Page 46 of A Flawed Scotsman
“The laird wishes a word with ye.”
“Go fetch her mother,” Esme said to another servant and then turned her attention back to the guard. “Tell my father I will be there as soon as Catriona’s mother is here.”
The guard hesitated, his gaze going to Catriona and widening, his face became like stone.
Esme walked past a great room filled with villagers and straight into her father’s study and stopped upon seeing her mother, who’d washed up, Ruari, Keithen and the local vicar. “What is happening?” She was tired and hungry and wanted to sleep. But she’d already planned to remain with Catriona. Now something else was afoot and Esme was not sure she could handle another problem.
Her father motioned her forward. “Ye and Ruari Ross will marry immediately. Upon the marriage taken place, ye will go with him to Ross lands.”
Her legs wobbled and she reached out to grasp the back of a chair. “What? We’d agreed that I would remain here. Fifty warriors…” She stopped talking.
Of course. Her father, like her, had realized the Mackenzie had no plans to abide by the agreement. He would target both her and Keithen next.
“What about Keithen. How will he be kept safe?”
Her brother huffed. “I can take care of myself.”
“I do not wish to leave. I will not leave. I can and will fight alongside ye both to defend our clan, our people.”
She looked to Ruari, expecting that he’d support her. It had been his idea, after all, to move there and be with her clan.
Whatever he thought was hidden in the hazel gaze that met hers.
“Do ye not think it matters where I am? The Mackenzie can still send men after me.”
Ruari shook his head. “Ross Keep is unbreachable. No one has ever been able to enter during an attack. Ye will be very safe there.”
“This is not just about me,” Esme cried out, too angry to keep from stomping her foot. “This is about what is right. How can ye allow that man to intimidate us?”
Her father slammed his fist on the table, making Esme jump.
“Enough. Ye will do as I say and hold yer tongue. Ye take too much liberty, Esme.”
She didn’t want to marry Ruari in that moment. Did not wish to be treated like an object and marry who was chosen for her, sent to live where they decided. No questions or regards for her opinion.
“We will go out there,” her father said, pointing toward the great room. “A marriage ceremony will be held.” He gave her a pointed look. “A ceremony without incident.”
Esme clenched her teeth. “Do sheep protest going to slaughter?”
“Esme!” Her mother came to her side and grabbed her upper arm. “Cease at once. Ye cannot possibly compare what ye are about to do to what others have suffered in the last days.”
There was pain in her mother’s gaze and Esme realized something horrible had, indeed, happened to both her and Catriona.
“I am sorry, Mother.”
“Shall we proceed?” the vicar asked, motioning to the doorway. First her father, followed by Keithen and Ruari walked out. She and her mother followed.
Murmuring began at their presence. Esme clutched her hands together to keep her trembling from showing. She kept her chin lifted, her gaze straight ahead, refusing to look anyone in the face.
It was a solemn night, after all. No one would celebrate. Injured men recovered in the adjoining halls, others were recently buried. Her dear friend lay upstairs battered and bruised, her own mother recently suffered a traumatizing event.
The vicar held his hands up to quiet those gathered and motioned for Esme and Ruari to come before him.
Never before had she felt small next to Ruari as she did in that moment. It wasn’t so much his physical size as it was the entire situation.
Yes, she cared for him and was very attracted to Ruari, but they’d made a decision for her to leave and go away without ever asking her opinion. Her father was trying to protect her, that was true, but he knew she would rather die there fighting than to hide far away.
Ruari’s hand enveloped hers and a ribbon was wrapped around them by the vicar. The warmth of his callused hand seeped up her arm and she let out a long breath.
