Highland Moonlight (8 page)

will testify to what transpired between you.”

She stiffened in outrage. “No one, but Alexander and I know the truth. If

anyone says otherwise, they speak falsely.”

“Do you deny you are with child, Mary?” Collin demanded.

A prickle of fearful wariness ran up the back of her neck. “Nay, I can not

deny that.”

“Do you admit the child belongs to Alexander?” Collin asked.

“Aye, the bairn is his.”

“There are only two ways in which a child may be conceived, Daughter,

by consent or against it. By which was your bairn conceived?”

Mary remained silent a moment. She would not lie to seek vengeance

and see her bairn deprived of a father. Did Collin truly think she would? Her

gaze focused on the priest. “Father Patrick said I tempted Alexander.” Her

voice shook. “He said ‘tis the nature of woman to tempt man, as Eve

tempted Adam.”

“Nay, Mary.” Alexander stepped forward and rested a hand against the

small of her back. “You were innocent, lass. “T’was I who—”

“Do not say more, Alexander!” The words were torn from her in panic.

She placed a hand against his chest to stay his words.

“‘Twould seem the two of them are intent on protecting one another,

Collin.” One of the men on the council said as he retained his seat at the

table close to the fire. “How are we to choose which to punish, when neither

will speak agin the other?”

Collin strode forward to face her. “If you will not speak agin him, you

must be punished for the part you took in it. Whore!” The word roared

through the room as he shouted it at her.

Mary flinched.

Alexander lashed out, striking Collin in the face with such force; it

drove him backward into the midst of the cluster of men.

Collin pushed away from them to regain his feet and spat blood from

his mouth. His features twisted with rage. He drew his sword.

As Alexander freed his broad sword, she stepped between the two

before the first strike could land. Alexander grasped her arm and jerked her

back causing her to stagger. He caught her about the waist and held her

tight against his side. He turned his body to shield her from her father as he

advanced on them.

Campbell and MacLachlan clansmen armed themselves. The chilling

sound of weapons being drawn rang out on either side of the room.

“Enough!” John Campbell’s shout carried over the din and his fist

struck the top of a wide wooden table with the hollowness of a gavel. “There

will be no blood-letting here this day.” His amber gaze traveled about the

room in challenge, then settled on Collin. Campbell’s tawny glare held a

feral gleam of violence held in check. “‘Twas you who ordered this council to

settle this dispute peacefully, Collin,” he reminded, “You said you would

abide by their decision.”

“I did not know my daughter would lie to defend him.” Collin pointed at

Alexander with his sword.

“You have made a charge against your daughter maligning her

reputation, Collin MacLachlan. Do you plan to produce witnesses to support

such a charge?” One of the MacLachlan chieftains asked.

“Alexander Campbell may witness to her conduct,” Collin taunted.

A sound of protest was torn from her.

Alexander’s arm tightened around her. “Mary had not been kissed nor

touched in any way until I took her to me,” he said, his voice carrying

throughout the room. “Our union was secured by the betrothal contract and

that is as binding as a marriage decree. I mean to wed her whenever she

wishes.”

“She has refused to accept you because you took her against her will,”

Collin shouted. “Speak now, Mary, and tell them it is so.”

Collin’s eyes were a bright burning blue, his cheeks flushed a feverish

hue. She felt sick knowing the lengths he would go to gain another’s

property and undermine their power.

Her attention shifted to the swords drawn and ready. Her answer could

cause an outbreak of bloodshed that would only bring pain to the innocent

and rekindle a feud that would continue indefinitely. She wanted no such

legacy for her child.

She pulled away from Alexander to stand alone.

“Father Patrick.” She searched for the priest’s habit among the many

clansmen.

“Aye, Lady Mary.” His voice came from somewhere at the back of the

room. Avoiding the drawn swords on every side, he wove his way through

the men to come to her.

Her composure nearly deserted her as she looked up into his face. “I

would ask that you wed us now, so that peace may be restored.”

His relief evident, the priest nodded. “‘Twill be my honor, Lady Mary.”

****

a man who harbored no affection or respect for her, the future stretched like

a dark empty abyss before her, frightening and cold. The very thing she had

fought against was happening and she was powerless to stop it.

Father Patrick’s voice droned on as he expounded on the sanctity of

marriage. A dull ache had settled in the small of her back, and her knees

had grown stiff before they rose from their kneeling position and faced one

another to exchange the vows.

Her composure uncertain, she avoided looking up as Alexander

grasped her cold hands and held them within his.

His deep voice though quiet, filled the room. “I, Alexander, son of John

Campbell, take thee, Mary, daughter of Collin MacLachlan, to be my wife. In

the presence of God and before these witnesses I promise to be a loving,

faithful, and loyal husband to thee, until God shall separate us by death.”

Her voice came out just above a whisper as she recited the vows. “I,

Mary MacLachlan, daughter of Collin MacLachlan, now take thee, Alexander

Campbell, son of John Campbell, to be my husband. In the presence of

God and before these witnesses I promise to be a loving, faithful, and loyal

wife to thee, until God shall separate us by death.”

She finally looked up at him as he drew her close.

“‘Twould not be official without a kiss to seal the vows, Mary,” he said

softly. He brushed her lips gently with his own.

A deafening cheer went up from the Campbell clansmen. She started,

thinking violence had broken out despite the occasion.

Alexander’s arms tightened around her. “They are voicing their

approval of the match, lass,” he said against her ear and gave her slender

waist a reassuring squeeze.

John rested his hands on her shoulders as he looked down into her

face. “‘Tis glad I am to claim you as my new daughter.” He drew her to him

in a hug more fatherly than any Collin had ever offered her.

“You are a fool, Mary,” Collin said as he glared down at her. “You could

have claimed all he has for the bairn and seen him punished as well.”

Mary looked into his face, for the last time she hoped. Never again

would she acknowledge him as her sire. The tenuous ties between them

were severed by that one word he yelled at her.
Whore
. He had been willing

to sacrifice her honor for whatever he could gain for himself.

“Why would you not speak agin him?” he demanded when she

remained silent.

She uttered the words most certain to gain for her the only revenge

available to her. “Because you wished it.”

Collin’s head snapped back as though she had struck him. His face

grew red, his eyes a glaring blue. The rage evident in his features moved

beyond anything she had ever witnessed from him before. He thrust his

face close to hers. “You deserve whatever sorrow he brings you, Daughter,”

he said, the spite in his words intent.

He turned and, signaling his men to follow, left the great hall. The

MacLachlan clansmen followed in force, leaving only the Campbells and

the few MacLachlan chiefs who had taken part in the arbitration.

“Introduce your wife to our company, Alexander. They shall be staying

for the evening meal,” John announced.

Alexander’s men were in high spirits at the evening meal. James and

Robert Campbell, the two red haired members of the group bore the brunt

of the humorous revelry for both were expected to marry soon.

Content to sit and listen to their jests, Mary nibbled sporadically at the

food set before her. Roasted fowl and pork, pastries filled with ham and

chicken, smoked salmon, cooked vegetables, cheese and flat loaves of

bread drizzled with honey, were offered to her, but nerves held her appetite

at bay.

Alexander moved the trencher they shared closer to her so she could

reach it more easily then frowned when she pushed it back toward him and

sipped her drink. “Is the food not to your liking, Mary?”

“‘Tis very good, I have eaten my fill.”

“There is something to be said for having a good lass to come home

to,” William said.

“The many wee Campbell’s who are running about when I visit your

hut is proof enough of that, Willy,” Derrick teased, his dark brown eyes alight

with humor.

“You’re doing your own part to keep the name alive, Derrick. Your

brood had swelled to four the last time I counted.”

“‘Twill be five in not so many months,” he boasted with a grin.

“‘Twould seem the lot of you have studied but a few scriptures, and

only paid service when the words, be fruitful and multiply were mentioned,”

Duncan teased.

The men all laughed and made comments that had Alexander leaning

forward and sweeping them with a look that subdued their rowdy humor.

“Alas, Mary,” Duncan said, his tone mournful, “I have a weakness

which plaques me greatly.” He paused for effect then continued. ‘Tis

lasses. I like them all. Be they short or tall, stout or slender, fair of face or

plain, I find I can not resist any of them.”

“Aye. ‘Tis the reason the rest of us keep our women folk close by when

he is about,” Samuel said with a grin.

Alexander had taken little part in their jests and his displeasure was

evident in the gaze he fastened on his brother.

“It has been told to me you were raised within the MacPherson Clan,

Lady Mary,” Shamus Campbell said, introducing a safer topic from across

the table.

“Aye. My Aunt Agnes was wed into the clan to the brother of the Laird,

Hugh MacPherson. ‘Twas the two of them who raised my sister and me

from the age of six.”

“My wife was a MacPherson. Mayhap you will speak to her about the

clan when next we visit.”

For the first time all evening, a cautious smile tilted her lips. “I shall

look forward to it.”

“It has been many years since she has visited her family. Her brother

is Robert MacPherson of Cluny.”

“My sister and I often played as children with his daughters Edina and

Rose. Edina had wed and was expecting her first bairn when we were sent

to Collin MacLachlan.”

“My wife will be pleased to hear the news. I’ll be telling her as soon as

I return home.”

The next smile came more easily.

“How oft were you called home from the MacPherson Clan, Mary?”

David Campbell asked from beside Alexander.

“We were called home thrice in twelve years. Once at Christmastide

when my mother still lived. When my mother died, we returned for a week.

Then, when Collin decided to find a match for my sister.”

“‘Tis unusual for a fostered child to remain so long away from home,”

Lamont Campbell, Alexander’s uncle, said from down the table.

“We were treated like daughters of the house by my aunt and uncle. I

have no complaints to offer in that.”

“I understand your unwillingness to have our children fostered, Mary,”

Alexander commented. “You should have been welcomed home more oft.”

“‘Tis not the only reason. Duty and loyalty come more readily toward

those we have lived and worked beside. I but wish to raise my children

within the bosom of the clan I would expect them to honor and defend.”

He nodded in understanding.

“But your daughters may marry outside the clan,” David suggested.

“I pray not. Every child who is sacrificed in the name of harmony or

gain means the clan is weakened. You are making a gift of your own

strength and courage and honor for ‘tis bred into your children just as you

breed strength and stamina into your horses.”

She focused her attention on the bread she crumbled with restless

fingers. “I have always been amazed that men are willing to give away their

own flesh and blood to those whom they would not even entrust their sword

or shield.”

Her gaze rose to find every male eye at the table turned on her. Heat

touched her cheeks.

“‘Tis fortunate your father has entrusted you to my brother, Mary.”

Duncan smiled. “‘Tis not every day a man gains a sister.”

“Aye.” David nodded and raised his tankard of ale to her.

The pleasure she felt at their acceptance brought a quick smile, to her

lips. “‘Tis generous of you to speak so of me.”

****

Resentment twisted inside Alexander at the ready smiles Mary offered