Page 75 of Her Forbidden Highlander Husband

“He’ll not. He can barely stand,” the man assured him.

Liam frowned and told his men to continue while he went into the castle to find the laird. “We’ve some unpleasantness to deal with in the village,” he said, his voice grim. He’d not go into more detail while they were in the solar with the women and children.

Ev looked at him with a smile, but it dropped when he couldn’t offer her one back.

Liam selected a few of his men to join them and they left through the gates. “What is it?”

“I’ve told ye before that Robert has a heavy hand with his wife,” Liam said. The man had been locked up for beating her and for threatening Evelyn when she’d tried to protect the woman. He’d promised he’d not touch his wife or child in anger again, but it appeared he’d not kept that promise in the worst way.

“I’ve spoken to him about what would happen if we were in this position again. I explained we don’t hold with that treatment of our women. He’s killed his wife.”

It was rare a MacKinlay did something so heinous as murder his wife, but when a man gave in to his drink to the point it consumed him, he was no longer a regular man, but one possessed by a need that could never be met.

Lach let out a breath and nodded. “He’ll need a swift judgment.”

“Aye.” That swift judgment would probably come at the end of a rope. They didn’t have formal gallows, but a sturdy tree and a swift horse would do the trick.

The woman’s body had already been taken away when Liam and Lach arrived. Robert was muttering and throwing punches at anyone who tried to come near.

Liam gave a nod to the warriors he’d brought with him, and they stepped into the fray, quickly overpowering the man and tying his hands behind his back so he could throw no more punches.

“Robert, do ye know who I am?” Lach said loudly, demanding the man’s attention.

“Aye, laird.” He sneered when he spoke the last word. In many clans that would be enough for him to be dispatched. Lach looked at the man with disgust and a bit of pity.

“It’s a sad day when a man is so completely controlled by drink that he cannot abide the laws of his people.”

“She was my wife, to do with as I pleased.”

“Nay. She was a clanswoman, to be treated with respect and honor.”

The man spat at Lach. “Worthless, she was. Gave me a worthless brat, too.”

“His boy is but six years old and he’s tried to put him out for work beyond his years while he sits and drinks,” a woman said from the doorway.

“Shut up, ye bitch.” Robert lunged at the woman but only stumbled and fell. Since his hands were behind him, he couldn’t break his fall and landed on his face. His nose gushed a river of blood, and he moaned a bit before returning to his curses.

Lach frowned and shook his head. “We’ve warned ye more than once. No more warnings shall be given. You are charged with murder and the punishment is death by hanging.”

Lach turned to Liam. “Have my order carried out.” A scribe had been called to document the proceedings. Lach signed and stood out of the way with his arms crossed.

Liam didn’t need to repeat the order to his men. With a nod, they pulled the man up and dragged him outside. Liam turned to follow but heard a whimper in the shadows of the room. He moved closer and found a small boy tucked into a ball in the corner.

“Ho there, lad. Do ye remember me?” he asked Sheamus.

The boy nodded.

“Have you been in the house all day?” Liam asked, praying with all his might the boy had just returned from one of those jobs his father had sent him on rather than having seen what had happened here.

“Aye.”

“You saw what happened? With your ma?”

He nodded and sobbed. “She’s dead. He killed her.”

“He did, and he’s going to be punished for it. He’ll never hurt anyone again. The laird doesn’t allow his clan to hurt one another. Do you understand why he must be punished?”

Sheamus nodded.