“Idinnae think I, Malcolm, or Beatham would be too pleased either. Dinnae fret,dearling. I dinnae ken your brother verra weel, but I can see that, although heis hot of temper and stubborn, he is not without wit. We but need to have himcool the fire of anger in his head and heart and he will see that thesemarriages can only benefit both clans, especially a marriage between ye and me.”
Asthey entered the great hall, Sorcha had to fight the urge to bolt. Dougal waspacing back and forth in front of the head table, a scowling Robert keeping aclose guard. The moment Dougal saw her, he started toward her only to begrabbed by the arm by Robert and brought to an abrupt halt. Sorcha realizedthat Robert had not been guarding Dougal, but guarding against Dougal doinganything foolish. As she and Ruari walked to the head table, Robert draggedDougal to a seat placed opposite Ruari’s big chair. Sorcha caught a glimpse ofMargaret clinging to Beatham in a far corner of the great hall and Neil leaningagainst a wall with a nervous Malcolm by her side just before Ruari showed herto her seat at his side.
Itwas uncomfortable to sit under Dougal’s glare as wine, cider, and a light repastwere set out. That Ruari was acting as if he entertained willing, amiableguests was clearly irritating Dougal. Sorcha suspected that Ruari was goadingDougal in some subtle way. She did not think that was the way to gain someamiable settlement between the Hays and the Kerrs, but she could not reallyfault Ruari for doing it. Dougal had made life miserable for everyone for afortnight and he did deserve some tormenting. After a few moments of Dougalbeing politely asked if he wished wine or cider, butter or honey, Sorchanoticed that her brother began to lose the tight rage that had driven him torace to Gartmhor. More and more he began to look simply impatient.
“Willye cease this game?” Dougal snapped after taking a long swallow of wine. “Ihave been riding for nearly two days and I am in no temper to tolerate thesepleasantries.”
“Yemust have left only a few hours after we did,” Sorcha said in surprise.
“Aye,I almost did as ye so clearly planned—waited until dark ere I wondered where yehad gone,” Dougal replied. “‘Twas just luck and a few remarks which were made—suchas why ye were collecting herbs when we already had a large supply—which mademe realize that ye might be riding here. I was still too late to catch ye forye had taken all of the best horses. Howbeit, now ye can put your backside inthe saddle again and ride back to Dunweare with me.”
“Nay,I cannae. I willnae,” she said, her tone of voice calm yet firm.
“Beforethis continues, there is something ye need to hear, Sir Dougal,” Ruari said. “Ididnae kidnap these women, and they didnae just ride into Gartmhor. They andtheir companions attempted to kidnap my cousin Beatham and Artur, one of myyounger men-at-arms. We captured them as they attempted to flee with theirprisoners.”
Sorchacould not tell what Dougal was thinking for his expression of shock hid anyother emotions he might be feeling. Robert was staring down at the table, hisbroad shoulders shaking faintly, and she was sure he was laughing. Ruari hadthe courtesy not to smile or be too cocksure, but there was a strong gleam ofamusement in his eyes as he carefully watched Dougal and waited for the youngerman’s reaction.
“Yetried to kidnap Beatham?” Dougal asked, his voice hoarse with shock as helooked at Sorcha. “What were ye thinking? That ye could just bring him home andkeep him for Margaret?”
“Nay,of course not,” replied Sorcha. “In truth, we hadnae planned on getting hold ofBeatham. He just happened to be the first one to ride out of Gartmhor.”
Shesat quietly beneath his steady stare. When the expression on his face began toslowly change from shock to confusion and finally to understanding, she felt asense of guilt and nervousness creep through her, making her shift in her seat.When Dougal chose to use it, he had an extremely keen wit. She just wished hehad not chosen to use it now.
“‘Twasall a plot,” Dougal finally said, his tone one of amazement with a strong hintof annoyance. “Ye never truly meant to kidnap anyone; ye just intended to becaughtkidnapping someone.”
“Whyshould I wish to do that?” she asked, inwardly cursing the hint of timidity inher voice.
“Yeare far too clever for a lass,” he muttered, shaking his head. “‘Tis a blessingthat ye havenae the heart to use that wit to practice deceit or dishonesty. Whywould ye play such a game? What do ye gain by being caught in the act ofcommitting such a crime?”
“Euphemiasaid that I must put the power back into Ruari’s hands if I wished to solve thedifficulties that have kept us at each other’s throats for a fortnight.” Shetook a deep breath to steady herself and continued, “Both of ye men were boundby your own pride.” She ignored Ruari’s and Dougal’s mumbled protests. “Pride,anger, and the strict rules of honor. I dinnae think anyone gave muchconsideration to what I felt or wanted or Margaret or Neil. Aye, or evenBeatham and Malcolm. Ruari sat at Gartmhor bound by the rules of honor and ye,my dear brother, let pride bind you in mind and heart and I decided I had hadquite enough of it all. So, I devised this plan which allows Ruari to actwithout bruising his honor and ye to cease clinging to an unreasonable dictatewhich made no one happy.”
“Italso allows me to ask a ransom,” said Ruari, smiling when Sorcha and Dougalstared at him.
“Actually,that wasnae part of my plan,” Sorcha whispered, not sure what Ruari was doing.
“Weel,dearling, ye cannae be allowed to decide everything. Ye could become quitevain.” Before Sorcha could reply to that impudence, Ruari looked at Dougal. “Fortheir ransom I ask your blessings for the marriages of Margaret and Beatham,Neil and Malcolm, and, of course, Sorcha and myself.”
Fora moment Dougal stared from one couple to another, then he began to laugh. Heheld up his tankard as if he was about to make a toast and said, “That is noransom, my friend, but a wondrous gift to me. Take them, make the lasses allKerrs, and may God help ye.”
Chapter Twenty-Four
“Areye having second thoughts?”
Sorchafrowned at her brother as he stood next to her at the far end of Gartmhor’s smallstone chapel. She was not sure she had forgiven him for the insulting way hehad handed her, Neil, and Margaret over to Ruari and his kinsmen with the words“and may God help you.” The ensuing hilarity of all the men had onlyadded to her irritation. For the week that had passed since that day, Dougalhad been sweet, jovial, and unapologetic. She glanced toward the front of thechurch where Ruari stood by the altar talking quietly with the priest andwondered just how honestly she should answer Dougal’s question.
“Nay,not truly,” she finally replied, nervously smoothing down the skirts of herembroidered blue gown. “I want to marry Ruari.”
“Yelove him?”
“Aye,I do.”
“Ashe loves you?”
Sheshrugged. “He wants to marry me.”
“Doye mean to tell me that ye have put us all through this turmoil and ye arnaeeven certain that the mon loves ye?”
Aquick glance at his face revealed that he was more surprised than irritated,and she gave him a crooked smile. “They say that love isnae needed to make astrong union. And Ruari must feel something for me, or he wouldnae take me forhis wife. He gains naught by doing so, and there is no one who would ever forcehim to do it.”
