Duty of the Chieftain - a Highland 'Lord's Right of the First Night' novella (Clan MacKrannan's Secret Traditions #3) (7 page)

The captain’s cabin was
only just large enough to accommodate both Elinor and himself, and the Chief and Agatha could hardly squeeze in.

"We caught one of her guard heading
east, but his comrade got away," said Sir Thommas, watching his son’s face go pale.  "That two are in Maxton’s pay, not Elinor’s.  They
know,
Ranald.  Her maid told all that yer trip on the boat must be bride-stealing because her mistress had been abed with ye last eve.  The clan would no' believe ye'd take a widow to wife, but there's nobody could deny ye would bed a bonnie lass.  The whole castle and village and all is buzzing with it."

"Elinor will deny it, as
will I," said Ranald.

The MacKrannans were stunned by the
feisty look of determination come upon Elinor's face.  "And who would believe it anyway when all at court heard the king promise me to Maxton?"

The Lady
Agatha turned the Lady Elinor rather firmly towards the door, muttering, "Have ye the slightest notion of the trouble ye've caused, and two of my sons in Maxton's army?  What were ye thinking of to do such a thing?"

Elinor was cornered, and the stress of it all made her come out fighting.

"I was thinking of my PEOPLE!"
she bawled, fists balled at her sides.

Thommas and Agatha
were taken aback.  The young Lady Elinor had wandered about their castle like a visiting adornment, and here was sign of some gumption and much worthier character.  She was right.  Responsibility to the clansfolk was everything, and the MacKrannans took that burden very seriously.

Ranald spoke for them all.  "
Yer motive was honorable, then.  Let it go now, Elinor.  We'll get it sorted."

"Ye
heard me, Ranald," said Sir Thommas.  "One of Maxton's men is headed east to report to the king.  Ye do realise what hangs in the balance here?"

Ranald scrubbed a hand over his face. 
"Aye… my neck on a gibbet rope.  I will tell the king the truth for he knows I have never done otherwise.  And it will have to be the whole truth, with Elinor's reasons, else she will also be punished for her betrayal of Maxton.  First one of ye up the steps, shout Dougall to saddle my horse."

The king
left Ranald cooling his heels near a full day before summoning him into his private chamber.  The guards who had surrounded Ranald since his arrival were left outside the door, a good sign.  Wine was drunk, and the detail of the Cambel uprising thoroughly discussed.  Luck for Ranald that it had been a victory, for the king seemed in reasonable mood.

"Let's be having it,
MacKrannan.  Of all the women in Scotland that you could have taken abed, why the Lady Elinor?  The queen is rather upset, as you can imagine."

"Sire, ye have me at a disadvantage, for I dinna know what story ye have been told.  Beg yer pardon, but if ye could tell me what the gossip is, I could fill in the
truth."

The king fixed
a beady eye on Ranald.  "I am told by her guard that you arrived back from battling the Cambels and had her in your bed within the hour, despite never having met her before then.  Your reputation at court precedes you, sadly, such speed of conquest not being unknown.  However, given that Elinor was already betrothed at my command to Maxton…"

The king let
that hover, awaiting an explanation that had better be an exceedingly good one.

Ranald realized that actually
was
the truth, but it needed augmentation.  "Sire, I did no' meet the Lady Elinor until suppertime.  I thought it our Swordmaker's bride in my bed, for the Lord's Right, but she was gone from the castle and Elinor taken her place."

The king frowned, but did not move, which was a hopeful sign.

"…No' to speak ill of the dead, Sire, but were ye much acquaint with her husband, Sir Alain Douglas?"

A grunt came, another hopeful sign.

Ranald gave the news that he knew would affect much more than the state of Elinor's maidenhead.

"Sire, their marriage was
never consummated.  Lady Elinor had need to rectify her maiden state before her wedding night with Maxton, for the sake of her people, and to keep shame off the Douglases.  She did no' invite my co-operation on the matter first.  As I have said, it was my belief the woman in my bed was the Swordmaker's bride.  I was no' introduced to the Lady Elinor until suppertime at Hall."

The king's mouth twitched, then widened as his great belly
moved and he started to laugh loud and long.

"A surprise
on the menu for you there, MacKrannan, eh?" he said, and bellowed all the more.

Ranald dare not join in the mirth, but sat smiling wryly and waiting for the king to make judgement.

"We must take pity, for her reasoning was sound," said the king eventually.  "It is common knowledge that Alain Douglas married the dowry and not the woman, for it is also common knowledge that his preferences lay in buggering any man that would lift his shirt tail for him.  Unconsummated, you say… that is serious.  You are absolutely sure?"

"I have done duty in the Lord's Right often enough
to be certain of it, Sire.  Elinor was virgin, and the evidence on the bedsheets."

"
Hmmph.  Alain Douglas's testament left all of Fordnethan and Keirston to her, yet it seems she has no legal right to as much as a widow's share.  And she would need to prove her virgin state even to reclaim her dowry lands at Keirston.  Too late for that now, MacKrannan!  Eh?  Eh?"

Ranald was unsure if reply was expected
, or if he was supposed to join in the mirth this time.  He played safe.

"
Too late indeed, as ye say, Sire," he mumbled.

The king, ever seeking a remedy
of national benefit, clucked his cheek.  "Our priority here must be the protection of the Borders.  I shall forfeit both Fordnethan and Keirston to the crown and award them to Maxton.  He must be appeased.  What say you on that?"

Elinor was to lose everything.  What
could
he say, except for the usual sycophantic claptrap expected by all kings from their loyal subjects…

"Your
Majesty's wisdom has never failed Scotland."

"And that leaves us with the problem of the Lady Elinor, who is homeless forthwith
."

The king stood up, and Ranald followed
him, but the audience was not quite at an end.  A companionable arm came around Ranald's shoulder as they walked across the chamber.

"
Your brothers are already removed from Maxton's contingent, lest there be retribution for your actions, and they will serve at court instead.  I sent for them this morn, upon news that you had come to me without need for summons.  They journey here as we speak."

That was a bloody relief.
  "I thank ye most sincerely for that, Sire, on behalf of all my family."

But t
he king had not quite finished.

With well-rehearsed timing
come from many years of reign, he waited until Ranald was half out the door before adding, "…and MacKrannan, you will wed the Lady Elinor immediately upon your return.  Proclamation will be made this day that her change of betrothed is By Royal Command.  Take some time away from your duties.  Let the fuss die down, eh?  Send for her personal belongings and get her settled in at MacKrannan Castle.  My regards to Sir Thommas and your dear mother."

Ranald left court with
royal letters in his saddlebag and a heavy heart in his chest.  The king had traded his life for a wife, with no idea that his fix-all remedy had spawned another problem.

"Forfei
t to the crown… granted to the Earl of Maxton… wed Ranald, chieftain of…" 
Elinor fanned her face with the parchment, the only use she could find for the damnable missive.

She was back in Ranald's bedchamber, sitting
fully clothed in the chair from whence events had taken these convoluted turns hardly a week past.  He had spent most of the intervening time on horseback between castle and court.  She had spent the time worrying what future the king would grant her.

"So
His Majesty has taken all my lands.  I have no dowry… nothing.  And I am not to be a Countess, but a chieftain's wife."

Ranald stood
staring out the window in the disconsolate way, a shoulder against the frame and eyes that saw nothing but his thoughts.  He had no intention of undressing either one of them during this second visit of Elinor to his bedchamber.

"No' even that.  Ye'll be
wed to the chieftain's elder brother, for I must concede my position.  Our clan has some strange Traditions, Elinor.  They go back centuries and cannot be changed to suit the circumstance of one chieftain.  All men of the bloodline must marry virgins, especially the man born to be Chief of the Name of MacKrannan."

Elinor
raced to his side.  "But they cannot take away your heritage like this!  I
was
virgin until you!"

"
It is insufficient," he said, turning to her.  "The bloodline's brides must be virgins on their wedding day, for there is a Tradition named the 'Coupling', a witnessed event in which yer blood must be seen.  It is too late, lass."

Considering the disast
er befallen each of them, Ranald was confused at the swelling below his kilt that seemed to come upon him whenever he met her eye, or spoke with her, or held her hand.

Was it the scent of her?  That summery perfume after years of battleblood and comra
de’s sweat?  Surely it could no' be that, for he'd had plenty of sweet-smelling women in his time. Yet none had come close to the fragrance of this Elinor Keirston with her hair new-washed and a twinkle in her eye.  That sparkle was now born from tears of hopelessness, for their dealings since the Lord's Right had taken place in this very room had been little but mistrust and argument.

"Surely if you explain to
His Majesty?"

"Nay.  All our Traditions are kept secret.  I only tell ye
of this one because we must wed on the morn.  Ye are in here without chaperone because it makes little difference now."

She turned away, but he took her hand.

"Elinor, I came to find ye first for it is yerself has lost the most, even for all yer good motive.  I still have my family and my clan, and they will be yours now also."

"How kind…"

"No' really.  They are all ye will have.  My brother Connor will be recalled from his post in Ireland to be chieftain and I will be sent there in his stead.  Ye may as well settle in here at the castle, for the garrison has no married quarters and the region is no place for any woman.  It is a year since my brother was let home.  I canna say it will be any different for me, even when wedded.  Come, we must go to the Chief with our letters from the king."