Page 89 of Defy the Highlander

“Has Colly ever beaten ye?”

Amy froze, fearful of replying, but after a moment she lowered her gaze. “Aye, she has, m’laird.”

“And have ye seen her beat other servants?”

“Aye, m’laird.”

“What does this have to do with anything?” Lady Currie demanded, suddenly not so tearful. “Colly has my permission to discipline the servants. There is no crime in that.”

Laird Currie looked at her. “My dear, Colly was a brute who took delight in beating the servants for the slightest misstep,” he said. “Ye think I dunna know that, but I do. The day she came here with ye is the day she started slapping my servants around as if she had the right. She seemed tae have a particular dislike for Lilia, or so I’ve heard. Colly wasna a saint. She was a nasty, brutal woman.”

Lady Currie looked stricken. “She… she was no such thing!”

“Aye, she was,” Laird Currie said. “I let it go on and shouldna have. I should have put a stop tae it back then, but I was a coward. I retreated intae my solar and let the fools run my house and hold.”

“That’s not –!”

“Wait,” Laird Currie said, putting up a hand to silence her. “I’m not finished. Based on the history of Colly and her delight of inflicting pain on others, ’tis my guess that Lilia was defending herself against Colly, who was twice as big as Lilia. And ye thought it was a good idea for that woman tae interrogate Lilia over some imagined plot? Did it not occur tae ye that Colly merely wanted an excuse tae beat the lass?”

Lady Currie was beside herself with horror. The man had no sympathy for her; that was clear. Her tears were gone, replaced by an astonishing sense of guilt and disbelief.

“That is not true!” she insisted. “Colly was always faithful to me. She only did what she felt was in my best interest.”

Laird Currie sighed heavily and shook his head. “My dear, Colly did what she had tae do in order to strike fear intae everyone around ye,” he said. “She raised ye so I understand yer loyalty tae her, but she was a selfish hag who wanted nothing more than tae control everyone around ye. And she succeeded.”

Seeing that the tide of judgment had turned against her, Lady Currie lashed out. “Lilia killed her,” she said. “I want justice for Colly and I shall have it!”

“Not here,” Laird Currie said, surprisingly firm. “Lilia is gone from this place. Her freedom has been purchased as she has left Hawkhill for good, and ye’ll forget about any justice for Colly. It seems that Lilia is the one who delivered justice for everyone here at Hawkhill by doing away with the woman. Now, bury the old cow and be done with it. I willna hear anything more about it.”

Lady Currie could hardly believe her ears. “But what about Brody?” she demanded. “I paid sixty pounds for the man and…”

“And I have the money back,” Laird Currie cut her off. “Clegg returned it tae me and Brody has his freedom. We’re old friends, Clegg and I. It seems that he doesna like ye very much. Ye go tae The Cal every night like a dog in heat and shame yer husband, and he’s had enough. So have I. From now on, ye’ll keep tae yer chambers. Ye’ll have an escort whenever ye leave the manse and ye’ll never go tae The Cal again.”

“But –!”

“Ye’ll be a good and proper wife and stay home where ye belong,” he continued to shut her up. “If ye dunna obey me, I’ll lock ye up and throw away the key. I’ve had enough of yer behavior, my dear. Yer days of doing as ye please are finished and if we have a son, it’ll be from my loins, as it should be. Is this in any way unclear?”

Lady Currie looked as if her husband had physically struck her. She stared at him, wide-eyed and pale, wanting very badly to respond but knowing she hadn’t the grounds to do it. Greer Currie had finally called her out for her horrific behavior and there wasn’t a priest, bishop, magistrate, or king in the land that would side with her.

And she knew it.

The reign of Lady Currie was over.

“You cannot cage me,” she finally hissed. “You cannot do that to me!”

Laird Currie eyed her pointedly. “I am yer husband and I can do as I wish,” he said. “Now, go back tae yer chamber and stay there. If I want ye, I’ll send for ye. Otherwise, stay there and behave yerself because if ye dunna, my wrath will be swift.”

Sniffling, embarrassed, and horrified, Lady Currie glared at the man as she turned for the stairs that led to the upper floor. She didn’t dare argue with him but Laird Currie knew it was only a matter of time before she tried.

And she would try.

Of that, he had little doubt.

He watched her as she headed up the stairs, followed by her shocked servants. When he caught sight of Amy bringing up the rear, he called to her.

“Amy,” he said quietly. “Come here.”

Amy did, trotting over to him. He eyed her for a moment.