Page 39 of The Veiled Wish of a Highland Bride

Archibald said nothing. “I am leaving now, back to Castle Ledoch. Ye need nae come with me. Ye can leave when the sun is high in the sky with our men. I, however, must hurry.”

“Archie,please.”

“Later, Lennox. Just leave me be. Gather all our things and meet me at home,and I will tell ye all about it. But right now, I have to leave.”

With those last words, he walked out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him. Archibald could see Lennox's shadow in a window of the keep, watching him as he rode off on his horse.

* * *

The impact of Bram's hands on her face came with a resounding thud. Then another. And another. It took Mia all but a moment to realize that she had stopped feeling any pain as her husband landed slaps across her face.

Her tiny naked feet remained grounded on the wooden floor that had begun to feel like it was shifting beneath her, but her mind existed in a place far removed from the physical world.

“Mia! Mia! Go hide there. Dinnae come out until ye hear me, only me, call yer name. Go, my sweet bairn!” Maeve said sweetly, casting furtive glances over her shoulder as she shoved Mia into the cupboard.

Mia, although not fully comprehending what was happening, knew she had to obey. Her mother was never this urgent with her. Something must be wrong.

She clutched onto her doll a little tighter and crawled to where her mother had directed her, peering through the crack in the door rather than staying at the back of the cupboard like she knew her mother would have preferred.

Maeve got up from her crouched position when she was certain that Mia was safely hidden from sight. She dusted off her skirt and walked to the door.

“Welcome, my laird,” she said, curtsying slightly.

Mia could see Conrad's eyes darken as he looked upon his wife. “Where are all the servants? Why is there nae one in sight?”

“I sent them all to bed for the night. It is quite late, and I wanted to welcome ye back myself, my laird.”

Mia could see her mother's head lowered in complete subservience, her voice soothing and warm.

“How did ye ken that I would nae need their services?”Her father’s voice had raised a notch, causing Mia to cower.

“I did nae ken—"Maeve tried to speak but was forced to swallow her words when a resounding slap landed on her cheek.

Mia gasped, the sound coming out louder than it had ought to, and she immediately saw her father’s head snap to the source of the sound. The nook where she was crouched, holding onto her doll.

He shoved Maeve aside and stomped towards his daughter, each step more forceful and determined than the last. As he yanked the door open, he took her in, narrowed eyes scanning her, drinking in her fear. He eventually grabbed her by the arm and tugged her along forcefully with him. Mia could faintly hear her mother screaming at him over the pounding of blood in her ears, begging him to leave her be, but her father did not look down at her.

He took Mia into his study and locked the door behind him, ignoring Maeve's crying.

“Look at me, Mia,” he said, his voice dangerously low. Mia had already begun to cry too. “Ye must never turn out to be a terrible wife like yer mother. I am going to discipline ye now so ye can learn early on.” Conrad pursed, looking at her contemplatively. “Ye are nae a lad but I will train ye like ye are, until yer useless mother delivers me a son to carry on my name… This is yer first lesson.”

Those were the most words he had said to her in all her life.

Her young mind felt a little thrill at having her father look at her for more than a second and say this many things to her, but Mia knew what discipline was. At least to her father. She knew it only brought terror.

With that thought, she attempted to run past him towards the study door, but her father had loosened the belt that held his britches up, raised his hand, and whipped her across the back as she leaned against the door. Burning pain spread across her tiny body, gluing her to the floor as she gasped for air. Then he hit her again and again until she lost consciousness.

That was the very first time Mia's father had hit her.

It wasn't until Bram landed another slap across her cheek and shook her that she came back to the present. She could now hear his voice again.

“Do ye ken what ye have done, ye little whore? Do ye ken what people will think of me if those Lairds find out ye are an unfaithful wench?” Bram shouted, his words followed by a scoff. “The Great Laird of Murray Castle married a whore who sleeps with any lad that comes her way. They would lose all respect for me, and the clan would slowly die into naething. The tenants would nae care to pay their dues. They would ask how I intend on keeping a clan when I can barely keep my wife's legs closed to other men. I would become the laughingstock of the entire clan. Och, why did I have to marry such a whore! I will kill the bastard!”

Mia felt fury blur her sight. She stood there trying to suck in steady breaths like she used to with her father, the slaps she had received still ringing bells in her ear. She knew if she hit back she would probably end up dead by his hand but withholding her temper in moments like these seemed almost impossible.

“Bram,” she said calmly. “I beg ye. Leave Laird Macnabalone.”

Another slap landed on her face.

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