“Where are ye going? Do ye need me?”
“I have something to take care of. I’ll come back for ye soon.”
“Does that something have to do with yesterday? With Tira?” She sat up, pulling the covers up under her arms as she studied him.
“Aye. I must see her and Teague punished for what they tried to do to ye.”
“How do ye ken they tried to do anything? This could have been an accident. A misunderstanding. Tira might have thought I kenned to leave the cove before the tide turned.”
“Nay. I’m sorry, lass, but I ken she took ye there deliberately. I saw her coming up the cliff path, slowly, still carrying her basket of shellfish as if she had all the time in the world to return to the village. But when I called down to ask where ye were, she feigned distress and came up at a rush. If she meant to summon help, she would have dropped her burden on the beach and run, shouting the whole time for help.”
Fiona sighed and looked away. “’Tis hard to hear someone wants me dead.”
He clenched his fists, broken by the tone of dismay and distress in her voice. “I willna let anyone harm ye. Ye ken that, aye?”
She reached for him and covered his fists with her slim fingers. “I do ken it, love.” She straightened. “Are ye certain Teague is involved? Where are they?”
“Locked in their cot and guarded. And aye, I’ve nay doubt Teague is involved. Since he married her, they’ve worked as a team, fighting for prominence.”
“What do ye plan to do with them?”
Erik gave in and sat on the bed facing her. They would discuss this, though he had hoped to spare her the distress. “Atfirst, I wanted to take both their lives for their attempt to kill ye, and thereby weaken me.”
“Nay, ye canna. I am alive. They didna succeed. Ye must show mercy. Banish them, but dinna harm them.”
“We might live to regret letting those two go,” he warned.
Fiona shook her head. “May ye never regret using mercy as ye rule the clan. Yer people will respect ye more than if ye spill their blood.”
“Ye are right, Wife. I presumed too much in trying to spare ye this day. Ye have a right to confront them, if ye wish. I will call the council to judge them, and any in the clan who wish to speak for—or against—them. Can ye bear to hear it?”
“Of course I can. Give me a few minutes to dress and I will join ye.”
“Take yer time. I must rouse the council. I will return for ye.”
When Fiona and Erik arrived at the central fire in the village, Tormod and several of his men stood guard over Tira and Teague. Erik was relieved to see they stood calmly. He’d half expected Tira to put on a show of tears and denials. But perhaps she was saving that for later.
Fiona had paused in mid-step when she spotted them, but immediately resumed walking with him toward where the council waited, facing the accused. Most of the village arrayed themselves around the edge of the central clearing, waiting.
Tormod nodded. They were ready.
Erik nodded to each of the council in turn, then spoke. “Ye all ken what happened yesterday. I dinna need to repeat the events many of ye witnessed and, no doubt, have discussed among yourselves. Tira and Teague stand accused of attempting to kill Fiona, Lady Ross. Putting her at risk is unforgivable. But rescuing her was my decision, and though it put both laird and lady at risk, I will not hold my actions against them. That said, my first impulse once my wife was safe was to strike both theirheads from their shoulders.” Several gasps echoed around the circle, starting with Tira’s own. He was proud that Fiona’s voice was not among them.
Kester rubbed his jaw, then spoke up. “From what I’ve heard, ye could be mistaken, and Tira did naught wrong save to be careless. The penalty ye propose is too great.”
Erik frowned at the reminder of how he’d punished that man at Rose. He hadn’t broken Kester’s jaw, but it still pained him in some weather. Erik took the reminder to heart. He wouldn’t make the same mistake again.
“What do ye intend?” Teague gave voice to the question that most had to be asking themselves.
Erik nodded to the council. “These men will have the final say in yer fate, taking into account my recommendation that ye be banished from Ross territory by the end of today. Before they render a judgement, I would hear from ye first, then from yer fellows.”
“Tell them,” Teague said to his wife. “He doesna mean to kill us. This was yer idea.”
Tira looked as though she wanted to deny it, but her husband’s accusation was more than she could refute. “I wanted to get rid of Fiona because she helped secure Erik’s power in the clan. She kept Teague from gaining influence with Erik of the sort he had begun to obtain while Donas was laird. Teague should have followed Donas as laird, no’ Erik.”
Erik glanced aside at Fiona, but she didn’t react. He remained amazed by her strength. “Are there any who wish to speak for these two? Or against them?”
Shuffling and shifting feet met Erik’s request.
