Forbidden Night with the Highlander

by Michelle Willingham

  ‘But that is not for you to worry about, my lass. Dine with me, and tell me what troubles you.’ He raised his hand, nodding for one of his men to bring wine and bread.

  ‘I feel trapped,’ she admitted. ‘The people will not follow Rhys’s orders. And sometimes I think they wish Sían were still here.’

  Her father paled, and reached for her hand. ‘Do you miss your brother?’

  She nodded. ‘He was supposed to be chief after you, and the people resent Rhys for taking his place.’

  ‘That isn’t what I asked,’ Alastair said. His wrinkled hand squeezed hers. ‘Think of how Sían behaved towards you. What would your life have been like, had he been chief?’

  She stared at him, not understanding. Alastair sighed and shook his head. ‘Sían was my son, and before God, I did love him. But he could never have become chief. He was unfit to rule anyone.’

  ‘He gave many commands, and the people obeyed him,’ Lianna started to argue.

  ‘His friends pretended to obey him. But they never saw the man he was.’ He steepled his hands together. ‘Sían took coins from you, and he stole from the people, gambling with the MacDonnells.’

  ‘But why?’ A sinking feeling permeated her stomach. ‘He had everything he needed.’

  ‘Stealing was a game to him. I caught him in the act many times, but he denied it. Lies and truth meant nothing to him.’

  She didn’t know what to believe. ‘You never punished him.’

  ‘A fault of mine,’ Alastair admitted. ‘But if I had done so, he would have lashed out at our family and at the clan. When he grew enraged, his mind was not right, Lianna.’ He closed his eyes. ‘I do not doubt he would have brought war among us.’

  ‘There may still be war.’ She nodded towards the parchment. ‘We have to defend our clan.’

  He smiled at that. ‘Your marriage will do that. King William cannot demand our men, now that we have followed the terms of the contract. I will send word to him that we have a blend of Normans and Scots living among us. It will keep Eiloch neutral, even if war comes.’

  ‘I hope so,’ she said quietly. She took a sip of wine and picked at the bread. Already she could smell the mouth-watering scent of roasted venison for the noontide meal.

  ‘And what of your marriage?’ Alastair enquired. ‘Does Rhys de Laurent make you happy?’

  She could not stop the flush that suffused her cheeks, remembering how he had loved her against the stone dolmen. ‘I am growing accustomed to the marriage.’

  Her father’s demeanour warmed. ‘I see the way he looks at you, Lianna. I think it will be a sound marriage, and I am well pleased by it. I look forward to celebrating your wedding here, among our people.’

  She tried to push back her uncertainties. ‘Do you think the MacKinnons will accept him? He is already giving orders, and many do not want to obey.’

  ‘But you ken what must be done. They will follow you.’

  She laughed at that. ‘They ignore me, Father, and always have. They taunt my ways.’

  He shook his head in denial. ‘Some do. But most ken all the hard work you do when you think no one is looking.’ He tore off a piece of bread. ‘Had you been a boy, you would have made a very good chief, Lianna. But you will be a leader in your own way. Influence Rhys, and all will be well.’

  She wanted to believe that could be true. But when she saw her husband enter the house, his presence dominating the room, she questioned whether he would listen to her at all.

  * * *

  It took only two days for Rhys to realise how astounding his wife’s memory was. She knew the names of every person in the clan and could recite details about each one that revealed the needs of each family. While some viewed her ways as strange, he believed her brother had undermined her, making others believe that her attention to detail was odd. There were several of Sían’s friends who mocked Lianna behind her back. He would not allow it. If they refused to grant her the respect she deserved, he would uphold his promise to give them no supplies.

  ‘Are you certain you want to wear that?’ his brother Warrick asked, eyeing the Highland attire Rhys had chosen.

  ‘They need to know that I will be one of them,’ he answered. It was the best way to show unity, and he believed it would please Lianna.

  Tonight, she had invited the clan to witness their wedding vows for the second time. She had ordered a large feast and had asked several friends to play songs for dancing later tonight. Already, the scent of roasting meat was tantalising.

  Rhys adjusted the garment and walked outside to the gathering space. Warrick followed, and they approached the small stone kirk at the far end of Eiloch. The evening sun was descending in the sky, and garlands of flowers were hanging upon the doorway of the kirk. A few children stood nearby, watching with curiosity, but there were only two guests. Lianna’s maid was one, and her father was the other.

  A sudden uneasiness passed over him, and he eyed his brother, wondering where the rest of the clan was. Warrick only shook his head.

  ‘My lord.’ Lianna’s maid Orna curtsied. Her face held worry, and she said, ‘I ken that you and Lianna wished to be wedded before the clan, but perhaps you should wait.’

  Wait for what? Rhys wondered idly. By their absence, the MacKinnons had made their point clear enough. But it irritated him that they would hurt his wife’s feelings in this way. She had worked tirelessly over the past few days, trying to make a feast that everyone would enjoy.

  Alastair leaned heavily upon a walking stick. ‘This is Eachann MacKinnon’s doing,’ the chief admitted. ‘I suppose he thinks that if no one witnesses your wedding, it cannot be recognised.’

  ‘We are already married,’ Rhys pointed out. ‘This was meant to be a celebration to share with them.’

  ‘They do not want to celebrate the presence of the Normans,’ Alastair said quietly. ‘Orna is right. It may be best to wait.’

  ‘This was Lianna’s wish,’ he said. And it infuriated him to see her treated like this. After all she had done to ensure their comforts, they would turn their backs on her now? Did they think he would allow them to humiliate her in this way?

  It was wrong.

  Although Eachann MacKinnon might be responsible for the actions of the clan, Rhys would not let the man hold such power. It was time to confront the man and end this silent war.

  ‘Summon the clan,’ he told Alastair. ‘I wish to speak with them.’

  ‘I am not certain that is wise,’ the chief said. ‘Especially given their emotions right now.’

  ‘Eachann MacKinnon thinks to take your place as chief. And that role is not his.’ He spoke quietly, knowing what must be done. To Orna, he said, ‘Go to your mistress, and tell Lianna, that our wedding must be delayed.’

  But the older woman’s face fell. ‘It’s too late for that, my lord.’

  Rhys glanced up and saw Lianna. She was already walking towards them with a worried expression. Her red hair gleamed in the afternoon sunlight, crowned with purple heather. She wore it down around her shoulders, and it contrasted against the blue and green gown she wore. Around her throat, she wore a torque of beaten silver, but when she saw the absence of guests, there was only dismay upon her face.

  Rhys turned to Warrick. ‘Go and summon the rest of the clan. I want them all here to listen to what I have to say.’

  ‘No,’ Alastair argued. ‘Let me send my men to fetch them. As you say, I am the chief here.’

  He deferred to the man’s wishes and awaited Lianna. When she reached his side, she asked, ‘What has happened? Where are our kinsmen?’

  He didn’t know what to say. It would hurt her feelings to hear the truth, but there were no other explanations. ‘No one wanted to come.’

  Though he expected anger or frustration, he was surprised to see her emotions turn into sad acceptance. ‘I suppose I should have expecte
d this.’

  ‘Why?’ He made no attempt to hide his own anger. ‘Because they always treat you like dirt?’ She bristled at his remark, and he wished he hadn’t said it. Softening his voice, he said, ‘I am angry with them, not you.’

  ‘I cannot change the way they think of me,’ she argued.

  ‘I can.’ He took her hand in his, waiting for Alastair to return. It was past the time to address these people and change their behaviour towards his wife.

  Her fingers were cold in his, and she murmured, ‘I don’t ken if we should speak our vows tonight. Not like this.’

  He started to insist that they could go through with this wedding, but he understood that she did not want to be the centre of attention when people were forced to come.

  One by one, the families emerged from their homes. Many appeared apprehensive, but they did not dare disobey their chief. Alastair awaited them near the kirk, and they approached until all were gathered. Rhys spied Eachann MacKinnon standing nearby, annoyance upon his face.

  ‘My daughter invited you to witness her wedding vows,’ Alastair began. ‘But you chose not to attend. Your choice has caused a division within our clan, and Rhys de Laurent has asked to speak to you.’ He paused, and Rhys stepped forward to meet their gazes.

  Most made no effort to hide their distaste. He knew they resented him and his men, but he intended to put a stop to their disrespect towards Lianna.

  He moved to Alastair’s place and fixed his gaze upon the men and women. Deliberately, he spoke in Gaelic. ‘Many of you remember when my grandfather arranged my marriage to a MacKinnon maiden. He was your chief at that time, and he wedded a Norman lady, my grandmother Margaret.’

  Eachann spat upon the ground at that, and Rhys nodded towards his men, who surrounded the Scot in a silent threat.

  ‘He made this bargain as protection for you, because he knew that war would come. And it is my intention to keep that agreement. But I will not tolerate disrespect towards my wife.’

  He stared at each one of them. ‘This land belongs to me now, and there are some of you who have joined Eachann MacKinnon in wanting to disobey orders.’ Rhys gestured to his men to escort Eachann forward. He met the man’s insolent glare with his own hard warning. ‘Either you will obey me as your leader, along with Alastair, or you will leave Eiloch. The choice is yours.’

  ‘I will not take orders from a Norman bastard,’ Eachann sneered.

  He had no time to react when the Scot charged forward, swinging his fists. Rhys pushed Lianna out of the way and sidestepped the blows. They circled one another, and a deadly calm passed over him.

  He’d always known it would come to this. Eachann would not accept him as the leader, and he had to make an example of the man.

  The Scot swung again, but Rhys avoided the blow easily, watching the man closely to learn his fighting style. The MacKinnon fought with no precision, only raw fury. Rhys allowed him to throw punches, again and again, and each time, his fists met only empty air. The Scot roared out his frustration, but Rhys moved with lightning speed. He counter-attacked, punching the man in his stomach, until the Scot gasped for air. He used the opportunity to kick the man’s legs out from under him, and Rhys pressed him to the ground, twisting the man’s arm so that he could no longer fight.

  ‘And now? Will you take orders from a Norman?’ he demanded. When there was no answer, Rhys struck him across the nose, and blood ran down his face.

  The Scot closed his eyes. A woman cried out in fear and rushed forward, dropping to her knees. ‘Please do not kill my husband. I swear, we’ll both be obeying yer orders, my lord.’

  At that, Eachann glared at his wife. He was about to speak, but she clamped her hand over his mouth. ‘Do not be a sheep-headed fool. Ye’ve lost, and that’s an end to it. I willna have ye drive us from our home because of yer stupid pride.’

  Rhys kept the man pinned down, even as he studied the others. ‘There will be changes here, and I demand your obedience. Or I will have you removed from Eiloch to survive on your own. If you dare to return from exile, you will be killed.’

  He released the MacKinnon, and Eachann was wise enough to remain on the ground. ‘If you stay, you obey me and you obey Lianna. You will treat her as one of your leaders.’ His fury rose higher, and he added, ‘Have you not seen the attention she pays to your families? Do you not understand that she was the reason you had anything at all during these past few years?’

  It was time to address the death of Sían, and he said quietly, ‘Sían MacKinnon led a group of men to attack us, in the middle of the night. He shot an arrow into the heart of one of my friends, a man whose wife was expecting a child.’ He glanced down at Eachann’s wife, who flinched and rested a hand over her middle.

  ‘There was no cause for the attack, and I defended my men. As I will defend you, should any harm come upon this clan.’ He looked back at Lianna. ‘I regret the death of Sían MacKinnon, but he brought it upon himself. It is my hope that we can now bring peace among us.’

  No one spoke, and their silence held its own weight. He met the stares of each man, woman, and child, but only fear remained on their faces.

  Lianna came to stand beside him and took his hand in hers. To her people, she said softly, ‘I had hoped that you would join in witnessing a second wedding. But I see now, that this is impossible.’ Her brown eyes gleamed with tears. ‘Even so, I invite you to share in our feast. Let us put the past behind us and begin anew.’

  He could see the fragile command she held over her emotions, and nodded for the men to obey her. Eachann finally got up from the ground, wiping at his bleeding nose. His wife led him away, and neither looked back.

  Rhys knew not if the peace would last, but he had made his point. Eachann MacKinnon could either obey them or leave. He would not stand for any further dissent within the clan.

  Lianna moved to speak with two of the men, and within a few moments, they began bringing out the food. It had her intended effect of shifting the mood of the people. No one would turn down the feast, and soon enough, the MacKinnons took food and sat nearby to enjoy it. Children raced around in delight, after receiving portions of roasted mutton and pheasant.

  But Rhys was well aware of his wife’s misery. Her dreams of a wedding at Eiloch had been shattered, and he could do nothing to change it.

  Though he wanted her at his side, he noticed her distancing herself from the rest of the clan. She busied herself with passing out food and drinks, easing her way back to her father’s house. And when everyone had finished feasting and was standing around in conversation, Rhys realised that his wife had not eaten at all.

  He crossed the space to her side. ‘Will you not join us?’

  She shook her head, and he noticed that her face was pale. ‘I am weary. I would rather rest just now.’

  He placed his hand upon the small of her back. ‘You should eat, Lianna.’ It bothered him that she had not enjoyed her own feast.

  But she shook her head in refusal. ‘I cannot. The thought of food turns my stomach.’ She apologised and admitted, ‘Let me go and rest, Rhys. It has been a long day.’

  He escorted her back to the house, and a sudden thought occurred to him. If his wife was feeling weary and unable to eat, there could be another reason. ‘Are you with child, Lianna?’

  She jolted at that. ‘N-no. At least, I don’t think so.’ But from the sudden startled look on her face, it seemed that she had not considered it. He was struck by the fear in her eyes, and it echoed within him. If she were carrying his unborn child, he had to keep her safe at all costs.

  ‘Rest, then, and I will join you later.’ He kissed her, but she seemed caught up in her own thoughts and did not return the affection.

  She gave an absent nod and started to walk away, when he ventured, ‘It will be different from now on, Lianna. I will stand for nothing less.’

  But the sadness
in her eyes said she didn’t believe him.

  Three days later

  Lianna strode through the circle of crofters’ homes, feeling the burden of melancholy weighing upon her. Why had she ever thought she could wed a Norman and be accepted by the people? Despite Rhys’s demands that the clansmen respect her orders, they behaved as if she were invisible.

  Her husband came to her each night and made love to her, but she was careful to keep her heart distanced from him. With each day at his side, she fought her emotions, despite how much she enjoyed his embraces.

  Soon enough he would return to Montbrooke, and she knew not if he meant to leave her here. Her father’s illness had improved, but he was not at his full strength yet. Worst of all, she feared that Eachann MacKinnon was only biding his time for vengeance. Her kinsman would not forgive such a public humiliation, and she did not trust him.

  She unloaded a bag of grain from her horse and went to visit her friend Iona. She would give birth soon, and Lianna wanted to help in any way possible.

  She knocked on the door, and when Iona called for her to enter, she found her friend pacing.

  ‘I’ve brought you more grain,’ Lianna said.

  Iona’s face was pale, and she gritted her teeth, placing her hands upon her back. She took a slow breath and stood in one place. ‘Put it over there.’ She nodded towards the far end of the cottage.

  ‘Are you well? Is it the babe?’ she asked.

  Iona nodded. ‘But ’twill be hours yet.’ She opened the door and said, ‘Walk with me awhile. I’ve a need for fresh air before I’m confined to bed.’

  ‘Where is Malcolm?’ she asked, not knowing where her friend’s husband was.

  ‘I sent him out hunting early this morn. He doesna ken that I’m in labour, and it’s best to keep it that way. He’ll be too worried.’ Iona stopped walking for a moment and took slow, deep breaths. Her fingers clenched into fists, and she stood motionless.

  ‘Shall I stay with you?’ Lianna offered. ‘I’ve more grain to deliver, but I could have one of Rhys’s men take care of it, instead.’