He shrugged. “I haena heard the name before.”
I barely heard Magnus say under his breath, “I hae heard it.”
Fraoch asked, “Where?”
“I will tell ye later.”
Henrietta put a hand over her mouth and said something to her husband I couldn’t hear. It seemed like she was telling John what to do.
Lady Mairead said, “I will answer any questions ye hae, John, we again want again tae state that we are feeling a great deal of grief about the loss of the head of our family tae this?—”
While she spoke Henrietta kept her eyes hard on Lizbeth, causing her to shift under her gaze.
I did not like it.
At all.
John interrupted again, “Ye are verra full of grief about the… head of our family… tae this… what are we calling it?”
Lady Mairead looked perturbed. “State of affairs.”
“Not murder?”
She said simply, “Twas not murder, twas a duel for my honor.”
He exhaled. “A duel for LadyMairead’s honor.”
Damn, he was a jerk, I didn’t like any of them.
Henrietta scoffed.
John raised his eyes to Sean, “As the head of the Earl’s guard where were ye during this altercation?”
“In the hall.”
“The head of his guard was in the hall while he was ‘dueling’ in his solar.”
Sean nodded. “He demanded all of us leave.”
John raised his brow. “Twas his fault that he was unprotected?”
Lady Mairead said, “This was all unforeseen, sire, and verra tragic, but we are family and I ken ye want a peaceful resolution that will be beneficial tae our good name.”
“Aye, the family name must be respected. We daena want anything tae besmirch it.”
His wife whispered in his ear.
The man, Birk, leaned in, listening, then patted John’s shoulder and straightened again.
Magnus and Fraoch met eyes, Sean and Liam met eyes, Lady Mairead looked at Magnus. It really felt like something was about to happen — I started to get freaked out.
John turned to Lizbeth, “Yer uncle insulted ye?”
“Aye, sire, he accused me of always being where I wasna wanted.”
A laugh escaped from Henrietta. She glanced over her shoulder at Birk, and a look passed between them that struck me as almost conspiratorial.
Hayley gripped my arm tight.
