Highland Lover (27 page)

with. As Alana told her tale, she did her best to try to avoid all hint that she and Gregor had become lovers, as well as any indication of the feelings she had for him. A few covert glances at Fiona told Alana that she was probably tying her tongue into knots for nothing. Fiona appeared to be rapidly

filling in all the holes Alana had left in her story.

“Weel, ye have certainly had an adventure,” Fiona said when Alana was finished. “Ye have also

answered a question or two I have had concerning this betrothal between Gregor and Mavis.”

“How did I do that? I didnae e’en mention the lying swine’s betrothal.” And Alana heartily wished

no one else would, either, for she could feel all the hurt inside of her writhing to be set free.

Fiona pulled up a stool and sat down facing Alana. “But that is just it, ye see.”

“Nay, nary a glimmer.”

“Gregor isnae a lying swine. Oh, he is as big a rutting fool as the rest of these MacFingals, but he is an honest mon. True, there must be some reason Mavis’s father claims a betrothal, and Gregor was

on the hunt for a wife, but I feel verra sure he would ne’er break a vow if he made one. When Mavis

and her father arrived and talked of a betrothal, we were all puzzled, for Gregor hadnae sent word to us and we were all certain that he would.”

“He was riding home to Scarglas. Mayhap it was to tell ye that he had finally chosen his bride.”

Alana heard her voice waver as she spoke that last word and reached out for that anger or that

numbness that had thus far shielded her from pain.

“Mayhap, but he looked completely stunned, and then, weel, upset. Verra upset.”

“Wheesht, of course he looked upset. He was just caught out, wasnae he.”

“I dinnae think so. Oh, I suspect a betrothal was talked about between the men, but I truly dinnae

think it was settled. Mavis’s father would like it to be and that may be why he speaks so boldly, as

if all were settled and done, but I dinnae think so. Nay, kenning Gregor as I do, I think he was

coming here to think on it all, mayhap e’en talk it all o’er with Ewan. This wasnae a match born of

passion or love, so I feel certain Gregor would step carefully nay matter what he would gain from

the marriage.”

That did sound like Gregor, Alana thought and then hastily pushed that thought aside. Fiona was

offering hope and Alana did not dare grasp at it. She still had not dealt with the hurt of seeing

another woman claim Gregor. If she let hope seep into her heart and it proved fruitless, the pain that would bring her did not bear thinking on. There was also the fact that Gregor had never once hinted

that he was not a free man. It was a lie of silence, but it was still a lie. That made her wonder just how many other lies he had told her.

“Weel, it doesnae matter. Gregor and I were but prisoners and then travelers together,” Alana said.

“Ye are a verra poor liar, Alana Murray. I dinnae ask that ye confess all that passed between ye and

Gregor, but I dinnae believe ye were naught but fellow prisoners who escaped together and then

made your way here. If naught else, the look upon Gregor’s face when Mavis appeared tells me that

the two of ye shared far more than a cell and a horse.”

“Whate’er we shared is now over. He is to be wed to Mavis.”

Fiona rose and braided Alana’s hair. “We shall see. Now, do ye want to hide here in this room or

shall ye come down to the great hall to sup with us?”

“I thought ye said I needed to take good care of my poor, battered self.”

“I said ye shouldnae be traveling about and adding to your many bruises. Donning a gown, coming

down to the great hall, and eating something willnae add to your injuries.”

The very last thing Alana wished to do was sit at a table and watch Gregor with his betrothed. It

might not add to all the bruises and scrapes she had, but it would certainly add to her pain. Yet her pride quailed at the thought of hiding in her bedchamber as if she had done something wrong. Such

a cowardly act would also tell Gregor that he had hurt her, and she did not want him to know that

she felt anything more than a righteous fury over his lies. It would mean she could not succumb to

all the feelings churning inside of her, but if she clung to her anger she might be able to hide her

pain from everyone for a few more hours.

“I doubt I shall be able to eat much,” she said and could tell by Fiona’s smile that the woman

recognized those grumbled words for the acceptance she had been waiting for.

Gregor ached to go after Alana and try to explain things, but he knew he could not do so. It was also going to be difficult to deal with Mavis and her father for a while. Not only were there too many

people around, he needed to think carefully about exactly what he should say to Mavis. After

assuring her that he was well, Gregor escaped to his bedchamber to bathe and don some clean

clothes. He was not really surprised when, within minutes after he had finished his bath, his brother Ewan arrived.

“Ye arenae acting much like a mon who has finally found the lass he wishes to marry,” said Ewan

as he sprawled on Gregor’s bed.

“Ah, but I have,” said Gregor as he began to dress. “Unfortunately, it isnae Mavis Kerr.”

“Nay? She and her father feel verra certain that it is. If ye werenae certain yourself, ye shouldnae

have gotten yourself betrothed to the lass.”

“Actually, I didnae. I did court her, and her father and I talked round it a few times, that I cannae deny. I didnae ask for her hand, however, nor did I put my mark on any papers. In truth, I was

coming here to talk it o’er with ye and think on it verra carefully ere I made any vows. The Gowans

interfered with that plan.”

“Yet ye made no denials when she ran into your arms.”

“Aside from the fact that I was stunned stupid to find Mavis waiting for me, and everyone claiming

she is my betrothed, I couldnae humiliate her so by denying it before all of you. Mavis is a good

woman and, weel, I did raise expectations. My plan was to return to her and gently end those

expectations. I think this is her father’s doing and he has made it all far more difficult than it needed to be. Here, amongst all my kinsmen, it will be difficult to avoid offering her an insult or causing

her some humiliation.”

“Weel, I would like to help ye untangle this, but I must leave in the morning.”

“For where?”

“Ardgleann. Do ye ken anything about it? I mean, aside from the fact that Alana’s sister Keira is

alive and married again.”

Gregor told his brother all that Brother Matthew had told him and Alana. “He was pleased to hear

that Liam had married Keira and would be laird of Ardgleann.”

“Liam has done verra weel for himself and will be a good laird. He has also found his soul mate.”

Ewan smiled faintly. “He is having a wee bit of trouble convincing the lass of that, as his past hangs o’er him like a dark cloud, but I have faith that they will soon be settled.”

“Mayhap that can be used to keep Alana from rushing to her sister’s side,” Gregor mused aloud.

“Fiona has already put a stop to Alana rushing off to Ardgleann. She told the lass she cannae go

anywhere until her injuries heal more. When that cannae hold her any longer, I suspicion Fiona will

convince her that it would be best to leave Liam and Keira alone a wee bit longer so that they can

sort out their troubles. That is, if ye wish Alana to stay here.”

“Aye, I do. She is my mate.”

Ewan nodded. “I had wondered. The way ye looked at Alana when Mavis flung herself into your

arms made me think that ye had changed your mind about your choice of bride.”

“I had begun to change my mind shortly after being tossed into the Gowans’ oubliette. Sitting alone

in the dark with nowhere to go can greatly clarify a mon’s thought. Mavis really is a fine woman,

nay too hard to look at, with a fine purse as a dowry, and a bit of land, but she doesnae move me. I

suspicion I could grow to care for her, feel some true affection for her, but I suddenly didnae want

to bind myself for the rest of my days to a woman I could, at best, feel a mild affection for.”

“Nay, that path can lead to misery and the breaking of vows made. Which, as we ken all too weel,

leads to e’en more misery. Yet ’tis true that ye cannae just cast her aside.”

“I ken it.” Gregor sighed. “It all requires a tact and skill with words I am nay sure I am capable of.”

“Then come with me to Ardgleann. That bastard Mowbray stripped the place of food and I am

taking them some supplies. Ye can explain the need for such a journey, for there are many good

reasons for it. And Mavis and her father did come here uninvited, so they cannae complain too

loudly. They have also lied to all of us. We will be gone for several days, so that should give ye

time to think o’er what ye will say.”

“A sound plan, e’en if it tastes a wee bit too much like a cowardly retreat from a mess of my own

making.”

Ewan laughed softly as he stood up. “Think of it more as a strategic withdrawal to allow yourself to

prepare for a battle.”

“That does sound much better.” Gregor hastily brushed his hair. “I wonder if Alana will brave the

great hall tonight or also employ a strategic withdrawal.”

“Is she a proud lass?”

“Aye, for all that she doesnae think much good of herself.”

“Then she will be there. She willnae want to give ye the idea that she is hurt by what she may see as a gross betrayal.”

“Och, I dinnae think there is any may about it.”

“Seduced her, did ye?”

“We were lovers, aye.” Gregor heard the tone of defensiveness in his voice and inwardly cursed.

“We willnae argue o’er whether or not ye should have told her about Mavis but, weel, it doesnae

surprise me that ye and Alana became lovers. Nay if ye are certain that she is your true mate.”

“Aye, she is. Although after this, it will be cursed difficult to convince her of that.”

“A prize is all the sweeter when ’tis hard won. And dinnae forget that she took ye as her lover.

From all Fiona tells me of the Murray lasses, they are verra particular about whom they give their

favors to.”

“I pray she is right. But first, I must get through a meal sitting near one lass who thinks she is

betrothed to me and another who is the one I wish to marry, but who would probably like to see my

head on a pike right now.”

Alana tried very hard not to stare at Gregor, who sat between Mavis and her father. Every bite of

food she put into her mouth tasted like sand on her tongue and sat in her belly like a rock. Each

smile Gregor gave Mavis stabbed Alana to the heart. He certainly did not act as if the betrothal was

false. In truth, Alana was beginning to think Fiona was the only one who had any doubts about it.

In the few hours between arriving at Scarglas and this interminable meal, everything Alana had

found out about Gregor only added to her sense of being the greatest fool in the Christian world.

Not only had he neglected to tell her he was betrothed, he had also neglected to mention that he had

two children, each born of a different mother, and neither woman one whom Gregor had been

married to. He was obviously a lecherous dog and she had just been one more conquest amongst far

too many. All his pretty words had been no more than empty flatteries meant to lift her skirts. The

thought made her so angry she wished she could see his pretty head on a pike, or, more fitting,

another far too well used part of him.

Gregor was pressed to tell everyone about his adventures. Alana noticed how carefully he told the

tale, cleverly dancing around any hint that she might be more than a fellow prisoner, a woman

caught up in the adventure whom he had been kind enough to bring home. He was far better at that

than she had been when talking to Fiona. She knew he could not boldly announce to the crowd

gathered in the great hall that she had been his lover, nor did she wish him to. Yet he did not act as if he had any intention of pushing Mavis aside, either, even in the most subtle of ways. Alana did

not believe the look of warmth in his eyes when he occasionally turned his gaze on her. For all she

knew, he looked at Mavis in the same way.

The question was—where did that leave her? He had used her, taken her innocence, yet she was not

at all inclined to demand that he marry her. Alana did not want anyone to know how easily she had

fallen for his smiles and sweet words. The truly sad thing was that she still wanted him, even as he

sat there talking softly to his betrothed.

The only thing she could do was to ignore him, she decided. There would be no more kisses, no

more lovemaking, and if possible, no more talking. Talking with Gregor was dangerous. Not only

could he easily woo her back into his bed, he could probably persuade her to stay there even after he married Mavis. Alana knew that she could never shame her family in such a way. Or herself.

When Mavis laughingly fed Gregor a piece of apple, Alana decided she had had enough, more than

enough. Pride had demanded that she attend this meal, that she show Gregor that she had not been

crushed by his betrayal and his lies. As far as she was concerned, her pride had been placated now.

Watching Gregor and his soon-to-be bride woo each other was putting Alana into such a passionate

fury, she would undoubtedly spew out all the hurt and anger she was trying to hide if she did not

leave very soon. Murmuring the excuse of enduring a very long journey and a multitude of aches

and pains, Alana excused herself and headed for her bedchamber. She had already gotten halfway