Page 70 of Highland Fire

“Then welcome, kinsmon.” Tavig looked at Moira, smiling and taking her hand in his when he saw the worry in her eyes. “Mayhap ye and Una should leave us to discuss the battle, as it so clearly upsets you.”

“Aye, it upsets me, but I will stay. I should like to ken exactly what I am riding into,” she said.

Moira smiled slowly when she saw Una nod in agreement. It only took one quick look at the men’s faces to know that there was going to be a great deal of arguing. Moira refilled her tankard. Nicol, Mungan, and Tavig would soon discover that she could be as stubborn as any of them.

Chapter Twenty

“A wife is supposed to obey her husband.”

Moira smiled at Tavig as he rode up beside her. He was not taking losing their argument very well, but she could forgive him for that. She and Una had used some less-than-honorable means to gain their ends. Neither Tavig nor Mungan wanted to lock them up in the dungeon with Sir Bearnard, and she and Una had made it very clear that that was the only way they would be kept from riding with their men.

“I shall be verra obedient for the rest of this adventure.” She laughed softly when he cursed.

“Most men wouldnae tolerate such stubbornness in their wives.”

“Ah, but ye are not most men.” She glanced toward Nicol and Una, who rode flanking Mungan and were laughing at something he had said. “I cannae believe the change in my cousins.”

“That wasnae a verra subtle change of subject, lass.” Tavig watched her cousins for a moment. “They feel safe from their father, and it has lightened their hearts. Mungan has become quite the valiant knight in their eyes. I pray he can break Sir Bearnard as he claims he can. Mungan can protect Una, but Nicol would pay dearly if Sir Bearnard is released an unchanged mon. I fear that if Sir Bearnard returns to his old ways, Nicol would soon kill him.”

“And have the blood of his father on his hands.” Moira shook her head. “He would ne’er be free of that guilt.” Shifting a little in the saddle, for the full day’s ride was beginning to make her sore, she asked Tavig, “Dinnae ye believe that Mungan can take the brutishness out of my guardian?”

“If it can be done, Mungan can do it. I have heard him speak of the most blood-chilling tortures with a cool amiability that makes even a strong mon sweat with fear. I have kenned Mungan all my life and ken that he would ne’er do as he threatens, yet for that one moment while he speaks, even I shudder.

“Bearnard beat fear into the hearts of those weaker than himself and subservient to him. Mungan also kens the value of fear, but he uses words and plays upon the fears all men hold. Of course, with Mungan ye can beat him at his game if ye use your wits. He wins because some men, like Bearnard, believe he will do all he says and look no further so they never guess that they have been fooled. And, like Bearnard, many a mon who rules with his fists is actually a coward.” He shook his head. “Men like Bearnard like to inflict pain, but have little stomach for enduring it themselves.”

“I hope Mungan succeeds in terrifying all of the brutishness out of Bearnard, at least long enough for Nicol to gain the upper hand. Aye, and for Nicol to realize that he is no coward, something that oftimes troubles him. I dinnae like kenning that I am a coward, but it must be bitter indeed for a mon who is expected to be brave and honored for it.”

“Ye are no coward, Moira.”

Moira smiled faintly. “I was nearly mindless with fear when I faced Sir Bearnard. Everyone saw it.”

“Aye, but ye faced him despite that. Ah, Mungan wants me. We are nearing Drumdearg and must decide whether to camp and wait until the morning or go in at night.”

She nodded, watching him as he rode up to take Una’s place beside Mungan. As Una dropped back to join her, Moira thought about what Tavig had said. She had faced Sir Bearnard despite her gut-wrenching fear of the man. It was difficult to consider that brave, however, when she had not been alone in doing so and had been nauseated with fear the whole time. She certainly had not felt brave while trembling before her guardian.

“Ye have a verra black scowl upon your face, Cousin,” Una said as she reached Moira’s side.

“I was just concerned about Adair,” Moira lied.

“He will be fine with Crooked Annie. She is old, but she is still an excellent nursemaid.”

“Aye, except that she did have some sharp words to say about Adair’s parentage, men’s follies, and wives being forced to care for the fruit of those follies.” As she recalled all of Annie’s tart remarks, Moira wondered if she should consider them more seriously and not merely shrug them aside as the empty mutterings of an old woman.

“Aye, and all the while ruffling the lad’s curls and kissing his cheek. Come, Moira, ye ken better than anyone that Crooked Annie has a sharp tongue, but a loving hand. All the while she wept o’er you after finding ye alive, she cursed you for a fool, called ye reckless for going up on deck in a storm, and branded ye a witless child. ’Tis just her way. Adair may be a wee bairn, but he was smiling at her and gurgling happily. He kens what she is.”

Moira laughed softly, a little embarrassed about doubting Annie for even a moment. “Aye, ye are right. And Tavig heard her, yet just grinned. He saw no harm in leaving his son with the woman.”

“I must say, ye are verra kindly toward the child. I am not sure I could be so forgiving.”

“Tavig didnae even ken who I was when he was seeding Adair. How can I fault him or that bonnie child for things done when I wasnae even a fleeting acquaintance of Tavig’s? I was furious for a few hours, jealousy a tight knot in my belly, but it passed. In truth, ’tis fortunate we were too busy running from Dalnasith to talk. It allowed me some time to put aside those feelings.”

“And ye can forgive him for how his old lover tried to have ye burned as a witch?”

“As easily as I can forgive Adair for having been born of such a woman. Just as the child couldnae pick his parents, so Tavig couldnae begin to guess how Jeanne would respond when she was set aside. After all, he had given her no promises, no vows.”

“And he has given them to you.” Una watched Moira closely as she said, “And ye mean to break the vows ye spoke to him.”

“I warned him of that ere we knelt before the preacher.”