Finally she could force the words out. “My father comes.”
“Here?” He looked past her and out into the yard. “Now?”
“The messenger said he comes directly to take me home.”
“Ye are home, lass.” His smile did not reach his eyes and did nothing to soothe the new fears that raged inside of her. Even his embrace did not settle her thoughts.
“Rob, you said you would handle this.”
“And I will. Come, let us prepare for yer faither’s visit.”
They walked side by side back to the keep. Climbing the stairs to the first level, they entered the great hall just after her father arrived. The large group in the hall included not just her parents, but several uncles, two priests, many servants, and even some MacNab warriors. Coming in behind them, she heard Struan call out to her. Everyone turned to watch as she approached.
Her father separated himself from his entourage and came towards them. Pointing to two of his largest soldiers, he motioned them to her side. Instead of grabbing her, they took hold of Robert. She screamed and threw herself against him.
“Is this the man who thinks he can interfere with my lawful control of my own daughter?”
Her father grabbed her arm, wrenching her away from Robert and into another soldier’s grasp. Then without warning he punched Robert in the stomach. She screamed again as Robert bent over at the power of the blow.
“My lord?” her mother said, walking between the two men. “Should we no’ pursue this in privacy? We do no’ want to expose our daughter’s shame to one and all.”
Looking around at the gathering crowd, her father relented and she found herself dragged towards the solar. Once inside, she was taken to a chair, where she sat and waited for an explanation of her father’s words and actions. Robert, Struan, and a few of the elders of the MacKendimen clan entered and stood near the hearth. Her mother’s hand on her shoulder told her she would not like what was to come.
She looked to Robert as he whispered something to Struan. No longer in the hold of the soldiers, she was disappointed that he did not come to her side.
“MacNab, let the women retire and we will come to terms among ourselves.”
“Nay. She will hear the truth of what brought her to this shameful reckoning. Then she will see the wisdom in my arrangements.”
“Father, what shame is upon me?” she asked, looking from her father to Robert and trying to understand his words.
“Haes he told ye his reasons for marrying ye, Anice?”
“He married me to save me from your plans to take my babe and send me to the MacLarens.” Her voice shook now in fearful anticipation. “He married me to protect me.”
“He married ye for his own reasons, Anice. He married ye for his own plans.”
“But, Father, he had no other reason to marry me. He will not use me as you plan to—for the good of our clan.” She fought for control, but felt it slipping away.
“Is that what ye think, Anice? Women are used all of the time by men. That’s what God placed ye here for. We use ye to secure property and title, we use ye to produce heirs for those lands, and we use ye for our comfort and pleasure. ’This the way of it and he does the same thing with ye.”
“Nay, you are wrong, Father. Robert married me for none of those reasons.” She turned to Robert and waited for his added denial to these charges of her father. It never came. She tried to rise, but her mother’s strong hands on her shoulders kept her in the chair.
“Do ye tell her or do I?”
Time slowed down around her and she saw flashes of anger pass between the two men. Robert did not face her.
“Tell me now, Robert. Explain what my father hints at. I trust you.”
“Yes,” her father goaded. “Tell her how yer so-called marriage haes stained her soul with a grievous sin.”
She began to shake as she waited on his words. Did he know of her sin? Or did he speak of something else? The room became silent as they waited for Robert’s words.
Robert took in a deep breath and expelled it loudly. Walking closer to her, he squatted down next to her chair and spoke quietly to her. “I am sorry that ye must hear this newstold this way, Anice.” He leaned closer and spoke again. “I am also Struan’s son.”
Anice recoiled from his words. She couldn’t have heard him correctly—he was Struan’s son? That would make him...
“Yer dead husband’s brother, Anice. And uncle to yer own son. And he drew ye into an incestuous marriage for his own gains.” Her father filled in the missing words. But he didn’t stop there. “Do ye ken he will be heir to the clan if any harm should befall yer bairn? A nice cozy position to be in, would no’ ye say? The wolf guarding the sheep?”
