Page 92 of Highland Flame

“She probably deserved the beatin’,” yelled Bart. “She was always givin’ my brathair trouble.”

The crowd started talking and shouting now.

“Quiet!” shouted Storm in a deep voice. “Go ahead, Cam. I want to hear everythin’.”

“Before that, I want to ken why this woman hit her husband over the head,” interrupted Ian.

“Dun was drunk that night, and I was pregnant,” said Yvaine. “I did it in self-defense, my laird. I didna want him to hurt my baby.”

“Ye’re pregnant?” asked Ian MacKeefe.

“Well, no’ anymore. I lost the baby when I was stayin’ at the priory,” she answered.

“She’s guilty or she wouldna have been hidin’ in a priory,” shouted Bart.

“Enough,” snapped Storm. “Cam, ye’d better have a guid point, because this is gettin’ out of hand quickly.”

“I have a witness who no’ only saw Dun drunk the night he died, but also swears he threatened to kill his wife – Yvaine,” said Cam.

“Call him forward.” Storm nodded.

“Farlan, please approach the dais and tell the lairds everythin’ ye told me.”

Cam listened asFarlan relayed his story, even telling about the knife marks in the drink board.

“That doesna prove anythin’,” spat Bart.

“It proves the man wanted to kill Yvaine,” Cam answered.

“Even if he did, the fact still holds that my brathair is dead and she killed him.” Bart pointed an accusing finger at Yvaine.

“Show them the candle holder with no blood, as well as the whisky bottles and Dun’s knife with the dried blood all over it,” said Cam, calling Gavin and North forward with the evidence.

“The whore told me everythin’,” said Bart. “She and her friend, the barkeep, and Dun’s wife are all involved. I wouldna doubt that they secretly snuck his dead body out of the chandler shop and buried him before the undertaker even arrived,” said Bart.

“That’s no’ true,” Yvaine spoke up. “The undertaker was called, and he is the one who buried my husband the next mornin’.”

“Will the undertaker step forward please?” Storm looked out at the crowd.

Cam looked over to Red but she was shaking her head. “The undertaker is out of town but should be back at any moment,” Cam told him. “Half the town was at the funeral, so there are witnesses to that.”

“All right. What’s next?” grumbled Ian, looking tired and like he wanted this to be over.

“The whore also said my brathair was lyin’ in a puddle of blood,” shouted Bart. “If that is no’ proof, I dinna ken what is.”

“Which whore told ye this?” asked Storm.

“I did, my laird.” Red shyly raised her hand.

“Is this true? Is this what happened?”

Red looked terrified, and as if she didn’t know how to answer.

“It’s all right, Red. Tell them the truth,” said Yvaine calmly.

“It is as I remember it,” said Red. “Violet and I as well as Keithen returned from the weddin’ to find . . . Dun dead.”

More noise arose from the crowd.