Victoria Roberts - [Bad Boys of the Highlands 03] (11 page)

Praise the saints. The question was like a double-edged sword. No matter what he answered, he was doomed to suffer a most unpleasant fate. Granted, he was the one who had lectured the lass and demanded she spoke the truth. And he couldn’t very well expect her to speak openly with him if he didn’t follow his own advice.

Damn. Damn. Damn.

Alex swallowed his pride and shifted his manhood away from her. “Nay. Howbeit it was naught against ye, lass. I didnae want to settle myself with any wife.” He silently reflected a moment. “After my father’s passing, Aunt Iseabail made me realize I needed to continue the MacDonell line. In order to accomplish that, I needed a wife. Your father offered your hand and I think the fates stepped in. MacKenzie or nae, ye are my wife, Ella. I am glad
’
tis ye.”

For a moment, he sensed an odd twinge of disappointment and then she quickly masked her expression. “I donna know of anyone who would want to cause me harm. Ian didnae find anything?”

“He found the tree where the arrow struck, but there were nay signs of anyone besides the two of us. I donna know of any man who can cover his tracks without leaving a trace of something. It troubles me. Ye are well protected within the walls of Glengarry, lass. There is nay sense worrying upon it. And if ye take your leave from the castle, ye will have an escort.”

Sybella sighed. “Aye, but I donna like the idea of the stone walls closing in on me like a prisoner, trapped within my own home.”

“Until we find who is responsible for—
”

“Taking aim at my head?”

“Cease your worried thoughts.
’
Tis my responsibility to see ye safe. I will protect ye, Ella, and ye have naught to worry upon.”

There was a knock at the door.

“Aye?”

“My laird, there is a messenger at the gates.”

“I will be there in a moment,” said Alex.

He rose from the bed. As he grabbed his kilt from the floor, Sybella stood and straightened her dress. Her bonny locks were tousled and she looked…enchanting. They looked at each other and smiled in earnest.

Alex placed his hand on her shoulder in a possessive gesture. “I hope this time was much more pleasant for ye.”

Sybella flushed miserably. “It wasnae…unpleasant.”

He lifted her chin with his finger and his eyes narrowed. “It will only get better.” When she licked her lips, he gave her a kiss she would surely remember. “Ye donna have to stay within the walls, but donna leave the gates.”

As he walked toward the door, she called after him. “Alex, thank ye.” She wrung her hands. “I truly didnae think ye would want to kill me. At least, I hoped ye didnae.”

“Ella, we have only been wed a few days. Give me time.” A smile played on his lips and he closed the door behind him.

He walked into the bailey and approached the messenger.

“My laird, a message from Laird Ciaran MacGregor of Glenorchy,” the man said, holding out the missive.

Alex read the penned note and smiled. Aunt Iseabail would be pleased. Dismissing the messenger, Alex tapped the letter in his hand and went in search of his aunt. The last place he looked should’ve been the first. As he approached the garden, the sight before him was most definitely not what he had expected to see.

He stopped and watched his lady wife, who was down on all fours. She dug around the bottom of a bush and then rose to her feet, pulling at the dense branches. When the bush didn’t budge, Sybella squatted low to the ground and her legs encircled the unruly shrub. She tugged several additional times, and on the last attempt, she let out a loud moan and fell flat on her arse with the bush splayed in her lap.

Alex couldn’t control the rumble of laughter that escaped him. “I am betting the bush won,” he said as he approached her. He reached out and lifted the shrub, which had her pinned to the ground. He tossed the unruly plant to the side and then extended his hand to pull her up.

Of course when the lass fell to the ground, he couldn’t help but come to her rescue. Her tresses were tousled, and she had a smudge of dirt on her nose, cheeks, and forehead. About the only spots not covered in soil were her rosy lips. When her hazel eyes stared back at him, his heart hammered in his ears. He could’ve just stood there watching her—that was until Aunt Iseabail spotted him.

“Alexander, come and look what happened to my roses.” Aunt Iseabail pointed to the empty spot in the garden.

He carefully guarded his expression as he studied the dirt. “I am sure ye will find something else to plant there, Aunt.”

“I suppose, but I cannae believe my roses were destroyed by an idiot.”

A giggle escaped his wife, and she promptly turned her head away from him when he gazed in her direction. He needed to change the subject, fast.

“A messenger arrived from Glenorchy.”

Aunt Iseabail’s eyes lit up in surprise. “Glenorchy? And how are Rosalia and her bairn?”

“I donna know. Ye can ask her when she arrives within a sennight.”

His aunt clapped her hands and then embraced him. “Nephew, that is wonderful news. We must prepare for a bairn under our roof.”

Praise the saints. He knew it was coming. It should only take a moment.

“Speaking of which…”

And
there
it
was.

To his surprise and gratefulness, his wife interjected. “Who is Rosalia?”

“My apologies. I should have explained,” said Alex. He walked over to Sybella and sat down beside her. “Rosalia is my cousin from Glenorchy.
’
Tis a rather long tale. Are ye sure ye wish to hear it?”

“Aye, please continue.”

“A long time ago, Aunt Iseabail’s son left the Highlands and wed an English woman. This woman refused to wed him unless he agreed to live in England. At the time, he thought he truly loved the lass and gave up everything—his clan and wealth—and moved to Liddesdale, which is between the English and Scottish borders.

“They had one daughter, Rosalia. Lady Caroline Armstrong, Rosalia’s mother, had a taste for treasures that were beyond her means. So much, in fact, that the clan coffers were emptied by her lavish spending. In order to replenish the coin, Rosalia’s parents arranged for her to wed an unsavory English lord. My cousin simply refused and they beat her horribly for her insolence.”

Intense astonishment touched Sybella’s pale face. “That is terrible.”

“Rosalia took matters into her own hands and fled Liddesdale. With only her mount, she was trying to reach Aunt Iseabail here in Glengarry.”

“
Alone?
Through the Highlands?”

“Aye. Laird Ciaran MacGregor of Glenorchy found her and offered her protection. The MacGregor was to escort Rosalia to Glengarry and he did—only to be wed. The two of them were clearly a love match, and my cousin’s bairn is almost a year old now.”

“Alexander, is that all ye’re going to tell the lass? What about your daring rescue?” asked Aunt Iseabail.

Apparently, out of all Aunt Iseabail’s ailments, her hearing was unaffected. “Sybella doesnae need to hear it.”

His wife winked at Aunt Iseabail and smiled. “Come now, Husband. I would love to hear of your
daring
rescue.” Her eyes twinkled with amusement.

He rolled his eyes. “It wasnae that daring.” Alex turned his head over his shoulder at the sound of approaching footsteps.

“Pardon the intrusion, my laird. There is a MacKenzie at the gates.”

Sybella followed her husband into the bailey. Her bond with Colin was strong. Perhaps her brother had sensed her initial unease and come to her rescue after all. She would be sure to tell him his concern was unwarranted. But as she approached the man standing in the bailey, her mind spun.

She walked hurriedly to the MacKenzie man’s side and reached out her hand in a comforting gesture. “
Dé th’ann?
Ennis?”
What
is
it?
“What has happened?”

Alex lifted his brow, puzzled, but Sybella was more troubled by what Ennis was doing there.

“
Gu meal sibh ur naidheachd. A h-uile latha sona dhuibh.
”
Congratulations to both of you. May all your days be happy.
“I didnae mean to worry ye, lass. We were unable to attend the celebration because my wife was ill and couldnae make the journey. Howbeit there was a wee lass that wouldnae let her papa rest until she could give ye a proper farewell.” Ennis turned toward the stables and whistled. “Anabel,
mach
a
seo
!
”
Get
out here!

The young girl’s fiery red tresses bounced around the corner, and her eyes widened when she spotted Sybella. She ran and threw her tiny body into Sybella’s arms. “Sybella!”

Ennis cleared his throat. “Anabel, Lady MacDonell.”

Sybella smiled. “
’
Tis all right.” She dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around the wee lass, her heart filled with warmth and love. “Anabel, I cannae believe ye came all this way to see me. I am verra honored.”

Anabel looked at Alex, and he winked when he caught the little girl’s eye. She pulled out of Sybella’s embrace and then encircled her mouth with her hand to whisper in Sybella’s ear.
“Cuir an aithne ’cheile sinn.” Introduce us.

Sybella stood and brushed off her skirts. “Laird Alexander MacDonell, pray allow me to introduce ye to—
”

Alex bent over and gently took Anabel’s hand. “Lady Anabel.” He brushed a brief kiss on the top of her hand.

Anabel gave him a small curtsy and then her voice softened. “I am nay lady, Laird MacDonell.”

Alex spoke in a compassionate tone. “Now that simply is nae true. Any lass as bonny as ye would surely be born of noble birth. Of course ye are a lady.”

Ennis gave Alex a slight bow. “Laird MacDonell.”

“Any man of my wife’s clan is welcome at Glengarry.”

“We will nae be any trouble, and I will try to keep Anabel out from underfoot. We will take our leave on the morrow.”

“And who is this bonny creature?” asked Aunt Iseabail, strolling into the bailey.

Sybella turned, and before she had a chance to speak, Anabel curtseyed. “
’
Tis a pleasure to make your acquaintance, m’lady.
Is
mise
Anabel.”
My
name
is
Anabel
. The little girl lowered her voice and whispered, “Is that right, Sybella?”

“Aye, ye are doing verra well.” Sybella rubbed her hand over Anabel’s curly locks.

“
’
Tis my great honor to meet such a well-mannered lass,” said Aunt Iseabail, beaming with approval.

“Ennis and Lady Anabel will be our guests for the eve, Aunt.”

Aunt Iseabail clapped her hands in excitement. “That is positively delightful. I will have the maids ready your chambers. If ye follow me, I will show ye to your rooms.”

“My lady, please donna trouble yourself. Anabel and I can sleep in the stable. We donna have to sleep in the cas—”

Aunt Iseabail shook her head in disapproval. “Donna be ridiculous. Come.”

While Anabel and Ennis followed Aunt Iseabail, Sybella studied her husband. With his hands clasped behind his back, he stood tall, domineering. She wished she could become proficient at reading his mind. “Alex, I hope ye arenae angry that Ennis and Anabel would pay a visit.”

He reached out and placed his hand on her shoulder. She was shocked at the impact of his gentle grip. “Ella, it would take much, much more to fire my ire than to have a wee bonny lass under my roof for an eve. How could I be angry now that I am gifted with two such beauties? Anabel is from your village?”

Relief passed over Sybella’s face. “Aye, I would often take walks with Mary to spend time with Anabel. The poor lass has two older brothers who sometimes arenae too kind to her.”

Alex stood to his full height. “Do ye want me to have words with them? Some men say I am a verra fierce laird.”

“Aye, I can see how fierce ye are with Aunt Iseabail and it truly frightens me,” she said with a more relaxed tone.

His voice was low, alluring. “Now Ella, ye know ye cannae yet speak openly of my prowess, except perhaps in our bed.”

***

Alex watched Sybella’s cheeks turn crimson. Although she was now his wife, he loved to see that he could still get a reaction from her. The woman held up better than Alex had expected. Granted, their marriage did not have the best of beginnings—between Aunt Iseabail’s jaunt into the woods and someone taking aim at Sybella’s head. But at least the lass was not cowering in the corner somewhere in tears. She was strong, and he actually found that quite refreshing.

John approached Alex in the bailey. “Who is the MacKenzie man? I donna recognize him.”

“He comes from Sybella’s village,” said Alex.

“So soon after the MacKenzie departed?”

“The man said his wife had fallen ill and couldnae travel to the celebration. The lass and Sybella are close, but I donna believe in chance occurrences. This MacKenzie man arrives shortly after someone tries to harm Sybella. My wife may trust him, but I donna. Have someone other than Ian keep a watchful eye on him. He might speak in truth, but I will nae leave anything to chance.”

Alex couldn’t help but notice the strange look upon John’s face. “What?”

John shook his head. “
’
Tis naught. I am only relieved to see ye still hold some sense and donna fully trust the MacKenzies. Your new wife doesnae yet hold your bollocks in the palm of her hand, and I am glad to see it.”

“Your words provide me with much entertainment,” Alex said dryly. “Make sure the men stay alert.” He gave John a brief nod and then walked through the bailey.

Another blessed night with another MacKenzie underfoot. Ennis and his daughter appeared harmless enough, but Alex had had his fill of Sybella’s kin. He stopped himself mid-thought. The lass probably felt the same way about the MacDonells, and soon enough the MacGregors would be in attendance as well.

As he prepared to sup, Alex couldn’t stay the nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach. How could there be no trace of the man who had tried to kill Sybella? That was practically an impossible feat. In fact, he didn’t know a single man who could be so skillful at hiding his trail. That was something he would surely contemplate. Perhaps the MacGregor could shed some light.

Alex entered the great hall to see that his wife and aunt had already taken their seats on the dais with Ennis and Anabel. He greeted his guests and took his seat beside Sybella. He couldn’t help but notice the lightened expression on the face of his wife as she conversed with the young lass.

“Can I give it to her now, Papa?” asked Anabel. When Ennis nodded his head in agreement, Anabel’s eyes glowed with enjoyment. She handed Sybella a small cloth bag. “’Tis a gift for your wedding.”

Sybella opened the bag and pulled out a handkerchief embroidered with tiny flowers around the edges. “Anabel, I absolutely adore this. Thank ye.”

“Mother made it, but I told her to put on the flowers since ye like the garden so much.”

“I shall treasure it always.” Sybella wrapped her arms around Anabel and kissed the top of the girl’s head. “It was a verra thoughtful gift. And how is your mother feeling?”

“She was in bed with a fever, but she is doing much better,” said Ennis, taking a drink from his tankard.

“I am relieved to hear it.”

Alex leaned forward. “Tell me, Lady Anabel, do ye have any lads that favor your company?”

Anabel crinkled her nose. “The only lads are my brothers. They donna let me play with them, but
’
tis all right. I play by myself and can do things a lot faster without them anyway. Who needs
lads
? Besides, Sybella told me I donna need a prince to be a princess.”

Alex choked on his ale.

***

Ennis pretended to be fascinated with his meal and Alex coughed. Sybella believed a quick change of subject was in order.

“If ye are finished with your meal, Anabel, do ye want to see the gardens?”

“If ye see the dolt who pulled my roses, tell me, Sybella,” said Aunt Iseabail, waving her finger. “Who knows what that beast will target next!”

“I will be sure to let ye know if I see him, Aunt.” She looked at Alex, and his eyes widened.

He leaned in close. “I thought she would have forgotten by now,” he whispered.

“I donna think that is going to happen anytime soon.” Sybella stood and held out her hand to Anabel. “Come, Anabel, and I will show ye Lady Iseabail’s bonny flowers.”

The girl jumped out of her seat. “Aye! I would love to!” She turned toward her father.

“’Tis all right, but ye stay close and listen to Lady Sybella.”

“Aye, Papa,” said Anabel, exasperated. Turning like a whirlwind, she shook Sybella’s hand. “Let us take our leave.”

Sybella walked leisurely through the garden hand in hand with Anabel. When the girl swung their hands, Sybella couldn’t help but smile. What she wouldn’t give to be that young and innocent again. Her biggest concern would’ve been spying on Colin. A little voice pulled her from her musings.

“Do ye like it here, Sybella, or do ye want to come home?” asked Anabel with a serious look on her face.

Sybella smiled warmly. “I will always miss ye and Kintail, but Glengarry is now my home.”

“But donna ye miss us?”

Sybella knelt down, turning Anabel to face her. “Of course I do, but I am now wed and my place is beside my husband.” Something in that statement gnawed at Sybella’s gut. She continued to speak in a soothing tone while she rubbed Anabel’s arms. “I told ye before I wed that doesnae mean ye cannae come to visit and that I cannae come to visit with ye. Ye arenae that far away. Do ye understand?”

The young girl became thoughtful for a moment and then she nodded. “Do ye love your husband? I heard Papa say that Laird MacDonell was our enemy before. Why? What did he do?”

“Anabel, ye shouldnae be worried about such things. Ne’er get involved in the ways of men. Who knows what goes on in their minds? Look at your brothers.”

Anabel giggled. “Aye, they are naught but a bunch of arses.”

“Anabel! Those arenae proper words for a young lady to say. Where did ye hear that?”

Anabel covered her mouth with her hand. “My apologies, Sybella. I heard ye call
your
brother that.”

Sybella stood and brushed off her skirts. “Well, I’m sure it was naught that wasnae deserved,” she mumbled under her breath.

The young girl ran from flower to flower, sniffing, touching, and spinning around. She was a bundle of pent-up energy. A dark cloud rumbled overhead, signaling that a change in weather was certainly going to curtail the moment. The first drop of rain hit Sybella’s brow, and she had just opened her mouth to speak when the skies blackened and buckets of rain pelted her in the face.

Anabel bolted around the corner of the flower bed and fell on the ground at Sybella’s feet. Sybella helped the poor girl stand, her dress covered in mud. In the middle of the storm, Anabel looked down at her ruined clothes and started to cry.

“Papa will be so angry at me for soiling my dress,” Anabel sobbed, holding out her skirts.

Anabel’s troubled expression pulled at Sybella’s heart as she stood in the middle of the garden with her dripping hair hanging in her face. Without giving it a second thought, Sybella bent over and picked up a handful of mud, wiping muck over her own dress.

“What are ye doing?” asked Anabel with widened eyes.

“He cannae be angry at us both. ’Tis only dirt.” She grabbed Anabel’s hand and they ran for shelter, slipping and sliding on the soggy ground.

They sprang into the great hall, a welcome site, and their breathing was labored. Sybella looked at the watery trail left behind them and called for a maid.

“What the he…Er, what happened?”

Sybella lifted her eyes to see Alex standing there, flanked by Anabel’s father. With both hands on her hips, she confronted them. “We were caught in the rain.”

“And what? Fell in the mud? Ye two are covered in muck,” said Alex in a partially scolding tone.

She thought she detected laughter in his eyes, and then he winked at her broadly.

Anabel lowered her head. “
’
Tis all my fault, Laird MacDonell. Please donna be cross with Syb…er, Lady MacDonell. I fell in the mud and knew Papa would be angry with me, so Lady MacDonell put mud on her dress, too. I beg ye nae to scold her. I should be the one who is punished.”

Sybella was about to speak when Alex knelt in front of Anabel. “Lady Anabel, ye should be commended for your bravery in speaking the truth. Know that I could ne’er punish a lass for speaking honestly, nay matter what the circumstances. Your word is your bond. When ye are truthful, ye are respected for your honesty. When ye donna tell the truth, ye are deceitful and donna earn the right of respect. And I most certainly respect ye for all of your honesty, Lady Anabel.”

He stood and patted the girl on the shoulder. “Now the two of ye get to your baths.”

Ennis escorted Anabel to her room, and as soon as Sybella lifted her muddied skirts, Alex leaned in close. “We will discuss your punishment later, Ella.” There was an invitation in the depths of his eyes, and Sybella was enthralled by what she saw.

“Aye, my laird, I have been verra, verra bad,” she said in a sultry voice.

Her intent was to give her husband a taste back of what he always insinuated. What she did not expect was to see his eyes darken, a muscle tick at his jaw, and his kilt tent in apparent arousal. Praise the saints. Why was her mouth suddenly so dry?