Page 91 of Bound By Honor
They had first gone to Islay, where Áine met Angus’ sister-in-law, Juliana, who was lost in grief over the death of her husband. As Áine had promised Angus, she remained by his side while he told his family the terrible news.
Juliana had collapsed. Revived, she was distraught at the slaying of her husband. When told who had slain him, she was in shock, screaming, “Nay, nay, it cannot be!” Hours later, the truth sank in. Juliana was stricken with guilt for her father’s betrayal.
Based on what Áine had heard, she considered Alexander MacDougall as bad a seed as his daughter, Juliana, was good. He had never given her husband the promised dowry of Lismore Isle, bringing shame to his daughter. Worse, he had burned and pillaged the lordship’s lands. Finally, in an act of violent treachery, he had rendered his daughter a widow and Alexander Macdonald’s six young sons fatherless. The eldest, Ranald, was but seven years.
Áine knew the grief of widowhood arrived at through violent means though it had been many years since her first husband had been slain by Domnall O’Neill to gain the kingship of Tirowen. She had been an innocent when she agreed to the marriage her father arranged with a man more than twice her age. It was different with Angus. She had made him wait until she was sure. Now her heart sang only for him. Were he to be slain, she would experience grief beyond any she had known.
In the few days they had spent on Islay, Juliana had been kind to her, welcoming her into the family that would soon be hers. “I know what it is like to leave all to marry the man you love.”
In turn, Áine tried to comfort Alexander’s widow as best she could. “For the sake of my son, Brian, who was then a babe, I endured the loss and went on. Do not despair, Juliana. God has given you six beautiful boys who will be a comfort to you. Raise them to revere the father they knew but a short while as I have raised Brian to revere the father he never knew.” Juliana’s young sons had been left on Islay, watched over by servants, for the time she would be on Iona. The two women traveled only with each other and their handmaidens for female company.
Áine had persuaded Angus to say nothing of their plans to wed on Iona until the burial was concluded. “Then, mayhap the hearts of the family can be turned to happier thoughts.”
“Aye,” he said. “You do this for Juliana. ’Tis a kindness I did not think of.”
Now, as they sailed north, Áine stood in the bow watching Angus conversing in the stern with John, Duncan and Dermot. Nessa was speaking with the captain in midship. Breaking off from that conversation, Nessa carefully wended her way along the deck, avoiding both the oarsmen and the sheathed body, to join Áine. “Mistress, see that isle off the starboard?” her handmaiden said, pointing.
Áine smiled at Nessa’s use of the new word she had learned since they boarded the galley at Dunluce. Tugging the hood of her cloak forward to shield her eyes from the sun, Áine gazed east.
“The captain says we are halfway to Iona. That is the Isle of Colonsay and beyond it, the Isle of Jura. We are to stop on Colonsay to let the crew rest.”
Tired of gripping the rail and bracing her legs on the moving deck, Áine said, “I would love to sit on the beach for a while.”
“The captain says the isle has a fine one.” Áine glanced at the handsome captain, a tall Islesman with powerful shoulders, not unlike Angus in stature. Nessa would do well in the Isles with many such men to choose from should she wish to marry.
“He is somehow familiar,” Áine said.
“You would have seen him before this, Mistress,” said Nessa, gazing at the man who had the body of a seasoned warrior and the manner of one used to giving commands. “He was captain of Lord Alexander’s galley and now serves Lord Angus. He is a widower.”
Just then, Áine saw Angus leave his companions and, with the ease of a practiced seaman, glided along the deck to her. Nessa curtseyed and made her way to stand by Juliana’s young handmaiden, the two dark heads leaning close to be heard above the wind.
“How are you holding up, my love?”
“’Tis not me you must worry about.” Áine looked toward midship where his sister-in-law sat on a chest staring beyond the nearest oarsman to the sea. “’Tis her.”
“I am giving Juliana privacy while I can,” he said. “At Iona, she will be surrounded by chiefs and their wives and well-wishing monks.”
“Juliana blames herself for bringing her father’s perfidy upon the Macdonalds,” said Áine. “I think she even blames herself for Alexander’s death.”
“’Tis no fault of hers,” Angus replied. He took Áine’s hand and his strength passed into her. “There was only love between Juliana and Alex. The MacDougalls have been our enemies for a long while.”
Áine nodded. “’Tis sad when kinsmen engage in war.”
“Aye, how well we both know it.”
“And you,” she said, noticing the lines etched in his face. “How do you fare?”
She heard his deep, pained breath as he closed his eyes. “I am as I must be in these perilous times. No matter how I feel, ’tis strength I must show to keep the clans united.”
When he opened his eyes, she fixed him with an intense gaze. “Angus, no one expects you to set aside your grief for Alex’s death. He was your brother.”
He nodded. “Aye, and so much more.”
A short while later, they sailed into a bay with pale blue-green waters that Angus called Kiloran. There, he beached the galley on a wide crescent of golden sand. Several galleys already rested there. Draped around the edges of the wide beach like a shawl was a swath of verdant green decorated with wildflowers.
Angus helped her down from the ship while his brother assisted Juliana. Duncan and Dermot helped Nessa and Juliana’s handmaiden to the sand.
“I spent some time here before,” said Angus, “and it left me with pleasant memories. ’Tis home to the Macduffies, loyal recordkeepers to the Macdonalds. Malcolm, their chief, may have gone on to Iona.” Casting his gaze toward the line of galleys, he said, “I do not see his galley. I am certain the news of Alex’s death has reached here by now and the chiefs have begun to gather. But, if not, he can sail with us.”
