Mysty McPartland (19 page)

Agitated and wringing her hands
, she drew in a long breath. “Father tried to make him change his mind, but Lord Phillip was most adamant. As soon as I knew, I sent Steven with the jade cross. I knew you would help me and when Payne arrived we talked to Papa and he agreed the best thing for me to do was to come to you. He would inform Lord Phillip that you were ill and needed me. Hopefully, he will give up this ridiculous pursuit.”

Relieved, yet angry grasping her sister hands, she smiled reassuringly. “I am glad that father went along with this. I do hope though there will be no repercussions towards him.”

“
If there is I’m sure father will take care of it. Now, it’s your turn, tell me about your laird. He does not seem as frightening as he was the first time I saw him.”

A wicked twinkle in her eyes, laughing merrily she told her everything well, almost everything. When she mentioned that her husband whipped her, she was warmed by Jaccy’s outrage. Only after she explained did her sister calm down. Though she told all that had happened she left out the more personal aspects she shared with Rieph. She would keep those particular moments to herself.

Chapter Seventeen

At the supper table that evening
with Jaccy sitting beside her, Trista was enchanting. She was spirited and entertaining. Rieph had never seen this side of his wife and he could imagine that many a man could fall under her spell.

He noted that Quinn was also enrapt, but with the lady Jaccy. He could tell his friend was more than pleased to be seated next to her and relieved that she held little interest in Payne, knowing his younger brother was nowhere ready to settle down.

He was happy to see his friend find himself a good woman and was certain he would find it in lady Jaccy. His attention turned back to his wife and it suddenly struck him. He’d also been amazingly lucky because Trista was truly everything he would ever want in a wife. Though she exasperated him, infuriated him at times, she was also sweet loving and kind.

It made his chest ache to think of how close to losing her
he’d come. He vowed then he would never hurt or cause her any sadness again. Hearing her throaty laugh again, he grinned. Picking up on the conversation he joined in.

The enjoyable evening flew by and though everyone was reluctant to have it end they all went upstairs to find their beds. With a
n arm around his wife’s waist he led her into their bedchamber. When the door shut behind them he swept her up in his arms and carried her to the bed.

They fell on the mattress in a tangle of arms and legs. The mouths locked together in a passionate kiss
as they undressed each other. Tonight, their love making was slow and tender and afterwards they held tightly to each other.

With a kiss to her brow, he asked her what the trouble was that brought Jaccy to seek their help. When she explained he remained quiet afterwards. He knew in his gut that this Lord Phillip would not let this final insult go by without retaliation.

First thing in the morning he would
speak to Quinn and Payne. Afterwards, he would start making plans to protect his wife and her sister. He would also have to solve the problem of the Ferguson’s and the McDowell’s and find out who tried to kill him.

Hell, since taking a wife his life certainly wasn’t dull. It seemed one problem popped
up after another and damn it, his sweet wee wife was behind everyone one of them. He snorted. Sweet indeed. Ha, he was beginning to doubt that there was anything sweet about her at all. With a yawn he let sleep enfold him in its warm embrace.

Refreshed the next morning, he was up early and as usual roughly untangled himself from his wife’s arms and legs. He shook his head in amazement wondering how on earth she could still be sleeping. Hastily dressing, he went down stairs and was pleased to see Quinn as well as his brother were already seated in the hall.

Without haste
, he joined them and went straight to the point. “’Tis trouble I am expecting from this Lord Phillip. Nay man likes to be thwarted twice. I will ask ye both if either of ye have an interest in the lady Jaccy.” Both Quinn and Payne stared thoughtfully at him but it was Quinn’s face that colored and the first to look away.

Payne grinned at his brother and Quinn, with a wink at Rieph became serious. “Well she is a fair bonny lass indeed and I did enjoy her company.”

His head came up and Quinn glared at Payne. “’Tis nay what he is asking ye fool. He is asking if ye are willing to make a serious commitment to the lass.” He then turned to Rieph. “I find myself much attracted to the lady Jaccy and after getting to know her as little as I have, if she is in agreement I would like to further our friendship.”

Unsurprised, grinning at his friend, he relaxed. “’Tis all I ask. I think that we should receive a message from the king or this Lord Phillip they will soon be demanding we send the lady Jaccy home. Mayhap by the time the messenger arrives, the lady will be committed elsewhere. But now I am off to see David McDowell and Elli Ferguson before my wife wakes.”

Both men fell into step with Rieph and Payne asked him what he intended to do about the couple.

“
I am nay sure until I ken what it is all about. Mayhap if they are already married their clans will forgive them. I dinnae like to think of the outcome if they aren’t. And as for them hiding on my land, I will have to get around that in some way.”

But it wasn’t as simple as that, for once he started talking to the couple, he not only found out that they were married, but Lady Elli was pregnant. They both told him that their clans would not recognize the marriage, or if there was a babe it would be an outcast.

He sighed heavily, it much worse than he thought and after leaving them, he went off alone to try to come up with some way to see that all parties were satisfied. Hell, what a mess his wife had dragged him into. It would be bloody lucky if not impossible to sort this situation out.    

****

Not finding Rieph anywhere about, Trista talked Gabe into taking her for a ride, without telling him the exact destination she had in mind. She headed for the clan Ferguson. It was the only thing she could think of to help David and Elli.

It was too late to turn back when he realized where his lady was bound. Gabe let out a furious curse when he saw some of the Ferguson clan riding towards them. And he grew concerned over how his laird would react when he found out. She rolled her eyes and ignored Gabe’s mumbling. She kept a smile on her face as she waited to greet the approaching riders.

“
I see ye are of the clan McKay what business do ye have here?” One man stopped a little ahead of the others and spoke gruffly.

Before she answered she wet her lips nervously and prayed her brogue she’d been secretly practicing behind everyone’s back, except the women of the clan, would be sufficient to hide her English accent. She didn’t want her place of birth to hinder her mission. “Aye, we are from the clan McKay and I am the laird’s wife. The Black Warlock’s woman. I have come to see lady Ferguson on an important matter.” She answered loudly and with pride.

After hearing who the lady was the man did not hesitate. “If ye will follow us, my Lady, we will take ye to lady Ferguson.”

Smugly glancing over at Gabe, she gave him a wide smile before she turned away and followed the other men.

Unimpressed by the mistress’s arrogance and pulling his horse up close to his lady’s, Gabe spoke softly to her. “The laird will nay like this at all, Mistress. ‘Tis best if we turn around now.”

Aye, she did not doubt that her husband would be furious with her and peeking at Gabe’s worried face, she sighed. “I ken, Gabe. But ‘tis to important and the laird willnae know if we dinnae tell him.”

Surprised by her Scottish accent, Gabe only rolled his eyes over her naivety in thinking she could hide this from the laird.

Meeting with lady Ferguson, she could see how miserable the poor woman was looking. Now she was even more certain she had done the right thing in coming here.

A
fter talking quietly to the older woman for a few minutes she knew that it was the loss of her daughter that made her so unhappy. Taking the woman’s hands in hers, she spoke to lady Ferguson about her daughter. She reassured the woman that her Elli was well and happy, but longed to see her mother and family.

Mary Ferguson at first wary of the lovely lady Trista but was soon overjoyed when she started to hear about her sweet child Elli and to find out that she would soon be a grandmother. But the sadness engulfed her once more. “’Tis my wish also to see Elli but my husband willnae allow it.”

Men, Trista thought with exasperation and sighing heavily, she admitted she expected as much. “I feared such a thing. But surely, Lady Mary, ye can talk ye husband round. There are many ways a wife can change her husband’s mind.”

Mary laughed. “
Aye, ye are right. There are many ways, lass, and bless ye for helping my Elli.”

“
’Tis nothing, Lady Mary. Now I best be off before my own husband comes looking for me. He will nay doubt pitch a fit if he finds out where I have been. The man can be completely unreasonable at times. Thank ye for seeing me and I do hope I will see ye sometime soon.” She squeezed the elder woman’s hands and with one more encouraging smile, left the now happy lady Mary.

“
Tis time we were getting home dinnae ye think, Gabe.” She said cheerfully when she reached him.

Gabe had been
impatiently waiting outside with their horses. He was relieved when he saw lady Trista finally returned. He snorted. “Aye ‘tis time. And if ye husband doesnae beat ye for this little escapade, I will. And that blasted brogue doesnae fool anyone.” He grumbled as he helped her mount and quickly swung up on his own horse and they both rode for home.

She
laughed merrily over his grumpiness and riding away it was late afternoon when they rode through the gates, she sighed in relief when she didn’t spy her husband waiting for her. Hopefully, he would be busy somewhere else and would never know what she had been up to. However, her luck run out and she knew the very second she entered the hall and saw the furious black expression on his face.

Rieph had paced the hall anxiously for hours; nobody had seen his wife or Gabe since they rode out earlier today and no one knew where they were going. Things were too dangerous at the moment for her to be out riding alone with just one man as escort. Even though he knew Gabe would protect her with his life, he still did not like it.

It was well into early evening when the hall door opened and his laughing wife came inside with a disgruntled Gabe. “Where in the hell have ye been, woman? Dinnae ye nay think that I would be worried about ye?” He bellowed loudly.

Unable to prevent herself from wincing at his thundering question, sighing loudly in irritation, she saw him stiffen and knew that she made him even angrier. “Well hell” she grumbled to herself. She forced herself to smile sweetly before she answered him. “Gabe and I just went for a ride. When we came to the stream that we fished at I wanted to stop and spend some time in the beautiful spot.”

After giving Gabe a quick assessing glance, he knew that she had once again just blatantly lied to him. He clenched his jaw tightly and curled his hands in to fists, stopping himself from grabbing hold of her and shaking her. He drew in deep breathes to take hold of his anger. “Ye are lying to me, lass. Ye ken it and I ken it. Now I will ask ye again…where have ye been?”

Guiltily knowing that she could not lie to him anymore, she reached for his hand. “I didn’t want to tell you because I knew you would not let me go. I went to see lady Mary Ferguson. I felt she must be very unhappy with her daughter missing and I was right. I think my visit helped her a little.”

He stared at her in open-mouthed disbelief and finally shook his head. “Dear God, lass, what made ye do something so foolish? Ye were damn lucky they dinnae lock ye away.”

She laughed softly and knew at once that she did the wrong thing to do when he glared at her hotly. “As soon as I told them I was the Black Warlock’s woman they were quite happy to take me to lady Ferguson.”

Running a hand through his golden hair, he could not believe just how naive his wife was. “I think ‘tis best if ye go to our chamber, lass, for at the moment, I dinnae ken what I may do or say.”

Unhappily staring up at him, she dropped his hand and quickly left the hall.

Once she hurried away, he turned to glare at Gabe. “Just what in the hell were ye doing taking her to the Ferguson’s.” He roared at the man.

Ashamed, shuffling his feet, Gabe could not meet his friend’s gaze. “’Tis nay my fault, Laird. Ye wee wife is verra sneaky. Tricked me she did and was damn proud of it too.”

“
Hell, the woman is going to make me daft. Come along and have a drink of ale and tell me all that happened.” He knew there wasn’t any use yelling at Gabe or blaming the poor man.

****

At supper that night, Trista noticed the closeness that had developed between her sister and laird Quinn and smiled. It would be wonderful if they fell in love with each other. It would mean Jaccy would be close by and they could visit each other often.