Chapter Ten
"Are ye sure ye can ride all the way?” Iain asked as he helped Islaen mount what he thought was far too much horse for her.
"Aye, Iain, I will be fine. Beltraine brought me all the way here. He can take me back too. Can ye not, me fine beastie?” she softly cooed, patting the stallion's strong neck. “Do ye think your mares will be pleased with this new blood in your stables, Iain?"
"The horse is yours?” he asked in some surprise even as he began to mentally pair the fine stallion with several mares at Caraidland.
"Aye,” replied Alaistair as he rode up beside his daughter. “He took to her, so as he grew I decided she might as weel have the great brute. She is a muckle fine rider, lad, and can handle such a horse."
When they started on their way she did not even look back. Glancing at Iain she was glad she had overcome her lingering terror from the attack enough to insist that they remain at court two extra days so that his wound closed properly. He had been ready to leave as he had promised, having worked hard to clear away all his remaining business, but she had seen that he was not quite ready for the long ride home.
Despite her near retreat from court society and her preoccupation with Iain, she had noted two changes in court. Lord Fraser had simply and abruptly disappeared. Considering the beating Iain had given the man Islaen was not sure how Lord Fraser had managed to leave but, since a few of his kin and all his men had also vanished, she suspected the family had managed his swift but quiet exodus to avoid scandal. Lady Mary had also disappeared and Islaen was sure the woman had fled out of fear that Lord Fraser would implicate her in his reprehensible act. Islaen had never mentioned Lady Mary's part in the attack to Iain and was not sure she should. It was enough for her that the woman and Lord Fraser were gone. She fervently hoped she would never have to set eyes upon either of them again.
By the time they stopped for the night, Islaen felt exhausted and ached as if all her fading bruises had been renewed. Even the wound upon her leg throbbed a little. She realized that Iain was also suffering when he grumpily apologized for not having a tent for them, sulkily adding that he had not anticipated towing a wife back to Caraidland. Iain was not a cross-tempered man and she knew instantly that his wound troubled him.
She suspected there was an added reason for his gruffness when they bedded down for the night. When her backside came up against his loins as he held her close there was no ignoring his arousal, an arousal that would have to go unsatisfied. With her kin, Alexander (and she still puzzled over his sudden desire to leave court) and all their men-at-arms ever near there would be no chance of finding the privacy needed to satisfy Iain's needs. Or her own, she mused with a sigh. She doubted they would be able to do anything about those particular desires until they reached Caraidland, and that was several days away.
On the third day of their journey, she and Alexander, with Meg's concurrence, removed Iain's stitches. His wound had healed nicely, Islaen decided as she helped him with his tunic, although MacLennon had succeeded in leaving yet another scar upon him. She then became aware of the fact that her brothers had gathered round.
"What do ye want?” she asked suspiciously.
"We mean to have us a wee talk with your husband,” Nathan replied.
One sharp glance at their faces told her it was not talking they had in mind. Her suspicions were strengthened by the way Iain's men were bristling. They sensed the threat facing Iain.
"Weel, ye arenae going to do any talking.” She sneered the last word. “Get away from here."
"Islaen,” Iain said quietly as he stood, “I think ye best stay out of this."
He was idly amused by the way she stood before her much larger brothers, with her hands upon her slim hips. She looked like a small hen ready to defend her chick. This time, however, it would indeed be best if she stayed out of it even though he knew it was going to make her furious.
Silently signaling his men that he would take care of the matter alone, Iain prepared to leave with Islaen's brothers. He knew they intended to do their talking with their fists and that he would undoubtedly be nursing many a bruise for the rest of the journey to Caraidland. However, he understood why they were intent on doing it. He knew he would do the same if he had a sister. There had also been a tension between him and Islaen's kin since the night he had gone off with Lady Mary. Iain knew this confrontation would put them back on a more companionable footing, something he was eager for. He did, however, feel a little slighted when he saw that Alexander was aligned with Islaen's brothers.
"Ye as weel, Alex?"
"Aye. Me as well."
"Now wait just a minute,” Islaen snapped as they started to move away, but when she reached out to restrain Iain her father caught her up in a hold that was gentle but very firm. “This is the greatest of foolishness, Fither."
"Weel, most women think that of a mon's business. No harm in ye lads having a look,” he said to the hovering men-at-arms who immediately hurried after the others. “Now, lass, will ye set here an I release ye?"
"Aye,” she answered with cross reluctance, “for I ken I will do no good chasing after them. They willnae hurt Iain badly, will they?"
"Nay, lass. Truth is, I will be muckle surprised if some of the lads dinnae come back a mite bashed themselves."
Iain fully intended to give as good as he got when Islaen's brothers halted and Nathan murmured, “This looks as good a spot as any to have our wee talk."
"She willnae be pleased by this,” Iain said calmly as he took off his tunic and handed it to one of his men.
Doing the same, Robert drawled, “Nay, I suspicion she will burn our ears a wee bit as she should have burned yours."
"Aye, but she is an understanding lass."
"We arenae and we did warn ye,” growled Nathan.
"Aye, ye did. So how is it to be then? All of you?"
"Nay, that wouldnae be quite fair,” murmured Robert.
