Chapter 47

Isobel stood in the shadow of the barn and watched Gair as he talked to the group of his clan's people. She knew he thought that few of them could tell he and his brothers apart, but watching them over the past few days she’d noticed that they actually did quite well at it, better than she did. They simply disguised that they knew who was who. Nobody used their names, but they acted differently toward each brother.

With Paddy, their laird, they were quiet and obedient. Obedience was the behaviour that pleased Paddy most, and they knew it. They would ask permission even to speak to him, then humbly ask their questions or quietly voice grievances. Very few talked with him freely as friends would. With Dair, they were calm and respectful, but not overly friendly unless he initiated it. With her husband, it was as though every man were his best friend and every woman wished to woo him. People spoke freely with him and laughed often.

The curvy blond woman who seemed to constantly follow af