Her father bristled but Tadhg lunged at Darcy. Niall restrained him with difficulty. “Tadhg, if ye don’t want a war, cool yer anger, man, and let this play out.”
“Yer little mouse plays the innocent act very well, but I think ye’ll be interested in what I have to tell ye. Perhaps it isn’t me who will receive the brunt of yer temper in the end.” It was clear to Mairead that he was going to make good his threat.
“That’s enough, Darcy,” said his father. “Lady Matheson has accused ye of attacking her. Just tell us what really happened.”
“Attacking ye? Oh, little mouse, ye wound me. I didn’t want to have to do this, but ye leave me no choice. Laird Matheson, it isn’t a case of me forcing my attentions on yer wife at all. The fact is, she is a wanton and has been for years.”
Shocked murmurs, mixed with exclamations of denial from the MacKenzie allies present drifted through the crowd. This time it was her father who had to be held back, but Tadhg adopted a bland, almost bored expression.
“Ye’re a lying worm, Fraser!” her father roared.
“Am I? Well, suppose ye keep quiet and let me tell my story. Then we’ll see who the liar is.”
It took several men to hold her father back and Laird MacIan said, “Cathal, control yerself. He has the right to present his side.” Her mother’s face had gone pale with shock. Dear God, how was she going to do this? The horrible secret she had hidden for years was now to be played out before her parents. Tadhg slipped his arm around her waist and drew her closer to him, as if willing her his own strength.
“He’s spewing rubbish and slandering my daughter. Matheson, stand up for her!”
“Cathal, let him finish,” Tadhg said calmly.
“Thank ye, Matheson. I thought ye might want to hear the whole story. Although ye may feel less like cozying up to yer wife after ye have. Ye see, a number of years ago, yer wee wife was wandering around alone at the Michaelmas Fair and made some rather bawdy suggestions to me. Being the agreeable fellow I am, I accepted her offer. She led me off for a tumble in the woods.”
Her father looked ghastly white. “Ye attacked her then as ye did today?”
“Oh, it wasn’t an attack. No, she practically begged for it. Guthrie, ye were there too. Several of us were. She said she had plenty to go around.” The room erupted again in response to his outrageous statements. Still, as Mairead looked around, many of those gathered gave her accusatory stares.
“It was quite an afternoon, I can assure ye. But it didn’t stop there. The MacKenzies attend the Michaelmas Fair every year and every year we managed to find a few moments together. What braw lad says nay to a free tumble, willingly offered?”
“That isn’t possible—” Cathal started to argue.
“Nay, Da. Let him finish,” said Mairead quietly.
Darcy ignored the interruption. “Imagine my surprise when my father tried to arrange a betrothal to her. Who would want a wife like that?”
He was clearly goading Tadhg, who remained still, holding her firmly against him and showing no reaction.
“I pity ye, Matheson. Yer mousey little wife took the opportunity to seek me out again when everyone’s attention was on my poor sweet sister. Frankly I wouldn’t be surprised if yer wife was behind the whole charade simply to cause a diversion. I confess, it was such fun the first time, I couldn’t deny her. When we were through, she begged me to run away with her. She became angry when I told her nay and attacked me. I only hurt her defending myself. Then the moment she thought we had been discovered, she pretended to be affronted and charged me with attacking her.”
As Mairead looked around the room. She began to see more looks of doubt cast her way.
“There ye have it,” said Lachlan triumphantly. “We’re done here.”
Mairead shook her head and stepped away from Tadhg. “Not quite. Darcy tells a scandalous tale, but he has muddled the details a bit.”
“Get yer wife under control, Matheson, before she draws ye into more trouble than ye can handle,” Lachlan warned.
“Lachlan, I have listened patiently to Darcy’s story. Now I want to hear Mairead’s. Sweetling, do ye have anything to say to this?”
“Aye, I do. Let me make sure I haven’t misunderstood him first. Darcy, as I understand it, ye want everyone to believe I wanted ye to molest me seven years ago and it was such a pleasant experience I sought ye out again today?” Mairead glanced at her mother and was shocked. Her mother wasn’t staring at her with disapproval or shame as Mairead had always imagined. No, she glared at Darcy, and if looks could kill, Darcy would be lying dead at her feet.
“Molest ye? Nay, pet, that isn’t what happened. Ye gave yerself to me like a wanton the first time seven years ago and every year since then.”
“Did I?”
“Aye, ye did.”
“Now, that would have been difficult, Darcy. Da, would ye care to tell him why?”
“Aye, lass. Ye see, Darcy, while the MacKenzies always go the Michaelmas Fair, Mairead hasn’t gone with us in seven years.”
Clearly caught in one lie, Darcy tried to bluster. “Well, that may have been an exaggeration, but don’t try to deny it happened the first time, because there are four Fraser warriors who will attest to it.”
Mairead laughed mirthlessly. “Ye are a bigger fool than I thought ye were. To start with, how many people in this hall do ye think believe any lass of four and ten would willingly give herself to five lads or even to one lad in front of four others?”
“I don’t care if they believe it or not. Facts are facts and I have witnesses.”
“And clearly ye think I don’t.”
“There was a bit of a crowd there, lass, but nay, it was just the five of us with the MacKenzie whore, wasn’t it, Guthrie?”
“Aye, Darcy, that’s the way I remember it.”
Darcy smirked. “Ye must be thinking of some other time ye had a romp with a few braw lads.”
“Da, ye may want to rethink marrying one of us to this clan. If Guthrie and Darcy are any mark of them, they seem to have a bit of trouble remembering things. Frankly, it surprises me, Darcy. I would think every time ye see yer reflection ye would remember the other person who was there. After all, he is the one who pulled ye off me and spoiled yer pretty face by breaking yer nose.” Darcy’s expression darkened as some of his smugness slipped away. “Oh, are ye beginning to remember now?”
“Do ye expect people to believe that? Have ye found some kinsman who will lie and say he saved ye from me? What wee favor did ye grant him for that falsehood? Besides, what is one man’s word against five?” He regained a little of his bravado. Clearly, Darcy thought she couldn’t possibly find the priest in question.
“I’m not worried about people believing this one man. Ye know full well ’twas no kinsman who saved me that day. I suppose yer strongest memory of him might be the sight of his fist slamming into yer nose, but it really would have been hard to miss his priest’s robes.” Surprised gasps rippled through the hall. “Ye remember now too, don’t ye, Guthrie? I believe it was ye who said, ‘Sorry, Father, it was a misunderstanding. No harm done.’ Ye see ye really are an eejit, Darcy, because if ye had paid the slightest attention to anything around ye save yer own desires, ye might have noticed Father Colm there is the priest who broke yer nose that day.” Darcy’s eyes narrowed and he looked much less confident.
“Is that true, Father? Were ye there?” asked Laird Fraser.
All eyes turned to the priest. “My lady, do ye give me permission to discuss this?”
“Aye, Father. I was a scared child and should never have bound ye by confession. As ye said when it happened, my sin that day was disobeying my father by going to the fair without an escort, nothing more.” The shock of awareness crossed her father’s countenance.
“Since Lady Matheson has released me from the sacramental seal, aye, Laird Fraser, I was there. I heard her screams from the road. Yer fine strapping son needed four kinsmen to hold the frightened wee lass down. I
pulled him off and broke his nose, just as Lady Matheson said. Thankfully, I stopped him before he could do worse than terrorize her, but that was harm enough.” Mairead glanced around the hall. She no longer read condemnation in the faces but rather shock, pity, and even respect. Her glance rested on her mother, who had tears standing in her eyes.
“Have the good Father and Lady Matheson jogged yer memories, lads? Do either of ye fine Fraser warriors still want me to believe she willingly went into the forest with ye?” Laird Fraser asked menacingly.
“Da, surely ye don’t believe—”
“Shut yer gob or I’ll shut it for ye. Ye have shamed me, yerself, and our whole clan.”
“She’s lying. She wanted it then and she wanted it today. She came looking for it. She said she’d do whatever I wanted,” Darcy sneered.
“Aye, I said that after ye overpowered me and had me pinned to the floor. I didn’t want ye to hurt me anymore. I needed ye to loosen yer grip so I could get away. Nay, Darcy, I didn’t want ye to force yerself on me. No lass does.” The hall was silent. Mairead’s glance fell on her mother and she nearly lost her composure. Lady MacKenzie stood rigidly with her hands clenched into fists at her side, tears streaming freely down her cheeks.
“When a lass kicks and bites, it’s usually a sign she’s not interested. When she breaks yer nose for ye, well, I’m not sure how ye could mistake that for desire.” Several people chuckled. “Ye see? I don’t think anyone believes I went looking for ye. I’m not certain how ye managed it, but I have no doubt ye laid a trap for me. Ye told me ye did. Don’t ye remember? ‘Even eels can be caught in a trap, and so can wee mice.’”
“Eels?” asked Tadhg blandly, but Mairead could see his tightly reined anger.
“Aye.” She shrugged, and smiled. “He had a wee bit of trouble holding on to me.”
“Well done,” he said, pulling her close to him again.
“Did ye plan all of this, Darcy? Have ye hurt another MacKenzie?” his father asked.
“I charmed a Matheson lass to bring the mouse out, that’s all. But if anyone else was hurt, ye need to look to Eara for those answers.”
Eara cried, “How dare ye, Darcy? I had nothing to do with Rowan being injured!”
Darcy mocked her. “Was Rowan injured? Oh, Eara, I’m so sorry. I know ye were so desperately in love with him, but I’m sorry to tell ye I had nothing to do with that either.”
“Really? Ye had no idea?” asked Mairead.
“I said I didn’t,” he snapped.
“That is odd, because not long ago, as ye held yer dirk to my throat, ye said the easiest thing for ye to do would be to simply slit my throat. After all, someone had cracked my brother’s skull and perhaps they had a grudge against the MacKenzies.”
The room erupted yet again in exclamations of shocked outrage. Laird Fraser looked old, tired, and ashamed and Mairead couldn’t help but feel pity for him.
“Enough!” Niall shouted over the din and the room slowly quieted. “Lachlan, yer son stands accused of attacking Rowan MacKenzie and he brutally assaulted Lady Matheson, twice. The evidence regarding those attacks at least is clear.”
“It isn’t clear! She wanted it, I tell ye. I don’t care what she says and I had nothing to do with Rowan. If I had wanted to injure Rowan, I wouldn’t have chosen so craven a method.”
“Would ye like trial by combat, Darcy?” Tadhg asked in a deadly calm voice. “I would be more than happy to send yer soul to hell.”
“No! He is my son. I promise ye, I will deal with him. He will be punished for harming Lady Matheson. I promise ye.” Lachlan clearly read the menace in Tadhg’s voice and was not willing to risk his son’s life to soothe his pride. “But the issue of Rowan’s attacker remains unclear. Just because Darcy was aware it happened doesn’t mean he did it.”
“Nay, it doesn’t,” agreed Niall.
“Then let us leave,” demanded Lachlan. “There will be no wedding. Eara has admitted her involvement with Rafer. I cannot deny it. Cathal has legitimate grounds to break the betrothal.”
“Lachlan, Cathal’s son, one of my guardsmen, was brutally attacked under my roof. I will not allow that crime to go unanswered. The fact Darcy lied about knowing Rowan was injured, among other things, does not help his cause.”
“Do ye mean to keep us here?” Lachlan asked.
“Until we know what happened, aye, I do. To start with it would help if Darcy would tell us where he was and what he was doing last night.”
“MacIan, it isn’t any of yer business what I was doing last night. However, there isn’t a single person here who can honestly say they witnessed me within the keep because I stayed outside.”
“Do ye have proof?”
“Aye. I was with my clansmen. Guthrie was with me most of the evening.”
“These same clansmen who were willing to lie for ye about Lady Matheson?”
“Think what ye will. I didn’t enter the hall.”
“Laird MacIan, Darcy didn’t attack Rowan.” A quavering voice rose from the edge of the room.
“Who said that?” Niall asked.
“I did, Laird.” Mairead was not shocked to see Finola working her way to the front of the room. Finola had pulled her from the great hall and was clearly involved in some way, but with everything happening so quickly, she hadn’t stopped to figure out how. Completely bewildered, Mairead simply stared at Finola. Tadhg tightened his grip on her.
“Who are ye, and what do ye know about where Darcy was last night, lass?”
“My name is Finola and I am a Matheson. I-I-I know it wasn’t Darcy who attacked Rowan because he was with me.”
“Finola...” Tadhg said, his voice laced with disapproval.
“Ye see? I didn’t attack Rowan. Finola, ye are a good lass,” Darcy said with surprising sincerity.
“So ye can attest Darcy had nothing to do with the attack on Rowan MacKenzie?” Niall asked.
“I don’t know that for sure. They talked about wanting to create a diversion, but I know Darcy didn’t attack Rowan himself because he was with me.”
After Niall quieted the crowd yet again, he asked, “They wanted to create a diversion so they could gain access to Lady Matheson?”
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 yer 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 yer involvement in this later. Laird MacIan, ye have yer 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 yer 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 yer 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 breathe. 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 yer 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 yer 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. Yer 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 yer face, or even feel yer 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.
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