Eight
Sitting upon the dais with Coira and Brice, Callum tried to concentrate on the conversation the two of them held, but it was useless. His mind was occupied with thoughts of Marsaili. She had cared for him. He was certain of it. And the knowledge made the ache in his heart that much worse.
A chuckle from Coira startled him, and he turned to see a genuine smile lighting her face. It seemed a strange sight, given he’d never seen her smile that way, made stranger still by the fact that Brice was smiling in return. A shaft of guilt went through Callum that his brother had made the effort to become acquainted with Coira when Callum should be doing the same. Clearly, Brice found some redeeming quality in Coira, even if it was just her ability to carry a conversation.
“What are the two ye talking about?” Callum asked.
When they both launched into an explanation at the same time, they laughed, and then Brice said, “After ye, my lady.”
Coira, who sat on Callum’s right, gave Brice a faint smile before turning her attention to Callum and telling him that she and Brice had discovered they had a mutual love of horses. As she launched into a long explanation of the horse she was training, Brice joined the conversation again, and Callum’s attention drifted almost immediately to Marsaili and the MacLeods. Who was she going to see there? He had no right to be jealous, but he was. He wished he could press her more about it, and about how exactly she had managed not to be sent to the earl yet. But again, it was not his right to press her on anything, truly.
“You are not listening to me,” Coira said.
Brice, who was to Callum’s left, gave him a disapproving stare, Callum presumed for his utter lack of decorum toward his future wife. It was almost amusing that his brother, who had tried to convince him of the folly of Callum marrying Coira, now championed her cause. Then again, Brice was honorable, and that fact compelled him to believe that since Callum was committed to marrying Coira, he needed to behave accordingly. Callum agreed, but it chafed him to be called to task by Brice, so his answer to his brother’s disapproval was a glare.
Coria had not been the lively conversationalist before Brice had entered the great hall. She’d sat in sullen silence. Admittedly, Callum understood he was not good company and did not exactly invite conversation. He knew well he needed to make more of an effort to be attentive to Coira. “I apologize,” Callum offered, but even as he said the words, he was wondering why Marsaili had not come to the great hall yet. “Ye did say Mother was fetching Marsaili, aye, Brice?”
Brice scowled at Callum but then answered. “Aye. They should have been in here by now. I’ll see what detains them.”
Brice tilted his head toward Coira in an obvious hint to Callum, and Callum nodded, forcing himself to focus on her. “I am listening to ye.”
“Finally,” she grumbled. “I have not told my father of your earlier treatment, but if you keep overlooking me, I just may.”
“What is it ye wish to say?” he forced himself to ask, though honestly, shamefully, he did not truly care.
“What did you do with that woman from earlier?”
“What woman?” he asked, being purposely obtuse. He did not wish to talk of Marsaili with her.
Her face darkened. “The whore. I heard you won the fight.”
Callum took a long breath to gain control before speaking. “Listen well,” he said, his blood pumping hard through his veins. “I’ll nae allow ye to speak in such a way of a woman ye dunnae even ken. Marsaili Lamont is nae a whore.”
Coira’s eyes narrowed. “Nowyoulisten tome,” she said in a quiet but firm tone. Callum clenched his teeth but nodded. “I did not care that you only wished to marry me because you needed my father as an ally, as I am being forced to marry, yet again, so my father can stop the MacDonald from taking our land, as well. And when I discovered that you would not ever have soft emotions toward me, it did not wound me as much as it could have.” Her expression, which had been rigid, softened, as if she were weary of being angry. “I watched you whenever we were around each other, and I saw that you did not have eyes for any other women, either—not just me. I did not know whether you just did not fancy women or a woman had once taken your affection and you did not have any left to give.”
The last words were said in a whisper, but they were so close to the truth that they hit him like a powerful blow. “And now?” he asked, straining to keep his calm.
“I don’t know who this woman is you fought to free, but I do recognize the possessiveness in your eyes, I hear an affection for her in your voice.” Her tone was accusatory and wounded, and he understood at once he had hurt her. “I’ll not abide you making this woman your leman. I’ll not raise any bastard that you have out of our union as my own. I want her out of this castle immediately. I am to be your wife, and if you don’t have any affection to give me, so be it, but you’ll not be giving any to another.”
He scrubbed a hand across his face, his mind turning. He’d thought her simply cold, but she had been reacting to how he’d been when around her. He felt guilty for the indifference she had perceived in him, but he could not force emotions that were not there, nor could he allow her to think she could order him about. He cast his gaze out over the crowded great hall, where many of his clan were merrily chatting and eating. They were his responsibility. Knowing this, knowing his alliance could be in jeopardy, heshouldsimply say what Coira wanted to hear, but it would be a lie and dishonorable.
“I am to be yer husband, ye speak the truth,” he said, not touching on the subject of how he felt. “And as such, I will be true to ye when we are wed, but hear me now, Coira. I do nae take orders from ye or any man, do ye ken me?”
“I do,” she snapped. “You will not do as I have asked. You will not rid this castle of that woman! I am but a pawn, used by my father and not even wanted by you!”
She stood, and as he thought to reach for her, Brice appeared in the door. Callum let Coira depart the dais as he focused on his brother. Brice met her midway in the center aisle. They faced each other for a moment, and then Brice said something as she swiped at her cheeks, nodded, and then left the great hall. Callum rose as his brother strode toward the dais.
“What’s occurred?” he asked before Brice even came to a halt.
Brice scowled at him, which surprised Callum. “I’m nae certain. I found Mother in the healing room. She’s been knocked on the head.”
“What?” Callum shoved out of his seat, his pulse racing. “Ye left her there? What of Marsaili and her friend?”
Brice shook his head. “Maria is there, awake now. She came to while I was helping Mother to her feet. Maria is a healer herself and is caring for the cut on Mother’s head. Marsaili was nae in the room. I sent men out to search for her and then came straight here to tell ye.”
Callum nodded and moved to depart, but Brice gripped his forearm. “I was against ye marrying Coira, but if ye are determined to do it, she deserves yer respect. If the clan suspects ye have affection for Marsaili, that ye place her above Coira, they will give Coira less respect. I think we judged her too quickly, Brother. She has good qualities.”
“I dunnae doubt it,” Callum replied. “But we kinnae seem to rub along well.”
