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Noble was pleased that not only his love for his wife could be seen so easily but also that her love for him was obvious. “You also see how stubborn my wife can be—”

“Much like me.”

Noble continued, not wanting to admit the woman was right. “Which means you know Leora will not leave me and go with you.”

“Which leaves me no choice but to bring you along and see you granted the title of Lord Noble of Clan MacMurray.”

“You waste your breath with such an offer. I am a Highlander as is Leora. The Highlands are in our blood and will be in our children’s blood. Leora and I will never leave the Highlands,” Noble said with a tone of warning in his voice.

“You would deprive her of wealth and status?” Lady Elizabeth asked with annoyance.

“As Leora told you, all the wealth she needs is here as well as status, for she is wed to an elite and respected Gallowglass warrior.”

Lady Elizabeth released a heavy sigh. “My friend warned me how stubborn Highlanders can be.”

“Prideful, not stubborn,” Noble corrected with a slight smile.

“I do not give up easily,” Lady Elizabeth said.

“Defeat is difficult to accept.”

“I am not defeated… yet,” she snapped and walked away.

Noble knew where she was headed… to speak with Leora. She refused to give up and she was wasting no time in seeing that she got her way. He was eager to hear from his wife what the woman had to say to her and to share what Lady Elizabeth had said to him. He was also eager to get his wife alone so they could talk, among other things, but that would have to wait until later.

He went to find Finley and to further discuss what might need attention with the arrival of their unexpected guests.

* * *

“Take your leave,”Lady Elizabeth snapped upon entering the cottage provided for her and seeing a servant there with Leora.

Chief popped up from where he was sleeping by the hearth and hurried to Leora, snarling at the older woman as he went.

Calla looked at Leora. “You may leave now, Calla, and go see Penn and find out if anything is needed at the campsite and take Chief with you. No doubt he’s hungry.” She looked down at the pup. “Go with Calla, she will feed you.”

Chief didn’t hesitate to rush to the door and bark with impatience.

Calla smiled and nodded. “Aye, mistress.”

The young woman’s smile wasn’t for the pup and it warmed Leora’s heart to see it. She had been finding ways to bring Calla and Penn together often since Penn, while a fearless Gallowglass warrior, was frightened to death of approaching Calla. And yet, it was obvious he wanted to.

“You should rest after such a strenuous journey,” Leora suggested when she turned her attention to Lady Elizabeth after Calla and the pup left, and saw the exhaustion on her face and the slump of her shoulders. “Sit,” she ordered and helped the older woman to sit on the bed that had been prepared with clean bedding.

“I am grateful to find that you are not like your father or his father,” Lady Elizabeth said, “foolish and selfish, thinking only of themselves and their own desires.”

Leora had learned well about manipulation. Her mum had taught her what to watch for and how to spot it and learn how men and women used it time and time again to gain advantage. So, she recognized what Lady Elizabeth was attempting to do… make her believe that she spoke about her father and accept him as such.

“Henry, your father, agreed to the arranged marriage his father and I made for him, but it was a complete failure. He barely paid attention to his wife and after three miscarriages, she refused to allow him in her bed, not that he was in her bed often. He much preferred seeking his pleasure elsewhere. She died not long before he did, and I was making plans for another marriage for him when he took ill. That was when he told me about the possibility of him having a child out of wedlock.” She shook her head. “More than one child.”

That surprised Leora. “Then why look for me and not the others—” She smiled softly. “You did search for them and since you are here now, I can only assume you found no other child your son had but me.”

“I had an extensive search done and after weeding out the liars and reprobates, I found four possibilities. Two had died, leaving you and who you believe is your sister Sky. I ruled her out as soon as I learned of her affliction.”

“What if her mum had had such an affliction?” Leora challenged.

Lady Elizabeth dismissed the suggestion with a wave of her hand. My son was a handsome man and would have never touched a woman with such an affliction. Besides, he remembered your mum more clearly than any of the other women and I thought he may have loved her, but he didn’t. He enjoyed her because he claimed she was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen, and you, dear Leora, are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.”

“That does not make me your granddaughter,” Leora said.