The Pledge (31 page)

He crossed to her side and kissed her hard, then moved back to don his raiment.

Fully dressed, Hugh strode to the bed again. “Will you come down, beloved?”

Morrigan nodded.

His eyes went over her, a pulse beating in his throat. “Your words have unmanned me, Morrigan love. Do not come out of that
bed until I leave the chamber or I’ll not be able to depart.”

Feeling lazy and joyous, she fell back on the coverlet, waiting for the handmaiden Hugh would send. She
closed her eyes and let the past hour relive itself in her mind.

Hugh didn’t like the funereal glances aimed his way when he entered the room. He noted the king’s courier off to one side
of the room, waiting his turn to speak. In deference to the priest and his mother, he would wait.

Hugh eyed his godmother, not speaking. Lady Maud MacKenzie was not only a relative, she’d been his mother’s best friend. Though
a distant relative of his mother’s, she’d lived in his mother’s household from babyhood. Younger than his mother, just a child
when he’d been christened, she’d been treated as close family always. That she’d married a relation of the MacKays had been
no surprise. Hugh had known her all his life, and as his godmother she was worthy of his care and respect. At that moment
he wished her to perdition, wishing he could go back up the stairs to his wife, rather than welcome kin.

He sighed. “Greetings, Godmother, Kieran.”

“Greetings, Hugh MacKay,” mother and son said in chorus.

Hugh eyed them and waited. His godmother was given to histrionics at times. He could be patient. Maud and her son had been
part of the MacKay household since he’d reclaimed the estate. Hugh couldn’t deny them.

If the rumor was true, and none were quite sure about
it, Edward of England had been about to crown Kieran as keeper of the MacKay holding before Hugh had made his compact with
that monarch and Edward Baliol. It would’ve been a righteous choice since Kieran was related by blood to the MacKays. If Hugh
hadn’t threatened to battle both kings and their armies, he might’ve lost his heritage.

If truth be told Kieran had a blood right to Clan MacKay. His father had been second cousin to Hugh’s father. Owen MacKenzie
had been a profligate who watered away his holding with fruitless enterprises. Though Maud had a substantial portion from
the Sin-clairs and Lindsays, Hugh’s mother’s people, Kieran had been left little by his father.

Hugh felt a strong kinship to the two because they’d always supported him. He swallowed his irritation and smiled.

“Good day to you, Godmother. And to you, Father MacKenzie.” He smiled when Kieran looked pained.

“Call me by my name, cousin. We’ve never stood on ceremony with each other.”

“True.” Hugh sighed.

Both priest and godmother looked worried. If they knew how eager he was to see the back to them, they might really scowl.
He didn’t want to talk to them when he could be intimate with Morrigan. He laughed to himself when he thought of what his
godmother would say if he voiced his thoughts. “ ’Twould seem all is not well by the looks on your faces. What news?”

“Hugh, I fear there are rough roads ahead and I like it not.” His godmother held up her hand. “I’ll not interrupt the messenger,
who should speak first.” She gestured to the man who stood to one side, an urgency to his movements, though his manner was
deferential.

“Fine.” Hugh waved his hand at the king’s courier, and went to the trencher board to pour some ale.

The courier coughed, then spread his papyrus, reading. “Milord, by writ of his Royal Highness, Edward Baliol, it has come
to his attention that a scroll of annulment has crossed the desk of Edward of England. That your marriage to Morrigan of Llywelyn
is nullified—”

“Good Christ Almighty! You daresay this to me in my own castle!” Hugh flung his goblet against the fireplace, denting it.
“No more!”

The messenger coughed. “ ’Tis not my wish to offend you, lord—”

“You have. And Edward Baliol has incurred my everlasting wrath if he thinks that some paltry scroll will end a marriage sanctioned
by the Church and witnessed by hundreds.”

“My lord, if you would hear me out—”

Hugh whirled, teeth bared. “Nay! You’ll find yourself fortunate if I don’t skewer you!”

“Hugh!” Morrigan stood at the entrance to the great room. “What mischief is this?”

He saw how startled she was by his ire. Her confusion
fueled his temper. “Leave!” Hugh commanded the messenger, who looked both frightened and determined.

“Hugh! Wait. His words can’t hurt us.” She went to him and touched his arm. “Can you not see he’s been instructed to say all
the message?”

“I’ll not hear it!” He bellowed.

Morrigan looked first at him, then at Lady MacKenzie and Kieran, then at the messenger. She laid her hand on her husband’s
arm, then gazed at the courier again. “Begin at the beginning and finish the missive.”

The messenger swallowed. “If it please milady.”

“It doesn’t please me,” Hugh said through his teeth, his arm going around his wife as the messenger made a new start.

Morrigan reeled as the words filled the room. She clutched Hugh, who enfolded her in his arms. “How… how can this be? We would
have to sign an annulment agreement and we haven’t.”

“I would say that someone has used our signatures freely.”

“The annulment is counterfeit? How would Edward of England countenance it?”

Hugh exhaled. “He and I have never been friends. He would seize any weapon to come at me. He uses this.”

The messenger coughed. “There’s more.”

Morrigan nodded. Hugh growled.

“The aforesaid statement was brought to me and has been issued to you. Since I was there when your nuptials took place, since
I know there was no impediment to the
vows, I will do all in my power to aid you if you choose to answer these charges. Signed Edward Baliol, Rex.”

Silence spun about the room.

“All… all is not lost. Edward has seconded us, Hugh.”

“It doesn’t matter what any say. You’re my wife.”

Morrigan looked up at her husband. “What shall we do?”

“Nothing. I repeat, you’re my wife, under God and Scotland. Nothing can gainsay that. I won’t let it.”

Kieran MacKenzie cleared his throat.

Hugh’s baleful glance fell on him. “What?”

“My feeling is that this can be set to rights in short order. If my lady goes to Edinburgh, talks with the two Edwards, if
she avers that her vows are correct, all is cared for in the proper manner, if she swears on her name and the good book—”

“She did her swearing when she took her vows. That any dare to gainsay that means war,” Hugh shouted.

“No, we mustn’t,” Morrigan pleaded. “None must die over this.”

“Listen, Hugh, I beg,” Kieran added his voice. “Again I say if she goes to Edinburgh—”

“She goes nowhere.” Hugh ground out the words. “She’s been ill.”

Maud groaned. “Then we are undone. Can’t you see, godson, that Kieran is right?” Her gaze slid to Morrigan. “My poor child,
what ails—”

“She’s better,” Hugh interrupted. “And I’ll not see her in fever over this.”

Morrigan touched Hugh’s arm, then glanced at the messenger. “Then we must study alternatives.” She licked her lips. “Perhaps
all can be accomplished by doing nothing, by remaining in our castle.”

“I feel you err in this, my dear,” Maud whispered.

“No, she doesn’t,” Hugh averred. “If she stays here, as my wife, which she is, none can gainsay her. All MacKays will swear
to her validity as Lady MacKay. All but a few of my clan witnessed her rites and vows.”

Kieran bit his lip. “This is true. I, myself, was on the altar, but I fear Mother is right in this, cousin.”

“I don’t agree,” Hugh said through his teeth, keeping Morrigan in the curve of his arm.

Kieran looked pained. “You can keep them away from Castle MacKay, but you can’t stop the order of dissolution, Hugh. It’s
in the works. Copies have been scribed and sent to Rome as we speak. If the cardinal becomes capricious and starts to act
on it, on his own, he has the authority. All my objections will have little effect.” Kieran winced. “ ’Tis better to face
him on this. If I can I will convince him to travel to Rome, which he loves to do, have a private audience with the pope.
It will add to his stature to do so.”

“Pompous ass,” Hugh muttered.

Morrigan bit back a smile. Not too much impressed her strong-hearted husband. “Kieran is right. Perhaps he
could accompany the cardinal. He could add his arguments.”

Kieran nodded. “By the end of the season all could be put to rights, Hugh. If we stall on this, if the cardinal feels an affront
to his authority he might sign the dicta. Your vows will be considered invalid. Once done ’twould be a tangled weave to be
sure, not so easily handled. Surely you can see the need for discretion, for moving correctly on this.”

“They can bloody well keep their noses out of my business and my life,” Hugh ordered. “Morrigan is my wife, and no other’s.
That will not change.”

Morrigan slipped her arm around his waist. Though it was unseemly she had a need to reassure her beset husband. “I will always
be your wife.”

Kieran spread his hands, his beseeching glance touching Morrigan. “True.” He inhaled. “But there are considerations.”

“Nothing is important but my wife and the clan.”

“Hugh, listen,” Morrigan urged. “ ’Tis not our plan to have anger thrust against our people.”

“I’ll listen.” Hugh kissed her cheek. “Go on, Kieran.”

“If ’twere just your life and holding to protect I would back you on this.” Kieran paused.

“Well?” Hugh shot at him.

“I’m being blunt because I must be. I would like it not if any issue of yours was declared ineligible to be your heir because
of bastardy.”

Hugh’s roar of rage brought MacKays on the run, weapons drawn.

Morrigan freed herself from Hugh’s hold, leaving her husband and going to the side of the two leading Mac-Kays, a very tense
Toric and Diuran. “ ’Tis of little import, my friends. You may retire.”

“Pardon me, milady, I would do so. But first I would know why your hand shakes,” Diuran said through his teeth, his gaze shooting
about the great room.

“I would as well,” Toric mentioned, scanning the area.

“Toric!” Hugh shouted. “Would you say my marriage vows to milady were valid?”

Toric nodded. “I would. Why would I not when I was there to hear them freely exchanged?”

Hugh gave a hard laugh. “Point taken. I’ll hear no more.”

“Are there any so foolish as to gainsay this?” Diuran’s words stopped all discussions and murmurings.

“ ’Twould seem the two Edwards think so,” Hugh answered.

Morrigan glared at her husband. “Hugh—”

“Then this MacKay declares war on the slime who would malign our lady,” Diuran shouted.

“Oh, Lord,” Morrigan muttered. “What next?”

“Did he just declare war on England and Scotland?” Lady MacKenzie quizzed in fading accents. “How can this be?” She sank back
against her chair, waving her veil in front of her. “Our lives are forfeit.”

Morrigan hurried to her side. “No, ma’am, ’Tisn’t so. There’s no thought of war. I beg you not to overset yourself. Men can
speak unwisely, but I can assure you my MacKays wouldn’t dream of waging a war on such as this—”

“We would!” Toric and Diuran shouted in unison, the bellowings bringing even more MacKays to stuff the room to overflowing.

Morrigan turned around, glowering at Diuran and Toric. She stamped her foot. “Desist! I’ll not hear any more of war from any
of you. Hear me well. Not one MacKay shall have a bruise over this.” She waved her hand. “Think you I’ll have any of the clan
piped to their grave? Never! Do you hear me?” She stamped the other foot. “I have decreed it. Do you understand? Do you hear
me?”

“They’d hear you in Edinburgh,” Toric muttered. Then he lost his grin when Morrigan turned her furious gaze on him. “Sorry,”
he mumbled.

Morrigan inhaled. “I should think so.” A little more calm, she went to the clusters of MacKays mulling about the anteroom.
“All is well, my friends. No need to fret. Go about your business.” She smiled. They smiled back. No one moved.

“Have you been insulted, milady?” Urdred moved through the throng, his large body quivering with feeling.

Morrigan shook her head. “No. No, truly I have not.”

“You have,” Hugh pronounced behind her.

MacKays bristled, growling to one another, uttering dire threats.

“I challenge any and all who’ve done this,” Urdred shouted.

Morrigan winced at the yell, her ears ringing. “Stop!”

No one paid attention. Instead they muttered among themselves, discussing battle plans.

She whirled around, scowling. “Hush your whisht, Hugh MacKay, at once. I’ll not have our people embroiled in such nonsense.”

MacKay mouths hung open at their lady’s temerity in telling the laird to be quiet. Had anyone ever done that to Hugh MacKay?
Certainly not since he’d been out of leading strings.

Hugh approached her, his eyes glittering with purpose, a vinegary mirth outlining his features. “Then let our people decide
for themselves if there is need to move on this assault to your virtue.”

“Aye!” thundered the gathering, intent and purpose on every visage.

Urdred waved his claymore in the air, as did others. “I’ll draw and quarter the spalpeens who dared such a falsehood.”

Morrigan raised her hands for quiet. Some listened, others continued to fret and argue.

“Hugh, have a care!” his godmother intoned, shaking her head. “Would you have your wife wrapped in shame with no alternative
but to enter a convent?”

“Not bloody likely. Morrigan stays with me,” Hugh stated, his hard smile touching the throng of protesters.
Then he fixed his gaze on his wife. “You’re mine,” he mouthed for her alone, though others saw it.

Morrigan smiled and nodded.

“Let us ponder together, pray on this,” Kieran said, adding leverage to his mother’s argument.

“No!” was the battle cry.

When the hubbub subsided, so that those who would speak could be heard, Kieran approached Hugh. “Let me try to talk to the
cardinal before blood is spilled. You can meet me in, say, three days in Edinburgh. I will have softened up the prelate, God
willing. You can sit down with him and voice your valid arguments. Then all of us will go to Edward Baliol. We’ll enlist his
help in facing English Edward. Let the two of them thrash out any disagreements they might have. You know they will see the
validity of pacifying you in your cause. They’ve nothing to gain by siding with the Welsh who instituted this annulment. The
cardinal, needing the good wishes of the two kings, will add his support, bringing the papacy to your side. All will be settled
amicably.”