Ten
A week later
James hadn’t shown in several days, which may have been a blessing considering what had transpired.
James and Douglas were expected any moment, however. Maddie was in the midst of having her baby.
While Katie set her eyes on Maddie as she saw her struggle to bring a precious life into this world, her thoughts were focused on the oddity of her week.
Every night, Katie had gone to their loch, and she'd returned disappointed when James hadn’t appeared. She'd taken those moments of solitude each evening to think about her father.
And his unjustified actions as of late.
He’d told Katie that he didn’t want her leaving the safety of the keep. He was also encouraging her to develop relations with Alpin, the son of her father’s old second-in-command, Gilroy. Sure, he was handsome enough but he was no James. On quite a few occasions, Alpin was a bit too forward. It left Katie in an awkward position, and unfortunately brought forth memories from her assault that she wanted to forget.
And Alpin didn’t understand how she could not simply “move on.”
No, he was definitely no James.
Her father had been behaving strangely lately. It was apparent Connor hadn’t any idea what was wrong either, but she believed her other brothers did.
Two days earlier, Katie had walked into an argument between her father and brothers.
“Something doesna sound true to my ears, Father. He wouldna have pursued her had there-”
“Katie, d’ye need anything?”
She looked at her father and said, “Nay. I’m wondering, however, what is the matter here?”
“Nothing to worry yerself over.”
She bristled at the dismissive attitude. Her eyebrows rose. “I disagree.”
Her brothers looked at her and to one another, surprise registering.
Aye, and she knew why. Her old self was presenting itself more and more these days, replacing the lost woman she had been before Maddie and James came to them.
“Lass-”
“Doona ye lass me, Father.”
Miriam ran down the stairs and Connor looked up. His face reflected worry.
“What is it, Mother?”
She hurried to Connor. “Maddie. The bairn is coming.”
Connor ran upstairs, leaving his family looking at one another.
“Send someone for James and Douglas.”
Malcolm looked at her after she spoke those words.
“I will because we agreed that we would.” He raised a finger at her. “But ye will nay see him.”
Her mouth gaped open. She was taken aback by his words.
“Why? Has something occurred? Are we nay allied with them? They are Maddie’s family!”
Shock made her give voice to every thought in rapid sequence. She was stunned.
“Ye willna because I say so.”
Her eyes bulged in response to her father’s unusual display of anger and illogical, arbitrary orders.
“I misheard ye, Father. My ears seem to have told my mind that ye are forbidding me from seeing James.”
Iain and Kiel stood back. Miriam stepped forward growing angrier by the moment.
“What is the reason behind this, Malcolm?”
Malcolm released a growl. “It seems that there is some confusion amongst us in this family. That in the process of my allowing Connor to succeed me, that my bollocks have been cut off, and my status as head of the family is no longer true.”
Miriam inhaled sharply, bringing her hand to her mouth. “Malcolm!”
Katie placed her hands on her waist. “If ye believe for one small moment that yer crude words would cause me to balk and walk away, then ye honestly doona know that yer daughter was indeed born with bullocks and breasts!”
Miriam’s horrified eyes settled on Katie. “Lord above Katherynne Eleanor Ramsay!”
“Ye gain such descriptive language, Mother, when ye have three older brothers.”
Maddie’s scream carried downstairs, making them all look above.
“That poor lass, having to birth Connor’s gigantic spawn.”
Miriam slapped her hand across Kiel’s stomach and moved to the stairs, when she looked back.
“I doona know what is amiss here, but I will say this only once. This is a special moment for our family. Our first grandchild is arriving, Malcolm. Yer first niece or nephew is coming into this world, Katie, Iain, and Kiel. Ye’d all do well to remember this and nay be selfish and keep yer heads up yer arses!”
It was their turn to be shocked into silence. With one last look at them, Miriam ascended the stairs.
Maddie’s screams drew her back to the room. Connor had forced his way in, yelling that no one would keep him away from Maddie.
“The bairn’s crowning!”
Katie thought her brother looked green. She’d laugh at her overprotective brother if she hadn’t been marginally worried about his odd coloring.
Moments later, the healthy cries of a baby girl filled the air. She was adorable with cherubic cheeks. She was plump, and that explained Maddie’s large belly.
The women busily cleaned Maddie and the baby, and left the new family alone to enjoy their time together.
Katie returned to her room to nap. She’d been worried about Maddie, truthfully. She was petite and her belly had been large.
She woke at sunset, and wondered when James and his father would arrive. Katie refreshed herself and briefly considered whether she should go to the loch but thought it best not to. James would want to see his sister and niece, not stargaze with her as had become their habit.
As Katie left her chamber, she heard shouting in the great room downstairs. Rushing to the stairs, she descended to find her father arguing with James and his father. Connor stood by and from all appearances, he was angry.
“Ye dare attempt to court my daughter when ye’re promised to another!”
Her father’s face was as red as a bloody battlefield. He wasn’t supposed to get this angry. It caused his heart to skip beats and then he’d complain that he felt weight on his chest.
Katie flew down the stairs and stood in the midst of the firestorm.
“What is transpiring here?”
She looked at everyone but her eyes landed on James, who looked just as angry as her father and brothers.
“Lass, ‘tis best that ye let us discuss this without ye here.”
She snorted and crossed her arms. “Nay likely, Connor.”
She saw a ghost of a smile on James’ face.
“Someone had best tell me why voices were raised and why ye’re looking more like enemies instead of allies.”
“Sufficient to say, Katie, ye are nay to spend even a moment more with James.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Father, I am old enough, and have certainly been through enough horror in my life so that I may live it as freely as I choose.”
“Allow me to explain, Malcolm.”
The stare levied at James by her father would freeze water.
“I doona see how ye can explain it any other way than ye are courting my daughter while ye have a promise of marriage to another woman.”
Katie didn’t know what she was expecting but it hadn’t been that. She stumbled backwards as she looked from her father to James. Her hand rose to her heart willing it to beat again. Her blood moved quickly to her head, and abandoned it just as rapidly, making her feel lightheaded.
Calming herself, she took a moment to watch James, who looked angrier than she’d ever seen him.
There was no guilt in his gaze.
There was no shame.
She saw anger instead, but she didn’t believe it was because this secret was discovered.
“Lass, are ye well?”
His voice was like a calming balm over her wounds.
She nodded her head, swallowed, and asked, “What is my father speaking of?”
“I’ll explain.”
Her father walked over to her and handed her a parchment. James looked at his father, cheeks red and angry.
Katie took the parchment and looked at James’s crossed arms before reading it. Her eyebrows furled and she looked up at him when she finished.
“It isna valid, lass.”
“Then why is it that the Kerrs appeared here boasting about this arranged marriage with a parchment signed by Douglas Menzies?” Malcolm said.
“It was rescinded decades ago, and we swore to burn it. I suppose that they didna see fit to do that.” Douglas' explanations were not calming Malcolm.
“I doona care.”
Katie’s voice was soft but firm, interrupting them. They looked at her after she uttered her words.
“I believe James. There is something amiss, but it was nay by his or Douglas’ doing.”
She turned from her father to James.
“I believe ye.”
“Lass…” James stopped speaking.
She shook her head and smiled, turning to her father.
“If they say it isna true, Father, I believe them.”
Katie stared at them before adding, “If ye’ll excuse me.” She walked outside leaving them staring at her and then at one another.
Something in her calm demeanor or look in her eyes pierced through Malcolm’s anger. He looked at Douglas and James, both red-faced and furious but it was not the type of anger that should accompany the situation as he believed it.
“Ye’re both angry, but ‘tis nay because of the revealing of the pact.”
Douglas nodded his head. “Aye. Ye’re correct.”
Malcolm sat down looking at Douglas. “Then sit with me and explain. Maddie is sleeping and ye have a span of time before ye can see her.”
Douglas sat down and nodded at James. They discussed the pact they’d entered into.
“What was the reason for it?”
“Ye were growing in too large of numbers for our liking. We were concerned that yer power would overcome our clan especially in light of history passed. We were concerned ye’d overpower us. After we saw that ye’d merely had a growth but no misuse of power, we rescinded it. He kept the pact with the promise that he’d burn it. We know now that he did not.”
“What is the issue now?”
Douglas looked at James. “My son and yer daughter.”
“What about them?”
“He sees it as a strengthening of our clans and alliance with a second marriage uniting our clans, especially a marriage between our sons and daughters, just as our rescinded pact would’ve provided, except it would have been with the Kerrs.”
“Relations will remain the same. We have no issue with the Kerrs.”
Douglas shook his head. “Thatmanis missing a few daggers from his arsenal, Malcolm. It willna matter.”
Surprised, he inclined his head. “Is this a serious matter then?”
“Verra serious,” James responded, clenching his hands.
Throughout their discussion, Malcom and Douglas had noticed James’ body movements betraying his irritation.
“I would like to speak to Katie.”
Malcolm nodded. “Aye.”
James' steps were hurried as he left.
“James is quite enamored of yer lass.”
Malcolm took a swallow of his drink. “The feeling is quite mutual, Douglas.”
Malcolm’s gaze traveled from the door James just walked through to Douglas.
“So now that they have left, tell me truthfully what else is the matter. I have a feeling there is much left undisclosed.”
Douglas grunted and tossed back his ale. His eyes fixed on Malcolm’s.
“I’d never seen Boyd Kerr like he was when he came trying to assert the terms of the pact. He had been unusually cocky, strutting like a proud bird.”
“Truly?”
Douglas nodded. “Aye. No longer was he the doubtful insecure laird.”
“And this worries ye?”
Douglas nodded again. “Aye. What James doesna know is that Boyd is demanding enforcement of the pact or face war.”
Malcolm stood. “War?”
Douglas nodded as Malcolm sat back down. “War. As if history hasna shown our clans the disaster war reeps. Our clans faced near destruction once.”
“We did, but they doona have a large enough clan of fighting men.”
“Aye. Ye’re correct. So tell me then, since ye now see the basis of my confusion and concern, how thatmancame before me strutting himself like a peacock.”
They stared at one another wondering what Kerr knew that they did not.