Highland Courage(38)

The comment took Mairead by surprise, and she couldn’t keep from showing it. Could Jock be right? Did Tadhg feel any small bit of the deep affection she felt growing?

Jock laughed. “Why so shocked, my lady? Ye have the same look about ye for the laird. The two of ye are well met.”

Mairead blushed and stammered, “I—he—he cares for me but—but—we—we barely know each other.” She chanced a glance at Cael, who was grinning.

“My lady, I’ll warrant ye know him well enough to know ye love him, and it is obvious he adores ye,” said Jock firmly.

Jock was right about her; it wasn’t simply concern or affection. She believed she loved Tadhg. Could he be right about Tadhg too? Wanting somewhere to hide, Mairead put the cup to her mouth and took a large swallow. She completely forgot it contained whisky. The gulp of the strong alcohol caused her to cough and wheeze. Her eyes watered as she tried to catch her breath.

Jock laughed and patted her on the back. “I don’t know why ye are embarrassed, my lady. Love is a blessing, and I expect ye are going to need to take it where ye can find it.”

Mairead recovered momentarily. “Why do ye say that?”

Jock leveled a sober glance at her. “Ye have been warmly received by your new clan, have ye?”

“Well—I’m still—it hasn’t been long.”

“My lady, I’m old, and I am neither completely blind nor deaf but many people treat me as if I am. They say things in front of me they might not say otherwise. I am a Matheson. Usually I am proud to be one, but this clan was not prepared to welcome ye and I am ashamed of that.”

Mairead just looked at him, not knowing how to respond.

Cael said, “Jock, this isn’t the time—”

“Nay, Cael,” he said sharply. “Ye are a big strong lad and maybe a cold shoulder or disapproving glare won’t hurt ye, but she is a wee lass. It does hurt, probably more so because she doesn’t understand why. I had daughters. I know tender hearts.”

“Jock, ye’re reading way more into things than ye should. Lady Matheson is right, she is new, it will pass. The laird—”

“The laird doesn’t know. Cael, lad, ye know full well the disgruntled ones hide this ugliness from the laird.”

Turning to Mairead, he said, “My lady, understanding the problem is half the battle to solving it. What ye are seeing, the thing that is preventing some of the clan from welcoming ye, is purely raw jealousy. The simple fact is there were people in this clan who had hoped the laird would marry one of the clan’s daughters. There was a handful of young clanswomen who had tried to catch the laird’s eye and they are in a snit now. I hear ye’ve met Meriel. Vicious tongues have wagged about it all day.”

“Jock, don’t.”

“Cael, she needs to know. I’ll warn ye now, watch out for Eavan too.”

“Who is Eavan?” Mairead asked.

“She is the brewer’s daughter and a chamber maid at the keep.”

“Not even a very good one,” added Cael.

“I’ll not lie, she is stunning to look at, but that is where her beauty stops. She thought copper curls, violet eyes, and generous curves would be sufficient to win the laird. She is brazen.”

Mairead looked down, not sure of what to say. Jock went on, “But here’s the important part, my lady, the laird has known every one of the eligible young women in this clan his whole life. Even with ample opportunity, he never showed the slightest inclination toward taking one of them as his wife. He has known ye for days and by the saints, I’m telling ye, he more than cares for ye. He loves ye, and don’t doubt that.”

Mairead studied her hands for a moment. She fervently hoped Jock was right about Tadhg loving her. “Jock, thank ye for telling me about the—the resentment. It did hurt, and I didn’t understand it.”

“When the laird hears this he’ll—”

“Nay, Cael, please, must ye take this straight to the laird? He can’t force people to change what is in their hearts. Can ye give me the chance to win them myself?”

“My lady, I knew there were a few members of the clan who were not happy about the marriage, it would have been hard not to hear the grumbling. And I suppose it would be too much to expect there wouldn’t be gossip about last night. But I didn’t know it was so widespread. The way the villagers behaved this afternoon was shameful. The laird would not thank me for keeping this from him.”

“And what can ye tell the laird about the villagers? They weren’t particularly friendly, but no one did or said anything that could be considered disrespectful. Cael, he can’t force the clan to change their minds about me. I have to be the one to do that.”