Amanda Scott (18 page)

Apparently noting his momentary distraction and intending to take advantage of it, one of the men facing him leaped forward. Hector spitted him with a single stroke and turned to meet the other two, close behind the first.

Deftly parrying a thrust from one, he swung his huge sword two-handed toward the other, making him step awkwardly back. Returning his attention to the first, he said, “Drop your— What the devil!”

Two other men ran out of the forest, waving small swords and shouting the Clan Gillean war cry. Recognizing both of them, Hector instantly returned his full attention to his attackers. Those two immediately dropped their swords, and the newcomers hastily divested them of their dirks as well.

“We’ll take them with us, lads,” Hector said. “Truss their hands behind them, then mount them and tie their feet beneath their ponies’ bellies. I don’t know exactly what happened here, but we’ll take them back to Lochbuie to sort it out, since ’tis clear enough to all of us that this was no friendly meeting.”

“They tried to abduct us,” Mariota exclaimed. “Oh, sir, you saved our lives! How very brave you are!” And with that, she flung herself into his arms.

“There now,” he said, patting her shoulder as he tried to extricate himself. “You are perfectly safe now. Isobel, did they harm you?”

“That loutish one there pulled me from my pony,” she said, pointing to one of the two who stood before him. “And that other one tore Mariota’s dress, trying to make her kiss him.”

Hector turned his stern gaze on the second man she pointed out.

“Ye’ve nae authority over us,” the man declared with clear bravado. “We’re nae men o’ yours.”

“I have all the authority I need right here,” he said, hefting his sword. “You assaulted these young women, and you’ll answer for your crime at Lochbuie. Or, if you prefer, I’ll arrange for you to stand trial before his grace’s court at Ardtornish.”

The older of the two grimaced. “We were just funning wi’ the lasses, sir. We didna realize they be noblewomen, as how could we, when they was out riding all alone like they was?”

“Do you mean to tell me you would treat our common women so?”

“Nay, then, I dinna mean nowt o’ the sort,” the man protested. “I was no thinking at all, and that be plain fact.”

As he finished speaking, Cristina rode into the group, flung herself from her horse, and ran to hug Isobel.

Watching her, Hector released himself gently from the still-clinging Mariota. “How frightened you must have been, my love!” Cristina exclaimed to the child. “What a dreadful thing to happen!”

“It certainly was,” Mariota agreed, pushing back a strand of hair that had escaped her caul before she, too, hugged Cristina. “We were thankful to see Hector riding to our rescue before they could murder us, I promise you.”

She beamed at him with approval, her smile dazzling even in the shadows of the small clearing, her eyes as green as the shrubbery around her. He felt a strong sense of gratitude that she had avoided harm, and his voice was gentler than he had intended when he said, “You should not have ridden out alone, lass.”

“But I didn’t, sir,” she said with a teasing smile. “I rode with Isobel.”

He wondered then if he had merely said they should not go alone, or if perhaps that might have been the way Cristina had relayed his orders. It was possible, he supposed, and if Mariota had misunderstood, he should not scold her. Doubtless, the frightening incident would impress upon her the necessity of taking armed men with her in the future.

He glanced at Cristina, met her steady gaze, and felt a glimmer of doubt.

“We would have been safe enough if those other men had come to our aid when Mariota screamed,” Isobel said.

“What other men?” he asked.

“Why, those ones there,” she said, pointing to the two who had run from the forest at the end to help him.

“I warrant they came when they heard her screams, just as I did,” he said.

“Aye, sure, but we saw them before. We asked them if they knew any splendid views hereabouts, and Mariota flirted with them. They said they would come with us, but Mariota said they could not, and so they ran after us. That’s when we encountered those men. I thought the first ones would help us, but they didn’t.”

Hector turned his gaze to the two men in question. “What have you to say to the lass’s description of events?”

“There be nowt we can say, laird, but that there were four o’ them and nobbut the two of us,” the taller of the two said.

“You spoke to these ladies?”

“Aye, we did.” The man hung his head.

“You knew they were gently born?”

“Aye, but when she—”

“I do not want to hear about what she did, only what you did,” Hector said grimly. “You are men of Lochbuie, are you not?”

“Aye, sir.”

“And you would like to remain men of Lochbuie?”

“Aye.”

The other nodded. Both men looked frightened.

Cristina was astonished at how quickly the focus shifted to the two lads who had rushed in to help Hector. He looked angrier with them than with the two who had assaulted Mariota and Isobel. She stood quietly and felt profound relief when he said, “I’ll attend to you two when we get home. For now, you can lead these two on their ponies. Later you will come back here and bury the two dead men.”

“The abbot will want t’ say words over them first,” one of the captives said. “They be his kinsmen.”

“Then you may tell him where they are buried if I don’t hang you,” Hector said. “You’d do well to hold your tongue now, however. Your chatter annoys me.”

Cristina felt another shiver at his tone and was not surprised when none of the others said a word.

Hector lifted her onto her horse, then moved to do the same for Mariota and Isobel. To the two Lochbuie men, he said, “I’ll expect you to bring those two villains home without incident, but we’ll reach home before you do, so I’ll send men to meet you, in case of trouble. You should be safe enough, though, if you follow the south shore.”

“Aye, sir. We’ll ha’ nae trouble wi’ them.”

Cristina guided her mount up next to Isobel. “Are you all right, love?”

“Oh, yes, but it was frightening when it happened, Cristina. I did not like it when the first two tried to come with us, but you know how Mariota flirts.”

Cristina nodded. She did know.

When Hector and Mariota joined them, they rode back the way they had come. In the silence of the forest, Hector said, “I thought I had made my wishes plain before, but since you two seem not to have understood them, I will make them plain now. You are not to leave the castle without an armed escort. Neither of your two encounters today would have occurred had you obeyed me.”

Isobel said, “Cristina told us that, to be sure, but Mariota said she only said so because she was afraid to ride out alone herself, not knowing the countryside yet and all. And Mariota also said—”

“I don’t need to hear what everyone said,” Hector said evenly. “I’m telling you both now that you will obey me or you will not ride at all. I will not tolerate defiance, so do not try my patience any further.”

“No, sir,” Isobel said. “I’ll remember.”

When Mariota did not say a word, Cristina gave her a pointed look, but if she noticed, she gave no sign. With a sigh, Cristina turned her attention to Isobel, wondering if Hector would say more to Mariota or leave well enough alone.

Hector let Cristina and Isobel ride a little ahead before he said, “I hope you don’t mean to defy me, lass. It would not be wise.”

“Dear me, sir, I would never do such a thing. Indeed, whatever Isobel may have thought, I did no such thing today. It is surely not my fault if Cristina led me to believe that she was merely suggesting we take an escort. Nor is it my fault that she dallied so long that we assumed she had changed her mind about going with us. Your lads said naught of armed escorts, nor did they hesitate to provide us with horses, so you can scarcely blame me for thinking I did nothing wrong.”

“Perhaps, but only until that first pair took liberties with you,” he said dryly.

She shrugged. “They are young men, sir. Young men always flirt with me, and I try not to be unkind, no matter how others may behave toward me.”

“Did they do aught else?”

She sighed. “I should not have said that. I was not speaking of anyone I met today, and indeed, I hope you will not be too harsh with those men of yours.”

“They deserve flogging, and I believe in giving men—and women, too—what they deserve. Had they gone farther than they did, I’d hang them.”

“Dear me, you sound very fierce. I hope you do not mean to give me what I deserve. I have already suffered dreadfully.” She sighed again, more heavily.

“Is your life so unbearable then?” he asked with a teasing smile.

“Well, you should know, sir. My own father and sister tricked the man who wanted to marry me into giving me up.”

“I thought you bore some part in that, too.”

“Goodness me, no. They locked me in my room until it was all over. I have never felt so betrayed, I promise you, for it was the most dreadful thing anyone has ever done to me. I’m sure I would have adored being Lady Maclean and mistress of Lochbuie, for it is a comfortable castle, albeit not as comfortable as Chalamine.”

“Would you enjoy managing a large household?” he asked.

“Oh, I expect I should if I had enough servants,” she said naively. “Cristina did all that at Chalamine until she left, and Adela does most of it now because she enjoys it and I do not like to deny her that pleasure. Still, it seems simple enough. One just tells the servants what one wants them to do and they do it.”

Hector thought she was probably right. That was generally what he did, after all, but he had never thought to ask his people to do a good many of the things they seemed to do now that Cristina had taken up the reins of his household.

He enjoyed his conversation with Mariota, and wished the ride home might have lasted longer. He found her charming and delightfully flirtatious, if a trifle overfond of herself, and he believed that she had suffered a good deal through the trick her father had served them. It seemed, too, that her family did not appreciate her as they should.

Only when he recalled that he had now to deal with four miscreants and see to the burial of two others did he remember that he had meant to scold her severely for her disobedience. By then, however, she had ridden into the barn with Cristina and Isobel, and he was reluctant to follow them merely to issue his rebuke.

Cristina slid down from her horse and told the lad who looked after it to rub it down well. Then, turning to her sisters, she said, “Go directly inside now, for I want to speak to both of you.”

Isobel looked self-conscious, but Mariota nodded and turned with a smile to the lad taking her horse. “Thank you for looking after him so well,” she said. “I like him very much and would like to ride him again soon, mayhap tomorrow.”

“Mariota, go on ahead with Isobel and wait for me in the hall, if you please,” Cristina said. “I must have a word with Hector before I join you.”

Mariota did not reply but told Isobel to hurry.

Satisfied that they would obey, Cristina found Hector in the yard rubbing down his horse and looking bemused. “What will you do with those men?” she asked.

“Doubtless hang one pair and flog the second,” he said. “Why?”

“If the ones you mean to hang are Mackinnons, will that not exacerbate the problems you already face with the Green Abbot?”

“It may,” he replied. “But I cannot allow them to assault my kinswomen with impunity. They’ll have a chance to state their case at the next laird’s court. Until then, they can enjoy the hospitality of my pit.”

“And the other two are our own men?”

“They are. I mean to flog them both myself.”

“That is harsh punishment,” she said with a frown.

“It is what they expect and what they deserve, however, and I don’t mean to disappoint them or to debate my decision with you, madam.”

She frowned. “Of course not, sir, although from the sound of it, Mariota led them to believe she was a light-skirt of some sort. It hardly seems fair to punish them if they believed they were merely engaging in a flirtation.”

“Sakes, lass, they admitted they realized the moment she spoke to them that she and Isobel were wellborn. And you’ll not persuade me that you think those two were merely flirting with Isobel as well. They must have frightened her witless.”

She sighed. “My sisters both behaved badly, sir. I understand why you did not scold them, for Mariota is an expert at avoiding reprimands. Doubtless, she flirted with you, too, because that is her way with all men. All the same, to punish our men when the fault lies equally with Mariota and Isobel for disobeying seems unduly harsh to me. Doubtless you know best, however, so I shall say no more.”

“Go inside, lass, and if you are concerned about your sisters’ part in this, tell them so. Tell them also that I shall not be as lenient if they are unwise enough to do such a thing again.”

Nodding, understanding that although she felt sorry for the men he would flog, they did deserve their fate, she went to find her sisters.

Hector watched her go, admiring her dignity and the gentle sway of her hips but feeling oddly uncertain of himself. He knew she was right, that it was unfair to blame only the lads when her sisters were at fault, too.

Sakes, but he had not even said that much to Mariota. Instead, he had enjoyed her flirtation, perhaps even flirted a bit back. Nevertheless, he would do himself no favors if he were lenient with his men. The two expected flogging, and he had a reputation to maintain.

He sent lads to meet the prisoners and their escort and busied himself in the yard and the barn until they returned. Then, ordering the Mackinnon pair relegated to his pit-dungeon, in the cellar of the main tower, until he could take the time to hold a laird’s court, he ordered the two Lochbuie miscreants into the barn.

Facing them, his countenance as stern as he could make it, he said, “What have the pair of you to say for yourselves?”

“We didna ken at first that they was noblewomen, laird, but we should ha’ minded our manners better after they spoke to us. We deserve whatever ye decide t’ do wi’ us, and that’s plain enough,” the older one said miserably.