Never Seduce a Scot (The Montgomerys and Armstrongs #1)(71)

The courtyard began filling as his clansmen entered, their expressions apprehensive. There was tension in the air and murmurs spread until there was a buzz of quiet whispers in the still morning air.

After a few minutes, Douglas approached, his mouth set into a grim line. “They are all accounted for, Laird. I summoned even those patrolling our borders.”

Graeme nodded. “Very good. Thank you, Douglas. You can stand down now.”

Douglas stood back with the other senior men, but they all looked uncertain and wary. Rarely had Graeme ever displayed his temper. He’d firmly believed that as laird he must refrain from allowing his emotions to rule his actions. Today he had no such concern or thought of restraint.

He ascended the steps of the keep and then turned to survey his clan. Aye, they were all gathered, crowded into the courtyard until it looked nigh to bursting. He had to work to contain his rage, but he also wanted them all to see just how furious he was. It was time they felt the lash of his tongue and the heat of his anger.

“I made it clear when I took Eveline Armstrong to wife that she was to be accorded the respect and deference she deserved as my wife and mistress of this keep. To date she has been mocked, ridiculed, deceived, and betrayed by the clan she now calls her own. You are no better than the Armstrongs.”

A series of gasps and murmurs of outrage rose from the assembled crowd. He ignored them all and plunged ahead, his stare taking in every last member of his clan.

“I will not tolerate the mistreatment that has been handed to my wife. I am done trying to coddle you and to understand your feelings of outrage and hatred over having to accept an Armstrong in our midst. She has acted with dignity and grace and has afforded you nothing but courtesy. She’s had a smile for everyone who crosses her path. In return you’ve maligned her, made her feel miserable and unwelcome. You’ve manipulated her and used her eagerness to earn a place in our clan to further humiliate her.”

He stopped and pinned the women of the clan with his fierce stare until they fidgeted and looked away. Nora had gone pale and Mary refused to even look up. The other women wore expressions of guilt and several had looks of dismay clearly written on their faces.

“Henceforth, any—and I mean any—infraction as deemed by me, will not go unpunished. You have a choice. You will either cease your despicable behavior or you will leave this clan and forever be outcast. You’ll be stripped of the Montgomery name and the protection that goes with it.”

“You cannot do that!” Macauley Montgomery exclaimed.

Graeme rounded on him, giving him a look that had him going pale. He took a hasty step backward until he stood next to his wife, one of the younger women who’d been party to Eveline’s mistreatment.

“Is that a challenge?” Graeme asked in a deathly quiet tone. “Because know this: Any disagreement will be considered a direct challenge to my leadership and my position as laird. The fight will be to the death.”

“N-nay,” Macauley stammered. “You have my support, Laird.”

“Do I?” Graeme demanded. He swung his gaze to encompass the entire courtyard. “Do I have your support? Or do you oppose my word on this?”

Several nays rose from the crowd.

“It is evident to me that I do not have your support,” Graeme said in an icy tone. “Supporting me means you support my wife and your mistress. Nothing that any of you have done could be construed as support of Eveline. Best you keep in mind that any slight to her is a slight to me. Any abuse to her is abuse to me. Any insult to her is an insult to me.”

Then he turned to Nora and singled her out in the crowd. “Henceforth you are relieved of duty. You will no longer oversee the women of the keep nor will you enjoy the privileges you’ve enjoyed till now. You may join the other women I removed from duty within the keep.”

Nora gasped and promptly burst into tears. Her husband put an arm around her to comfort her and leveled a malevolent glare in Graeme’s direction.

Teague drew his sword and was in front of Nora’s husband before Graeme could even react to the blatant show of disrespect. He held the blade to the older man’s throat, his teeth bared.

“You’ll not show our laird such disrespect. Any man who goes against my brother will answer to me.”

Bowen stepped forward, sword drawn. “And to me.”

“And me,” Douglas said quietly.

One by one his senior men-at-arms stepped forward to stand at Graeme’s side.

“ ’Tis time you stop acting like children,” Douglas said in a firm voice. “Robert Montgomery would be shamed by his clan’s treatment of the laird’s wife. He would never condone such hatred of a woman innocent of any wrongdoing save being born into an enemy clan. ’Tis Eveline’s only sin. I’ve seen with my own eyes her effort to make the best of a distasteful situation. ’Tis time for the rest of you to open your eyes and your minds and rid yourself of such senseless hatred.”

“You’ll show her respect or suffer the consequences,” Graeme vowed. “Now go about your duties and think on all I’ve said and make your choice. I will show no more leniency, as God is my witness.”

His clansmen scattered as they hastened to go about their duties. Several of the women went away, their faces ravaged by tears. He had no sympathy, though. All he had to do was think on Eveline’s ravaged hands and fury raged through him all over again.