Chapter Five #2
“Just like her granda!” her grandmama crowed, and the love in her voice was so obvious.
Lillith pondered that for a moment. Even though grandmama and granda were currently at odds, it was clear that did not diminish the love, and her granda had not ever broken her grandmama’s heart, but still…
Lillith gave herself a little shake. She did not know why she was even thinking of such things when she needed to be concentrating on how to ensure Rory Matheson found the notion of being wed to either of them so repugnant that he’d rather withstand the ire of the king and his da.
Lillith snorted. Clearly, he already found her distasteful.
Still, it would not hurt to deepen his dislike of her.
“What could Lenora do to appear unsuitable as a wife?” Aunt Elena mused.
“She could declare that she does not want any part of the marriage bed,” Eve suggested.
Lenora’s eyes widened in alarm. “I could nae ever! My face would give me away immediately. I kinnae lie convincingly—ye all know this.”
“Ye’re right,” Grandmama Marion said, patting Lenora’s hand.
“We need something that plays to your natural strengths, dear.” She tapped her chin thoughtfully.
“Perhaps you could simply be exceedingly dull. Say nothing of interest. Stare at him blankly when he speaks. Yawn repeatedly. Men hate to be bored, especially by a pretty face.”
Lillith paced before the hearth, the flames casting dancing shadows across the stone floor. “Ye must talk endlessly about knitting, and herbs, and the weather. Do nae let him speak of himself and do nae ask him!”
Eve clapped. “Very clever, Lillith! Everyone hates not being asked about themselves. Especially men used to feeling important.”
“Interrupt him constantly,” Lillith added, her mind now racing. “But with boring, ridiculous comments.”
“Mayhap ye could also constantly spill stuff on him, as if ye’re verra clumsy,” said Aunt Sebille, to which everyone nodded.
“’Tis a solid plan,” Lillith decreed, and the words drew all eyes to her. The fire popped and hissed beside her, mirroring the agitation she felt.
“When he rejects Lenora, he may turn his attention back to you,” Grandmama Marion said.
“Mayhap,” Lillith considered, “though I sincerely doubt it. It took him but a breath to decide I was nae suitable for him.”
“Ye sound almost wounded,” Lenora said, which irritated Lillith. Her sister could often read emotions in Lillith that she did not express aloud.
“Certainly, nae,” Lillith declared, but she did not miss the swift looks exchanged between her grandmama and aunts.
“I do nae have injured feelings!” she protested.
“I was simply pointing out I feel I’m fairly safe from his turning his eye back to me, but I agree that, to be safe, I should do what I must to ensure he continues to feel I am utterly unsuitable. ”
“You cannot shoot him again!” Eve decreed.
Lillith glared at her stepmama. “That was an accident! Though the notion is tempting.” Her comment drew muffled laughter from all the women. “I’m certain I can find other ways to make my unsuitability glaringly obvious.”
“The challenge,” Eve cautioned, glancing toward the door to ensure no servants were lingering nearby, “will be to make him despise the match without causing irreparable damage to relations between our clans. We need him to reject the marriages, not start the scrimmages up with his clan again.”
“A fine line to walk,” Aunt Elena agreed, tapping her fingers against the wooden tabletop thoughtfully. “Perhaps ye could challenge his masculinity, Lillith. Men like the Hammer of the Highlands pride themselves on their strength and prowess. If ye were to best him repeatedly, publicly…”
Lillith hitched her eyebrows at her aunt. “The Hammer of the Highlands?”
“Aye,” Elena said. “He’s known far and wide for his skill with the sword in combat.”
Lillith snorted. “Well, I do nae ken about his skill with a sword, but he kinnae keep upon his horse verra well,” she said, recalling him falling off when her arrow struck him.
Laughter rolled through the room, but then her grandmama held up a silencing hand. “You struck a blow to his pride. You must keep doing so. This is your tactic. He will never wed a woman who continually humiliates him.”
“Why must I pretend to be dull while Lillith gets to deliver blows to our enemy?” Lenora demanded.
“Because ye do nae have any competitive skills,” Lillith answered truthfully. She stared into the dancing flames of the fire, considering what she could do. “I can best him at archery for certain. And mayhap horse racing? I know the hidden paths through the woods better than any outsider could.”
“Perfect,” Aunt Sebille said. “And ensure ye do it before witnesses—preferably his own men.”
“I can also ensure the servants spread rumors about my wild nature,” Lillith added, the plan taking firmer shape in her mind. “How I have a dreadful temper, how I kinnae cook or sew or do any of the things some men think a proper wife should.”
“All of which is true,” Lenora murmured, the first hint of a smile touching her lips since they’d begun this discussion.
“Those are fine things, but the blows to his pride mostly need to be direct and public,” her grandmama said.
All the women fell to silence once more, thinking. “’Tis so bothersome this is happening during the Winter Solstice season,” Eve said. “There are so many activities already I need to plan and—”
“That’s it!” Lillith shouted.
Eve glanced toward the door again, her face suddenly tense. “Let’s keep our voices down. The stone walls of Dunvegan have ears, and this plan depends on secrecy.”
Lillith nodded, as excitement surged within her.
For once, her wild nature would serve a purpose beyond her own entertainment.
It would free her sister from an unwanted marriage and perhaps herself as well.
“I can challenge him and his men to different contests built around our traditional Winter Solstice activities!” Lillith exclaimed, taking care to keep her tone lowered.
“That’s an excellent idea!” Eve agreed. “The first challenge can be the torchlight procession!”
“Aye, ’tis perfect!” Lillith said, given the object of the torchlight procession.
People would compete to race from cottage to cottage all over the MacLeod Land, lighting torches at the cottages as they went, but one could only light the torch after drinking a goblet of mead.
Normally, the person who lit the most torches at the end of a certain amount of time won, but this year, she would propose making it the MacLeods against the Mathesons, and the teams would be made up of however many warriors he had with him, she had counted four at first sight, matched against her and her grandmama, sister, and aunts.
Lillith quickly shared her idea for the team challenge with her family, and they all agreed it was excellent.
“The next challenge could be the Fireball games!” Lenora said, her enthusiasm amusing for someone who had never wished to participate in the tradition of the Winter Solstice games.
But the idea was excellent, so Lillith nodded. “We could form two teams—women against men.”
“How would we throw as far as the men?” Eve asked.
“Simple, dear,” Grandmama Marion said. “We will distract the men with our feminine charms.”
Low chuckles erupted from everyone at once.
“What about the ice plunge?” Sebille asked. “Do ye think ye could best him at that?”
“Aye!” Lillith answered confidently. “I won the ice plunge contest the last three years!”
“Her lips turned blue!” Eve said.
“It seems we have our strategy then,” Grandmama Marion said softly.
“Lenora will bore him to tears, and Lillith will wound his pride beyond recovery. The king’s decree specifically states that Rory Matheson must wed one of Royce’s daughters,” Grandmama Marion continued, leaning forward and lowering her voice to little more than a whisper.
“But if Rory himself refuses both matches…”
“Then only the Matheson Clan would bear the king’s displeasure,” Aunt Elena finished, her eyes widening with understanding.
“Exactly,” Grandmama Marion nodded. “The MacLeods could claim they were willing, but ’twas the Mathesons who broke the agreement.”
Lillith found herself drawn back to the table where her family was sitting, the excitement of the plan overcoming her restlessness.
“It will work,” she whispered, taking the empty seat between Lenora and her mama.
“But we need to ensure that Rory rejects us both firmly and publicly, so there is nae any doubt where the blame lies.”
“And meanwhile, Lenora,” Eve added, “I will speak to your da about Caleb. Perhaps there’s a way to help him pass the warrior test.”
Lenora’s face lit up with hope. “Truly?”
“I make no promises,” Eve cautioned, “but I’ll try. In the meantime, we must focus on our plan.”
The chamber door swung open without warning, making Lillith jump.
She whirled toward the intrusion, her heart leaping into her throat, to find her da, granda, Uncle Brus, and Uncle Rolland filling the doorway.
Their faces wore varying expressions of determination and self-satisfaction that made Lillith’s stomach clench with foreboding.
“Do nae any of ye ken how to knock?” Aunt Elena demanded, rising to her feet with the other women quickly following.
Lillith’s gaze found Lenora’s, and as Lillith had expected, Lenora had gone pale at the sight of their da.
Lillith hoped Lenora could accomplish her part of their plan.
Masie lifted her head from the bed, a low growl rumbling in her throat until Lillith hushed her with a sharp gesture.