Ruthless (41 page)

Graemme looked at the comely lass and could
tell she used all her will to walk without limping on aching legs.
Sweyn had told him of her refusal to eat and of her climbing the
Scots pine in her bid to escape yesterday. Now he understood the
tales he'd heard of her from the villagers around Raptor
Castle.

"I saved the biggest oat cake for ye, Lady,"
Graemme said as he held it out to her.

She hesitated then thanked him and took it.
Magnus scowled at her but she ignored him.

"Sweyn, may I ride today?"

"Nay." Magnus came over and lightly ran his
hand down the back of her head. She pulled away from him. "The
swelling is still there. Ye ride with me."

Graemme looked at his brother's scowling face
and shook his head. What ailed the man? As far as he could see, the
lady had reason aplenty to be angry with him. Knowing Magnus, he'd
probably never told her he loved her. And with his hardbound honor,
likely he didn't explain why he had to leave her at Kinbrace.
Graemme snorted as they prepared to leave. If his father had truly
picked out a timid bride for him, would Magnus have blindly wed
her?

He watched Sweyn lift Muriele up to Magnus'
waiting arms. He caught a flash of tenderness pass over Magnus'
harsh face when his arms closed around her. 'Twas so quickly gone,
if he'd blinked, he would have missed it. Why did Magnus hide his
love from her?

Lucifer's crooked teeth! He didna even
realize he loved her!

Pity for his brother filled him.

o0o

They traveled swiftly for two days, riding
into the night as they had before. Graemme led the way with Magnus
and Sweyn following. Magnus still refused to let her ride the horse
saying the jarring could scramble her brains. Once they reached the
high mountain ranges, they stopped at dusk. Sweyn and Graemme were
able to hunt while Magnus refused to let Muriele out of his sight.
Because he couldn't trust her, he told Graemme.

Humph! He lied. 'Twas because he feared
losing her.

After the third night, Muriele was strong
enough to ride her own mount. She ate more each day, always
accepting food from Graemme and Sweyn. Magnus had stopped offering
knowing she would refuse all aid from him.

The day finally came for Graemme to leave
them and go east to fetch Grunda and Esa to Clibrick. Sweyn kept
cautioning him on how to handle Grunda so the old seer didn't throw
a curse on him. When he mentioned Esa, he nearly begged Graemme to
treat Esa with tenderness.

As Graemme rode off at the break of dawn,
Muriele felt the first excitement in many moons. She knew she would
see her friends afore a fortnight passed.

When he was out of sight, excitement changed
to calm as she mused over her reception at Clibrick. Chief Angus
raised both Graemme and Feradoch. Which one of the men took after
him? Was he as calm as Graemme? Or was he deceitful like
Feradoch?

o0o

Clibrick Castle was beautiful as the sun
began to set. Golden rays of light danced on the waves of Loch
Naver and bathed the massive castle in a warm glow. Ben Clibrick
behind it looked dark and threatening. She could almost imagine
gremlins and ogres hiding behind trees, waiting to pounce on the
castle inhabitants if they went beyond the castle walls.

The portcullis was up and Chief Angus, his
man Fergus, and the knights and their wives already awaited them in
the front bailey. When his father came to greet Magnus as he
dismounted, he held his arms wide and enveloped him in a bear hug
for the first time in his life. At first, Magnus was stiff and
startled, then softened when his father murmured, "I am thankful to
have my
real
son back."

When the Chief's eyes went to Muriele, they
widened in surprise.

Muriele had bathed at dawn and washed her
hair. Wispy curls blew from her temples and teased her eyes. When
she brushed them away, the sleeves of the large tunic dropped back
to her elbow revealing the healing rope burns on her wrists and the
bruises and cuts from her fall.

Chief Angus' lips tightened and he glanced
quickly at Magnus before he courteously reached to help Muriele
dismount. She could have done it by herself, but it was so pleasant
for a nobleman to treat her as a lady again.

"'Tis an honor to have you as our guest." His
face grew taut when he saw his son's stony expression. "As long as
I am Chief of Clibrick, you have a home with us. Come, my
housekeeper will show you to a room where you can rest before the
noon meal."

He motioned to a plump, kind-faced woman who
hovered near by. She beamed and bowed at Muriele then started
chattering as she led her into the keep.

"Guest?" Magnus asked.

"Aye. Guest!"

"I must honor my vow, though I dinna intend
to return Muriele to Feradoch." Magnus jaw jutted stubbornly.

"The king wouldn't allow it."

"Why do ye say so?" Magnus asked as he
followed his father into the solar.

"The king sent armed escorts with his
messengers." He went straight to his table and picked up a thickly
rolled parchment. "You'd best be seated afore you read it."

Fergus, with a big grin on his face, poured
goblets of wine and Sweyn passed them around while Magnus read.

"What!" Magnus jumped up and started pacing
the room. "So this is the reason Feradoch lied. Why he planned a
handfast with Muriele."

"Aye. He hoped to see she increased quickly
so the king would have to give her and Blackbriar to him," Lard
Angus said.

"I am to marry Muriele in all haste?
Blackbriar needs to be rebuilt and I am to hold it in King David's
name?"

"You read it rightly."

Magnus stiffened. His thoughts churned. In
the Highlands, a handfast was as good as a marriage. He couldn't
marry her. Olaf would see it as another treachery for certs!

The thought of having Muriele as his wife
made his blood race. He doubted she would consent to it, though,
for she would not meet his eyes and edged away from him when he
stepped close. The whole time he carried her on the horse, her body
vibrated with tension until she slept. It was only then he let
himself relax and glory in the feel of her in his arms.

He wanted Blackbriar. Had wanted it before he
overthrew Baldor. He hadn't known how much until now. That it came
with a bride who could fight for herself made the prospect even
more appealing. She would be a helpmate in running Blackbriar. And
he would be close enough to curb Olaf's lust for acquiring more
land.

He determined to have her whether she was
willing or not.

Two days later, Muriele looked suspiciously
around the Chief's solar. Magnus and his father were there, as was
Sweyn and Fergus. Standing alongside the fireplace in front of a
dark tapestry, she had not noted the brown clad priest until he
moved over to stand beside Magnus. She frowned and turned to the
Chief.

Why didn't he speak? He had been cordial and
talked easily during their meals in the great hall. He'd asked all
manner of questions and seemed pleased with her answers. Today he
looked uneasy. Magnus appeared sterner than ever! Ah, she knew. The
priest was his doing. Anger stirred in her belly.

"Ye have brought a man of God to question
me?" She put her hands on her hips and glared at Magnus. "Is it
your
honor
troubling ye so? Even though Graemme told ye
what truly happened, ye still dinna believe me?"

She turned and faced the young man who
shifted his feet. Why was he nervous?

"'Tis obvious ye dinna want to ask the
questions. There is no need. You want to know if I planned to kill
Feradoch of Kinbrace? I did not plan it. I had no need. But after
what happened, I did try to kill him. The only thing I'm sorry for
is I did not have a better weapon. If so, I'd have run him through
or slit his throat—anything to stop him from choking Esa. If he had
died, I would not waste one minute of remorse over it."

"Er, nay. It was not. But confession would be
good for your soul." The young man's face flushed.

She frowned at him, ignored Magnus and turned
to the Chief.

"Then why did ye summon me?"

Angus sat back in his chair and looked at
Magnus. Since his son wouldn't speak, he did.

"The priest needs to know if the handfast
was, um, consummated before the events that followed."

"It is no one's business but mine."

"'Tis very important that we know," the
priest said.

"I fail to see why. But nay, it was not
consummated."

"Ye were in love with him. He was in love
with ye. Why did he delay?"

Muriele face flamed. Her mouth worked but the
words wouldn't come above a whisper. The priest could not hear and
asked her to repeat it.

"He said no matter how beautiful I was he
could not swive a woman with a back as disgusting as mine."

She started to run for the door, but Magnus
caught her elbow. She tried to shake him off. He held tight.

"Can Esa vouch you did not have bed sport
with him?" The Chief's voice softened.

Humiliation caused her eyes to well with
tears. They wouldn't let her leave until they heard it all. She
lifted her chin and swallowed back her shame.

"Do ye want me to strip naked and show ye why
he couldna touch me without another's help?"

She shook off Magnus' hand. She reached up
and started tugging at her clothes, beside herself with shame and
grief she'd kept banked for so many months. Magnus caught her
wrists and held them against his chest. She shoved at him but he
didn't let her go.

"I was branded by my loving step father. He
lashed me too. Because he couldna take me, Feradoch added his own
particular pattern amongst the others. Giving pain helped him to
harden. Even so, 'twas not pleasurable enough to ignore the
ugliness of my skin."

Strong arms pulled her against a hard chest.
Magnus cupped her head against his shoulder and rubbed his cheek on
her hair.

She heard the men talking about the handfast.
Shamed she had broken down in front of them, she stifled her
sobs.

"We agree, then. She did not set out to
murder either Feradoch or Esa," Magnus said.

"Aye! Ye canna condemn a woman for wanting to
gut the bastard." The sound of Sweyn's outraged voice near bounced
off the walls.

"I am satisfied the handfast was not
consummated, therefore it is not legal. She is free to wed." The
priest solemnly looked at Magnus and nodded his head.

"The ceremony will be held Sunday, in four
days time." Chief Angus smiled.

Surprised, Muriele shoved Magnus so hard he
rocked back on his heels.

"What! Free to marry? And what ceremony?"

Angus dismissed the priest. After he was
gone, he told Muriele they'd had a messenger from Olaf saying that
though she'd tried to kill Feradoch, he still lived. She must
return and honor the handfast. If she didn't, they would wrest her
from Clibrick Castle by force.

But since she had convinced the priest it
wasn't a legal handfast, she was free to marry as the king
ordered.

"Marry who? And when did he order this?"

Magnus thought it best to answer her
questions from back to front.

"Kind David has written ye shall marry and
return to rebuild Blackbriar. He sent orders a year ago, but
Feradoch stole them. Another well-guarded messenger arrived several
months past and King David demands the wedding take place as
speedily as possible."

He hesitated before he answered anything
further.

"Marry who?" Her eyes narrowed and her chin
jutted.

"He specifically stated the man who conquered
Blackbriar must marry its heir."

"You?" She shouted.

"
Me
." Heavy determination resounded
in that one word.

"Nay!"

"Aye. Ye will!"

Magnus stalked from the room before she could
say another word.

"Nay! I will not!"

Muriele shouted as Magnus heaved the door
shut. His father patiently waited for her to stop pacing.

When her tempo slowed, the Chief spoke
quietly.

"My son seems a hard man, one who could never
soften toward anyone. It is my fault. I had misgivings about
fostering him in Chief Olaf's keeping. Magnus is harsh and rigid
because he grew to manhood under a tyrant. Had I known how cruel
Olaf would be, I'd have done battle rather than go through with the
oath."

"'Tis a pity he suffered such a harsh
childhood. Still, I'll not forgive him leaving me in Feradoch's
brutal clutches." Muriele's chin jutted in determination.

"Ye know ye have my friend's love?" Sweyn
said. He sat sprawled on a chair, his legs stretched out.

She scowled. "Aye, sure he has. As much as
Feradoch's. They show their love in agonizing ways," she said with
scorn.

"I saw Magnus' face when we tracked hovering
vultures to the top of a mountain. His face was sick with fear
until we found the bodies were men. He knew they'd attacked you
when he saw a horse had crushed one's skull. 'Twas a feat Bolt
performed when he was still spry enough for battle."

She nodded. "If he loved me, he'd know I
wouldn't murder without just reason. And he'd have left me at peace
in the convent."

"Magnus relaxed for the first time in months
when he learned ye were safe within their walls. He couldna leave
ye there. He had to honor his vow."

"Aye. His vow. If Graemme had not found Esa
and Grunda, yer friend who loves me so much would have hung me with
his own hands." Determined to end the discussion, she headed for
the door. "I willna marry a man who loves in such a way. The king
will have to find another husband for Blackbriar."

Her long strides took her out of the room.
The door shook when she slammed it.

Though she took her place at the high table
between Magnus and Angus, she shunned talking to Magnus. He served
her with courtesy, always careful to select the best food for her.
He refilled her wine whenever the goblet was half-filled. Knowing
she preferred the crust, he burnt his hands tearing off the ends of
the hot loaves of bread.