Ailith’s gaze flicked from the man on the ground to the woman shrinking against the building as Muire clutched her arm.
His wife?The poor woman.
“Nay with his hands, and nay when she’s naught but trying to feed her family.”William corrected.His stare roved over the man.“Which appears to be more than what ye are doing.‘Tis a weak man who abuses women.”
“I ken who ye are, MacDougals.Why are ye on Keith land at a Keith town?Get ye gone.”
William shared a knowing look with Ailbert, one that Ailith couldn’t place.Ailbert shrugged, then crouched and punched the Keith man on his chin.
“Feck!”he cursed again.
“’Tis good that ye know who we are.Dinna think we won’t meet with your chieftain and tell him of your base behavior and let him deal with ye,” William snarled.
Ailbert wiped his blond locks off his forehead with the back of his hand and got down on one knee near the man’s head.“And if I hear of ye laying your hands on any woman, including your wife, I will find ye and ‘twill not end with a few bruises on your face.”
They backed up to let the Keith man rise.He spat a glob of bloody spit on the ground, then glared at the men.
“And dinna go back home.Let your woman decide if she will remain with ye or return to her father’s house,” William warned as he took a threatening step toward the man.“Report of a single bruise or blackened eye, and the MacDougals will hunt ye down.”
The man took a moment to pass a disgruntled look towards the men and their threats, then he waddled down the alley, away from the town.
Ailith and Muire rushed to the alley as William turned to the cowering woman.Ailbert retrieved her basket and handed it to her.
“Did ye hear what we said, lass?”William asked in a tender tone.“Ye dinna have to live with the man.Your chieftain can have him arrested or worse for such abuses.And if he does no’, send word to the MacDougals, and we will take care of the situation for ye.”
“He is your husband?”Muire asked her in a tiny voice.
The woman nodded, clutching her basket to her chest like a shield.
Muire glanced at Ailith.They both knew the chances of this woman complaining about her husband were slim.He’d likely abuse her again once he returned home.This was obviously not the woman’s first time dealing with her husband, and would not be her last.
By this time, several other townspeople had gathered, and two women stepped forward for the lass.Ailith and Muire turned the woman over to their hands, then, under the curious scrutiny of the crowd, the four of them walked to their horses.
“She won’t turn him away when he comes home,” Muire said aloud to no one in particular.
Ailith nodded, and both William and Ailbert frowned.
“We have to hope her kin cares for her, and that someone contacts Chieftain Keith,” William commented.His voice was tight.
“I’ll report this to Uncle Cormag when we return home, and he can decide what to tell the Keith,” Ailbert replied.
William rubbed his fingertips across his forehead.“No’ the best solution, but ‘tis all we can do.”
“Agreed, though I fear we may have made an enemy where we needed an ally.”
They bid Muire and Ailbert goodbye, and Ailith and William mounted his horse, Lugh.The day, starting with such a promise, had soured.They rode northwest in silence, heading past Mowtie toward Teagan.
“Ye ken I would never lay a violent hand on ye, aye,mo ruaidh?” William asked in a contrite voice.“I would sooner have my hand cut from my body before ...”
He trailed off as Ailith rested a comforting hand on his thigh.
“Aye, William.Ye temper yourself well, especially with problems I bring.‘Tis one of the reasons I wed ye.”
He was quiet for a few moments, then snorted behind her.
What did he find so funny?
“What are ye about?”she asked.
