Knight's Legacy (10 page)

“We Scots hate the English, no matter how verra dear ye be to our King. We dinnae want ye on our land! I see the question in your eyes. To answer it, I wish no war. Lady Montwain has made this a happy day for me. I'll not be buryin' my Helen, nor the boy. Your wife is a fine midwife. It be hard to trust anyone a part of Mackay, yet she was not afraid to do her best. She is with Helen now. Come.”

Roderic left Gavin to wait outside and followed the Laird into the great hall. Cat came walking down the steps holding the bairn. The weak little mews from the babe soon became a strong wail.

Cat looked up at Roderic and smiled sweetly as she handed the boy to his father.

His wife was not at all concerned with his anger. She sighed as if she had just finished a good meal.

“Helen and I said our farewells,” Cat said to Maitland. “She is sleeping soundly now, and Rachel is with her. Helen is very weak, but she should be well and sound in a few days. Rachel is a fine healer, but she needed another pair of hands.”

“ 'Tis true. It took both of them to bring this lad into the world,” Maitland said as he stared down at his son.

“Roderic. Isn't he a handsome bairn?” she said.

“Yes, indeed. He is a fine son, Maitland. I'll take my wife home now.”

“There will be peace between us, Montwain. Your wife's act of kindness will not be forgotten. Think ye to need my aid, ye ask, and it will be granted. Your wife has courage.”

The bairn stopped its crying when his father touched him tenderly.

“One that can draw a sword of challenge to me would have need of it,” he said. The Laird was smiling at Brianna, a teasing glint in his eye.

Roderic was incensed by this bit of information, and stepped forward to grip his wife's elbow none too gently.

“Go, now, Brianna. Get on your horse. We leave immediately.”

Roderic thought it absurd that she should look so affronted. He was the one who had a right to his anger. Her pretty face flushed with humiliation while she said her farewells to Maitland, and abruptly stomped out of the great hall.

“She is a proud, strong woman. Comely, too. Many of my warriors would have kept her, and damn the war it started with an Englishmon. But debt for my own overshadowed my desire to appease my men. If ye give her a lickin' for the worry ye suffered, be sure to soothe her pride after. Mayhap she lacks caution, but dinnae forget the kind heart that moved her to such folly,” Maitland said.

Roderic would never have believed that after one day of wedded bliss, he would be taking advice about how to beat his wife and actually relish the prospect.

He walked outside to the horses, where Brianna, ignoring Gavin's offer of assistance, hurled herself onto the back of her mount with the speed and grace of an arrow. She sat astride the animal trembling with indignation, eyes flashing green fire.

Roderic got on his mount and came before her. Reaching out with his dagger, he cut the sword from her belt and tossed it to Gavin.

“Was it absolutely necessary to humiliate me in that manner?”

She made her demand in a cold, hard voice. Roderic leaned toward her and gripped her wrist.

“Brianna … do … not … speak. I am very close to beating you right now, and I am sure if it is to be done, you would want it done when we are alone. You could have started a war here today. Many men could have died because of your actions. You are my wife, and you will obey me. Be silent!”

“Well, excuse me, your worship!”

She said the word “excuse” as if it had three syllables. He was in no mood for her jests.

“Enough! You endangered your own life by running away! You also endangered that of the boy …”

“Kenneth followed me! I tried to make him go home before we came upon the Maitlands,” she said urgently.

“It matters not! I did not permit you to leave the castle! Even if your motive was one of mercy, it can not be excused. You left with a strange man to cross another clan's borders! That alone can start a war! Knowing it, you took no heed of the consequences and drew your sword in a challenge to a Laird, who could have hacked you to pieces! For that and more I will punish you, and you will accept it as your due!” His tone was cold and furious.

She stared him down and one brow quirked haughtily. Sarcasm dripped from her like venom.

“Sir Montwain, I have only one response to your arrogant assumption.” She paused before she spoke again angrily. “Accept it as my due?”

Cat pushed his hand away. “As they say in England …
like bloody hell!”

For no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth peaceable fruit.

~Hebrews 12:11

G
avin urged his mount closer to Roderic's. “Your temper has cooled?”

Roderic glanced briefly behind him. His wife had gone to ride with the rest of his warriors, placing ten riders between them.

“Nay, I still wrestle with the desire to beat her before you all!”

Gavin chuckled. “Ah, once I kenned how a lass could twist a mon's purpose and duty. Yea, though, a wife? 'Tis true of a bride hundredfold. Still, mayhap there is good to come of what happened today.”

“You seek to defend her?”

“Nay. But, if Maitland is now an ally 'Tis a boon that should be heeded as you do your duty.” Gavin grinned without remorse.

“My wrath amuses you?”

Gavin laughed. “Aye, to see ye at last befuddled by a woman, I be vastly amused.”

Roderic rode back to his wife. Grabbing the reins of her horse, he kicked his own to a canter , and returned to the front of the group. Turning to Gavin, he raised his voice.

“I wish for some time alone with my wife. We will stay parallel with you.”

“Aye,” Gavin said.

When they were a comfortable distance from his army, he turned to Cat. “Is being my wife so abhorrent that you would rather be raped or dead?” he demanded.

The look of shock and disbelief on her face could not have been feigned.

“No! Why would you ask that?”

“To run away as you did would certainly lead to your capture by a rival clan. Robert Maitland could have kept you hostage if the circumstances had not won his loyalty, and he could have held you for ransom. You must know this!”

Momentarily confused, she glanced away. “I don't. I had no idea.”

There was a puzzled frown on his face. Could she truly be unaware of the danger?

“How can this be, Brianna? Every young woman in the Highlands is taught of such danger from the cradle. You must understand the hatred for your father is so great many would kill you to avenge those they have mourned.”

“I have been allowed more freedom. I can't tell you why I ran away; you wouldn't believe me. But I wasn't aware of the danger, and I certainly wouldn't have gone had I known it would bring you trouble.”

“The Mackay gave you so few rules that he cared not if you put yourself in danger?” His tone was laced with disbelief.

She didn't answer, but merely looked away and shrugged. “You saved my life. I suppose I should learn to listen to you.”

He studied her expression, and she appeared truly repentant, even vexed with herself.

“Aye, and so you shall. You will obey me, Brianna. For if you do not, you endanger not only yourself, but my army as well. Gavin has told me to consider well the alliance you have created with Maitland. But, I will have your vow to never leave the keep without my permission.”

Her manner was somewhat calmer as she took a deep breath and sighed. “All right already. Fine. I will be the little woman of the manor.”

“Jest with me not, lady. We must return to the others, but we will discuss this again when we arrive at the keep.”

They rode back to his men, Roderic facing a dilemma of his own making. Having told his wife earnestly that he would never hurt her, he had made a promise he would be unable to keep. Though he was disgusted by the very thought he had no choice, for he read well the contempt his warriors directed at her. She had not only forced them to postpone the journey to meet with the King, she had put them all in danger.

The Scots who made up his army were good and loyal men, and they believed in harsh justice. He had fought beside them, but their loyalty was hard won and a burdensome struggle to maintain. In their eyes he was still born an Englishman, and they had buried many kin killed by the English.

Roderic thought back to the circumstances that placed him, a boy of ten years, in Alexander's care, and remembering the old warrior who found him when his family was killed by the Saxons. He could smell the smoke of his home burning, hear the sounds of his mother and sisters screaming as they died. The old one had saved him, hiding Roderic away, stealing a horse. Then they had traveled for three days without stopping for food or drink. Roderic took little notice, for his heart closed up inside his body. Having no tears, he had faced the worst he could suffer, losing all who had meant love, warmth, and safety, and he had not even the will to struggle.

He became hungry on the fourth day and ate the food offered by the old man. Losing track of how long they traveled, Roderic did as he was told and walked where he was led. At last, the old one came upon a band of Scottish warriors, Alexander among them, and he urged Roderic to go to them.

Alexander looked after him, and in time he grew stronger. He had been trained and loved by the man, but never once did Alexander allow his hand to become slack and permissive. If he disobeyed, Roderic was beaten for his own good and well-being.

Catherine had endangered them all by her actions, and he would be expected to correct the matter. His men's loyalty was unquestioned, but never far from Roderic's mind was the fact that he was not born to Scotland. The command of this army was a responsibility he held sacred, and he did not risk the lives of his men for foolishness, but for right and truth as Alexander demanded of them all.

His wife had a compassionate woman's heart, but she did wrong putting the safety of one woman and her child above that of so many others. A perplexing mixture of child and woman, she had no fear, as the Maitland Laird had said. It seemed true as she had spit at Roderic like an angry cat when she should have been begging his forgiveness. She had then plead ignorance of her danger. It was impossible. He could believe such of the simple minded boy, Kenneth, but not of her.

A healthy fear was necessary, it was a hard life in the Highlands. If she did not have a fear to exercise caution, she must be taught one, and soon, or it could mean her life.

Convinced she was attempting to escape him and their marriage, he had been prepared for her denouncement. Roderic's pride was dealt a blow at the thought, making him angry enough to carry out her punishment. Her denial and confusion baffled him. His wife forced his logical mind into a tangle, and his problems with her were as a flock of birds he wished to catch scattered on a hillside. He didn't know which one to capture first. Still, capture them he would, for his wife would obey him at all cost.

They stopped to water the horses, and Gavin approached him.

“I must speak to you. Alec has brought something to my attention. It may explain much. One left behind by Mackay has said that your wife is not what she appears. They say she is mad.”

Roderic frowned and then scoffed. “What nonsense. Who said this?”

“An older man who was left with the women. He implied to Alec you best not relax your guard, and beware of Mackay, who has tricked you by giving you a madwoman as wife.”

“He said this of Brianna?”

“Aye. It could be the reason why she put herself in such danger. If her mind is weak as the boy's …”

“You don't believe such tales. The woman is headstrong … but intelligent.”

“It would appear so. Long did I consider the wisdom of bringing this to your attention. Yet, dinnae allow her beauty to blind you to what could be the truth.”

Roderic shook his head. “She will not blind me to my duty, and will be disciplined if need be. I must make certain she cannot put herself in danger again, and I will know her reasons for leaving. I promised I would never hurt her, yet her actions today could have started a war.”

“ 'Tis verra true. What if the Maitland babe had died? What if she had been unable to help? We would have had a bloody battle, indeed. Still, she must have a way as a healer to have helped the lady with the birthing, and she did win the Laird's loyalty.”

“She knew we were to go to the King, but did not wish it. I sought to calm her fears, and then she ran. If that was the reason, why would she dread meeting the King? Most ladies would love to go to court.”

“True,” Gavin said. He looked reluctant to speak his thoughts. “Did all go well on your first night together? Some women can be very timid,” he said, glancing away.

Roderic was immersed with the memories of that night, and had no intention of sharing them with Gavin, or anyone else. He held them too precious.

“All was well, and she was far from timid.” His tone was coolly disapproving. “She is never timid, and one could wish it! Catherine drew her sword on the Laird,” Roderic said.

Gavin's eyes widened in shock.

“Aye,” Roderic said. “For that alone she deserves a hiding as any child would get for doing such a foolish thing. He could have killed her.” There was a tremble in Roderic's deep voice.

Gavin understood that the anger in his friend was not unlike that of a parent pulling his child out of the way of the hearth. The pain of a beating on the backside would be much less than the horrible pain of being burned or scarred by fire.

“Aye. I don't envy your task ahead. Your new bride will need to be watched closely. Guarded. If she is treated as a prisoner, it will hardly warm her affections, nor will the punishment you must see she receives. Ye also must ask yourself if her loyalties truly lie with you.”