Chapter 8
Malcolm shiftedin his seat while he waited for his wife. He’d sent Keith ahead to retrieve her whilst he concluded probing his father for information. Thirty-six MacLeods sat in the dungeon, including Sheona’s brother,Alasdair
From what he could piece together, his father intended to use them as ransom to gain power over not only the MacLeods, but also their allies, the MacKenzies. His father would know that Rorie MacLeod would go to the MacKenzie for assistance and Malcolm’s father intended to use his prisoners as bait andpawn.
Malcolm was deep in thought when gasps around the table drew his attention. His gaze shifted from the men to his father and then to the direction in which his father’s eyes werefixed.
He turned to find Sheona wearing a gown he’d seen on his mother many times. The gold-trimmed green made the flame in her hair even brighter. With her chin lifted high, she crossed the great hall and took the seat nearest Malcolm. He smiled at her bravery. The scowl on his father’s face was enough to frighten his ownmen.
“You look lovely, mylady.”
“She has no business wearing that gown,” the MacDonald said. “I insist she go above stairs and changeimmediately.”
Sheona’s eyes widened and she bowed her head, clasping her hands in her lap. Damn his father for hisbrutality!
“She will do no such thing,” Malcolm said. “Mother has been gone these ten years and her gowns wither and fade in the chests in her chamber. She would want themworn.”
“I care not for what you think your mother would want.” The MacDonald stood and pointed at Sheona. “She does not belong in this hall and she does not belong in my wife’sgowns!”
Sheona toppled her chair in her haste to flee. She dashed to the stairs and disappeared beyond. His father sat down and continued eating his meal as though nothing hadhappened.
“You are out of line, Father.” Malcolm pushed his chair back andstood.
“Sitdown.”
“I willnot.”
“You will sit down or I will have her put in the dungeon with the rest of the MacLeod filth and I’ll tell the guards to use her as often as they see fit.” Juices from the meat he sucked ran freely into his beard. The sight was enough to turn the strongeststomach.
“You will not treat my wife this way. She may have been a MacLeod, but she is a MacDonald now. If you punish her, you punish one of yourown.”
Malcolm was pleased when others around the table, including Keith, nodded in agreement. Though his father’s word was law, there were enough present with the courage to challenge him and it was a glad sight to see those men willing to stand up ifnecessary.
His father stabbed his knife into the table. “Ye will do as I say, the lot ofye!”
Malcolm glanced around the hall. The men all reacted as he had hoped. They didn’t back down; in fact, their demeanour changed such that they looked ready to battle. Good. Malcolm would need most of them onside if he was going to succeed in his plan to end all of this once and forall.
“You are laird here, Father. No one questions that. All I am saying is that, like any other woman who has come into this clan by marriage, Sheona deserves to be treated as our kin, regardless of where she came from. She’s given no cause for anyone to mistrust her, and as for the gowns, if ’tis too painful for you to see mother’s gowns I shall remove them from Sheona’s chestsimmediately.”
Malcolm waited. He’d just dug his finger into an open wound and wasn’t quite sure what the outcome mightbe.
His father’s eyes narrowed. “I am in no pain from the loss of your mother.” He flicked his hand to the side. “Let the lass have the gowns, but if she makes one move that I think is against any MacDonald, in the dungeon she goes. Are weclear?”
“Aye, Father. We are clear on that.” Malcolm resumed his seat and motioned a server to approach. “See that Lady MacDonald is sent a trencher of food and a pitcher of mead.” He would bring it himself except he wished to acquire more information from hisfather.
“It is good to know you are not so whipped you would go running to her chamber yourself. Perhaps I have misjudged you, Malcolm, and you have bigger plans for thelass?”
He hadn’t thought about playing along. It could serve a purpose in gaining some additional trust and information. His father had only ever fully trusted his captain and his wife. Now neitherremained.
* * *
Sheona flungherself onto the bed and wept. How would she ever learn to live with a man like the MacDonald? He was the worst sort of brute. Would she ever know a moment’s peace or must she always be onguard?
She pushed herself off the bed and clawed at the ties of her gown. Wiggling, she finally got it over her head and threw it across the chamber. She circled the room twice in search of her own gown and found it folded on top of a chest in the corner. Once donned, she smoothed her skirt and squared hershoulders.
She was a MacLeod. No MacDonald had ever been worth her tears and by God she would not start with this one. Sheona smiled and wondered what he would say should she re-enter the great hall and take her place as though nothing hadhappened.
Just when she was about to walk to the door, the sound of laughter pulled her back. She was so close to the stone wall that it sounded like it came from the other side. Did another chamber adjoin this one? She wasn’t sure. But the laughter wasunmistakable.
