Niall wondered why she would say this when Malcolm had clearly told him she was with Fingal, but he didn’t call her on the lie. “I will go check on Tomas. Ye go to bed.”
“Niall, he is afraid, I want to see him and kiss him goodnight.”
“Do not argue with me tonight,” he growled, opening the door of their chamber for her. She walked silently past him and he shut the door before she could say anything else.
When Niall returned, he found Katherine combing her hair, getting ready for bed. She looked so very beautiful and even though he was angry, he ached with need for her. Why had she spent the afternoon with Fingal and lied to him about it? He pulled her roughly into his arms. With one arm he held her to his chest, knotting his other hand in her hair so she could not turn away. His lips slanted across hers and his tongue plundered her mouth relentlessly. She responded to him by wrapping her arms around his neck and returning his kiss ardently.
He broke the kiss and asked, “Why did ye lie to me?” searching her face for a clue to what she was thinking but seeing only confusion.
“Niall, I don’t know what ye are talking about. I have never lied to ye and I never will. I love ye.”
He gave her another searing kiss, wanting to believe her. He remembered the unbearable pain of betrayal at the hands of a woman whom he thought he loved, and didn’t think he could live through that again. When he drew away from her, he said fiercely, “Ye are mine, Katherine. Ye are mine. I will not share ye!”
“Aye, Niall, I am only yours, completely and forever. I love ye.”
He wondered if he was mad for believing those words, but he wanted them to be true. He carried her to the bed and made love to her urgently and passionately. She responded to his every touch with abandon. He wanted her, needed her, as he had never wanted or needed another person. How could she possibly understand that, and how could she possibly feel the same way about him? He poured his searing need into their joining, as if by the sheer intensity of his love-making he could convey all of this to her.
~ * ~
Afterwards, when they both lay spent, his slow, regular breathing signaled that he slept. She lay with her head over his heart, gently stroking his chest and shoulder. She wondered if he would ever release the pain and doubt plaguing him, which made him so uncertain of her devotion. Eventually her mind turned to the events of the day.
Who had Tomas overheard? Katherine didn’t want to believe, couldn’t believe, Fingal was one of the men involved, nor could she understand why Niall believed it with such assurance. She decided surely Niall would realize this when his anger cooled. Perhaps in the morning he would see things more rationally.
In the wee hours of the morning they awoke to the sound of Diarmad pounding on their chamber door. “Laird, wake up! There has been a raid to the southwest. The fires have been spotted by the watch.”
Niall jumped out of bed, dressing in an instant. He strapped on his sword before turning to Katherine, who had arisen and was dressing as well. "Ye stay here, in this room. Don’t leave for any reason until I come back,” he ordered sternly. “I mean it, Katherine,” he added even more forcefully, and strode out of the room, slamming the door.
Katherine stared at the door in wide-eyed shock. She wasn’t sure if he had confined her to their chambers for her own safety or for some other reason, but she would not provoke his ire further by defying him. She did not leave the room.
~ * ~
By the time Niall and a contingent of his men reached the site of the raid, the small cluster of farmers’ cottages and barns had burned to the ground. The raiders had completely destroyed everything in the dead of the night. Unlike the other raids in which they stole animals or burned hay, this time they had senselessly slaughtered the animals and set fire to the whole lot. The only thing for which Niall could be thankful was that the raiders had pulled his people from their homes before they torched the buildings. Even so, they killed three men, who had apparently tried to interfere. Surveying the ruins, he knew Matheson intended to send a message by this devastation. Diarmad approached him and asked, “Do ye want to send men to follow the raider’s trail?”
Niall shook his head. “There is no need. We know the trail will lead to Matheson and we have little hope of catching them now. We must get these people back to Duncurra. When they are safe, I will decide what needs to be done.”
Diarmad nodded and said, “Apparently, Matheson has returned your message. Old Una just told me the leader said to tell ye, ‘Duncurra is next.’”
~ * ~
Niall brooded silently as they rode back to Duncurra, arriving after daybreak. He and Diarmad went to the great hall and he asked Cairbre and Alan to join them. He trusted these three men above all others. Once they arrived, he dismissed the servants and told his men about the conversation Tomas had overheard.
Diarmad said, “Do ye think the pair he heard were somehow involved in this raid?”
Niall shook his head in frustration. “I don’t know. He heard them say ‘everything was arranged,’ but he also seemed to think whatever they were talking about would end in my death.”
Diarmad answered, “Maybe they were lying in wait, assuming ye would follow the raiders.”
“Ye didn’t track the raiders?” asked Alan.
“It seemed pointless. They had already wrought the destruction and I decided it was more important to get my people safely back to Duncurra. Now I wish I had followed the spineless curs.”
“Well,” said Cairbre, “If they were lying in wait, ye can bet ye would have been significantly outnumbered. Cowards are more likely to rely on numbers than skill. They lose more of their own, but achieve the outcome they desire. If it was their plan to ambush ye, your compassion for your clan has thwarted their attempt.”
“Perhaps,” said Niall, “but regardless of whether this attack was what the conspirators were discussing or not, I have a much bigger problem. Someone here, at Duncurra, is plotting my death and the evidence points in one direction...Fingal.”
His men stared at him in astonishment. Cairbre was the first to respond, “Laird, that isn’t possible. Fingal has worshipped ye from the moment he could toddle. There is no one more loyal to ye than Fingal.”
Niall turned on him darkly. “Really?” said Niall with derision. “Whoever it was admitted to pretending to be something he wasn’t. Fingal’s devotion could all be pretense. Tell me, who else would inherit Duncurra?”
“Laird, I know it looks damning, but I, too, can’t believe Fingal is behind this,” said Diarmad.
“What is Fingal behind?” said Malcolm casually as he walked into the great hall.
“Well, ye may as well know, too,” said Niall, before quickly running through the events of the last few days.
Malcolm looked shocked and concerned. “I have trouble believing Fingal could be involved in a plot against ye, Niall. Perhaps young Tomas misheard or imagined the whole thing. Maybe he just made it up for the attention.”
Niall shook his head. “Nay, I have questioned him at length, his story doesn’t vary, and he’s terrified. I believe Tomas heard what he said he did. Fingal thinks he is the one who would inherit Duncurra.”
“Isn’t he?” asked Malcolm.
“Nay. Katherine wanted to wait to make the announcement, but she is with child. If something were to happen to me, the bairn stands to inherit Duncurra, not Fingal.”
Niall’s men congratulated him, their happiness dampened somewhat by the serious circumstances in which they found themselves.
Niall said, “Perhaps Fingal worried about something like this. The attacks increased after I married Katherine. Maybe he was hoping to seize control before there was an heir.”
Alan said, “Niall, I can’t explain what Tomas overheard, but like Cairbre and Diarmad, I cannot believe Fingal is behind this.”
“If ye are sure the lad is telling the truth, now, as I think more about it, I’m not so sure it isn’t Fingal,” Malcolm said. “Fingal certainly would expect to inherit Duncurra. He also knows, and by all accounts, was friendly with Tadhg Matheson while they were in training. If Matheson was aiding him, it would explain why the conspirator bemoaned the fact he would not be the one to kill ye. He expected Matheson or one of his men would. Maybe Fingal staged his own accident to ensure no one suspected him.”
“I think it is time we had a chat with my brother,” said Niall, his expression dark and cold. “Diarmad, please go and invite Fingal to join us.”
“Laird, he is injured, perhaps we should go to him.”
“My wife assures me Fingal’s injury is not serious. I am sure he can make it down the stairs with your assistance,” Niall said with barely controlled rage.
“Aye, Laird,” answered Diarmad and he went to fetch Fingal.
Malcolm said, “I hear your wife is an extremely skilled healer. I’m sure Fingal is doing very well today after her tender ministrations.” Niall scowled. “Ye don’t suppose,” continued Malcolm, “Fingal knew Katherine was expecting?”
“That makes no sense,” said Niall crossly. “If Fingal knew, there would be no reason for him to seek my death. He wouldn’t inherit Duncurra anyway.”
“Unless,” said Malcolm, so quietly only Niall could hear him, “He planned to eliminate Katherine as well.” Niall’s heart stopped. If he thought that was a possibility, he would kill Fingal with his bare hands. He wouldn’t let anything happen to Katherine and the baby.
“Or perhaps the bairn isn’t yours.” Niall’s expression suddenly turned murderous. Malcolm rushed on, “Nay, think about it, Niall. Ye said Katherine didn’t want to announce the pregnancy yet. Perhaps they both know the bairn could be Fingal’s. If he were to eliminate ye before Katherine’s pregnancy was announced, he could marry the grieving widow and no one would be the wiser. Ye wouldn’t be the first man to have someone else’s bastard hidden under your protection.”
Niall seethed, Malcolm could be right. He had foolishly let his guard down. “Cairbre,” barked Niall, “Fetch my wife here as well.”
“Aye, Laird.” Niall didn’t miss the worried look Cairbre gave Alan.
Niall sat in stony silence considering what Malcolm had said. How could it be anyone except Fingal, but was Katherine involved, too? Fingal was young, much closer to Katherine’s age, and charming. Most women found Fingal attractive. How many times had he heard Katherine’s musical laughter over something Fingal said? When he suggested Fingal was at the bottom of this yesterday, she had jumped to his defense. By all that’s holy, she spent the afternoon tending an injury that she herself said was not serious. Then she lied to him about it. How could he have let this happen again? What possessed him to open his heart to a woman, giving her the opportunity to destroy him?
Diarmad arrived in the great hall, with a pale and drawn looking Fingal, just moments before Cairbre arrived with Katherine, who looked confused but guarded.
Twenty
One glance at Niall told Katherine he was dangerously angry, and for the first time since she married him, she was truly afraid.
“Good morning, brother.” Niall nodded to Fingal. “Wife.” He nodded to Katherine. “I am so pleased ye could both join us this morning. I think it is high time we discuss what has been going on around here.”
Looking completely confused, Fingal said, “I’m sorry, Niall, it was only an accident. I should have kept the men further apart on the training field, it won’t happen again.”
“I’m not referring to your accident, Fingal. I am more concerned about the little conversation Tomas overheard before the feast on Epiphany.”
“I’m not sure I understand, Tomas didn’t mention a conversation to me.”
“Nay, I’m sure he didn’t,” Niall said smoothly, “because he overheard two people plotting to kill me, and one of the two thought Duncurra would become his upon my death. Now, who could that have been?”
Fingal looked stunned, “Ye aren’t suggesting I—”
“Silence,” barked Niall. “Don’t dig your grave deeper with your denials. What I want to know now is how Katherine is involved? Are ye lovers? Is the babe she carries yours?”
Katherine, who had been staring in utter astonishment at Niall, snapped. “Niall, how could ye think that, much less even speak it? Before anything else, I am your wife, I am devoted to ye, and I love ye with all my heart. Why do ye refuse to believe that?”
Niall sneered, “Ye give every indication of loving Fingal, too. I understand ye spent a cozy afternoon with him just yesterday.”
“Ye blind idiot!” Katherine shouted as a rage every bit as hot as his own overtook her. “I have no idea why ye think I spent a ‘cozy afternoon’ with Fingal. I stitched and bandaged his wound, Turcuil and Edna were there the whole time. When I finished, I spent the afternoon with our son, who was terrified by what he had heard. I told ye that, why would ye believe something else?”
Too angry to speak, Niall just stared as Katherine continued, “And as to loving Fingal, of course I do. I love Fingal as a brother, as your brother, because I love ye. What’s more, Fingal loves ye, and even if I were inclined to be unfaithful, he would never betray ye. Why is it so hard for ye to fathom that? Am I betraying ye by loving Tomas? How about Father James and Father Colm? I love them, too, but Niall, ye are the heart of my heart, my soul mate. How can ye not see that?”
“He can’t see it, because he doesn’t believe it’s possible,” spat Fingal. “He couldn’t manage to earn my mother’s love, but who could, Niall? Do ye think she loves me anymore than she does ye? The only person she truly loves is herself, and yet ye will never give up trying.”
Turning back to Katherine, Fingal continued, “Perhaps you didn’t know this, but several years ago Niall fell for the wiles of a faithless, grasping bitch who betrayed him with another. She was never worthy of your love, Niall, but ye have been so tainted by her deceit, ye can’t recognize genuine devotion when ye see it.”
Then, sounding defeated, he said “Niall, I don’t know who Tomas overheard, or why they would believe Duncurra would become theirs, but it wasn’t me. The only thing I have ever wanted was your respect. When ye appointed me to your guard, I thought I had finally earned it, but that must have been an illusion as well. If my presence here causes ye any distress, as soon as I can travel, with your permission, I will leave Duncurra and return to Laird Chisholm.”