He repulsed her. She wanted to fight and scream. She couldn’t live through this again. Once more Tadhg’s words filled her head and her heart, Do whatever it takes to stay alive. She could do this. She could do whatever it took to stay alive. She took a deep breath to steady herself. “Nay, please don’t hurt me. I said I will do what ye want.”
“That’s better.” He tossed the dirk to one side then raised himself up, lifting his weight from her so he could push her skirt up. Her hips were free for an instant and his hands were occupied. This was her opportunity. She twisted out from under him, kneeing him hard in the groin then ramming an elbow to his nose. He screeched in pain as she scrambled to her feet and ran screaming from the kitchen. The man called Guthrie grabbed her arm as she passed but she easily broke his grip. She never stopped yelling for help.
Twenty Two
As punches began to fly in the great hall, Tadhg looked for Mairead. Hamish fought to free Meriel from the clutches of a Fraser clansman. Mairead was behind him and Finola’s arm was around her. Tadhg started forcing his way through the brawl to reach her when someone grabbed him from behind and jerked him around. Tadhg drew back his arm, preparing to smash the face of whoever was keeping him from Mairead. It was Lachlan Fraser, but before Tadhg let his fist fly, Niall bellowed over the din, “Ye will stop fighting now!” Instantly, his guardsmen enforced his order, restraining both Tadhg and Lachlan.
As Niall’s men attempted to restore order in the hall, Tadhg struggled again to reach Mairead. “Dammit, Muir, I am just trying to get to my wife.”
“Laird, she is fine. I helped her leave the hall just as Hamish said to,” Finola told him.
Muir loosened his grip and Tadhg wrenched free, turning to Hamish. “Ye told her leave the hall?”
A terrified Meriel cowered behind Hamish.
“Aye, Laird I told her to seek refuge in a tower room and bar the door until we came for her.”
“And she left the hall safely?” he asked Finola.
“Aye, Laird, she left the hall safely.”
“Ye and Meriel go find her, and stay with her.”
“No ye don’t, Matheson,” yelled Lachlan Fraser. “Your clanswoman will stay here and tell what she knows.”
“I’ll go, Laird,” said Finola. “Meriel can stay here.” Tadhg nodded to her and she left.
Niall MacIan stepped forward again and said, “Laird Fraser, we tried to discuss this with ye privately and ye would have none of it. If tempers erupt again, I will hold ye responsible. Do ye understand me?”
“Ye have maligned my daughter, MacIan.”
“Fraser, I simply told ye the facts as I know them. Your daughter Eara was overheard last night arranging to meet with one of your clansmen, a man named Rafer. As questioning Rafer discreetly now is impossible, I will have him brought into the hall and ye can hear his side of the story.”
“Aye, bring him in, then.” Laird Fraser fumed until one of Niall’s men led Rafer into the hall.
“Rafer, ye have been accused by a Matheson of arranging a tryst with my daughter Eara. What have ye to say?” Rafer looked confused. He glanced around the room as if searching for someone. “Well, man, did ye or didn’t ye?”
“Laird Matheson has accused me?” he asked, appearing dumbfounded.
“Tell them it isn’t true,” Eara shrieked.
“Nay, of course it isn’t. What reason would I have to meet with Lady Eara?”
“Ye see, Da? That Matheson bitch is after Rowan. She just wanted to start trouble. I told ye not to believe her, Da.”
“What have ye to say now, Matheson?” Laird Fraser asked.
Tadhg looked at Meriel. She stood alone, pale and trembling, with her arms clutched around her middle. “Meriel, do ye wish to change your story?”
She looked directly into his eyes, with no trace of guile. “Nay, Laird. I don’t. I told ye exactly what they said, and no more. The man named Rafer arranged to meet Lady Eara in the chapel.”
Eara pounced. “She is lying. I bet she also lied about the attack on Rowan.”
Meriel backed away from her. “I know nothing about Rowan’s attack. The only thing I know anything about is the conversation ye had with Rafer.”
“Rowan’s attack?” Rafer asked.
Eara crossed the room to Rafer. “Aye, this bitch accused us of cracking Rowan’s skull open.”
“I said no such thing!” Turning in fear toward Tadhg, Meriel said, “Laird, I didn’t say that. I don’t know anything about what happened to Rowan. I swear.”
“I know, Meriel. Laird Fraser, Laird MacIan, my clanswoman has said repeatedly she did not hear details about the attempt on Rowan’s life.”