Page 19 of The Trials of Neilina MacKai (The MacKai Brides #5)

“Can’t say as I do.” Dougal replied as they walked. “Although I was there when that army was defeated.”

“Once Edward had all of the men returned, he stripped them of their weapons, and if they were knights their spurs. Then he ordered them all to Wales where they were to become yeoman farmers and be forced to wed Welsh women.”

“He won’t be able to force you to wed a Scot,” Dougal said. “He hasn’t conquered Scotland yet. I pray he never will.”

“I pray the same. This is a hellish place to live. I’d not want to be forced to try to farm here. Your soil is nothing but rocks.”

Dougal grinned. “You’ve not seen much of Scotland, have you.”

“No,” the captain replied. “I hope I never do.”

Dougal and his captive arrived in the bailey where the defeated men were gathered. The men cheered when they recognized their captain.

He explained his absence from the fight much to the amusement of captives and captors alike.

Dougal left the defeated foe surrounded by a ring of well-armed MacKai and Marr men. He sought out Raeb and Rhuad.

“Where are the rest of your MacFearann fighters?” he asked Rhuad.

“Those who aren’t wounded have entered the abbey and are searching for my mother and sister.”

“What of your wife? Do you want her found?” Raeb asked.

Rhuad’s neck heated.

“Of course, I want her found, she’s my wife and I....

“Yes?” Raeb leaned forward. “And you...?”

“And she,” Rhuad corrected. He wasn’t about to confess the nature of his feelings for Seona until he could speak with her.

“She helped form the attack plan for when we had only twenty men.

Most of the searchers are MacKai men. They know my wife and understand why I allowed her to help form the plan. "

Raeb smirked but did not pursue the question. “I'm surprised you were willing to listen to her," Raeb remarked.

“It took less than a week for me to learn that she’s very intelligent.”

“Aye,” agreed MacKai. “For a woman she is that.”

For anyone, Rhuad thought, but in the interests of peace between families he did not contradict his wife’s brother.

***

W HEN SEONA AND LADY Labhra got to the door opposite the chapel, Seona noticed the latch had a bit of green yarn tied to it. “How convenient. The abbess left us a clue as to which key should be used.”

There were only two keys with green yarn tied to them. The lock snicked free when Seona tried the second key.

She made to open the door but was forced to jump out of the way when it swung wide. She moved just in time to avoid adding a nasty bump on her forehead to her other injuries.

Armed men poured from the opening. One of them stopped and pointed a sword at Seona and Lady Labhra.

Other men rushed past him aiming for other doors that flanked the courtyard.

“Explain yourselves,” the man with the sword said. “Who are you, and what do you here?”

“I am Lady Seona MacFearann and this is Lady Labhra MacFearann. We were about to find her mother then set free as many other prisoners as possible.”

The knight pointed his sword to the floor and knelt before her. “Forgive me, ladies. I did not recognize you because I am of clan Marr.”

“Then rise,” Seona ordered. “Marr is friend to MacKai, and I was a MacKai before I hand fasted with Lord MacFearann.”

The man stood. “I must get you to safety and tell lords MacFearann and MacKai you are found.”

“My brother is here?” Seona was reaching the end of her endurance and wanted to see Raeb as well as Rhuad before she collapsed.

“Aye Lady.”

“First get some men to help Lady MacFearann to safety. Take her to the abbess’s chambers.

Take the abbess too.” Lady Labhra ordered pointing to the bound woman on the travois.

Then Labhra took the keys from Seona. “I must see to my mother’s safety before I seek my own shelter.

We will join you in the abbess’s chambers. ”

The Marr knight called over a dozen men. Six went with Rhuad’s sister. The knight and five of the other six men remained with Seona and the abbess. One man was sent to find the two lairds and a healer.

“Come with me, my lady,” the first knight said. “You men. Two of you guard Lady MacFearann at flank and behind. You other three take charge of the litter and the woman on it. Lady, what would you have us do with the litter and the abbess?”

“She is my captive and is not to be released under any circumstance. Please have the men bring her with us. Where are we going?”

“Happen we are going to join the other Lady MacFearann. She said I could find her in the Abbess’ personal chambers and told me how to find them.

I will assure your safety until we arrive.

The lady has a number of other men with her for safety’s sake.

Once there, I may have to leave for a time and assist with arresting any guards who have not yet surrendered. ”

“I’ll want to hear the tale of the battle,” Seona said.

“There will be much to tell. Let us go, Lady MacFearann. You look like you could use a chair, if you don’t mind my saying so.”

“How could I mind when you say the truth.” She gave him the office to lead and followed, guarded by stalwart men.

***

T HE TWO LAIRDS WALKED through the bailey, checking to be certain all the current captives were secure. “Let us join the search in the abbey,” Rhuad suggested, when they finished their task.

They’d taken two steps toward the basket and pulley system that fortunately had been restored to working order when a young MacFearann man came running.

“We found them my lords. They’re in the abbess’s chambers resting. I was sent to find you and a healer.”

“Who did you find?” Raeb asked.

“Who needs a healer?” Rhuad panicked, afraid he already knew the answer.

“Your ladies, Laird MacFearann. That’s who we found. It’s Lady MacFearann who needs the healer.”

Rhuad didn’t wait to learn which Lady MacFearann. He set off at a run. He had to see them. He had to make certain Seona was well. All of them were well.

“Where is he going?” the man asked. “He doesn’t need to run. They’ll be where I left them at least until I bring a healer.”

“They are all Lady MacFearann, young sir. Some day when you are older and in love, you’ll understand Laird MacFearann’s haste.”

Rhuad ran into the Abbess’s chambers two steps ahead of Raeb and considerably in advance of the young knight who escorted the healer. Squire James MacShennan brought up the rear of the line of men.

“Dear Mother of God, Seona you’re hurt.” Rhuad moved to embrace her but was forestalled by his sister.

“It’s good to see you brother.” Lady Labhra had joined Seona’s group after finding her mother who now sat in a second chair. “You mustn’t touch Lady Seona until after the healer attends her. She has wounds that you cannot see from where you are.”

“What do you mean? Seona, is she right?”

Seona nodded. “I’ve a bad knife wound under my shoulder blade.”

“Let me see. Get this binding and dressing off of her, sister.”

Labhra set to work as gently as possible. Still Seona moaned in pain from time to time.

“I’m sorry Lady Seona, I’ll need to remove this when the healer comes anyway.”

“I know.” Seona responded. “Knowing does not make it hurt less.”

Rhuad gasped when he saw the shoulder wound and other marks the abbess had carved into Seona’s back.

“What man did this,” he said, coming round to face Seona once more. He took her hand. “I swear I’ll kill him then draw and quarter the body before I send it back to Edward of England in a pretty box tied with a bow.”

Seona laughed weakly. “You can’t kill the man because it was the abbess who did this.

As for murdering her, I will not permit it.

I want her to suffer the same ill treatment she gave all her prisoners here.

However, I don’t know where we should keep her.

I certainly do not wish to ever see her again. ”

“You may have to see her at least once, Sister,” Raeb stated. “The woman is no abbess. The proof of her perfidy is supposed to be here in this room.”

“Then what are you waiting for. Begin the search. The healer has arrived, I see. She, the Ladies MacFearann and I will move to the bedchamber for her examination.”

Seona stood and with help from her husband’s mother and sister made her way to the bed chamber.

Stricken with worry, Rhuad watched them leave.

A woman with a large bundle followed the group into the bedchamber. She stopped in front of Rhuad when she saw his fear and the direction of his stare.

“Do not worry, my lord. I am very good at what I do. She will heal completely, though it will take time. I hope to have her able to travel by slow stages in three days.”

“Three days,” the words nearly strangled him. “She is my wife.”

“And with proper healing she will be your wife for many years to come.”

He agreed with his whole heart. He hadn’t realized how much he loved Seona. He must tell her as soon as possible.

She was sleeping when the healer left, and Rhuad was forced to wait. He kept busy helping with the search for the Abbess’s document.

When that was found, he read the entire thing.

He learned the true identity of the abbess and the full extent of her crimes.

He studied all of the documents that belonged to the woman, learning a great deal about Edward’s plans for Scotland.

He also learned the fate of his aunt. Lady Staunton was without doubt a traitor.

She’d spied for England on the nation of her birth, but did so in search of vengeance for the death of her beloved husband at Berwick.

No wonder she’d thought Ranulf would betray Scotland to save the lives of two women he loved.

Neither his brother, nor their aunt, truly deserved the fates they had received.

Ranulf had only been banished. The abbess, however had murdered their aunt.

She’d made note of her actions in a draft of a report to Edward’s spy master.

I have dispatched with the woman aiding us at Castle MacFearann.

Her corpse now feeds the fishes in the sea north of Scotland.

She has no more value to us as she has finally managed to lure her nephew into an attempted attack on the abbey.

I anticipate that attack will come tomorrow morning or the next and will wait to send this report after my guards are victorious .

He would include pride as the least of the many sins the abbess committed in her fraudulent pose.

He gathered the documents and wrapped them carefully in oiled leather.

He would deliver them to the Guardians and recommend that they send a letter along with copies of the evidence to the papal court in Rome condemning both the abbess and Edward as the instigator of the crimes she’d done. He would see to it personally.

However, first he would see Seona recovered.

He needed to hear from her own lips that she wished their handfasted marriage to be made true and permanent.

He would do his best not to pressure her in making her decision, but he would tell her of his feelings.

When he imagined his future without her, he saw long years of bitter loneliness.

Bitter because Seona held all his joy. Lonely because she’d chosen not to remain his wife.

How could he survive without her? How could he convince her that being Lady MacFearann was both wise and preferable above all else?