Ceci Giltenan(66)

Katherine felt panic rising. There was something desperately wrong here. This didn’t make sense. Even if it were true, she certainly would not leave her home when she should be helping prepare for its defense. She glanced around the table again, looking for support, but she found none. Even Fingal’s mouth was set in a grim line. She did not want to argue with Niall in front of an audience, so she leaned toward him and said very softly, “Please, Niall, can we discuss this privately?”

Niall shook his head. “There is nothing to discuss, Katherine.”

Katherine glanced around the table again and caught Diarmad’s eye. He looked at her and shaking his head, said, “My lady, ye should not be here during a siege.”

Malcolm said, “Ye will be safe at Brathanead, my dear, and that will give your husband peace of mind. He does not need to be distracted at a time like this. Once ye are safe, I will send men to help defend Duncurra. It will be over soon and ye can return.”

Katherine tried one more time. “Niall, please, can we talk alone?”

“There is nothing to talk about. I have made my decision,” Niall said sternly.

“Katherine, it is obvious Niall loves you,” said Eithne. “He only wishes to keep you safe. Your behavior is very unseemly.”

Katherine ignored her. “Nay, Niall, please don’t make me do this, don’t send me away. If there is a siege the clan will need me.”

Niall would not relent. “I protect what is mine, Katherine.”

“Then protect me here. This is where I belong.”

Niall had obviously reached his limit. He stood up and said harshly, “I am not arguing with ye about this any longer. I will not risk losing ye and ye will be out of harm’s way at Brathanead. Ye will leave with Malcolm in the morning. Do ye understand me?”

She looked him in the eye and gave the slightest nod of her head, but she felt shattered.

He pulled her into his arms. “Please, Katherine, try to understand. I will come for ye when I have dealt with Matheson and it is safe for ye to return.”

~ * ~

Niall had not informed Fingal of his plans for Katherine in advance and wasn’t surprised when Fingal sought him out privately.

“Niall, can I talk to my brother?”

Even after everything that had happened, Niall found it difficult to believe Fingal was not involved in this somehow. He answered, “Ye can unless ye are going to tell me that I should not send my wife to safety.”

“I’m not going to say that,” said Fingal with a grin. “I do have trouble believing Matheson intends to lay siege to Duncurra.” Niall arched an eyebrow at him as he continued, “But I agree she should not be here if there is any chance of it at all.”

“So, if ye agree with me, what is your concern?”

“I don’t think ye should send her to Brathanead with Malcolm.”

“Tell me, Fingal, what, in your vast experience, leads ye to draw this conclusion?” Niall asked mockingly.

“Niall, please listen to me. There is something wrong with all of this, and somehow I think Malcolm is involved. He has been subtly agitating from the day we arrived at Brathanead after the wedding. He was the one who suggested to ye that Katherine and I were somehow in league together against ye. His closeness to Mother has me worried.”

“Ye are worried about your mother?” asked Niall, aghast.

“Nay. Not about her, I worry that she has sucked Malcolm into something. Niall, I don’t trust him anymore and I am worried about ye sending Katherine away with him.”

“Where would I send her, then?” asked Niall patronizingly.

“Ye could send her to Chisholm. Fearghas Chisholm would keep her safe. I trust him, and Da trusted him.”

Niall sighed. “Little brother, I know ye mean well, but I trust Malcolm, and Da trusted Malcolm, too. Katherine will be safe there and he’s ready to take her in the morning. It would take a day or perhaps two to get a message to Fearghas and have him return with a large enough force to protect Katherine. Matheson could already have begun the siege by then. Furthermore, Fearghas Chisholm is a close ally of Matheson’s too. If it came to it, I am not sure whose side he would take. Nay, Fingal, it is safest if Katherine goes with Malcolm tomorrow.”





Twenty Two



The next morning as they prepared to leave, Malcolm pulled Niall aside and said, “Stop worrying, ye have made the right decision and she must accept it. I will protect her well at Brathanead. Even your mother, who rarely agrees with ye on anything, sees this is the best course.”

“I know ye are right, I just hate to send her away so unhappy.”

“Niall, ye know women wield pouting and sulking the way ye and I do a broadsword. Don’t let her manipulate ye into making a decision that could put her in danger. Now bid your lady farewell, or we will not make Brathanead before nightfall.”