Over her head Iain and Robert discussed her as if she were simple. She began to feel furious. No matter what state she was in, no matter how she looked, she should know better than anyone else whether or not she had been raped. She knew her fury was easily stirred because her emotions were raw from her ordeal, but when Iain spoke to her as if she were a small, frightened and somewhat stupid child and the men gathered there looked at her so sympathetically as he reassured her, she cursed and slapped his consoling hands away.
"I hate to prick your noble understanding, Iain MacLagan, but there is no need of it.” She punctuated her words by jabbing a finger into his chest. “Now listen to me, ye wooden-headed fool, I ought to ken what was done to me. Aye, he tried but he couldnae. Fraser couldnae rape a hole in the mud. Ye see, ye great gowk, when ye beat him that day at court ye mashed his cullions to pudding and the bastard couldnae get his pintle stiff if ye put a rod in it.” The look of astonishment upon Iain's face as well as the sudden silence around them caused Islaen to realize what she had been saying. “Oh, God's beard, what did I say?” she groaned, one hand covering her mouth as she stared at Iain in growing horror.
"Weel,” he said in a choked voice, “ye certainly made it all verra clear."
When he burst out laughing and all his men and kin joined in, Islaen thought she would die of embarrassment. She put her hands over her flush hot face and wished she could disappear. No lady would have used such coarse language, Islaen was sure of it.
"Lass,” Iain murmured, his voice shaking with laughter, “ye can stand there ‘til the final reckoning and it willnae happen. Ye willnae disappear."
That seemed to amuse the men even more, which made Islaen forget her embarrassment and glare at them. “Oafs. I am going home."
"Wait, sweeting,” Iain gasped as he moved after her and struggled to subdue his laughter. “I will get my horse."
"Nay, thank ye kindly, I will get my own,” she said haughtily, then put her fingers in her mouth and whistled loudly for Beltraine, who quickly appeared from the wood and trotted towards her.
She was just wondering how to mount without exposing too much of her legs when she heard someone mention the wounded youth. One man pointed out that the lad was one of Fraser's men and several voices offered some very chilling suggestions as to what should be done with him. Seeing that Storm was trying to speak up for the youth but was still nearly mute, Islaen hurried back to where the young man lay. She was partly aware of how Iain continued to stay at her side.
"Nay, ye must not hurt the lad."
"Did he help ye?"
"Weel, Iain, when Fraser asked him to kill us the boy refused. Fraser cut him down."
"He was part of it though, sweeting. He didnae stop it."
Looking at her husband she said quietly, “When he came to tell Fraser that ye had come, he looked horrified at what had been done to Storm and me. He was shocked to his soul when Fraser ordered us killed. I think he is just a lad who was tempted by an adventure and had no idea of the mire he had stepped into. Nay, nor of the mon he rode with. He could have killed us but he didnae and, if Fraser hadnae been weakened by a wound, the lad could have died for that. Can ye nay give him a chance? ‘Tis a small reward."
"Aye, it is."
Islaen began to feel very weary as Iain saw to the youth's transport back to Caraidland. She did not try to ride off by herself but waited for Iain. He mounted and had Robert hand her to him. Once she was settled on Iain's lap, she let her weariness conquer her.
"The blood upon your legs, Islaen?” Iain asked softly.
"Cut myself somehow. Either in fighting Fraser or in crawling out through the hole in the wall,” she replied tiredly. “Did ye find Robbie?"
"Aye, he was trying to get back to Caraidland. He will be fine."
"Fraser?"
"Dead."
"There is one threat gone then. A shame MacLennon's madness cannae make him as foolish as Fraser."
"Aye, a shame,” Iain agreed softly, then realized that she had fallen asleep and he tightened his hold upon her a little.
He stared down at the sleeping woman in his arms. From the moment he had heard that she was in Fraser's hands he had been fighting panic. He had kept thinking of all the days he had stayed away from her, days that could never be regained. The depth of his fear for her told him something he did not really want to know. She was not pulling at him any longer—she had him.
