“I’m nae marrying him, Catherine. And there isnae a chance that he wishes to marry me.” Catriona saw no point in prevaricating. “Ma uncle can suggest all he wants, but he kens ma father and our laird listen to ma counsel as much as they do ma uncle’s. I willna agree to accept Rab, so there is naught either ma uncle can do.”
Catriona squeezed Catherine’s hand before patting Rab on the arm as she walked past. When she reached the door, she paused. “Catherine, I stand with ye against Agnes. But Rab is who can protect ye from Dennis.”
Catherine watched as her friend disappeared, then shifted her gaze to Rab. They met halfway, Rab’s embrace engulfing Catherine’s smaller frame.
“What did Agnes say aboot yer aunt and cousins?”
“How did ye ken?”
“I watched ye slap her from all the way in the lists. I already asked Óg to take ye with him to get ye away from Dennis. He says he canna because of some guest the king and queen are expecting.”
“Ye talked to Óg?”
“Aye. He kens things arenae over between us, but he worries more aboot ye than he does trying to keep us apart right now. He kens ye need ma protection, and he kens I willna hesitate to offer it.”
“I wasna even thinking aboot Dennis when I lost ma temper with Agnes. Bluidy hell. I dinna even want to show up for the evening meal.”
“Then dinna. Stay in yer chamber and out of sight. Can ye make an excuse?”
Catherine bit her lower lip as she considered her choices before nodding. “I think I can. But, Rab, I’m nae missing ma chance to be with ye tonight.” Catherine’s earnest expression melted Rab’s heart, even if it didn’t ease his fears. He pressed a soft kiss to her mouth as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
“I have breeks. I’ll wear those and meet ye at the end of yer passageway. Without ma plaid, I willna be so recognizable. Wear something plain, and we might even pass for servants once we’re off yer floor.”
“Aye.” Catherine returned Rab’s kiss, but it was over far sooner than either wanted. “We canna linger here. I need to find the Mistress of the Bedchamber and make ma excuses.”
“I’ll eat in the Great Hall this eve. I’ll make sure people notice me enter and leave with ma men.”
“Vera well. Be careful, Rab. I catch the rumors. I dinna believe them, but they scare me.”
“I ken,mo piseag. I will take care. I willna let aught keep me from ye, least of all me being foolish and letting ma guard down.”
“Then I will meet ye an hour after everyone retires.” Catherine kissed Rab’s cheeks and hurried to the door. It took only a moment for her to disappear, and Rab spied no trace of her as he left the music room. He made his way to the passageway leading to the Privy Council chamber, where he took a spot against a wall. He knew the king wouldn’t see him that day, but other people would. He figured if he kept just visible enough, no one would link him to Catherine. However, he doubted the wisdom of his thinking when Dennis Buchanan entered the passageway.
Chapter 8
Rab appeared to gaze straight ahead of him, but he watched Dennis from the corner of his eye. He’d never liked the man and had always avoided him, especially since he persuaded his father to support the MacGregors when they began encroaching upon the MacLarens after the Campbells annexed MacGregor land. The MacLarens and Buchanans were on the cusp of an outright feud, and Rab refused to be the catalyst for bloodshed.
Dennis merely shot Rab a smug glance as he sauntered past, and the chamberlain admitted him to the Privy Council chamber immediately. Rab silently cursed as he continued to wait. He could only imagine the stories Dennis attempted to fill King Robert’s head with, and how they were at the MacLarens’ expense. His only consolation was Dennis didn’t appear upset when he entered the chamber, so Rab assumed he hadn’t spoken to Agnes yet. He couldn’t say the same for the man’s temperament when he left the chamber, storming down the passageway. Whatever the Bruce told him hadn’t sat well with Dennis. Rab’s belly tightened, knowing that once Dennis spoke to Agnes, his temper would boil over, and he would set his sights on Catherine.
“MacLaren,” the chamberlain boomed. Rab pushed away from the wall and straightened his sporran. He approached the smaller man and clasped his hands behind his back. “The king bids you to wait elsewhere until he summons you. He is disinclined to grant you an audience at present. The disturbance your presence creates displeases him. Go sulk elsewhere.” The pugnacious little man attempted to peer down his nose at the much larger warrior.
Rab turned on his heel, annoyed at the man, annoyed that his time was wasted, and annoyed that the king summoned him to court only to toy with him. As he left the passageway, he rolled his shoulders back and considered his choices. He could remain in a foul mood, or he could assess the situation as a boon since it wouldn’t force him to endure so many people’s scrutiny as he stood alone. He returned to his chamber to write a missive to his father, updating the laird on the lack of progress. He also shared the more damning rumors he’d heard, not because there was anything his father or he could do, but more a forewarning of what might happen once their punishment became public.
The first two people he caught sight of when he entered the Great Hall were Dennis and Agnes. It took little to realize Dennis was even more irate than he was when he departed the Privy Council chamber. As Rab drew closer, he watched Agnes point toward the ladies-in-waiting, who were taking seats at their tables. Rab watched what he was certain were crocodile tears stream down Agnes’s cheeks as she whined to Dennis.
“Then she slapped me,” Agnes wailed. Rab forced himself to keep from interjecting that Agnes deserved it and had she been a man, she’d be in a shroud by now.
“Where is she?” Dennis demanded as he leaned around Agnes’s shoulder. His sister turned back to her peers, her brow furrowing.
“I don’t know. She was with us earlier.”
“She will pay her penance; worry not, Agnes.”
“She humiliated me.”
“And you were a right piece of work to start,” Catriona interjected. She turned to Dennis. “She’s lucky she isn’t a mon because you’d be paying for her funeral right now. She said despicable things, caterwauling that the MacLarens intended to attack her. She shouldn’t have mentioned Catherine’s family. She crossed a line from which she cannot return.”
“I didn’t say aught that wasn’t true.”
