Kara Griffin - Gunn Guardsmen (22 page)

Kenneth marched to him. The crowd separated allowing him access to the paunchy ill-bred lout. His anger rose tenfold and he took the man by the throat and lifted him. “Because I am your laird.” Kenneth needed to make a show of force to gain the clans’ people’s respect. He tossed the man to the ground.

“I will be making changes. Mending the cottages for the upcoming winter. Seeing to our farms so they’re prepared for the next planting season. There is much to do and we must begin now before it is too late. If we don’t many may die this winter season. If that is your wish…”

“How are you going to do that?” a man shouted.

Kenneth walked among the people. He kept his voice at a high enough tone for them to hear him, but forceful enough to instill intimidation. “With your help and a wee bit of coin we can make this place as prosperous as it had once been.”

“You have coin?” another shouted.

“Aye, enough to bring us back to some semblance of living.”

“Why should we trust you?” a dark-haired man asked.

“Aye, you didn’t come when your father died. Why come back now?” a woman asked.

“I wasn’t sure I was needed here. Now I see that I am. And you will trust me,” Kenneth said, daring with his glare that any one of them refute his statement. None did.

Then Sean called with a whistle. He waited until all the clan turned to look at him. “I am your laird’s longtime friend and I tell you there is no finer man to lead you. And with his wife by his side you all will prosper.”

“Who be his wife?” a woman asked.

Sean motioned to Elisa and took her hand to help her onto the cart. “I present Elisa, daughter of Robert MacQuarrie, wife of Kenneth McInnish.”

A silence came over the entire clan. They stood watching, their mouths agape. A stiff wind could have knocked them over for they seemed captivated by Elisa. Kenneth jumped onto the cart and Sean jumped down. He took Elisa’s hand and raised it.

“You forgot me,” she said to him, and then smiled at the crowd.

“Nay I didn’t,” he said, watching her. She kept her gaze on the crowd and smiled.

Then a reverberation of whispers began.

“She’s a MacQuarrie,” a woman said to the man next to her.

“She’s the blessed one,” a man said to a woman next to him.

“Aye she’s an angel sent to save us.”

The women of the clan fell to their knees and the men raised their swords into the air. Kenneth wasn’t sure what happened and why they were so fascinated with Elisa’s presence. They began chanting Lady McInnish until their voices so boisterous they were shouting. The clan appeared happy and extremely joyous to learn of her.

Elisa smiled at the crowd and then looked at him. She took her hand from his and held up a finger. Everyone immediately quieted.

“Your laird … Kenneth McInnish. You should all be thanking God for sending him.” Elisa’s smile faltered when the crowd’s silence met her.

One of the lads shouted, “We’re all thanking God he sent you.”

“Without him I would not have come. Listen to him for he only means to do well by you.”

“We shall, milady,” someone shouted from back in the crowd. “If you say so.”

Kenneth was baffled and astounded by their reaction to Elisa. Little did she know she helped him more than she would ever realize for she’d gotten the clan to accept him.

“Toil yields delight.” He stated his clan’s dictum. “We all will work hard … together and bring about the return of our clan’s fortune. Send your chosen men to the hall first thing in the morn.”

Kenneth gave Sean a nod of thanks when he passed by. He led Elisa into the hall and pulled her against him when they were out of sight of the clan and kissed her long and hard. “You astound me, Elisa. I can see why the clan adores you.”

Helena coughed to get their attention. She sat in the chair at the head of the table. Kenneth decided one victory at a time and he was too pleased the meeting went as well as he’d hoped. He wasn’t about to start an argument with Helena over a seat.

Supper was served, a bland meal that probably wasn’t cooked properly. First thing on Kenneth’s list was to find a good cook for the keep. After eating so well at the Gunn’s for years, he was not going to suffer such a slight. Thankfully none came inside the hall for the midday meal.

During supper, Helena spoke little to which Kenneth was grateful. He considered it might bode well to discuss her position in the clan. He’d made such progress with the clan and needed her to understand he wouldn’t allow her meddling.

“Helena, we should discuss—”

“You’re pleased with yourself are you not, lad? Aye you’re as puffed as a morning cock. Won them over you did. I heard the chants, lass.” Helena raised her cup as if to salute him and drank.

“Do you know why they were so happy to discover Elisa is my wife?”

“There were rumors she survived mac Raghnaill’s slaughter. For everyone was devastated Robert’s daughter was killed. ‘Twas known she was to be the queen.”

“Aye her sister was, but Elisa was not.”

“Elisa was destined for a greater cause in the McInnish clan’s eyes. She was intended to wed Greer. For MacQuarrie and your father, God bless him, had arranged a betrothal. She was to wed your brother.”

Kenneth’s stomach coiled. He frowned and thought he’d misheard her. “Nay, Greer would have told me had he known. I never heard mention of it.”

“Greer knew. He went with Grey to see her, but the lass,” she said and looked at Elisa, “… was nowhere to be found that day. ‘Twas said she went off in the woods and wouldn’t return for hours. Greer didn’t stay long enough to meet her for Grey was only there to relay a message.”

Kenneth couldn’t recall Grey going to MacQuarrie land ever, and considered he must have been on sentry duty and out surveying their lands. “Did Greer agree to the betrothal?”

Helena grinned and seemed happy at imparting this news. “Of course he agreed. He would never go against your father’s wishes. And he had met her sister, Mauri, who was said to look like his intended. She must have been a bonny lass, too, for he seemed well pleased by the match.”

“Elisa, did you know?”

Elisa looked at her lap when she answered, “I knew I was betrothed, if that’s what you mean. But I didn’t know to whom. I always thought my father would tell me when I was old enough. I thought I would meet him akin to how Mauri had met Alexander. But I never did and when Domhnall took me I assumed it was he I was betrothed to. That is what he led me to believe.”

His blood boiled. He’d married his brother’s intended wife? This day had to be the worst of any he’d existed.

Helena tapped the floor with her walking stick. “He weren’t supposed to wed her until he became laird and as we know that never happened. Seemed her father revered her because she cared for animals, and had talent for the medicinal practices. As you know, your father, Kenneth, was too proud and told all within our clan of her merits.”

“I didn’t know him,” Kenneth said with a bit of angst in his tone, “but he was proud of Greer and the role he would have taken. Before I take to my bed, Helena, I wish to discuss your role within the clan. I deem you might be happier if you returned to your clan. There is nothing here for you.”

Helena stood, holding onto the end of the table. “Kenneth, you would send me away? I always took your side against your father. Nay, I don’t want to leave. It has been too many years and I would not be welcomed back onto MacHeth land. Besides, I am too aged to make such a journey.”

Kenneth believed her, for the MacHeth clan wasn’t known to be welcoming and now an enemy of many clans since their leader had gone against Alexander. And her sorrowful tone made him flinch. He couldn’t be such an arse and yet he couldn’t allow her here if she continued to try to rule.

“Kenneth, what if she agreed to certain terms?” Elisa asked.

“If you wish to stay, Helena, there will be changes. I cannot have your interference in my commands.”

“I will not leave my Kelsi behind,” she said forlornly.

Kenneth shook his head. Helena was one confusing woman. “Who is Kelsi?”

“Your stepsister, my daughter.”

He was dumfounded. Kenneth had never heard mention of a sister. Then again it seemed he was the only McInnish who didn’t know about Elisa.

“Aye, she took to the woods after your father died. They were close and she was distraught. I am waiting for her. She will return one day and mayhap now that you have returned …”

Kenneth winced. He thought he knew all there was to know about his family yet he knew little. His head spun from all this unbeknownst news.

“She was born the autumn after we visited you and Greer at the Gunn’s, just after Grey became laird after his father died.”

Kenneth remembered that visit and how his father had said very little to him. It was one of the five times in his life he’d gotten roaring drunk. The three other times were mainly due to his trying to best either Duff, Sean, James, Colm or Greer at dice. The last when he’d affronted Elisa. As he’d gotten older drink didn’t much appeal to him and nor were the repercussions of a night of imbibing.

“That puts the lass about seven and ten?” Kenneth became concerned and his body tensed at the thought of someone her age out in the woods alone. “Have you searched for her? How long has she been missing?”

“She left when she were ten and five. Aye, but the lass doesn’t want to be found and knows the woods well for she spent much time in them when she was wee. She will return when she is ready and I want to be here when she does.” Helena took her seat, looking exhausted.

“Very well. You must not contradict any orders I give. Is that understood?” Kenneth waited for her affirmation.

Helena stared at him for a minute before nodding.

“And you are not to interfere with anything Elisa does,” he added.

“I wouldn’t want to upset the lass,” Helena said.

“I’ll speak with you on the morrow, Lady McInnish,” Elisa said. “I’m sure you’ll be a great help to me. I shall need your guidance.”

The woman chuffed and was appeased. “Helena, lass, call me Helena. Now that I know my dearest Joseph’s wishes came true that you wed his son, you shall always be endeared to me.”

Kenneth bid her a goodnight and took the steps. He noticed the loosened board on the third step from the top of the stairs. Elisa took the board in her hand and moved it back into place.

“The board is loose, Kenneth. You should have if fixed before someone breaks their neck.”

He’d made a mental note to fix it. “I’ll take care of it.”

Kenneth was exhausted and more than that, confused by all which he’d learned this evening. He wanted to hit the bed and close his eyes and try to put the anguish behind him.

Elisa began undressing and he sat on the bedside, feeling waylaid. He flexed his hands, trying to ease the tension within him.

“It was destiny, Kenneth.”

“Mayhap,” he said absently.

“I was supposed to wed the laird of McInnish and that’s exactly what I did.”

“Nay, you were supposed to wed Greer.” Kenneth couldn’t bring himself to lie with her and without another word; he took an extra plaid from the bench and left the chamber. He heard Elisa calling him back and then the chamber door slam, but he couldn’t return for he needed to consider the fact that he was bedding a woman meant for another, and that other was his brother.

He needed air and there was nothing better than sleeping outdoors to clear one’s head. He set off to the loch and welcomed the bite in the wind. Once he reached the water, he looked for a spot where he could lay and set his tartan on the ground.

He peered at the darkened heavens and sparkling stars above hoping it would help soothe his restless soul. Why was he blessed to receive everything that was supposed to be his brother’s? Kenneth wasn’t certain he was worthy of such graces. He’d never done anything valiant enough to reap such rewards. As he drifted off to sleep, he sensed someone watched him. Too tired to care, he shook off the feeling.

Kenneth discerned he had to come to terms that he’d wed the woman once betrothed to Greer. Would Greer care that he’d been given all that belonged to him?

“Nay, he wouldn’t object. You’re the only arse objecting,” he berated himself aloud.

He opened his eyes and stared across the loch, certain he heard the sound of a twig breaking. He removed the dagger from his boot and held it at his side. Listening, he didn’t catch any further noise. Kenneth lay back and said, “Aye, I am a fortunate arse. What the hell am I doing out here?”

He swiped his tartan from the ground and walked briskly toward the keep. For one thing it was too damned cold to sleep outdoors this night and for another, he had a warm willing woman lying in his bed.

He entered the keep and found Sean lying on the floor in front of the lit hearth. He dropped his tartan and took a cup, dunking it in the ale barrel and drinking it down.

“Are you sleeping in here tonight, Sean?”

“Aye, too damned cold outdoors. And I wanted to ensure all was right with you. The meeting went better than expected.”

“It did. Did you know Elisa was betrothed to Greer?” Kenneth retrieved the tartan he’d dropped.

Sean sat up and frowned. “What say you? Really? Nay, I didn’t know that. Did Greer know?”

“It’s true, he knew. She was supposed to wed Greer. Our fathers betrothed them years ago.”

“Damned me. This is good news, Kenneth. It got your clan to accept you. And at least your clan has done right by the MacQuarrie’s. They’ve had enough black luck in the past.”

“Aye they did. Have you seen Gordon and Aiden yet? I meant to get a report from them today, but with everything going on, I never did.”

Sean leaned his head to the side. “Nay, they never came to the keep. I’ll go in search of them on the morrow and have them come to give you a report.”

“My thanks. I’m going to bed. I’ll speak with you tomorrow.” When Kenneth reached his chamber, the door was barred from inside. Seemed he was wrong. His lady was far from willing.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

Elisa detested weeping. She always had for her sister was the ‘woe is me’ of the two of them. She’d spent much of her childhood listening to her sister’s lamentation. Anytime Mauri hadn’t gotten her way, she’d break down in a mass of tears or have a tantrum that would last for hours. Elisa didn’t believe any good could come from such a display of emotions and such behavior never changed the outcome of any situation.