Eoin rubbed the sleep from his eyes yet again as he left the hospitium for Matins, at two o’clock in the morning. The stars twinkled above him as if to laugh that they rested upon an eternal blue bed while he picked his way toward the chapel. He caught sight of Cairstine as a novice stopped her. Cairstine shook her head, but the novice appeared adamant and pointed to somewhere in the dark. Cairstine refused again, but the novice grasped Cairstine’s arm and began dragging her. Eoin sprinted toward them, but by the time he allowed the nuns to pass him, he’d lost sight of Cairstine. He moved in the direction he thought the novice pointed, but he feared he wouldn’t find her. His heart slowed when he heard her voice, but it lurched again when he recognized the abbot’s.
“You have a choice, my lady. You can offer me what I want, and I allow you to remain at the priory. Or I will turn you out, and people will label you a slut, whether you find work at a tavern or travel with that bastard Gordon. Traveling alone with your guards won’t protect your reputation either.”
“I choose not to give you aught. Not me nor my dowry. Move aside,” Cairstine’s voice held the command that only the child of a laird could possess. Eoin was proud of her unwavering tone, but he was going to beat the monk to a pulp. He couldn’t stop his lips from twitching when he heard Cairstine continue. “Eoin Gordon isn’t a bastard, and if you say it again, I’ll cut off your bollocks and ensure you never sire another bastard. That’s right. I’ve heard a great deal at a place where nearly no one speaks.”
“You are wrong there, Cairstine. I will have what is mine.” Eoin heard a scuffle, but he wasn’t close enough to see.
“Let go,” Cairstine demanded. “Don’t touch me. Remove your hand from my breast.”
Eoin needed to hear no more. He’d walked close enough while Cairstine and the monk spoke that he could see the abbot pinning Cairstine to the wall, so he launched himself at the man. Eoin wrapped his hand around the abbot’s throat and squeezed, pleased to hear the choking rasp as he gasped for air. The monk's hair was short, and he had a tonsure shaved over his crown, Eoin was able to grasp enough to lift his head then slam it onto the ground thrice before letting go.
“The only reason ye are still alive is because ye are a mon of the cloth. I refuse to call ye a mon of God, and I refuse to have yer death on ma conscience. Ye can be certain that I will speak to the archimandrite for Angus. Perhaps ye dinna ken this, but ma grandmother was a Scrymgeour.” Eoin chuckled when the monk gasped, allowing his burr to slide into his speech as his anger boiled. “Och aye, the vera same clan that were patrons of this priory and ensured its establishment. The archimandrite happens to have baptized me as a wee bairn and was often a guest at ma grandparents’ table, so imagine his dismay when he learns of yer behavior toward Lady Cairstine Grant, daughter to ma father’s ally.”
“You wouldn’t dare tell him,” the abbot mocked. “Lady Cairstine met me alone in the dark. She seduced me.”
“Shall I hand ye a shovel to dig yer own grave, or would ye care to continue with yer words? Lady Cairstine trusted a novice who sent her to ye, and ye took advantage of her. I saw and heard it all. I’m certain Bishop Graham is aware of yer indiscretions, but I doubt he will turn a deaf ear or a blind eye to ye assaulting a noblewoman. Now I will be the only one offering choices: go back to the abbey on yer own and dinna return here unless Bishop Graham sends ye, or I can deliver ye to Bishop Graham maself.”
“You’ll leave here, and you’ll never know what your whore does,” Father Abbot taunted.
“Wrong answer.” Eoin lifted the man from the ground and drove his fist into the abbot’s stomach. “Cairstine, return to yer cell. I will return for ye in two days. The abbot and I are on our way to see Bishop Graham.”
“Eoin, this isn’t necessary,” Cairstine whispered, terrified of what would happen once word got out.
“This isnae just aboot ye. This miscreant has assaulted other women here at his mercy. Do ye want what just happened to ye to happen to another woman? To a woman with nay means to defend herself?”
“No, of course not,” Cairstine murmured as she shook her head. She looked at the man Eoin held, his toes barely touching the ground. Disgust washed over her as she realized she’d been willing to condemn other women to what she had endured all those years ago just to protect herself. “You should take him to the bishop.”
* * *
It took a full day’s travel for Eoin and his guards to escort the abbot to Brechin Cathedral. The monk had cursed and damned the Gordon men from the moment they mounted until they reached the Dundee city limits. Eoin had already bound the abbot to his horse, but he stopped the party of riders long enough to gag him as well. He was aware of the startling scene they created as they rode onto the Cathedral grounds with a bound and gagged monk. Eoin felt no guilt when he yanked the man off of his horse, surrendering him to Bishop Graham. He’d been truthful when he said he’d known the man his entire life, and Eoin’s story came as little surprise to the archimandrite who listened to both sides before having the abbot confined to a cell. Bishop Graham assured Eoin that the monk would rue the day he abused any of his flock, and Eoin didn’t doubt it. Called to monastic life at a young age, the archimandrite had still lived among Clan Graham long enough to train as a warrior first. There was an edge to the man that bade no nonsense, and a stern aura of command was obvious.
Eoin accepted the hospitality offered by the monks at the cathedral, and he enjoyed an evening meal that consisted of more than watery broth and stale bread. It wasn’t much more, since the monks didn’t eat meat, but he enjoyed dried fruit and cheese. He suspected his quick temper stemmed, in part, from hunger. Eoin and his men left before daylight as he raced back to Dundee Priory and Cairstine.
* * *
The two days Cairstine waited for Eoin to return were the two longest days of her life. She attempted to attend Lauds, but word had already spread of the altercation. She sensed--because no one dared say it aloud--that the nuns blamed her for the abbot’s behavior. Many were frightened to learn of Eoin’s violent reaction, believing he, and Cairstine by association, violated the sanctity of the consecrated ground. Cairstine realized the rumors floating around the priory were the most words spoken aloud that didn’t involve prayer that she’d heard since arriving at the priory. She opted to leave her cell only for meals, remaining there throughout the days and night.
* * *
Cairstine heard the commotion of Eoin’s return just after Compline on the second day of his absence. She caught muted cries of outrage before someone pounded on her chamber door. She unlocked it, and Eoin pressed his way in. His eyes raked over Cairstine, taking in her nervous expression before it relaxed when she recognized him. When she smiled, he gave in to temptation and pulled her into his arms, his mouth ravaging hers. Cairstine’s arms crept around Eoin’s neck as she matched his fervor with her own. His tongue pressed against the seam of her mouth, and she opened to him, welcoming the invasion of his tongue. She tilted her head, allowing Eoin to control the kiss.
Eoin was careful not to press Cairstine’s body against his aching cock. His hips demanded that he thrust his rod against Cairstine’s mound and search for the satisfaction it craved, but he reminded himself of what had happened the last time. His hands tingled with a need to roam over her body, but he refused to ruin the moment by scaring her. Certainly not after they’d been separated for two days while he handled the man who’d done just that: scared her by touching her.
Cairstine sighed as she felt safe for the first time since she’d discovered the abbot waiting for her in the covered walkway of the cloister. She knew the calm she now experienced was because of Eoin. She’d been safe once the abbot left the grounds, but anxiety had possessed her as she sat alone in her cell. She moaned her complaint as they eventually pulled apart.
“You’re back,” Cairstine offered lamely.
“I am, lass. And I’m taking you away from here in the morn. I’d do it now, but it’s too risky to make you ride in the dark. The road north out of the town is uneven and rutted, and I don’t want any of our horses to go lame. I already tempted fate enough by riding out and returning here in the dark.”
“But if the abbot isn’t here and won’t likely return soon or often, why can’t I stay?”
“Cairstine, Compline just ended, and you should have still been with the others as they left the chapel. Instead, you’re here. Mother Abbot told me you locked yourself away in here while I was gone because of the rumors swirling aboot. They’ve already labeled you for crimes you didn’t commit. We both know that, and that’s why you’re alone in here. You’ll be miserable if you stay, and I can’t guarantee the abbot, or some other equally horrid monk, won’t come here. I can’t protect you here and neither can your guards.”
Eoin took both of Cairstine’s hands in his, running his thumb over the back of hers. He gave them a gentle squeeze before continuing. “This was never going to work, Cairrie. Without your dowry, even if Mother Abbess agreed to you joining the order, the others would resent you for being able to join for free. Some would resent you for not contributing your share to sisters’ livelihood, and others would resent you because their families had to buy their way into here and you didn’t. Either way, they won’t welcome you, no matter what Mother Abbess says. I’m sorry, Cairrie, but you ken I’m right.”
“I know, Eo. I just wish it weren’t so. How can I return home now? Do I return to court? What do I say to the queen or to my parents? I feel even more lost than I did before.” Cairstine sniffled, then sighed. “I must tell my mother and father the truth and pray that they’ll allow me to retire to another convent, or if they permit me to remain unwed, they’ll still let Fenella marry.”
“I don’t have an answer to that, but my men and I will join your guard and take you to Stirling or Freuchie.”
