'She won't have scars,' Johanna whispered. 'Most of the blood on her face is from her nosebleed. It's a wonder they didn't break it. She's a pretty woman, isn't she, Gabriel?'
'Her face is too swollen to tell what she looks like,' he answered.
'They shouldn't have cut her hair.'
She seemed obsessed over that minor punishment. 'Cutting her hair was the least of their offenses, Johanna. They shouldn't have beaten her. Dogs receive better treatment.'
Johanna nodded. And oxen, she thought to herself.
'Gabriel?'
'Yes?'
'I'm glad I married you.'
She was too embarrassed to look at her husband when she told him how she felt, and so she pretended great interest in wringing every drop of water out of her cloth.
He smiled. 'I know you are, Johanna.'
His arrogance was really getting out of hand. It wanned her heart, though. She shook her head, then went back to her task and began to clean the blood away from Clare MacKay's face. She whispered words of comfort while she worked. She doubted Clare could hear her, but it made Johanna feel better to tell her over and over again that she was safe now. She added the promise that no one would ever hurt her again.
Gabriel pulled the door open and found the hallway crowded with women. They all wore the MacBain plaid.
Hilda stood in front of the group. 'We would like to offer to help with the care of the woman,' she said.
'Father MacKechnie must give her the last rites before you go inside,' Gabriel ordered.
The priest was waiting at the back of the crowd. He heard his laird's announcement and immediately pushed his way through the women, begging their indulgence. He went inside the chamber, hurried to the foot of the bed where he'd left his satchel, and pulled out a long, narrow purple stole. He kissed each fringed end, whispered his prayers, and draped the material over his neck.
Gabriel pulled the door closed. He went downstairs. Calum and Keith were waiting for him at the bottom of the steps.
They followed their laird into the great hall.
Gabriel spotted the plaid on the floor in front of the hearth. His dog was missing. 'Where the hell is Dumfries?'
'Out prowling,' Calum suggested.
'He took off early this morning,' Keith added.
Gabriel shook his head. Johanna would pitch a fit if she noticed the dog was gone. She'd fret about his stitches.
He forced his mind back to more important matters. 'Calum, call all the MacBain soldiers together,' he commanded then. 'I want each man to tell me he didn't touch Clare MacKay.'
'And you will believe…'
Keith quit his question when his laird scowled at him. 'None of my warriors will lie to me, Keith,' Gabriel snapped.
'But if one admits he did in fact spend the night with the woman? What will you do then?'
'That isn't your concern, Keith. I want you to ride to Laird MacKay and tell him what took place here today.'
'Do I tell him his daughter is dying or do I soften the truth?'
'Tell him she's been given the last rites.'
'And do I tell him a MacBain…'
'Tell them exactly what Laird MacInnes charged,' Gabriel commanded, his impatience evident. 'Damn, I wish I'd killed the bastards when I had the chance.'
'You'd have a war on your hands if you did, MacBain,' Keith pointed out.
'War has already been declared,' he snapped. 'Think I will so easily forget the fact that the laird's son tried to kill my wife?'
He was shouting by the time he finished his question. The Maclaurin warrior shook his head. 'Nay, Laird,' he rushed out. 'You will not forget, and I stand beside you on this issue.'
'Damned right you do,' Gabriel countered.
Calum took a step forward then. 'The MacKays might also wage war if they believe a MacBain did in fact compromise Clare MacKay.'
'None of my men would act so dishonorably,' Gabriel snapped.
Calum nodded agreement. Keith wasn't convinced. 'MacInnes said your plaid was spotted,' he reminded his laird.
'He was lying to us,' Calum argued.
'Laird MacInnes also said Clare MacKay admitted she spent the night with a MacBain,' Keith said.
'Then she's lying,' Calum replied.
Gabriel turned his back on his soldiers. 'I have given both of you your duties. See them completed.'
The soldiers immediately left the hall. Gabriel stood by the hearth a long while.
He had one hell of a problem on his hands. He knew, without a doubt, that none of his men was responsible for disgracing Clare MacKay.
Yet the MacBain plaid had been spotted… three months ago.
'Hell,' Gabriel muttered to himself. If Laird MacInnes was telling the truth, there could' only be one answer, only one man responsible for the damnable mess.
Nicholas.
Chapter 12
Clare MacKay didn't wake up until the following morning. Johanna stayed with the woman most of the night until Gabriel came into the chamber and literally dragged her away. Hilda was happy to take over the watch for her mistress.
Johanna had only just returned to the room and settled herself in a chair by the side of Clare's bed when the woman opened her eyes and spoke to her.
'I heard you whispering to me.'
Johanna was given quite a start. She jumped up and went over to Clare.
'You're awake,' she whispered, her relief almost overwhelming.
Clare nodded. 'How do you feel?' Johanna asked.
'I ache from my head to my toes.'
Johanna nodded. 'You have bruises from your head to your toes,' she replied. 'Does your throat hurt, too? You sound hoarse.'
''Tis the truth I did a lot of screaming,' Clare said. 'May I have a drink of water?'
Johanna hurried to fetch the goblet. She helped Clare sit up. She tried to be as gentle as possible, but the woman still grimaced in pain. Her hand shook when she reached for the goblet.
'Was there a priest here? I thought I heard someone praying.'
'Father MacKechnie gave you the last rites,' Johanna explained. She put the goblet on the chest and sat down in her chair again. 'We didn't know if you would survive or not. It was just a precaution,' she added in a rush.
Clare smiled. She had beautiful white teeth and dark brown eyes. Her face was still terribly swollen, of course, and Johanna could tell from the way she tried not to move she was still in terrible pain.
'Who did this to you?'
Clare closed her eyes. She avoided answering the question by asking one of her own. 'Last night… you said I
