A Nightmare Marriage
Date: 2017-09-25 04:00:00+00:00

A

Nightmare

Marriage

The McCabe’s Book 4

Bethany Hauck

Copyright © 2017 by Bethany Hauck

All rights reserved. This book or any portion thereof
may not be reproduced or used in any manner whatsoever
without the express written permission of the publisher
except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

Printed in the United States of America

First Printing, 2017

KDP Publishing

Books by Bethany Hauck

An Honest Mistake

The McCabe’s Book 1

(Jacqueline and Connor)

A Good Man

The McCabe’s Book 2

(Ross and Angela)

The Man of Her Dreams

The McCabe’s Book 3

(Ham and Fiona)

A Nightmare Marriage

The McCabe’s Book 4

(Fiona and Logan)

Coming Soon:

A Man of Honor

The McCabe’s Book 5

(Alastair and Mairi)

Characters: (so far)

Gleann: McCabe’s

Hamish McCabe
-father and Laird of Gleann

Annabell e-mother (died shortly after giving birth)

Children:

Eadan

Ross and Ham (twins)

Alastair

Craig and Rory (twins)

Owen

James and Jacqueline (twins)

Eadan Hamish-
Eadan and Nessa’s son

Nessa McDougall
-Married to Eadan

Flora Munro
-Married to Ham

Ina
-Healer and Midwife

Tarmon: Fraser’s

Connor Fraser
-Married Jacqueline McCabe

Fiona
-Connor’s sister

Caiden
-Conner’s father and Laird of Tarmon

Alyssa
-Connor’s mother (deceased)

Alyssa and Annabelle
-Connor and Jacqueline’s twin daughters

Angus
-Tarmon guard

Helga
-Tarmon midwife.

Edith
-Ladies Maid and friend to both Fiona and Jacqueline.

Brayden
-Wes Betrothed to Fiona

Tioram: McCarthy’s

Iain McCarthy
-Laird of Tioram  Angela’s Da.

Catrina
-Angela’s mother

Kenna
- 17 Angela’s sister

Rhona
- 14 Angela’s sister

Angela
-Married to Ross McCabe

William
-Captain of the McCarthy guard.

Deacon
-Messenger

Villains:

Catherine McCoy
-Connor’s mistress before              marriage.

Lachlan Stewart
-Tried to force Angela into marriage

Dunnottar: Stewart’s

Logan-
Laird.  Married to Fiona

Gregor-
Logan’s brothe r

Brody-
Logan’s best friend and Captain of the Guard

Isobe l-Betrothed to Logan

Seamus-
One of the guards, befriends Fiona

Blair-
Seamus’ wife and maid at Dunnottar

Who knows...they may turn up in later books:

Robert, Elaine and Angu s-Children rescued by Flora and Ham

Suzan
-Their mother and a seamstress

Wynda
-Tavern girl in Edinburgh

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Logan

Chapter 2 Fiona

Chapter 3 First Impressions

Chapter 4 Wedding Day Misunderstanding

Chapter 5 Gregor the Arse

Chapter 6 A Wedding Night to Forget

Chapter 7 Dunnottar

Chapter 8 A Second Chance

Chapter 9 Too Many Accidents

Chapter 10 Punishment

Chapter 11 It Was Her Arrow

Chapter 12 True Family

Chapter 13 The Truth

Chapter 14 Home

Chapter 15 Return to Dunnottar

Epilogue

Chapter 1 Logan

“This is your fault,” Logan Stewart angrily said to his brother Gregor, waving the scroll that had been delivered to him just that morning in the air so Gregor could see it.  “If you wouldn’t have started that fight in the tavern in Edinburgh with Owen McCabe, this wouldn’t have happened.”

“What are you talking about?” Gregor asked, having just walked into Logan’s study where he’d been summoned.  He took the parchment out of Logan’s hands, “what does it say?”

“Remember the fight you told me you got into in the tavern while you were in Edinburgh?” Logan explained.

“The one with Ross McCabe’s brother?” Gregor asked.

“Aye,” Logan said, “that’s the one.  Unless there was another fight you didn’t tell me about?”

“Of course there wasn’t,” Gregor said.

“Well, somehow the King found out about it too.  I’ve just received word on that scroll, he’s ordering me to marry Fiona Fraser because of it,” Logan yelled at his brother.

“But you can’t marry the Fraser lass, you’re already betrothed to Isobel,” Gregor said.

“According to this message,” Logan practically yelled again, snatching the scroll back out of Gregor’s hands, “not anymore.”

“I don’t understand why you’re being married to a Fraser,” Gregor said. “My fight was with a McCabe.”

“Because Fiona Fraser’s brother is married to a McCabe.  She’s the only girl, and since there are no more McCabe lasses, this marriage will tie us to the McCabe’s and make us all family,” Logan explained.

“What about Isobel?” Gregor asked.  “You could marry her quickly, then just say the marriage was done already before the missive arrived.”

“I won’t do that.  Truthfully, I’m not that upset about not being able to marry Isobel,” Logan said.

“Why not?” Gregor asked.  “You told me you had to marry her after what happened between you two.”

“I’m not sure what she says happened between us, ” Logan explained shrugging, “really happened.”

“Are you saying Isobel lied?” Gregor asked him, “I can’t believe you would think such a thing.” He defended the lass his brother was supposed to marry.

“I’ve never been sure what the real truth was that night,” Logan told him.  “Something never seemed right about her story.”

“So you’re willing to marry this Fiona Fraser?  Even after what the McCabe’s did to Lachlan?” Gregor asked, becoming angry himself.

“I’m not angry about what happened to Lachlan.  I would have done the same,” Logan said.

“You wouldn’t have,” Gregor said to him.

“You do realize that Lachlan was in the process of trying to rape Ross McCabe’s wife when the man killed him?” Logan asked.

“That’s what the McCabe’s say,” Gregor said.  “How do we know it’s the truth?”

“Because something was wrong with Lachlan,” Logan shouted.  “We both know it.  The man wasn’t right even when we were lads running around the keep.  I believe the McCabe’s.”

“I’ll never be convinced he deserved to have his head cut off.  If that wasn’t bad enough, then they left his body lying there, for the animals to feed upon,” Gregor argued.

“He did deserve it, Gregor.  I won’t hold that against the McCabe’s,” Logan told his brother.  He again raised the scroll and shook it at Gregor saying,  “I do hold this missive against you though.  This could have been avoided if you wouldn’t have picked that fight with Ross McCabe’s brother.”

“I’ll not apologize.  I do hold the McCabe’s responsible for Lachlan’s death,” Gregor said.  “I’ll never forgive any of them.”

“Then I won’t be taking you to Tarmon with me if you can’t behave and control yourself,” Logan said.  “I won’t have you causing trouble there.”

“Why are you going to Tarmon?” Gregor asked.

“To get my bride,” Logan said, calming down.  Although he wasn’t happy about being ordered to marry a lass he’d never met, the idea of not having to marry Isobel appealed to him.  “I’ll marry her in the kirk there before I bring her back to Dunnottar.”

“Who are you taking with you if not me?” Gregor asked.

“I’d be glad to have you along if you can control your temper.  But I’m also taking Brody and at least twenty guards,” Logan answered.  “I’ve heard there are some bandits along the roadways causing trouble for travelers.”

“What about Isobel?” Gregor said.  “I can’t believe you’re going to put her aside and marry another.  I thought you loved her.”

“I have no choice, Gregor,” Logan said.  “I can’t go against the king.  Where you got the idea I loved the girl from, I’ll never know.  I was only going to marry her for one reason, and you know what it was.”

“When will you let Isobel know your betrothal has ended?” Gregor asked.

“No time like the present,” Logan said, walking towards his study door to search for his now ex-betrothed.  Even though he knew it wasn’t going to be a pleasant conversation, because Isobel wasn’t always a pleasant woman, he was relieved that he wouldn’t have to go through with the marriage to the woman.

**********

“Logan,” Isobel called out as she seen him walking towards her.  “I’m so glad to see you.”  She waited till Logan was close before throwing her arms around his neck and rubbing her body against his.

“Stop, Isobel,” Logan said firmly but kindly, pushing her away gently.  “I’ve come to speak to you about something important.”

“What is it, my love?” she asked sweetly, making Logan cringe as she leaned into him, purposely pushing her breast against his arm.  “Are you finally ready to set a date for our wedding?  We can do it as soon as you say, even tomorrow if you wish.”

“That’s just it,” Logan began,  “I’ve come to apologize and tell you something important about our wedding.  I received a missive from the King this morning, and I won’t be able to marry you at all.  I’m being commanded to marry someone else.”

“What?  What about us?” Isobel screeched loud enough for all around to hear, making Logan wince.  “What do you mean marry someone else?  You can’t marry another: you’re already betrothed to me!”

Brody, Logan’s best friend and commander of the castle guard heard the commotion, he quickly headed over towards the couple, to see if everything was alright.

“It seems that King James has other plans for me, Isobel,” Logan explained quietly, trying not to lose his temper. “I have no choice in this. I must do as he commands.”

“But what about us?” she again screeched.  “What about what happened between us?  You’ve ruined me, and now you’re not going to marry me?”

“I have no other choice,” Logan plainly said once again. The more Isobel screeched, the more thankful he became that the marriage to her was off.  He wasn’t sure what she said happened between them, had really happened anyway.

“Why would the King do this?” she asked.  “You can write him back or go see him.  Tell him you want to marry me.”

“I can’t-do that,” Logan explained, trying to stay calm.  “His missive was clear; I have no choice but to marry Fiona Fraser.”

“Why?” she asked again.  “I don’t understand why this is happening.”

“Because Gregor picked a fight in a tavern in Edinburgh with one of the McCabe’s.  This marriage will ensure that the Stewart’s and McCabe’s don’t become enemies,” Logan explained to her.  “The King doesn’t want clan wars.”

“How does this marriage avoid a clan war?” Isobel asked.  “Are you marrying a McCabe?”

“Nay,” Logan said.  “A Fraser, whose brother is married to a McCabe.”

“So this is your fault?” Isobel yelled, looking at Gregor, who had followed his brother out to find her.

“I’m sorry, Isobel,” Gregor said.  “I didn’t know my fight with McCabe’s younger brother would cause this to happen.”

“I can’t believe this,” Isobel yelled at them all.  “I can’t believe you’re going to marry someone close to the McCabe’s after what they did to your cousin Lachlan.”

“As I told Gregor, I don’t blame Ross McCabe for what he did to Lachlan.  My cousin was trying to rape McCabe’s wife,” Logan told her.

“I’ll never believe that,” Isobel said.  “I knew Lachlan well; the McCabe’s are lying.”

“They aren’t,” Logan insisted.

“They are.” she insisted.  “You’ll be sorry for treating me this way,”  she added more quietly before turning and stomping off.

“I’m going to make sure she’s alright, and see if I can calm her down,” Gregor said to Logan as they watched her go, he quickly walked away, following Isobel.

“Gregor,” Logan called to him.

“What?” Gregor said, turning back towards him.

“Let Isobel know, that better not have been any kind of threat towards me or my bride,” Logan said, Gregor nodded and once again turned to follow the angry woman.

Brody, who had quietly listened to it all, waited till Gregor and Isobel were out of listening range before finally speaking.  “You don’t seem too heartbroken about canceling your betrothal to the lass,” Brody said grinning.

Logan laughed before answering, “you know I’m not.  I was only marrying her because of what she said happened between us.  I still don’t know if I believe her account of that night or not.”

“You know my feelings on it,” Brody said.  “I’ve never seen you take advantage of a woman before, and I don’t believe you did that night.”

“But I did wake up in her bed, naked,” Logan answered.  “I wish I could remember what happened.  I swear I only had a few mugs of ale that night, I’ve drunk far more and not blacked out.”

“Something isn’t right about the whole tale, that’s for sure,” Brody said.  “So what’s this about marrying a McCabe?”

“Not a McCabe, a Fraser,” Logan explained.  “Fiona Fraser.  You know anything about her?”

“Not really,” Brody said, “but we’ve never had any issues with the Fraser’s before, or the McCabe’s.”

“I used to know Alastair McCabe.  I fostered with him for a short while when we were much younger.  I liked the man,” Logan said.

“I’ve heard both the McCabe’s and the Fraser’s are good clans,” Brody said.  “Lachlan could have caused quite a clan war with what he did, but thankfully, neither seemed to hold the Stewart clan responsible.”

“I was more concerned about the McCarthy’s.  Their keep is only a half day’s ride from here.  I did send a missive to Tioram afterward, to Ross McCabe,” Logan said, “telling him we had no hard feelings about what happened.  I even apologized for Lachlan and asked that his actions not be held against the entire Stewart clan.  We have no hard feelings against the McCabe’s or McCarthy’s for what happened.”

“That was a good thing to do,” Brody said, nodding approvingly.  “With Ross McCabe now married to a McCarthy, the three clans together could be quite a force to deal with in the east.”

“The more I think about the benefits of this marriage, the less angry I am about it.  I’m hoping this Fiona Fraser and I can forge a good marriage and it will strengthen our bonds with her family.  It could lead to a strong alliance with the other three clans,” Logan explained.

“So when do we leave to get your bride?” Brody asked.

“Day after tomorrow,” Logan told him.  “I was hoping you’d travel with me.  I’d like at least twenty men to travel with us.”

“I’ll arrange it,” Brody told him, nodding in agreement.  “Is Gregor traveling with us?”

“Not unless he promises me he’ll behave and not cause problems,” Logan said.  “For some reason, he just can’t get past the fact that a McCabe killed Lachlan, even though my cousin deserved what he got.”  Logan sighed then and added,  “but he is my brother, so part of me would like him to be there for my wedding.”

“If he goes, I’ll do my best to keep an eye on him,” Brody said.

“I’d appreciate that,” Logan said chuckling.  “He does need a keeper at times.”

“You think Isobel is going to cause problems for your bride here at Dunnottar?” Brody asked.

“If she does, I may have to just put her over my knee until she agrees to behave herself,” Logan said.  Then he laughed and added, “I probably should have done that to get the truth out of her about that night I awoke in her bed.”

“I would have,” Brody said laughing, before walking away.

Chapter 2 Fiona

“Fiona?” called Jacqueline as she knocked on her sister by marriages bedchamber door.  “We came as soon as we got word and just arrived home, I wanted to check on you.”

“Come in,” said Fiona.

Jacqueline opened the door and entered.  “Oh, Fiona,” she said, seeing the state the young woman was in.  Fiona was lying across her bed with tears running down her cheeks.

“What am I going to do?” Fiona said, “I feel so helpless in all of this, how could everything have changed so quickly.”

“I don’t have any answers for you,” Jacqueline said to her, sitting on the bed and hugging her.  “How did Brayden take the news?”

“He was hurt,” Fiona said.  “He wanted me to marry him right away and go against the missive the messenger brought.”

“You can’t-do that, Fiona,” Jacqueline said, becoming very serious.  “The whole clan could be punished.”

“I know that,” Fiona said, another tear running down her cheek.  “How could this have happened?”

“I don’t know, but Owen feels responsible,” Jacqueline told her.

“It’s not his fault,” Fiona said.  “I’m not upset with him at all.  He only defended Ross and Angela as he should.  Lachlan Stewart was a horrible man, Jacqueline, I’m scared, what if his cousin Logan is the same?”

“Alastair traveled here with us,” Jacqueline told her.  “He knows Logan and thought he might be able to tell you a bit about him.  Will you come downstairs with me and talk to him?”

“Aye,” Fiona agreed. “I’d like to hear more about him, even though I already know I’m not going to like the man, or accept this nightmare marriage.”

“What do you mean?” Jacqueline asked. “You’ll give the man a chance won’t you?”

“I’ll never accept being forced into marriage with any man,” Fiona answered.  “If I won’t be happy, neither will he.’

“Some advice, sister,” Jacqueline said.  “A man will only take so much before deciding he needs to correct your attitude.  I’d be careful of what you say to the man.  Be respectful and get to know him, you may find you like him.”

“I’ll have to think on that,” Fiona told her.  Jacqueline knew Fiona was hurt and upset at the moment, she hoped in time she might come to accept the idea and give Logan Stewart a chance.  She knew from experience a good marriage could be formed even from a forced marriage, she and Connor were proof of that.

“Come then,” Jacqueline said, helping Fiona off the bed.  “Wash your face and dry your tears. Your Da doesn’t need to see you in this state.  He’s having a hard time with all of this too.”

“I didn’t mean to upset Da,” Fiona said, wiping the tears from her cheeks.

“I know you didn’t,” Jacqueline told her.  “But he loves you, so anything that upsets you, upsets him.”

Jacqueline and Fiona arrived in the great hall together, where they joined Connor and Caiden Fraser, and Jacqueline’s brother Alastair, who were all seated around one of the tables talking.

“How are you doing, sister?” Connor asked, getting up from the table and hugging her.

“I’m angry and scared,” she told him truthfully.  “What if this Logan is anything like his cousin Lachlan?”

“Then you’ll become a widow quickly,” Connor said to her.

“He isn’t,” Alastair, who had also heard her, said.  “At least he wasn’t when I knew him.  He was actually a pretty good man.”

“Tell me about him, Alastair,” Fiona said as she sat down at the table.  “Tell me everything you know.”

“I’ll share what I can, but it’s been years since I’ve seen the man,” Alastair told her.  “We fostered together for a short time.  Logan is the oldest son, he was barely twenty summers when he got word his Da was dying, and he had to return to Dunnottar, the Stewart keep.  I’ve heard he’s a good laird.”

“That’s it?” Fiona asked.

“There isn’t much more,” Alastair said.  “He was well-liked by just about everyone.  Logan treated people with both kindness and respect when we’d be working or training together.  He always came across as very honest and hardworking.  Logan was older than many of us that were fostering with the Munro’s, and he helped the younger lads often.  He was very patient and explained how things needed to be done and why.  I don’t believe I ever saw him get angry at anyone.  I’ve never been to Dunnottar keep, but I know he has a younger brother, although, from the things he told me when we fostered together,  I don’t believe they were very close.”

“How old is Logan?” Fiona asked.

“Three summers older than me I think,” Alastair said.  “That would make him around eight and Twenty.”

“Not too old then,” Fiona said.  “At least I can be grateful he’s not a shriveled up old man.”

“Dunnottar is supposed to be a good size keep,” Alastair said.  “From what I remember, and the way Logan described it, I’m assuming it’s at least the size of Tarmon, if not larger.”

“Where’s it at?” Fiona asked.

“East of Tioram,” Alastair said, “Maybe a half day’s ride from there, right on the edge of the sea.”

“Well I have always wanted to see the sea,” Fiona said, trying to smile.

“You don’t have to do this, daughter,” Caiden said to her.  “We’ll meet the man, and if you really don’t like him, I’ll find a way to get you out of it.”

“Nay, Da,” Fiona said gently to him, putting her hand on his arm, “you can’t-do that.  The whole clan could be punished, and I won’t let that happen.”

“I’d gladly give up this keep and castle if it would mean you’d be happy,” Caiden said to her.

“I’m so sorry this is happening to you, Fiona,” Connor said.  “How did Brayden take the news?”

“He was hurt,” Fiona said.

“It’s hard to give up someone you love,” Alastair said.

“It’s never been like that,” Fiona said.  “We’ve been best friends since we were children and get along well.  We have many of the same interests, but there was never an undying love between us.  I love Brayden as my friend, but I was hoping it might grow into something deeper one day.”

“Then maybe this will be for the best,” Connor said.

“You never did like Brayden,” Fiona said to her brother.

“It’s not that I didn’t like him, Fiona,” Connor explained.

“He just didn’t seem like the right husband for you.  I want you to
experience a love like I have.”

“Well we don’t have to worry about that anymore,” Fiona said glaring at her brother.  “Hopefully you’ll approve more of this man.”

“We’ll have to see what this Logan Stewart is like, maybe you’ll even find you like him,” Connor said to her.

“I doubt it, but we’ll find out soon enough,” Fiona told him.  “He’ll be here tomorrow.”

“That soon?” Jacqueline asked.

“The missive said the wedding needed to take place within a fortnight,” Caiden explained.  “We received it a sennight ago.”

“I’m going to retire for the evening,” Fiona said sadly, tired of the conversation.  “I’ll need to be well rested for tomorrow.”

“Good night, sister,” Connor said, standing up and hugging her as the rest of the group around the table called their good nights to her.

As Fiona was getting ready to climb into her bed, a knock sounded at her door.   “Come in,” she called.

“You’re still awake?” Jacqueline asked as she walked into the room.

“Truthfully Jacqueline, I don’t know if I’ll be able to sleep tonight,” Fiona told her.  “I’m too worried about tomorrow.”

“Connor and I have been talking, and I have something for you,” Jacqueline told her.  “First though, I need you to know that Edith will be traveling with you to Dunnottar.”
“But she’s your maid,” Fiona protested.

“But she’s been your friend longer than she’s been my maid,” Jacqueline said to her.  Fiona went to protest again, but Jacqueline put her hand up, stopping her as she said,  “and before you protest further, know that it was Edith who asked if she could accompany you.”

“I’ll be glad to have a friendly face with me then,” Fiona said nodding, somewhat relieved.

“I also wanted to give you this,” Jacqueline said, holding up a beautiful necklace with a large blue stone hanging from it.

“It’s beautiful,” Fiona said, fingering the stone as she asked, “what’s it for?”

“I know you’re scared about going to a new place to live.  I remember what it was like coming here with Connor for the first time,” Jacqueline told her, “I was so frightened.”

“But we loved you right from the start,” Fiona said.

“And I was so grateful for the acceptance you gave me,” Jacqueline said.  “I’m sure they’ll love you at Dunnottar too, but this is just some assurance for all of us. If anything happens, and you need Connor to come for you,” Jacqueline explained, “get this necklace to us.”

“What if I can’t get it to you?” Fiona asked.

“Then do whatever you have to do.  Bribe a guard or send Edith with it,” Jacqueline said.  “Alastair has given her directions to Tioram from Dunnottar.  Send Edith to Ross, and he’ll get word to us at Tarmon.”

“Thank you,” Fiona said, feeling a little better about what was going to happen.  She hugged Jacqueline, knowing she was going to miss her when she was gone.

“It’s going to all be fine,” Jacqueline said trying to reassure her.  “You just wait and see.”

“And if it isn’t?” Fiona asked.

“Then we’ll bring you back home,” Jacqueline said matter of factly, kissing Fiona on the cheek before leaving the room.

Chapter 3 First Impressions

“There’s a large group of riders approaching, Laird,” Angus, the Captain of the Torman guard said as he entered the great hall.  Fiona, Jacqueline, Connor, Caiden and Alastair were all gathered there, having their midday meal.

“Thank you, Angus,” Caiden said.  “Bring them into the hall once they’ve arrived.”

“Aye, Laird,” Angus said, turning to leave.

“So he’s here,” Caiden said, feeling almost as nervous as his daughter.  “If the man is an arse, I may just run him through; we won’t have to worry about a wedding.”

“Stay calm, Da,” Connor said.  “Besides, if he’s an arse, you’ll have to beat me to it.”

“Both of you stop,” Jacqueline said, trying not to grin.  “You’re not helping Fiona any by talking like that.  Alastair said he’s not a bad man,  let’s at least give him a chance.”

“I’ll give him one, but that’s it,” Caiden said, patting the dirk he had strapped to his side and making both Fiona and Jacqueline giggle nervously.

Fiona looked down at the meal she had been enjoying just a few minutes earlier, now her stomach was churning, and she couldn’t seem to take another bite.  She tried to pay attention to the conversation around her that continued, but her stomach seemed to be rolling, and she fought to keep the part of her meal she’d already finished down.  She couldn’t recall what anyone at the table had been talking about from the moment Angus had made his announcement till now.  It seemed only minutes later when Angus re-entered the hall, followed by three men.

“Logan Stewart,” Alastair said, standing up and extending his hand, greeting the man.

“Alastair McCabe?” Logan said, grinning, “It’s good to see you old friend, it’s been many years.”

“It has,” Alastair said as they shook hands.  “Let me introduce you to the Frasers.”  He led Logan over to the table and began introducing those still seated there.  “This is my sister Jacqueline and her husband Connor Fraser, Caiden Fraser, the Laird here at Tarmon, and this lovely young woman is who I believe you are here to see, this is Fiona Fraser.  Everyone, I’d like you to meet Logan Stewart, Laird of the Stewart clan and Dunnottar.”

“Welcome to Tarmon,” Jacqueline said, breaking the silence that followed Alastair’s introductions.  She rose to her feet to greet their guests since the rest of the table hadn’t moved or greeted the men in any way.

“Thank you, Lady Jacqueline,” Logan said.  “Let me introduce my traveling companions.  This is my brother, Gregor, and my Captain of the Dunnottar Guard, Brody.”

“Welcome Gregor and Brody,” Jacqueline said, giving both Connor and Caiden a nudge.

“Yes welcome,” Connor said quietly.

“We’ve just finished our meal,” Caiden finally spoke, trying his best to sound welcoming, “would you care for something to eat or drink?”

“It’ll probably be poisoned,” Gregor muttered just loud enough for everyone to hear.

“Shut up, Gregor,” Logan turned and told him quietly.  “Thank you, Laird Fraser, but we ate not long ago on the road as we journeyed here.”

“Let’s collect your bride and get back on the road,” Gregor said.  “I don’t want to be around these killers; I don’t trust them.”

“Gregor,” Logan practically shouted, “enough!  Go wait with the rest of the men out by the horses if you can’t control yourself.”

“I’m only saying what’s true,” Gregor said.  “I don’t understand how you can trust any of these people after what they did to Lachlan.”

“You mean your cousin who first kidnapped and then was trying to rape my brother’s wife?” Alastair said, standing up and walking over to Gregor.  He was becoming angry at the way the man was talking about his family and made sure he knew it. He stopped inches in front of Gregor, and spoke just loud enough for those standing near to hear, “you should be grateful, Lachlan Stewart was lucky Ross ended his life quickly.  I would have made sure it was a slow painful death; he would have suffered much more if it’d been my wife.”

“Where’s your proof Lachlan was trying to do such a thing?” Gregor said.  “You have none!”

“I was with Angela the first time those awful men your cousin hired tried to take her from right here in Tarmon,” Jacqueline said, also standing up and defending her family.  Connor took hold of her arm, keeping her next to him.  He was afraid his small wife might attack and kill the man if he didn’t shut up soon.

“How do you know they were hired by Lachlan?” Gregor asked, all the while Logan and Brody were trying to get him to stop talking and go outside.

“Because they told us so, right before we killed them,” Jacqueline said threateningly.

“Enough, Jacqueline,” Connor said.

“So your husband is a killer too?” Gregor said looking at the couple.

“I don’t need my husband to fight my battles,” Jacqueline hissed at him.  “I put an arrow in two of them myself, and if you don’t believe me, we can go to the target field, you can stand down by the targets, and I’ll show you how good of a shot I am.”

“Jacqueline,” Connor said again, then softer so only she could hear he continued, “do we need to go upstairs for a private conversation?”

“He’s being an arse,” she said softly back.

“He is, but you’re not helping,” Connor said.  He then turned back to Gregor, telling him, “you’re either very brave or very stupid to walk in here and start making accusations against us.  I know which of the two I think you are.”

“I’m not afraid of you,” Gregor said, although he stepped back a step.

“I take it you’re the reason we’re having this wedding,” Caiden said to him.  “You must be the arse who fought with Owen McCabe.  I can see now why the fight happened; you don’t know when to keep your mouth shut, lad.”

“What are you going to do about it, old man?” Gregor said to Caiden, making both Connor and Alastair put a hand on their swords.

“Shut up and go outside now,” Logan said to his brother, grabbing him by his shirt collar and shoving him towards the door.  “Make sure he gets there and doesn’t come back in,” Logan said to Brody.

“So is this what my daughter has to look forward to living with?” Caiden asked.

“I apologize for Gregor’s behavior.  He’s got some issues with Lachlan’s death,” Logan said, wanting to kill Gregor himself for ruining this first meeting, “but I can assure you, I do not.  I understand that Lachlan wasn’t always right in his thinking.  There’ll be no hard feelings from me towards Fiona.”

“What about the rest of the people who live at Dunnottar?” Caiden asked.  “Will there be hard feelings there?  Will Fiona be safe?”

“I can’t guarantee what the villagers will do,” Logan answered.  “I can guarantee, that I’ll do all I can to keep your daughter safe.”

“I have doubts about this marriage,” Caiden said.  “I don’t understand why the King insists on it happening so quickly.”

“Look, Laird Fraser,” Logan said sighing, this meeting wasn’t going as well as he’d hoped it would. “I don’t like the speed of it either, but I’m not about to go against what I’ve been commanded to do.”

“Could we hold off on the wedding until tomorrow?” Caiden asked.  “That would give you both an evening to at least get to know each other.  I can put you and your men up for the night.”

“I have no issue with that, but we’d have to leave right after the ceremony,” Logan said.  “I need to get back to Dunnottar quickly.  It’s a busy time of the year for gathering crab from the sea.”

“I’ll agree to that,” Caiden said.  “Jacqueline, can we get three rooms ready for our guests tonight?

“Of course, Da,” Jacqueline said.

“I’ll have Angus find a place for your guards,” Connor said.  Logan nodded his agreement.

“Lady Fiona,” Logan said, addressing his future wife for the first time.  She had been sitting silently and listening to everyone else speak, “could I interest you in a stroll around the keep, so we can get to know each other a bit?”

Fiona looked at her Da who nodded, “I’d be happy to,” she answered, even though she didn’t really want to.  Logan knew she was only doing it to be polite; there was no smile with her words.

“I’d really like some time with you,” Logan said to her as he offered her his hand and helped her out of her seat.  They walked out of the hall together, neither one talking or touching.

The first few minutes neither spoke as they walked side by side.  Finally, not being able to stand the silence any longer, Logan spoke, “so how do you really feel about this marriage, Fiona?” he asked.  He had been pleasantly surprised to find that Fiona Fraser was beautiful.  With dark hair and bright blue eyes, she was breathtaking.  He knew when the time came he’d have no problem bedding her.  In fact, the more he thought about it, the more he was looking forward to it.

“How do you think I feel?” she answered.  “I was betrothed to someone I liked very much, and now I have to marry a complete stranger.”

“You were betrothed?” Logan asked, not liking the idea of his future bride spending time with another man.

“I’m almost one and twenty, Logan,” she said.  “It was time for me to marry.  Brayden and I’ve known each other nearly all our lives; he’s one of my best friends.”

“And where is this Brayden?” Logan asked, he wasn’t sure why, but he felt a sudden dislike for a man he had never even met.

“He’s around,” Fiona said.  “I haven’t seen or talked to him since I had to break our betrothal.”

“Not such a good friend then,” Logan muttered, again not sure why he was acting this way.

“You’re wrong,” Fiona snapped at him.  “He’s a wonderful man and a great friend.”

“I’m surprised your Da allowed you to have a man as a friend,” he commented, “that’s not usual for a lady like yourself.”.

“Of course he allowed me to have Brayden as a friend,” she said, “we were only five summers when we became friends.  Besides, my Da trusts me, he never picked who I could or couldn’t be friends with.”

“What could the two of you even have in common?” he asked.  “It’s not like you could go to the tavern and have an ale together.”

“Not all men sit in a tavern drinking ale and dallying with tavern wenches, Logan Stewart,” she said, not liking his attitude.  This getting to know each other stroll didn’t seem to be going well for either of them. “I like going to the practice range and shooting my bow, I like riding my horse, Brayden was even teaching me how to use a dirk.”

“A woman has no need for those skills,” he told her.  “You won’t need to be practicing at Dunnottar, I’ll keep you safe, It’ll be my pleasure.”

“Aye, I will still practice,” she said firmly to him.

“Nay,” he said again, becoming angry with her defiance, ”I make the rules at Dunnottar, you’ll do as I say.”

“There is nothing wrong with a woman knowing how to shoot a bow.  I’ve had the need to use it once, and I’d do it again,” she told him.

“You killed someone?” he asked.

“Aye,” she said, stopping and looking at him.

“Were you in danger?” he asked.

“Jacqueline was,” she said, as she again started walking. “I’d do anything to protect my family.”

“I’ll have to think about it, women at Dunnottar have never been taught any of those skills,” he said, thinking he was being kind.  “Maybe I can take you to the archery fields every now and then; I think I’d like to see how skilled you are.”

“Think all you want,” Fiona said.  “I’ll not give up my bow or my horse.  I’d even like to continue to learn how to use my dirk, if you won’t teach me I’ll find someone who will.”

“Why do you want to argue with me?” Logan asked, surprised at how confrontational she was becoming.

“Because you’re already ordering me around,” Fiona said, “you’re trying to change me.”

“I’m not,” Logan answered.  “I’m the Laird of Dunnottar, Fiona; I’m used to people listening to me.  I’m willing to let you have your say in private, but at Dunnottar my decisions are final..”

“Then we may have a problem,” Fiona said flippantly, “because I’ll do as I please, when I please.”

“You’ll do as I say,” Logan said quietly, he didn’t really have an issue with her shooting her bow, it was the fact that she wasn’t listening and was picking an argument with him that was so irritating.  “I won’t ask you for much, Fiona, but I will not be argued with, especially out in the open where others can see.”

“You’ll do best to just leave me be, Logan Stewart, I already told you, I’ll do as I please,” Fiona said as they turned and walked into the garden behind the castle, out of sight of everyone.

Logan had heard enough, he grabbed Fiona by the arm and led her over to a bench not far away, he sat down and pulled her over his knees.  “I’ve had enough of your sass and telling me what you’ll do,” he said to her.  “Maybe at Tarmon woman do as they please and say what they want, but that is not how things are done at Dunnottar.”

“Let me go, Logan Stewart,” she yelled at him as she felt her skirt being raised.

“Not until we come to an agreement,” he said to her, leaving her shift down to cover her.  He brought his hand down firmly on her arse.
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.
“Do you think you can listen now?” he asked her.

“Aye,” Fiona hissed, not liking this man more every second.  “I’m listening.”

“I’m trying to be kind and get to know you,” he began and gave her a few more swats.
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

“This is your idea of being kind?” she spat back angrily, still trying to get up.

“You’ve done nothing but try to argue with me since we came out here alone.”
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

“You’ve done nothing but let me know how much you disapprove of me,” she said back, her anger only rising.

“I have not,” Logan said, stopping the spanking.  “How have I disapproved of you?”

“You don’t like that Brayden was my friend, you don’t like that I can shoot a bow or want to continue learning to use my dirk,” Fiona said then tried to rise again, saying, “now let me the hell up.”

“I will not have you using that kind of language,” he said, another round of spanks following.
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

“I said let me up,” she tried again, not sure why she was acting the way she was.  She had grown up knowing that her Da had the final say at Tarmon, she would never question a decision he made as Laird.

“Not yet,” Logan said, placing his hand on the middle of her back, “quit struggling and lie still.”

“Let me up,” Fiona said again, trying to bite him in the leg,

“You little hellion!  I’ll say it again, Lady Fiona,” Logan calmly said, “let me know when you’re ready to listen.”
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

“I’m listening,” Fiona finally said, Logan was thankful, his hand was really beginning to sting.

“We have no choice but to marry, so why not try to at least get along?”
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

“I was trying,” Fiona said, in a much nicer tone.

“Nay, you weren’t,” Logan said, setting her up on the bench next to him.  “You’re not the only one who’s being forced into this marriage or who was betrothed.”

“You were betrothed?” she asked him.

“I was,” he said.  “But that’s over now; we have to marry, Fiona, no matter if you want to or not.  I’ll try to be a good husband.”

“What about your brother?” she asked.  “He doesn’t seem too happy about this marriage.  Is he going to be a problem?”

“I’ll manage Gregor,” he told her.  “If he becomes too much for you, then come to me, and I’ll take care of it.”

“Alright,” Flora said, sighing.  “I’ll try since there’s no other choice.”

“That’s all I ask,” Logan told her.  “Well marry here in the morning, and then I need to be heading back home.”

“My maid Edith wants to come with us,” Fiona told him.

“That’s fine,” Logan said.  “It’ll be good for you to have a friendly face until you get settled in.”

“Thank you, Logan,” Fiona said, it was the first time she noticed he really was trying to be kind.

“Are your things packed?” Logan asked her.  “I could send your trunks off tonight with a few of my men.  We’d probably catch up with them close to Dunnottar.”

“They are,” Fiona answered. “I guess we could do that.”

“I’ll arrange it,” Logan said, helping her to her feet and leading her back to the hall.  For some reason, he liked Fiona Fraser.  She was spunkier than any woman he’d ever met.  Maybe this marriage would work out after all.

Chapter 4 Wedding Day Misunderstanding

“Are you sure you want to go through with this, brother?” Gregor asked Logan the next morning.  “We can always go back to Dunnottar, and you could still marry Isobel.”

“Nay, I can’t go back and marry Isobel,” Logan calmly said to his brother.  “You know that can’t happen, Gregor; I don’t want to hear you mention it again.  Anyways, I talked with Lady Fiona yesterday, and everything will be fine.  I actually like the lass, and I’m willing to marry her,” Logan said shrugging.  “What else can be done?”

“I just hope she doesn’t make your life hell, brother,” Gregor said.

“Why would you even say something like that, Gregor?” Logan asked, frustrated with Gregor’s attitude.  “Lady Fiona and I both agreed last night to try and make this marriage work.  I’m warning you now, Gregor, you’ll treat my wife accordingly, or you won’t like the consequences.”

“Is that a threat, brother?” Gregor asked.

“Not at all,” Logan said to him.  “But I won’t have you treating her the way you did the rest of the Fraser’s when we arrived.”

“You said nothing about Lachlan’s death,” Gregor said.  “It’s like you don’t even care what they did to him.”

“What is there to say?” Logan asked his brother.  “I agree with Alastair McCabe, if it had been my wife, Lachlan’s death would have been much slower and painful.”

“You don’t mean that,” Gregor almost shouted.

“Aye, I do,” Logan answered calmly.

“Did you know lady Fiona was betrothed already?” Gregor asked, changing the subject.

“I did know,” Logan answered.  “We talked about that last night.  Fiona also realizes this marriage has to happen.”

“I had a mug or two of ale last night with her ex-lover at the tavern,” Gregor said.

“I doubt they were lovers,” Logan said, becoming more frustrated with his brother.  “Quit trying to cause problems; she’s a very respectable lass.”

“You barely know her,” Gregor said.  “She didn’t sound very respectable to me.”

“Stop, Gregor,” Logan said.  “You’re making more out of whatever you heard then you should because you don’t want me to marry her.  Whatever you believe you heard you misunderstood,  she’s a good lass.”

“That’s not what it sounded like to me last night,” Gregor told him.  “Poor Brayden seemed pretty upset about the broken betrothal.  He made it seem like much more has happened between the two of them than just a promise to marry.”

“What do you mean?” Logan asked, feeling a stirring of anger deep in his stomach just thinking about another man touching his future bride.

“I believe they’re set to meet today before the ceremony,” Gregor said.  “At least that’s what he led me to believe.”

“Where is this meeting supposed to take place?” Logan asked.

“In the garden behind the castle,” Gregor answered.  “They’re probably meeting now.”

“We’ll see about that,” Logan said, storming out of the chamber he’d been given for the night and rushing down the stairs.  No man better be meeting with his bride alone.  He was so focused on Fiona and Brayden he didn’t see the grin on his brother’s face as he followed him down the stairs.

**********

“I can’t stay long,” Fiona said to Brayden as she arrived in the garden.  She had received his note asking her to meet with him the evening before.  They had been friends for as long as she could remember, and Fiona was thankful she was going to get a chance to tell him goodbye.

“I know,” Brayden answered.  “I just couldn’t let you leave without saying goodbye. You’ve been my best friend for so long.”

“I’m going to miss you, Brayden,” Fiona said as she sat down on the bench next to him.  “Maybe you could come visit me at Dunnottar?”

“I doubt your new husband will allow your ex-betrothed to come visit you in your new home,” Brayden said, a small grin on his face.

“You’re probably right,” Fiona said grinning back.  “Are you very upset about our wedding being canceled?”

“Surprisingly, nay,” he answered truthfully, they’d been friends for so long there was no reason to lie.  “We both agreed to the marriage because we hadn’t found anyone else.  I would have been a good husband, Fiona, but it would have always been a love of friendship and not a deep love.”

“I feel the same way,” Fiona said.  “The only regret I have is that I won’t see you and get to talk to you every day.”

“I feel the same,” Brayden said.  “I hope you find that deep love with your husband.”

“I do too,’ she answered.  “Though I’m not sure if that will ever happen.  We spoke last night and didn’t seem to have very much in common.”

“He’ll learn to love you,” Brayden assured her.  “I don’t know of anyone who’s ever met you that hasn’t.”

“Thank you, Brayden,” Fiona said.

“For what?” he asked.

“For being my friend all these years,” she said, fighting the urge to cry.  “I need to go back in.”

“Good luck, Lady Fiona,” Brayden said, standing and bowing low before hugging her one last time.

“I’m going to miss you so much,” she said, hugging him back tightly.

“Get your hands off my future wife,” they both heard Logan say.

“We were just saying goodbye,” Fiona told him, letting go of Brayden.

“I can see how you were saying goodbye,” Logan said, taking her by the arm and pulling her none too gently over to stand at his side.

“Brayden has been my best friend since we were children,” Fiona tried to explain.  “I couldn’t leave here without a proper goodbye.”

“Now you’ve had it,” Logan said to them both.  “He can go now, and you won’t see him again.”

“Fiona, stop,” Brayden said to her, seeing the look on her face.  He knew her well enough to know she was going to argue with this man he had just met.  He didn’t want problems to occur between them because of him.  “I’m going to go.  Just know I wish you both a lifetime of happiness.”

“We’ll both be happier if you stay away,” Logan said; even he knew he was being an arse.

“Take care of her, Logan,” Brayden said, “she’s a very special lady.  She deserves to be loved.” With those final words, he turned and walked away.

“He loves you,” Logan said to her accusingly.

“And I love him,” Fiona said, not even attempting to explain it was a love developed over years of friendship.

“You will not see that man again,” Logan told her firmly.

“You are a complete arse, Logan Stewart,” Fiona said to him.  “I wish there was a way out of this nightmare marriage.”

“But there isn’t, lass, so it’s a nightmare we’ll both be sharing,” Logan told her, fighting the urge to flip the lass over his knee and spank her for what she had said.  “Would you like me to escort you back to your room?”

“Nay, thank you, but I’m sure I can manage,” Fiona said, although it wasn’t sincere.

“I’ll see you in two hours then, at the kirk,” Logan said.

“If I’m lucky God will strike me dead before that time,” Fiona said, turning and walking away.

Logan stared at her back as she walked away, wondering why he wanted to keep the lass with him and make sure she showed up at the kirk safe and sound.

“I told you, Logan,” Gregor said, he had stood out of sight and watched the entire exchange.  “We should just leave now; your bride is probably used merchandise anyway.  Hopefully, there isn’t already a babe in her belly she’ll try to pass off as yours.”

“Stop, Gregor,” Logan said, not liking the thoughts Gregor was putting into his head.  “She’s not that kind of girl.”

“You don’t know that for sure,” Gregor said, as they entered the castle together.

**********

“You may kiss your bride,” the priest said to Fiona and Logan.  The couple had gone through with the marriage even though they had barely looked at each other through the whole ceremony.

Logan couldn’t get the words his brother had spoken out of his head.  What if Fiona had already given herself to this Brayden he’d caught her in the garden with?  He’d already had relations with Isobel, at least that’s what she’d told him.  He was glad he hadn’t repeated the act, even though Isobel had tried more than once to get him back into her bed.

Logan leaned down and gave her a quick peck on the lips, one she didn’t return.  The marriage was done.

Isobel had felt numb as they stood in front of the priest, she had barely whispered her vows, barely able to say them at all.  She was still angry at the way Logan had treated her and Brayden.  How dare he make more out of their meeting than it really was.  Why couldn’t he understand they were nothing more than friends and needed to say goodbye?  It made her sad that chances were, she wouldn’t be allowed to see him ever again.

She had heard the priest’s words but was still surprised when Logan leaned forward and quickly pressed his lips to hers, sealing the marriage.

“Will you stay for a meal?” Caiden asked, wanting to hang onto his daughter at Tarmon for just a bit longer.

“I’m sorry, Laird Fraser,” Logan said, “we really need to be heading back home.”

“I’ll be fine, Da,” Fiona said softly to her father, giving his arm a reassuring squeeze.

“We’ll see you off then,” Caiden said sadly.

Fiona walked next to Logan to where the guards of Dunnottar already had the horses saddled and ready to ride.  She gave her Da, Connor and Jacqueline one last hug, before kissing each of her nieces on the cheek.  “I’m going to miss these girls,” Fiona said as Annabelle and Alyssa, Connor and Jacqueline’s twins, smiled at her.

“We can come visit in the early spring,” Logan told her, seeing how close her family was and how sad they all were to be parting.  He was almost jealous seeing the tight bond the family shared.  His parents had died many years before, leaving just him and Gregor.  The two had never been anywhere near as close as the Fraser’s seemed to be.

“Remember we’ll be going to Tioram for a visit about that time,” Jacqueline said.  “Maybe we could come see you at Dunnottar?  The two keeps aren’t that far apart.”

“You’re welcome to visit anytime,” Logan said to all the Frasers.

“Thank you, Logan,” Caiden said.  “I’ll be arriving in about a month’s time to check on my daughter.”

“Then we’ll see you in a month,” Logan said.

“Where’s Edith?” Fiona asked, looking around for her friend and maid.

“She’s in a cart already, Lady Fiona,” said Brody, as he rode his horse near them. “She said she doesn’t ride well and would prefer to travel that way.”

“Then I guess we’re ready to go,” Fiona said, mounting her horse with the aid of Logan.

“You have your new necklace?” Jacqueline asked her as she prepared to ride away.

“It’ll be with me always,” Fiona said, nodding and fingering the blue stone that hung around her neck and was her connection to help from home.

“Safe travels then,” Jacqueline said, as her husband slid his arm around her.  They watched as Fiona turned her horse to join those of the men from Dunnottar, as she began the journey to her new home.

Chapter 5 Gregor the Arse

“How are you holding up, Lady Fiona?” Brody asked, riding up on the side of her.  “Do you need to stop and rest soon?”

“I’m fine,” she answered politely.  “Thank you for asking though.”

“If you need anything just ask, My Lady,” Brody said, nodding towards her.

“Just call me Fiona, please,” she told him, “and you’re Brody correct?”

“Yes, my...I mean, Fiona,” he said, smiling at her.  “I’m the Captain of the Guard and also your husband’s best friend.  We’ve been friends since we were young boys.”

“Must be nice to have a friend like that still,” Fiona said sadly, thinking how she would never be able to see her best friend again.

“I’m sure you have some close friends back in Tarmon,” Brody said, making conversation and trying to get to know her a bit better.

“My sister by marriage and I are close,” Fiona answered.  “But my best friend since we were children has been Brayden, and I doubt I’ll see him anytime soon, if ever.”

“Your betrothed?” asked Gregor, riding up on her other side.  “How close were you and this Brayden?”

“I already said he was my best friend,” Fiona said, she did not like this new brother by marriage.  “Not that it’s any concern of yours, but we shared almost everything with each other.”

“Hmm,” Gregor said. “I wonder how much everything included?”

“What are you trying to say, Gregor?” Fiona asked.  “Why are you so interested in my friendship with Brayden?”

“It’s of interest to me if it affects my brother,” Gregor said.

“Well it doesn’t matter now anyway,” Fiona said.  “I’ll not be seeing him again.”

“But it does matter,” Gregor said.  “As you’ve said, you shared everything with him.”

“Enough, Gregor,” said Logan, he had been riding close enough to hear the conversation.

“I’m just looking out for you, brother,” Gregor said.  “I’d hate for you to find out later how much your new wife shared with her friend.”  He stressed the words shared and friend, making them sound almost sinister.

“What my wife has or hasn’t done isn’t your business,” Logan told him.  He didn’t want to admit it, but because of Gregor, he too was beginning to wonder what was shared between his wife and her ex-betrothed.

“Ignore them, Fiona,” Brody said.  “They’re like this together most days.”

“That’s something I can easily accomplish,” Fiona said, giving her horse a nudge and making it speed up a bit to get away from the two men who were annoying her.

“You two are making the lass uncomfortable,” Brody said to the brothers.

“I’m just trying to get my brother to see she isn’t the perfect bride he thinks she is,” Gregor said.

“I barely know the girl,” Logan said, “and you don’t know her either.  Give her a chance, Gregor.”

“I heard enough from her ‘friend’ Brayden in the tavern to know they were closer than she’s letting on,” Gregor said.

“What did he say?” Logan asked his brother.

“Enough for me to believe you’re getting used goods,” Gregor said.

“I don’t believe that for a second,” Brody told them both, disgusted with what Gregor was insinuating.  “I’ve just met the lass, but she seems perfectly respectable to me.  She told me herself this Brayden was her best friend.”

“Her best friend that she shared everything with,” Gregor said again.  “Even her family seemed to be glad she was marrying quickly.  Why is that?”

“They were not happy with the marriage at all,” Brody said.  “Maybe if you wouldn’t have made such a scene when we arrived in the hall and had to leave, you’d know that.  Didn’t you notice how upset her Da seemed?”

“Didn’t seem that way to me.  In fact, why would any father give their daughter up to a man they hardly know without a fight?” Gregor asked.

“Because he knows better than to go against the King,” Logan said to his brother, although he was beginning to have doubts about the lass himself now.

“I guess you’ll know soon enough how much she and her betrothed shared,” Gregor said, nudging his horse ahead of the others, calling over his shoulder,  “I just hope it isn’t too late to undo this marriage by then.”

“Do you think he’s right and she had relations with this Brayden already?” Logan asked his friend.

“Nay,” Brody said.  “I don’t believe it.  I think Gregor is being an arse and just trying to cause problems between you and your bride,  but as he said, you’ll find out soon enough.”

**********

“We’ll stop and camp here for the night,” Logan said to his wife and men a few hours later.

“Thank goodness,” Fiona murmured. Her arse and thighs had gone numb quite a while before.  She was used to riding often and rode around Tarmon a few times a week, but rarely made trips of this distance.

“Let me help you,” Logan said, walking up to her horse and stretching his arms up to her.  She slid into them, and he slowly lowered her to the ground.

Fiona was happy to finally be off the horse until her feet hit the ground.  She held onto Logan for just a few seconds longer than it was probably necessary since she wasn’t sure her legs were going to hold her up at first.

“Are you alright?” Logan asked her, afraid to let go.

“I’m fine,” she said, as she let go of him.  “I’m just not used to being on a horse this long,” she explained.

“You should have said something if you needed a break more often,” Logan said to her.  “I would’ve stopped for you to stretch your legs.”
“She looks fine to me,” Gregor said, approaching them from behind.  “Is this too much for a fine lady like yourself?” he said sarcastically to Fiona.

“Don’t worry about me, Gregor,” Fiona said, liking the man less every time he talked to her.  “I can keep up with any man.”

“That’s what I heard in the tavern last night,” Gregor said to her.

“What are you talking about?” Fiona asked, trying to control her anger.

“I spoke with your friend Brayden at length, he also said you and him did everything together,” Gregor said, stressing the word everything.

“And what if we did?” Fiona asked, not picking up on his meaning.  “Why are you so obsessed with what I did with Brayden?”

“Hear that, brother?” Gregor said to Logan.  “She doesn’t even deny it.”

“Is it true, Fiona?” Logan asked, beginning to believe what Gregor was accusing her of having done.  It must be true since she didn’t deny it.

“He’s my best friend, and we were betrothed,” Fiona answered.  “I’ve done many things with Brayden.”
“So you don’t even try to hide it,” Gregor said, shaking his head.  “How shameful.”  He then turned to Logan and said,  “you would have been better off marrying Isobel.”

“Enough, Gregor,” Logan said, angry with both his new wife and brother.

“He’s probably not even the only one,” Gregor said quietly so only his brother would hear before walking away to join the rest of the men who were making camp, starting a fire and eating.

“Your brother is an arse,” Fiona said to Logan as they watched Gregor leave.

“You’re not the first to tell me that today.  I’ll find us a place to lay our bedroll for the night,” Logan told Fiona, not kindly at all.  He had thought to give her time to get used to him before consummating the marriage, but since it seemed she had already done so with another, he wasn’t going to wait and instead would find an out of the way spot for them to bed down for the night.

“That’s fine,” Fiona said, still not understanding what was going on in the conversation between the brothers.

“Are you hungry, Fiona?” asked Brody walking up to her.  “I’ve saved a spot near the fire for you to rest and have something to eat.”

“Thank you, Brody,” Fiona said, glad that at least one man at her new home would have some manners. “Do you know where my maid Edith is?”

“She’s waiting for you over there,” Brody said, pointing to a spot not far away. “I’ll take you to her.”

Fiona followed him over to where he had pointed, happy to see Edith already settled upon a log waiting for her.  “Can I get something for you to eat, Fiona?” Edith asked her.

“It’s already been done, Edith,” Brody said to them both, handing them some of the bread, cheese and dried meat they had brought to eat while traveling.  “You both just sit and rest now.  I know the ride today was hard on you.”

“Looks like you’ve both made yourselves comfortable,” Gregor said as he and Logan joined the group sitting near the fire.

“Gregor, did I do something to make you dislike me so much?” Fiona asked, tired of the snide remarks.

“My brother had to give up a woman he truly cared for to marry you,” Gregor said to her.  “I don’t need any other reason.”

“Enough, Gregor,” Logan said, not wanting to get into the fact that he hadn’t ever really cared for Isobel and giving her up had been more of a relief than a hardship.

“He’s not the only one who had to give someone up,” Fiona shot back at Gregor.  “I was going to marry someone I truly cared for myself.”

“I heard how much you cared for him already,” Gregor said.  “In fact, everyone in the tavern heard how much you gave of yourself to him.”

“I gave him my heart because he deserved nothing less,” Fiona said, wondering why he was acting so hateful.

“Aye, we all know how much you gave,” Gregor said, smirking at her.

“Lady Fiona,” Edith said.  “Can I speak with you in private?” Edith knew that Gregor was implying Fiona had given herself in full to Brayden, although Fiona didn’t.  She needed to get Fiona alone so she could explain it to her.

“There’s no need,” Logan said, letting Edith know she wouldn’t be getting time with his wife.  “I think we all understand what’s being said.  Time for us to turn in for the evening.  Brody, make sure you post guards for the night.”

“Already done, Logan,” Brody said.  “Can I speak with you alone for a moment, Logan?”

“No need, Brody,” Logan said, he had heard enough this night from everyone and had made a decision.  If his new bride was so willing to give herself to a man, then he was more than willing to take what she had offered another.  “Come, Fiona,” he said, extending his hand to her.

Fiona put her hand in his and let him pull her to standing, looking back at Edith who looked concerned.  “It’ll be alright,” she said to her maid and friend.  “I could use a moment of privacy,” Fiona said to Logan.

“I’ll make sure your needs are seen too,” Logan said, then turning to Brody he told him.  “Make sure the maid has a place to lay tonight.  I’m placing her safety in your hands.”

Brody nodded, “I’ll take care of her,” he said, hoping his friend wasn’t about to start off his marriage doing something he’d regret for the rest of his life.

Chapter 6 A Wedding Night to Forget

“Why did you put our bedrolls way over here?” Fiona asked Logan, as he led her a good distance away from the rest of his men.

“So we could have some privacy,” Logan said to her.

“Why?” Fiona asked, hoping he wasn’t going to want to consummate their marriage out in the middle of the woods with his men nearby.  She had an idea of what happened between a married couple thanks to Jacqueline, but she was nervous about the act itself.

“I think you know why, Fiona,” Logan answered.  Fiona wondered why he sounded angry; she hadn’t done anything wrong.

“Logan, please can’t we wait until we’re alone at your home?” she said, stepping back from him.

“You’re going to act like the shy maiden now?” Logan said to her, still angry at what he believed he’d learned from her conversation with Gregor.

“What do you mean act?” Fiona asked.

“Come now, Lady Fiona,” Logan said, stressing the word lady, “we all heard you say you’ve already given yourself to your beloved Brayden.  I’m your husband, what you gave him so willingly now belongs to me.”

“When did I say I gave myself to Brayden?” Fiona asked, becoming angry herself.  She knew she had never said such a thing.

“You shared everything with him,” Logan mocked, “after all, you were betrothed.”

“And you believe that means I would dishonor myself?” Fiona spat at him.  “It’s good to know you have such a low opinion of me.”

“Don’t try to back out of what you said now, Fiona,” Logan said.  “It won’t work.”

“Fine,” Fiona said to him, she knew by the way he was talking there was no changing his mind.  “But know that what happens here tonight, will never be forgotten, and will probably ruin any chance of this marriage being good for either of us.”

“I never expected much of anything from this marriage to begin with,” Logan said, lying.  Even though he was going to act on his beliefs, Logan began to get the feeling he was about to make a huge mistake but was just too angry to care.

“Then I guess neither of us will be disappointed since we’ll both be getting exactly what we thought out of it,” Fiona said.  “Let’s get this over with.”

“Fine with me,” Logan said.  He grabbed her and pulled her to him, pressing his lips to hers.

Fiona was shocked when Logan grabbed her the way he did, she had kissed Brayden a few times, but those kisses had always been gentle and hadn’t led to anything more.  She was a little taken aback when Logan thrust his tongue into her mouth, making her gasp and try to pull away, as he pushed it up against her own.

“Come now, Fiona,” Logan said, breaking the kiss, “let’s not act like as if you’ve never kissed a man before.”

“What makes you think I give my kisses away so freely?” she asked him, trying to catch her breath.

“You made it clear what you and your betrothed have done together,” Logan said.  “I’m going to make sure you forget all about him tonight.”

“You could never make me forget Brayden,” Fiona said, not caring anymore if her words angered him more, “he never treated me as you are.”

“I’m treating you as you deserve,” Logan said, grabbing her and leading her over to where he’d laid their bedding.

“Wait, Logan,” she began to panic and struggled to pull away from him as he started lowering her down on the tartan he’d spread on the ground earlier.

“Wait for what, Fiona?” Logan asked.  “You said yourself we need just to get this over and done.  I never thought I’d have a wife who wasn’t mine and mine alone, but then I didn’t get to pick for myself did I?”

“You’re a real arse, Logan Stewart,” Fiona said, not caring if she angered him more.  “I see it runs in your family.  First Lachlan showed his true colors, then your brother Gregor has shown on more than one occasion what an arse he is, and now it’s your turn.”

“You want to compare me to Lachlan?” Logan asked, becoming even angrier.

“You’re no better obviously,” she said,  “and I hate you already.”

“Enough, Fiona,” Logan said.  “I’ve had enough of your smart comments to last me the rest of the evening.”

“Get used to it,” Fiona told him, “this is what our marriage is going to be.”

“Nay, it won’t be,” Logan told her.  “There’s a way to quiet a woman if need be.”

“I’d like to see you try it,” Fiona said, knowing she was pushing him too far.

“Not another word, Fiona,” Logan said, trying to get his anger under control.

“I’ll say what I please, when I please,” she said, shoving him in the chest. “I wish I’d never married you.”

“That’s it, woman,” Logan said, grabbing her around the waist, picking her up and carrying her over to a log that was lying just a few feet away.  He sat down and promptly pulled her over his knee.

“This is obviously what you wanted,” Logan said, pulling her skirt and shift up, baring her arse.  He began bringing his hand down repeatedly, alternating sides.
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.
“Do you have more to say to me, Lady Fiona?” he stopped and asked her.

“Only that you’re a bigger arse than I thought,” Fiona yelled back at him.

“I show you what an arse I can be,” Logan said, “on your arse.”
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

“I really hate you,” Fiona said to him, fighting back tears.

“I don’t really care,” Logan said, but it wasn’t true.
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

“I was hoping for a good marriage, but with what I learned about you today, I doubt that’s going to be possible.”
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

“Stop, Logan,” Fiona said, tears beginning to drip down her cheeks.  “I can’t take much more.”

Logan stopped for a moment and looked down at the bare skin he had been striking and not paying attention to up until that moment.  He felt his cock jump as he rubbed his hand over the skin he had turned a dull shade of red.  “Are you done arguing with me?”

“Aye,” Fiona hissed at him, she was embarrassed as he rubbed her warm skin.  She didn’t want to admit that where his hand was rubbing actually felt good.

"I’ve had enough for tonight,” Logan said as he let his hand dip down between her thighs, she wasn’t wet yet, but he could see she was enjoying his roaming hand.

“Let me up now, Logan,” she said when she felt his hand touch the outside of her cunny.  “Please.”

“Not yet, My Lady,” Logan said, letting his finger press between her folds.  Fiona tightened up and tried to press her legs together.
Smack, smack.
“Open your legs,” Logan said to her.  He refused to go easy on her, ‘it’s not like she had never been touched there before,’ he figured.

Logan again let his finger rub between her folds,, finding the little nub that woman always seemed to enjoy having rubbed, licked and sucked.  He put two fingers on top of it and began to rub softly.  It took longer than he thought it would, but finally after some time, his wife pressed down on his fingers and letting out a soft moan.

Fiona wasn’t sure what was happening to her.  Logan was rubbing a part of her body she had never even known existed.  She flinched when he moved his fingers back up and pressed one up inside of her.

“I see you like that,” Logan said, finding her cunny finally getting wet.  “At least this part of our marriage can be good for us both.” He pulled his one finger out and pressed two back in, surprised by how tight she felt.

Fiona again flinched slightly as he pressed his fingers up inside her, it pinched for just a second as he began pushing them into her faster and more firmly.  She wasn’t sure what she was supposed to be feeling, but she became embarrassed as she started to enjoy what he was doing to her.

“It’s time,” Logan said as he lifted her up, his cock had become rock hard and he had to take her now.  Since she wasn’t a virgin there was no need to take it slow, he already knew she was enjoying herself by the cunny juice that had gathered on his fingers.  He laid her down on the tartan and pulled her legs apart as he lifted her skirts and released his cock from his brays.

“Logan, wait,” she tried to say as he came down on top of her and plunged his cock up into her with one thrust. “Ouch, stop Logan, please,” she cried as tears sprang to her eyes and leaked down her cheeks.

Logan had been enjoying himself up until he thrust himself up inside her, feeling her membranes tear at the same time he heard her gasp of pain.  He glanced down at his new wife, who was laying underneath him with her eyes closed and her head turned to the side.  He didn’t know what to do or say as he saw the tear tracks that rolled down her cheeks.

“I’m so sorry, Fiona,” he said honestly, afraid to move and hurt her more.

“Just get it over with,” she whispered, not looking at him.

Logan was too far gone to stop now.  At least it wouldn’t take long for him to finish, Fiona was so tight around his cock.  He pulled out a small ways and pushed back in, trying now to be gentle.  “I’ll try not to hurt you anymore,” he said, looking down at her, wishing she would at least look at him. He pulled out a small ways and pushed himself back in.

“You can’t hurt me any more than you already have,” she whispered, still refusing to look at him.  Logan knew she was right, he pulled out again and pushed back inside her.  It only took him a few more strokes before he felt his balls tighten and he shot his load up inside her.  It was the first time in his life he hadn’t truly enjoyed a bedding.

“Are you alright?” he asked her as he laid down next to her and touched her cheek, making her flinch away from him.

“It’s a little late to worry about that now don’t you think?” she asked, rolling on her side away from him.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked, wanting to touch and comfort her but knowing she’d never allow him to after what he’d done to her.

“Tell you what?” she said back to him.  “That I was a virgin?  I did try to tell you, but you’d obviously made your mind up about me already.”

“I thought you had shared yourself with this Brayden already,” he said.  “That’s what you made it sound like at the fire.”

“I never said any such thing,” Fiona said.  “All you had to do was ask me, and I would have told you.”

“The questions Gregor asked, and the answers you gave led me to believe different,” Logan said, trying to explain himself, but knowing he was the one who had done wrong.

“It doesn’t matter,” Fiona said.  “What’s done is done.”

“I truly am sorry, Fiona,” Logan said.

“It doesn’t matter,” Fiona said again.

“It does to me,” Logan said.

“Why does it matter now?” Fiona asked, her back still turned to him.  “Because you found out you were wrong?”

“Let’s get some sleep,” Logan said, sighing softly, not knowing what else to say to her.  “Tomorrow will be a better day.”  Fiona was right, he was an arse just like his brother and cousin.

“I doubt it,” Fiona said, scooting as far away from him as she could; not even wanting to touch him or even worse, have him touch her.

Logan knew it would be a long time before he’d fall asleep, if he would be able to at all.  He had to think of a way to make it up to her.  If there even was a way.

**********

“Did you sleep well?” Logan asked as she opened her eyes the next morning.

“Well enough,” she said, looking away from him.

“Today we start anew,” he told her.  “I thought about it well into the night.”

“So I’m just supposed to forget about last night?” she asked.

“I would like if you would,” he said, looking at her.  “I really am sorry, Fiona.”

“I don’t think I can do that,” she said to him as she got up and shook out her skirt with her back to him.  “When do we leave?”

“Let me get Edith to bring you a change of clothes,” Logan said to her, seeing the dried blood stain on the back of her skirt and once again feeling terrible about the way he’d treated her the night before.

Fiona looked back at her skirt and nodded, knowing she couldn’t be seen in the traveling outfit she had on ever again.  “That would probably be for the best,” she said to him.

Logan left her there and went and explained to Edith what was needed and where she could find his wife.  Edith quickly found Fiona’s things and gathered a change of clothes before headed into the woods.

“You don’t look happy, my friend,” Brody said to him as he watched the maid go.

“I’m not,” Logan said.  “I’m an arse is what I am.”

“Why do you say that?” Brody asked him.

“I thought my wife had been with her betrothed,” Logan explained.  “I was wrong.”

“I tried to tell you, but you wouldn’t listen.  Please tell me you were gentle with the lass,” Brody said sighing.

“Well I wasn’t rough,” Logan said, “but I sure didn’t treat her like the virgin bride she was.”

“A virgin bride?  I find that hard to believe,” Gregor said walking up to them and butting into the conversation.

“Shut up, Gregor,” Logan said grabbing him by the front of his shirt.  “This is your fault.  You’re the one who said that she’d been with this Brayden character.”

“Let me go! I never said anything of the sort, brother,” Gregor said, pulling away from him.  “I was just telling you what the lad had implied to me, but maybe I misunderstood him.  If you’ve messed things up with your bride, don’t blame me.”

“If I messed things up?” Logan said.  “Trust me, I definitely messed things up.  I’m hoping she doesn’t take a dirk to me in my sleep after last night.”

“Well if anything happens to you, we’ll know who to blame,” Gregor said, making sure neither Logan or Brody saw his grin as he walked away.

“What are you going to do now?” Brody asked him.

“A bit of groveling, maybe beg for her forgiveness?” Logan said shrugging.  “What else can I do?  What’s really sad, is that I really do like the lass, although she hates me now.”

“I’m sure she doesn’t hate you,” Brody said.

“She does,” Logan said.  “She let me know it when we were done.”  Brody winced as Logan walked away to check on the horses that were being prepared for the last day of their journey to Dunnottar.

**********

“Lady Fiona,” Edith called as she walked into the woods.  “Where are you?”

“I’m here, Edith,” Fiona called back.

“Logan said you needed a change of clothes,” Edith said as she finally found where Fiona had been waiting.

“Thank you, Edith,” Fiona said, turning her back so Edith could help her undo her gown.

“Oh my,” Edith said, seeing the stain on the back of the gown and knowing exactly what had caused it.  “I’m so sorry, My Lady.”

“No need to be sorry, Edith,” Fiona said, calming her maid and friend. She knew she was lying when she told her, “It wasn’t as bad as it looks.  Tell me about your night.”

“I was just near the fire,” Edith said blushing.

“What’s the blush for then?” Fiona said, not being able to hide her grin.

“That Brody sure is a good man,” Edith said.

“Are you sweet on him, Edith?” Fiona asked, Edith was right, Brody did seem like a good man, at least better than the one she’d been married too or his horrid brother.

“We only talked, Fiona,” Edith said, grinning back.  “But I enjoyed the evening very much.”

“Well maybe one of us will be able to find happiness from this marriage,” Fiona said frowning again.  “Help me change so we can get on our way.  The sooner we get to Dunnottar, the sooner I can get away from the beast I’m married too and his horrid brother.”

“I’m sorry your marriage isn’t what you were hoping it would be,” Edith said as she helped Fiona into a clean gown. “But you’re right about Gregor Stewart; I don’t like or trust him.”

“So far my marriage is a nightmare,” Fiona said, “but I’ll find a way to endure.  I agree with you about Gregor.  I don’t trust him either.”

“I’ll be by your side the entire time, My Lady,” Edith sincerely said, “we’ll endure Dunnottar together.”

“I know you will be, my dear friend,” Fiona said as Edith finished lacing up the back of her gown, “I’m ready.”

“What do you want done with this gown?” Edith asked, holding the soiled garment.

“I’ll take it,” Fiona said, taking the gown from Edith before walking out to where the guards were breaking camp.  Fiona was happy to see that the fire was still burning, she walked over to it and threw her gown on top, watching as it caught on fire.

“Why did you do that?” Logan asked, walking up besides her.  “I’m sure it could have been cleaned.”

“I don’t want to ever wear it again,” Fiona said.  “There aren’t good memories in that gown.”

“I am sorry, Fiona,” Logan said, apologizing again.  “I’m going to make it up to you.  Your first time shouldn’t have been like that.”

“Well it was, Logan,” she said, looking at him for the first time that morning, her eyes filling with tears, “it can’t be changed now.”

Logan nodded as she walked away, instead of heading to the horse she had ridden on yesterday, she walked to the cart her maid had traveled in, climbing up into the back.

“What are you doing?” Logan asked her, not wanting his new wife to enter Dunnottar in a cart, but on a horse at his side.

“There is no way I can ride today,” was all she said.  Logan thought about it for a moment before realizing what the problem was.  He nodded at her as Brody led Edith over and helped her up into the cart, showing more manners towards the maid than Logan had shown to his wife, making him feel even worse.

“How are you today, Lady Fiona?” Brody asked once Edith was settled.

“As well as can be expected,” Fiona answered politely.

“We’ll take it slow today,” Logan interrupted and said to the two women, “we should arrive at Dunnottar by late afternoon.”  Fiona said nothing but nodded at him once before looking away,

Once again neither Fiona or Logan had been paying any attention to Gregor who stood watching the couple, first scowling as they talked, and then grinning as Logan walked away, leaving his wife to ride in the cart like a common maid.

Chapter 7 Dunnottar

“Do you think that’s it?” Edith asked Fiona as a large castle and village came into view.

“I’m guessing it is,” Fiona said.  She hadn’t said much during their travels that day, lost in her own thoughts.

“Are you nervous?” Edith asked her.  “You’ve been unusually quiet today.”

“Just thinking, Edith, no need to worry about me,” Fiona said, forcing a smile.  “Did Jacqueline tell you about the necklace?” she asked, fingering the stone that still hung around her neck.

“She did, Lady Fiona,” Edith said quietly, “but I don’t think we should speak of it, just in case anyone is listening.  That should be something just the two of us know.”

“Agreed,” Fiona said, nodding, “I’m glad you’re thinking clearly today, Edith.  Have I thanked you for coming here with me?”

“No need to thank me, Fiona, we’ve been friends too long for that.  I wouldn’t have felt right letting you come alone.  When it comes to your necklace, I don’t know if I’m thinking clearly,” Edith said, “I just don’t know anyone here yet, so I’ll trust no one until I do.”

“Wise thinking,” Fiona said.  “I’ll follow your lead.”

“I know one person already that I don’t think I’ll ever trust,” Edith again said quietly, so only Fiona could hear.

“Who would that be?” Fiona asked.

“That Gregor Stewart,” Edith said.  “I don’t like that man at all, especially the way he looks at you.”

Before Fiona could question her further, Logan rode up next to the cart.  “I’d like you to ride in with me, wife,” he said to Fiona.

“I’ll try to ride, Logan if that’s what you want,” she said, not in the mood for an argument with him at that moment, she’d been very sore that morning, but began feeling better as the day had gone on.

“I don’t expect you to ride on your own,” Logan said, offering her his hand.  She placed hers in it, wondering what he meant, and was surprised when he pulled her forward, lifting her to sit sideways on his lap.  “I’ve got you,’ Logan said to her as he put his arms around her, “just lean back and relax.”

Although Fiona tried, she couldn’t relax against him.  There were just too many memories of the night before going through her head as her body touched his.  Logan could feel the tension in her and sighed as he gave his horse a small kick, making it move forward towards the gates of Dunnottar.

They rode into the keep with Logan and Fiona in the lead. Many of the villagers had gathered to get a look at the new lady of Dunnottar that they’d heard so much about, most of it from Isobel.  To Logan’s embarrassment, the welcome wasn’t exactly friendly.

“What’s going on?” Logan said to Brody.  “I’ve never returned to such frowns on the villager’s faces.”

“Look who’s gathered in the crowd,” Brody said, nodding towards Isobel who was speaking with many of the villagers, nodding and pointing subtly to where Fiona sat with Logan.  Logan got a bad feeling as he watched her, knowing she was most likely talking about his new wife.

“Good people of Dunnottar,” he shouted, stopping his horse.  “I’d like to present to you my new wife and the new lady of Dunnottar, Lady Fiona Stewart.”  There were a few polite claps, but no cheers as his people didn’t even try to be welcoming.

“I see I’m going to enjoy living here,” Fiona muttered.

“They just need to get to know you,” Logan said, “as I need to get to know you.”

“Well isn’t this going to be fun,” Fiona said.

“Give them a chance, Fiona,” Logan said.  “These are good hardworking people that live here in the village.  I’ve known most of them all my life.”

“Do you think they’ll give me a chance?” she asked quietly.

“I know they will,” he said to her, hoping he was right.  “I’d like you to give me another chance too,” he whispered in her ear, then sighed when she didn’t answer or even acknowledge that she’d heard him.

Logan once again nudged his horse forward, he rode to the castle steps and lowered Fiona to the ground before dismounting beside her.  “Make sure all the horses are given a good rub down and some oats,” he said to the stable boy who took the reins from him and led the horse away.  He gently took Fiona’s arm and led her into the hall, followed by Brody who was leading Edith, and Gregor.

“This is the main hall,” Logan told Fiona, “I’m sure most of what goes on here will be similar to Tarmon.”

Fiona nodded as a middle-aged woman approached apprehensively.  “Welcome home, Laird Stewart,” she said, giving a small curtsy to Logan.

“Thank you, Blair,” Logan said.  “I’d like to introduce you to my wife, Lady Fiona.  I’m having her trunks taken up to our room.  Could you please show her maid Edith where that is and where she’ll be able to bed down for the night, if there isn’t a room prepared for her already.”

“Of course,” Blair said.  She then turned to Fiona and cautiously said, “welcome to Dunnottar, Lady Fiona, if there’s anything you need just let me know.”

“Thank you, Blair,” Fiona answered.  “I appreciate your kind words.”

“Welcome home, Logan,” Fiona heard a young woman say as she approached.  She watched as the woman pulled Logan in for a hug, making sure her body pressed up tightly against his.

“Isobel, stop,” Logan quickly said as he pushed her away from him.  “This is my wife, Lady Fiona.”

“So this is the woman you had to give me up for?” Isobel said, turning to Fiona,  “are you happy with breaking up what could have been a happy coupling?”

Fiona had known who the woman was immediately.  She was lovely to look at, no wonder Logan had seemed so angry after having to set her aside.  It was too bad she didn’t seem as lovely on the inside, as she gave Fiona a genuinely hateful look.

“It’s not as if I had a choice either,” Fiona said.  “Isobel, isn’t it?”

“You made out well in the marriage,” Isobel said to her.  “I don’t see why you’d have any reason to complain.”

“I too had to give up my betrothed,” Fiona told the woman.  “I would have been happy to marry and stay at Tarmon.”

“Maybe you can go back,” Isobel said, sneering at her.

“Stop, Isobel,” Logan said forcefully.  “My wife will be staying right here at Dunnottar with me.  What are you even doing in here in the castle?”

“I wanted to make sure you arrived back safely,” Isobel said to him, putting her hand on his arm and stroking it.  “I was worried about you.”

“I’m fine as you can see,” Logan said to her, taking her hand off his arm and letting it fall at her side.  “I think you should leave while my bride gets settled.”

“I’ll walk you back to your cottage,” Gregor quickly volunteered.

“Thank you, Gregor,” Isobel said smiling at him, “you’re such a gentleman.”

Fiona couldn’t help but frown.  She’d spent the last two days traveling with Gregor Stewart, and she had found him anything but a gentleman.  She watched as the two walked out of the hall together, glad they were gone.

“Would you like me to show you around the keep, Lady Fiona?” Blair asked.  “I’d be happy to do that.”

“That’s alright, Blair,” Logan told the maid.  “I’d like to give Fiona a tour of the keep and village myself.”

“Then follow me, Edith, and I’ll show you to your new quarters,” Blair said to Fiona’s maid and friend.  “I had a room prepared just in case.”  Edith gave Fiona an encouraging smile before turning and following Blair up the stairs.

“Shall we, Fiona?” Logan asked as he offered Fiona his arm, which she took before turning to the guards who were still present,  “Brody and Seamus you’ll accompany us.”

“Do you normally take guards to the village?” Fiona asked.

“Always,” Logan said, “and you will too.  My Mither and Da were killed in the village by some enemies from another clan.  No one realized there was a threat until it was too late.  Since then, it’s been a rule that the Laird and now the Lady of the keep always have guards when they’re going anywhere outside the castle walls.”

“So I’ll be a prisoner here?” Fiona asked.

“Nay, Fiona,” Logan said, “when you’re in the castle or within the gates you’re free to go where ever you want unescorted, but if you leave the security of the keep walls, a guard will always be with you.”

“That seems a bit extreme,” Fiona said.  “Did you find who killed your parents?”

“We did,” Logan said, “it was dealt with, and there haven’t been any other issues for years now.”

“But still you have guards?” she asked.

“There will always be guards.  It’s not something I’ll negotiate with you,” he said sternly.  “Just follow the rule, Fiona, please, and all will be fine.”

“Aye,” Fiona said, although it seemed foolish to her, she could see how important it was to Logan.  He signaled the guards to follow as they headed out of the keep gates and into the village beyond.

Logan showed Fiona all around the village of Dunnottar, which was about the same size as Tarmon.  He took her to many of the local trade shops including the blacksmith, the broom maker, the tanner and the last stop was where the Dunnottar weavers worked.  He was usually proud of the people of the village he ruled over but was disappointed this day.  Although the people had been polite, they hadn’t been welcoming or friendly.

“Your weaving machines are different than any I’ve seen before,” Fiona said to him as they watched the women work.

“They’re something new one of the men we send to trade seen on his travels.  He returned with some of the cloth they’d woven to show us.  It’s a much tighter weave and better quality.  He explained the machines to our carpenters, and they were able to build them.  They work better than anything we’ve used before,” Logan said proudly.

“Can I go in and get a better look?” Fiona asked.  She didn’t care if the woman working didn’t seem happy to see her there.

“Of course,” Logan said as she entered the shop.  He waited till she was far enough away before turning to Seamus.  “What’s going on with the villagers today?”

“What do you mean, Laird?” Seamus asked.

“They’re not making Lady Fiona feel very welcome as the new Lady of the keep,” Logan said.  He was frustrated, and it showed in his tone. “I’d like to know why?”

“Lady Isobel told anyone who would listen while you were gone how you set her aside for Lady Fiona,” Seamus said.  “She made it seem like you were only doing it because of the King’s missive.  Even I heard the tale.”

“I never realized that Isobel was so well liked that she could turn a whole village against a woman they’d never even met,” Logan said.

Seamus laughed softly, then said, “she isn’t.  But it’s easier to make people hate an outsider than someone who’s lived here all their lives.  She’s also been passing it around how Lady Fiona’s family killed a Stewart.  According to her story, it was for no reason at all.”

“Damn it,” Logan said.  “That’s not the entire story.  Lachlan deserved what happened to him.  I hold no grudge against the McCabe’s, McCarthy’s or Frasers.”

“I know that, and so do many of the villagers,” Seamus told him.  “But there are still those who don’t care what Lachlan did or was trying to do; they just care that he was killed.”

“So what do I do now?” Logan asked, watching Fiona talk with the ladies running the weavers.  Though she smiled as she spoke to them, they answered politely but curtly.

“She seems like a very kind lady,” Seamus said.  “She’ll win them all over in time.”

“I hope so,” Logan said to him.

“Those weaving machines are amazing,” Fiona said when she rejoined Logan.  “I’d like to come back and try one when there’s time.”

“You like weaving?” Logan asked.

“I do,” Fiona said.  “I’ve always enjoyed it.”

“Then I’ll make sure you get a chance to try one,” Logan said.

“Would you object to me sharing the design with my brother Connor?” she asked.

“Not at all,” Logan said.  “When he and your Da visit, they can look at the new machines, if they’re interested I’ll have the plans copied for them.”

“That would be very kind of you,” Fiona said, somewhat surprised.

“I’m sure the ladies will be happy to show you the technique they use while weaving on them,” Logan said.  “I hear it’s a bit different than the old machines.”

“I’m sure they would show me,” Fiona said, “but I doubt they would be happy about it.  This hasn’t exactly been a warm welcome.”

“Once everyone gets to know you it’ll be better,” Logan said to her, hoping his words were the truth.

“We’ll see,” Fiona answered.  “Where to next?”

“Back to the keep,” Logan answered.  “It’s almost time for the evening meal.”

“I’m a bit hungry,” Fiona agreed, taking Logan’s offered arm once again and letting him lead her back to the keep.

Once through the gates, Logan went in a direction other than the hall.  “Where are we going?” Fiona asked him.

“There’s something I’d like to show you,” Logan said.  They entered what looked like a tower and climbed a tall set of stairs.  They entered a large room at the top where Logan led her over to an opening facing outward from the keep.

“Is that the sea?” Fiona asked him, looking out across the largest body of water she’d ever seen.  It stretched so far in front of her she couldn’t even see land on the other side.

“It is,” Logan said.  “This is one of my favorite views from anywhere in the castle.  Dunnottar gets a lot of our trade goods from the sea.  We catch fish, crab, and lobster.  I’ll take you down to the shore one day soon.  The water never warms much.”

“I’d like that.  This room doesn’t look like it gets used very often,” Fiona said, looking around at the dusty furniture.

“It hasn’t been used regularly for a very long time,” Logan said.  “My Mither used to come up here when she needed time away from everyone.”

“Thank you for bringing me here then,” Fiona said, meaning it.  Just then her stomach made a loud growl, making Logan laugh.

“Let’s head down for our meal,” Logan said.  “I think you’ll be happy with the cooks here at Dunnottar.”  Fiona nodded and let him lead her out of the room.

Fiona was hungry and looking forward to the meal until they entered the hall to find Gregor already seated at the Laird’s table.  Gregor wasn’t the only problem; there was also the woman he had sitting next to him that Fiona didn’t like.  Isobel looked up from where she was sitting and made eye contact with Fiona, giving her a hate-filled glare before smiling at Logan as they approached.

“Why are you at my table, Isobel?” Logan asked, not happy to find her there either.

“I’ve been sitting here for meals for a while now, Logan.  I’m not welcome to sit at your table anymore?” Isobel asked, giving Logan a pout.

“We aren’t betrothed anymore, Isobel.  It’s not right for you to be at the table with my wife and myself,” Logan said to her.

“I invited her to be my guest, brother,” Gregor said, almost as if it was a challenge.

“She can stay and have her meal here tonight, Gregor, but not again.  If you want to dine with Isobel, you can do it at one of the tables below,” Logan said to his brother.

“Are you letting your wife tell you who can and can’t sit at the Laird’s table already?” Gregor asked.

“Nay,” Logan said, standing his ground.  “Fiona had no say in this, it’s my decision, and I’ll not have Isobel causing problems with my wife.”

“Fine, brother,” Gregor said, “how quickly you replaced the woman you so recently loved.”

“It was never love,” Logan said, making Gregor wince and Isobel scowl.  “Isobel knows why we were going to marry.”

“That’s right,” Gregor said.  “I remember now what happened between the two of you.”

“Enough, Gregor,” Logan said, glancing over at Brody, and hoping his brother kept quiet.  If Fiona was going to hear about him and Isobel, he’d like to be the one to explain it.

“Although I’m ruined for any other man now,” Isobel said, sniffling, “I don’t want to cause any problems between you and your arranged wife.”

“What do you mean ruined?” Fiona asked.  She had been listening quietly until this point in the conversation.

“I’ll let your husband explain,” Isobel said, giving her a fake smile, “I’ll not gossip about our Laird.”

“Blair,” Logan called out loudly.

“Aye, Laird,” Blair said as she approached.

“My wife and I will take our meal in our chamber,” Logan said.  He then turned to his brother and Isobel.  “Enjoy your meal.”

“Why?” Fiona asked him.

“Because I don’t care for the company or the conversation at this table tonight,” Logan explained, taking Fiona by the arm and leading her out of the hall and up the stairs into the chamber they would be sharing.

Chapter 8 A Second Chance

“This is our chamber, Fiona,” Logan said, as he motioned for her to enter the room in front of him.

“We’ll be sharing a room?” Fiona asked as she walked past him, seeing the room for the first time.

“Of course,” Logan said, shutting the door behind them.

“I was hoping for a chamber of my own,” Fiona told him, wringing her hands nervously in front of her.

“We’ve had a bad start to this marriage already, Fiona,” Logan said, taking hold of her hands and trying to calm her.  “I know that most of that bad start is my fault,  I’d really like a chance to make it up to you.  To do that, I’d like us to share a room as we get to know each other.”

“How are you going to make it up to me?” Fiona asked.

“By trying to change your mind about me,” Logan said. “I haven’t been making the best impression.  How would you describe our marriage so far?”

“It’s been a nightmare,” Fiona said truthfully.

“It hasn’t been good,” Logan agreed, “but I think a nightmare might be a bit too strong of a description.”

“You have your opinion, and I have mine,” Fiona said shrugging.

“Fair enough, but will you give me a chance to make things right between us?” Logan asked.

“Do I have a choice?” Fiona asked him.

“Of course you do,” Logan said.  “We both have choices to make in this marriage.  The way I see it, we can hate each other and only be together when in it’s expected, or we can try to make this marriage a happy one and get to know each other.”

Fiona looked at him without saying anything for a long time, thinking about what he’d said.  “I’m willing to try,” she finally said, even though she didn’t expect it to get any better.

A knock sounded at the door, and Logan called for the servants to come into the room.  They delivered a fine meal which the two sat and ate together quietly.

“Tell me about Isobel,” Fiona finally said.  “What was she talking about when she told me you’d ruined her?”

“Do you really want to hear about Isobel?” Logan asked.

“I told you about Brayden,” Fiona said, again shrugging.

“And look how well that turned out,” Logan said to her.  “I turned into a jealous arse and ruined everything.”

“You were jealous?” Fiona asked, surprised by his admission.

“Of course I was,” Logan said. “You loved him; you only married me because you had too.”

“I loved him as a friend,” Fiona explained.  “We only agreed to marry because neither of us had found anyone else.  Why did you agree to marry Isobel?  She doesn’t seem like a very nice woman.”

“She isn’t,” Logan said.  “I’ll tell you, but it isn’t a very happy tale.”

“I’d like to hear it anyway,” Fiona said to him.

Logan sat back in his chair, thinking about where to begin.  Finally, he sighed and told her the story.  “There isn’t much to tell actually.  A little over a month ago Gregor convinced me to go to the tavern in the village with him for a mug of ale.  I don’t even like going to the tavern, but I thought it would be good to do something with my brother.  I’ve drunk many mugs of ale and never had it affect me, but this night I blacked out.  When I woke the next morning, I was in Isobel’s bed.”

“How much ale did you drink?” Fiona asked.

“I only remember having two mugs,” Logan told her.  “No more.”

“What happened when you woke?” Fiona asked, curious about how the event had turned into a betrothal.

“Isobel insisted I ruined her.  She said the only way for her to save her reputation was for me to marry her,” Logan explained.  “I didn’t know what else to do, so I agreed.”

“Where was Gregor?” Fiona asked.

“He said he left earlier, but I insisted on staying at the tavern, which is something I’ve never done before either,” Logan told her.

“And you believed him?” Fiona asked.

“What else could I do?  I had no clothes on when I woke,” Logan said, his face turning red.

“No wonder Isobel’s so upset you’re not marrying her,” Fiona said.  She wouldn’t admit it out loud, but she didn’t like hearing about Logan with another woman.

“The thing is, I remember nothing,” Logan told her.  “Brody doesn’t believe Isobel or Gregor.”

“You do?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” Logan told her.  “Can we talk about something more pleasant now?”

Fiona agreed, and they made small talk through the rest of their meal.  She enjoyed their time together for the first time and was glad that they seemed to get along well and the conversation flowed smoothly between them.  When they were done the servants again entered, this time with a large tub and buckets of hot water.

“I thought you might like a bath,” Logan said.

“I would love one,” Fiona said, thankful he had thought of it.  Before she could move, another knock sounded on their chamber door.  Again Logan summoned the person to come in the room.  Fiona was happy to see Edith enter.

“I’ve come to help you with your bath,” Edith said to Fiona.  “Are you ready now or would you like me to return in a little while?”

“I’m ready now,” Fiona said.

“I’ll leave you two alone then,” Logan said.  “I’ll return shortly.”

“Logan,” Fiona called to him as he walked towards the door, he turned back to her as she said, “thank you.”

“You’re very welcome, Lady Fiona,” was all he said before turning and exited the room.

“So where did they put you?” Fiona asked as Edith helped her undress and got into the tub.

“I’m just two doors down,” Edith answered.  “I have my very own chamber; it’s very nice.”

“Good,” Fiona said relieved.  “I was worried about you.”

“Don’t be,” Edith said, “so far the other servant’s here at Dunnottar have been very friendly.”

“At least they’re friendly to someone,” Fiona said sinking down further into the water.

“Lady Isobel has been saying some nasty things about you around the keep and village,” Edith said.  “I had to correct a few lies already, I’ve made it clear, I won’t allow anyone to talk badly about you.”

“I wish I were back at Tarmon,” Fiona said.

“It’ll get better,” Edith reassured her, grinning, “not everyone at Dunnottar is bad.”

“What’s that grin for?” Fiona asked, then looking at Edith more carefully she finally said, “there’s something you’re not telling me.”

“I don’t have to tell you everything,” Edith said laughing and dumping water over Fiona’s head before beginning to work some soap through her long hair.

“What has you smiling so, Edith?” Fiona asked, studying her friends face.  “It’s Brody, isn’t it?  You’re sweet on him.”

“I do like him,” Edith admitted, letting a small giggle escape.

“And he likes you?” Fiona asked, happy for Edith.

“I think so,” Edith replied.

“Then I’m happy for you,” Fiona said as Edith rinsed her hair.  “You deserve to find a good man.”

Fiona finished her bath and slipped into a nightdress with Edith’s help.  Edith brushed out her hair and plaited it before pulling back the covers on the large bed and letting Fiona slip underneath them.  “Do you need anything else?” Edith asked.

“Nay,” Fiona said, giving her a hug,  “thank you again for coming here with me.  I’d be much more afraid without you here.”

“You’re a Fraser, nothing scares you for long, plus, I wanted to come,” Edith said.

“I still want you to know how thankful I am you came with me,” Fiona said.  “Find your bed, and I’ll see you on the morrow.”  Edith nodded and left the room, quietly closing the door behind her.

She laid there quietly thinking about the day; it hadn’t been that bad.  In fact, she had liked Logan during their meal together; it wasn’t long until she heard him enter the room.  “How was your bath?” he asked quietly.

“It was wonderful,” Fiona said, stiffening as he climbed into bed next to her.

“We talked about trying again, Fiona,” Logan said to her.  “I’d like a second chance in the marriage bed also, but not until you’re ready.”

“It’s your right, Logan,” Fiona said, dreading what she was afraid was going to happen over the next few minutes.

“Nay,” Logan said.  “I want a second chance to show you how things should be between a husband and wife.  What happened last night wasn’t the way it’s supposed to happen.”

“I didn’t know there was a different way to do it,” Fiona said to him.

“There are many different ways,” Logan said to her, “but tonight I’d like the chance to do it the way I wished I would have last night.  Will you let me?”

Fiona thought about it, looking at him.  He sounded sincere enough, and she finally nodded at him, even though she was still afraid.

Logan reached over and gently pulled her into his arms.  “What are you doing?” Fiona asked, her body still tense.

“I’m going to kiss you,” Logan said as he gently pulled her to him and pressed his lips to hers, kissing her softly over and over again until he finally felt her relax against him.  “That wasn’t so bad was it,” he asked as he broke the kiss.

“Nay,” was all Fiona said. She was actually enjoying it this time.

“Let’s try it again,” Logan said, pulling her in even closer and kissing her some more.  He started with small kisses, breaking often and then returning for more.  Soon Fiona was returning each one.  He let his tongue slip between his lips and ran it across the seam of hers until she opened her mouth just enough to let him slide his tongue in, where he touched it to her own

“That was nice; I liked it,” Fiona said when Logan again broke contact, her face turning red.

“It’s supposed to be,” Logan said, dipping his head to hers again, this time when he slid his tongue into her mouth she immediately met his with her own, letting them swirl around together.

Logan slowly turned with her in his arms, laying her on her back so that he could look down at her, “can we take this night dress off?” he asked, fingering the material around her neck.

“Do I have too?” she asked nervously.

“Nay,” Logan said.  “But it’ll be more pleasurable for both of us if you do.”

Fiona thought about it for a few seconds before pulling the covers up to her chin.  She reached down and pulled her nightdress up over her head, making sure she stayed fully covered.  She let it fall on the floor next to the bed.

Logan didn’t say anymore as he leaned over her and again kissed her..  This time Fiona joined in quickly, knowing what to do.  Logan slowly slid the covers down just enough to uncover her breasts as he ran his hand up and down her arm, not wanting to scare her or go to fast like he did the night before.

Fiona felt the cover slide down, and the cool air hit her exposed breasts, at first she wanted to reach down and pull it back up to cover herself, but she was enjoying what was happening too much to break the spell Logan had created.  It wasn’t until he cupped her naked breast in his large hand that she jumped slightly, she jumped a second time when she felt his thumb stroke back and forth over her nipple, which hardened almost immediately.

“These are perfect,” Logan said to her as he broke their kiss and cupped a breast in each hand, squeezing them firmly but gently, making Fiona blush as he smiled down at her.  “I bet they taste good too.”

“What do you mean?” Fiona asked as he lowered himself a bit on the bed and drew one into his mouth, sucking on it and letting his tongue swirl around the nipple.  It felt so good she arched her back and grabbed onto both sides of his head, urging him to take more into his mouth while he plucked at the nipple of the other breast with his fingers.  “Oh,” was all Fiona could say.

“Feels good?” Logan asked as he withdrew his mouth from one breast and changed to the other side.

“Aye,” was all she could say.

“Then you’re going to love what comes next,” Logan said, uncovering the rest of her and scooting down even lower.  “Spread your legs, Fiona,” he added, regretting the words as he felt her tense up.  “There will be no pain this time.  I promise, only pleasure.”

Fiona wasn’t sure if she believed him, but she liked what they’d done so far, so she decided to do as he asked.  She jumped a bit again as he positioned himself between her legs, so he was looking directly down at her cunny.

“What are you going to do?” Fiona asked, her face again turning red.

“Make you scream my name, love,” Logan said, as he kissed her right on the mound of hair that covered her most private place.

“How are you going to do that?” she asked.

“I’ll show you,” he said, taking the folds of her cunny and pulling them apart, exposing her clit and cunny hole, which was already glistening with her juices.

Logan pressed his tongue against her clit, feeling that perfect little pink nub begin to harden immediately.  Fiona squealed slightly as he ran his tongue down to her opening and thrust it up inside her, tasting how sweet she was. He smacked his lips and looked up at her grinning, “mmmm, you taste so good,” he said to her, before thrusting his tongue into her again.

“Logan,” she said quietly, thrusting her hips up towards him.

“I said I was going to make you scream my name, not squeak it,” he said, grinning and then going back to work, licking her from clit to opening over and over again.  As her nub hardened he licked over it with more intensity, back and forth and side to side, he took one finger and gently worked it up into Fiona’s hole until it was buried as deep as he could get it.  He began pumping in and out of her with his finger while he drew her nub into his mouth sucking on it.  He felt his wife tighten around his finger as her clit began pulsating in his mouth, he grinned knowing she had just experienced her first orgasm.

“What just happened?” she asked him once her body calmed again.  She had been a bit frightened by the experience.

“That, Fiona, was you experiencing pleasure,” Logan said.  “But you didn’t scream my name, so I haven’t done a good enough job.”

Logan again lowered his head and began licking the nub that was still sensitive to any touch, making Fiona arch her back so hard if he wouldn’t have been holding her by the hips, she most likely would have come right off the bed.  He was relentless this time, pushing two fingers inside her and pumping them vigorously, finding the area up inside her that seemed the most sensitive.  Logan pushed his tongue down firmly on her nub which had grown hard again almost immediately.  He was enjoying his wife’s reaction even though his cock was now so hard it was almost painful.

“Come for me, Fiona,” Logan said to her, “come now.”  He shoved his fingers up into her firmly as he again sucked her clit into his mouth, Fiona tightened around his fingers as her clit again pulsated, her juices flowing down his hand.

“Logan,” she screamed, making Logan smile as he slowed his actions down and let her body relax.

Logan didn’t give her time to think, he climbed up over her, bringing his lips down onto hers as he pushed his cock up inside of her.  Fiona didn’t even have time to worry about it hurting before he was buried deep inside of her.

“It didn’t hurt,” she said to him.

“Does it feel good?” he asked, pulling his hips back and thrusting slowly but firmly back into her.

“It feels full,” she said, then added, “but good too.”

“It’ll get better,” he said to her.  “Put your hands on my arms.” she did as he said and he began to pull out and thrust back into her slowly, building up a steady rhythm.

“Oh,” Fiona said, gripping onto him tighter as she began lifting her hips up to meet his every thrust, wanting to pull him deeper inside her.

“Wrap your legs around me,” Logan said, and again she did what he asked without any hesitation.

Logan began to thrust harder and quicker as his wife’s breathing became louder and a moan would escape occasionally.  She tightened her legs around him as she brought her hips up with much more force, meeting his every thrust as he began pushing into her harder and faster.  Soon she wrapped her arms around his neck, trying to pull him closer.  Logan laid his forehead against hers, watching her face as once again she came, throwing her head back as she again screamed his name,” Logan!”  That was all he needed to join her, thrusting into her tightening hole one, two, three times, before shooting his seed far up inside her cunny.

He let himself lie still for a few seconds on top of her before pulling out and laying down beside her, pulling her into his arms.  “Are you alright?” he finally asked.

“If second chances are that good, I’m afraid a third chance just might kill me,” she said giggling.

“That’s the first time I’ve really heard you laugh,” Logan said.  “I like it.”

“I haven’t had much to laugh about lately,” Fiona said to him.

“I’d like to give you many reasons to laugh again,” he said.  “Maybe the third chance will do it.”

“I think you’re trying to kill me,” she said, grinning at him.

“I can’t think of a better way to go,” Logan said, chuckling.

“At least if I die it will be with a smile on my face,” she agreed, giggling again.

“I’m up to the challenge,” Logan said, pulling her back to him.  “I’ve disappointed you once, I’ll not take the chance of doing it again,” he said as he brought his lips down hungrily on hers once more.

Chapter 9 Too Many Accidents

“What are your plans for today, wife?” Logan asked as Fiona woke.

“I was hoping you’d take me to the archery fields,” Fiona said, stretching.  “I haven’t practiced in a long time.  Why are you up and dressed already, husband?”

“I’ve been neglecting my duties the last week,” he said, leaning down and giving her a quick kiss, “although I’m not complaining.  I’ve enjoyed our time alone, but I need to get back to running this clan.”

“I understand, I’ve enjoyed our time together too,” Fiona said, smiling at him.  “Can I go to the archery fields if I take Seamus with me?”

“Not today,” he said to her,  “my men have plans to be practicing there today.”

“Fine,” Fiona said, a little disappointed, “can I go into the village?”

“Of course, you’re free to go wherever you want during the day.  I’ll leave two guards to escort you,” Logan said.  “In fact, I’ve been thinking about making Seamus your guard at all times when you leave the keep.  He’s getting older now; I’d like to make things a bit easier on him.”

“I like Seamus,” Fiona said.  “He’s one of the few here that are nice to me.  I love his wife Blair too.”

“They’ve been working here in the castle for as long as I can remember,” Logan told her.  “When would you like to leave for the village?  I’ll talk to Seamus and let him know your plans.”

“I was going to take Edith with me,” Fiona explained.  “I’m sure we’d be fine, the village is a short walk from here.”

“Fiona,” Logan said, sitting back down on the bed and looking seriously at her, “the guards will always go with you when you leave the keep.  I’ve explained why and it’s a rule I won’t renegotiate.  Don’t break it; you wouldn’t like the consequences.”

“Aye,” Fiona answered, she already had an idea what the consequences would be and didn’t want to find out if she was right.  She and Logan had been getting along so well the last week; she was beginning to think their marriage might work out.  She didn’t want to take any chances on ruining what they’d started to build together.

“Two guards,” he said to her, “but if you see anything you’d like to purchase, just have them send me a bill at the castle.”

“Thank you, husband,” Fiona said, as he again leaned down and gave her a quick kiss.

“I’ll see you later,” he said as he left the room, leaving her to get dressed for the day.

**********

“So tell me about you and Brody,” Fiona said to Edith as they walked towards the village.

“There isn’t much to tell,” Edith said, as she blushed.

“Nothing at all?” Fiona asked. “From that blush, I’d say there must be something.”

“Well, maybe not nothing,” Edith said laughing.  “I guess you could say we’re courting.”

“Is it serious?” Fiona asked.

“Not yet,” Edith answered, “but I’m hoping it might turn that way.  I really do like him.”

“Then I wish you happiness,” Fiona said to her.  “You deserve it, Edith, you’ve been a great friend to both me and Jacqueline.”

“Because you’ve both always been so good to me,” Edith said to her.  “You and Laird Steward seem to be getting along much better.”

“We are,” Fiona said.  “There may be hope for this marriage yet.”

They continued to stroll quietly along, enjoying the warm sun on a beautiful autumn day.  It didn’t take long for them to reach the edge of the village, their guards trailing just far enough behind to give them some privacy.

“Look there’s Blair,” Fiona said, waving to the older maid from the castle.  “Hello, Blair,” she called to her, “how are you faring this fine day?”

“Lady Fiona,” Blair said, smiling at her, “I’m so glad to see you finally out enjoying the sunshine today.”

“It’s a beautiful day,” Fiona said, it was her turn to blush, “much too nice to spend inside the castle.  I’m hoping we aren’t boring the guards my husband insisted accompany me on this trip to the village.”

“Seamus doesn’t mind guarding you,” Blair said, smiling over at her husband.  “Do you, dear?” she called to him.

“Do I what?” Seamus asked.

“You don’t mind guarding Lady Fiona as she goes to the village,” Blair said to him, then she whispered to Fiona and Edith,  “at least he doesn’t come home smelling of training and sweat like when he was younger.”

Fiona and Edith both laughed with Blair.  Before Fiona had time to comment back, an out of control cart, being pulled by a mule came around the corner of the building they were standing near, heading right towards the three women.

“Look out,” Seamus yelled, knowing he wasn’t going to make it to the women in time.

Fiona acted quickly, pushing both Edith and Blair out of the way before attempting to jump to safety herself.  The two women both sprawled on the ground, turning just in time to see the edge of the cart graze Fiona, striking her just hard enough to make her fall to the ground.

“Fiona,” Edith yelled, getting up and running over to her, “are you hurt?” she asked, worried about her friend.

“Just bruised,” Fiona said.  “Are you both alright?” she asked, getting back on her feet, wincing a bit in the process.

Edith nodded as Seamus helped his wife to her feet, hugging Blair close to him as he asked,  “are you hurt, Lady Fiona?”

“I’m fine, Seamus,” she assured him, “I’ll be a bit bruised on the morrow, but nothing that won’t heal.”

“Where the hell did that cart come from?” Seamus yelled out to the villagers that were beginning to gather.

“It was mine,” a man said, breaking through the crowd.  “I had him tied in front of the blacksmith; I don’t know how he got away or what spooked him.  Are you alright, Lady Fiona?”

“He could have killed someone,” Seamus yelled at the man before Fiona had a chance to answer, “you need to take better care when securing your animal.”

“I will, sir,” the man said, “I’m very sorry.”  He then ran off, trying to catch his out of control mule.

Fiona looked over and seen Isobel and Gregor both standing together watching what was happening.  She was a bit taken aback when Isobel made eye contact with her and smirked.  Fiona couldn’t help but wonder if she might’ve done something to cause the almost accident, but then decided she was just being paranoid.  After all, it seemed half the village was now standing around watching them.

“Maybe we should head back to the keep,” Seamus said, worried about Logan’s reaction when he heard what’d happened.

“We’re all fine, Seamus,” Fiona reassured him. “If there’s any more trouble, I promise to head back to the keep with no arguments.”

“I’d rather we head back now, but I don’t want to ruin your morning out,” Seamus said, “you ladies stay close to me from now on, and you get back to the castle wife.  My heart can’t take another near miss like that one.”

“I will, husband,” Blair said to him, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek, “and you make sure you keep our new lady safe.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen Laird Stewart as happy as he’s been the last week.”

Fiona blushed at Blair’s words, knowing exactly why Logan had been so happy.  They had been spending a significant amount of time in their chamber, and not much of it had been spent sleeping.  The servants of Dunnottar must have noticed their absence.  “Thank you, Blair,” she said shyly, “I’ve been very happy this past week too.”

“As a new bride should be, dear,” Blair said, patting her on the arm before heading back to her duties within the castle.

Fiona and Edith continued with their day, shopping at the various merchants and trade shops. Fiona smiled, nodded and greeted almost everyone they passed; it was rare when she got more than a polite nod or a scowl back in return.

“Do you think the villagers here will ever like me?” Fiona finally asked Edith as their morning trip continued.

“Of course they will,” Edith said, trying to reassure her.  “They’re the ones acting horribly.  Everyone that gets to know you loves you.”

“Obviously here in Dunnottar, Isobel is more loved than I,” Fiona said, sighing as they walked past the fletchers workshop.  “Let’s stop for a quick rest,” Fiona said, stopping and sitting down just as an arrow shot out of the building, just missing her and sticking into the wall of the structure behind her.

“What the hell,” Seamus said, running into the building.  He wasn’t in the hut long when they heard the sound of heated voices.

“It was an accident,” Fiona heard, she recognized the voice immediately, Gregor Stewart.

“You could’ve killed the lady,” Seamus said.

“Well we sure wouldn’t want that to happen,” Gregor sneered.

“I’ll be talking to the Laird about this,” Seamus said to Gregor before walking back to Fiona and Edith, “I really think we should return to the castle now.”

“Alright, Seamus,” Fiona agreed, “the village doesn’t seem very safe today anyway.”

Seamus helped Fiona up, and they slowly made their way towards the castle.  “Where are all the men going?” Fiona asked, seeing the large group of guards walking together.

“They must be done with archery practice for today,” Seamus said.  “Laird Stewart said they would be training there this morning.”

“Oh,” Fiona said, she didn’t say anything to Seamus, but her hopes of getting in some target practice seemed to be possible again.  She really needed some time alone to work through the things that had happened in the village that morning.

“I’m just going to go up to my chambers and rest for a while this afternoon,” Fiona said to her guards, once they returned to the castle.

“Would you like me to come with you, Lady Fiona?” asked Edith.

“I would,” Fiona said, “thank you.”

Fiona and Edith climbed the stairs to the chamber she shared with Logan.  “Would you like me to get you anything, Fiona?” Edith asked.

“Just my bow and arrows,” Fiona told her.

“What do you need them for?” Edith asked.

“You and I are going to go over to the archery fields so I can get a little practice,” Fiona answered.

“I thought Logan said you couldn’t go today,” Edith said.

“He said I couldn’t go because the men were training there today, but you saw yourself that they’re done, so the field will be empty,” Fiona explained.

“Should I get Seamus to accompany us?” Edith asked.

“Nay!” Fiona said.  “We won’t be gone long; no one will even know we’ve left the castle.”

“This isn’t a good idea, Fiona,” Edith voiced her objection.  “I don’t think you should go against your husband’s orders.”

“Don’t worry so,” Fiona said.  “The field isn’t that far away, so we’ll be perfectly safe.”  Fiona grabbed her bow and the arrows her Da had specially made for her; they snuck quietly down the hall and the back stairs undetected.  Soon they were outside and had arrived at the archery fields, Fiona felt happy as she notched her first arrow and took aim.

**********

“Where’s my wife?” Logan asked Seamus as he came back down the stairs.  He had missed Fiona that morning and returned to the castle looking for her.  Logan wasn’t even sure why, he just felt he needed to see her.  He had gone to their chamber looking for her after being told she had gone for a rest and found it empty.

“She isn’t in your chambers?  She said she was going to rest after the near accidents in the village this morning,” Seamus answered.

“What near accidents?’ Logan asked, becoming concerned.

“First one was a runaway mule and cart,” Seamus said, “my Blair would have been killed if not for your Fiona.”

“Explain,” Logan said to Seamus.

“The ladies were standing and talking and out of nowhere came a cart being pulled by an out of control mule.  Fiona pushed both Edith and Blair out of the way before just jumping out of harm’s way herself.  The cart grazed her as it went by; knocking her down,” Seamus told him.  “She refused to come back to the keep and said she was fine.”

“You said accidents?” Logan said to him.  “Was there more than one?”

“The second was because of Gregor,” Seamus told him.  “Lady Fiona had just sat down to rest when an arrow came flying out the door at the fletchers.  Gregor said he was testing a new bow and the arrow slipped when he notched it.  If the lady hadn’t stopped when she did, that arrow probably would have killed her.”

“What happened after that?” Logan asked, the more he heard of Fiona’s day, the harder it was to contain his anger.

“We headed back to the keep,” Seamus said.  “Lady Fiona told me she was going to go upstairs and rest.”

“And there were no other incidents?” Logan asked.

“Nay, Laird,” Seamus said.  “We saw the men heading back to the training yard from the archery fields, and that was it.”

“Would you like me to help you search for her?” Seamus asked.

“Not necessary,” Logan said.  “I know where she probably went; you can bet when I find her I’m going to make sure she never leaves without her guards again.”

“Where is she?” Brody asked.

“My guess is the archery fields,” Logan said.

“What do you think about all the accidents Seamus said happened today?” Brody asked.

“I don’t like it,” Logan said, “and I’ll be talking to my brother later.  I’m not liking this new found friendship between him and Isobel.”

“Have you seen Edith?” Brody asked. “I couldn’t find her either.”

“My guess is she’s with my wayward wife,” Logan answered, turning and walking out of the hall.

“Looks like we both need a talk with our women,” Brody said, following Logan out of the castle.

Chapter 10 Punishment

“Don’t you think we should be getting back to the keep?” Edith asked nervously.  “What if Logan goes looking for you?”

“Just one more shot,” Fiona said, she was having a grand time and hated for it to end.  “He’s busy with his men for a while longer yet.”

“If your husband finds out you were out here alone he isn’t going to be happy,” Edith said.

“How will he find out?” Fiona answered.

“He’ll find out when he comes home early and finds you gone,” a male voice said from behind them, making Fiona jump as she released her arrow, making it go wide and miss the target.

“Logan,” Fiona said, spinning around and smiling nervously at him. “Hello, husband.”

“That would be me,” Logan said. “You do remember me, the husband who told you to never leave the keep without a guard?”

“We’ve only been out here a short time, Logan,” Fiona said, she was nervous now that she had been caught.  “We were coming back to the castle soon.”

“What do you consider a short time, wife?” Logan asked.

“Less than an hour,” Fiona said.

“Since one hour is such a short time to you, that’s how long your punishment will last when we get back to our chamber,” he said calmly.

“Nay,” Fiona said.  “That’s too long, Logan; I just needed a little time away.”

“Laird Stewart,” Edith said, “we were cautious on our way here.”

“Be quiet, Edith,” Brody said from where he stood next to Logan.  “Did you know Lady Fiona wasn’t supposed to leave the keep alone?”
“I knew,” Edith said truthfully.

“Then you and I will also be having a private discussion when we get back to the keep,” Brody said to the maid.

“It was my idea to come here,” Fiona said to Brody, not wanting Edith to be in trouble too.  “Edith tried to talk me out of it.”

“You’re in enough trouble already,” Logan said to her.  “I’d be quiet and say no more if I were you.  Let’s go.”

“Wait,” Fiona said.  “I need to collect my arrows before we go.  My Da had them specially made for me.”

“Let’s do it quickly then,” Logan told her, walking with her to the targets and helping her pull them out.  Even though he was angry with his wife, he couldn’t help but notice the difference in the design of her arrows.  He made a mental note to ask her about them later.

“You have them all?” Logan asked her, looking around at the targets for any they might have missed.

“I do,” Fiona said.  “I don’t know why you’re so angry with me, Logan, nothing bad happened to us here.  We were perfectly safe.”

“Nay, you weren’t,” Logan said as he led her back towards the keep.  “We’ll discuss this in the privacy of our room.”

“Why can’t we discuss it now?” Fiona sassed back at him, tired of his attitude.  Nothing bad had happened to them while they had been out on their own.

“Trust me,” Logan said quietly as they walked through the gates and into the keep, “you don’t want to discuss this here where others can see.”

“Maybe I do,” Fiona said, not sure why she was picking a fight with him.

“Fine,” Logan said, grabbing one of her arrows with one hand and her arm with another.  He walked over to a bench that sat in the middle of the keep, in view of everyone that was there.  He put his foot up on it and flipped her over his knee so fast she didn’t even have time to stop it from happening.

“Don’t you dare do this here, Logan,” she screamed at him, struggling to get up and drawing, even more, attention to the pair.

“You wanted to discuss this out here, so let’s discuss it,” Logan said.  “I told you to never go anywhere without a guard didn’t I?” he began to bring the arrow down across her gown covered thighs.
Swish, splat, swish, splat, swish, splat, swish, splat, swish, splat.

“Logan, stop,” Fiona yelled, even though her legs were covered it stung more than she expected.  “That hurts too much.”

“You wanted to discuss it out here remember, Fiona?” Logan said to her.
Swish, splat, swish, splat, swish, splat, swish, splat, swish, splat.
“Is that still your wish, wife?”

“I wish I had my bow and that arrow so I could shoot it right through your heart,” she yelled at him, although Logan fought back a grin, the villagers who were watching gasped.  No one had ever dared talked to their laird that way.

“I’ve found a much better use for this arrow,” Logan said to her.
Swish, splat, swish, splat, swish, splat, swish, splat, swish, splat.
“Would you still like to continue our discussion out here, wife?” he asked her.
Swish, splat, swish, splat, swish, splat, swish, splat, swish, splat.

“Nay you brute,” Fiona yelled at him.

“I’ll show you a brute,” he said, flipping her back up onto her feet, then placing a shoulder into her midriff, he slung her over his shoulder like a sack of grain.

“Put me down, Logan,” She said, smacking him on the back.  “I can walk.”

“I like you right where you are,” he said, landing a few well-placed swats on her bottom cheeks.
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.
Fiona was quiet the rest of the way to their chamber, Brody and Edith followed behind as Brody led Edith into her own small room.

“Strip,” Logan said, as soon as he lowered Fiona to the floor and stepped away.

“Why?” she asked him.  “I thought we were going to discuss this.”

“That’s five extra,” Logan calmly said.  “Once again, strip, Fiona.”

Fiona went to protest, then thought better of it since her thighs and arse were already sore.  She peeled off her clothes until she stood in front of him naked.  “Happy now,” she said to him.

“Nay,” Logan said.  “I’d rather have you naked for loving, not a punishment, but it’s a punishment you’ve earned, and you’ll be getting.”

“I wasn’t in any danger, Logan,” Fiona again tried to explain to him.

“What about the accidents in the village today, Fiona?” Logan said.  “Something doesn’t seem right.  I warned you never to leave the keep without a guard, and you did so anyway.”

“But we were careful,” Fiona argued.

“No more talking, Fiona,” Logan said.  “You were warned what would happen if you defied my rule.  You did it anyway so let’s get this over with.”  He walked over to a desk in the corner of the room and grabbed the chair that was in front of it, pulling it into the middle of the chamber.  “Get your hairbrush and bring it to me,” Logan said, sitting down in the chair.  Fiona groaned, her Da had used her hairbrush on her more than once growing up, it was never pleasant.

“Can’t you just use your hand?” she asked meekly.

“Not this time,” Logan said, “get the brush or I’ll add more extras, and trust me, you’re going to be sore enough without them.”

Fiona brought the brush to him and placed it carefully in his hand; her own hands were shaking slightly. “Over my knee,” Logan said, nodding down at his lap.  Fiona sighed and placed herself where he wanted her.  “These first twenty are for going against my orders.  I may be your husband, but I am still the laird of this keep, and my orders will be followed, especially when it comes to your safety.”  There were no more words as the brush began to make contact with her arse and thighs.
Splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat.

“Ouch, Logan,” Fiona yelled, tears streaming down her cheeks, “I’m sorry.  Please stop, I’ll listen from now on.”

“You most certainly will,” Logan said, looking down at her now bright red cheeks.  “I’m going to make sure you don’t ever want this punishment repeated.  These next twenty are because you knew how I felt about you going off alone outside this keep, and you did it anyway.”
Splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat, splat.
“Stand up, and I want your nose in that corner,” he said, pointing to a corner of the room.

Fiona went to the corner willingly; her Da had made her stand that way many times after a spanking.  “You’ll stand there and not move for the next fifteen minutes, I want you to think about all the things that could have happened to you,”  Logan said to her.  Fiona was surprised to hear the door shut behind him.  She let out a sigh of relief and stood quietly, glad the punishment was over.

Logan reentered the room as her fifteen minutes of corner time was just about up.  “You can come over to the bed now,” Logan said.  Fiona turned and at first smiled at him, until she noticed the pillows he had stacked there.  “Lay over the pillows.”

“I thought we were done,” she said to him quietly.

“Not quite yet,” Logan said to her.  “I told you I’m going to make sure you never leave here unescorted again.”

Fiona sighed, seeing he wasn’t going to change his mind, she walked over and did as he asked.  “I’m already very sore, Logan.  I won’t do it again, I promise.”

“You’re going to be much sorer by the time I’m done,” Logan assured her, pulling out a strap and standing behind her.  He began rubbing her arse gently, “I’m going to need you to relax,” he said to her, putting what felt like his finger on her bottom hole.

“What are you doing?” she asked him, trying not to tense up as she felt him pushing inside her.

“This is part of your punishment,” Logan said to her, giving her four hard swats with his hand, making her unclench her anus.
Smack, smack, smack, smack.
She felt his finger push fully into her, then she felt the burn and realized it wasn’t his finger.

“That burns, Logan,” she cried, “what is that?  Take it out.”

“It’s ginger,” Logan calmly told her, “my Da used to say it was the best way to get a woman’s attention, today I’m taking his advice.  Am I getting your attention?”

“It’s burning me,” Fiona said, “please, take it out.”

“It feels like it’s burning you,” Logan said, “but it’s not.  You have fifteen coming with the strap, it would have been ten, but we have the five extras to take care of.”

“Please, Logan,” Fiona pleaded, “I’m already sorry, this is too much. Please take it out.”

“When we’re done here,” he said.  “Now what did you think about why you were standing in the corner?”

“That I should have listened to you,” she answered, having a hard time concentrating with the ginger inside her.

“Why?” he asked.

“Because you’re the laird here,” she answered.

Smack, smack.
“I am,” he said.  “Is that the only reason?”

“Nay,” she cried out.  “Because you’re my husband and only want to keep me safe.”

Smack, smack.
“I told you about my parents, Fiona,” he said.  “I won’t take chances with your safety.”

“I won’t do it again, Logan,” she cried out again.  “I promise.  Please take the ginger out.”

“Soon as these are done, the punishment is over,” Logan said firmly but not unkindly.  He raised the strap and began.
Swish, thwack, swish, thwack, swish, thwack, swish, thwack, swish, thwack, swish, thwack, swish, thwack, swish, thwack, swish, thwack, swish, thwack.
“That was the original ten, just the five extras to go,” Logan said to her, looking at her very red arse and thighs.  He was dreading giving her more but knew he had to finish what he’d started.  Fiona was sobbing now; he just wanted to gather her into his arms and hold her.
Swish, thwack, swish, thwack, swish, thwack, swish, thwack, swish, thwack.
“We’re done,” he said, throwing down the strap, pulling the ginger out of her bottom hole and lifting her into his arms where she buried her head in his chest and cried.

“That was awful,” Fiona said when she could finally talk again.  She was shifting around on Logan’s lap, still feeling the burn in her arse.  He tried to ignore his hardening cock as her naked body squirmed on top of him.

“It was supposed to be,” Logan said, rubbing the red spots on her thighs and arse, trying to sooth some of the sting he had placed there.  Fiona sighed and snuggled down into him, the tingle in her arse was still there, although the burn was beginning to fade, it was making her think of anything but the punishment she had just endured.

Fiona couldn’t explain what happened next, but she wanted her husband.  She lifted her face up to look at him, wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled his head forward, pressing her lips to his.

Logan wasn’t sure what had gotten into his wife, but he wasn’t about to say no.  He needed her as much as she needed him.

“Stand up,” he said to her, lifting her off his lap. He quickly stripped of his trews, letting his already hard cock spring out.  He picked her back up and carried her over to the chair that still sat in the middle of the room.  This time when he sat, he pulled Fiona down, so she was straddling his lap.  He grabbed onto her head with both hands, pulling her forward and kissing her again, hard.

Fiona could feel his cock as it pressed against her stomach.  She pressed herself forward until she could feel it on the outside of her cunny, she took it in her hand and pressed it against her more firmly.

“Let’s try something new, wife,” Logan said, lifting her by the hips, aligning his cock with her opening and then letting her sink down on top of him, sliding into her fully.

“Ahhh,” Fiona groaned as he entered her.  “That feels wonderful.”

“It’s all up to you this time,” Logan said, showing her how to move up and down on him a few times before letting go of her hips.

Fiona put her hands on his shoulders; her toes barely touched the floor as she pushed herself up and then slid back down.  She did it again, and then again, loving the feel of being in control.  She leaned forward slightly, making her nub rub against his hard pervis, giving just the right amount of friction.  She began moving faster, grinding herself down on him as hard as she could.  She felt that now familiar flutter in her stomach just before Logan thrust up into her one last time as hard as he could, shooting his seed far up into her as her cunny gripped him tight and her body convulsed.  Logan pulled her forward, pressing his lips to hers and thrusting his tongue into her mouth.  She rode her orgasm as long as possible before collapsed on top of him.

“Please don’t make me ever have to punish you that severely again, Fiona,” Logan said to her, as he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her on top of her head.

“I’ll try not to,” she answered, her head resting on his chest.

“I think a rest would be good for you, wife,” Logan said, picking her up and carrying her over to the bed.

“Only if you join me, husband,” Fiona said, already drifting off to sleep as Logan climbed onto the bed beside her.  It wasn’t until she was almost asleep that she remembered poor Edith.

**********

“You can’t close the door with us in here alone, Brody,” Edith said.  “The rest of the servants will talk.”

“They’ll definitely be talking,” Brody said, sitting down on the edge of her bed and pulling her down over his knees.

“What are you doing?” Edith squealed, pushing against his leg, trying to get back up.

“What do you think I’m doing?” Brody asked her, lifting her skirt but leaving her shift down.  He didn’t wait for an answer before bringing his large hand down on her perfectly rounded arse.
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.
“You are never to go against Logan’s orders again,” he began.
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.
“You’re way too special to me, Edith, I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you, any more than I would to Lady Fiona,” he continued.
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.
“Do you understand me, Edith?” he finished.
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

“I’m sorry, Brody,” Edith said, crying now.  “It won’t happen again.  Please, stop.  I couldn’t let Fiona go alone.”

“Next time you let Seamus or me or even Logan know if she decides to do something she’s not supposed to,” he told her, giving her one last round.
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

Brody flipped her up and sat her on his lap.  “This isn’t proper,” Edith said, tears dripping down her cheeks. Once she thought about the position she was in, she struggled to get up.

“It would be if you were my wife,” he said to her.

“But I’m not your wife,” Edith said.

“I’d like you to be,” Brody said to her, pulling her in closer to him.

“Are you asking me to marry you?” Edith asked him as she grinned up at him.

“I am,” Brody said to her, grinning back.  “Although this may not be the best time to do so.”

“Aye!” Edith said, smiling up at him and letting him kiss her for the first time.  “Most definitely aye!”

Chapter 11 It Was Her Arrow

“These arrows are very different,” Logan said to Fiona as they dined that night, Brody and Edith were seated at their table as the Stewart clan celebrated their newly announced betrothal.

“My Da had them made especially for me,” Fiona explained as Logan passed one over for both Brody and his brooding brother Gregor to see.  “They’re shorter than what the men use, but also made of a lighter wood.”

“And you get more distance from them?” Brody asked.

“I do because my bow is shorter than most,” Fiona explained.  “I don’t think we’ve ever tried them with a man’s longbow.”

“I’d like to have a few made to fit the longer bows and try them out,” Logan said, “the design is interesting.”

“How many of these do you have, Lady Fiona?” Gregor asked, surprising everyone at the table.  Lately, Gregor said very little to anyone, especially Fiona.

“I only have twelve,” Fiona answered.

“I’d keep a close eye on them then,” Gregor said to her.  “You wouldn’t want any of them to turn up missing.”

“I always know where my arrows are, Gregor,” Fiona said, thinking what a strange thing it was for him to say.

“I’d like to go back to the range tomorrow Logan if that’s possible,” Fiona said to her husband.

“The field should be empty,” Logan said.  “I’ll let Seamus know he can escort you there.”

“Thank you, husband,” Fiona said, smiling at him.

“You’re not a prisoner here, Fiona,” Logan said softly to her.  “I want you to be happy at Dunnottar.”

“I’m beginning to be,” she said shyly to him.  “In fact, I’m beginning to be very happy.”

**********

Logan was having a hard time concentrating on the training that was going on around him.  His thoughts kept going back to his wife and what they had been doing the night before.  The image of Fiona kneeling in front of him with his cock in her mouth was enough to make his cock hard again just thinking about it.  He didn’t know how it happened so quickly, but he had come to love the little hellion.  He was going to tell her tonight.  He smiled at the thought of what his declaration would probably lead to happening.

He shook his head to clear his mind, trying to concentrate on the men in front of him.  “What’s with you today?” Brody asked him.

“Nothing,” Logan said, “I just have a lot on my mind.”

“I can see that,” Brody said, as Logan felt a sharp pain in his stomach, still looking at his friend he saw the look of panic that crossed Brody’s face before looking down himself and seeing the arrow protruding from his middle.

“Logan,” Brody began to say as his best friend pitched forward.

“Somebody help,” Brody yelled, slowly lowering Logan to the ground.

“That’s one of Lady Fiona’s arrows,” Gregor said, as he approached.

“We don’t know that for sure,” Brody said, looking at the arrow, afraid to pull it out.  “Someone get the healer,” he yelled.

“She’s on her way,” one of the guards yelled back.

**********

“Where’s Lady Fiona?” Brody asked Blair as he descended the stairs.  He’d been in the room while the healer worked on Logan, trying to save his life.  It was a waiting game now; the wound was serious.

“She was at the archery fields,” Blair said, wringing her hands in front of her..  “I sent someone to get her.”

“Where is he?” Fiona asked as she ran through the door and into the hall.  “Is he alive?”

“He is,” Brody pretty much growled at her.  “Your shot was off a few inches.”

“What do you mean my shot,” Fiona asked, going to walk around him, Brody grabbed her arm to stop her.

“Isn’t this your arrow, Lady Fiona?” Brody asked, holding the shaft that had been pulled out of Logan as Gregor came into the hall.

“Where did you get that?” Fiona asked, “I was wondering where I had lost one.”

“We pulled it out of my brother,” Gregor said to her.  “You didn’t kill him….yet.”

“What do you mean I didn’t kill him?” Fiona asked them, confused.  She pulled on her arm, telling Brody, “Let me go, I need to see him.”

“Come now, Fiona,” Gregor sneered at her, “we all heard you say you’d like to put an arrow through his heart.”

“We were arguing,” Fiona said, trying to back up from them both.  “I would never hurt Logan; I love him.”

“Funny how you suddenly love him now that he may be dying,” Gregor said.

“He’s dying?” Fiona asked, fighting back tears, “I need to go to him.  Let go of me, Brody.”

“No you don’t, My Lady,” Gregor said menacingly.  “You’ll get nowhere near my brother.  The healer and Isobel are caring for him.  You’ve already done enough.  I’m in charge of Dunnottar until Logan either gets well or dies.  Guards, lock her in the dungeon.”

“Gregor,” Seamus said, “I was with Lady Fiona.  She didn’t hurt the laird.”

“You were with her the entire time?” Gregor asked.

“All but a few minutes,” Seamus said.  “There was a commotion in the village that I went to check on.”

“So you weren’t with her the entire time,” Gregor said.  He turned to the guards.  “Take her.”

“Nay,” Edith yelled, trying to step between Fiona and the guards.

“Get out of the way, Edith,” Brody said, trying to grab hold of her with his other hand and missing.

“If you allow this to happen, I’ll never forgive you,” Edith said to him.

“She’ll get a fair trial,” Brody tried to explain to her.

“When will that be?” Edith asked him; she was both hurt and angry that he would think Fiona could do such a thing.

“When we know if Logan lives or dies,” he said to her, reaching for her again, “please, Edith, move.”

“Don’t touch me,” she spat at him as he tried to take her arm, “don’t touch me ever again.  You turn against your lady so easily?  You should be ashamed of yourself.”
“It was her arrow, Edith,” Brody tried again to explain, “and we did all hear her threaten him.”

“You’ll all be sorry for the treatment you’re showing the lady of the keep,” Edith yelled out to all in the room.  “When her innocence is proven you’ll all be sorry.”

“When my innocence is proven I’ll be leaving,” Fiona said sadly.  “I’ll not stay with people who turn against me so easily.”

“I doubt you’ll be found innocent,” Gregor said, “Take her to the dungeon.”

“Make sure she’s well cared for,” Brody said as the guards approached.

Two guards grabbed Fiona and led her down the stairway into the dungeon below.  Fiona had never even known the dungeon at Dunnottar existed before that moment.  The guards opened one of the cells and pushed her in none too gently, making her fall and scrape her cheek on the ground as her gown ripped.  “Enjoy your stay,” one of them said, as they closed and locked the door, leaving her alone in the darkness.

Fiona didn’t know what to do.  Her cheek stung, and she knew she was bleeding slightly.  She was worried about her husband, she loved him and needed him to live, even if she couldn’t live with him anymore.  Would he believe she had tried to kill him?  Finally, she sat down in the corner of the cell and cried, not knowing what to do.

“Lady Fiona?” she heard someone whisper hours later.

“Edith?” Fiona said, standing up and walking over to the door of the cell.

“What happened to you?” Edith said, holding a torch up high so she could see into the cell and look at Fiona’s cheek.

“The guards who threw me in here weren’t very gentle,” Fiona explained.

“I hate them all!  What can I do to help you?” Edith asked.

“Can you get out of the keep?” Fiona asked her, reaching up and taking the necklace from around her neck.

“I can try,” Edith said. “Everyone seems preoccupied with the Laird right now.  I may be able to sneak out.”

“You need to get this to Tioram and Ross McCabe.  Explain to him what’s happening here,” Fiona said.  “He’ll get word to Connor and my Da.”

“I don’t know if I can make it there alone,” Edith said, worried about traveling by herself, especially at night.

“You won’t be alone,” came a male voice.

“Who’s there?” Edith and Fiona both said.

“It’s me,” said Seamus and he stepped out into view.

“Will you help Edith get out of the castle?” Fiona asked him.

“I believe you’re innocent,” Seamus said to Fiona, “I have never trusted Gregor Stewart, and I think he’s involved in this somehow.  I’ll not only get you out of the castle, Edith; I’ll escort you to Tioram personally.”

“You’d do that for me?” Fiona asked.

“I will,” Seamus answered.  “But we’ll have to take Blair with us.  I’ll not leave her behind to deal with Gregor’s wrath when he finds we’ve gone.”

“When do we leave?” Edith asked.

“As soon as everyone settles in for the night.  I’m going to get some horses ready and hide them in the woods.  We’ll use a side gate I know of to sneak out after dark,” Seamus told them.

“Thank you, Seamus,” Fiona said.  “At least I have one true friend here at Dunnottar.”

“I believe you have more than one, My Lady,” Seamus said to her, “they’re just afraid to admit it right now.”

**********

Seamus, Blair and Edith snuck out of the castle that night just as planned.  The horses were exactly where Seamus had left them.  Edith was grateful to Seamus as he escorted her to Tioram, she wasn’t sure if she would have found it herself, they were almost at the gate of the keep by the time anyone noticed they were missing from Dunnottar.

“Has anyone seen Blair this morning?” Gregor asked as he sat down in the great hall.  “I’m ready to break my fast.”

“I’ll bring you something,” said another of the maids.

“I haven’t seen Seamus around this morning either,” Brody said as he joined him there.

“Where could they be?” Gregor wondered.  “Seamus seemed awful close to Lady Fiona; maybe he’s down visiting her.”

“I’ll check,” Brody said, getting up and heading into the dungeon.

“Fiona,” Brody called to her.  Saddened when she wouldn’t even lift her head to look at him.

“What do you want now, Brody?” Fiona asked.  “Have you come to falsely accuse me of something else?”

“I was looking for Seamus,” Brody said to her, ignoring her question.  “I thought he might have come to see you.”

“He’s gone,” Fiona said.

“What do you mean gone?” Brody said.

“He helped me get Edith out of this hell hole,” she told him.  “It’s not safe for her here anymore.  It’s not safe for either of us.”
“Edith left?” Brody asked, he was shocked.  He knew she was angry with him, but he didn’t think she was angry enough to leave.

“She did,” Fiona answered.

“Seamus went with her?” Brody asked.

“Aye,” Fiona said, “and Blair.  At least I had a few true friends here.”

“I see,” Brody said, he was hurt and a bit angry.  “If you’re innocent, Lady Fiona, you’ll be set free.”

“It won’t matter now.  How’s Logan?” Fiona asked.

“Still alive,” Brody told her.

“Thank God,” she whispered.

“Can I get you anything, Lady Fiona?” Brody asked, wishing she would look at him.

“I don’t want anything from anyone in this place,” she said to him.  “I’ll be going home soon.”

“What do you mean?” Brody asked, a feeling of dread coming upon him.

“My true family will come for me,” Fiona said.  “I hope you’re prepared for what may happen.  This is likely to cause a clan war.”

“I hope not, Lady Fiona,” Brody said sadly, “I really hope not.”  He sighed and walked back to the hall.  At least he knew where Edith had gone, and that she was safe.  He needed to get his mind off of her for the moment.  Lady Fiona was right; now he needed to prepare for the arrival of the Frasers, and possibly the McCabes, and if things really went bad the McCarthys.

Chapter 12 True Family

“Who are you?” William, the captain of the Tioram guard, called down from the parapet.

“My name is Edith,” Edith yelled back, “I’m Lady Fiona Fraser’s personal maid.  I need to speak with Ross McCabe immediately.”

“No one is awake yet,” William said, signaling for the gates to be opened and the three travelers to be let in.

“It’s a matter of life or death,” Edith told him as he walked up to greet them.

“It better be,” William said.  “I’ll wake him.”

“Thank you,” Edith said as Seamus helped her and Blair off of their mounts.

“Who are you?” William asked Seamus before walking away.

“I’m a guard at Dunnottar,” Seamus answered, “but I couldn’t let Edith travel all this way alone.  I believe Lady Fiona is innocent of what she’s being accused of there.  This is my wife, Blair.”

“I’ll get Ross,” William said, showing them into the hall before he went up the stairs to the family quarters.  He had questions about what Seamus had said, but he got the feeling that time was of great importance.

Ross was down the stairs within a few minutes.  “Edith?” he said, having met the maid at Tarmon on multiple occasions. “What’s wrong?  Is Lady Fiona well?”

“Laird McCabe,” Edith said, breaking down into tears when she saw him, “I’m so glad to see you.”

“What’s going on?” he asked her gently, wondering if he should have brought his wife down with him.

“Lady Fiona is in trouble,” Edith told him, once she’d calmed enough to speak.  “She needs her brother and Laird Fraser to come immediately.”

“What kind of trouble?” Ross asked.  He listened patiently as Edith told the tale of what had happened to her friend.

“She’s being held in the dungeon at Dunnottar now?” Ross asked when Edith had finished, motioning for William to join him.

“Aye,” Edith said.  “I’m so worried about her.”

“Send a messenger to Tarmon,” Ross told the guard, “make sure you give Laird Fraser this,” Ross said, dropping the necklace into his hand.

“What’s going on so early this morning?” Iain McCarthy asked as he entered the hall and seen them conversing.

“Iain I’d like to introduce you to Edith, Lady Fiona Fraser’s maid, and friend,” Ross said.

“She’s Lady Fiona Stewart now,” Seamus interrupted.

“She’s going to be a widow if they’ve harmed her in any way,” Ross said to the man.

“I understand,” Seamus said.  “Laird Stewart is a good man, but that brother of his is not anything like him.  He’s a hateful wretch.  I know that somehow he’s the cause of all this.”

“Tell me what’s happening,” Iain said.  Ross filled him in quickly before giving William the message to take to Tarmon.

“William,” Iain said, stopping his guard as he went to get a messenger sent.

“Aye, Laird,” William said.

“How many men do we now have trained here at Tioram?” Iain asked.

“Over five hundred,” William answered.

“How many do they have at Dunnottar?” Iain asked Seamus.

“About the same,” Seamus answered.

“Get four hundred men ready to ride,” Iain said.  “We leave for Dunnottar within the next few hours.”

“Iain?” Ross said to his father by marriage.

“The Frasers stood by my daughter when she was in trouble, I’ll stand by theirs,” Iain answered, then turning back to William he added,  “prepare the men, and tell the messenger to let Caiden Fraser know we’ll meet him at Dunnottar.”

“Thank you, Iain,” Ross said, thankful he wasn’t going to have to ride alone. He would have been going to Dunnottar with or without the support of the McCarthy’s, but he’d much rather have them with him.

“We made a pact,” Iain said, “I stand by my word, the McCabe’s, Fraser’s and McCarthy’s will stand together, no matter what.”

“Aye, Laird,” William said hurrying out of the hall, he had much to prepare so early in the morning.

**********

“His fever is still too high,” the healer said to Gregor, Brody and Isobel.

“What else can you do for him?” Brody asked.

“There isn’t much we can do,” the healer said.  “His body is fighting off infection.  I’ll keep putting the poultices on his wound and keep his body cooled as much as possible.  He’ll either fight the infection off, or he won’t.”

“My poor Logan,” Isobel said, stroking his forehead.  “Look what that horrible woman you married did to you, my love.”

“Fiona,” Logan whispered, thrashing around.

“Nay my love, it’s me, Isobel,” she said.  “Your horrid wife is locked in the dungeon for what she’s done to you.”

“I ought to just execute her now,” Gregor said.

“You will do no such thing,” Brody said. “Logan is still the Laird; he wouldn’t want that.”

“If he dies, I’ll have to step in for him,” Gregor said.  “I’ll see her hung for what she’s done.”

The healer glared at the two men, “if you two are going to argue, take it out of the room.  It gets the man thrashing around even more.  I’ve already stitched him up once; I don’t want to have to do it again.”

**********

“I brought you something to eat,” said a guard, sliding a bowl through the bars into Fiona’s cell.  “Eat while you can.”  Fiona looked in the bowl, all it held was a few pieces of stale bread crust, she pushed it away.  He then sat a mug of water down on the floor. “I’d eat what you’re given; there’ll be no more.”

“Nay, but thank you,” Fiona said.  “I’ll starve before I eat that.”

“Doesn’t matter to me,” the guard said, “you’ll be hung if Laird Stewart dies anyway.”

“He’s still alive then?” she asked.

“Barely, from my understanding,” the guard said to her.

“I didn’t shoot that arrow,” she said, defending herself.

“Gregor said only you have arrows like that,” the guard said, “and only you had access to them in your chamber.”

“How would Gregor know I kept my bow and arrows in my chamber?” Fiona asked him, beginning to wonder about how much Gregor was involved in Logan’s injury.

“That’s not my concern,” the guard snarled at her.  “You don’t want to eat, fine.  If you starve, we won’t have to worry about your trial.” He then turned and left.

Fiona turned and sat back in the corner again, fighting back her tears.  “Hurry Da, please,” she whispered to no one, “I don’t know how much more I can take.”

**********

“I have an urgent message for Laird Fraser,” the Tioram messenger said to Angus, the captain of the Tarmon guard, as he rode through the gates there.

“A message from who?” Angus asked as the messenger dismounted his horse.

“From Laird McCarthy and Ross McCabe,” the messenger said.

“Come,” Angus said, leading the exhausted man into the hall.  “Have a rest, and I’ll find the Laird and bring him to you.”

“Thank you,” the messenger said, flopping into a chair too tired to stand any longer, he had followed orders and rode through the night, knowing the message was of utmost importance.

“I hear you have a message for me,” Caiden Fraser said as he entered the hall, behind him were Connor, Jacqueline and Hamish McCabe.

“Aye, Laird Fraser,” the messenger said, standing on unsteady legs.

“Sit,” Caiden said.  “You look like you rode hard to get here.  What’s your name, son?”
“Deacon,” the messenger said.

“Well, Deacon,” Caiden said, “what’s so important that Iain sent you here?”

“It’s Lady Fiona, sir,” Deacon said.  “It seems someone shot Laird Stewart with an arrow and they’re blaming Lady Fiona.  They’ve locked her in the dungeon at Dunnottar.  I was told to give you this.”  Deacon said as he held the necklace Jacqueline had given Fiona in his hand.

“It’s the necklace,” Jacqueline said, stepping forward and taking it from him.  “You have to go to her immediately,” she said to both her husband and father by marriage.

“How many men do we have trained, Angus?” Caiden asked.

“Over four hundred,” Angus answered.

“Ready three hundred men to ride,” Caiden said.  “We leave for Dunnottar in the morning to save my daughter.”

“I’ll send a message to Gleann,” Hamish McCabe spoke for the first time.  “I’ll have two hundred more sent to meet us there.”

“You’re going, Da?” Jacqueline said to her father.

“Of course, daughter,” Hamish answered.  “The McCabe’s, Fraser’s and McCarthy’s are all family now, when one’s in trouble we all respond.”

“Laird McCarthy said the same thing,” Deacon said.  “He’s already sent four hundred men towards Dunnottar; he said he’d meet you there.”

“It’ll take a few days for the men from Gleann to catch up,” Hamish said, “but they’ll be there.”

“I appreciate that, my friend,” Caiden said to him.

“You’d do the same for me,” Hamish said with certainty.

“Aye, I would,” Caiden said.

“If they’ve hurt one hair on her head, someone is going to pay,” Connor said, making his wife turn and look at him, his tone was almost frightening.

“Prepare the men,” Caiden said as he left to begin getting things organized.

**********

“What’s going on out there?” Gregor asked Brody two days later.   Brody had been keeping a watch out of Logan’s bedchamber window, what he seen concerned him greatly.  Lady Fiona had been right; her family had come for her.  What concerned him most was that the Fraser’s hadn’t even arrived yet, the force outside the keep belonged to the McCarthy’s, which meant the Fraser’s were still on their way.

“Looks like we’re about to be invaded,” Brody said concerned.

“How many men are out there?” Gregor asked nervously; this was more than he had been expecting to happen.

“I’d say about four hundred,” Brody said.

“We’ve more than that here at Dunnottar,” Gregor said, gloating, “Tarmon sent too few men.”

“Those aren’t Tarmon colors their flying,” Brody said to him.

“Who else could it be?” Gregor said, walking over to look out the window himself.  “Maybe we should just execute the girl and be done with it.”

“You will do no such thing,” Brody said.  “She’s still Logan’s wife and as long as he’s alive so will she be.”

“Fiona,” Logan said, opening his eyes slightly for the first time.

“Nay, my love,” Isobel said, once again taking a cool rag and dabbing at his forehead.  “That murdering bitch has been locked up.  I’ll take care of you.”

“What do you mean she’s locked up?” Logan asked, grabbing Isobel’s wrist roughly.

“She tried to kill you,” Isobel said.  “But I’ve been here nursing you day and night, my love, trying to make you well again.”

“Brody?” Logan said weakly, “what is she talking about?”

“The arrow that hit you belonged to Lady Fiona,” Brody said to him.

“She wouldn’t do that,” Logan said, trying to rise but being too weak to do so.

“You need to rest, Laird,” the healer said to him.  “Drink this,” she held a drought up to his lips which he drank as directed.  The drought made him groggy instantly and before he could find out more about his wife he was once again sleeping.

**********

“How many men are out there now?” Gregor asked as another batch of soldiers showed up.

“I’d say at least eight or nine hundred,” Brody said.  “I’m not sure what they’re waiting for.  The last group looked like they were flying banners from Gleann.”

“So the McCabe’s, Fraser’s and McCarthy’s are here?” Gregor said, he was past the point of being nervous, he was now terrified.

“I believe so,” Brody said.

“What are we going to do?” Gregor asked.

“Talk to them when they’re ready,” Brody said.

“Just give the murdering bitch to them, so they leave,” Isobel said from her seat near Logan’s bed.

“What’s going on?” Logan asked, waking up for the first time in two days, he looked much better than he had the last time he awoke.

“We’ve got problems, Logan,” Brody said.

“Don’t worry yourself about anything,” Isobel said to Logan, patting his arm, “Gregor will take care of everything.”

“Where’s my wife?” Logan asked, looking at the people in the room.

“You don’t remember?” Brody asked.

“Last I remember was standing watching the men train,” Logan said.

“You had an arrow pierce your stomach,” Brody explained.

“Fiona tried to kill you,” Isobel said, touching his arm again, “but I’ve stayed right here next to you, my love, nursing you through it all.”

“Where’s Fiona now?” Logan asked, pulling his arm away from Isobel’s touch.

“Gregor had her locked in the dungeon,” Brody told him.

“What?” Logan yelled, trying to get out of the bed, but collapsing back onto the mattress in pain. “How long has she been down there?”

“A sennight,” Brody said.

“Is she alright?” Logan asked.

“Why are you worried about the woman who tried to kill you?” Gregor asked him.  “You can annul the marriage now, and then you and Isobel can marry like you originally planned.”

“I don’t want to annul my marriage,” Logan said weakly.  “Fiona would never try to hurt me.”

“We all heard her say she would like to put an arrow through your heart,” Isobel said to him, “and she almost did.”

“She didn’t,” Logan said much more forcefully.  “I asked if she was alright?”

“She won’t talk to anyone,” Brody said.  “I’ve tried to visit with her twice; she refuses to even look at me.”

“I wonder why,” Logan said accusingly, “no one here at Dunnottar stood by her and defended her?”

“Seamus did,” Brody said, beginning to feel guilty.

“Bring him to me so I can thank him,” Logan said to Brody, “and get my wife out of the dungeon.”

“Seamus isn’t here,” Gregor said.  “He’s a traitor.”

“Explain,” Logan said to Brody.

“Seamus helped Edith sneak out of the castle; he must have sent word to the Fraser’s through the McCarthy’s.  There are now around eight or nine hundred men set up to attack Dunnottar,” Brody explained, again looking out the window.

“Damn it!” Logan said, trying again to sit up in the bed but being unable to do so.

“Looks like a group is heading to the gates,” Brody told him.  “What do you want us to do?”

“You already know why they’re here,” Logan told Brody.  “Let them see Fiona is fine, then bring her up here to me.”  Logan then turned to Gregor and Isobel.  “As for you, brother, I’m disappointed.  I can’t believe you would treat my wife in such a horrendous way, and get her the hell out of here.” He pointed at Isobel.

“But I’ve been caring for you night and day, my love,” Isobel said, reaching out to touch him again.

“I am certainly not your love,” Logan sneered at her, “and you certainly aren’t mine.  I want my wife up here as soon as possible.”

“I’ll let you know what’s happening as soon as I can,” Brody spoke before leaving the room.

“I’m in charge here,” Gregor said, going to follow him.

“Gregor,” Logan called out, getting his brothers attention.  “Brody will handle things until I’m well enough again.  You’ve made a big enough mess of things.”

“I was only looking out for you,” Gregor said.

“I doubt that,” Logan told him.  “Leave me now before I have you locked in the dungeon.”

**********

Brody stood in the hall waiting for the group he had seen heading for the gates to be shown into the room.  He was hoping for a peaceful solution.  How had things gotten out of hand so quickly?  He was glad to see Alastair McCabe enter with the men.

“Brody,” Alastair said, not at all friendly.  “This is Caiden and Connor Fraser, you probably remember them from Tarmon.  So we are clear, this is also Hamish McCabe, laird of Gleann, and Iain McCarthy, laird of Tioram.  We’ve heard some disturbing news about Lady Fiona Fraser and have come to see if it’s true.”

“It’s Lady Fiona Stewart,” Brody corrected the man, “you’ve probably heard already that her husband Logan was injured gravely by one of her arrows.  The lady has been kept locked up, but safe, as Logan has healed.”

“Locked up where?” Caiden asked, stepping forward.

“Gregor Stewart had her locked in the dungeon,” Brody said, “but I left instructions with the guards to make sure she was well cared for while down there.”

“You locked my daughter in the dungeon?” Caiden said, punching Brody in the face unexpectedly, knocking him on his arse.

“Caiden, stop!” Hamish McCabe said.

“What if it was your daughter, Hamish?” Caiden said as Brody picked himself up off the floor, waving off the guards who had pulled their swords.

“I’d have hit him twice,” Hamish said, hanging onto Caiden’s arm, “and you’d be the one telling me to stop.”

“Lady Fiona is being brought up now,” Brody said.  “Logan regained consciousness today and has ordered her released immediately.”

“She shouldn’t have been locked up too begin with,” Caiden said, fighting the urge to hit the man again.

“And where is Gregor Stewart?” Connor Fraser asked.

“He has been relieved of his duties,” Brody said.  “I’ll be in charge until Logan is well enough to leave his bed.”

At that moment the doors to the hall opened, and two guards led Fiona into the room, each holding an arm none too gently.  “Let my sister go!” Connor said, pulling his sword from his back as Ham, Alastair, and Rory McCabe did the same.

“This is well cared for?” Caiden Fraser asked, looking at the state of his daughter as the guards released her and she rushed into his arms and broke into tears.

“I knew you’d come,” Fiona cried, glad to finally be released and safely in her Da’s arms.

“What is the meaning of this?”  Brody said to the guards.  “I told you to make sure she was cared for.”

“Gregor told us to treat her like any other prisoner,” the guard said, smirking.

“Lock these two imbeciles up,” Brody said to the guards standing behind him.  “Give them a taste of what was done to Lady Fiona.”

“We were only following orders,” the guard protested.  “She tried to kill Laird Stewart.”

“We have no proof of that yet,” Brody yelled at them both as they were relieved of their weapons and taken out of the room.

Brody turned back to Fiona, shocked at her appearance.  She was dirty, still wearing the same clothes she’d had on the day she was taken to the dungeons.  Her cheek had been injured and unattended, looking like the beginnings of infection were setting in.  She had also lost weight, a lot of weight from what Brody could tell.  “I’m so sorry, Lady Fiona,” he began.  “I didn’t know this was happening.”

“It doesn’t matter now,” Fiona said.  “I’ll be taken care of when I get home.”

“This is your home,” Brody said to her.  “Logan would like to see you.”

“I’ve asked to see him for a sennight,” Fiona said, getting angry.  “You refused to let me, made me stay in that hellhole.  I’ll not see him now; I’m going home.  I won’t live here in this place one day longer.”

“What about your husband?” Brody asked.

“My husband?” Fiona said bitterly.  “The one you accused me of trying to kill?  This whole thing has been one big nightmare marriage.  Take me home, Da.”

Caiden kept his arm around his daughter as he led her out of the hall and to his horse out in front of the castle.  He mounted and settled himself before Connor gently lifted her up to sit in front of him.

Fiona looked around at the men who had come to her rescue.  Not only were her Da and brother there, but also most of the McCabe’s and Iain McCarthy.  As they rode out of the gates of Dunnottar, she saw the hundreds of men who had ridden to fight for her release if necessary.  She broke into tears again as she snuggled into the safety of her father’s arms,  realizing this was her true family.

Chapter 13 The Truth

“I still can’t believe she left without even talking to me,” Logan said.  He was out of bed and dressing for the first time since being injured almost a month earlier.  He missed his wife; she had left more than a fortnight before, and not a word about her had been heard since then.

“I can’t blame her,” Brody said.  “Even I couldn’t believe how badly she’d been treated in the dungeon.  Gregor really messed things up.”

“That he did,” Logan said.  “I’m going to have to deal with him soon.”

“What are you going to do?” Brody asked.  “He’s a Stewart and your brother.”

“I know that,” Logan said, “but he also came damn close to starting a clan war.  I won’t have him causing any more problems.  I’m still not sure where we stand with the Fraser’s, McCarthy’s and McCabe’s.”

“Do you think Fiona and Edith are well?” Brody asked.  “I’ve thought about going to Tarmon to get her, but I’m not sure how welcome I would be.  I’m even willing to grovel and beg if that’s what it takes to get her back.”

“Me too,” Logan said.  “I’m going as soon as I’m well enough to ride again.  I’d like to walk to the castle tower and stretch my legs a bit.  Care to join me?”

“Why the tower?” Brody asked.  “I don’t think it’s even been opened in years.  Maybe even since we used to play there when we were just lads.”

“Because you can see the entire keep and village from up there.  I’m not well enough to walk them both yet,” Logan explained.

“Aye,” Brody answered, then grinned as he said,  “I’ll walk with you, someone has to make sure you don’t fall down the stairs.”

The two friends walked quietly, both trying to figure out what to do about their woman problems.  Brody missed Edith as much as Logan missed Fiona.  They knew their chances of making things right were slim to none.  As they began to climb the tower stairs, Logan stopped, motioning for Brody to be quiet.  They could make out voices coming from the tower above.  They crept up silently, wondering who could be up there.

“We need a new plan,” Isobel said to Gregor.

“I’m thinking,” Gregor said.  “I still can’t believe Brody just let that Fraser bitch walk out of here.”
“You should have had her killed immediately,” Isobel said.

“You should have pushed my brother into marrying you sooner,” Gregor said back.  “If the marriage would have happened as we planned, everything would be done by now.”

“You’re blaming me?” Isobel said to him.

“Your only job was getting my brother to marry you.  I slipped the drug into his drink, helped him back to your room, stripped his clothes off and dumped him into your bed,” Gregor said to her.  “What more did you want me to do?  Perform the ceremony?”
“The missive from the King came to fast,” Isobel protested.  “I had no control over that.”

“We have to find a way to get him at least back into your bed,” Gregor said.  “You’re not going to be able to hide this babe for much longer.”

“I still don’t know how you expect me to pass off this child as his,” Isobel said, putting a hand on her expanding stomach.

“It’ll work out,” Gregor insisted.  “Once he’s dead, and I’m named laird until his son grows old enough to take over, I’ll marry you, and we’ll be together.  No one will ever need to know that it’s actually my son you’ll have birthed.”

“Everyone is more watchful now since the last attempt on Logan’s life,” Isobel said.  “How are you going to get passed that friend of his?  How do you plan on doing it this time?”

“Aye, brother,” Logan said, stepping into the room.  He had heard enough “how do you plan on doing it this time?”

“What are you talking about, Logan?” Gregor asked, playing innocent.  “Plan on doing what?”

“Come now, Gregor,” Logan said.  “We’ve been standing out here listening to your conversation for some time now.”

“He made me do it, my love,” Isobel said sweetly, walking towards Logan.  “I never wanted you hurt.”

“Shut up, Isobel,” Logan said.  “Step back away from me.”

“But, my love,” Isobel tried again, “your brother raped me, he said if I didn’t help him he’d tell everyone in the village I was a whore.”

“Liar,” Gregor said, turning on her, “you’re the one who came up with the idea of marrying him and then killing him off so our son could one day be the laird of Dunnottar.”

“Who shot me with the arrow?” Logan asked them both, “and I want the truth, no more lies.”  Gregor backed up a step at his brother’s menacing tone.

“Isobel hired a mercenary to take the shot,” Gregor said, swallowing nervously.

“We hired a mercenary,” Isobel screamed at Gregor, “you’re not going to blame all of this on me.”

“How did you get one of Fiona’s arrows?” Logan asked.

“Gregor snuck into your room and took one,” Isobel said, cowering more, knowing they had been caught.

“But then I gave it to Isobel, who gave it to the mercenary she hired,” Gregor said.

“We hired,” Isobel again said.  “Stop trying to put the blame all on me.”

“It was your idea,” Gregor said to her, then to Logan, “I don’t even know why I went along with it all.  She said she loved me, took me to her bed, then told me her plan.”

“He’s lying, my love,” Isobel said to Logan again.  “I would never have tried to kill you if Gregor hadn’t talked me into it.  I love you.”

“Shut up, Isobel,” this time it was Brody who spoke.  “You and Gregor have caused enough trouble.  Because of you Lady Fiona and Edith have gone and may not return.”

“Good,” Isobel yelled again.  “That bitch he married is related to the man who killed my real love.”

“Your real love?” Gregor asked, turning to look at her.

“Lachlan,” Isobel said, still screaming at them.  “Ross McCabe killed him for no reason.”

“Lachlan was trying to rape the man’s wife,” Logan said.  “I’d have killed him too.”

“That’s a lie,” Isobel said.  “He loved me.  He was coming back to marry me; he said so when he left.  I told him about the baby, and he said he’d take care of everything.  But then Ross McCabe killed him.”

“The babe isn’t mine?” Gregor said to her, both surprised by her words and sickened by what he had done because of her lies.  “I tried to kill my own brother because of the lies you’ve told me.”

“This baby is a Stewart,” Isobel said. “He deserves to be laird of Dunnottar.  Lachlan said he should have been laird anyway.  Your father stole the keep from his.”

“Lachlan would never have been laird,” Logan said.  “Our fathers were brothers, but my father was a year older.”

“You lie,” Isobel said.  “Lachlan said they were twins and his father was actually older than yours, born first.”

“Nay, Isobel,” Gregor said sadly, “he lied.  His Da was younger than ours.  Our grandparents were alive when we grew up here.  They talked of Donald, Lachlan’s father often.  He died of a fever when Lachlan was just a babe.”

“You lie,” Isobel accused them both, “he told me the truth.”

“Do you know what you’ve done?” Gregor asked her.  “We’ll be executed for what we’ve done because of the lies you told.”

“You’ll have a trial in front of the clan first,” Logan said.  “You’ll have your turn to speak, but everyone deserves to hear the truth after what was done to Fiona.”

“I’m sorry, brother,” Gregor said, turning around and walking towards the large opening in the tower wall.  “I wish I’d never gotten involved in any of this.” With those final words, Gregor stepped over the small wall and fell to his death.

“Nay!” Logan said, running towards the opening.  “Gregor!”

Logan and Brody peered over the side.  They could see where the villagers who had been inside the keep were running towards Gregor’s now still body.  Logan turned just in time to see Isobel striding quickly towards the tower room door. “Halt!” he yelled.

Isobel screamed and ran for the door.  She didn’t make it far before Brody’s arm wrapped around her middle, pulling her back into him.  “You’re going nowhere except for the dungeon,” Brody hissed in her ear.

“But I’m with child,” Isobel said.  “You can’t hurt my child.”

“You’ll be as well cared for as Lady Fiona was,” Logan said.  “I’m sure you had something to do with that too.”

“The guards listened to Gregor,” Isobel insisted.

“Who seemed to listen to you,” Logan said.  “Take her away, Brody; I need to deal with my brother’s burial.”

Logan watched as Brody removed Isobel from the room. Once they were gone, he put his back against the wall and slid to the floor.  He placed his face in his hands, not believing what had happened in the last few minutes.  He now knew for sure Fiona had nothing to do with the attempt on his life, not that he had doubted it before.  He’d have to deal with his brother’s death, then the trial and sentencing of Isobel before he could deal with his wayward wife.  Logan couldn’t wait to get her back home, and he vowed that no matter what it took, he would be bringing her home.

**********

“How are you today, Fiona?” Flora asked as she walked into Fiona’s bedchamber.  She was glad to see that Fiona’s wound on her face was healing well and she had gained back most of the weight she had lost while she had been locked away.

“I was sick again this morning,” Fiona said truthfully to the woman she now considered a close friend.  What a surprise it had been when they arrived back at Tarmon a fortnight ago to find Flora there waiting for her.  She had traveled to Tarmon with her husband, Ham McCabe.  Flora, who was a gifted healer, had thought she might be needed when Fiona returned.  She had told her husband that family takes care of family, and they were all family now.

“Fiona,” Flora said, sitting down next to her, “is there a chance you could be with child?”

Fiona thought for a few minutes.  Of course, there was a chance, for a fortnight everything had seemed to be going so well between them.  “There is,” Fiona answered.

“I can check for you if you want,” Flora said.  “There are ways to tell.”

“I’d like to know,” Fiona answered, not sure if she was hoping she was with child or wasn’t.

It only took a few minutes for Flora to conclude that Fiona was going to have a babe.  She was still in the very early part of her pregnancy.

“Can we come in?” a knock sounded on the door as Jacqueline called out to them.

“Come in,” Fiona said, the door opened and not only Jacqueline but a slightly pregnant Angela, Ross McCabe’s wife, entered.

“How are you today?” Angela answered.

“Thankful to be home,” Fiona said, then burst into tears.

“What’s wrong?” Jacqueline asked as the three other woman gathered around her, giving comfort.

“I’m with child,” Fiona said, still sniffling.

“But that’s wonderful,” Jacqueline said.  “We’ll be having babies almost the same age.”

“You’re with child?” Fiona asked, giving her a small smile.

“I am,” Jacqueline said.  “Helga just told me the other day.  We were going to wait a bit before telling anyone, especially your Da or mine.  Those two won’t let me breathe once they know.”

“We’ll all be having babies next year,” Angela said.  “How exciting.”

“All of us?” Jacqueline asked, looking at Flora.

“Not yet,” Flora said, then giggled and added, “but Ham is working awfully hard on putting one in me.”

“That’s my brother you’re talking about,” Jacqueline said, covering her ears, but still laughing.

“Then I guess you don’t want to hear about Ross either,” Angela said laughing.

“Nay,” Jacqueline said, with her hands still over her ears, “I don’t want to hear a thing.”

“Well Connor is my brother,” Fiona said, then she to giggled as she said, “some of the sounds I hear coming from your room at night are frightening.”

“Oh god,” Jacqueline said, her face turning a bright red color.  “I’m going to be thinking about that everytime time a peep is made while we’re in the chamber together.”

All four of the woman burst into laughter; it felt good to laugh again.

“So what are you going to do about Logan and the baby?” Angela asked, becoming serious again.

“Nothing,” Fiona said.  “I’ll not go back to Dunnottar.”

“You said it was a nightmare there,” Jacqueline said, “wasn’t there any happy times at all?”

“For a while, I thought I could be happy there,” Fiona said.

“Was Logan cruel?” Flora asked.

“Nay!” Flora said, quickly defending him.  “He was very kind.  In fact for a while there, I even thought I could learn to love him.”

“You don’t think you can now?” Jacqueline asked her.

“I know I love him,” Fiona said, beginning to cry again.  “But the people in the village at Dunnottar weren’t very friendly, and his brother was just horrible.”

“Don’t you even want to talk with him?” Angela asked.

“I’ve been back home for over a fortnight now,” Fiona said.  “If he were going to come for me, he would have by now.”

“He was wounded,” Flora said. “He may not have been able to travel.”

“I don’t even know how bad he was injured,” Fiona said, fighting back tears once more.  “They wouldn’t let me see him.”

“I’m so sorry, Fiona,” Jacqueline said, “but no matter what happens, your baby will be safe and loved here at Tarmon.”

“Thank you, sister,” Fiona said, “in fact, I want to thank all of you.”

“There’s no need to thank us,” Angela said.  “We’re all family now, and family stands together through the good times and the bad.”

“Let’s hope the good returns soon,” Fiona said.

“You’re going to have a baby, Fiona,” Flora said to her.  “It doesn’t get much better than that.”

Fiona thought about it for a moment, they were right, she was going to have a baby.  If she couldn’t have Logan, at least she’d have a special part of him with her always.

Chapter 14 Home

“I’m glad that’s over,” Logan said as they walked out of the hall.  The trial for Isobel had just ended.

“You went easy on her,” Brody said.

“Only because of the babe.  It isn’t right to kill a babe before it’s even had a chance at life,” Logan said.

“What happens after the babe is born?” Brody asked.

“It’ll be taken from her and brought back to Dunnottar. I’ll have a nurse raise him or her.  It’ll be a Stewart after all.” Logan explained.

“And Isobel?”  Brody asked.

“She’ll be executed, probably hung,” Logan said.  “Until then, she’ll be housed in the prison at Edinburgh.  I’ve already written to the King telling him what happened and my request for her to be there.  He responded in favor of the plan.  In fact, I think he would have executed her now, and to hell with the child, if I hadn’t intervened.”

“Does he know Lady Fiona has returned to Tarmon?” Brody asked.

“He does,” Logan said, “he wasn’t happy, but I’ve asked that he not interfere.  I need to win back my wife on my own.”

“So when do we leave?” Brody asked. “I have my own wayward woman to win back and bring home.”

“First thing in the morning,” Logan said.  “Well take twenty men with us.”

“I’ll get them ready,” Brody said, he smiled as he walked away, feeling happy for the first time in over a month.  He was bringing his woman back no matter what it took, even if he had to put her over his knee to get her to agree.

**********

“Can I have a minute of your time, daughter?” Caiden said to Fiona; she was sitting in her solar with Jacqueline, the twins played on the floor at their feet. It had been over a month since she’d returned to Tarmon.  The McCabe’s and McCarthy’s had all left to go back to their own homes.  Life was just starting to return to something more normal.

“Is something wrong, Da?” Fiona asked, seeing the worried look on his face.

“I’ve just had word from Angus, riders are heading towards the castle,” he said to her.  “He believes from the banners their flying that they may be from Dunnottar.”

“From Dunnottar?” she questioned, “are you sure?  Why would they come now after all this time?”

“You need to remember, Fiona,” Jacqueline said to her, “Logan was unwell yet when you left.”

“What would you have me do?” Caiden asked her.  “I’d like to run him through with my sword for what was done to you.”

“Nay, Da,” Fiona said.  “I’ve come to realize that Logan had nothing to do with that.  He wasn’t even conscious during that time from what little Brody told me.”

“So you want to speak with him?” Caiden asked.

“I need to, Da,” Fiona said.  “I at least have to tell him about the babe we created.”

“Fair enough, daughter,” Caiden said, “and if he demands you return to Dunnottar with him?”
“I won’t live there again,” Fiona said.  “Not with his brother causing trouble for me all the time.”

“If I ever see Gregor Stewart again, you can bet he won’t live long,” Caiden told her.

“I’ll be down in a few minutes, Da,” Fiona said.

“Fiona?” Caiden called to her, “I regret every day making you marry the man.  Were you ever happy there with him?”

“I was, Da,” Fiona said to him.  It was the first time he had asked about her time away.  “In fact, I thought for a short time; I could be very happy there.  Maybe even learn to love it as much as Tarmon.”

“And your husband?” Caiden asked.

“I thought I was beginning to love him too,” Fiona said sadly.  “He was never cruel to me.  In fact, he was very kind and loyal,” she wiped a tear from her cheek, “and I thought he was coming to care for me too.”

“He’s here,” was all Caiden said in reply, hearing the sound of horses in the keep.  He had been afraid to hear about her time away and had put off asking.  After seeing her reaction to his questions, Caiden concluded, his daughter was in love with her husband.  Maybe he wouldn’t run the lad through with his sword just yet.

Caiden and Connor waited in the hall for the men from Dunnottar to enter.  They were joined not long after by Fiona, Edith and Jacqueline.  Alastair McCabe was also there; he had decided to stay a bit longer to visit with his sister and her family before returning to Gleann as the rest of the McCabe’s had a sennight before.  The McCarthy’s had gone home to Tioram.

“You should have waited upstairs,” Connor said to his wife and sister.

“I want to hear what he has to say,” Fiona told her brother.

“I’m here to make sure you don’t do anything stupid, husband,” Jacqueline said to him, making both Caiden and Alastair smirk.

“What do you mean stupid?” Connor asked her.

“I wouldn’t want you to kill the man before he has a chance to explain what happened,” Jacqueline said.

“The thought did cross my mind,” Connor admitted.

“Mine too, son,” Caiden said, slapping his son on the back, “but your sister wants an explanation, so we’ll let him give one.”

“And then I can kill him?” Connor asked, only half joking, but making all three women giggle.

“You’ll do no such thing,” Jacqueline said, grinning at him.

Logan and Brody entered the hall quietly, seeing both their woman standing in the room anticipating their arrival.  They weren’t sure if it was a good sign or bad since neither looked happy to see them.

“Fiona,” Logan said, walking towards her.  “I’ve been so worried about you.”

“Stop right there, Stewart,” Connor said, stepping between him and his sister.  “You’ll keep your distance while we talk.”

Logan sighed, seeing the looks on all the Fraser’s faces, he couldn’t blame them.  “Just tell me you’re alright then?”
“I’m fine now,” Fiona said to him.  “I wasn’t when I returned home.”
“I’m sorry for what happened to you,” Brody explained.  “I swear to you, Lady Fiona; I told the men to make sure you were well cared for.”

“Did I look well cared for?” Fiona asked him.

“Nay, Lady Fiona you did not,” Brody said truthfully.  “For that, I may never forgive myself.  I was more concerned at the time with Logan than I was with your well-being.  I’ll have to live with that decision for the rest of my life.”

“Come sit,” Caiden said, motioning to a large table that had been set up.  Soon everyone was seated, with the three woman placed protectively in between Caiden and Connor Fraser.

“Are you well now?” Fiona asked Logan quietly.

“I am,” he said, “although it took a long time to heal.”

“Do you still think I was the one who shot that arrow?” Fiona asked.

“I never thought that, Fiona,” Logan said to her, leaning forward in his seat and looking straight at her.  “I know you would never hurt me.”

“Have you learned who the real culprit was?” Caiden asked.

“We have,” Logan said, sighing.  “Gregor and Isobel set up the whole thing.”

“Your brother?” Connor asked, shocked.

“Aye,” Logan explained, “my only brother.  It seems Isobel convinced him that he could be the next Laird if they eliminated me.  She told Gregor she was carrying his babe, and that the babe deserved to be laird one day.”

“Where is Gregor now?” Connor asked, wanting to kill the man even more than when they’d first arrived.

“He’s dead,” Logan said matter of factly.

Fiona gasped, “how?” she asked.

“When he found out that he had been set up by Isobel, he jumped to his death,” Logan said.

“How did she set him up?” Fiona asked.

“The babe she carries isn’t Gregor’s either,” Logan told them.  “It belongs to my cousin Lachlan.  It seems Lachlan told her he’d be back to marry her before he went after Ross McCabe’s wife.  Of course, it was all a lie.”

“Oh my,” Jacqueline said.  “I’m so sorry for your loss.”

“I’m not,” Connor said.

“It was his brother, Connor,” Jacqueline said to her husband.  “No matter what he did, that doesn’t make losing him any easier.”

“Where’s Isobel now?” Fiona asked.

“She’s been locked in the prison in Edinburgh until her babe is born,” Logan again explained.  “Once the babe is born, it’ll be returned to Dunnottar to be raised, Isobel will be executed.”

“Who’ll raise the babe?” Fiona asked.

“I haven’t figured it all out yet,” Logan told her.  “But the babe is a Stewart and belongs at Dunnottar.”

“It does,” Fiona quickly agreed.

“You’re a Stewart too,” Logan told her, “I’d like you to come home also.”

“I don’t know if I can go back there, Logan,” Fiona said.  “The villagers will still blame me for your injury.”

“Nay,” Logan assured her, “they won’t.  Isobel’s trial was open to all of Dunnottar.  They are all aware of what she did and that you did nothing.”

“I don’t know if I’ll ever feel comfortable around your guards again,” Fiona said.

“Those that listened to Gregor and mistreated you have been disciplined,” Logan said, then added, “harshly.”

“I’ll think about it,” Fiona said, “but I need some time.”

“And what about you, Edith?” Brody said.  “We were supposed to marry a sennight ago.  Will you return?”

“I go where Lady Fiona goes,” Edith said.

“Then I hope she decides to return,” Brody told her.  “I miss you.”

Edith just nodded, she didn’t want to admit to the man that she missed him too.  “I’ll think about it too.”

“I sent a messenger to Tioram,” Logan said after a few minutes, “asking Seamus and Blair to come home.  If he agrees, I’ll make him your guard again.”

“I’d like that,” Fiona said.  “Seamus and Blair were the only true friends I had at Dunnottar.”

“That’s not true, Lady Fiona,” Brody said.  “I know I had to follow Gregor’s orders when I had you locked up, but I did try to make things easier on you.  Even though it was your arrow, I had gotten to know you, and I had doubts that you were the one who shot it.”

“You’re both welcome to stay,” Caiden said.  “Lady Jacqueline will surely have rooms ready for you.”

“I do, Da,” Jacqueline said.  She’d had the maids ready rooms as soon as she’d heard the riders were spotted.

“Will you walk with me, Fiona?” Logan asked her.

“I will,” Fiona said.  Logan got up and extended his hand to her, helping her out of the chair. It felt good to touch her again as she laid her hand in his.

“Edith?” Brody said, also offering his hand.  Edith tentatively accepted, walking out of the hall with Brody.

Logan and Fiona walked quietly at first.  Logan just felt right having her on his arm, he kept his hand on top of hers, making sure she didn’t let go.

“Are you sure you’re well?” Logan asked.  “Something looks different about you.”

“I am different,” Fiona told him, “I’m going to have a babe in the early summer.”

“A bairn?” Logan asked.

“Aye,” Fiona said.

Logan dropped down to his knees on the ground in front of her.  “Please come home, Fiona,” he began, “Dunnottar isn’t the same without you.”

“I don’t know, Logan,” Fiona said.  “Where have you been the last month?  I thought you might come for me sooner.”

“I was healing, wife,” Logan said.  “Then I found out about Gregor and Isobel and had to handle that.  I came as soon as I could.  I love you, Fiona; please come home.”

“I want to,” Fiona said.  “I’m just scared to go back.”

“Do you fear me?” Logan asked her, still kneeling on the ground in front of her.

“Never,” she quickly said.  “I was happy with you for a fortnight, Logan before everything went wrong.  I was even beginning to think we could have a good marriage.”

“You can be happy there again,” Logan said.  “I’ll do whatever it takes to get you to come back home with me.  Just tell me what’ll make you happy.”

“I’ll think about, Logan,” she said, “I really will.”

“I’d really like to kiss you right now, wife,” Logan said, standing up and staring at her lips.

“Aye, please,” was all Fiona said as his lips came down on hers.

Logan kissed her breathless.  Sliding his tongue between her lips and into her mouth where he touched it to her own.  He pulled her closer until she could feel his hardening cock pressing against her stomach.

Fiona didn’t know what was wrong with her.  She couldn’t get close enough to her husband.  She wasn’t even sure she’d stop him if he tried to take her right there in the garden next to the castle.  She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer.

“Come home,” he said, breaking the kiss, he then added teasingly, “don’t make me have to spank you into agreeing.”

Fiona felt her cunny become wet with those words; she thought about it for just a second before saying, “aye, please.”

Logan looked at her for just a moment before picking her up in his arms, “which way to your chambers?” he asked.

“Up the stairs and to the left,” she said giggling.  Neither even looked at anyone else as Logan carried her through the hall.  Caiden, Connor and Jacqueline were sitting in chairs by the fireplace playing with the almost one-year-old twins as they passed, oblivious to anyone else.

“What the..” Connor began to say.

“Leave them be, husband,” Jacqueline said, putting her hand on his arm.  “She loves him; she just hasn’t admitted it yet.”

They watched as the giggling couple made their way quickly up the stairs.  Edith and Brody burst through the door seconds later.

“Do you have a priest in residence?” Brody asked Caiden, pulling Edith along with him.

“We do,” Caiden answered.

“Do you think he’d perform a wedding at dusk?” Brody asked.

“I haven’t agreed to marry you yet,” Edith said.

“You will,” Brody said to her.

“I’ll talk to the priest,” Jacqueline said, hiding her grin from Edith.  She’d listened to the maid cry for a month about missing this man.  She knew the wedding would go on as planned.

“Thank you, Lady Jacqueline,” Brody said, “now I just need some privacy to persuade my bride.” He flipped Edith over his shoulder and carried her up the stairs to the chamber he’d been given for the night.

“Should we stop him?” Connor asked his wife.

“Nay,” Jacqueline said.  “She loves the man, come on husband, we have a wedding to prepare for.”

“I’ll keep an eye on the twins,” Caiden said, shaking his head at the madness he’d witnessed that last few minutes.

“Thanks, Da,” Jacqueline said, giving the man a kiss on the cheek before heading off to the kirk, Connor was right behind her.

Brody entered the room he’d been given to use, he closed the door and slid the lock into place before setting Edith down.  “We can’t be in here alone,” she said to him,  “people will talk.”

“Let them talk,” Brody said.  “We’ll be married by the end of the day anyway.”

“Who says I’m going to marry you?” Edith asked him, placing her hands on her hips.

“I do,” Brody said, he pulled her to him and kissed her hard.  Edith fought him at first, then slowly relaxed in his arms as he deepened the kiss.

“I couldn’t believe you left Dunnottar without even saying goodbye,” Brody said to her.  “Do you know how worried I’ve been about you?”

“If I had told you what I’d planned on doing, you wouldn’t have let me go,” Edith said.

“You didn’t give me a chance,” Brody said to her.  “I had no idea Lady Fiona was being treated so badly.”

“That’s what you say now,” Edith said to him.  “At the time, I wasn’t sure where your loyalties lie.”

“You doubted me?” he asked her.

“I doubted everyone,” she answered.

“But you’ll marry me now,” he stated, not asking.

“I’m not sure what I’ll do,” she said to him.

“Do you love me, Edith?” he asked her.

“I do,” she said.

“And I love you,” he said, “so you’ll marry me.”

“I can’t just leave Lady Fiona, you oaf,” Edith said.

Brody sat down in a chair and pulled Edith down over his knee, more playful than threatening.  He lifted not only her skirt but the shift she had on underneath, baring her.

“You can’t bare me, Brody,” Edith said.

“I’ll be seeing all of you in a few hours,” Brody said.  “Tell me you’ll marry me.” He gave her a few playful spanks, just enough to sting.
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

“I’ll not answer you in this position,” Edith said, although she giggled as she said it.

“Tell me you’ll marry me,” Brody said, smacking her playfully again.
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

“I can’t think like this,” Edith said again.

“Tell me you’ll marry me,” Brody repeated.
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.
By the last smack, Edith was raising her hips up to meet each swat.  Brody was intrigued, he let his hand wander between her thighs, letting his fingers brush against her cunny, which was already damp.  He let one finger push its way through her folds as he pushed it up inside her.

“Brody,” Edith said softly, “what are you doing to me?”

“Tell me you’ll marry me, sweet Edith, and I’ll make you feel like this every night,” Brody said, pulling his finger out and running it up to her clit, where he swirled it around the hardening nub there.

“Oh, Brody,” Edith moaned, not sure what was happening.

“Tell me you’ll marry me,” he said one last time, as he thrust his thumb up into her opening and worked her clit vigorously with his fingers, feeling her convulse as her cunny tighten around his intruding digit.  He slowed his motions down and let her relax over his knee, rubbing her pinkened arse cheeks.

“I’ll marry you,” Edith said.  “I must be crazy, but I’ll marry you.”  Brody let out a large whoop, flipped Edith up onto his lap and once again kissed her hard.

**********

Fiona let Logan carry up to the room she had always slept in at Tarmon.  Once inside he gently put her down, she closed and bolted the door behind them.  “Kiss me,” Logan said to her as soon as she turned around.  He pulled her into his arms and brought his lips down on hers more forceful than he ever had before.  “I missed you so much,” he said to her, breaking the kiss.

“I was hoping you’d come for me,” Fiona admitted, wrapping her arms around his neck.  “When you weren’t here in a month, I thought maybe you didn’t want me anymore.”

“I’ll always want you, wife,” Logan said to her.  “I love you, Fiona, more than anything else in this world.”

“Do you mean it?” she asked him.

“I do,” Logan said.  “The morning I was injured, I was thinking about you.  I’d just realized how much you meant to me.  I was going to tell you that night.”

“I love you too,” she said to him.

“Thank god,” Logan said.  “I was wondering if you were ever going to say it.”

“Maybe you should spank me for holding out so long,” Fiona said, giggling.

“I don’t want to hurt the baby,” Logan said to her.

“Your spanking me,” Fiona said, smiling, “not the baby.”

“Come here you,” Logan said, unfastening her dress and letting it fall to the floor around her feet.  He then reached down and grabbed her shift pulling it up over her head, leaving her standing naked in front of him.  “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.”

“I think you’re exaggerating,” Fiona said to him.

“Don’t think, woman,” Logan said, sitting on the edge of the bed and putting a pillow down across his lap.  “Come lay across my knee, Fiona.”  Fiona did as he asked, she loved the playful spanking game.

“Now,” Logan said, rubbing her arse gently.  “Let’s talk about you leaving me.”
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

“Ouch,” Fiona said, “not so hard, Logan.”

“You left without even coming to see me,” Logan said, ignoring her.
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

“Ouch,” Fiona said again.  “You’re serious aren’t you?”

“Dead serious, wife,” Logan said.  “Brody said he told you I had just woke and asked for you.”
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

“He did,” Fiona said.  “But I was too angry to see you then.”

“I was worried about you,” Logan told her.
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.
“You didn’t even give me a chance to explain,”
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.
“I relieved Gregor of his duties as soon as I found out what had happened to you.”
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

“I didn’t know you’d do that,” Fiona told him.  “I asked them to let me see you for days, and nobody would let me.”

“I love you, woman,” Logan said.
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.
“You are never allowed to leave me again.”
Smack, smack, smack, smack, smack, smack.

“I won’t,” Fiona squeaked on the last smack.

“I think you’ve had enough,” Logan said, rubbing her slightly pink cheeks.

“Know what I think?” Fiona asked him.

“What?” he asked.

“I think you’ve got too many clothes still on,” Fiona said.

Logan stood and placed her gently on the bed before stripping his clothes off.  His cock was already rock hard, he crawled up over his wife and kissed her again.

“Don’t make me wait, husband,” Fiona said, “I’ve waited long enough.”

Logan lined his cock up with her cunny and pushed himself in slowly but firmly, not wanting to hurt the babe she now carried.

He pulled out and pushed back in gently, building a slow, steady rhythm.

“Harder, Logan,” Fiona said.

“I don’t want to hurt the babe,” Logan said.

“You won’t,” she said to him.

“How do you know?” he asked, pushing himself fully into her and then stopping.

“If you could have heard some of the sounds coming out of Connor and Jacqueline’s chamber when she was carrying the twins you’d understand,” Fiona said, giggling again.

“You naughty girl,” Logan said, pulling back and pushing in more firmly.  “Are you sure I won’t hurt either of you?”

“I’m positive, Logan,” Fiona said.

Logan looked into her eyes and then lowered his mouth to hers again.  This time when he pulled out, he slammed back into her more forcefully.  “Aye,” she cried out as he did it again, and again and again.  Soon she felt that familiar flutter in her belly right before her cunny tightened around Logan’s cock.  He was able to thrust into her just two more times before shooting his seed up inside her.  When they both had ridden their orgasm to completion, he rolled off of her and collapsed on the bed by her side.

“Will you come home?” Logan asked.

“I’ll come home,” she answered.  “But if things aren’t better there, then I’ll return to Tarmon.  I’ll not live where I can’t be happy.”

“I’ll make sure you’re happy,” Logan said, kissing her again.

“
Fiona,” she heard her name called as a knock sounded on the door.  “If you two are done in there, then I could use your help.  We’re having a wedding in a few hours.”

“A wedding?” Fiona called.

“Edith and Brody are marrying,” Jacqueline called back.  “And Fiona?”

“Aye, Jacqueline?” she called through the door.

“You were right about the noises that drift out through the chamber doors,” her sister by marriage yelled before walking away laughing.  Fiona burst into laughter herself as her face turned bright red.

Chapter 15 Return to Dunnottar

“Are you sure you want to go back?” Caiden asked his daughter the next morning as they broke their fast.

“I’m sure, Da,” Fiona said.  “I’d like to see if I can make this marriage work.”

“Because of the bairn?” he asked.

“And because of me, Da,” she answered.  “I do love that man.”

“Maybe I should go with you,” Caiden said.

“You can’t, Da,” Connor told him.  “You’ve invited lairds from the neighboring clans here in just a few days.”

“What are they coming for?” Logan asked, hearing the conversation.

“To see about these highwayman that have been attacking travelers in the area,” Caiden answered.  “You’ve had no problems near Dunnottar?”

“One or two,” Logan answered truthfully.  “If there’s anything we can do to help, just let me know.”

“Thank you, Logan, I appreciate your offer.”  Caiden then turned to Connor, saying, “I could leave you to handle the meeting here.”

“You could, and I’d be glad to do it, ” Connor said, he chuckled and continued, “but I know you won’t.”

“Not yet,” Caiden grinned and said.  “In a few years perhaps.”

“Caiden,” Alastair McCabe said, he had been sitting quietly, listening to the conversation, “I was going to head back to Gleann within the next few days.  How about if I accompany Fiona back to Dunnottar instead.  I’ll stay for a fortnight or so, make sure everything is well for her there before going home.  Would that help put your mind at ease?”

“You’d do that for me?” Fiona asked Alastair.  It still amazed her how quickly the McCabe’s had considered all the Fraser’s part of their family.

“I would,” Alastair said. “You’re almost like another sister to me, Fiona.  If it would put everyone at ease, then I’m willing to help.”

“Have I told you lately how much I love you, brother?” Jacqueline said to him.
“Nay, you haven’t,” Alastair said back to her, hiding his grin. “Not in a long time actually.”

“Well you know I do,” Jacqueline said, getting up and kissing him on the cheek.

“I love you too, baby sister,” Alastair whispered to her.  “So when do we leave?” he asked Logan.

“I was thinking tomorrow morning?” Logan asked Fiona, who nodded in agreement.  “Maybe by then, the newlyweds will have come out of their chamber.”  Everyone laughed but agreed; no one had seen Brody or Edith since leaving their wedding feast the night before.

**********

“Welcome home, Lady Fiona,” Logan said to her as they stopped upon a hill and seen Dunnottar off in the distance.

“We’ll see,” Fiona said, she was skeptical about the reception she was going to receive there.

They again rode towards the keep, the guards on the parapet had already seen them coming and were waiting to welcome them home.

“Welcome home, Laird Stewart and Lady Fiona,” said Seamus as he came down the castle steps, his smile conveyed how happy he was to see them both.

“Seamus,” Fiona called, smiling at the man, “I’m so happy to see you here.”  She let Seamus help her dismount before giving him a tight hug.  “Thank you for everything, my friend,” she whispered to him.

“No thanks needed, My Lady,” Seamus whispered back before saying much louder, “I’m to be your guard, My Lady.”

“Is Blair here?” she asked him, letting go of him.

“Of course,” Seamus said.  “She’s arranged a rather generous welcome home meal for all of you.”

“Thank you, Seamus,” Logan said, he had dismounted from his horse and took Fiona by the arm, leading her into the castle.

Just like the first time, Fiona entered the hall with her husband at her side.  But this time, the people inside began to cheer as they entered, making her jump.  It was such a different welcome from the first time she’d arrived.

“Welcome home, Lady Fiona,” said one of the villagers.

“Welcome back, My Lady,” said another.

“I’m so sorry I listened to Isobel,” said another, “I should have known better.  Please forgive me, Lady Fiona.”

“Welcome home, Lady Fiona,” one of the guards said to her, “I should have treated you better.  I listened to Gregor, who said you tried to kill our Laird.  I should have known better.”

“Did you arrange this?” Fiona asked Logan quietly, as one person after another welcomed her home.  She was overwhelmed since she had never been accepted by the people of the village like this before.

“Nay,” Logan denied. “But Isobel’s trial was public.  Many of the people were outraged when they found out that she’d set you up.  They realized you’re too kind to hurt anyone.”

Logan stepped up onto a table in the middle of the hall so all of Dunnottar’s people could hear and see him.  “Thank you all for being here to welcome home myself and Lady Fiona.”  The people again cheered.  “I’d like to share some news with you.  My wife and I are going to be parents in early summer as we welcome our first bairn.”  Again the people cheered.  “In celebration, we’ll be having a feast tomorrow evening.”  The people again cheered, congratulating both Fiona and Logan.  The evening went on and the village celebrated.  Fiona was happy, and for the first time felt that she really was a part of Dunnottar.  Maybe she was home.

“What are you thinking?” Logan asked her, seeing the smile on her face.

“That I’m happy,” Fiona said.  “I’ve got a man that I love, a babe on the way, and maybe a home I can be happy in.”

“Maybe this wasn’t such a nightmare marriage after all?” Logan asked her.

“Maybe not, husband,” she said smiling at him.  “I think you should take me to bed now.”

“Whatever you say, wife,” Logan said as he swept her up in his arms and ran towards the steps.

Epilogue

“We’re going to miss you around Dunnottar,” Logan said to Alastair McCabe as he prepared to mount his horse.

“I need to get home to Gleann,” Alastair said.  “I’ve been here for almost a month now.  Lady Fiona seems happy, so I’ve fulfilled my promise to Caiden.”

“I am happy,” Fiona said as she joined them.  “Will you stop at Tarmon on your way home?”

“Probably just to sleep for a night,” Alastair said.  “I’m planning on staying at Tioram tonight.”

“You’ll give them my love won’t you?” Fiona asked.

“I will,” Alastair said.  “Your Da should be arriving soon for a visit.  If he’s anything like my Da, you won’t be able to get rid of him once that bairn is born.”

“They are funny those two,” Fiona said giggling, “Jacqueline said your Da isn’t as bad now that Eadan and Nessa’s babe was born.”

“He isn’t,” Alastair agreed.  “Once Angela and Ross have their babe he’ll have three castles to travel between to see his grandchildren.”

“Take care, Alastair,” Fiona said again, “and thank you for everything.”

“Are you sure you only want guards to ride with you to Tioram?” Logan asked him.  “I’d be happy to have them escort you all the way home.”

“No need,” Alastair said.  “I’m sure Ross will spare some men to travel with me to Tarmon.  Then I’ll travel the rest of the way with guards from there.  It’s a shame the roads have become so dangerous you can’t travel alone anymore.  I hope Caiden and my Da have come up with a plan to stop these highwaymen who are robbing travelers.”

“I hope so too,” Logan said.  “It’s a sad day for Scotland when you can’t travel safely anymore.”

“That it is, my friend,” Alastair said, he shook Logan’s hand one last time before giving Fiona a quick sisterly hug.  “Take care you two; I’m glad it all worked out for you.”

“You need to find a good woman yourself, my friend,” Logan said, wrapping his arm around his wife and pulling her close.

“One day,” Alastair said, smiling at the couple one last time as he mounted his horse.

“Goodbye, Alastair,” Fiona said, “you’re always welcome here.”

With those final words, Alastair rode out of the keep with twenty of Dunnottar’s guards close behind.  He hoped he wouldn’t run into any problems on the road home, but had his sword handy just in case.  He thought about Logan’s words to him and wondered if finding a good woman was in his future.  Ross, Ham and Jacqueline seemed happy enough in their marriages.  He was a bit worried about Eadan and Nessa, who seemed to be together only when necessary lately.

Oh well, Alastair thought as he rode towards Tioram, if a good woman came across his path, he’d snatch her up, but until then, he was happy with his life just the way it was.  He didn’t see any changes happening in the near future.

Thank you for reading “A Nightmare Marriage The McCabe’s Book 4.”  I hope you enjoyed the story.  To help me know what you liked or didn’t, I’d appreciate it if you’d please leave a review on Amazon or Goodreads.

If you have questions or comments about any of “The McCabe” books feel free to contact me directly at:

bethanyhauck11@yahoo.com

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@bethanyhauck11

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I’d love to hear from you!

Until next time,

Bethany

Coming Fall of 2017:

A Man of Honor

The McCabe’s Book 5

(Alastair and Mairi)