Highlander Medieval 06 - Her Highland Hero (16 page)

“Aye. I am curious about this ward you were caring for that you wished the Chattan brothers to meet and hoped one would wed her. The brothers returned home, wouldna speak of the matter, and none had a bride in hand,” Angus said, as they left the shieling and mounted their horses.

Isobel rode beside Marcus and turned to look at him, curiosity in her expression.

“‘Tis a long story,” Marcus said. “The Chattan brothers were delayed so long, by the time they reached my keep, the circumstances had changed.”

“How so?” Angus asked.

“My ward is no longer my ward, but I am still trying to rectify that.” Marcus hadn’t told anyone the details because he thought that best left up to the man who wished to wed the lass, the daughter of a friend who had died and left her in the hands of an unscrupulous uncle. Although Marcus had planned to tell Isobel when they reached his keep so that she would know why this was so important to him. He wished she could meet her and be her friend.

“How goes married life between you and my cousin?” Marcus asked Angus. Edana had a strange gift of knowing things she should not and he had been afraid she’d never find a man who could love her like she deserved. He was glad she married Angus, the two of them appealing to each other from the time they were young, very much like Marcus and Isobel.

Angus smiled. “She is a delight. I should have wed Edana long ago.”

“Aye, I agree. And you, Niall? No trouble with the French aristocracy over wedding the countess?”

“Nay. They were happy that I married the lass.”

Gunnolf snorted.

Everyone looked in his direction. Gunnolf shrugged. “In the end.”

Marcus wasn’t surprised. If he hadn’t been away at the time, he would have offered to go with Niall and Gunnolf and aid them in locating the countess. Especially after he had learned of all the difficulties they had gone through.

“And you and Isobel?” Angus asked.

Isobel flushed a pretty pink.

Marcus smiled at her. “She is the best thing that has ever happened to me. But we have no’ had the pleasure to get to know each other like we will.”

The men chuckled.

She looked beautifully embarrassed. But he knew she did not mind the attention. She was used to his cousins teasing the two of them, and she was always good-natured about it.

***

With the land cloaked in fog every morning until nooning, and low hanging clouds covering the sky, they had not had to suffer any further drenching rains, just light mists, which Marcus was glad for. It took them two days to reach the lands of the Clan Chattan. They had not even gone far when Edana’s brothers rode out to meet them and everyone halted to speak for a moment before they continued the rest of the way to the castle.

The brothers were a lively lot and when Marcus had been but a lad, he’d spent many a day hunting, sparring, and even swimming with his cousins in the loch.

Gildas, the second eldest of the brothers, his blue eyes sparkling like the waters of the loch were narrowed a little when he said, “We have had travelers since Angus left to find you.” Gildas’s tone of voice warned it was not welcome news.

Marcus growled, “Laren MacLauchlan—”

“Nay, no’ him.”

“Pembroke’s men?” Marcus was surprised they would be there and not storming his own castle.

“His nephew.”

Isobel’s eyes were wide with shock. “John is here?”

“Aye. He suspected Marcus had found you after one of Marcus’s men took the knight home and left him there to tend to. Marcus’s kinsman came to Rondover Castle and John and his escort followed him there, thinking that you would be there already.”

Marcus didn’t like the worry in Gilda’s expression. “And?”

“He wants Lady Isobel returned home at once. That he means to return her, I should say.”

“Nay,” Isobel said. “He can have my…my father’s title now. His lands. I have agreed to be Marcus’s wife.”

“It seems that isna enough,” Drummond, the youngest of the Chattan brothers, said. “We would ride with you to your keep, Marcus, if you wish it so that you can keep the lass from the likes of her cousin.”

“Nay,” Isobel said. “I will speak with him. He must believe I have been taken against my will or some such thing. He does not know the fondness Marcus and I have always had for each other. My cousin has rarely visited.”

She rode toward the castle and Marcus caught up to her, not liking this business one wee bit, but he would set her cousin straight at once. He and the lass belonged together and nothing would tear them apart now.

“He willna have you returned, lass,” Marcus said adamantly.

“What if John has King Henry’s backing?”

“We will mention about your heritage if you agree,” he said to her.

She looked ill at ease over the matter.

“‘Tis up to you.”

“Aye, we will do that. If you think it will make any difference.”

“Surely your cousin will see that this is what you want and will agree without too much trouble.” Marcus would go to any lengths to fight anyone who wished to take her away from him now. When he was attempting a diplomatic solution with her da, that was one thing. He respected him for the way he normally dealt with the Scots at the border, attempting to keep the peace. She adored her da and he her, so Marcus had not wanted to fight him and upset Isobel, nor had he wanted to have to deal with King Henry, should he have taken the side of the earl.

John was a different matter. The cousin was an unknown quantity to him. It was always important to know one’s friends and foes. “What kind of man is he?” Marcus asked Isobel as they drew closer to the gates.

“He has always been standoffish, but I think ‘tis because he never lived with us. He would visit every once in a while. Maybe ten times in the last ten years? We were never close. He was rather sullen as a lad, and he never spoke to me, but I attributed that to my being a lass and he was more interested in speaking to the men of my…father’s court. He has a younger brother by a year, but I saw him even less.”

Marcus wished he hadn’t had to tell her who her da really was. Every time she hesitated to refer to him as her da, he felt a twinge of guilt. Though he still felt it important for her to know the truth because her
real
father seemed to want her for his own pawn in securing clan ties, and he wanted her to know that King Henry might not pursue the matter if he learned she was not really Pembroke’s daughter.

It was hard for Marcus to know what kind of man John truly was from the little Isobel knew of him. He turned to the Chattan brothers. “Have you a feel for the situation?”

“Aye,” Kayne said. He was the third eldest brother. “The man is adamant that he wants Isobel returned at once to her rightful place.”

“And then married off to someone that King Henry approves of so John can win favor with the king?” Isobel asked, sounding bitter.

Marcus didn’t blame her. He wasn’t about to allow her cousin to return her home. “We are wed,” he reminded her, in case she needed reminding.

She smiled at him, then frowned. “Under your laws. John may not agree to yours.”

“You are no’ leaving with him.” Marcus had not expected this development at all. Once John had her da’s title and lands, Marcus assumed that’s all he’d care about as long as Isobel was happy. The greedy bastard.

Kayne said, “We have disarmed his men, the twenty he brought with him as we would do any that are no’ our allies or kin. We back you in this, Marcus.”

“Many thanks to you and your kin,” Marcus said.

As soon as they reached the gates, two of the Chattan brothers led the way, the rest of the party following. Several men hurried to take their mounts, while Marcus helped Isobel down from her horse.

He took her arm and strode with her and the others toward the keep, but before they reached it, Edana rushed out, always the family greeter, and hurried to see him and Isobel. She beamed, her dark hair shimmering with red as she looked like she wanted to throw her arms around Marcus and give him a hug, but because he was holding onto Isobel’s arm, she hesitated.

He let go of Isobel and gave Edana a hug. “Cousin,” he said, with great affection. Then he turned and took Isobel’s arm and introduced her. “My dear wife.”

Again, Edana hesitated, and then she smiled broadly and wrapped her arms around Isobel in a warm embrace. “Cousin,” she said, fondly. But then she whispered, “Forgive me for saying so, but you are no’ at all like your cousin John. He is a pompous bore. He has only just attempted to claim your da’s title and hasna even earned it.”

“I agree,” Isobel said. “I will tell him what I intend to do.”

Edana again smiled brightly at her, and said to Marcus, “If you will release Isobel long enough, I will take her to the guest chamber and have a bath prepared for her. She can come down when she is ready to see her cousin.”

“I will go with her,” Marcus said.

Edana lifted a brow.

“In case anyone has any ideas about trying to run off with her.”

As they entered the keep, Edana smiled again. “For protection, aye. I will ensure you have more time to clean up then,” she said to Isobel.

“Where are John and his men?” Marcus asked.

“In the great hall, feasting. They wanted to come out to see you, but my father said no. He is sitting with them still and sent my brothers instead.”

“Good.”

Edana led the way up the narrow, curving stone stairs until they reached the fifth floor of the tower. “This chamber looks onto the loch and you will have enough privacy on this floor. I have already instructed the servants to bring up a bath, and,” she said, motioning to the bed, “I have set out one of my gowns for your use, Isobel, suspecting you had naught with you when you had to flee from the men who killed your escort.”

“Did the knight live that Marcus’s clansmen took back to my father’s keep?” Isobel asked.

“Aye.”

“And my kinsman?” Marcus asked.

“He is here, eating with the others. Like John, he wished to see you, but my father asked that he remain at the table. He didna want anyone to leave but my brothers.”

Several men suddenly entered the chamber, some carrying a wooden tub, others carrying buckets of water to fill the tub.

As they continued to parade in, deposit their water, and then leave again, Edana, Marcus, and Isobel remained silent. When the tub was filled, the servants left the room.

Edana asked, “Will you need a maid to help you?”

Marcus shook his head.

Edana chuckled. “You are so much like Angus. I canna decide if he gets it from you or you from him.” She paused at the door. “Would you prefer to eat here? I can send up food for you, if you would rather eat in the chamber.”

“Aye,” Marcus said, then looked at Isobel to see her preference.

She looked frazzled now that she’d removed her cloak and set it aside, half her dark brown hair in curls about her shoulders and trailing down to her hips.

“Aye,” she said, nodding as if saying the word was not enough. “I am tired from all the traveling. If it would not appear too ungracious, I would prefer to see everyone on the morrow when we break our fast.”

“Aye, I will tell my father what you wish. He said ‘tis up to the two of you, and he said that he wants to know why his favorite cousin hasna visited in so long. Though, of course, he says so in jest, knowing how busy you are with taking care of your clan.”

“I will come down and visit with him…after a time,” Marcus said.

Edana grinned. “I willna tell him in case you change your mind.” Then she gave Isobel and Marcus another hug and quickly left the chamber, closing the door as she departed.

Marcus strode across the floor and bolted the door, then turned and saw Isobel struggling to pull her gown over her head.

“Let me help,” he said, hoarsely, the thought of seeing her naked and in the bath already stirring his loins. He couldn’t have asked for a more perfect way to end their journey today, no men and bairns in the same room as them. All alone and finally able to make love to his beautiful wife like he’d wanted to as soon as she was old enough to do so. Now all that had changed, not in an entirely good way as he wished her da had lived and given Marcus his permission freely to wed the lass.

***

Angus, Gunnolf, and Niall backed up Angus’s wife’s brothers as John Pembroke stood behind the table where he was to be seated, looking for any sign of Isobel, no doubt. Angus couldn’t have been more pleased that his cousin by marriage and good friend, Marcus, had taken his beloved Isobel to wife. The man had piercing blue eyes, his dark brown hair curling at his shoulders, a beard making him look older than Angus thought he was. Mayhap five and twenty.

John’s men had taken his cue and also rose, but Tibold, chief of the Clan Chattan, asked them to please take their seats, though the men did not.

Edana quickly entered the great hall and joined her da, leaning down to whisper something in his ear.

Tibold nodded. “Lady Isobel will see us in the morn. She is weary from her journey and—”

John scowled. “I wish to see her now.”

“That willna be possible. She is in her bath by now.” Tibold smiled.

“Where is this McEwan who was said to have saved my cousin?” John looked over the other men that had joined them, Marcus’s kinsmen, but Angus was certain Marcus would not leave his wife for the rest of the night.

“He has other matters to attend to.” Tibold’s determined look told the man he would send him and his men from the keep if he did not abide his rules.

Angus and the other men would back him up with might, if necessary.

For the longest time, John remained standing as if he couldn’t decide if he should push the issue or give in.

Then, in a hostile way, John dropped to his seat and bumped the table with his abruptness, a scowl still plastered on his face. “We will take our leave in the morn after we break our fast. Mayhap after she has slept the night, she will feel rested enough to travel.”

If she was rested enough, she would travel to Marcus’s castle, Angus thought, as he watched John’s men take their seats. Angus suspected that Marcus would prefer that Isobel stay here a while longer and when they were ready to go, Angus and his cousin, Niall, and their friend Gunnolf, and his wife’s brothers would also ride as escort to ensure Marcus and Isobel and his kin arrived safely.