“Nay, Eara. Rafer is to blame and I have had enough of ye. Guthrie, escort her from the hall.”
Eara cried and cursed, but Guthrie threw his cousin over his shoulder and removed her as ordered.
Twenty Seven
Although the wedding wouldn’t take place until Rowan was well enough, the visiting clans left as soon as the mystery of who had attacked Rowan was solved. Lachlan also sent Eara home with a heavy escort. He did not want to risk the fragile peace that had been forged, and her foul tongue and vile temper could do just that. He would have sent Darcy home as well, but his injury was too serious to risk travel right away. Thus, Darcy was lying in a small chamber at Duncurra several afternoons later when Finola slipped silently into the room.
“Well, lass, what are ye doing here?”
“I wanted to check on ye. I was worried about ye.”
“And why would ye be worried about me?”
“I care about ye.”
Darcy snorted. “If ye have come to jest with me, I am not amused.”
“Nay, Darcy, I’m not jesting. I do care.”
“Fiona, lass—”
“My name’s Finola.”
“Fiona, Finola, it matters not. Whatever your name is, ye are a fool.”
“Don’t say that, Darcy. I love ye.”
“Well, that is rich. I took your maidenhead in a stable loft, publically embarrassed ye, damn near got ye killed, and I don’t even remember your name, but ye love me. Oh, and leave us not forget, I attacked your lady. Twice. And I coerced ye into helping me do it, thus earning your laird’s wrath. It seems to me ye aren’t a very good judge of character, Fiona.”
“Finola.”
“Finola, then. Leave me be. I don’t love ye.”
“Ye don’t mean that. Ye saved my life.”
“And ye saved mine. We’re even, and I do mean it. Even if I remotely cared for ye, which I don’t, ye are daft if ye think my father would let his heir have anything to do with a Matheson guardsman’s daughter. Not to mention that if ye ever find yourself within my sister Eara’s reach, she’ll kill ye.” Finola stood there stubbornly staring at him. “Did ye not understand me, lass?”
“Nay, I understood ye better than ye think. Ye do care about me.”
Darcy cracked a little. He looked away from her for a moment before saying, “Aye, Finola, I care for ye a bit. Ye are an odd little thing. Ye saved my arse.”
“Twice.”
“Aye, twice. But, Finola, it doesn’t change anything, and I don’t love ye.”
“Ye don’t love me.”
“Nay, lass. Now run on. Your da will find ye a nice strapping Matheson lad who won’t mind that ye aren’t quite as pure as the driven snow and mine will find me a sniveling laird’s daughter who will overlook my reputation because I’m the Fraser’s heir and will be laird someday. I will keep her fat with bairns and everyone will be satisfied. It’s the way of things.”
She looked a bit hurt, but consolable. She turned and left as quietly as she had arrived. Aye, she was an odd little thing, but she would be better off without him.
~ * ~
Tadhg wasn’t sure how to approach Finola’s transgressions after her ordeal. He let things pass for several days, but they could not be ignored forever. Thankfully, he didn’t have to raise the issue. After the evening meal, David approached him with a contrite Finola in tow.
“Laird, may we speak with ye and Lady Matheson, please?”
“Aye, ye may.”
“Finola has some things to say to ye.” Her head was down and she seemed disinclined to speak, but her father nudged her, saying, “Go ahead, Finola.”
“My lady, Laird, I am truly sorry for everything I have done.”
“What have ye done, Finola?” Tadhg asked gently.
“More things than ye know. I was the one who damaged your harp and left the recorder under the rushes, my lady. I’m sorry.”
“Finola, why?” asked Mairead.
“I was jealous of ye. I—well, I—it’s like Jock said that night, I was hoping the laird would choose a Matheson bride. I was hoping maybe he would choose me.”
“I’m sorry ye were disappointed, lass, but as I explained that night it was never my intention to marry from within the clan.”
“I know ye did. I understand now. It’s the way of things. But I didn’t then. I was also angry about Meriel.”
“Because I made Meriel work in the kitchens as punishment?” Tadhg asked.
“Nay, because Lady Matheson arranged for her to learn weaving after what she had done. I’d been working as hard as ever and no one did anything for me.”