Page 83 of Defy the Highlander

Laird Currie lifted his slender shoulders. “She would do it with or without my encouragement,” he said. “Since ye’re being honest, so shall I. The truth is that I married a harlot, Brody. The woman spreads her legs for everyone but her husband. But the thought of it stopped vexing me long ago. I’m being punished for being selfish enough tae marry a young lass who only wanted my money. That’s my private purgatory.”

Brody was relieved to know that Laird Currie wasn’t in on his wife’s purchase of a lover. He’d been worried for a moment. But he could see that the old man was simply acknowledging the situation, not endorsing it.

“Then… then ye have no feelings about it, m’laird?” he asked.

Laird Currie threw up his hands in a gesture of resignation. “She does as she pleases,” he said as he planted himself on the nearest stool. “My mistake was in thinking she’d be happy married tae a man who only wanted a son from her. I suppose it’s not an easy life for her. Would I rather she not go tae The Cal and fornicate with the warriors there? Of course I would. At least, I did. But I stopped caring long ago. As I said, my punishment is being married tae a lass who pays men tae pleasure her. ’Tis a shameful thing.”

Brody’s pity for the man deepened. “Would ye be open to seeking some vengeance on her? Vengeance for shaming ye, I mean.”

Laird Currie looked at him, sharply. “What do ye mean?”

Brody bent over, using a big, iron key to unlock the chest. He flipped open the lid and pulled out two big leather pouches. He set them both down, heavily, on the table as Laird Currie looked on in astonishment. Rising from his stool, he pointed at the purses.

“Those…” he hissed. “I sent those with my wife last night.”

“I know.”

“She used them tae pay for a warrior… tae pay for ye.”

“She did.”

Laird Currie looked at him with his mouth hanging open. “What are ye doing with them?”

Brody’s eyes glimmered. “I am returning them tae you with Clegg’s compliments,” he said. Then, he reached into the chest again and pulled out a smaller leather pouch, setting it onto the table with the others. “And that purse contains two pounds. That is from me, tae purchase the remainder of Lilia Galston’s debt. She said ye told her it would be two pounds for the debt tae be paid in full.”

Laird Currie was clearly confused. “Lilia? Why would ye pay for Lilia?”

Brody could see that the old man was bewildered and possibly even shaken by everything he was being told. It was a great deal to absorb. He gently grasped the old man by the arms and directed him back to his stool.

“I want tae marry Lilia,” he said softly. “I want tae pay off her debt and take her away, tonight. M’laird, I’m sure ye know how they treat her here. She is beaten and mistreated, and I willna stand for it any longer. The money is for her debt and if ye require more, I promise I’ll send it tae ye. But I am taking her away tonight, no matter what. This way, the money yer wife paid for me is returned tae ye, Lilia’s debt is returned tae ye, and yer wife will be without the man she purchased purely for her pleasure. That’s the vengeance I speak of, m’laird. Painless, but the message is clear.”

Laird Currie stared at him, digesting what he’d been told. His gaze eventually moved to the table again where the three pouches sat, pouches that his rats were beginning to sniff.

“’Tis overwhelmed, I am,” he said, fingering the leather purses. “When life turns against ye… it was easier tae hide in my solar and pretend this was my only world. The place that had been my home my entire life was no longer my home. It was no longer happy. But this… this gives me hope, lad. Clegg will never know what he’s done for me.”

Brody smiled faintly at the old man. “And me,” he said. “Clegg is a good man.”

Laird Currie looked at him. “Is that how ye met Lilia? When she visited The Cal with Lady Currie?”

Brody shook his head. “When I saved her from robbers.”

Laird Currie sensed there was a story behind that but he didn’t ask. He was more concerned with what the future held.

“She’s a good lass,” he said. “I knew her father. He was a servant but he was also my friend and when he died, she came tae Hawkhill of her own free will tae work off the debt I’d incurred in paying for a physic for him. Did she tell ye that?”

Brody nodded. “She did.”

Laird Currie turned serious. “Take her away from here, Brody,” he said. “Ye’re right when ye say she was mistreated here. Ye’ve paid me more than enough for her debt, so take her. The lass deserves a better life than what she’s had at the hands of Lady Currie.”

Brody was greatly relieved to hear that Laird Currie wasn’t going to give him a fight. “Thank ye, m’laird,” he said. “I will do all I can tae make her happy.”

“Good,” Laird Currie said. “Her father would have wanted that. Mayhap it’s the last gift I can give a man who meant something tae me. Until now, I’ve failed when it came tae the care of his daughter. But I’ll fail no more.”

Brody smiled. “Nor will I,” he said. “But I do have a favor tae ask ye, m’laird.”

“Anything.”

“We’ll need a horse,” he said. “Ye’ve a fine stud in the stables and I’m told ye never ride him. Could I borrow him? Just tae get where I’m going, of course. I’ll send him back tae ye when I can.”