Lynsay Sands - Taming the Highland Bride

M erewen Stewart stabbed the needle into the cloth and tugged it out the other side with an irritated jerk. She was in a foul mood and, as usual, the fault for that lay with her father and two brothers. Unfortunately, the Stewart men liked their drink. Equally unfortunately, while they were lambs when sober and only stupid and clumsy on ale, they were downright mean on whiskey. So, of course, whiskey was their drink of preference, which meant Merry often found herself standing between them and the rest of the clan. Her first lesson on taking over as chatelaine at Stewart Castle had been to arm herself with something heavy when they got like that. Fortunately, her doing so was often enough to keep them in line. However, their whiskey-sharpened tongues could be cutting, and the very threat of violence that shimmered in the air on those occasions was frightening to deal with.

Merry had spent the last six years doing all she could to keep them from drinking the whiskey the Stewart clan made and sold. Shed taken to locking it away in the pantry, keeping the only key to that lock on her person at all times. But they just rode out to the inn in the village, or to Colan Gows to partake of his whiskey. She then was left to deal with whatever chaos they created when they returned intoxicated. That had been the pattern since her mothers death six years agoUntil last week. Last week theyd returned from a visit with Colan Gow so drunk shed been amazed that they hadnt broken their fool necks on the ride home. She was even more amazed when they still wanted more drink.

Merry had refused them the key to the pantry and suggested they find their beds. Shed then ordered the servants to make themselves scarce and retired herself, hoping that would be the end of it. It hadnt. The three men decided to take battle-axes to the pantry door. The racket had brought her from her bed to find theyd hacked their way through the thick wooden door and were inside, breaking open the casks of whiskey. When shed tried to stop them, her brother Brodie had pushed her away and raised his axe threateningly as he told her not to interfere.

Thered been nothing else for her to do but to leave them to it. What had followed was nearly a week of them bingeing on their treasure while Merry and the servants had done their best to stay out of harms way. The trio had drunk until they passed out, and then woke to immediately begin drinking again.

On the third day, Brodie had cuffed one of the kitchen boys who had been foolish enough to return before she gave the all-clear and then had not moved quickly enough for her brothers liking. Fortunately, Merry had been close enough shed managed to intervene after only the first blow, and while the lad had suffered a bloody nose, hed also learned a valuable lesson. She doubted hed ever return to the keep before he was sure it was safe to do so.

On the fourth night Gawain had nearly set the stables ablaze when hed dropped a torch in the stack of hay in his own horses stall. However, the stable master had managed to get Gawain and his mount out uninjured and even put out the fire before it spread beyond the one stall.

But it was her father, Eachann, who had committed the sin that upset her most. On the fifth and final day of their drinking, in a maudlin moment of whiskey-fueled grief, hed taken her mothers portrait from its place above the fireplace to whisper weepy words of longing to it. Then he tripped over his own feet and destroyed the painting when he fell on top of one of the fireside chairs. The chair back had torn through the portraits face and upper body as surely as a sword. Sent into a sudden fury, her father had then smashed the chair and thrown it into the great hall fireplace. The picture, ruined in his opinion, had followed.

Merry had tried to prevent it, but had been struck to the floor for her efforts. By the time shed managed to regain her feet, the painting was on top of the chair on the fire, burning merrily away. Shed dropped back to kneel in the rushes and simply wept at the loss of this one and only portrayal that existed of her dearly departed mother, Maighread Stewart.

Once Merrys tears had dried, her grief had been replaced by fury, not just at her father but at both her brothers as well. They ruined everything. There was little left at Stewart that was not mended after one of them had broken itincluding her heart.

That last incident had moved her father to swear off drink again, and the binge had finally ended three days ago. But the men had spent the time since then doing nothing but moan and whine about their aching heads and nauseous stomachs. Merry had little sympathy, and had simply gone about running the castle as usual, directing the servants and soldiers and overseeing the men at practice in the bailey while her father and brothers recuperated. She also had the pantry door repaired and a new lock placed on it.

For all the good that would do, she thought bitterly. Merry had no doubt once her father and brothers had done what they considered was enough penance, theyd return to the drink like long-lost lovers. They always did.

Here they come.

Merry glanced up from her mending at her maid, Unas, words, her mouth compressing as she saw the three men crossing the great hall toward them.

Shall I

Youd best go to the kitchens for a bit, Una, Merry interrupted as she noted her brothers were swaggering somewhat. They only did that when theyd been drinking.

Im staying, Una said firmly. You

Go, Merry said firmly.

Una hesitated, but then clucked her tongue with exasperation and stood to head for the kitchens, muttering, Fine. But Im watching from the door, and if that devil Brodie tries to threaten ye again like he did with the axe, Im grabbing the heaviest pan Cook has and coming out here to put him in his place.

Merry shook her head, an affectionate smile briefly claiming her lips as she watched the curvaceous and freckled strawberry blond go. They had grown up together and were more friends than maid and mistress. That friendship had been a real source of strength for Merry these last years, and was the reason shed sent Una away. Una was very protective of her and could sometimes overstep herself in an effort to protect Merry. All that did was raise her brothers ire and make the situation worse.

Merry.

She turned reluctantly to her father and brothers, noting that while her fathers expression was diffident, Brodie and Gawain both wore eager expressions that warned the trio was up to no good. She glared at the three of them until they began to fidget before finally snapping, What is it?

Her father glanced to the younger men behind him and then took a deep breath and stammered, IYe seeWell

Merewens mouth tightened. The man couldnt even get out whatever lie he and her brothers had concocted to get into the whiskey. He kept pausing and licking his lips, his expression getting more desperate until she wanted to slap him soundly. Merry was heartily sick of dealing with the trio.

IYe see her father said nervously, trying again. He then paused once more.

No doubt his brain was still pickled from their latest drinking binge. If it was not permanently so now, Merry thought with disgust, and set down her sewing to get angrily to her feet. Let me guess. I heard the shout that a rider approached. Tis our neighbor Colan, isna it? And, no doubt, yere thinkin his arrival a grand excuse to open another cask o whiskey.

Aye, her father breathed, and then straightened abruptly when her brother Brodie elbowed him in the back. I mean, nay. I mean, aye, Colan has come, but tis no his arrival worthy of breakin the seal on another cask o whiskey, tis the grand news he brings.

And what news is this? Merry asked dryly, not expecting much in the way of news at all. Colans arrival with a tale of how hed caught a hare while hunting a week earlier was enough to rouse the Stewart men to celebration.