Page 61 of Eloping with the Laird
On instinct, she rushed to her old maid, desperate not only to see her but to help her. Enora struggled to walk and seemed unable to raise herself to standing without assistance. Someone had beat her mercilessly. But why? And how had she even been intercepted by the Frasers?
Unless her father had let her go. She cringed. Perhaps Enora had returned to the Frasers and sought employ out of necessity and, instead of employ, she had been ill used to build a case against Moira instead.
She gritted her teeth. The Frasers had gone a step too far this time.
As soon as her boot reached the bottom step, two of the Fraser soldiers seized Moira roughly by the arms, and she shouted in alarm. In an instant, McKenna soldiers were entangled with Laird Fraser’s men, and she and Enora were in a fine crush between them. Moira shoved the Fraser soldiers away attempting to break their hold on her arms, but it was no use. The more she struggled, the tighter their grip became and the more volatile the situation. When one Fraser soldier almost knocked her to the ground, the loud booming voice of Uncle Leo slammed into the air like a hammer.
‘Cease! She is with child!’
The soldiers stilled and all eyes fell upon her. A small orb of space opened around her and she reached for Enora, bringing her former lady’s maid to her side. ‘What has happened to you? Enora, can you hear me?’
‘Aye,’ she whispered, her voice rough and scratchy. A far cry from the bright upbeat joy her voice used to hold. ‘They forced me to tell them what I knew. I am sorry, my lady. I know ye are not responsible.’
‘You have nothing to apologise for. You told the truth, as will I. Then, after the council finds in our favour, which they will as we are guilty of no crimes, then we will come back here and you will join us at Blackmore. You will see.’ Her maid’s hand trembled against her own. Moira squeezed it and smiled at her even as her own anger and uncertainty consumed her.
Enora nodded in return, but refused to meet Moira’s gaze.
‘So what is your choice?’ Laird Fraser demanded.
‘She is going nowhere with the likes of you, Fraser,’ Uncle Leo answered.
‘Then we will starve you out and block anyone from coming or going from here until she does.’
Moira clenched her jaw. ‘I’ve no patience for your stubbornness and ploys today, my laird. And you will not keep the doctor from my husband. Nor shall there be bloodshed on the drive. I will go with you and answer your questions. You will soon find your enquiry and blame of me false. Your council will realise this is an unfounded, ridiculous ploy manufactured by you.’
Or at least she hoped they would.
‘Moira, you cannot. The babe,’ Uncle Leo pleaded, approaching her. He clutched her hands in his.
‘I refuse to allow Rory to die, and I must answer to these claims once and for all. Otherwise, I shall never be free of the past. I will never be able to move forward. You know that.’
‘But you don’t know that Dr Wilkes can save him. You may be sacrificing yourself and your babe in hopes that he will live, but it may be too late. You must face that possibility.’
Moira shook her head. ‘I refuse to believe such. I also know that Peter’s cousin wouldn’t dare touch me now that it is known by all of these men here that I am with child. Look at all of these witnesses.’ She turned to her mother-in-law and the new Laird Fraser and spoke louder as she held their angry gazes. ‘Even you would not dare to hurt an unborn. Would you, Laird Fraser?’
The man shifted on his feet as if he too recalled full well the scene her late husband had displayed and how his actions had caused her to lose their child years ago. He nodded. ‘Aye. I would not. I am no brute.’
She wasn’t so sure.
‘I am glad to hear of such a difference between you and your cousin,’ she answered. ‘Uncle, send word of our situation to Laird Garrick MacLean,’ she said in hushed tones. ‘He is an ally and will help us if we have need of it without question.’
Uncle paused, his brow furrowed.
‘I know you do not know him, but trust me. Promise me you will do so.’ She squeezed his hands.
‘Aye. I will,’ he conceded. ‘I’ll send word to him today.’
‘Thank you, Uncle.’ She smiled and kissed his cheek before releasing his hands.
She glared at the Frasers as she walked past them and into the waiting carriage. A soldier helped her inside and she slid across the bench seat. Enora soon joined her. As the carriage door snapped shut, Moira swallowed hard. Her future depended on how much the Frasers knew and whether she decided to tell all of the truth or not.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Rory woke with what seemed to be a tiny man with a lochaber axe repeatedly cracking upon his skull. He groaned and shifted on the bed clutching his head.
‘Ah. There you are, my laird.’ Dr Wilkes rose from his chair and began his usual poking and prodding until Rory swatted him away, as he always did.
‘How long have I been out?’ he asked, rubbing his eyes and then his face. ‘From the length of my beard, I fear it may have been a week.’
