didn’t have the wit at that moment to come up with a lie.
Fortunately, the Maclean didn’t press him. Instead, he said, “Aye. He drowned just days after the wedding. On the journey back to Maclean, in fact. He ne’er even saw the home I hoped he’d rule.”
“So, he died on the ride home after they were married . . . when she was ten?” Conran asked with a frown.
“Aye,” the Maclean murmured.
“But . . . did Evina’s mother no’ die when she was ten too?” he asked, and then answered himself. “Aye, I was told Evina was ten when Gavin came here just weeks after her mother died.”
“Aye, me dear wife died trying to save the MacPherson lad,” the Maclean said solemnly, and then explained, “We left MacPherson the day after the ceremony and celebrations. All was well the first day and night of travel, but on the second night we made camp by a fast-moving river.
’Twas known to be dangerous, but no one intended to bathe there so we felt ‘twould be safe enough. Unfortunately, the boy slipped and fell in while trying to gather water. The current caught him and dragged him under. Mairi, me wife, rushed in to try to save him before we could stop her, and Lachlan, me first at the time, went in after them both, and they all went under. We found their bodies upriver the next day. ’Twas a terrible tragedy.”
Conran shook his head and breathed out a sigh. It had been a tragedy. The Maclean had lost his wife, and Evina had lost both her mother and husband at the same time. Although he suspected the loss of the husband would not have been as crushing. She probably hadn’t even met him ere the wedding and had only known him a day or two.
“I’m surprised the marriage was no’ dissolved,” he commented after a moment of silence had passed. “’Twas no’ consummated after all.”
Fearghas grimaced and nodded. “Aye. The MacPhersons were understandably upset at the loss o’ their son, and blamed us for it. They petitioned to have the marriage annulled and the coin they’d given as a wedding gift returned, but the king refused. He said both sides lost a loved one in the incident, and while the marriage had no’ been consummated ’twas no’ from lack of intent, but through tragedy. The marriage would stand, and the gifts remain with the widow.”
“So, Evina is a widow who was ne’er truly married,” Conran murmured quietly, and shook his head. He’d never imagined that scenario when he’d been told she was a widow. All he’d been thinking was . . . Well, his thoughts had mostly been about what it freed him to do. And he’d done what he wanted the first chance he’d got, seducing her in a field, and taking her innocence with a complete lack of finesse and not a degree of tenderness. Cripes, he’d kissed his way under her skirts, caressed her just until she’d found her first taste of pleasure, and then had thrust into her like a bull goring the first idiot stupid enough to get into his paddock.
Conran now suspected Evina hadn’t even realized what was happening until it was done. He could still hear her scream of pain and shock, and recall the stunned look on her face when he’d pulled back to peer at her.
“Is something amiss, lad?” Fearghas asked suddenly. “Ye’re looking a little green around the gills.”
“I . . . Nay,” Conran muttered, and stood abruptly. “I need to think. I mean sleep,” he corrected himself quickly as he headed for the door. “Call me if she wakes, or needs me.”
He didn’t wait for the old man’s response, but slid from the room and then just stopped and stood there in the hall, unsure where to go. He didn’t have a room here. Evina was going to arrange one when they got back, but . . . There was nowhere he could go and think.
“Ye’ll be wanting a room.”
Conran glanced around at that comment to see Tildy bustling toward him.
“Aye. Please,” he murmured.
“The laird asked me to prepare one fer ye while ye were out collecting weeds,” the maid said, moving past him. “Follow me.”
Turning, he fell into step behind her as she led him past the chamber next to Evina’s room. As they passed the closed door, she murmured, “That’s Gavin’s room if ye’re wanting to check on him later.”
Conran glanced at it, but didn’t slow. He would check