An Honest Mistake

by Bethany Hauck

  Jacqueline nodded at him and snuggled into his side. Soon both fell asleep.

  Chapter 8: Target Practice

  “Wake up, wife,” Connor said, using a feather to tickle her nose.

  “Not again, Connor,” she said, although she was smiling.

  “What do you mean not again, it was you who woke me up the last time,” he teased.

  “I did not,” she said laughing.

  “I didn’t hear you complaining last night,” he said looking down at her.

  “It was how you woke me up,” she said. “Especially the third time.”

  ‘That was fun,” he said to her and leaned down giving her a quick kiss. Just as he began to deepen it, a knock came at the door.

  “Aye,” Connor called out.

  “I was just seeing if Lady Jacqueline was going to need me this morning,” Edith called back.

  “Give me ten minutes to get dressed and out of the way and she’s all yours, Edith,” he said back. Connor jumped out of bed and headed over to the water in the washstand in the room. The water was from the night before and very cold, but he didn’t mind as he washed up.

  Jacqueline was surprised when he walked over towards the bed with a wet cloth in his hands. “Spread your legs, wife,” he said to her.

  “Why?” she asked him.

  “I’m going to clean you up a bit,” he told her. “I thought you might be embarrassed for Edith to see the virgin blood on your thighs.”

  “There’s blood?” she asked alarmed.

  “It’s perfectly normal, Jacqueline,” he told her as he quickly cleaned her and then pulled the covers back over her. “Don’t be so embarrassed.”

  He looked over at his wife who was staring at him. “What?”

  Jacqueline pointed at his now limp cock and said, “that seemed much bigger last night.”

  Connor jumped onto the bed making her laugh as he held her down and kissed her. “It was much bigger last night. Are you still up for your lesson tonight?”

  “Aye,” she said leaning up, and for the first time kissing him first.

  “I need to get down to the hall. Don’t take long and I’ll wait and break my fast with you,” he said, giving her one last kiss before getting dressed and leaving the room. “Might want to put your nightdress on,” he said and winked before closing the door.

  Jacqueline had forgotten she was naked and quickly grabbed it off the floor next to the bed and throwing it on over her head. She was just in time as Edith entered the room.

  “Did you sleep well, Lady Jacqueline?” Edith asked.

  “Aye, Edith,” she answered and blushed, “quite well.”

  “Well let’s get you up and dressed,” Edith said. “I’m sure you’re in need of some food to break your fast.”

  Jacqueline climbed out of bed and as she turned back towards it was shocked to see the large bloodstain on the sheets where she’d slept. She tried to quickly throw the blankets over it.

  “No worries, Lady Jacqueline,” Edith said smiling at her. “That’s a sign of a pure bride. I’ll have the maids come up and put fresh sheets on the bed before the day is out.”

  “The maids will know,” she said once again embarrassed.

  “It really isn’t anything to be ashamed of, My Lady,” Edith assured her. She decided not to tell her the laird had requested the sheets to be delivered to him once the evidence was upon them.

  Edith helped Jacqueline dress and plait her hair for the day before she walked with her down to the hall where Connor, Owen, Fiona and Laird Fraser were already seated ready to begin their morning meal.

  “Good morning, daughter,” Laird Fraser said as he stood to greet her.

  “Good morning, Da,” she said, giving him a quick peck on the cheek, “and good morning to you, brother,” she quickly kissed Owen on his cheek also.

  “What about me, wife?” Connor asked, as Jacqueline went to peck his cheek he quickly turned his head, kissing her firmly on the lips.

  “You scoundrel,” Jacqueline said to him laughing.

  “Good morning, sister,” Fiona said to her cheerfully,

  “Good morning, Fiona,” Jacqueline replied, “my, don’t you look lovely today.”

  “Thank you, Jacqueline,” Fiona said blushing. “You look quite beautiful yourself. So what are your plans for today?”

  “I was hoping someone might show me where I could do a little target practice with my bow,” she answered. “If that’s alright with you, husband?”

  “I can show you where to go,” he said. “I’ve heard you're an excellent shot, do you mind if I join you?”

  Owen laughed and said, “good? She’s better than good. The only one in the McCabe clan better is Eadan.”

  “Really?” Laird Fraser said. “Would you mind if I also came out to watch?”

  “Not at all, Da,” she answered. Then laughed and added, “I’ll even let you challenge me if you want.”

  “I think I’ll just watch today,” Caiden answered laughing with her.

  “Can I come to, Da?” Fiona asked.

  “Of course,” he answered his daughter, then turned back to Jacqueline. “I’m curious as to the reason you were taught to shoot.”

  “It was Eadan’s idea,” she answered. “He always said what if we were attacked and the invaders made it inside the keep, it would be a good idea if I knew how to protect myself.”

  “Does Gleann get attacked often?” the laird asked.

  “Not at all,” Owen said. “I believe once Eadan takes over as Laird, he’ll probably train as many women who want to learn how to handle a bow. You hear of such awful things happening to women that are captured.”

  “I never thought of it that way,” Caiden replied, nodding in agreement. “Maybe Eadan has a point.”

  “I wish I knew how to shoot,” Fiona said.

  “I’d be happy to teach you if Da says it’s alright,” Jacqueline told her. “Of course you’d have to share my bow, the men’s bows are much too difficult to pull back. Eadan had it made special for me.”

  “I think that’s a good idea, Fiona,” her Da said to her, “except you won’t need to use Jacqueline’s bow. We’ll go over to the armory this afternoon and get you measured and have one made to fit you.”

  Just as they were finishing up their breakfast the doors to the hall opened, and two visitors entered. “Ham,” Jacqueline squealed, “and Ross.” She ran to Ham first who picked her up and spun her around before throwing her to his brother who did the same; it was something they had been doing since she was a little girl.

  “Careful with my wife,” Connor said, although he could see she was laughing, he pulled her out of her brother’s arms, put his arm around her and pulled her into his side.

  “What are you doing here?” Jacqueline asked them both.

  “We’re heading back to the palace and our duty. Since Tarmon was on the way, we thought we’d stop and visit with you for a day,” Ham said.

  “Are you checking up on me?” she asked them.

  “Maybe we were a little worried about you after the way you left Gleann,” Ross told her. “It’s good to see you smiling, and even better to know you’re happy to see us.”

  “I’m sorry about the way I left,” she told them both. “I was angry that day.”

  “You look happy, Jacqueline,” Ham said to her, pulling her away from Connor and hugging her again, “I’m glad to see it. I was so worried Da pushed you into an unhappy life.”

  “We were on our way to the target practice field. I’m going to show Laird Fraser that I can shoot,” she said. “Anyone want to challenge me?”

  “Nay,” said Ross. “It does my reputation no good to get beat by a woman.” The rest of the group around them laughed.

  “I just have to run up and get my bow,” Jacqueline told the group. “I’ll be right back.” She quickly ran up the stairs and into the rooms she shared with Connor. As she opened the door, she found a very unwelcome visitor already in the room.

&nbs
p; “What do you think you’re doing in here,” Jacqueline asked Catherine, who was in the bedroom, she had the top open and was snooping through one of Jacqueline’s trunks.

  “I was asked to come up here and put some of your things away,” Catherine said turning towards her with a fake smile on her face.

  “You lie, Catherine,” Jacqueline said. “You don’t even work in the castle. In fact, I heard Connor tell you to leave and stay out of it.”

  “That’s what he said in front of you,” she said smirking, “but to me in private, well, he’s asked me to visit him often.”

  “And when did this conversation happen?” Jacqueline asked, not really believing her but having some doubts.

  “After last evening’s meal,” she said. “I heard your husband was punishing you and had confined you to your room. It gave him plenty of time to spend with me yesterday.”

  “You lie,” Jacqueline again said to her, getting angry.

  “I don’t,” she said. “Connor came to me after his meal; we spent a very enjoyable hour together.”

  “Well then there must be two Connors,” Jacqueline said, “my Connor spent the evening with me. We had our meal together here in our room, and then I can guarantee, he never left the room as we spent an enjoyable night together.”

  “I’m going to kill you, bitch,” Catherine said as she flew at Jacqueline with her own dirk, which had been in her trunk. Catherine slashed at her and caught her on her forearm, causing a small cut through her sleeve. Jacqueline watched as a drop of blood splashed onto the floor.

  “That’s it, Catherine,” Jacqueline told her. “I’ve had enough of you.” When Catherine came at her a second time, Jacqueline used one of the many fighting moves that Alastair had taught her. As Catherine’s arm came down, she stepped quickly to the side, grabbing Catherine’s arm and using her own momentum to twist her arm and fling her to the floor. The dirk flew out of her hand and under the bed.

  Luckily for Jacqueline, the lid of the trunk was still raised, and a long strip of material lay on the top. She grabbed it out and tied Catherine’s hands behind her back.

  “Get off of me and let me up,” Catherine screamed. “I’m going to make sure no one in this village ever accepts you.”

  “Your threats don’t worry me, Catherine,” Jacqueline said to her. “You just tried to kill me. What do you think the Laird is going to say about that?”

  “He’s going to say she is banished,” Laird Fraser said as he stepped through the door with Connor, Ham, and Ross right behind him.

  “Are you alright?” Connor asked her, pulling up the sleeve of her gown to see how badly she was wounded.”

  “Is it deep?” she asked him, beginning to feel a bit woozy.

  “Ham go downstairs and tell Fiona to get the healer,” he said to her brother. “I think it may need to be stitched.” He grabbed a piece of cloth, folded it and pressed it over her wound, making her wince. “Come sit down.”

  “What about me?” Catherine screamed from the floor. “Your wife attacked me. Look how she tied me up. She’s crazy, Connor.”

  “She’s lying,” Jacqueline began.

  “Say no more, Jacqueline,” Laird Fraser said. “We heard enough as we were coming down the hall. You’re done here at Tarmon, Catherine. I’ll have one of my men escort you to your cottage to pack, and then I want you off my land.”

  “Where will I go?” she cried.

  “I don’t really care,” he said. “You tried to kill my new daughter; you’re lucky I don’t have you hung.”

  “She attacked me,” Catherine cried. “Look at me, she tied me up and left me here.”

  “And what happened to her arm?” the Laird asked her.

  “She cut herself and told me she was going to tell you I did it,” Catherine lied.

  “Very well,” said Laird Fraser. “If it’s a trial you want, then it’s a trial you’ll get. Take her to the dungeon,” he told one of the guards who was just entering the room. “We’ll have a trial in two days.”

  “That’s not fair,” Catherine screamed as they dragged her away. “She attacked me.” She continued to scream, making sure all the servants in the castle could hear her. “Connor said he was going to marry me until she tricked him,” they heard her rant until finally she was far enough away and they could hear her no more.

  “How bad is it?” Caiden asked his son.

  “It’s deep but not long,” he said. “I think a few stitches, and then it should heal just fine.”

  “Who was that woman?” Ross demanded to know, “and why did she attack our sister?”

  “It’s a long story, Ross,” Jacqueline told him. “Let’s just say, she had hopes of being the next Lady of Tarmon. She is not happy Connor married me.”

  “Obviously,” Ross answered, squatting down next to her chair and pushing her hair back from her face. “Is there anything I can do for you, little sister?”

  “I would love a drink of water,” she said to him, she hadn’t realized how thirsty she was until that moment.

  “I’ll be right back,” he said and went to exit the room at the same time the healer entered with Owen and Fiona.

  It didn’t take long for the healer to put in a few stitches and wrap the cut up with a clean bandage. “I’ll be back to take the stitches out in a fortnight,” she told Jac queline. “Just watch for infection.”

  “I will,” Jacqueline told her as she left. “So are we going for target practice or not?” She grabbed her bow out of a trunk in the room.

  “Maybe you shouldn’t go today,” Connor said to her. “It may hurt your arm.”

  “I think I’m fine,” she said to him. “If it starts to bother me I’ll quit. Please, Connor, I really want to shoot today.”

  “If you’re sure,” he told her, and the group left the solar together.

  When they reached the fields for target practice some of the Tarmon soldiers were already there. They were surprised to see Jacqueline with her bow.

  “You’re going to let a woman shoot?” one of the young soldiers asked.

  “Aye,” Connor said. “Do you have a problem with that?”

  “I guess if you want to teach your wife that’s up to you,” the young man said.

  “What’s your name?” Jacqueline asked.

  “Angus,” he answered.

  “Well, Angus,” Jacqueline said, “since you’re such a strong man and I’m such a weak woman, how about a little competition?”

  “What kind of competition?” he asked.

  “How about we each take twenty shots,” she said. “You choose ten, and I’ll choose ten. The person who is the closest to the middle on each gets the point. When it’s over, the person with the highest points wins.”

  “What will I win?” he asked, looking at the Laird, wondering if it was some kind of trap.

  “If you win, I will walk around with a piece of parchment pinned to my back saying ‘Angus is a better archer than me’, but if I win, you will wear one that says, ‘Jacqueline Fraser is a better archer than me’. What do you think?” she asked.

  “Is this alright, Laird?” he asked, surprised the Laird wasn’t putting a stop to it.

  “Absolutely, Angus,” he said. “Teach my new daughter a lesson.” He tried to hide his smile. If Jacqueline was as good as he’d been told, Angus didn’t stand a chance.

  “Very well,” Angus said, shrugging, “I’ll try not to beat you too bad.”

  Ham, Ross, and Owen burst out laughing. Connor and Fiona, who had never seen her shoot just smirked. “You can pick the first target,” Jacqueline told him. “That way I can watch what you do.”

  “The closest one right there,” Angus said pointing. He picked up an arrow, notched it into his bow and released it, hitting just a couple inches off center. He then turned to her and smirked saying, “Your turn.”

  Jacqueline picked up an arrow, quickly notched it and let it go without even pausing to aim. The arrow hit dead center on the target. “Lucky shot?” sh
e said to Angus smiling, as all the men around her and Fiona burst out laughing once again.

  “I’ve been set up haven’t I?” Angus, who was beginning to catch on, said to her laughing. “Try not to make me look too bad.”

  “My pick,” Jacqueline said. ‘Furthest target, way back there.” she pointed and once again grabbed an arrow, placing it into her bow and quickly releasing it. This time she hit the target a few inches away from dead center.

  Angus, being a good sport, took his shot hitting just a few inches further out than hers. “That’s two for me,” she said. Ham, Ross, and Owen were laughing almost hysterically.

  “None of us will even shoot in competition against her anymore,” Ham said. “The only one who can still beat her is Eadan, and he’s the best archer in our clan.”

  “Does she ever miss?” Laird Fraser asked Ham.

  “There is only one way to make her miss,” he said. Jacqueline had already won the competition. Angus had only come closer to center on two out of the nineteen targets they already shot at. She was just about to take her last shot, as she was going to release her last arrow, Ham reached forward and pinched her on her side. Her arrow went wide, barely hitting the side of the target.

  “Ham,” she turned and yelled at him, “I hate when you do that.” She couldn’t help it when she started laughing.

  “I can’t believe you weren’t expecting it,” Ross said chuckling. “He’s only been doing it since you started beating him. What were you then, ten and two?”

  “And how old was she when she started beating you?” Ham said to him sarcastically, “ten and one?”

  “Both of you be quiet, and the next time we shoot, maybe I’ll let you win,” she joked with them.

  “So when will you start teaching me?” Fiona asked her.

  “As soon as your bow is ready we can start,” Jacqueline replied.

  “You’re going to teach the Laird’s daughter to shoot?” Angus asked surprised.