Page 18 of The Iron Highlander
“Do ye think I really killed yer parents, Kate?”
Reuben watched as she bit her lip, hesitating for a moment. She moved forward a bit, and the moonlight which bounced off a mirror in the corner illuminated her face, making her eyes look dreamlike. For a moment, Reuben froze, staring at the almost doll-like appearance of the woman. She shook her head for a bit before she spoke.
“When the news came to us, that was what we were told. There was a big fight between both families, and the McDonalds killed my parents. Everyone agreed to this, and some said that ye were there, riding next to your faither when he slaughtered my parents.”
Kate sobbed, wiping the single tear that fell from her cheek as she continued. “I never had enough time to grieve, or put much thought into it, as I had to become the maither, in the absence of our own. I had to take care of my sisters and make sure that they were protected and brought up perfectly.”
Reuben glared at her, “But even if this was true, I would be just a boy when it happened. Why would ye think I would have any personal reason to kill yer parents? What would I stand to gain?”
“Land,” said Kate. “Max said it was all about land. The McDonalds were coming for our lands, and killing my parents would have made things easier for ye and yer parents. Ye would be able to usurp the clan and take everything which ye wanted.”
“I…” Reuben began, pausing as what she had just said played over in his head. He could not believe what he had just heard. He had never done anything against the McGowans, and would never do anything to harm a clan that did not pose a threat to his own.
“Look, I understand that I have done somethin’ which shouldnae be done by anyone in my position, which is why I am here. To apologize. I am truly sorry for the trouble, and I willnae put ye in such a position ever again. Yer mother and ye have given us a hospitality which is more than we can ever thank ye for, and we owe so much…”
“Never, never have I taken a man’s life for land. Aye, we are warriors, we took out our enemies, but these were men who threatened my own family. Men who set out to take what my faither had worked to keep for years. They threatened our existence. These were the men we killed, these are the men who are spoken of in song and tale of the great McDonald. These are the men who we took down.” Reuben turned around to face her. “I have never, and will never, take the life of another man for something so fickle as land, and I surely did not take the lives of your parents.”
Kate began, “Laird McDonald, I have done ye a great disservice, and I wish to payback in whatever ways ye deem fit. I apologize again.”
Reuben shook his head, “I cannae even be angry with ye. Ye’ve been lied to all of yer life, and now ye carry that out here to my home.” He began walking to her quickly, and Kate scrambledbackwards in fear, flinching as though Reuben was about to strike her. Reuben froze, staring at her in shock as well. Kate straightened up and tried to shake it off, pretending as though nothing had happened, but Reuben had seen it, and he began to piece it together in his head.
They had run away from the McGowan estate because of the madness which their uncle was known for. He was a physical man, known for dragging out his own servants out to the streets and giving them a beating himself. There was a chance that Kate and her sisters could have gotten on his bad side, and gotten a taste of his anger as well. The fact that the man could have hurt Kate and her sisters at some point angered Reuben, and he felt his fists begin to ball up.
“Do ye think I’m going to hurt ye?” Reuben asked.
“I didnae…”
“Is that why ye’ve been treating me like this? Because ye think I’m someone who wants to hurt ye and yer sisters? Do ye think I’m yer uncle?”
“I didnae say ye are, my Laird. I’m just tryin’ to apologize Reuben, please listen to me.”
Reuben could not believe it. He felt his blood boil. Not only did she think he was responsible for the death of her parents, Kate thought that Reuben was capable of hurting her. The last thing he would ever do was raise his hand on the woman, and yet, she thought he was out to get her.
He opened his mouth to speak, but felt his own voice crack under the weight of the emotions which he felt. It was completely unfair for him to be treated that way, and yet he was. Kate quickly wiped at a tear that had dropped to her cheek, and that broke his heart even more.
“Laird McDonald, I…”
“No.” Reuben interrupted. “Leave my chambers, right now.”
“Reuben…”
“I said leave.” Reuben replied with a finality in his voice. For a moment, he wondered if he sounded too threatening and regretted it, but he got his message across. Kate bowed slightly, causing another tear to drop to the floor before she turned and hurried out of the room.
As she shut the door, Reuben grabbed a pillow and yelled into it. The door opened behind him and he turned around in bed, speaking before he spotted the person who had come in.
“I thought I asked ye to leave.” Reuben asked in a gruff voice.
Hudson raised both hands in innocence, not sure what had just happened. “Uh, I think ye got the wrong person, but if ye really want me to, at least let me offer ye another drink first.”
Reuben turned around to see Hudson who had come into his room. In both hands, he held mugs of ale which he offered oneto Reuben. From where the Laird sat, he watched as his friend swayed back and forth, and he could tell that the man was intoxicated. Hudson was the most drunken person Reuben had ever met, and yet, the man was his best friend.
“I daenae want to be drinking right now.”
“Aye, but let me tell ye. Ye look worried about something, and this here, puts all of those worries away. So come on, have a wee little drink with me. Yer guests are all outside, waitin’ for ye….” A hiccup interrupted his speech. “Nay, I forgot what I was about to say. Dammit.”
Reuben grabbed the pint from his friend and brought it to his lips, holding it there as he drank the cold liquid until he had emptied its entire contents. He handed it back to Hudson who had an excited look on his face, chanting as the Laird finished the last of the drink.
“Aye! Laird of the McDonald estate!” Hudson cheered.
