Debbie Mazzuca - Lord of the Isles

just like her.

Once the crowd quieted, she turned to Rory. “And, for my part, I’d like to gift Trotternish to the MacLeods. To you, Rory,” she said softly.

This time the celebratory cheers were so loud they shook the timbers of the hal . Rory stood and took her hands in his. “Are you certain?”

She nodded. “Aye.”

Rory grinned, his goblet held high. “To the verra bonny Lady Aileanna, soon to be Lady of Dunvegan.”

He laughed when he heard her mutter to Alasdair,

“You see.”

Rory watched as Fergus, Iain, and Aidan took turns sweeping her into their arms. The clan, not about to miss out on the opportunity to honor her, swarmed the dais. Over their heads he raised a silent toast to Alasdair. The man held his goblet aloft and tilted it toward Rory. He looked as if he was about to say something to him when Cal um swung Aileanna into his arms. Alasdair banged his goblet on the table. “Now see here, mind her wee foot.”

Tables were pushed up against the wal s, and several men took up their fiddles. Rory lost sight of Aileanna in the chaotic swirl of activity. His gaze scanned the hal for a second time, coming to rest on her sitting on a bench with Janet, Maureen, and old lady Cameron. She held a babe in her arms. His chest swel ed. One day it would be their bairn she held. As soon as the thought entered his head, he pan

icked. He reminded himself she was strong, a healer, but stil , a part of him rebel ed at the thought of getting her with child. Then he remembered, she had yet to agree to marry him. Content to watch the clan pay homage to Aileanna, he settled back in his chair.

LORD OF THE ISLES

283

“Ye love her, doona’ ye?” Alasdair asked. Rory nodded. He didn’t know what he could say with out hurting the man, without taking away from his union with Alasdair’s daughter.

“Ye doona’ have to worry, lad. I ken ’tis different with her. Ye doona’ have to feel bad. What ye had with my Brianna was stil better than most. I doona’ fault ye in that.”

Rory was taken aback. It was no secret Alasdair had held him to blame for Brianna’s death. He hadn’t resented the fact. How could he fault her father when he himself wondered the same? Before he could respond, Alasdair pushed back his chair. “I have a long ride on the morrow, and I’m no’ as young as I used to be. If you’l excuse me, I’l be retirin’ now.”

Rory extended his hand and Alasdair took it in a firm grip. “Thank you,” Rory said, and he meant it, more than the man would ever know.

“Ye may wish to hold yer thanks. I mean to have a say where it concerns Aileanna.”

Rory groaned and Alasdair laughed, clapping him on the shoulder. “’Twil no’ be that bad.”

Aye, it will, Rory thought. He’d never be rid of the old goat.

“It seems ye get yerself a new wife, only to keep yer old father-by-marriage—an interestin’ turn of events,” his cousin said as together they watched Alasdair weave his way toward Aileanna.

“Interestin’ is no’ the word I’d choose,” Rory grunted. They were sitting in companionable silence when Aidan shot from his chair, sending it crashing to the floor. The ale Rory had been drinking spil ed from his mug onto his lap.

“Bloody hel , Aidan, what is it?”

“My men,” his cousin said, jerking his head at the two men-at-arms who stood in the entrance to the hal . “Lewis must be under attack.”

Together they fought their way through the crowd. 284

Debbie Mazzuca

Fergus and Iain, obviously noting their hasty retreat, were soon at their sides.

“They’ve come, Laird Aidan. The adventurers attacked, setting fire to the vil age on the south side of the island.”

As Rory listened to Aidan question his men, he felt a gentle tug on his sleeve. “Rory, what’s happened?”

He drew Aileanna aside. “Lewis has been attacked. The adventurers burnt down a vil age.”

“Oh, no,” she cried, and Rory saw the moment the re

alization of exactly what that meant hit her. Color drained from her face. “You’re going, aren’t you? No, don’t say anything.” She tugged her arm from his grasp. “There’s nothing you can say to make me understand.” Turning away from him, she lifted her skirts and fled from the hal as fast as her injured foot could carry her.

“Give her time, Rory. She’l come to understand.”

“Do you think so, brother? Because I doona’,” he said wearily as he watched her leave.

“She’s frightened is al . Afraid somethin’ wil happen to you.”

“I ken that, but right now I doona’ have time to al eviate her fears. We head out on the morrow with Aidan. Fergus, ready the men.” Once his cousin’s men left, Rory ap

proached him.

Aidan scrubbed his hand over his shadowed jaw. “I saw yer lady. She didna’ seem verra happy.”

“Nay, but ’tis the way of it, somethin’ she wil have to get used to.”

“I’m sorry ye’l no’ be spendin’ much time with her. I wish I didna’ need yer help in this, Rory, but I do.”

He waved his cousin’s concerns aside. “’Tis a good thin’

we settled with the MacDonald, is al . How’s Lan?”

“I didna’ think it would happen this soon or I wouldna’

have left my brother on his own. He’s too young for the re

sponsibility.”

LORD OF THE ISLES

285

“He’s got Dougal and Torquil with him, doesna’ he?”

“Aye, he does, and fer al that he’s young, he’s canny and strong as wel .”

Rory threw an arm over Aidan’s shoulder. “He’l be fine. We’l be by his side before long. Doona’ fash yerself.”

By the time Rory had assured himself al was at the ready the hour had grown late. He paused before entering Aileanna’s darkened chambers. The fire had died down, and a lone candle flickered by her bed.

“I know it’s you,” she said, her voice husky. He sat on the edge of the bed and brushed the hair from her face, kissing her tear-swol en eyes.

“Why do you have to go?” she asked.

“Aileanna, do you think if it wasna’ necessary for me to be there that I would be goin’?”

“Yes. I’ve seen you, Rory MacLeod, playing with your men. You love the fight, the thril of the battle.”

At one time she would’ve been right, but no longer. He would give anything to stay at Dunvegan with her, but he couldn’t abandon his cousin. “Would you have me leave Aidan and Lachlan to battle the adventurers on their own?

They doona’ have the men, and the ones they do have are no’ trained as wel as mine.”

“It’s not fair, Rory. I thought . . . I thought with the truce signed there wouldn’t be this threat hanging over us. The ink is barely dry, yet you’re off to fight another battle.”

“We doona’ face an enemy like the MacDonald, mo chridhe. ’Twil no’ be the bloodbath that would’ve been.”

“But you’re stil going to fight, and let me guess—no one even tried to negotiate with these men.”

“’Twas sanctioned by King James. There wil be no talks. The MacLeods of Lewis have held the island for centuries, yet the king means to depose them. Do you see the fairness in that, Aileanna? Would you no’ fight if you were in their place?”

286

Debbie Mazzuca

“Can’t they go to the king?”

“They did, and it did them no good. There’s no other way but to fight for what is theirs. I’m obligated to assist, and I wil .”

“There has to be—”

“Nay, stop. I wil na’ battle you as wel .” His words were terse, angry at her stubborn refusal to understand. “Wil you no’ let it go?”

“No.” She shook her head. “I can’t. If you would just try, I’m—”