Page 20 of Connal

The arrogance in the former mortal’s pale eyes darkened to anger. Should you show your true heart, ken in the next moment my water shall skewer it. He swam out, leaving a burst of bubbles in his wake.

Jamaran, Duxor decided, would not die along with the king. He would live and suffer until his every thought became wanting death.

Chapter Seven

Something had happened, Valerie decided, judging by how everyone had been staring at and tiptoeing around her all day. Meg had seen her in the hall, spun on her heel and went the other way to avoid her. When she came down for the morning meal every clansman in the hall had actually stopped eating and speaking to watch her. The silence continued at the laird’s table when she sat down beside Shaw, smiling at him, Duncan and Nyall. Fletcher took the chair beside her and began filling her plate while Shaw placed a steaming mug by her hand.

“Well, this is nice,” she said, smiling. “I’m usually in such a rush to get to school in the morning I eat breakfast on the way.” No one replied or even looked at her. “Is this no-talking-at-the-table day, or did I do something to make every person in the castle mad at me?”

Another stillness fell over the hall as Connal entered through an archway and walked up to the dais. No one watched him until after he passed them.

“’Twas naught but a small mishap, and didnae involve you, Mistress.” Fletcher said quickly. “I shall be going out this morn to fetch some fruit from the orcharders beyond the hills. Would you care to ride along? I shall be glad to show you more of Caladh.”

“Now you’re trying to get rid of me. That’s not going to work.” Valerie took a sip of the brew, which tasted of mint and blueberries, before looking up at Connal. “Good morning, Laird MacMar. Would you like me to have my morning meal somewhere else so you can talk to your men and discuss whatever it is that I did and they won’t tell me?”

“Please stay, Mistress.” He sat down at the head of the table and shook his head as a maid hurried over to serve him. He accepted only a mug of brew from Shaw before regarding Fletcher. “Seneschal, I forbid you go anywhere near the bay until the next moon.”

“My lord, I didnae intend––ah, disobey you.” Fletcher cringed a little and darted a guilty look at her before he added, “Happily shall I do as you command. In all matters.”

“I taught teenagers, you know,” Valerie told the laird. “They’re almost as bad at this as you guys. What’s the matter? Why is Fletcher in trouble?”

“’Twas a tussle with Merrick,” Connal said.

She regarded the seneschal. “You argued with the king of bad attitudes?”

“He punched him in the head. ’Twas grand to watch.” Shaw rubbed his fist, and then gave the other men an innocent look. “Why glare at me? ’Tis truth. We’ve all wished do the same thing time and again.”

Valerie had gathered enough details about the Finfolk and the truce that kept the clan at peace with them to grow a little alarmed now.

“This really is about me again, isn’t it?” When no one replied she turned to Connal. “Do I need to apologize to the king? I’ll be happy to. Maybe I can explain that women are people, not possessions, and I don’t want to be transformed into a wife for one of his guys.”

The laird smiled a little. “Dinnae fret. ’Tis settled now.”

No one said anything else for the rest of the meal, except for Fletcher, who repeated his offer to take her out to the orchards. Valerie politely refused and then got up and walked beside the laird as he left the hall.

“Shaw hardly ate anything for his breakfast, Nyall looks like he’s got a fish bone permanently stuck in his throat, and Fletcher was definitely trying to hustle me out of here in a hurry,” she told him as they reached the hall that led to his chamber. “Are you going to tell me what really happened, and why? Or do I have to start touching everyone until I find out?”

He gave her a narrow look. “You wouldnae.”

“I can start with you.” She reached out to him.

Connal took a quick step back, and then sighed. “We cannae speak here. Come.”

The laird changed direction and led her out of the stronghold, through a maze of newly-sprouted plants in huge beds, and out through a narrow gate and another, wider one. Once outside the walls he removed his tartan and draped it over her shoulders. Valerie didn’t understand why until they passed some men chopping wood outside a large barn. All of the men ogled her half-bare legs, which reminded her that modern clothing showed a lot more skin than medieval guys ever got to see outside the bedroom.

“I guess while I’m here I should learn how to make some gowns for myself,” she said as they walked along a trail that led into a sprawling forest of oaks and evergreens. “Is it terrible, what happened? Is Fletcher in big trouble for punching out Merrick?”

Connal stopped at a dappled pool of water surrounded by sparkling gray stones, and gestured at one flat-topped rock. “You should first sit, Mistress.”

“Okay.” This was going to be very bad, Valerie decided, because the laird looked as if he was about to be sick. “Tell me.”

He told her about the confrontation between the seneschal and the king, and then nodded at her hand. “I made a vow when I threw my wife’s ring in the sea. I swore I should never love nor marry again until ’twas brought back to me. That you came with the ring means I must hold to my word.”

“That’s understandable, but I don’t…oh. I brought it back to you.” Again she tried to pull it off, but lately it seemed welded onto her finger. “Well, that’s good, that’s healthy, right? You can start to move on with your life now. I hope you do meet someone–”

Connal shook his head. “I told Merrick I shall wed you.”

“I beg your pardon?” Surely she had misheard him, or he was joking, but no, she could see he was being serious. “Why on earth would you say something like that? You don’t even know me.”