Once again, Aileanna was on her feet, ducking beneath Fergus’s outstretched arm she crossed to the priest before anyone could stop her, and grabbed the hem of his gown.
“He caught his foot . . . see, right there.” She pointed to the tear at the bottom of his robes. A tear the priest was doing his best to conceal. “That’s why he fel . I didn’t push him. Al
though I was tempted to.” She said the last under her breath. Rory jerked his head at some of his men to take up their positions amongst the crowd, afraid the excited chatter would soon turn ugly.
“Blasphemy. Laird MacLeod, I demand this woman be made to pay fer her sins.”
“Be quiet. Lady Aileanna, are you sayin’ you didna’
push the priest?”
She gave a curt nod. “I didn’t. He fel because he’d worked himself into a frenzy and his robes are too long.” She turned her head and gave the priest a look of condemnation. “Per
haps God was punishing him for encouraging others to harm an innocent child.”
“Someone must have been a witness to this.”
“Aye, Laird MacLeod, it is as Lady Aileanna says.”
Cal um, the blond giant, lied through his teeth. He flushed under Rory’s scrutiny. 90
“Lady Aileanna speaks the truth, my lord,” Mari bravely added.
From the back, Rory saw a flash of movement. Janet Cameron pushed her son forward. The lad was al of about eight. “Ye tel yer laird what ye told me,” she admonished him.
The boy stumbled toward the front of the hal .
“What’s yer name, lad?”
“Jamie. Jamie Cameron,” he mumbled, glancing back at his mother, who glared at him, arms crossed over her heaving chest.
Rory closed his eyes at the memory of the battle where the lad’s da had lost his life. He released a weary sigh. Cameron had fought hard and died honorably earlier that year. He gentled his voice. “And what is it you have to tel me, young Jamie?”
“The lady didna’ trip the priest. She held her hand like so.” He demonstrated the defensive posture with his own wee hand. “To protect the maid, and then he fel .” He low
ered his head, casting a sidelong glance at Mari. He let out a pained breath, and once again looked over his shoulder at his mother. She jerked her head toward Mari. He shuf
fled his feet, then directed his ful attention to the lass.
“I’m sorry fer throwin’ the rocks at ye.”
The young maid’s eyes widened. She flushed, then smiled at the boy. “Thank ye,” she said, blinking back tears. Rory noted Aileanna swipe at her own cheek, then squeeze Mari’s hand.
“Jamie, yer a verra brave lad to come forward. Just like yer father, and I wil na forget it. Yer mother’s done a fine job with you, lad. When yer old enough, I’d be as hon
ored to have you fight at my side as I was to have yer father.” The boy beamed at his words. Out of the corner of his eye Rory saw Robert Chisholm
LORD OF THE ISLES
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come forward and whisper something in Aileanna’s ear. She started to rise, then looked at Rory. He nodded when he realized Maureen’s time must have come. Anytime a woman of Dunvegan was about to deliver, Rory battled his fears, praying no other would suffer as he had. He was thankful Maureen would have Aileanna to see to her. His gaze fol owed them as they left the hal .
“What . . . ye canna’ mean to let her get away with this?”
“Were you no’ listenin’?”
“But I am a man of God.”
“Aye, but that didna’ stop you from trippin’ over yer own two feet.” He ignored the snickers his words drew and con tinued. “In the future I would suggest you be verra careful before you bring charges against another. Yer welcome to join us fer the evenin’ meal, and then my men wil see you to wherever it is you travel.”
The priest dropped onto the bench with a thump, no longer surrounded by supporters. He looked around him and turned back to Rory. “I have matters elsewhere that re
quire my attention. I shal leave now.”
“My men wil be ready to escort you shortly.”
Ali laid the bundled baby into his mother’s arms. “He’s beautiful, Maureen, and very healthy.” The look of pure joy on the woman’s face wiped away Ali’s exhaustion.
“Thank ye, Lady Aileanna. Thank ye fer al ye’ve done.”
Ali smiled and patted Maureen Chisholm’s arm. “I didn’t do a thing. You were the one who did al the work.”
