Julianna had grown tense in his arms, and Roger could hear in her voice that she was resolute.
Was this change in her the swift answer to his prayer? She wasn’t surrendering to the madness at all, God protect her.
He nodded and swung back around toward the great hall to roar at the top of his lungs, “Father Petros! Meet us in the chapel!”
CHAPTER15
Julianna swallowed hard as Roger took his place beside her in the candlelit chapel, which was even smaller than the one at Dumbarton Castle.
He had left her for what felt like interminable moments to fetch the two maidservants and wet nurse who had tended to Aran with her, Roger assuring her that one of his daughters’ nursemaids would watch over his son. All three women he’d brought back with him now stood in the pew behind her while Evander had taken his place in front of the altar.
William, too, had entered the chapel—along with three trusted warriors Roger had bade to come to the chapel as witnesses—and stood with his arms crossed over his chest, mayhap not daring to come any closer for how Roger glared at him over his shoulder.
Julianna could sense the enmity growing more intense between them as surely as she breathed, but she focused her gaze upon Evander, who drew closer to stare solemnly at her.
“You heard the charge made against you by Horas?”
“Of course she heard it, brother!” Roger answered for her with impatience, his arm slipping protectively around Julianna’s waist. “The man shouted his resentment of my wife tae the rafters. Canna you see that his jealousy is at the heart of his ridiculous claim? Horas intended tae murder her with poison! What could be plainer?”
Evander had flinched at the vehemence of Roger’s outburst, but he didn’t answer. Instead, he gestured for the two maidservants to come forward, the young women glancing with apology at Julianna and then hastening to stand in front of Evander.
“Were you in attendance at the wedding feast?” he demanded, only one of them nodding.
“Aye, Father, we intended tae take turns, first me and then her…and then the wet nurse so we all could celebrate with the laird and his lady.”
“Then you heard Horas’s claims?”
“Oh, aye, but he couldna have spoken anything further from the truth. Lady Douglas is good and kind, and she never left the wee bairn’s side, she was so worried for him.”
“Aye, just as if she was the boy’s own mother!” piped up the other maidservant. “The week before the laird returned home, I was sometimes tidying up the room when Horas came tae poke and prod at the poor babe, trying tae feed him this potion or that one—and he only made matters worse that I could tell!”
An emphatic nod came from her companion, which drew a heavy sigh from Evander as if he was disappointed by their testimony, and he waved them away.
“You…the child’s wet nurse. Do you have anything tae tell us?”
“Aye, Father…but only that everything you’ve heard is true. The laird’s son was starving, and thank the heavens Lady Douglas saw at once what ailed him. Those other women looking after the bairn before she arrived should be whipped—and the healer, too!”
“Aye, whipped indeed,” echoed the other two, relief sweeping Julianna as Roger drew her closer against him.
“You see, brother? No word at all from any of them of evil spells or selling anyone’s soul tae the devil.”
“Och, but you havna asked me whatIsaw when I went tae Aran’s room,” interjected William from the back of the chapel, still not coming any closer. “An innocent visit tae welcome your bride, just as I told you, Roger—though I knew then you had brought a witch among us from what she was chanting over the cradle—”
“You lie!”
Julianna screamed as, within three strides, Roger had William by the throat and shook him violently until the startled warriors serving as witnesses managed to pull the two men apart.
William red-faced and coughing while Roger lunged again and again at his brother, the warriors struggling to restrain him.
“Release me, damn you! By God, William, you will leave this very hour for Argyll as I should have told you days ago!”
“A-Argyll?” sputtered William, rubbing his throat as Evander hastened toward them, shaking his head.
“He canna go north now, Roger, isna that plain tae see? Earl MacLachlan’s offer tae make William one of his captains will have tae wait until the bishop arrives tae judge for himself who speaks the truth. Those women”—Evander glanced behind him and then back to Roger—“or your own brother.”
“A brother who hates me, and my wife as well because she’s English!” Roger spat out, his incensed gaze seeking out Julianna, who listened in disbelief, her heart pounding, before he once again glared at Evander. “Canna you see what he’s doing? Leave this place, William, or I swear I will kill you—”
“What? You threaten now tae desecrate the chapel with bloodshed?” William mocked him, his voice hoarse. “Isna it enough that you’ve brought that sorceress among us? Horas was right! She’s cast an evil spell upon you—upon those women, too, that they would speak so well of her. I’ll ride myself tae fetch the bishop if it will save us from her wickedness—och!”
