"Now you must eat." Davina's voice was like flint. "I will not be responsible for starving you to death, but I will kill you if I have to, baby or not."

Maura was hugging herself and there were tears running down her cheeks. Davina was suffering almost as much. She could not believe she was bullying and humiliating another human being. She hated Maura even more for bringing her to this pass. Una could not dredge up an ounce of sympathy. This was the woman who had killed the love of her life. If someone had given her a knife at that moment she would have plunged it into Maura's heart, twisted it and smiled while she was doing it.

"We should feed her," Una conceded, then she hauled Maura roughly to her feet. For good measure, she spat in her face then slapped her forwards and back on her cheek.

Maura cried out, putting her fingertips on the sore spot, then began to weep again. Una swept past her with a noise of deep disgust then marched into the dining room. They sat down to a mostly silent lunch, but no-one ate much anyway.

Afterward, Una and Davina felt so drained that they went for a sleep in Una's room, at her request. "I liked it when we kept each other warm," she said contentedly, snuggling down in the bed with Davina behind her.

Maura had been installed in her own bedroom with the door locked and a large man-at-arms standing outside. The maids had been instructed not to disturb her. She lay inert, neither thinking nor feeling. It was over. Now God alone knew what was going to happen to her.

"I have to get some fresh air." Una was restless and nervous, pacing around the parlor and drinking more wine than was good for her.  

"I will come with you," Davina offered. Una shook her head.

"Thank you, darling, but I need some time on my own to think," she replied. She collected a warm cloak and wrapped it around herself, then walked the short distance to Davina's stables.

It was late afternoon and still full daylight, but sometimes she and Mungo could only meet at night time in the dark. They had to snatch chances to be together unseen, for if they had been found out both of them would suffer, but Una especially. A woman's reputation was a very fragile thing. But Una was past caring. She was hopelessly, head over heels, in love with Mungo and he with her.

They had never crossed the line; the furthest they got were passionate kisses and caresses above their clothes, but soon it would not be enough. They were both frustrated. It had to end or they could become lovers or they could marry.

When Una got to the stables Mungo sneaked her into a storeroom that he had emptied solely for the purposes of their liaisons. It was only just big enough for them to lie down in, but Mungo had spread a straw mattress there with half a dozen blankets and Una had brought a great feather pillow from the castle. They were quite snug.

Mungo began to kiss her as soon as she lay down, but she allowed only a few before she stopped him. "Have you had a good day?" she asked.

"Aye, but noo I'm havin' an even better ane!" He laughed, then stopped as he realized she was not joining in. "You havenae, I see'," he murmured. "Tell me aboot it. maybe I can help."

She sighed wearily, then began to unwind and tell him all about the interview with Maura, the appearance of the lairds, and her subsequent confessions. "She is a fiend," she said when she had finished, then she burst into tears.

Mungo held her against himself. Her body was shaking with sobs and though he felt desperately sorry for her he was also becoming aroused. At last, she stopped, then looked up at him, smiling through tears.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, "I did not mean to put this load on your shoulders. But sometimes I need someone to talk to. Davina, Athol and just about everyone else are all involved. Anyway, you are my loving friend."

"Aye," he sighed, looking at the ceiling and frowning. "But we might have tae end that friendship soon, hen."

"Why?" She sat up and looked down into his china-blue eyes.

---

"Because I cannae staun it ony mair." He turned his gaze away from her. "Ye're sae bonny an' I jist want tae kiss ye a' day an I cannae dae it ony mair. I'm a man. I need mair than kisses. I'm sorry."

"You mean you want us to be more than loving friends?" She stroked his cheek and looked into his eyes. He nodded. Una didn't even think about it. She kissed him fiercely and heard his indrawn breath and groan of pleasure, then she pushed her hands underneath his shirt.

He pushed her away and looked at her in disbelief. "Una, ye cannae dae this," he protested huskily, "I am a servant an' you are a lady."

Una shook her head. "When we are together like this," she murmured, "I am just a woman and you are just a man. And we want each other, do we not?" Then she said what she had been longing to say since their first kiss. "I love you, Mungo." The words were like a caress, and he closed his eyes, savoring them like a sweet scent.

"I love you an' a', lass," he whispered, "very, very much."

"Do you think it's dreadful of me?" Una asked. She was still running her hands over his skin, "Ruaridh has not been dead long." It was soft except for the slight rasp of his chest hair, but there was nothing soft about the rigid and unyielding muscle underneath.

"Are ye happy, Una?"

"Yes," she sighed. "So happy."

"Then how can ye ask that?" He smiled, loving the feeling of her soft hands exploring his body. He pulled her down for another kiss and lifted his hips up to meet hers. Then, abruptly, he stopped. "I dinnae want tae get ye wi' child," he said, frowning with concern.

"I am past all that," she sighed. "I have had so many miscarriages, one stillbirth and only one live child. Ruaridh and I did not conceive once in the last five years. I am past childbearing, my love. Be at ease."

He cupped her breasts in his hands. She was still clothed, but that could not be helped; there was no time for dressing and undressing. She lay back on the straw and he pushed his hose down to his ankles. she wrapped her legs around his hips and soon felt his manhood easing inside her.

It was glorious, and soon she was looking into his eyes, begging for fulfilment. When it came, wave after exquisite wave of it, she wept with joy, her body shuddering against his. Mungo could not believe it was happening. Here he was, a glorified stable hand, making love to a noblewoman who owned a great estate, her soft breasts pressing against him, driving him mad with desire. He had never felt like this before, not even in his youth when he had been potent and strong. His climax was fierce, but then he saw the tears running down her cheeks.

"Lass, what's wrong?" He was pulling his hose up again. "Did I hurt ye?"   

"No," she smiled through her tears. "No, darling. These are tears of happiness. I had forgotten how good it was to be loved."

"I had an' a'," he admitted. "There has been naebody for me since before I went tae jail." He gathered her into his arms. They lay in contented silence for a while, then Una sighed.

"I have to go," she groaned, "Davina will be wondering where I am." She stood up, and he looked at her lovingly as she straightened her dress and tidied herself. "We must find somewhere better than this." Una laughed as Mungo helped her to pick pieces of straw out of her hair. "I look like a scarecrow."

"Naw ye don't, lass. Ye look like a lady who has jist been loved." He smiled at her. "An' that is jist whit ye are." He kissed her one last time before she left. He had to. He couldn't help himself.

The smile she bestowed on him was radiant. She parted from him with great reluctance and felt bereft as soon as she got back to the castle, which seemed so big and empty. The bed was empty too. With its cold crisp ironed sheets and perfectly laundered pillowcases, it was pristine, beautiful and sterile. But oh, how she missed the warmth and scent of another human being. She was unable to sleep that night and ordered a cup of valerian tea to help her, then she imagined Mungo's arms around her, and she finally drifted off, contented.