interference.'
She took her time obeying. She glared at Judith again when she walked past her. Judith ignored her.
'The Maitland laird's coming up the path,' a soldier shouted from the doorway.
Judith's heart felt as though it had just stopped beating. Iain was here.
'How many ride with him?' Laird Maclean shouted.
'He's all alone,' the soldier reported. 'Riding up the hill as sweet as you please.'
The Maclean laird laughed. 'The boy's got courage, I'll give him that,' he remarked. 'He isn't carrying any weapons, either, I'll wager.'
'Nay, he isn't,' the soldier replied.
Judith desperately wanted to run outside to her husband. She tried to do just that, but Douglas caught her. He tightened his hold on her already bruised arm and pulled her close.
'You will not mistreat a woman, Douglas, no matter how much she provokes you. I'm wanting Iain, not his woman.'
'For the love of God, I beg you to listen to reason, Laird Maclean. Stop this now before there's a bloodbath.'
Father Laggan shouted his plea from the entrance. Judith turned just as the priest came running into the hall.
He came to a quick stop when he reached Judith's side. 'Are you all right, lass?'
She nodded. 'Father, did you come to listen to Laird Maclean give his marriage vows?'
'Aye, Judith,' the priest wearily answered. 'And to hopefully talk some sense into these men before it's too late.'
Judith shook her head. In a whisper, she said, 'I can promise you there won't be any wedding.'
'Unhand her, Douglas,' the priest ordered. 'Look what you've done to her arm. The skin's already turning purple with the swelling. You're hurting her.'
Douglas quickly obeyed the priest's command. Judith took full advantage of her freedom. She ran toward the doorway. Douglas caught her around the waist and dragged her back just as Iain walked inside.
He didn't even pause to take in the situation, or the numbers against him. He just kept right on coming. Judith took one look at his expression and closed her eyes. Iain was about to kill someone. She thought Douglas might very well be his target.
'Let go of me,' she whispered. 'He'll kill you if you don't.'
Her brother was intelligent enough to do as she suggested. She immediately ran to Iain and threw herself into his arms. She buried her face against his chest.
'Are you all right?' he asked. 'They didn't hurt you?'
She could feel him shaking. She looked up at him. The expression on his face told her it wasn't fear causing that reaction. Nay, it was rage.
'No one hurt me,' she told him. 'I've been treated well, truly.'
He nodded. He gave her a quick squeeze, then gently forced her behind his back.
He walked forward to confront his enemy. Judith followed him. Graham and Patrick were given freedom to move forward. They positioned themselves on either side of Judith.
The two lairds stared at each other a long while, each taking the other's measure. Maclean was the first to break the silence. 'It seems you've got yourself a problem, Iain Maitland. I've captured your woman and I'm not at all certain what I'm wanting to do with her. You dared to try to form an alliance with the Dunbars while sending an emissary to me for the same purpose. Were you believing you could play one against the other?'
'You're a fool, old man,' Iain replied in a voice shaking with anger. 'It was the Dunbars playing that game.'
Maclean slammed his fist down on the table. 'I've formed an alliance with the Dunbars. Do you call me fool now?'
Iain didn't hesitate. 'I do.'
Laird Maclean took a deep breath in a bid to control his rising fury. He cocked his head to one side while he stared at Iain. Then he shook his head. 'You're deliberately provoking me,' he remarked. 'I'm wondering why. Everyone knows the store I put in family dealings. Aye, my alliance with the Dunbars made sound sense. You must know the Dunbar laird's second cousin, Eunice, is married to my brother. Aye, it was a union of family, Iain Maitland, and family comes before all other considerations. Yet you call me fool because I'm loyal? You're far too clever to deliberately goad me into killing you. You've got too much to lose. What is your game?'
Iain didn't answer soon enough to please the laird. 'Is this woman your wife?'
'Her relationship to me is none of your affair.'
Maclean grinned. 'I might keep her and give her to one of my men,' he boasted, in an attempt to get the Maitland laird riled enough to lose his composure. 'Douglas? Are you wanting her in your bed?'
'I am,' Douglas called out.
The outrage had gone far enough. The two lairds were like bulls, ramming heads together. Judith moved to her husband's side. 'You won't keep me,' she called out.
Her father's eyes narrowed. 'Your boldness displeases me,' he roared.
'Thank you,' she replied.
Iain almost smiled then and there. He could feel Judith trembling. Maclean didn't have any idea how frightened she really was, however, and that fact pleased Iain considerably.
'You've got the voice of an Englishwoman,' Maclean remarked. 'And you appear to be as ignorant as your husband. Don't either of you realize your jeopardy?' He centered his gaze on Judith. 'Or does the possibility of your husband's death appeal to you?'
Neither Judith nor Iain answered the laird. Maclean's patience ended. He started shouting at Iain. Iain didn't show any outward reaction to the threats his enemy was making. His expression was so controlled, it was as though it had been carved out of stone. In truth, he looked downright bored.
The laird was red-faced and out of breath by the time he'd finished spewing his litany of reprisals. 'Aye, you've got a problem,' he muttered. 'For no one calls me a fool. No one.' He leaned back in his chair, his mind made up. 'I am going to kill you, Iain, for that insult alone.'
'No.' Judith screamed as she took a step forward.
Iain grabbed hold of her hand and forced her to go no farther.
She turned to look up at him. 'I have to talk to him,' she whispered. 'Please understand.'
He let go of her. She removed the chain from around her neck and tucked the ring in her fist. Then she walked forward to confront her father.
The hall grew silent as everyone waited to hear what she was going to say.
'You did capture Iain's wife,' she began.
Maclean snorted. Judith opened her hand and let the ring drop onto the table in front of him.
Maclean simply stared at the piece of jewelry a long, long while before finally picking it up. His surprise was most evident. He turned his gaze to hers, frowning, still not understanding.
Judith took a deep breath. 'Aye, you captured Iain's wife,' she said again. 'But he married your daughter.'
Chapter 14
Her father reacted as though a blade had just been thrust deep into his chest. He lunged forward and upward, until he was half out of his chair, then fell back against the cushions. He looked furious and disbelieving. He shook his head in denial. She slowly nodded.
'How did you get this ring?'
'From my mother. She stole it from you.'
'Give me your mother's name,' he commanded in a voice thick with emotion.
