The Highlander's Destiny (Highland Rogues #2) - Mary Wine Page 0,34
His teeth were bared as he glared at Faolan.
“Even a man such as ye.” Malcolm sneered. “Clinging to his honor like a nun to her hymen, well, ye still want a taste of this sweet little lass.”
“If I had such intentions,” Faolan began, “I would have kept her at me tower. Do nae smear me with the same blackness ye allow to color yer own soul. I am a man of clear conscience.”
“And yet, ye are here, Faolan.” Malcolm opened his arms up wide. “There is only one reason for a man to be here at this hour.”
“A man like you could only be here for one reason, sure enough,” Faolan grunted. A moment later, there was the hard sound of flesh hitting flesh. Malcolm disappeared from sight, a hard punch from Faolan sending him back into the stairwell.
“Ye must not.” Cora lunged forward. She caught the sleeve of his shirt, hooking the linen fabric hard in an attempt to pull him back.
Faolan turned a furious look on her. Rage flickered in his eyes, stunning her with just how hot it blazed.
“He came to put hands on ye Cora,” Faolan informed her bluntly.
It wasn’t so much his words that made her fingers go slack. No, it was the intensity of the emotion on Faolan’s face. He wanted to protect her, and the knowledge hit her hard, sinking so deeply into her, she was certain it touched her heart.
“Do nae pretend ye are here for anything else.” Malcolm surged up from the darkness like a demon. He rammed into Faolan, shoving him brutally into the room. Cora recoiled, moving aside just as the pair of them tumbled past her.
“I am no’ like ye, Malcolm,” Faolan hissed. He turned and flung Malcolm off him. The McKay laird stumbled a few steps before recovering.
“No, ye are not. Which is why I am laird.” Malcolm sneered. As his lips pulled away from his teeth, Cora caught sight of the blood coating them. The McKay laird chuckled as he circled his half-brother.
“Ye had the chance to fight for the lairdship. Ye conceded, so the spoils are mine.”
Faolan was shifting position. He kept his attention on Malcolm but placed himself between the McKay laird and her. Fear clawed at her insides. But it wasn’t for herself. Cora hadn’t spared a thought for the fact that Malcolm was likely there to force himself on her. No, what consumed her was that Malcolm was laird, and the stronghold was under his control.
“Stop fighting.” Cora tried to end the confrontation.
Malcolm looked past Faolan at her. “Easily done. Tell him that ye prefer me.” Malcolm shifted his attention to Faolan. “It won’t be the first time I’ve taken yer woman, will it now?”
“I will do no such thing!” Cora hissed.
“Of course, she will not.” Noreen made her entrance with a firm tone and a small army of matrons. The lady of the McKay had clearly roused half the senior kitchen staff. They flowed around her and into the chamber.
“It’s clear enough what is going on here, husband,” Noreen declared stiffly.
Malcolm’s frowned bitterly, but with so many eyes upon him, he drew himself up and reined in his temper. Half the clan was made up of women. Something any laird would be foolish to overlook. “Is it, wife?”
Noreen drew in a breath. “Aye. Such things happen…when precautions aren’t taken.” She ventured closer to Cora. “One of the reasons unmarried girls should stay close to home is to avoid difficult situations such as…this.”
There were nods from the women watching. At the entrance to the chamber, McKay Retainers were clustered on the landing outside the doorway. They strained to get a look at what was happening inside the chamber.
Cora found herself wondering if the floor might take the weight of so many people. But Noreen clicked her tongue, and the sound sent a shiver down Cora’s neck.
Cora felt her eyes widen. Noreen’s words were a blunt accusation, and no one in the room missed it. As lady of the stronghold, her words carried a lot of weight.
Too much for Cora’s reputation to bear.
Noreen lifted her nose. “I find these surroundings lacking in dignity. We shall continue this in the hall.”
Her word was law. There was a shuffle of feet as the Retainers clustered around the door parted and began to descend. A few came inside the chamber, intent on reaching for Cora to take her along.