Chapter 39 #2
“Nay, I havena, nor do I intend to,” was Jamie’s reply. It left no room for argument. “Och, Sheena, forgive me. I know you feel this is all my fault, and I dinna shirk the blame. Can you no’ see how sorry I am?”
“I see it—but it doesna help.” She started to cry and hid her face in her hands. “You didna have to leave me here!”
Jamie gathered her to him again, and Colen discreetly left.
“Hush, Sheena, hush.” He rocked her. “Do you think I really wanted to leave you? The things I said to you today, I meant none of them. I was hurt. Do you ken, Sheena? I’m no’ used to having my life controlled by another.
But you control me, you do. You have the power to give me pain or joy, and when ’tis pain, I react badly.
But no more, sweetheart. I swear I’ll never put you from me again. ”
He was terrified, afraid that was not what she wanted to hear. What if she really wanted to hear that he would let her go? He could never do that, not even to make amends for what he’d done. Sheena was part of him, whether she accepted it or not, and he couldn’t let her go.
But Jamie needn’t have worried. The fight had gone out of Sheena—either because of his declaration or from exhaustion. She put her arms around him, leaning against him, and he nearly burst with joy.
“I’ll take you home now, lass, and put you in my aunt’s care until I return,” he said gently.
Jamie carried her to his horse and held her ahead of him as they rode back to the castle. She was quiet all the way home, and he couldn’t help wondering why.
In fact, Sheena was speechless because of the power he claimed she held over him. Power? She had always known she could arouse his anger easily. But for Jamie to be so deeply affected by her, that she could cause him pain or joy…Was it possible?
At the castle, Jamie dismounted and helped Sheena down, but he was not going to stay.
He was anxious to be off, before she began pleading with him not to retaliate for the raid.
He hailed a servant to bring his aunt, and others arrived.
Black Gawain was dumbfounded to see Sheena alive.
Jamie’s men joined him, preparing to leave with him, all carrying weapons.
Sheena waited, expecting Jamie to escort her to her room. After she’d watched the activity for some time, she suddenly understood that he meant to go after the raiders, he and his men. She paled. He didn’t know who the real raiders were yet! He still blamed her father.
“Jamie—”
“Dinna say it, Sheena,” he said firmly. “Can you no’ see I’ve no choice this time? You canna stop me.”
“But I dinna want to stop you, Jamie.”
He was taken aback, then looked at her suspiciously. “Why?” he asked. “Your kin didna know you were in the croft they burned. I didna think you would hold it against them.”
“And I wouldna, if they were my kin. But it wasna Fergussons who came. I saw them, Jamie!”
Black Gawain was infuriated. “You’re no’ going to listen to her, are you?” he demanded. “She would say anything to save her kin!”
“Aye, I would.” Sheena glared at Gawain.
“But as it happens, I dinna have to, for they are no’ the devils who came tonight.
I saw the men who set the fire. I saw them clearly from the window ’afore the blaze forced us into the store.
Aye, they wore my colors—but they werena Fergussons, they were Jamesons!
’Twas William Jameson I saw waiting to slaughter whoever tried to escape the fire. I saw him!”
Black Gawain laughed derisively. “You should have chosen another to blame, lass. Jameson is only a contemptible coward. All here know that. He wouldna have the nerve to attack a MacKinnion.”
“Then how does a coward attack when he feels he must?” she asked, and was pleased to see the bewilderment her question caused Gawain. “A coward would strike brutally and run—as did happen. Isna that what he’d do?”
“Who is to say your father is no’ a coward?” Black Gawain returned quickly.
“I am!” she shouted. “We attacked you in the summer, after you broke the peace in the spring. And we lost men in doing so, because we werena afraid to fight. But tell me this, was one fire set on those raids? Was one animal killed? Nay, because my father doesna fight that way.”
“But a Fergusson plaid was found. Their cry was heard,” Black Gawain insisted.
“You’re no’ listening to me, man,” Sheena cried.
“I told you Jameson wore my colors, no’ his own.
He wanted the blame placed on another clan, and he chose mine.
That way, he’s been able to attack MacKinnions repeatedly all these months and hasna suffered once for it.
Sweet Mary, do you think I would have hidden inside a burning hut if I had seen my own kin outside that hut?
You’re hating the wrong clan for killing your sister, Black Gawain. And that’s the truth.”
“But why?” Gawain cried.
“Because of Libby Jameson,” Jamie said, his voice hoarse. “Libby,” he repeated.
“Aye.” Sheena sighed. Thank the Lord, Jamie had guessed right. “I knew he meant to hurt you, Jamie, through me, when he locked me in his tower.”
“Locked you?”
She grinned. “It was rescuing me you were doing, though you didna know it then. Sir William despises you. He tried to rape me, and when that failed, he lied to you about me. Anything to hurt you, because of his sister.”
“And why did you no’ tell me this ’afore?”
“You didna believe me about his lies, so how could I tell you the rest?”
She was right. There was nothing he could say.
He caught her to him and kissed her hard. “You’ll be here when I return?”
“I’ll be here.”
Black Gawain was already running for his horse.