I’ve learned, thanks to you, Aileanna, that my men fared much better than I anticipated.”
“Aye, and next time we meet the MacDonald, we’ll be ready for the sneaky old bastard,” Iain said. Men all along the tables heard his comment and pounded their fists against the scarred wood. A loud chorus of ayes filled the room.
Ali couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “Please, tell me you aren’t serious. My God, you were almost killed. Several of your men died.” An image of a battlefield like the one she’d seen on the tapestry the day she arrived flashed before her. Her stomach lurched at the thought of Rory in the midst of that slaughter.
He shrugged. “’Tis the way of it, lass. We have no choice.”
“Of course you do. You always have a choice. Wasn’t your wife a MacDonald?”
Iain nudged her foot beneath the table, and she nudged him back. She wasn’t about to keep quiet. It was too important. She had to find a way to make Rory see reason—to stop the senseless loss of life.
“Aye.” Rory’s expression turned fierce. Gone was the teasing man of earlier, replaced by someone she wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley, or anywhere else for that matter.
“Are the men you fight with not related to her, can’t—?”
“’Tis her father.”
“You both loved the same woman. Surely there’s a way to settle your differences without bloodshed.”
“’Tis none of yer concern.” His tone was dismissive.
“You’re right, it’s not,” she said, pushing back from the table. “Please, give Cook my compliments. Good night.”
Rory looked ready to say something, but instead he stood and offered her his arm. “I’ll see you to yer room, Aileanna.”
“I can manage.” She brushed past him, her attention drawn to a flurry of activity at the far end of the hall. Several men surrounded a big, fair-haired man, pounding his back. Ali caught a glimpse of his face when the crowd parted and noted his coloring—the man was purple.
“Stop that,” she called out. Lifting her skirts, she rushed toward them. When she reached the man, she wrapped her arms around him. Making a fist, Ali placed her other hand over it and gave a quick upward thrust to his abdomen, repeating the motion five times. On the last thrust, a small bone shot out of his mouth and landed in the goblet of the man across from him.
“Thank ye, thank ye, my lady,” he gasped. “I couldna’ breathe.”
Ali patted his arm. “That’s what happens when you’re about to choke to death. Next time you might not want to swallow the bone along with the meat.”
“Aye,” he said sheepishly, to the amusement of his friends.
“It seems I’ll be forever in yer debt where my men are concerned, Lady Aileanna.” Rory took her arm, grabbed a torch from the wall, and led her from the hall.
“Here, give me that.” She reached for the torch. “I wouldn’t want to take you away from your battle plans.”
Rory sighed, the grim lines of his face softening in the dim light. “Aileanna—” He stopped. A commotion at the castle’s entrance drew his attention. The two men who entered were covered in grime and armed to the teeth. Rory indicated they were to wait, then stepped back into the hall and called for Connor. When the lad appeared he said, “Take Lady Aileanna to her room.”
Just like that she was dismissed, and more annoyed than she knew was reasonable. After all, hadn’t she been the one to tell him she didn’t want him to see her to her room? Ah, but when you looked at that towering mountain of a man, and his beautiful green eyes, all you could think of was how his mouth would feel kissing you good-night, the little voice in her head said. Ali didn’t bother issuing an objection. The stupid little voice was right.
“Thank you, Connor,” Ali said when they came to her room. The hall was damp and cold, and she was unable to contain a shiver.
“I can see to yer fire, my lady,” he offered with a shy smile.
“I’d appreciate that. I’m not very good at it.” She wasn’t. On her second day at Dunvegan—if not for Fergus and Mrs. Macpherson coming to her rescue—she would’ve died from smoke inhalation after her first attempt.
Ali opened the door to her chambers to find her young maid scouring the floor, a bucket of soapy water at her side. “Mari, what are you doing working at this hour? Have you had anything to eat?”
“Nay, but I will, my lady. I didna’ realize the time, is all,” the girl said, averting her eyes from Connor, who appeared to be doing the same.
“Connor, have you met Mari?”
His cheeks turned bright red. A lock of reddish brown hair fell across his forehead. “Aye…nay.”
“Mari, have you met Connor?”
The girl shook her head. Her face flushed the same color as her hair.
Ali held back a laugh. “Connor, Mari. Mari, Connor.”
They gave each other a brief nod, but while Connor busied himself with the fire, Ali saw him glance every so often in Mari’s direction. And Mari peeked at him whenever she thought he wasn’t looking.
“Connor, when you’re finished here would you mind taking Mari to get something to eat? She’s new to Dunvegan.”
“Nay, my lady, ’tis fine, I…” Mari began to protest.
With a sidelong look at Mari, Connor said, “Aye, my lady, I will.”
The young maid glared at her, and Ali suppressed a laugh, happy to see her spurt of temper. When Connor wasn’t looking, Ali mouthed He’s very cute. Mari’s expression didn’t change, but Ali thought she saw her lips twitch.
Ali shut her eyes to the early morning sunlight streaming through the open drapes on her window and snuggled deeper into the comfort of her feather bed. Now that was something she’d miss. Hah, you’ll miss that beautiful hunk of a man next door, the voice in her head chimed in. Ali buried her head beneath the pillow. That wasn’t something she wanted to think about.
“My lady?”
Ali removed the pillow from her head and blinked. “Oh, Mari, sorry, I didn’t see you there. I—” She sat up and stared at her maid. The girl stood before her, resplendent in the bright yellow gown, twisting her hands in front of her.
“Mari, you look wonderful.” Noting the girl’s frightened expression, she said, “Something’s the matter. What is it?”
“He’s here, my lady.” Her eyes filled with tears.
Ali got out of bed and pulled the trembling girl into her arms. “Who’s here?”
“The priest. The one who wanted to put me to the stake.”
Ali rubbed her maid’s back, remembering what Mrs. Mac had told her the day she brought Mari to her. Knowing what she did, Ali could well imagine the young girl’s terror. “Shh, now, how do you know he’s here?”
“The maids were talkin’ aboot it. The laird’s men brought him in yester eve.”
“Did they say why?”
“Aye, he’s demanding an audience with the laird.” The last of her words came out on a sob.
“Don’t worry, Mari. Lord MacLeod won’t let anyone hurt you, and neither will I. You trust me, don’t you?”
“Aye, my lady.” She sniffed, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.
“You’ll stay in my room. I’ll find you some mending and you can sit by the fire for the day. How does that sound?”
“Verra good.”