Page 7 of When a Highlander Weds a Hellion
Broch had an intense dislike for men who were cruel to women. “Has this ever been proven?” He was not one to condemn a man on rumor alone.
Katreine frowned. “Nay, but I believe Brodee is clever and hides his offenses well. And I think his father aided him in hiding the truth of what had occurred. Anyway, my sister was naive and trusting; she and I had been shielded from a great deal of the world as children.”
“But that changed when yer sister died?” he asked.
“Aye.” A dark look settled on her face. “My parents heard the gossip and told Lenora they were considering breaking the marriage contract. They were quite obviously leaning toward doing so. My father hesitated, though, because he kenned it would start a bitter feud and there was nae any proof that Brodee had done these deeds.”
“Yer father sounds like a logical man.”
“He is,” she agreed with a nod. “Lenora was certain that if she could get Brodee alone and ask him of it she would ken if he was being truthful. So she arranged a secret meeting with him and did nae tell a soul but my brother, Donell, her twin. He kept the secret, as they always kept each other’s confidences, and she went to meet Brodee. She never returned.” Hard resentment glittered in her eyes for a moment, and then a sorrowful frown turned the corner of her lips down. “Lenora was found dead upon the sharp cliffs of the Blackswell grounds surrounding the castle. The Blackswells said she must have jumped, but she would have nae ever done such a thing. When my parents recovered her body, the emerald ring they had given her was gone.”
“And yer family thinks Brodee Blackswell pushed her from the cliffs and took her ring?”
“Aye. He claims it was nae him. But Donell and Brodee had been good friends before this occurred, and Donell was the one who delivered the message of the secret meeting to Brodee. Brodee swore to Donell he did nae go to meet her.”
Broch knew she was not going to want to hear what he had to say, but it had to be spoken. “Ye kinnae call a man guilty on suspicion alone,” he said gently. He understood her family’s anger and pain, but without proof, it was simply an accusation, likely driven by grief and the need to place blame for their loss.
“That’s what the king said, too, both then and nae a month ago when he was here giving his decree that I marry Brodee,” she muttered, a frown creasing between her brow.
“Wait,” said Broch, something occurring to him about the story. “I thought when ye wed Brodee the Blackswells are supposed to get half of Derthshire, but ye said they received half of the land when yer sister was to wed him.”
“Aye, they did, but the king took it back after Lenora was found dead and my da lodged a protest. Da says returning half the land was the king’s way of trying to appease him. He was livid that the king would nae hang Brodee for murdering Lenora, nor even demand the Blackswell laird allow my da to question Brodee and other members of their clan.”
“So yer families have been quarreling ever since?”
“Aye. My da dunnae want to wed me to Brodee. He fears I’ll end up dead, if nae before the marriage, then shortly after. When the king returned the land to my da those years ago, he ruled that if one of our clans rises against the other, the clan that starts the battle will lose the land forever. For years now, Derthshire has been raided again and again, and my family firmly believes it’s being done by the Blackswells. They’ve tried to incite us to rise against them so we forfeit the land, and now that they tire of trying, they are forcing the marriage instead. Laird Blackswell is the one who first suggested it to the king.”
“Do ye have proof that they are raiding yer land?”
“Nay,” she snapped. “We dunnae have proof. My father’s men captured two different raiders over the years, but both men swore to their deaths that they were nae Blackswells. There was just another raid last week, and though we did nae catch the scoundrels, one of our guards struggled with one man before he got away. He vows he kens him as a Blackswell warrior.”
Broch thought to tell her that without proof, the marriage had to proceed as the king willed, but considering how he had personally witnessed some of the Blackswell guards treating her, he could not discount what she said. Perhaps those men thought that behavior permissive because their laird did. Considering that and looking into her pleading, desperate eyes he found himself saying, “I will make my way to the Blackswell stronghold after I take ye to yer home, and I will question the laird and his men. Then I will write to the king with my findings if I believe the Blackswells guilty of raiding yer land, but—”
“Ye will find it is exactly as I say,” she interrupted, “if ye keep yer wits about ye.” She gave him a pointed look. “Ye must be thorough in yer inquires and determined in yer scrutiny.”
He didn’t know whether to be amused or offended by the way she was lecturing him, but amusement prevailed. However, he swallowed his laughter, sure she would take offense to it.
She poked him in the chest. “Dunnae allow yerself to be fooled by the Blackswells. They can be verra persuasive and appear verra friendly.”
He caught her finger and held it. The innocent touch sent a jolt of desire through him. He released her and said, “I’m nae a man to easily be deceived, lass.”
“Nor am I a lass to be effortlessly fooled,” she shot back.
“I dunnae doubt it,” he assured her, feeling a great liking for her that he knew he needed to manage. It would be hard to impartially assess the Blackswells if he allowed a fondness for this lass to settle within him. He took a deep breath. “As I said, after my questioning is complete, I’ll write to the king, and I vow I’ll nae enforce the wedding until,and unless, the king orders it.”
A mutinous look settled on her face, and he was certain she’d flee if the king did not rule in her favor.
How could he impress upon her that if she fled, she could invite a dire fate for her family? There were no gentle words to say it. “If ye flee, the king will nae have mercy for yer clan. King David can be unforgiving to those who cross him.”
Her beautiful face grew tight with obvious fear. “If I wed that man, I tell ye, I will end up dead,” she said flatly.
He shifted his stance, uncomfortable. He understood why she felt the way she did, yet he knew this was the only course forward. He took a long breath and considered her and what she might be thinking. If the ruling did not come back in her favor, he’d have some convincing to do.
“Dunnae do anything hasty. It would be foolish to bring unnecessary trouble to yer clan if the king ultimately agrees that the Blackswells have raided yer land.”
She pressed her lips into a thin line, but after a moment, she nodded. “I will carefully consider everything.”
Relief gripped him that she seemed to have heard his warning. He opened his mouth to suggest that they make their way back to the cave, but before he could, a wolf growled low from his right.
