Chapter 21
Fennella drew in a breath as she waited in the copse of trees, her arms tired, her body weary. Before her, the McPherson clan, including Dearg, were waiting to be marched into the Campbell keep, a true sign that the battle was over and that the Campbell clan had won.
But her mind kept replaying when Dearg had been standing behind her husband, his sword raised to deliver a fatal blow. She had fired the arrow without thinking, her heart in her throat as she let it fly.
Her arrow had been true and had disarmed her brother, and only then had she breathed.
She couldn’t lose Aleck.
She loved her husband. That was an easy realization for her. After weeks of denying that Aleck meant anything to her, Fennella knew at that moment she could not live without him.
He was her heart.
The group was forced to move and Fennella didn’t turn away as Dearg passed, his angry eyes meeting hers briefly. Her brother’s reign was now over. She knew her sisters would be pleased to hear that he had fallen today and that her husband now was responsible for her family’s clan.
“Lass.”
Fennella turned at the sound of Aleck’s weary voice, seeing her husband standing a few feet from her.
His shirt was torn, dirt and blood streaking his face and arms, but she had never seen anything better than him alive and well.
When she had let that arrow fly, there was a moment that Fennella had seen both confusion and resignation on his handsome face, as if he thought she would strike him down or that she was working against him and with Dearg.
It wasn’t surprising. After all, they had been fighting her clansmen, men she had known since she was little.
But once he realized what she had done, Aleck had been quick to stop Dearg from reaching from his sword, and then word spread like wildfire through the fighting that the other laird had been captured. One by one, the fighters had surrendered and in a span of a few moments, the battle was over.
Now she would have to explain to her husband why she had been here when he thought her to be back at the keep, awaiting word.
Slowly, she walked over to Aleck, who reached for her and pulled her tight against him. “Lass,” he breathed into her hair. “What in bloody hell are ye doing here?”
“Saving yer life,” she said, clutching his shirt.
Aleck groaned as he held her tight. “Ye should be at the keep Fennella.”
“I couldn’t,” she said honestly. “I couldn’t stand behind and hope that ye came home tae me. I-I sent word tae the bandits.”
He pulled back, genuine surprise on his face. “Bandits?”
She nodded, her cheeks burning. “They have long waited for this moment, to see Dearg be removed from power and, well, I thought you could use the extra men.”
Aleck released her abruptly, his jaw clenched. “Show them tae me.”
Fennella swallowed at his sudden change in behavior. “You aren’t going to hurt them, are you?”
“Get them lass.”
Disappointed that he would not listen to her reasons why, Fennella nodded at Will, who moved to her side, along with thirty other bandits that had come to help. One by one they stared down her husband and Fennella drug her gaze from him, waiting for his harsh words.
“Do ye swear yer allegiance tae Clan Campbell? Do ye swear tae protect this clan with yer last dying breath?”
Fennella’s head shot up, watching as her fierce husband waited for their response. Will was the first to raise his fist to his chest. “Aye.”
Fennella’s eyes welled with tears as she watched the rest of her bandits do the same, until they were all pledging their loyalty to their new laird.
Aleck inclined his head, raising his fist to his chest, and walked off toward his horse, which was waiting patiently by Duncan.
He turned and motioned for Fennella with the crook of his finger and she walked over happily, accepting his arm after he mounted his horse.
She settled against his chest and sighed. “You are a good man, Husband.”
He chuckled. “I strive tae please ye Wife.”
After arriving at the keep, Fennella lost sight of her husband due to the number of warriors and new clansmen toasting to their victory.
She hurried upstairs and changed out of her breeks into a flowing gown, washing the dirt and blood from her skin.
She felt no happiness in what had happened today for many a good man had lost his life believing in a cause that proved to be futile.
But her family was safe. Aleck was no worse for wear, as well as Duncan and most of the Clan Campbell. It was enough to make one weak in the knees.
Fennella re-plaited her hair before deeming herself satisfactory.
There was something she needed to do before she could close this chapter of her life, and that was talk with Dearg.
She wanted to know if he was the one who had sent Isla to disrupt her marriage to Aleck, or if he was behind the constant skirmishes that had taken Aleck away from her and into danger.
In her heart, she already knew he was, but she wanted confirmation.
Stealing down the stairs, Fennella moved her way through the crowd in the great hall and down the second set of stairs to the dungeon, where she was certain her brother would be. Malcolm was standing at the end of the stairs, arching a brow as she stepped down. “Mah lady.”
“Malcolm,” she answered. “Mah brother.”
He pointed down the row of prison cells, clearing his throat. “The laird stated that once ye are done here, he will be waiting for ye in a place that ye know well.”
Fennella’s lips curved in a smile. “He did, did he?”
Malcolm flushed, muttering under his breath, and she moved on, ready to complete her task so that she could join her husband.
And tell him how much he meant to her.
The prison cells were swamped with prisoners now, sets of eyes following Fennella as she peered in, searching for Dearg.
Finally, she found him near the back, slumped against the stone wall.
His wounded shoulder had been hastily wrapped with a bandage, blood staining the white linen.
“Dearg,” she said softly, clearing her throat.
He looked at her, chuckling to himself. “Och, Fennella. I figured ye would come see me like this.”
She rubbed her arms with her hands, chasing away the chilling sound of his voice as it washed over her. “Tell me why.”
He laughed, rubbing a hand over his face. “Why? Why not? Ye have ruined everything Fennella. Ye were supposed tae hate this keep, hate the laird that ye found yerself wed tae, yet ye buried an arrow in mah shoulder, protecting yer husband! I am yer blood!”
“You are not my blood,” she argued, thinking of all the times he had treated her as anything but his sister. “You are cruel and deserve everything you get Dearg.”
“That I cannae deny,” he sighed. “But I kept a roof over yer sisters’ heads, dinnae even lay a finger on them as yer husband asked.”
Fennella sighed in relief. Her sisters were safe.
All because of her husband.
She loved him even more than before.
“I tried so bloody hard tae ruin yer existence,” Dearg said in a low voice. “And take this keep, this clan as mah own. Even mah best laid plans failed me.”
“Isla,” Fennella finished, the final piece clicking into place.
Dearg cocked his head to the side, a smile spreading across his lips. “Ye figured it out.”
“What was her plan?” she asked softly. “Whose child is it really?”
Dearg chuckled. “Who knows. Someone in the village likely. She was easy tae manipulate. All she needed was a reason tae do so and that child in her belly was the push.”
Fennella tried but couldn’t drum up the sadness for Isla. She had tried to steal her husband, lie to him about the true identity of her child, and attempt to pass it off as the dead laird’s. There was nothing she could feel for that woman.
“She was supposed tae kill him ye know,” Dearg continued, clearly seeing nothing that he would lose by telling her. “She was supposed to seduce yer husband and have you running back home before killing him and taking over this clan for me.”
Fennella gripped the bars of the cell, her anger written on her face. “Well she failed as you did Dearg. You will pay for your crimes and never will you be laird again, not to our family’s clan or any other.”
He shifted on the floor, making no move to rise. “Ye would not let yer husband kill a member of yer own family, would ye dear sister?”
Fennella stared at the man who had caused terror to not only herself but also her sisters, who had shown them no compassion, and felt nothing for him. She couldn’t feel anything for him. Dearg was all but dead to her. “I dinnae care what mah husband does tae ye.”
His eyes widened but Fennella was already turning away, walking down the hall with her brother screaming her name.
She no longer had a brother.
It didn’t take Fennella long to locate her horse and start down the road toward the cavern, away from the celebration that was taking place in the keep.
There was only one person she wanted to see, one person she wanted to be with, and he had given her his location by way of his blushing second-in-command.
The entrance was awash with lanterns lighting her way, but Fennella did not need them, her steps sure. The path was familiar now, leading her to her heart.
Her future.
Aleck’s back was to her when she entered the opening, his boots next to him on the ground. His feet were immersed in the warm water and Fennella eased herself next to him, feeling every pull on her weary body.
“Did he blush?”
She smiled, slipping off her boots and stockings. “You know he did.”
Aleck chuckled. “Aye. Ye should have seen him when I relayed the message.”
Fennella leaned her shoulder against his, breathing in his scent. “I think you live to torture him.”
“Aye.”
They lapsed into silence, the sound of water dripping somewhat soothing considering the ugly sounds of battle that they had been part of just hours before.
Fennella wanted to ask him what he was thinking, what his next steps were, but she was comfortable just sitting next to her husband, feeling his warmth through the connection of their skin.
“Here,” she finally said, pulling the ring off her thumb and handing it to him. “This belongs to the laird.”
Aleck took the ring, sliding it back on his finger. “Tell me about them.”
Fennella didn’t have to ask who he was referring to.
“They are men, good men, that were tired of my brother’s reign.
I was approached three years ago to assist in a plot to overthrow my brother, but at the time I couldn’t take the risk of him harming my sisters.
Instead, I started feeding the group bits of information about wealthy visitors coming to the keep so that they could divest them of their gifts to my brother and disperse them where they were greatly needed. ”
Aleck chuckled. “And how did ye get involved in the act yerself Wife?”
Fennella smiled. “When a man was ill, I stole a pair of breeks and joined in. I thought Will was going to keel over dead when he got a good look at me, but I only did it when they needed me, not to rouse suspicion with my brother.” She tucked a stray hair behind her ear. “I could not take the chance.”
“I think ’tis brave what ye did lass,” Aleck said at last, reaching over to tuck her hand in his. “Ye were caring for yer people when yer laird did not, and I am mighty glad ye were the one tae divest me of yer silver and pearls.”
She squeezed his hand. “What do we do now?”
“We move on,” Aleck sighed, rubbing his face with his hand. “I have no wish tae rule yer clan lass, but I want yer say in who should.”
Surprised, Fennella forced him to look at her. His expression was earnest enough and she knew that in her heart he was telling her the truth. “I would like to also have your say in it my love.”
He arched a brow and she leaned in, brushing her lips over his chin. “Aye, you heard me Husband. I love ye.”
“I tore ye from yer home, forced ye tae wed me, and captured yer brother,” he remarked, rubbing his cheek next to hers. “Why would ye love me?”
“Because,” she said, breathing in his scent, “you are a kind laird who cares about those around him. You wish to live a peaceful life with your family and not be caught up in the spoils of war. You saw me on that battlefield today and dinnae hesitate to let me be there. That is some of the many reasons why I love you.”
“Ye nearly did me in, love,” he said softly, his other hand coming up to cup her neck. “But in that same moment, all I could think of was how bloody proud I was that ye were mine.”
Fennella sighed, tilting her head to gaze into his eyes. “I am yours Aleck.”
He gave her a tender smile before dipping his head to capture her lips, the soft kiss turning demanding from both of them. Fennella wrapped her arms around his neck and allowed him to ravage her mouth, wanting his hands on her more than ever.
They had just survived a battle, one that would now lead them into their future. She never wanted to have to feel that again.
“Lass,” Aleck whispered against her mouth. “Hold on.”
Fennella had merely a moment before he was picking her up and sliding them both into the warm water, fully clothed. Fennella shrieked as she clung to him, feeling Aleck’s rumble of laughter against her body.
This was what love meant. Pulling back, she met his twinkling eyes. “For a very long time I have had mistrust for the men in my life. None of them have ever brought me happiness and love, only pain and regret.”
“And now?” Aleck prodded, his gaze growing soft. “Are ye happy now lass? With me?”
Fennella drew in a breath as she touched her husband’s cheek. “Very.”