Lost in the Mist of Time

by Karen Michelle Nutt

  “Keefe…Milord.”

  Chapter 38

  Dougray agreed to let Keefe participate. The man was of his sept a cousin to the Fitzpatricks with lands of his own. It would be a good match, but…. He eyed the man in question; he was boisterous with flaming red hair, limbs that were strong and firm.

  Keefe was now making his acquaintance with Aislinn. “Dar Dia!” Dougray mumbled under his breath. Aislinn was actually smiling.

  Aislinn noticed Dougray the moment that he had entered the room, but she was careful not to let him know that she had spotted him. She wondered what he would do if she actually pretended to like her opponents. She had every intention of finding out. “You must be….”

  “Keefe will do. Never cared for formalities.” The redheaded giant nodded. “Ye are the Scathach?” His eyes boldly roved over her taking in every aspect that he could see, tall, thin with womanly curves where it mattered.

  “Hardly a warrior,” she answered him with a smile threatening her lips. He met her eyes, a grin spreading wider on his face. “Ye want to fight for a husband?”

  “See you have it wrong. I wish to fight to be free of matrimony.”

  “Hmm. Then we do have a problem.” He leaned very close. “Ye now have given me a reason to want to win.”

  Aislinn couldn’t help but chuckle. He was rather charming in a rugged sort of way. “You look strong enough.”

  “As do ye.” He took her arm and felt the firmness. “Ye are well trained.” “This does not bother you? A woman that can handle herself if the need arose?”

  “I honor it. My mother was a descendent of Gaul; the women there fought beside their men.” He let her hand go. “I will meet ye tomorrow?”

  “Agreed.” She nodded.

  Keefe was most impressed with the woman who had been granted the name Scathach. Her hair was a bit short, but her face was to his liking with her strong Celtic features and those dark eyes were his undoing. The contrast was most bewitching. And the fact that she was strong was a plus to him. He was a big man towering well above most of the women. He feared that he would crush them beneath his weight, but Lady Aislinn Hennessy would not crumble beneath his touch. He had every intention of winning the dark-eyed beauty.

  Dougray made his way over to him, hoping to find out what his cousin felt about Aislinn. “What say ye, Keefe?”

  “I am pleased with what I saw. I will fight.” Keefe smiled, knowing that he had finally found a woman who would be worthy to be his bride.

  The confident grin made Dougray want to punch him in the mouth. “Ye have time to share a tankard with me, cousin?” he said between clenched teeth.

  Keefe thought that he should refuse, but then he could never refuse a drink. “One should not hurt.”

  “Nay, one will not hurt at all.” Dougray hit him on his broad back and led the man to a table.

  The night wore on. Tankard after tankard was put before Keefe while Dougray pretended to indulge. They drank to their health, to their family, and to the sight of another tankard full to the brim. Dougray thought the man would never succumb to the alcohol, but finally on the tenth round, he fell face first onto the hard wood table.

  Dougray motioned for Cormac and Teige to help him with his burden. “Keefe was drinking?” Teige looked up surprised that the man would indulge on the night before he would enter the ring.

  “It appears so. Take him away to a quiet place and let him sleep it off.” “What of tomorrow?” Cormac wanted to know. “He was to fight Lady Aislinn.”

  “If he is awake by then, he will.” With that Dougray left the hall a slight smile curving his lips.

  Teige grinned making Cormac look at him suspiciously. “What are ye smiling about?”

  “Ye don’t see that the Fitzpatrick wants A.J. for himself?”

  “Ye cannot be serious. He is the one who put forth this battle for her hand.

  If he wanted her, why didn’t he just take her?” “Conquest.”

  Cormac shook his head. “Ye are becoming too much the romantic.” Keefe moaned drawing their attention.

  Cormac half lifted him. “Let’s just get him to bed.”

  Throngs of people were arriving since the first light of day to witness the tournament for Lady Aislinn’s hand. Roth was beside himself trying to run the kitchen making sure that he had enough food to serve, and enough drink so that no tankard went empty. No one had expected such a turnout.

  Aislinn had stayed in her room until the last minute too nervous to do otherwise. She tried to ignore the fact that she was being made a spectacle and concentrate on what she needed to do to ensure her freedom.

  The first man who stepped into the ring had the height, but he didn’t have the agile moves that Aislinn possessed. Before he knew what had happened, he was flat on his back with Aislinn’s boot at his neck. After this display, two of the men whom Dougray had chosen quickly declined the offer. They had no intentions of possibly losing face if they were unfortunate to become victims to this woman with unspeakable strength.

  The next man to take his place was young and overconfident. Again Aislinn was able to best one of her suitors. The crowd was actually cheering Aislinn and Dougray found that this infuriated him. What kind of men did he have that they couldn’t take down the lass? Yes, she had height for an advantage but by God these were trained men.

  “Milord?” Murrough leaned near so that only he would hear him. “It seems that Keefe has not made an appearance.”

  “Oh?” Dougray tried to sound surprised. What was wrong with him anyway? He didn’t want Aislinn to win, but he didn’t want the one man who would probably best her to have a chance. Keefe was a strong, good-looking man who would treat Aislinn well, but he had not wanted her to be attracted to him. With the little display he witnessed yesterday, it looked like she had been at least interested. He had told himself that he wanted her to be happy but with…. He wouldn’t finish that thought. It would mean he would have to search his true feelings about the woman. “Maybe Keefe had a change of heart?”

  Murrough cleared his throat. “Nay, the man was stinking drunk the last I saw him.”

  O’Malley was quite amused with the events and made his pleasure known. “The woman is indeed the Scathach or surely the descendent. See how she defends herself? I have not seen such moves before, and the lass does not even seem to be tiring.”

  “I can see that for myself,” Dougray grumbled wishing now that he hadn’t allowed this unseemly display to take place. He should have just married her off and been done with it. But if that was what he truly had wanted, why did he make sure Keefe was unable to participate?

  “Are these your best men?” Robert Burke was quite amused.

  “I do believe the one now lying on his back is from your clan.” Dougray could not resist throwing in a jibe of his own. Burke’s face turned beet red with anger, but he held his tongue on any further comments.

  “It is not that they could not best the lass.” O’Malley looked to Burke. “It is that they think she is only a woman, and did not need to put forth an effort. See how she plays with them. She lures them to her, as if she is a weak little mouse, and then she pounces like the ferocious lioness that she is. The men are too pompous for their own good, and she is smart enough to take advantage of that.”

  O’Malley had been studying Dougray too, since the event started. It surprised him that the young lord did not just admit his attraction and be done with it. He decided to play devil’s advocate, and leaned close to Dougray trying to hide the mirth from his voice. “Lady Aislinn is a tall one, aye? Made of the old stock where a lass stands by her man, even if it is to fight. She is a fine bony lass too with lush hips and wiles that will make a man weep with joy.” He nodded with a sigh. “I envy the man who wins her hand.”

  Dougray bit the inside of his cheek, so not to tell the King of Connaught to shut his mouth before he shut it for him.

  When the last suitor was carried away because he could not stand on his own two feet, Aisli
nn sauntered over to Dougray and curtsied before him, which looked completely ridiculous in the masculine outfit that she wore. “My lord, it looks as though there are no more men that wish to seek my hand.

  I guess that….”

  Dougray was not listening anymore. He was still stinging from O’Malley’s words and he was furious that she could have out smarted him with this ploy. Murrough saw Dougray make his move, and he would have stopped him if the O’Malley had not put a hand on his arm. Dougray leaned forward in his seat and did the unthinkable. “I take the challenge.” The hall full of people from miles around had crowded together, making it difficult to hear someone who was standing right next to them, except when those four words were uttered by their lord. The entire room fell completely silent, as if they were holding their breaths. Even Aislinn seemed to hesitate.

  “What?” Her dark eyes widened as she stared at him in stunned belief.

  He was seated above her at the high table and now he stood, making him appear taller and horribly formidable. She had to look up at him to meet his eyes. “I said that I challenge ye. Defeat me and ye will be free to do as ye wish. But, milady, lose, and ye will agree to marry me.”

  Aislinn swallowed the lump that was in her throat and she wiped her palms on her leggings. Why was she so timid all of a sudden? Dougray was just a man, after all, no different than any of the other men whom she bested today, but yet, she was unsure that she wanted him to lose. She hadn’t realized until that moment that she thought of him as a pillar of strength. He was a man who walked into the room and demanded instant obedience. She could feel the power that coiled within him. If she bested him, then she would lose what little sense of security she still held onto.

  Dougray tried to read the many emotions that seemed to flit across her face. Did the thought of marrying him offend her so much that it had rendered her speechless? Angered by what he thought was her way of rejecting him, he baited her for a response. “Or ye can marry me now and we can forget all this nonsense. With energy like ye have, ye’ll make a lively bed partner.” The snickering around the room woke her up and he saw the fire in her eyes once more.

  “I’ll take your challenge. Have no fear, it will be you that will be on your back and not I.” Again the crowd roared, making Dougray more than determined to show everyone just who was in control here. He gave her a curt nod and removed his cloak. “Wait,” she demanded. Again the room fell quiet.

  “I have fought four men while you, my lord, have sat there resting. I request a short break; then I will meet you on the floor.”

  Dougray couldn’t very well reject her offer for a reprieve. “I agree.” Murrough followed Dougray back to the main hall, anxious to find out what he was up to, but it was Dougray who spoke first. “I know what ye are thinking, but I could not let the infuriating woman win. How would it look that she come out the victor?”

  “But why ye, Dougray? Ye were resolved to send her away from here, so not to be troubled by her. Now ye will take her challenge and make her yer wife. I do not understand this ploy.”

  He didn’t understand it either, but what could he say that would make any sense? “When I am her husband, she will be forced to obey.” He said this without conviction for he couldn’t imagine Aislinn ever bending to his will.

  Murrough just stood there staring at his friend as though the man had lost his senses. He knew Aislinn as well as Dougray did. The woman followed no rules but her own. Marriage or not she would continue on in the same fashion of an ill-mannered chit. “Just tell me what ye have accomplished this day?” He did not wait for an answer but continued, “Are ye in love with the lass? Is that what this is all about?”

  Dougray laughed but Murrough noticed that he did not deny the claim.

  “She needs to be taught a lesson.” “And if ye lose?”

  “Do ye doubt my capabilities?” His voice was thunderous making Murrough regret that he had spoken the words. “Of course not…it is just that….”

  “I do not plan on losing, Murrough, especially to Aislinn. She will bend to my will, and if that means I have to take her challenge to do it, so be it.” With that he stormed out of the hall.

  Aislinn was in her room stretching and limbering up, so that she could meet her opponent. She was so nervous that she feared she was going to be ill.

  Moira came forward. “Milady, the Fitzpatrick is a good man. Ye should think about what ye are doing.”

  “Oh, I have thought plenty. I have to win him. If I don’t he will think that he owns me. I will not be controlled by any man, especially him.”

  “Milord is not that way. He is very fair in all matters.”

  Aislinn stopped what she was doing and looked at the young girl. “I’m sorry. I did not mean to offend you or belittle Dougray. He is a good man. I do believe that. It’s just I have no wish to have him or any man for a husband. Can you at least understand my point?”

  “I am trying, milady, but I am having a difficult time of it. Ye see, I feel ye should be honored. Lord Dougray is a fine-looking man, decent and strong. He would take care of ye and give ye strong children to care for.”

  “Children?” She nearly choked. “We’re getting ahead of ourselves here.” She went over to Moira and put her arm around her. “What you say about Dougray is probably all true and I should be flattered, but the fact remains I would be forced to marry when I am not ready for it.”

  “Pardon me for saying so, but ye are past the age that most women do marry.”

  “Not where I am from.”

  Moira shook her head. “What a strange land ye come from.”

  Aislinn didn’t answer her. She just gave her a quick squeeze and tried not to think of her upcoming battle for freedom.

  Murrough went to see Rhiannon. She was the only one these days whom he felt he could truly confide in. She met him openly, her beautiful hair falling over his forearm. He held her close for a moment, just savoring the warmth of her body. “Come sit by the fire,” she insisted. “I have made some warm bread and there’s milk to be had if that is to yer liking.” She hurried to serve him. Murrough stared into the fireplace, his thoughts seemingly elsewhere.

  She placed the warm bread in front of him. “Something is wrong?” she said as she touched his arm. He looked up at her, his large hand covering her small one.

  “Dougray I fear is not using his better judgment.” It was hard for him to say this, but he was confident that his fears would go no further than these four walls.

  “Ye do not agree with his choice of mate?”

  “Peugh!” He rose from his seat. “The woman is uncouth.” “She is strong in her convictions.”

  “She fights like…well, like a man.”

  “She defends her rights,” Rhiannon countered. “She cares for no one but herself.”

  “She’s caring of all. She defends the weak and helps them to become strong. When she sees someone fall, where others would step on them, she picks them up and carries them along.”

  Murrough stared at Rhiannon, letting her words sink in. “Ye always see good in people.”

  “I see what is true,” she answered with serene calmness.

  Murrough ran his hand through his red hair, perturbed at himself for not seeing Aislinn in the same light. She was all that Rhiannon had claimed. He could not refute it. “It’s just that she’s so….”

  “Different?” “Aye.”

  “We all are in some degree or other.” “But for her to marry Dougray….”

  “He could do no worse. She is a fine match for him.” “Ye think so?”

  “Aye, that I do. Both fierce, both caring, but most of all, both needing a partner to fill the emptiness in their hearts.”

  “Ye see all this, do ye?” “Is it not obvious?”

  “Nay.” Murrough went over to her and pulled her into his arms. “Nay, lass, it is not, but now that ye mention it, I am forced to see it all too clearly.”

  “Ye will not worry now?” He shook his head.

&nb
sp; “Then sit and have some nourishment.”

  The contest was to begin. Dougray and Aislinn walked to the center of the floor taking their positions. Aislinn raised her gaze to him and her spirits seemed to leap out of tempo with the tense drawn face that greeted her. Her mind was a crazy mixture with fear of losing, but also with the frightening aspect that she would win.

  She had gnawed away so much of her confidence that her first few moves were reckless and Dougray nearly brought her down. The arrogant set of his jaw gave her the determination she needed. She wasn’t so careless after that and fought with speed and agility.

  All afternoon Dougray had carefully watched her techniques, as she bested each and every opponent. He was sure that he could mimic those same moves with little difficulty, but he became just a little too sure of himself and she brought him to one knee. He quickly backed away to regain his composure. If she had matched him in weight, she may have taken him that time.

  Aislinn’s blood was flowing now and she was sure that she could win. She moved in for the kill, but she was distracted when Dougray spoke to her. It was no more than a whisper for it was meant for her ears only. “When I make love to ye, you’ll know the meaning of yielding.” Before she could give her lethal retort, he took the advantage of her distraction, swiftly throwing his leg behind her knees. She went down with a crash and he was upon her before she could catch her breath.

  She looked up at him in stunned disbelief. He had straddled her and pinned her arms immobilizing them to the ground.

  She had lost!

  This should have been disturbing enough, but she found that what unsettled her more was the expression in Dougray’s steel-gray eyes. Slowly and seductively, his gaze boldly assessed her, sending her heart thudding against her chest.

  “Ye are mine, Aislinn.” He bowed down and claimed her lips before all of his people.

  Chapter 39

  “Ye can’t hide in there forever.” Dougray pounded on the door to Aislinn’s room furious with himself that he was there waiting in the hall, like a besotted fool.