“Ye have to believe me! I didn’t do as he said! I’ve never hurt anyone in my life, but when he struck me and started to attack me, I had to fight back!” she sobbed out.
“Shh, sweeting, I ken ye speak the truth. Ye did the right thing and ‘tis proud I am of ye,” he answered in a soothing tone. Inside, though, he raged. His fury bubbled and seethed inside him. He had never liked or trusted his stepbrother; the man was a sniveling coward and a leech. He had been relieved when Keith had left with his mother when his father died, and he was grateful that he rarely saw the two of them. He knew the moment he had come down to the hall this morning and found Keith there that he was here to cause trouble. What he had never expected, though, was that the bastard would try to rape his wee wife. For that, Keith would die. He would take his last breath ere the sun set this very day, Cameron vowed. “I promise ye, dearling, he willna live long for what he has done to ye.”
Horrified, Lark tore herself out of his embrace and shook her head. “Nay! Nay, I forbid it. His is yer blood. Cameron, ye canna take his life. Promise me, promise ye willna do it.”
A muscle worked in his jaw as he reached up and as light as a feather, his finger caressed down her bruised cheek. “He should die for this alone,” he growled out, knowing it must have been a heavy blow to cause such a mark on her face.
“Nay. I beseech ye, dinna ye do it,” she pleaded as more tears dripped down her face, and he gently wiped them away with the pad of his thumb.
“Ye ask too much. He has to be punished for what he has done to ye and what he planned to do to ye.” He saw that it was upsetting her, though, and he cursed under his breath. “All right, all right. I will agree to nae kill him but he will be severely punished. He must be.” His mouth hardened. He loathed the weakness she caused in him, but seeing her so distraught, he couldn’t refuse to give in to her wishes, because it dragged at his gut to see her so distressed.
She threw herself back in his arms and buried her face in his chest. “Thank ye, Cameron.”
His hand stroked the back of her head and down her body repeatedly. He was having difficulty containing the murderous rage inside him. However, he needed to stay at least outwardly calm for his wife’s sake. It was a long time before she stopped trembling and her tears dried up, but still he stayed and comforted her. Only when she fell into a deep sleep did he leave her. When he stepped outside, a large crowd had gathered. “Gag the bastard, bring him to the outer bailey and tie him up. Someone fetch me the cat o’-nine-tails and be quick about it. Let this be a lesson to any man of this clan who forces himself on an unwilling woman.”
With cold, deadly eyes, he watched his stepbrother being dragged outside. Reaching out, he accepted the whip from one of his men. With determined steps, he followed behind the crowd. Then, with detachment, he watched Keith being tied to the post, and when it was done, he moved over to stand in front of the cowardly, despicable bastard, and pulled down the gag. “Just for striking my wife, ye should by rights die. For trying to force yerself on her, ye should be drawn and quartered. Ye should think yerself lucky that she begged for yer miserable life.”
“T’was nae like that, brother. She enticed me into the barn and when I refused what she was offering, she attacked me. On my oath, ‘tis true,” Keith pleaded.
Infuriated over the lies spewing from his stepbrother’s mouth, Cameron spat in his face before stuffing the gag back into his mouth. “Ye just earned yerself another ten lashes, ye sniveling, cowardly bastard.” He moved behind Keith and ripped the shirt off his back. He took several steps back and uncurled the whip. With each stroke, he could picture his wee sweet wife fighting for her virtue and life. He didn’t hold back his strength as he laid the whip on Keith’s back. Thirty lashes later, he tossed it on the ground. “Someone clean him up and ten of ye escort him off my land. He is banished, so remove his tartan. If he ever steps foot on my land, it will be his death. Any man of this clan who finds him on clan lands after today has my leave to kill him.”
His lengthy stride carried him to the loch, where he could spend some time alone to get himself under control. He leaned an arm against a tree and rested his brow on his forearm. He had never wanted to kill someone with his bare hands as much as he did his stepbrother He probably would have done it if Keith had succeeded in raping his wife. His fist clenched tightly as he tried to rein in his anger. He could not blame Lark if she demanded to be sent home after this. He hoped she wouldn’t, though, and if she did, he had no idea if he could let her go. In that moment in the barn, he had realized that she had burrowed her way into his heart and he cared deeply for her. He could no longer deny that he was deeply in love with the wee imp.
Yet the immense remorse he felt for failing to protect her was overwhelming. His life without Lark in it would be miserable and lonely, but out of guilt, he knew he would have to let her go if she demanded. He would have to find the inner strength to give her up. His whole body sagged in desolation, but he forced himself to straighten up and dropped his arm. He might as well get it over and done with; there was no point putting it off and suffering more. With dragging footsteps, he returned to the hall and slowly climbed the stairs. He stopped just out the chamber door and hoped he could find the depth of power to get through the ordeal without unmanning himself.
Reluctantly, he turned the handle and stepped inside. Closing the door behind him, he walked across the chamber and strode into their bedroom. He saw her just waking up and sat down on the mattress beside her. He lightly swept the tresses off her brow and smiled tenderly down at her. “How are ye feeling now, sweeting?”
“I’m fine, Cameron, but my cheek is a little sore. What’s the matter?” Lark smiled weakly up at him, but she grew worried at the dull light in his eyes.
The time he dreaded had come, and he couldn’t meet the troubled shadows in her gaze. “I can understand that ye would want to return to Stirling and seek to end our marriage. Ye need have nae fear I will fight ye on this.” But he knew it would crush him to let her go forever.
She rolled her eyes. “Have the chickens been pecking at yer maggoty brain? Of all the stupid things ye have ever said, husband, this one’s the most ridiculous. Why in heaven’s name would I do such a foolish thing?” Then it came to her and she scoffed. “Ye’re a lackwit, man. I dinna blame ye for what happened and yer foolish to blame yerself. I will hear nae more foolishness come out of yer mouth.”
Elation shot through him. Throwing back his head, he laughed, quickly gathered her up in his arms and cuddled her close. “Aye, ye’re right, wife, I’m a verra brainless, stupid man.” The light kiss he gave her swiftly turned ravenous, filled with hot passion. He asked with a whisper in her ear if she were still tender and when she replied in a purring, husky voice that while her face was a bit sore, she wasn’t at all tender ‘down there,’ he quickly stripped them out of their clothing and proceeded to make wild, uncontrollable love to her.
***
Since the incident with his stepbrother, the fortnight had flown by and Cameron couldn’t have been happier. After admitting to his wife that he had been wrong and he was sorry for thinking she was a weakling, their life had been filled with happiness and long hours of lovemaking. The love that burned inside him grew even deeper, but he wasn’t quite as certain of her feelings, and for the first time in his life, he was unsure what he should do about the situation. The words were branded on his tongue and he wished he could say them to her, but he was hesitant to let himself be so vulnerable, so he decided to keep them buried inside him. One day, he hoped, he could express himself. Until then, he enjoyed each day as they rode together, played together and laughed together. But most of all, when they loved together.
Deep in his gut, he wondered if these amazing happy days would last them a lifetime. He gazed down at his sleeping, purring wife as she slept cuddled against him. His fingers threaded through the long strands of her hair and he sighed in contentment. He loved this time, as dawn rose in the sky. It was his time alone, w
hen he could enjoy the peace and admire her without hiding what was trapped in his heart. He stiffened slightly when he just barely heard the sounds of a rider entering the bailey. Damn it, what now? Every time, it seemed that when someone arrived at this time of day, lately, they brought trouble. He went to move his wife out of his embrace, but she came awake before he could.
“Mmm, are ye going somewhere, husband?” She asked sleepily.
He placed her down on the mattress. “Aye. It seems we have another unwanted visitor.” He grumbled as he sat up, swung his legs over the edge of the bed and stood up.
“Bother! Why canna anyone around here arrive at a decent hour?” she grumbled, sitting up and brushing the hair out of her face just in time to see her husband’s perfect, sculptured backside go through the doorway.
“From now on I’ll bar them entry until a decent hour. Does that suit ye, wife?” he called out from the other room as he dressed.
“Aye, nicely, thank ye verra much.”
He chuckled over her reply as he sat down and pulled on his boots. When he finished, he stood up and dragged a hand over his face. Something in his gut warned him that he wasn’t going to like what he found downstairs. He had a premonition that his days of joy and loving were about to be over and his life with his wife was going to be threatened. “Stay in bed, sweeting. I’ll be back shortly,” he said as he crossed to the door and swung it open. Easing it closed it behind him, he trotted down the hallway and the staircase, but when he stepped into the hall, he almost groaned at seeing a messenger from the king. His gut told him trouble was brewing, and if the king was involved, it didn’t bode well.
After greeting the man and accepting the missive, he bade the man go into the kitchen to rest and eat. With trepidation in his heart, he unrolled the document and reading it, foul curses rolled off his tongue. His hand fell and he held the parchment loosely between his fingers. What he was being accused of was ludicrous! Well, all except the part about kidnapping his wife. The rest was garbage and the accusations against him were out of spitefulness and revenge. Though he would like to refuse the summons to court, he knew he couldn’t. He would have to go and face the charges. It would be anyone’s guess whether his word would be believed against the accusations. Most of it didn’t matter, though. What concerned him the most was the fight to keep his wife.
Slowly he returned upstairs to their chamber and found his wife wide awake. He sat down heavily on the mattress, dragged his fingers through his hair and wondered how he could explain this without her losing her temper. He stroked his chin and wondered how he could better phrase it so as not to cause her any stress.
Lark gave him a sour expression. “Spit it out, Cameron. I ken something’s wrong.”
His head whipped around to face her and he grimaced. “Aye. I’ve been summoned to court. I have been accused of kidnapping ye, which we both ken is the truth. Also of going back on an oath to wed Janice, which I never made. It says that was why yer father denounced the contract and betrothed ye to Sir Henley.”
“My God, has everyone gone stark raving mad?” The words tumbled out of her in disbelief.
“Aye, it seems that way. But there’s more.” The heavy air blew out between his lips.
“More. Good Lord, is that nae enough?”
A grin tugged at his lips over her outrage. “Aye. There’s more.”
“Well, I’m awaiting to hear the rest.” She snapped as a warning chill snaked up her spine.
“I’m charged with foully abusing Gwen against her will and forcing her to become my mistress. The last charge against me is from my stepmother and brother. They are accusing me of meting out unfair treatment over something that didna deserve such harsh punishment.” He watched the color leach from her face. “Dinna ye fear, dearling. Once I explain everything to the king, it will be all cleared up.” He tried to ease her fears with a smile of confidence he was far from feeling. The list of charges were going to be hard to fight, with so many enemies trying to destroy him. He had no doubt that they had all put their spiteful heads together and plotted his downfall.
At the horror of the situation, she flopped back against the pillows. She stared into his eyes and saw the concern there. “Ye canna go alone. There are too many against ye to fight them all. Besides, ye’re nae quick-witted enough to outsmart them all.”
A growl rumbled in his chest. “Are ye insulting my intelligence, wife?”
“Nay, nay in this. Not yer intelligence, just how fast your mind gets where it’s going. Do ye nae see that with both of us there and some members of the clan with us, we can show them for the lies they are?”
He thought it over, but he was still reluctant to agree. “I dinna wish ye to be involved in this ugliness, dearling.”
She hissed a breath out in frustration. “I am involved, ye impossible slug. Ye need me and we both ken it. Now come back to bed. ‘Tis still early, there’s plenty of time to prepare for the trip, and … I have need of ye.”
He tossed the document onto the table by the bed, rose to his feet and quickly removed his boots and garments. He fell on the mattress and scooped her up in his arms. “Any time ye wish to change yer mind about coming with me, tell me. I willna object.”
“Foolish man. Now kiss me.” She wound her arms around his neck and purred when his lips covered hers.
Still not certain he was doing the right thing in agreeing to take his wife, he kissed her deeply and desperately, knowing that in only a matter of days, he might lose her forever. He was going to fight to the bitter end to keep her, and all he could do was pray that he would be successful. He shoved the problem out of his head and put every thought and effort into their lovemaking.
***
A day late arriving because of his consideration for his wife, Cameron, with Lark standing at his side and her hand clasped in his, faced the king together. “Sire, I have come as ye ordered me, along with my wife and several clan members waiting outside, to face these malicious and untrue accusations against me.”
The king leaned back in his throne and rubbed his chin, his gaze studying the young couple in front of him. The young laird held his wife’s hand and both stood before him proudly. “Before I call yer accusers in, I will hear ye both out.”
“Thank ye, Sire.”
“Dinna thank me yet. Lady Lark, ‘tis true ye were kidnapped? And I will have the truth, Lady.” He warned sternly.
Nervously, she nodded her head. “Sire, I will answer honestly. ‘Tis nae true. I managed to sneak word to my betrothed that my father was forcing me to wed someone else. He sent men to fetch me and they had to conceal me to spirit me away from Stirling.” In the folds of her gown she kept her fingers crossed and hoped he would believe the twisted version she had given him.
“Mmm, but yer father has explained that he cancelled the contract because he found out Laird McCloud had offered for lady Janice McDowell.”
“Nay, Majesty, ‘tis a lie.” She countered.
“Sire, ‘tis untrue. I have always intended to honor my father’s name on the contract. Besides, why would I want anyone else when I have such a beautiful wife?” Cameron answered with conviction lacing his voice.
The king’s lips twitched in a grin. He waved his fingers for one of them to continue. “Go on.”
“My husband is an honest man, Sire. He wouldna lie. All charges against him were made out of spite. My father’s claim is made because if I married Sir Walter Henley, my father would come into a vast sum of money and would nae have to pay the huge dowry of the contract to my husband. Lady Janice’s charge is brought because she knows that Cameron would never marry her and that he preferred me to her.”
“And the other charges?” the king asked.
“Sire, for a time, Lady Gwen was my willing mistress, but even before I sent men to fetch my betrothed, I had ended things between us. She tried many times after to seduce me, but I wouldna accept what she was offering. When I ordered her to leave, she made threats against me, and I have boug
ht men here who witnessed them.
“As for my step-mother and brother, ‘tis to my shame I was unable to protect my wife from his attack and probable rape. ‘Tis proud I am of my wee wife when I came across them. She had the sniveling bastard in the dirt like the coward he is.” Though he tried to keep the rage out of his voice, Cameron failed miserably.
“This vile attempt towards a lady willna be tolerated. Lady Lark, I will hear it in yer own words, if it willna distress ye too much.”
Her hand tightened around her husband’s. “I was returning to the hall just before noon, sire, but instead of going inside, I thought I would look at the horses and pick one out. I was planning on asking my husband for permission to go riding. I had only been in the barn a minute or two when someone crept up behind me and grabbed hold of me.” She drew in a trembling breath and continued. “Cameron’s stepbrother said he was going to show me what a man was really like. I refused and fought back. He struck me hard against the cheek. When he caught hold of me again, I clawed at his face and kneed him in the er…um in the private area between his thighs.” Her face burning from embarrassment, she forced herself to continue. “When he went down, I began beating his head on the ground. That was when my husband came inside and found us.”
For a long time the king remained silent as he weighed their words and story. They rang with truth and the young couple never broke eye contact with him once during their account. “It seems ye have many enemies, McCloud.” He waved to his aide. “Send the other parties in.”
The huge door swung open and several people entered, all wearing smug, conspiratorial smiles.
The Laird's Kidnapped Bride Page 11
