Chapter 4
CHAPTER FOUR
"Ye cannae be serious."
Torvald's voice followed Magnus down the corridor, away from the great hall where Brian was no doubt already composing his report to the king. Magnus didn't slow his stride, his boots striking stone with sharp, angry sounds.
"I'm perfectly serious."
"She's the king's chosen bride. Ye've already refused her in front of witnesses. What more dae ye plan tae dae, throw her back on the ship yerself?"
Magnus stopped walking. Turned. His friend stood a few paces back, arms crossed, expression caught somewhere between concern and exasperation.
"That woman kissed me," Magnus said, keeping his voice low despite the fury burning in his chest. "A year ago at Arisaig Bay.
She kissed me, used me as a shield against her father's men, then vanished before I could even ask her name.
Imagine what she must have done with other men to protect herself!
I didnae want tae say something in front of Brian and ruin her, but I willnae be married tae a woman I dinnae trust."
Torvald's eyebrows rose. "Maybe it's fate."
Magnus shot him a look that could've frozen fire.
"Or nae," Torvald amended quickly. He followed Magnus into the study, closing the door behind them. "But ye have tae marry her. Ye ken that. The king willnae accept refusal, and Brian's nae the type tae lie in his report."
"I ken that." Magnus moved to the table where maps of Barra's coastline lay spread out, though he wasn't really seeing them.
His hands braced against the wood, shoulders tight with tension.
"But how am I meant tae trust her? Tae bind meself tae a woman who's already proven she'll use whatever means necessary tae get what she wants? That cannae be loyal."
"She was runnin' from her faither's men," Torvald pointed out.
Magnus didn’t say anything and Torvald was quiet for a moment. When he spoke again, his voice was gentler. "This isnae really about her, is it?"
Magnus's jaw tightened. "Dinnae."
"Freydis—"
"I said dinnae." The words came out harder than he'd intended. Magnus forced himself to breathe, to unclench his fists. "This has naething tae dae with Freydis."
"Everything ye dae has tae dae with Freydis." Torvald moved closer, his tone careful but firm. "This woman, Ada, she's nae Freydis," Torvald said finally.
"How dae ye ken that? Because she looks frightened?
Because she's being forced intae this marriage too?
" Magnus moved away from the table, paced to the narrow window that overlooked the courtyard.
"Freydis looked frightened when I first met her.
She was young, alone, her family had just died in a raid.
I thought I was saving her. Protecting her. Giving her a home."
"And she betrayed that."
"Aye. She did." Magnus stared out at the gray stone walls, the guards walking their posts.
"So tell me, Torvald. How am I meant tae trust another woman who appears out of nowhere, desperate and alone, needin' protection?
How am I meant nae tae wonder if she'll dae the same thing, use whatever I give her, then betray me the moment it suits her purpose? "
Torvald sighed. "Ye're nae meant tae trust her. Nae yet. But ye are meant tae marry her. Those are yer only choices—marry her, or lose everything ye've built here. Everything yer people depend on."
Magnus knew he was right. The king's decree left no room for negotiation. Marry the Highland bride, or watch Barra fall.
"I need tae speak with her," he said finally.
"Now?"
"Aye. Before Brian comes lookin' fer me with more threats and ultimatums." Magnus turned from the window. "If I'm going tae marry this woman, I need to understand why she did what she did. Need tae ken if she's capable of honesty, at least."
He left Torvald in the study and made his way to the east tower. The blue chamber was at the end of a quiet corridor, away from the main keep.
He knocked once, hard enough that the sound echoed down the corridor.
"Enter."
Her voice was quiet. Wary.
Magnus pushed the door open and stepped inside.
Ada stood by the window, still wearing the damp traveling clothes from the dock.
Her blonde hair had come loose from its braid, falling in tangled waves past her shoulders.
She looked small in the large room, fragile even, with dark circles under her eyes and her arms wrapped around herself like she was trying to hold something together.
When she saw him, her expression shifted—surprise, then wariness, then something that might have been anger.
"Ye shouldnae be here," she said.
"This is me keep. I can go where I please."
"Aye, but it's nae proper fer ye tae be in me chambers."
"From what I remember ye’re nae exactly proper, are ye, Lady Ada?
” He saw her cheeks redden, but he continued without waiting for a response.
“We're tae be married in a fortnight anyway.
I think propriety is the least of our concerns.
" Magnus closed the door behind him, though he didn't move further into the room. "We need tae talk."
"About what? Yer refusal? Yer humiliation of me in front of the king's men?" Her chin lifted, pride stiffening her spine despite the tremor in her voice. "Or perhaps ye want tae explain why ye agreed to marry me if ye despise me so much?"
"I dinnae despise ye."
"Ye have a strange way of showin' it."
Magnus's jaw tightened. "I said we need tae talk. Will ye listen?"
Ada stared at him for a long moment, then moved away from the window. She didn't sit, didn't invite him to sit either. Just stood there with her arms still wrapped around herself, waiting.
"The festival at Arisaig Bay," Magnus said. "A year ago. That was ye."
It wasn't a question, but Ada nodded anyway. "Aye."
"Why?"
"I told ye then. It's better if ye dinnae ken."
"That's nae an answer." Magnus moved closer, though he kept distance between them. "Ye used me tae escape yer faither's men. Then ye disappeared. And now ye're here, and I'm meant tae trust ye? Tae bind meself tae ye fer the rest of me life?"
Ada's expression tightened. "I didnae ask fer this any more than ye did."
"But ye did ask fer me help. Ye came tae me, kissed me without permission, put me in the middle of whatever trouble ye were in.
And now I find out ye're a MacTavish, the daughter of the very laird whose men I apparently knocked unconscious tae save ye.
" Magnus's voice remained level, but anger simmered beneath it. "So, I'll ask ye again. Why?"
"Because I was desperate." The words came out sharp, defensive. "Because me faither's men were huntin’ me, and ye were there, and I had nay other choice."
"What were ye runnin' from?"
"Him. Me faither. The marriage he'd arranged fer me."
"And how many other men did ye kiss tae escape him?" The question was out before Magnus could stop it, bitter and accusatory.
Ada's face flushed red. "How dare ye?"
"How many?" Magnus pressed. "One? Five? Ten? How am I meant tae ken what kind of woman I'm marryin' if ye willnae tell me the truth?"
"Ye're the only one!" Ada's voice rose, trembling with anger and humiliation. "Ye're the only man I've ever kissed." She stopped, pressed her lips together hard.
Magnus stared at her. "I dinnae believe ye."
"I dinnae care if ye believe me." Ada's hands clenched into fists at her sides. "Ye've already decided I'm some schemin’ harlot who goes around kissin' strangers fer sport. Naethin’ I say will change yer mind."
"Then make me believe ye. Tell me what happened. Tell me why ye ran, why ye needed me help, why ye disappeared."
"Because me faither is a monster!" The words burst from her like something that had been locked away too long.
"Because he was going tae sell me tae a man I dinnae ken, a man who'd already buried two wives under suspicious circumstances. Because when I tried tae refuse, he locked me in a tower with nay food but bread and water, tellin’ me I'd learn obedience or I'd learn tae starve. "
Magnus went still.
"When I finally escaped," Ada continued, her voice shaking now, "I had nowhere tae go.
Nay family who'd take me in, nay friends who'd risk me faither's wrath.
I survived by hidin' among healers and widows, moving from village tae village, prayin' he wouldnae find me.
And when his men finally caught me trail at Arisaig, I saw ye, a tall stranger who looked like he could fight off an army, and I made a choice.
" She met his gaze directly, her hazel-green eyes bright with unshed tears.
"I used ye. I'm nae proud of it. But I'd dae it again if it meant survivin’ another day. "
The silence that followed felt heavy. Oppressive.
Magnus studied her face, the way her jaw trembled slightly despite her raised chin, the way her hands shook even as she kept them fisted. She was terrified. Angry. Defiant.
And, if she was telling the truth, desperate in a way he recognized.
"Yer faither found ye anyway," he said quietly.
"Aye. Three days later. His men dragged me back." Ada's voice had gone flat, emotionless. "He locked me up again. That time he said he'd make sure I learned me lesson. That I'd never embarrass him like that again."
"And the Pact?"
"Was his solution." A bitter smile crossed her lips.
"When the king issued the decree, most Highland lairds refused tae offer their daughters.
Too afraid of the savage Norsemen, the rumors, the violence.
But nae me father. He saw opportunity. A chance tae prove his loyalty tae the Crown and rid himself of a troublesome daughter in one move.
" She looked away. "What happened tae me after didnae matter tae him.
I am nay longer his concern once I am married. "
Magnus felt something uncomfortable twist in his chest. Not pity, he couldn't afford it, but understanding, perhaps. Recognition of a desperation he'd felt himself.
"Why should I believe ye?" he asked, though the question sounded weaker.