Page 149 of Highlanders for the Holidays
“She slapped me poor daughter in front of everyone!” she screamed as he made his way to his desk. “Do ye nae see how injured me Margaret is? Please tell me ye have thrown that wretched creature into the dungeon!”
Connor rolled his eyes, not believing for an instant that Margaret was as severely upset as her mother wanted him to believe. “Should I also throw yer daughter into the dungeon fer stealin’?”
Margaret stared at him, aghast that he could even think such a thing. “Margaret? She’s never stolen a thing in her life!”
“She stole Onnleigh’s clothes and tossed them in a fire,” he told her. He had learned that bit of information from Ronald only moments before stepping into the office. “That is stealin’.”
Margaret sniffed and turned away from her mother’s breast. “I thought they were rags,” she beseeched him. “I did nae ken they were her clothes.”
“Then ye would nae mind givin’ her a few of yer dresses to make up fer yer mistake?” the laird asked with a smile.
Both women were appalled by the idea. “Nay!” Margaret exclaimed. “I’ll nae part with any of me things, least of all toher!”
“There there, my child,” Helen said as she patted Margaret’s hand. “’Twas an honest mistake. I’ve seen what the girl calls clothes. None can hold ye responsible fer mistakin’ them fer rags.”
“I can,” Connor told them. “And I do.”
Helen glowered at him hatefully. “Thatthief, thatfilthycreature slapped me daughter in front of one and all. I’ll nae stand idly by while ye do nothin’!”
Connor’s smile faded instantly. “She is nae a thief nor filthy creature. She be a kind, sweet lass, and ye’ll never call her anything but her given name ever again.”
“Until yesterday, ye did nae even ken who she was,” Helen told him. “She’s bewitched ye. Turned ye away from me Margaret. Turned yer head, she has. She be a witch!”
To be accused as a witch was worse than any other insult and could spell a death sentence if she were able to convince enough of his clanspeople ’twas the truth. He stood to his full height, spread his palms on top of his desk and leaned forward. “Hear me and hear me well,” he said in a low, firm voice, “Onnleigh be no witch nor thief nor anythin’ else ye’ve accused her of this day. Hear this as well, and make no mistake in me words. I will never,evermarry Margaret. She could be the last woman on God’s earth and I still would nae marry her.”
Two sets of stunned eyes stared back at him. “How can ye say that?” Helen asked. “After all Margaret has done fer ye.”
He quirked a brow. “All Margaret has done fer me? Please, pray tell, begin listin’ all the wonderful, kind things she’s done fer me.”
“She’s kept herself fer ye,” Helen began.
“And?” Connor challenged.
“And she’s loved ye and offered to be yer wife since me sweet Maire died.”
“Those be nae kind gestures but a woman hopin’ fer more than she’ll ever have,” Braigh offered from near the fireplace.
Helen shot an angry glance toward him before turning back to Connor. “Margaret has—”
Connor raised his hand to silence her. “Has Margaret done anythin’ but declare she’ll marry me?”
Helen was at a loss for words. “She loves ye.”
Connor gave a long, slow shake of his head. “Nay, she does nae love me. She loves the idea of being the chief’s wife and chatelaine of the keep. But she does nae love me. We will stop this charade at once. I will nae marry her. Nae now, nae ever.”
Margaret looked to her mother, her face drawn into a knot of anger and pain. “’Tis all her fault! She’s turned him against me!”
Connor slammed his fist down hard onto his desk. “No one has turned me against ye! I was never yers to begin with!” He took in a deep breath before going on. “I will nae repeat what I’ve told ye. The two of ye shall get the notion of a marriage betwixt us out of yer minds, once and for all. And ye will stay clear of Onnleigh, do ye understand? No more hateful accusations, no more name callin’, no more stealin’ her clothes. I do nae want either one of ye anywhere near her. Or me fer that matter.”
He stood tall, with his shoulders back. “Do ye understand me?”
Although they nodded in confirmation, deep down, Connor knew he was not done hearing from these two, cold-hearted women. And neither was Onnleigh.
