asked.
“The day after her arrival,” Edith answered.
“And tell me what do you have in your hands?” he asked.
“The sheet from Lady Jacqueline and Lord Connor’s bed,” Edith said blushing slightly.
“And why did you take the sheet from their bed?” he asked her.
“You told me to, Laird,” she answered.
“Is there a reason why?” he asked.
“Because the virgin blood of Lady Jacqueline is upon it,” Edith answered. Jacqueline gasped and blushed, Connor, put his arm around her pulling her close.
“Is there any doubt to that?” the Laird asked her.
“Nay, Laird,” Edith replied. “Lady Jacqueline was quite embarrassed by it the next morning. I didn’t tell her you requested the sheet.”
“Thank you, Edith,” Laird Fraser said to her. He turned back to Catherine. “So there’s another lie you’ve told.”
“Edith lies,” Catherine yelled, “she’s never liked me.”
The laird turned to the elders and asked, “do you have any other questions?”
“I think we’ve heard enough,” they told him. “We find Catherine McCoy guilty of trying to harm Lady Jacqueline. Not only harm her physically but also her reputation.”
“Connor was mine,” she said. “I tried to get you to put your babe in my belly, and you always made sure not to let that happen.” Again a gasp could be heard by many of the villagers.
“I was always truthful with you, Catherine,” he said to her, “we were just having a little fun, you’re not the kind of girl I wanted to marry. You knew that.”
“I hope you go straight to hell, Connor Fraser,” she cursed him. Connor just shrugged.
“Catherine McCoy,” Laird Fraser said, “you are now banished from the Fraser keep and the village of Tarmon. You’re to leave immediately in the morning, and if you are seen on these lands again, you’ll be hung. Do you understand?”
“Aye,” she spat at him, then she turned to the villagers. “See how the Laird’s son used me and then discards me? One of Tarmon’s own, and for an outsider.”
Jacqueline could see by the look on many of the villager’s faces, that a few were torn, some on Catherine’s side and some supporting their Laird and future Laird. It was going to be hard to win some of them over.
“Angus,” Laird Fraser called, Angus stepped forward, “escort Catherine to her cottage and post a guard there for the night. Tomorrow have her escorted off of Fraser land.”
“Aye, Laird,” Angus said taking Catherine by the arm. She screamed and yelled the entire way out the door.
“I’m glad that’s over,” said Connor.
“Me too,” Jacqueline replied. “Although some of the villagers will never forget it was because of me she was banished.”
“Once they get to know you, they’ll learn to love you like I do,” he said.
“You love me?” she asked him, stunned that he’d said it.
“Aye, Jacqueline Fraser I do,” he told her. “I don’t know when it happened, but I’ve fallen head over heels in love with my wife.”
Jacqueline couldn’t quit smiling as she said, “I’m glad, because I’m pretty sure I’m head over heels in love with my husband too.”
Connor couldn’t help it, he grabbed her by both arms pulling her to him and kissed her right in front of everyone still gathered in the hall. Although they didn’t see it, many of the villagers smirked, happy for their future laird and his new bride, who despite Catherine’s claims, they were becoming more fond of every day.
Chapter 11: A Baby
“Time to wake up,” Jacqueline heard Connor say as he leaned down and kissed her. Jacqueline quickly spun away and got out of the bed, she quickly pulled out the chamber pot from under the bed and was sick.
“Are you alright?” he asked concerned.
“I think I might be getting ill,” she told him. “My stomach feels horrible, and I’m just so tired.”
“I’m going to call for the healer,” he told her. “Get back into bed.”
Jacqueline felt too tired to argue, before she made it back into the bed she had to once again turn back to the chamber pot, getting sick again. Connor walked around to her side of the bed, helping her stand up and get back under the covers.
“Lady Jacqueline,” they heard Edith call through the door as she knocked. “I’m just checking if you need me yet this morning.”
“Enter, Edith,” Connor called back, helping his wife tuck the blanket around her. Edith entered the room, and he told her, “Lady Jacqueline is ill this morning, could you go get the healer please.”
“What’s wrong?” Edith asked.
“My stomach is just not right, and I’m so very tired,” Jacqueline told her.
“How long have the two of you been married now? Edith asked the two of them.
“A little over two months,” Connor answered, “why?”
“Have you had your menses lately, My Lady?” Edith asked Jacqueline.
Jacqueline thought for a minute and ans
wered, “I haven’t had them since I arrived at Tarmon. Do you think there’s something very wrong with me, Edith?” Connor knew right away what Edith was thinking, and he couldn’t help but smile.
“Didn’t anyone ever talk to you about what happens when you miss your menses?” Edith asked.
“My mother died when I was born, Edith, and I had eight brothers. I was lucky that my nurse took pity on me and told me what to expect on my wedding night,” Jacqueline told her. “What do you think is wrong with me, Edith?”
“I don’t know for sure,” Edith said. “Are your breasts tender? Have you been feeling more tired than usual lately?”
“Aye to both,” Jacqueline answered, she was starting to get worried until she seen the smiles on both Connor and Edith’s faces.
“Will someone please tell me what’s going on?”
“I believe you’re going to have a babe,” Edith said to her. “I’ll get the midwife, and she’ll be able to tell you for sure. I’ll be back shortly,” she said as she left the room.
“A baby, Connor,” she said to him stunned, not sure how she felt about it. “Are you happy about that?”
“I would love to have a baby with you,” he said. “Why don’t you look happy? Don’t you want a baby?”
“My mother died after having James and me,” she said to him. “I’m scared.”
“I won’t let you die,” he told her sitting on the bed next to her and pulling her into his arms. “You are not allowed to die.”
Jacqueline couldn’t help it, and she laughed. “You can’t order me not to die, Connor. What are you going to do? Spank me if I do?”
“Aye,” he said. “Seriously wife, I don’t know if I could survive you dying on me. I love you too much.”
“I wonder if that’s how my Da felt when my Mither died,” she said. “Eadan told me that they loved each other very much.”
“Maybe that’s why he has such a hard time talking to you,” Connor said. “You don’t resemble your Da much; maybe you look like your Mither.”
“Eadan, Ham, and Ross have told me I look just like her,” she said. “I used to be so jealous that they remember her and I don’t.”
“I’m surprised your Da never remarried,” Connor said.
“Eadan said that he doesn’t think Da could ever love anyone like he loved our Mither,” she said. “Ham said that Da used to be very different. He used to play with the boys and spend time with them and my m ither often. After she died, he just shut everyone out.”
“That’s almost sad,” he told her.
“I never really thought about it much before,” she said. “But if he loved her anywhere near as much as I love you, I think I can understand it now. I think my heart would break if anything happened to you, Connor.”
“I feel the same,” he said leaning down to kiss her.
“I was sick this morning, Connor,” she said turning her head away. “You might not want to kiss me this morning.”
“I want to kiss you every morning,” he said kissing her again, “and every afternoon,” another kiss, “and every evening,” he kissed her again this time deepening it and pushing his tongue into her mouth. Then the knock came at the door.
“Damn,” he said making Jacqueline laugh. “Enter,” he called out getting up off of the bed as the midwife entered.
“I hear we may be having a new arrival?” she asked smiling at Jacqueline who just nodded nervously. “Can you leave us for a few minutes, Laird?” she asked him.
“Why?” he asked. “I’d like to stay.”
“I’m going to need to examine your wife,” the midwife told him. “She may be more comfortable with you out of the room. I’ll let you back in shortly. I promise.” She waited until Connor reluctantly exited the room and shut the door before turning back to Jacqueline.
“I’m so sorry, My Lady, I didn’t even introduce myself,” she said. “My name is Helga, and I deliver all the babies here at Tarmon.”
“Hello, Helga,” she said, “please just call me Jacqueline.”
“I’m going to need to examine you to determine if you are carrying a babe and then we can call that handsome husband of yours back in, and I’ll answer any questions you both may have,” Helga said, making Jacqueline feel comfortable right away.
It wasn’t long after when Helga called Connor back into the room. “You are definitely with child,” she told them. “Guessing from the time of your arrival, I think about six to eight weeks along.”
Connor smiled and sat on the bed hugging his wife. “I think you should stay in bed today,” he told her.”
“It’s best if your wife stays active,” Helga told him, winking at Jacqueline. “As long as she’s feeling well enough, there’s no reason for her to stay in bed.”
“She was sick this morning,” Connor said, “and she’s been very tired.”
“Being sick in the mornings is normal,” Helga told him. “A piece of dry bread and some water first thing in the morning will help. You’ll probably want to slow down a bit at first until your body adjusts, a nap in the afternoon would be fine.”
“What else?” Connor asked.
“Just be careful,” Helga told them. “You can still do just about anything you did before unless there are problems.”
“What about riding my horse?” Jacqueline asked.
Connor started shaking his head no, but Helga cut him off, “you can safely ride up until around your sixth month as long as there are no problems. By ride, I mean a gentle walk, no full on gallops, you can’t take a chance of being thrown or falling off your horse.”
“I’d prefer you keep your feet on the ground,” Connor told her.
“And I prefer to ride my horse,” Jacqueline shot back at him.
“We’ll talk about it after,” Connor said, Jacqueline could tell it was a warning for the tone she’d just used in front of the healer.
“What is there to talk about,” she again said, not caring about the obvious warning she had been given already. She didn’t feel well and just didn’t care.
“Can a woman with child still safely be turned over her husband’s knee, Helga?” Connor asked the healer.
Jacqueline gasped, and Helga chuckled before answering the question, “aye, Laird Connor. Just make sure you pad her stomach well while the babe doesn’t show and once it does there are ways to keep weight off the belly for correction.”
“Thank you, Helga,” he said to the healer. “You can leave us now.”
“Lady Jacqueline,” Helga said before leaving. “I believe your husband loves you very much, listen to him. If either of you have any other questions just come find me, I’ll be looking in on you in about a sennight.”
“Thank you, Helga,” Jacqueline said not looking at her husband. She knew she had been wrong to speak to him the way she had in front of the healer. As the door closed, she said, “I’m sorry, Connor, I know I was wrong to talk to you that way in front of Helga,” then she began to cry.
“Hey, Hey,” Connor said, climbing on the bed next to her and pulling her into his arms. “Why are you crying?”
“Because you’re going to spank me and I don’t feel good,” she answered him, crying harder.
“Stop it right now,” he said to her softly, kissing her on the head. “No spanking this time. I’m too happy to punish my wife.”
“Really?” she asked him.
“Aye,” he said, then he added, “this time. But remember what I told you before, if you don’t agree with me, you tell me in private, alright?”
“Alright,” she said snuggling in closer to him and closing her eyes, “I love you, Connor.”
“I love you too, Jacqueline Fraser,” he said kissing her again as he felt her relax and drift back off to sleep. Soon a knock came at the bedroom door.
“Enter,” Connor said quietly as Jacqueline stirred slightly.
Edith entered the room with a tray that held two slices of bread and a pitcher of water.
“I thought Lady J
acqueline might need these when she’s ready to wake,” Edith told him.
“Thank you, Edith,” he sincerely told her. “I need to get to the training fields, will you sit with her until she wakes?”
“Of course,” Edith said.
“Try to keep her from doing too much today, Edith,” he said to her as he got off the bed, waking Jacqueline in the process. “I have to get to my duties, wife,” he said to her.
“I need to get up soon myself,” she told him.
“Edith brought you some bread and water, have that first before you get up. Helga said it would help your stomach,” he told her. She nodded and took the bread from Edith as he left.
Jacqueline was finally able to get up halfway through the morning and felt much better the rest of the day, she was hoping the morning sickness wasn’t going to become an everyday thing as she had heard happened to some pregnant woman.
“I’d like to tell my father before we start our evening meal and then announce it to the clan after we eat,” Connor said to her as they were getting ready to head down to the great hall. “It’s going to get out anyway.”
“That’s fine,” she said to him.
“What’s wrong?” he asked her.
“Nothing,” she said. “I just wish the women who don’t like me didn’t need to know.”
“Those women were friends of Catherine’s,” he told her. “I told you before not to care what they think.”
“I can’t help it,” she said to him. “I’m the future Laird's wife and they still give me dirty looks and say things behind my back.”
“They better hope my Da or I never catch them,” he told her.
“Why?” she asked. “What would Da do to them?”
“He wouldn’t do anything,” Connor told her, “he would turn them over to their husbands with orders to change their attitudes.”
“How would they do that?” she asked him.
Connor bent close to her and said,”the same way I change yours, a good spanking usually does the trick.” Jacqueline couldn’t help it, and she began to laugh. Connor said to her, “I love to see you smiling and happy.”
An Honest Mistake Page 10