Page 104 of When A Laird Loves A Lady
“Wewill bring her home,”Lachlan replied and clasped Iain’s forearm. “We will have vengeance.”
“Aye,” Iain said in a voice ofsteel. “Vengeance will be ours. Put out the call for the clan to ready forbattle.”
Lachlan’s eyes widened. “Think,brother. They have greater numbers in their forces.”
“Aye. We will send word to theMacLeans and the MacDonalds to join us.”
Lachlan nodded. “Iain,” he started,his voice hesitant, “what if…what if Marion has been ravished? What if she hasa bairn in her belly come a month from now? Would ye want her back nae knowingif the bairn was yers?”
Unblinking, Iain stared at Lachlan.“I’d want her back blind, disfigured, mute, and with a belly heavy with a bairnthat I could nae be sure was mine. I will want her back always. I will want herback nay matter what. She is my life. Do ye ken?”
Lachlan’s eyes sharpened withunderstanding. “Aye, I do. We need to determine our course carefully.”
“I ken,” Iain replied. As much ashe wanted to charge directly to Marion, none of them would return alive if hedid that. He needed time to gather his allies, who he prayed truly includedKing Edward now that the terms of David’s release had been set to scroll andmade official. The king would never get the money he was demanding for David’srelease if Iain was killed and unable to sway the other clans to pay to see himfreed, so Iain felt confident that King Edward would help. It made sense.Together, they could fell de Lacy and Froste. Yet Edward would need time tosummon his knights and ride toward de Lacy’s home to attack.
“Gather the council in the greathall. I’ll be there in a moment.”
Lachlan nodded and hastily left theroom. Iain kneeled by Graham’s bed and said a prayer for his brother’srecovery, then made his way down to the great hall where the council satwaiting. He strode up to the dais and stood facing Lachlan, Rory Mac, Angus,and the rest of the council. “Rory Mac, ye will go to the MacLeans and gaintheir agreement to help us, so they will have time to prepare to depart beforewe arrive.” Iain had no doubt that Alex would join him. “We will join ye at theMacLean hold before departing for England. Angus, go to the MacDonalds to dothe same. When ye return, ye will join me. I will be training the men andreadying our ships.”
Rory Mac and Angus nodded, fiercedetermination blazing in their eyes.
Iain stared hard at Lachlan. “Andye, Lachlan…ye will journey to England to see King Edward. Go with King Edwardto de Lacy’s home. We will meet ye there.”
“Aye, brother.”
Iain paced in front of the daiscontinuing to speak. “I will depart in seven days for the MacLean hold.” Heloathed the thought of waiting so long, but they had to have all the clans andKing Edward to ensure the defeat of their enemies.
“Godspeed,” he said. “Now go!”
For once Froste was true to his word, Marionthought, distraught, as she eyed the man who stood at the opposite side of herbed. The moment they’d arrived at her father’s castle, Froste had dragged herupstairs to a bedchamber. He’d not spoken yet, but she had no doubt what heintended.
“Unclothe,” Froste commanded.
Marion scanned the room for anyobject she could use to dispatch him, and her gaze fastened on the dagger hehad just removed and laid on the floor in front of the bed. She quickly lookedaway so he would not realize her intent. When he curled his finger in a commandfor her to come to him, she complied, walking toward the bed and stopping infront of him, her foot brushing the dagger. Her heart increased its pacetenfold.
When he stared at her expectantly,she raised her trembling hands to her gown and struggled to unlace it. When shefeared he would try to help her, she tugged until the material ripped and thegown loosened. She then kneeled in the pretense of lowering her gown to theground. The material fell over the dagger, and she grasped it, keeping her eyeson him.Hehad his gaze on her breasts,the fool. She smiled,brushing the material aside just enough to grasp the dagger, and she scrambledback a step to unsheathe it.
But he was quick—much quicker thanshe had expected—and with an angry roar, he knocked the dagger out of her handand gripped her neck.
“I grow weary of you trying to killme, Marion.” He flung her onto the bed and started to lower himself atop her.
“Wait!” she cried, her mindsearching for a way to stall him. She could think of only one possibility. Shebrought her hand to her belly. “I may be with Iain’s child. If you take me now,and then I begin to quicken, you will never know if the child is his or yours.Would you truly take that risk?”
She could see the fury in hisburning eyes and twisted mouth. He stared down at her, hovering over her for along silent moment. Her pulse hammered a fearful beat until he finally pushedaway from her and off the bed. He strode toward his dagger, retrieved it, andthen stormed toward the door. “I will wait until your flux has come and gonebut not a day longer.”
The door slammed on his ominouswords, and Marion was left alone. She quickly dressed in the ripped gown andthen sat in the middle of her bed, hugging her knees to her chest. Tearspricked her eyes, but when the door flew open, she dashed them away.
Her father stood at the door asseveral servants filed into the room. He looked at her dispassionately, as ifhe didn’t know her at all. “Clear the room of anything she can use as aweapon.”
She watched in stony silence asthey stripped the room bare, and Marion’s heart clenched. She’d never seen lovefrom her father and never would. When they were done, they filed back out ofthe chamber, and the lock clicked in the door. She was left alone once morewith her fervent prayer that Iain would come soon, that he would prevailwithout flying the Fairy Flag.
Five days after Iain had sent Angus to theMacDonalds, he returned while Iain was training with the men. “The MacDonaldwill join ye, and he says he presumes the favor will be returned when he needsit.”
“Aye,” Iain replied. “I supposed asmuch.” He didn’t like owing the man a favor, but he would sell his soul to getMarion back.
In the days that followed, Iain andhis men trained constantly, honing themselves into weapons of destruction. Whenthey were not training, they were continuing to stock the ships and fortify thecastle’s defenses for those who would stay behind.
Marion occupied his thoughts every moment.During the day, the need for vengeance drove him, and at night, the stabbingyearning for her in his bed, pressed so close he could feel her heat and smellthe heather that surrounded her, tortured him. He spent more time pacing theramparts than sleeping.
