Izzy sighed and let the warmth around her slowly bring her awake. It was rare, she realized, for her bath to be so warm and deep. Normally by the time she and Mary got it filled, it was only just warm enough not to feel cold. English ladies spoke in soft whispers all around her and she could smell lavender. Was she bathing in Fraser? Her eyes shot open to see half a dozen women rushing about the room. Gasping, she grasped at the linen on the side of the tub and pulled it to cover herself.“M’lady!” Izzy turned toward the familiar voice and saw Mary rushing forward. “I’m so glad yer awake! They were nay sure that ye would. I told them ye were too strong and stubborn to let a bit of water and a cool breeze rob ye of yer life!”“Gair? Ellie?”All the women stared at her in silence for a moment and then hurried off. She felt tears burning her eyes. Had they both died because of her choice to move Ellie? “What has happened, Mary? I demand that ye tell me!”“Lady MacDonald has some bruises
Two weeks later Giar slid from his horse and tossed the reins to the stable boy. The lad looked at him a little strangely before leading the animal away. He looked around and saw a few others looking at him and they quickly looked away when their eyes met his.“What is everyone staring at?” He asked Izzy as she slid her arm around his waist and started walking towards the house. “Your face looks so stern you pass for Paddy,” she said softly. Is your head bothering you again?”“I told you, we do not have to speak in English.” Izzy shrugged. “I am as comfortable in one as the other now, and Scotts seems to hurt your head of late.”“Why is everyone staying away from us?”“This is the way they are with Paddy.”“I told you they can’t tell us apart.”“They can Gair, which is why they are staring at you. They know it is you, so they are confused or hurt that you are ignoring them, but you are still a MacInnis Laird so they will not question you.”Gair stumbled partway up the steps. Izzy’s
Gair was lost in the best dream he’d ever had. Izzy was warm and soft beneath him, whispering his name over and over. His rock-hard tarse was grinding against her and she was squirming underneath him with anticipation. Her hands clawed at his arms and back as she arched against him. Her bare chest pressed tight against his. He’d just tease her a little longer, work her into a frenzy of need, and then - Gair’s blood ran cold and his eyes flew open when a high-pitched scream pierced into his ears. He was disoriented for a moment. Just like in his dream, Izzy was beneath him, his large frame covering hers and pressing her into the bed. Also like in the dream, she was writhing against him, but not because she wanted him. His wife was absolutely terrified. Her eyes were wide and glassy with fear and she was having trouble catching her breath.“O dhé,” Gair blurted out and shoved himself away from her. “Izzy-bee, mo bhean, I’m so sorry!”A spike of anxiety sliced into him like a spear poi
Giar heard some whispered Scotts as he approached the armory. James heard it too and motioned for some of his soldiers to go ahead of him. “If there are Campbells among them,” James said solemnly, “David is a dead man.”“Ahrist!” Came a loud voice from the armory, making them all jump. Within moments of the bellowed command, the sound of gunfire echoed through the entire castle!The men in front of them ran forward and spun towards the armory door with their guns level. “Stop in the name of the crown!”Evidently, the men did not want to stop, for James’s soldiers opened fire.James cursed. “This is going to be a bloody mess,”“You’re not the one cleaning it cousin.”“True.”“Was this not the intended result when you stationed men with guns at each door to the hidden stairwells?”“Honestly I thought the lass was imagining things.” Gair didn’t let on that he had worried the same. “Or perhaps I only hoped she was. This means whoever they were had inside information. That’s an even bigge
It seemed to Izzy that the whole of Scotia was holding its breath. Even the wind seemed to have stilled. It was then that she realized just how important it was for the mercenaries to lose here. Not only were two of the MacInnis brothers here, the heir of Sinclair, and the 2nd heir of MacDonald, but the Duke of York as well. Second in line to the crown. Gair was right, there was likely far more to this plot than any of them had guessed. As the noise within the castle walls dimmed, Izzy became aware of hoofbeats in the distance. More than one animal and they were running at a good clip. A few of the men on the walls had noticed them too and turned from looking out to looking in and up toward the tower watchman who would have the best view..“A Flag!” He called down. “Too far out yet.”Isobel looked briefly at the door, wishing it was her bedchamber and not Lia’s solar on the other side. Gair’s spyglass would be handy just now. The rider and two horses drew nearer, but nothing else
Gair stood on top of the tower with his spyglass and watched the last of his men descend into the river valley that separated MacInnis and MacDonald lands. It was the first time in his adult life that MacInnis men were going off against his wishes.He didn’t want to send men to MacDonald. It was likely a ruse. A man arriving from MacInnis with word of a mercenary attacking MacDonald just moments after Mercenaries attack from inside MacInnis? More likely their timing was off and the mercenaries who tried to sneak to the gates were meant to attack at the same time as the ones inside the walls. How could Paddy not see that? Worse, he’d overruled Gair and sent the men anyway. Which meant he didn’t really intend to let Gair be in charge of any part of MacInnis. Even their father had given Gair the final word on everything that involved weapons. It had to be that way or nobody would know which order to follow. Or rather they knew, and they’d chosen Paddy. That was likely why he was feelin
Isobel lay under a tree, staring up through the leaves. It always amazed her that the leave knew to change colour at the right time of year. It didn’t matter if the autumn were wet and cold, or warm and sunny like this one, the leaves always changed with the season, not the temperature. There were a few yellows and oranges in the trees now, but not so many that she needed her brown tunic to blend in. The guard that had brought the ladies down to the river to collect water and do some wash hadn’t even noticed her. Being stuck inside the walls was beyond dull. Gair didn’t want her going out in the dark, but they slept all afternoon so really that left only the early morning and then a short while between when they woke and when the meal was ready. Neither gave her much time to enjoy herself and even then he wanted her to take a guard! As if she’d go anywhere with a group of men. Gair didn’t seem to have time to take her hunting anymore either. Since the attack, he’d been completely per
Gair followed his wife up the stairs, trying to reign in his temper with every step. She’d been outside the walls without him and without even a guard. He’d seen her leave with the group of women heading down to do their wash, but he hadn’t realized they didn’t know she was following. When they’d returned without her he had questioned the guard as to why they hadn’t kept her closer, and was shocked to find out they hadn’t even known she was there. The few minutes it took to ready his horse so they could ride out and find her had been torture! Anything could have happened to her and he hadn’t even known where to start looking. Then he’d come out of the stable to see her climbing the steps.She knew the risks and went anyways. Against all reason and against his wishes! His anger spiked again.He stepped into the room after her and slammed the door behind him. She spun around, her eyes wide and her face growing paler as she backed away quickly.“You are angry with me?”“Yes,” he growled