The sheriff kept his eyes lowered and shook his head.
“I am certain we will find out soon. Sir Simon has a true skill for ferreting out the truth. Aye, ye may nay have wielded the knife but ye are a part of these killings, a verra big part. Ye are also all foul rapists.”
“They were willing,” the sheriff protested.
Laurel marched over to the table in front of him and mimicked Sir Simon, slapping her hands down on the table, causing the sheriff to jump. She leaned forward and spat, “Willing? Ye tell yourself we were willing?”
“Ye didnae fight, did ye?” The look in her eyes made him lean back as far as he could without moving his chair.
“’Tis hard to fight three men, even harder to fight when ye are tied hand and foot. Women who have had much of their strength sapped from their bodies by being nearly drowned repeatedly in William’s barrel, from getting only one plate of slop a day, from the fear of kenning ye are innocent but no one is listening so ye will hang. Dinnae ye dare use the wordwillingwhen ye speak of what ye did, ye fat bastard. Dinnae ye ever dare.”
Bethoc hurried over to take Laurel by the arm. She could feel the woman shaking and knew she would soon start weeping. That would later humiliate her so Bethoc put her arm around the woman’s waist and led her out of the room. She could hear the soft sound of Lorraine as the woman hurried after them. Callum gave her a stern look that conveyed the clear message that she was to go no farther than just outside the door and then the door behind them.
“Jesu,” muttered Laurel and she covered her face with her hands. “The hatred I feel for that mon kens no depth. I could feel it rising up to choke me with its venom.” She took a deep breath and then wiped the tears away before looking at Bethoc. “Thank ye for getting me out of there. I wouldnae have wanted him to see my tears.”
“Because he would have thought them a sign of weakness, nay the fury they truly reveal,” said Lorraine as she stepped up to lightly rub Laurel’s back.
“Exactly.” Laurel kept taking deep breaths and letting them out slowly. “I am better now.”
“Are ye certain?” asked Bethoc. “Better enough to go back in there?”
“Mayhap it would be good to give me a few more minutes.”
“Then we will take a few. He cannae get anyone to believe his lies, ye ken. All those men saw me tied to the bed, skirts up, with the sheriff on top of me and ready. They ken what he was about. Two of them are lairds. One used to be the King’s Hound, and all are knights. He is done, finished. I just wish we could learn who has been the one ordering this, the one picking the lands to take.”
“I really think it is one of the laird’s sons,” said Lorraine.
“That would explain why no one is telling.” Laurel frowned. “’Tis the youngest, I would wager. He has always been a little bastard, wanting what is nay his, bullying people to get his way, and nay paying his tab at the tavern. A shame, for the laird is a good mon and so are his other three sons. His lassies are pure angels. I have seen the youngest son being mean to them, too. Aye, I will bet it is him. I think this will all soon end,” she said as she cocked her head, listening. “That Sir Simon returns with more than Sir Robbie the head cracker.”
Bethoc laughed and then Sir Simon came into view. With him he had a well-dressed man who looked as if he was about thirty. The man’s eyes widened at them and then he stared hard at Lorraine.
“Lorraine?” he asked, and stepped closer, causing Sir Simon to halt.
“Aye, Sir MacKray,” she replied, and blushed when he took her hands gently in his.
“Weel, if I didnae already ken the mon, I would wonder if he had killed her husband,” murmured Sir Simon as he moved next to Bethoc and watched the two step away to have a fierce whispered conversation.
“’Tis a bit of a surprise.” Bethoc looked at the man. “Ye found him quickly.”
“Ah, I would like to say it was my great skill but I fear it was just good luck. He was about to come in as Robbie and I stepped out. Probably caught wind of her arrest, now that I think on it. So, Robbie and I took him o’er to the tavern and had a chat.” He sighed. “He is horrified about those other three women and I believe I actually saw his friendship with the sheriff die. I feel badly for him as he is a good, honest mon who believes in the law and justice.”
“I have a feeling he will be getting all the sympathy he could want,” said Bethoc as they watched Lorraine stroke his hair when he bent his head in shame.
Sir Simon chuckled and then took a few steps closer to the couple. “We had best go, Walter.”
“Of course. I will speak with ye later, Lorraine.” He kissed her cheek and followed Sir Simon.
“My, my,” drawled Laurel when the door shut behind the men, and she grinned when Lorraine blushed brightly. “Ye willnae be a widow for long.”
“Nay, ye misread the situation,” Lorraine protested. “I have kenned Walter since we were bairns together. That is all it is.”
“Lorraine, that mon is nay looking at ye as if ye were his childhood friend.”
“Truly?” Lorraine looked wary yet hopeful as she looked at Bethoc for some response.
“Truly,” Bethoc said. “Now let us get back in there. I dinnae want to miss this.”
“Walter is terribly upset,” whispered Lorraine.
