worthy of being MacCulloughs. I swear to ye, we would never and will never betray ye.”
Robert snorted derisively and shook his head.
Colyne looked up at him and said, “’Tis only fair.”
Raibeart rolled his eyes as he crossed his arms over his chest as he glowered at his younger brother. “Think ye it is fair that our mum and da be dead? Think ye it is fair that our four older brothers be dead?”
Colyne gave a nod towards the two women. “But they didn’t kill them.”
If looks could kill, Colyne would have been dead from the furious glower his brother was giving him. Undeterred he said, “They dunnae ask for anything other than a chance.”
Aeschene could have wept. Colyne possessed an honesty and bluntness that only an innocent lad of his young years could. She wasn’t so naive as to believe he was defending her. That was too much to hope for. But the mere fact that he was willing to at least give her a chance to prove herself worthy of their trust was enough to lift her spirits.
“I, we,” she said with a nod towards Marisse, “give ye our word that we will never betray ye or yer trust.” There was naught much else she could say at the moment. All she could do was prove through her own actions that her new family would have nothing but her fealty.
For not the first time in her life, her anger towards her father reared deep in her stomach, threading its way into her heart. How many times in the past few years had she forgiven him for his actions towards her, his only daughter? How many times had she made excuses and blamed herself? If I hadn’t lost my sight. If only I was as beautiful as my mother. If only…
Pulling herself back to the here and now, she swallowed back her tears. “I can never make up for my father’s treachery. I can never bring back yer parents—”
“Nay, ye cannae,” Raibeart bit out.
She could not deny him his anger and hurt. Although she had nothing to do with all the deaths and destruction, she knew she represented the one truly responsible; her father. She was Garrin MacRay’s daughter. If gaining the trust of her new family meant taking the brunt of Raibeart’s anger and frustration, she would. “Would ye like to hit me?” She folded her hands in front of her and lifted her chin.
“What?” he exclaimed incredulously.
“I asked if ye would like to hit me.”
“Why on earth would I hit ye?” he asked, dumbfounded.
Oh, how she wished she could look into his eyes. “Ye cannae hit my father,” she began in a soft voice. “I imagine, were I in yer shoes, I would want to do just that. Beat the living hell out of the man who stole so much from me. Since he is not here, I stand in his stead. If ye would like to hit me, ye can. We will tell everyone I took a fall. Who would not believe that?”
Aeschene knew she must sound insane. Deep down she prayed he wouldn’t take her up on her offer.
“Aeschene,” Marisse whispered. “Ye cannae mean—”
“Aye, I do,” she interrupted. “Raibeart has much anger in his heart and who can blame him for it? I will be a constant reminder of all that he and Colyne have lost. Mayhap, if they could take some of their anger out on me-”
“You’re mad!” Raibeart said. “Richard would kill me should I ever lay a hand on any woman in anger.”
“Ye’re damned right I would.”
Richard hadn’t heard the entire exchange, but he had heard enough. On his way to Seamus MacCullough’s hut to inquire about crops, Richard had seen the small band of misfits and decided to approach. He thought his wife completely insane when she first suggested Raibeart beat the hell out of her. She was fully prepared to stand in her father’s stead, to take a beating if only to help rid his younger brother some of his anger.
He had to give the woman credit; she had guts.
His brothers spun at the sound of his voice. Marisse and Aeschene took a few tentative steps away. ’Twas all he could do not to laugh at the sight of the woman who had, only moments ago, offered to take a beating, to suddenly shy away at the sound of his voice.
“No one is going to beat anyone,” he said. His tone of voice left no room for argument.
“I wasn’t planning on