Mist Warrior (44 page)
Edmund urged her to rise, helping her to her feet.
“
I should have realized this would be too much for her.
”
He escorted her across the dais to the step.
“
Is it your desire for me to invalidate this marriage?
”
a
voice barked.
Catriona froze on the steps, her head bowed, her body trembl
ed
violently.
“
Glouchester,
”
Greystoke
snapped.
“
Shut up before I shove my sword down your piehole.
”
Catriona
stared at him
. Never had she imagine
Greystoke
would say something so rude. It was the antithesis of everything he and his group represented.
“
Can't you see she is still grieving?
”
he continued.
“
She was widowed only hours after speaking the vows. She saw her husband murdered on what should have been the most joyous day of her life.
”
Her control snapped like rotted wood. Sobs wrenched through her nearly buckling her knees. If it had not been for Edmund holding her arm, she would have collapsed. Hearing the blatant words
,
each and every one of them true, made it real.
It was a
s if memory
b
ecame a physical object and struck her more powerfully than any weapon.
If only she hadn’t distracted Richard, if only she had held her sharp tongue, his attention would have remained focused on the
knight
before him. Instead Richard had died because of her.
Edmund tried to hustle Catriona
off the stairs, to get her out of the room before the painful words could destroy what little strength she had left. But somehow she managed to stop her feet. Her head throbbed
,
her ears rang
,
and
dizziness assailed her
. She couldn't run from this.
She had to find her courage. Catriona
had to put an end this before the law cleric really did invalidate her marriage.
Edmund gazed at her in concern then pressed the back of his fingers against her cheek. His eyes widened. “My lady, you are
—
”
“
There was no bedding ceremony,
”
Glouchester snapped
, jerking her attention back to him
.
“
No one can corroborate that the marriage was ever consummated.
”
“
Your lordship,
”
Edmund said.
“
I told you the chambermaid brought me the evidence when she cleaned my lord's solar the next morning.
”
“
And you still have not shown it to me.
”
“I
also
told you, I will grant you a private audience.”
“What do you fear that you wish to hide the truth?”
Oh dear God, nay! This couldn't be happening.
Catriona’s thoughts raced, but she couldn’t grab a single one.
How could she respond? What should she say? Her ang
uish wrapped around her mind
.
“
Here,
”
a female voice
cried
. Catriona saw a bloodstained bed linen held up for all to see.
“
Oh God,
”
she gasped
. Humiliation completely possessed her. She felt her skin burning as she covered her face with her hands. She no longer fought the sobs wrenching through her. What was the point? She would never be able to set foot in Brackenburgh's hall again. Her knees buckled and she sank onto the stairs.
The hall echoed with hoots and cat-calls, shouts and laughter roared in her ears
,
but over the din
, Catriona
,
heard Edmund and
Greystoke
bellowing at the fool chit
to put the damn thing away. Catriona
risked a quick glance at the law cleric. He watched
her
for a moment, his gloating smile growing broader by the moment.
“
Why?
”
Catriona screamed at him.
“
Why are you doing this?
”
“
Damnation!
”
a
voice roared
,
silencing everyone in the hall.
Catriona jumped violently and looked to the door. A giant shadow stood in the frame blocking most of the light. She fought to blink away the tears clouding her vision. His outline was broad-shouldered, his chest massive
,
leading down to a narrow waist and long legs. He stepped forward into the torchlight of the hall. His long black hair streamed around his shoulders. His sea-green eyes sparked with a rage he barely held in check.
Branan's
gaze stopped immediately on Catriona,
and
he
instantly recognized her distress.
“
W
hat the devil is going on here?”
Branan
strode to the chit who still held the bloody linen and grabbed it from her.
“
Your duties are at an end here,
”
he growled.
“
Get out now.
”
The girl didn't hesitate
,
but ran as if the hounds of hell snapped at her heels.
When Branan moved away from the door, Gavin and soldiers from Thistlewood entered. The mercenary
Greystoke
had spoken to followed. Then Beth sprinted through
,
“
Saints have mercy,
”
Beth said, hugging her tightly.
“
Catriona, are you all right?
”
Catriona could only sob against her friend's shoulder.
****
Catriona's tears twisted Branan's gut and threatened to ignite his rage. How dare these sods torment her? He had stood at the door long enough to hear a
nd see most of what happened. Branan
drew a deep breath
,
trying to master the demon within him. It had been too soon, he belatedly realized
.
R
eturning
Catriona
to Brackenburgh so quickly had not given her enough time to come to terms with Courcy's murder. As he watched Beth try to calm her
, Branan
knew his s
econd error. He had returned Catriona
to face the agony alone
;
no friends to stand with her, nothing.
Branan
approached the dais and crouched, his hand gently caressing Catriona's hair
,
but she was lost to her grief.
“
Beth,
”
he murmured.
“
Take her above-stairs to the ladies solar.
”
“
Aye, MacTavish,
”
Beth replied
,
but Branan knew the lass was not happy with his error and that Catriona suffered for his choices.
“
Teach these fool sods a lesson.
”
“
I plan on it, lassie.
”
Giving him a ghost of a smi shosief.
“
Lock this away where no one but ye can reach it. Because there was no bedding ceremony
,
we may yet need it
,
but I vow Catriona will not suffer this embarrassment again.
”
Edmund nodded, his expression agonized.
“
I pray your forgiveness, MacTavish.
”
“
I do not blame ye,
”
Branan said.
“
'Twas my own mistake. I neglected to consider Catriona's heartbreak. She blames herself for Courcy's death.
”
“
Herself?
”
Edmund asked in disbelief.
“
I dinna allow her enough time to grieve.
”
Branan
sighed heavily
,
but knew he had to deal with the law cleric first.
“
Edmund, I mean to bring this to a stop now. Catriona is a strong willed and fiery spirit
,
but she should not have to bear such malice alone. Last night I swore before God and a priest that I would protect her body and soul.
”
“
Married?
”
he gasped.
“
Nay, not yet
,
but we will be when this is over. Last night, we were handfasted in the Gaelic tradition.
”
Edmund's eyes nearly popped from his skull. Suddenly
,
he bowed.
“
I will serve you and your lady faithfully for as long as you would have me.
”
“
I ken I could count on ye, Edmund.
”
Voices and mutterings rumbled through the hall
,
growing in strength. Except for the servants and the law cleric
,
the people in the hall were minor nobles, travelers, and merchants
,
come to share in the trade and commerce Brackenburgh hosted. They had no ide
a who Branan was or why he was here–
only that he had defended a lady grief-stricken over the murder of her new husband
,
just as chivalry demanded.
