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"As fer how me mother ended up married to me da, the Carmichael," Murine said now, and hearing the smile in her voice, Dougall dropped his gaze to see it mirrored on her face. He supposed that's why he was so shocked when she said, "Well, apparently he killed Lord Danvries and stole me mother."
Silence fell among the group and Dougall wasn't surprised. No doubt his brothers were not sure how they should respond and were wondering whether congratulations were in order, or they should pretend to be horrified.
Murine glanced from one man's face to another, taking in their expressions, and then laughed. It was a tinkling sound that drew a reluctant smile even from Dougall.
"'Tis all right," she said. "'Twas no murder, 'twas at jousting."
"Oh," the men said as one, relaxing in their saddles.
"I gather Lord Danvries liked to joust and since his father still lived and was lord at Danvries, he was free to attend the tourneys as he liked so dragged me mother to several tournaments a year."
"And yer father?" Geordie asked.
"He was a laird, and claims he ne'er much liked jousting. His being there was an unusual occurrence, he rarely attended such events and it was just chance he was there that year at all." She paused and then admitted slowly, "He ne'er told me what brought him there that year." They were all silent for a moment and then she shrugged the worry away and continued, "At any rate, that is where he saw me mother for the first time. He arrived early, a couple days before the tourney began. Several others had as well, including me mother and Lord Danvries, and so their tents were close together."
She paused, smiling softly, and added, "Da once told me that he could still remember the first time he saw her. He was coming out o' his tent and she and her maid were walking past on the way to hers. He said he would ne'er forget his first sight o' her. She wore a blue gown the same bright color as the sky on a cloudless day, indeed, the same color as her eyes, and he said her hair shone brighter gold than the sun o'erhead. Da said she was the loveliest creature he'd e'er set eyes on and he fell a little bit in love with her on first sight."
Dougall scowled. Men did not go about saying flowery things like that, even if it was true. That was women talk.
"But then he learned she was a married lass and quickly turned his eyes elsewhere." Expression solemn, she added, "However, with their tents so close, he could no' help but see her again and again, and was often seated close to them at the nightly feasts."
"What about yer ma?" Geordie asked. "Did she notice him?"
"Aye. She said she noticed him that first night at the feast. That every time she looked about he seemed to be nearby and that he had the kindest eyes and the prettiest face."
"Aye, the Carmichael was a handsome de'il in his youth," Conran commented with a nod.
"Ye kenned me da?" Murine asked with surprise and Conran shook his head.
"'Tis more that I knew o' him," he said. "Da used to tell us many a tale that included him. According to him, yer da was a damned fine warrior, but held more fame fer his looks. They called him the Peacock. No' because he preened a lot or was vain, but just because he was so handsome," he assured her quickly, and then continued, "The story goes that lasses all o'er England and Scotland were trying to catch his eye and lure him to their beds. They were all heartbroken when instead his heart was caught by a wee injured bird with a broken wing." He smiled faintly and added, "I'd be guessing that bird was yer ma."
"Aye." Murine nodded solemnly.
"Why was she a wee injured bird with a broken wing?" Alick asked with a frown.
"Lord Danvries," Murine said with a grimaced. "Me da said that e'ery time he saw me mother at that tourney she seemed to ha'e a new bruise or injury and it made him wonder. He had no heard shouting or any untoward sounds from their tent to suggest Lord Danvries beat me mother, though, so he had begun to wonder if she was no' merely incredibly clumsy. But the second last day o' the tourney Da happened to return to his tent in the middle o' the morning to fetch something and arrived in time to see Lord Danvries drag me mother out o' their tent and head into the woods. He hesitated briefly, but then followed. However, his hesitation had put him behind enough that he lost them.
"Da was just debating returning to camp when he heard a woman's distant screams. He followed the sounds, but then they stopped. He paused to listen, waiting for something to tell him which direction to go, and a moment later spotted Lord Danvries some twenty feet to his left, returning alone. Da waited for him to pass, then headed in the direction Lord Danvries had come from. After a bit he heard soft sobbing and followed that to where my mother lay in a small clearing. He said she was lying in the dirt; bloody, bruised and her gown in tatters."
"The bastard," Alick growled.
"Aye," Geordie agreed grimly.
Dougall nodded in agreement.
"Me da picked her up gentle as he could. There was a small brook nearby and he carried her there to clean away the blood and filth and check to see how bad her wounds were. Apparently, he said no' a word as he did it, but was e'er so gentle me ma knew he'd no' hurt her. He then scooped her up again and carried her back through the woods to the tents. Ma said he spoke gently to her the whole way, tellin' her she was safe, he'd no harm her, and indeed that no one would harm her again."
Alick sighed behind him like a love-struck lass and Dougall glanced over his shoulder to give his younger brother a glare meant to remind him he was a warrior. He glanced back quickly to Murine, however, when she continued her story.
"Ma thought he'd deliver her to Old Megs at the Danvries tent. Instead, he took her back to his own tent, tended her wounds and tucked her in his bed, then found Old Megs and gave her two messages, one was to be delivered to Lord Danvries and the other to the English king."
"The English king was there?" Geordie asked with surprise.
"Aye," Murine said solemnly. "Apparently he was fond of tournaments."
"Ne'er mind that old bastard. What happened?" Conran said impatiently.
Dougall saw Murine smile crookedly, and she continued. "The king and Danvries arrived at the same time. Me da showed them both into the tent where me mother was resting. O' course, Lord Danvries was no' well pleased to find his wife in the Carmichael tent. He accused him o' raping and beating her and demanded a wager of battle."
"Wager of battle?" Alick murmured. "That's where they battle to decide guilt or innocence, is it no'?"
"Aye, I've heard it called trial by combat," Conran said quietly and then asked, "'Tis what yer da intended when he placed her in his bed and sent fer the king and Danvries, is it no'?"
Murine nodded. "He suspected that the reason Danvries dragged her out to the woods to beat and rape her was because he had no wish fer others to witness or overhear and ken how he treated her. He was quite sure Danvries would ne'er admit he'd injured his wife so badly in front of the king. Da also knew that few kenned o' his skill as a warrior, that instead all they seemed to talk about in reference to him was his looks. And since Danvries had settled past disputes by crying for wager of battle when he thought he could best his opponent, he was sure Danvries would try it again."
"Clever," Dougall murmured with true admiration, and his brothers all murmured in agreement.
"Obviously, yer da won the battle," Geordie said.
"Aye." Murine grinned. "But Da swears God lent a hand in that. They were to take three courses of jousting, and then exchange three blows and strokes with battle-axes, swords and daggers. They ne'er made it to the third course o' jousting. Da got in a hard blow to Danvries's chest on the second course. His lance shattered and a sliver flew into the eye o' Danvries's horse, piercing right though into his skull. The horse reared, toppling Danvries, and then trampled him, screaming in agony the whole while, ere falling dead on top o' him. When they got the horse off, Danvries was well and truly dead."
"Bloody hell," Alick breathed.
"Aye," Geordie agreed.
They were all silent for a minute and then Conran cleared his th
roat and said, "So then yer da wooed yer ma?"
Murine chuckled at the question. "Aye. If ye consider his returning to his tent, telling his men to gather everything and follow and then packing her up and carrying her off back to Carmichael wooing her." She smiled faintly. "Mother always said he wooed her as he nursed her back to health, and he was so sweet and gentle she began to trust him and agreed to wed him."
Her smile faded then, Dougall noted and understood why when she continued.
"They sent for William and Montrose then, but her first husband's father, the then Laird Danvries, refused to send them. He claimed they were his heirs and would be raised at Danvries. But the truth was he blamed her for his son's death and was punishing her by not letting her see her sons. That about broke Mother's heart, I think."
"But then she had you," Geordie pointed out. "I'm sure that helped soothe the ache."
"She had two boys and then me," Murine corrected and then admitted, "And, aye, I'm sure it helped, but she still missed Montrose and William. Fortunately, old Danvries died some ten years ago and William became laird. They came to visit Mother then and met me and my older brothers."
"Wait," Alick said with a frown. "Ye've two English half brothers and two full Scot brothers?"
Geordie added, "If ye've two Scottish brothers, why the de'il were ye sent to England when yer da died?"
