Loving A Highlander (8 page)

“What happened?” Isabella asked, as her interest was piqued.

Eva chewed her lower lip.  “Well, I don’t like to speak ill of the dead,” she said slowly, “and I do believe Lorna was a loyal wife to Gerard, but there was a time before she was married when she flirted with both men.”

“I didn’t realize Lorna lived at the castle before her marriage.”

“She didn’t.”  Eva sighed.  “But then, Ethan hasn’t always lived her either.  She knew Ethan before her marriage to Gerard.”

“Ah,” Isabella said, as she nodded her head in understanding.  That explained the hard feelings between the two men.  Both of them had loved the same woman.

She smiled.  “At least Gerard won Lorna’s heart in the end.”

Eva nodded.  “Aye, he did, and he and Lorna were happily married.  But I don’t believe Ethan ever forgave him.”

Isabella thought about Gerard.  “Gerard is a troubled man,” she said softly.

“Aye, he is,” Eva agreed, “but he has reason to be.  His life over the past two years hasn’t been easy.”

Isabella wished she could take away some of Gerard’s pain.  To put a smile back on his face, but she knew it wouldn’t be easy.  His hurt ran deep and memories had a way of haunting a person, tormenting their very soul until they cried out for mercy.

She walked over and placed her dress on the bed.  The fabric was tattered and worn, but was strangely comforting.  It was a link to her home and she would treasure it always.

Eva’s expression softened.  “I didn’t realize the dress was so special to you.  Don’t worry.  I won’t take it from you, but I would be pleased if you wore some of my dresses while you are here.  Maybe if you are still living at the castle in the spring time, we can order more cloth and have some dresses made for you.”

Isabella looked around her bedchamber at the fancy furnishings.  She knew Eva was used to spending money freely, but she owned no coin and wouldn’t be able to repay her hosts for the fabric. 

“Thank you,” she said, straightening her shoulders.  “But I am certain I will not be able to afford it.”

Eva laughed and waved away her concern.  “I overheard Gerard tell Rowan that he is willing to pay for all of your expenses.”  Her forehead wrinkled.  “Which is odd.  I don’t recall Gerard paying for any of his lady friends before.  The only woman who could get him to part with his coin was his wife.”

Isabella thought about the beautiful woman from her vision.  “Tell me about her.”

“Lorna?”  Eva hesitated for a moment, as if choosing her words carefully.  “She was kind.  A warm and loving person.  Fate smiled on Gerard the day she agreed to become his wife.” She quickly sobered.  “Of course, fate is a fickle thing.  We were all shocked and saddened when Lorna became ill and died along with their unborn child.”

“So she was a kind woman?” Isabella whispered, knowing in her heart there was no way she could compete with the memory of Gerard’s dead wife.

“Very.”  Eva laughed.  “She had to be kind to thaw Gerard’s cold heart.”

“Strange,” Isabella murmured, as she thought about the handsome man and the way she had felt in his arms.  “Gerard has never seemed cold to me.  A bit demanding, aye, and entirely infuriating, but never cold.”

Eva stopped tidying the already immaculate room and turned.  “Aye, that is because Gerard cares about you.  He only shows emotion around the ones who are dear to his heart.”

“That is impossible,” Isabella protested.  “We have only known each other a handful of days.”

Eva shrugged.  “It doesn’t matter.  When a man finds a woman who stirs his very soul, he is quick to act.  He was like that with Lorna and he appears to be the same way with you.”

She moved to the door.  “Mark my words, Isabella, by this time next year, you will be Gerard’s wife.”

Eva’s words seemed to echo in the room long after she had left.

Isabella sat on the bed and hugged her dress to her chest, the only thing she had left of home and the loved ones that had been lost.

She thought about Eva’s words and then about Owen.  He was her husband, aye, but not legally.  They had never officially married.  Instead, they had performed a ceremony called Jumping the Broom.  It was where a man and woman pledged themselves to one another and then jumped over a broom lying on the floor to make it binding.

Would she and Gerard be married by this time next year?  Eva certainly thought so.  A man such as Gerard Mackenzie was a force to be reckoned with.  She didn’t know if she could handle having such a man in her life, nor was she certain she wanted to try.

Chapter

Seven

Three weeks later.

Isabella made her way down the corridor toward the main staircase.  She smiled at a couple of chamber maids who were walking her way.  They appeared to be about her age and she would have liked to get to know them, to become friends, but they continued on without acknowledging her presence.

“Who is that woman?”  One of the maids asked.

“Just a peasant puttin’ on airs,” the other replied.  “She acts as if she is better than us, but I heard that she grew up in the forest a few miles from here.  She is just someone the captain of the guard brought home to pass the time.  No better than a common stray.”

“If Gerard needs a woman to warm his bed during the long cold nights, I am more than willing,” the first woman purred.  “I’m sure I can satisfy him a lot better than that scrap of a woman he picked up during his travels.”

Isabella’s heart plummeted.  She had never seen these particular maids before and it pained her to realize the household staff was gossiping about her.

The other maid giggled.  “Well, if memory serves me correctly, she is going to have to perform and perform well or he will cast her out of his bed.  He likes his women ready and willing.”

“Aye,” the first maid agreed,
“that,
I know well, but he makes it worth a woman’s time.  I’ve spent a night or two in his bed and let’s just say the man is talented.”

They both giggled.

Isabella didn’t wish to hear any more about what appeared to be Gerard’s favorite pastime.  She quickly made her way to the first floor and out into the bustling courtyard.

It was cloudy again, but it didn’t surprise her.  Winter had arrived and along with it, the gray days. A slight mist hung in the air, dampening the garments of anyone who dared venture out of the warmth and safety of the castle. 

Isabella groaned as her foot, shod in the thinnest of slippers, slipped in the muck of the courtyard.  She had been searching for Gerard all morning, but had yet to lay eyes on him.

She saw Ethan speaking to a group of men.  They hadn’t spoken since the incident in the tower room.  She had caught him watching her once or twice during meal time, but each time he had turned away.

He broke off is conversation and fell into step beside her.  “Good morning,” he said, as he offered her a grin.

Isabella ignored him.

He chuckled.  “You are angry with me.”

Isabella stopped and turned to face him.  “Yes, I am angry with you,” she whispered, not wanting anyone else to hear.  “You called me a whore.”

A look of regret flashed in Ethan’s green eyes.  “Ah,” he said as he nodded.  “I thought that might still be bothering you.  That is why I want to apologize.  I behaved poorly.”

“Yes,” Isabella agreed.  “You did.”  She smiled.  She couldn’t stay angry with the man, not when he was acting so charming.  “But I accept your apology.”

“Thank you.”  Ethan breathed a sigh of relief.  “I hope we can still be friends?”

Isabella watched as a soft smile curved Ethan’s lips making him appear even more handsome.  “Aye,” she whispered.  “We can be friends.”  She wasn’t certain she trusted this man or any man for that matter, but she could certainly use a friend.  Other than an occasional conversation with Eva and the time she spent with Gerard, she had been left mostly alone since her arrival at the castle.  Aye, a friend would be welcome, indeed.

“Good.”  Ethan’s smile turned into a full-fledged grin.  “As my new friend, would you like to take a walk around the courtyard with me?”

Isabella hesitated.  He looked so hopeful, but she finally shook her head.  “I’m sorry.  Maybe some other time.  Right now I am looking for Gerard.  You haven’t seen him, have you?”

Ethan’s smile dimmed, but didn’t go out completely.  He pointed toward the stables.  “I saw him go in there a few minutes ago.”

Isabella thanked him and then turned toward the stables.  A soft smile played about her lips as she thought about the handsome man.  Gerard had made himself scarce for well over a week and only made appearances at meal times.  But over the past few days, even those appearances had ceased.

A part of her wondered where he was spending his time and who he was spending his time with, but she reminded herself it didn’t matter.  Gerard had gone out of his way to prove he had no interest in her and she should have been relieved.

So why did she feel so sad?  And why did a pang of jealousy lance through her heart at the thought of Gerard in the arms of another woman?

Isabella decided she didn’t care to find the answers to her questions, as she yanked open the door to the stables and stepped inside.  The strong smell of horses and manure assaulted her.  She choked back a cough as she peered into the dimly lit interior. 

A stable boy stopped his chores to come to her aid.  “Can I help you, m’lady?”  A boy that couldn’t have been more than ten stared up at her.

“Thank you, Simon,” Gerard’s deep voice rumbled as he emerged from the shadows.  “But I will see to the lady’s wishes.”

The stable boy nodded and after one more curious glance in Isabella’s direction, went back to his task.

“Can I help you, Isabella?”  Gerard’s voice was laced with displeasure as he stared down at her.

Isabella tilted her chin and looked him in the eyes as her blood began to simmer.  “No,” she said shortly.  “I don’t believe you can.” She turned to leave, but couldn’t resist a parting shot.  “At one time, I thought you could help me, but now I see you are not the man for the job.  Perhaps Ethan can help me.  He seems more than willing.”

Isabella opened the door, but Gerard reached around her and slammed it shut.  “And just what do you mean by that?” he growled in her ear.

She turned to face him as she tried to calm the pounding of her heart.  Heat flared in his eyes.  He looked like he wanted to shake her and it surprised her to know that she could cause such a response from the powerful man in front of her.

“I didn’t mean anything by it,” Isabella said, with a calm she didn’t feel.  She was playing with fire, but was surprised to find she didn’t care.  Gerard had all but ignored her since her arrival here and it was about time she got some kind of reaction from him.

Gerard studied her for a minute, searching her eyes for the truth.  “Has Ethan made anymore advances toward you?”

It surprised her to hear the jealousy in his voice.  “No.  In fact, he apologized for his previous behavior.”

Gerard nodded before taking a step back and thrusting a hand through his hair.  He sighed, looking troubled. “What is it you want, Isabella?” he repeated.  “Surely you didn’t come out in the cold and the wet just to spar with me.”

“I want to go home.”  Isabella could read the frustration on his face and her heart sank when he shook his head.

“You can’t, lass.”  Gerard folded his arms.  “This conversation tires me.  It isn’t safe for you to live in the forest alone.  You could be attacked by a wild animal…or worse.”

Isabella knew what he meant by ‘worse’, but it didn’t matter.  She was going to return home and there was nothing he could do to stop her.  She would walk if she had to.

“Fine,” she said with a courage she didn’t feel.  “I will go alone.”

Gerard grasped her arm and pulled her to him.  “You will go nowhere without me by your side,” he growled, as he stared down at her.  “It isn’t safe for a woman to be alone outside of the castle walls.”

Isabella laughed as she freed her arm and took a step back.  “That is nonsense.  I lived by myself for months and not a soul bothered me.” 

She opened the stable door and stepped outside into the cold air with Gerard close on her heels.  She could see Ethan standing by the closed portcullis, speaking with one of the guards.  “Perhaps I shall ask Ethan to accompany me,” she murmured.  “I am certain he wouldn’t mind.”

“You won’t,” Gerard’s voice was low so that only her ears would hear and held an undercurrent of anger.

“Why not?”  Isabella tossed her head.  “You have proved to me that you are far too busy to see to my wishes.”

“I can see to your wishes just fine, lass,” Gerard murmured, placing an arm about her waist and pulling her to his side.  “Just say the word and I will spend the rest of the day seeing to your
wishes.”

Isabella’s cheeks burned as images of them naked on his bed tumbled through her mind.  Oh, how she wished she could take him up on his offer, but she didn’t belong here and the longer she delayed returning home, the harder it would be to leave.

“I’m going home,” she said firmly.  “I stayed alone in my cottage for months and wasn’t bothered by a soul.”

Gerard’s eyes glittered with emotion.  “Aye, lass, you did, but that was before the men in the castle knew of your presence.  I’m sure any one of them would be more than happy to pay you a visit if they found out you were living alone in the middle of the forest.”

Isabella shrugged as if it didn’t matter to her.  “Company would be welcome.  It gets lonely sometimes.  It would be nice to have someone to talk to for a change.”

Gerard gave a bark of laughter.  “Talking would be the last thing the men would have on their minds.”

Isabella’s cheeks colored as she understood the meaning behind his words.  “Surely, they wouldn’t…” her words trailed off as she noticed one of the stable hands watching her.  A rough looking man with unkempt hair and dirty clothes.  There was a hunger in his eyes as he studied her and she quickly adverted her gaze.

Gerard snorted.  “They are perfect gentlemen when someone is watching them.  They know better than to misbehave beneath the laird’s roof.  But they won’t be afraid of the consequences if they do their deeds outside of the castle walls.”

Isabella shivered.  “I’m certain the laird would be angry.”

“Oh, aye,” Gerard said softly.  “Rowan would be very angry.  But the men need to worry about me more than Rowan.”

Isabella’s eyes widened.  “Why? What would you do if a man chose to visit me?”

Gerard’s gaze fastened on hers.  “I would kill him, Bella. But not before I made him pay dearly first.”

From the look in his eyes, she knew he spoke the truth.

Gerard’s strong arms lifted her down from the horse and sat her on the ground in front of the cottage.  Her slippers sank into the soft earth as rain fell around them, turning everything into a soggy mess.  This wasn’t how she had pictured her homecoming.  She had pictured a blue sky and the birds singing in the trees as the warmth from the sun’s rays kissed her skin, but sunshine was rare in the wintertime and warmth would have to wait until spring.

Gerard ushered her toward the door.  “We need to get inside, lass, before we catch our deaths from cold.”  He yanked open the rickety door and motioned her into the cottage.

Isabella’s breath caught as she stepped into the dimly lit interior.  The place looked exactly as she had left it and a wave of homesickness washed over her, causing her to sag against the wall.

“Are you ill, lass?”  Gerard towered over her, his concerned gaze searching her face.  “I knew this trip was a bad idea.  You should be seated in front of a warm fire, not traipsing through the woods in the pouring rain.”

“No.”  Isabella calmed her emotions and straightened.  “I’m not ill.  It is just a shock to see my former home.”  She walked around the room, touching the familiar objects and her wave of homesickness deepened.  How could she have chosen to leave this place?  This cottage had been in her family for generations and she had discarded it like a piece of trash she no longer had a use for.

“Aye,” Gerard murmured.  “I imagine it would be a shock.  Until now, you had never ventured far from home.”

Isabella crossed to the window and opened the shutters, looking out at the rain swept clearing in front of the cottage.  Her gaze fastened on the spot she had found Gerard.  At the time, she hadn’t known her life would change on that night and she wasn’t convinced it was for the better.

What would her life be like if she had never heard the name Gerard Mackenzie?  Had never set eyes on the man behind the name.  Had never fallen love with a man so infuriating it left her stomach in knots and her head spinning.

“Troubled, Bella?”  Gerard’s deep voice rumbled in her ear as he stood beside her.

“A little,” she admitted.  “I realize I can’t take advantage of the laird’s hospitality forever, and it is obvious I can’t stay here.”  Tears glistened on her lashes and she angrily wiped them away.  It wasn’t like her to cry over the littlest thing.  She had always considered tears to be a sign of weakness and she wasn’t a weak woman.  Not by far.  “What is to become of me?  I have no one.”

Gerard turned her to face him.  “You have me,” he replied solemnly.  “I won’t leave you to fend for yourself, lass.”

He reached out to tenderly smooth a curl away from her face and then cupped her chin.  “I won’t abandon you, Bella.  You have my word.”

Isabella didn’t have time to respond before he pulled her into his arms and claimed her lips in a kiss.  She moaned as his mouth moved expertly against hers and her hands fisted in the material of his shirt.

“Ah, Bella,” Gerard moaned as they broke apart.  “What am I going to do with you?”