Page 14 of Bride takes a Scot (Highland Vows & Vengeance #1)

M arriage was complicated. Isabella had a hard time falling asleep because all she could think about were the happenings of the day before. That Declan had been imprisoned in the king’s dungeons was kept from her angered her, but only because he hadn’t told her about it himself. She’d had to hear it from his stepmother who seemed boastful to be the one to impart such news. Surely the reason for his imprisonment was false because Declan wouldn’t kill someone without good cause. At least, that is what she discerned of him.

Along with that troubling thought niggling at her, the rat left on her bed caused her to lock the bedchamber door while she slept. Though she had thought it a prank done by one of his siblings, Anse had made her consider otherwise. What had made whoever it was try such a nasty, vile trick, and what had they hoped to accomplish? She had to admit, if it was to create and fuel fear in her heart, it had worked.

Isabella chose her least favorite gown to wear because it wasn’t as heavy as her others. Looking out the window, it appeared to be bright outside and would be hot. She intended to accomplish a good deal, all of which would help her not to think about Declan or the rat left on her bed, her troublesome stepmother-in-law, his obtrusive siblings, or her longing to go home, where her parents were likely sitting down for their morning meal right about now. Isabella had always cherished that quiet moment with them because it was the only time of the day that they didn’t berate her.

When she finished her morning chores in the bedchamber, she made her way to the living area. She saw that the only person who remained after the morning meal was Lady MacKendrick.

“Good morn,” Isabella greeted her, expecting nothing pleasant in return.

“’Tis naught good. There is too much to do this day.”

At least she was beginning to understand the woman. “I’ll be glad to help. I need something to distract me.” Isabella sat on the bench and helped herself to a roll which had hardened a little. She poured herself a cup of mead and dipped the roll in it to soften it.

“When ye are through wasting time, there is launder to see to. I placed a hefty basket of garments outside the cottage door for cleaning. Then the cottage needs to be swept, trenchers need to be made, and there’s mending of garments too. I am off to see the tailor to be fitted for new frocks and then am visiting an old friend and shall not return until this afternoon near supper. See that your chores are completed.” With that, the woman set off with a huff.

Isabella wasn’t too displeased by the list of chores that needed to be done. At home when her mother rebuked her or wanted to lecture her or if her father was out thieving, she kept herself busy. Cleaning took her mind from her troubles. It was her way of coping with situations she hoped to put aside.

The door opened and she thought Lady MacKendrick had returned. Isabella turned and saw Declan. She hadn’t expected to see him. He entered quietly and took the seat next to her. Without a greeting, he helped himself to bread and a fruit smear.

She kept her gaze on her cup and was saddened at the thought that they were at such an impasse. Until he trusted her enough to speak of his troubles, she would keep her mouth shut and be reticent. That was more difficult because Isabella was never one to keep her thoughts to herself.

Declan slid his body on the bench to sidle next to her. He wrapped his arm around her waist and touched his head to hers. Though she wanted to move away, she couldn’t help but lean into him.

His voice sounded low in her ear. “Isabella, I want no discord betwixt us. Can we not talk about yesterday?” He set his forearm on the table and watched her closely.

He sat so close that it took all her will not to wrap her arms around him. She raised her chin and saw the hurt in his eyes. That she caused him such dread brought a dawning that she might have been wrong and handled the situation without decorum. “We should discuss it.”

He tightened his arm around her waist. “Anse told me about the rat ye found on our bed. Before ye deem to argue with me, until I discern whether that message was meant for ye or me, I will have ye guarded. Lorcan was placed as your guard and will go where you go. I’ll take no chances with your safety.”

“Yes, I noticed him. He’s rather difficult to miss.” Isabella nodded and gestured at the imposing, stern man standing on guard by the open door. He was right in wanting to protect her and honestly, perhaps the rat was meant for him as much as her. “I don’t need a guard, but if it makes you feel more secure, then I accept that. But Declan, why did you not tell me that you were imprisoned for murder?”

Declan tilted his head and scowled. “How did ye learn about that?” Then he appeared to shrug. “It matters naught. Aye, I was accused of murdering my late wife’s da, Allan Campbell, and the sheriff took me to the king’s dungeon. It is true, Isabella, not about the murder but that I was imprisoned. I have been trying to meet with Campbell’s son, Robbie, to discuss who might have accused me. There is someone out there who betrayed me and murdered Leona’s da. I vow to seek vengeance for it and for my late wife’s father’s murder.”

She frowned down at her cup. “You should have told me.”

“I did not want to worry ye.”

Perhaps. That was something she hadn’t considered. She looked back up at his handsome face. “But—Husband—I am worried. There shouldn’t be secrets betwixt us. Promise me that you won’t keep anything from me again. If we are going to be husband and wife, I want your assurance that you’ll trust me. We should share our confidences and we should be able to speak freely to each other. I am not so dimwitted as to reveal things that should be kept between us.”

“That is what Anse says, that I should trust ye.” He sighed. “And I do. Och, I have been alone for some time, and now that I… I am not used to having someone to speak my problems to. I will try, Wife, but I make no promises, and I know ye are not dimwitted. Until I find out who left that rat and who accused me of murder, let me protect ye. Right now, it is the only thing I can do to make this situation tolerable.”

Isabella wrapped her arms around his waist and embraced him. Declan leaned his head against hers again and sighed. Being married was difficult especially when one was married to such an obstinate, headstrong man. She couldn’t stay angry with him and in time he would begin to trust her. She had faith that he would.

With him being near, she shifted closer to him and leaned upward to kiss his face. Isabella couldn’t hold back her desire for him. She turned his face and set her lips on his. Declan yanked her against him and returned her kiss. Lord, the man knew how to make her melt. She couldn’t get enough of him and regretted sending him away the night before. This night, she promised herself, she would make it up to him.

Declan pulled his mouth from hers and leaned his forehead against hers again. “Ye make me want to drag ye back to our bedchamber, Wife.”

“That we could, but I promised your stepmother that I would help her this day. Go on about your duties, and I will see you at supper. The wait will make our joining even sweeter.”

He kept hold of her and wouldn’t let her stand. Declan chuckled. “If it gets any sweeter, we will likely die from the pleasure. I will give ye an hour or two, wife. Meet me by the loch and if ye wish, bring Noah with you. We should enjoy some time by the water for it is hot enough.”

“But the loch holds disheartened memories for you. If it is difficult being there, we should not go.” She caressed his face with a gentle hand.

Declan nodded but then shook his head. “It was difficult, but no longer. Lorna loved being by the loch and she wouldn’t want us to forgo going there. Besides, we will make new memories.”

“Noah is afeared of the water. When I tried to bathe him, he balked. Whatever happened there, on that day…it has a hold on him. Perhaps if you are there, you can get him into the water, and he might enjoy it.” Absently, she caressed the bulge of his bicep.

Declan nodded. “I will see if I can coax him into the water. Until later, Wife.” He rose and squeezed her shoulder before leaving the cottage.

Isabella spent over an hour by the loch washing the large basket of garments Lady MacKendrick left for her. Her hands were raw from the lye soap and scrubbing. When she came across the tartan the rat had been wrapped in, she took it to the woods and buried it. There was no sense in trying to clean it because the stains were set in. Declan wouldn’t wear the garment if it was tainted, she reasoned. Finally, she finished the disgusting task, then moved back to finish the washing.

Lorcan lifted the basket of heavy, wet clothes before she could try to pick it up. “Thank you,” she told him, and together they returned to the cottage where she hung them on a line to dry. With that chore done, she quickly mixed the ingredients for an unappealing loaf of wheat bread which she placed in the bread oven to bake. When it was done, she would cut it into trenchers. The scent of it filled the air as she swept the cottage floor, washed the supper ware, put things away, dusted the hearth’s mantle, and repositioned the chairs.

She had almost forgotten she promised to meet Declan at the loch. By the slant of the sun’s rays over the loch, Isabella was late. On her way there, with Lorcan following close by, she stopped at Marian’s cottage and retrieved Noah. He smiled and jumped about, happy to see her, especially when she took his hand and led him out of the cottage, indicating to him with signs that she had something fun to do in store.

Together, they walked to the loch where they spotted Declan, carousing with several soldiers in the water. There appeared to be some rough play going on. Lorcan looked longingly at the waterplay until she gestured that he should join in while she and the boy sat on the bank and watched for a short while until Isabella stood up to lead him to the swing. At first, he didn’t seem to understand what it was, so she lifted him and sat him on the plank of wood, then showed him how to grasp the rope. When she pushed him, Noah gasped.

She stepped to the front of him so she could see his face and was pleased to observe that the lad was smiling. With force, she propelled him higher, and he squealed with what she thought might be laughter. Her heart burst with joy at his pleasure.

Within moments, the soldiers vacated the water and made their way to her. Their interest in the swing came with many questions. She answered and laughed because they all wanted a turn. They stood around and helped her to push Noah. The lad grinned ear to ear as they made such a fuss about pushing him to go as high as the sky.

Isabella left Noah in their good hands and approached Declan. He sat by the loch and watched them. She sat beside him, folded her legs, and clasped her arms around her knees. “He likes the swing. Seeing him smile makes my heart gladdened.”

“Ye are good to him. We are fortunate to have ye here with us,” Declan said and set his hand on her leg giving it a gentle squeeze. “Since we’re not keeping secrets, I’m telling ye now that I am going to leave the keep on the morrow and will be gone most of the day. I do not want ye to worry.”

She rested her cheek on her knees and smiled at him. “Thank you for telling me.”

He shrugged, almost shyly, a thing she hadn’t thought such a fierce warrior laird would feel. “Will ye stay with me at my grandda’s cottage this night?”

The thought made her heart beat a little harder. Could it be he was just as affected by her as she was him? “I will if you’ll walk me back so I can get a change of garments.” Isabella stood and waited for him.

Declan called to the soldiers. “Take Noah back to Marian’s when he is finished swinging. Lorcan, ye are relieved of your duty for the moment.” The soldiers agreed and he sidled next to her.

They walked hastily in silence back to the family cottage and entered. Declan approached the table and took a hunk of cheese from the tray. “It looks good in here.”

Lady MacKendrick came out from one of the chambers and hurried to set a cup in front of Declan. Isabella was about to amble to her chamber to retrieve a change of clothes but heard the woman speak to Declan, and she stopped to listen.

“I vow I spent all day cleaning this cottage. It was a tiresome task, but it needed to be done. Your wife was of naught help. If ye need anything else done, I am happy to oblige.”

Isabella’s cheeks heated a little. The woman had blatantly lied though because she hadn’t lifted a finger to clean the cottage that day. Was she envious of the attention Declan paid to her? She considered that Lady MacKendrick wanted Declan’s approval and his regard. Isabella understood how that felt, to be overlooked by someone, so she decided not to make an issue of the woman’s duplicity now, here, in front of Declan and anyone else who might overhear them.

Instead, she turned and entered her bedchamber. There, she rummaged through her belongings and retrieved a thin chemise she intended to wear to bed. But as she returned to the living area, she heard Declan’s raised voice.

“I know ye did nothing here this day. My wife exhausted herself cleaning this cottage. Why would ye speak falsely? Is it your intent for me to dislike my wife? I remind you, Lady, that the king gave her hand to me, and that I am beholden to make Isabella happy. She deserves no less.”

“So, Leona meant so little to you then?” Helena tossed at him.

Declan scoffed. “When I was married to her, she meant everything. But the woman has been dead for three years and I will not mourn her forever. Let her rest in peace. If ye cannot be cordial to my wife, Lady Helena, then ye should seek to live elsewhere.”

Lady MacKendrick gasped. “Ye cannot mean that. Your father would turn in his grave to know ye spoke so disrespectfully to me and threatened to turn me out.”

“I am the laird now, not he. Ye are no longer the lady of the clan. Your place is not to question me or tell me your opinions. I am the laird. Now, if ye cannot respect my wife, ye will find somewhere to live, another cottage preferably as far from the new keep as possible. I care naught where just as long as it is not here. I will not have my wife disrespected.”

“Very well, Laird ,” she said with a huff. “I will be more cordial to your wife but only because I have nowhere to go.” Lady MacKendrick turned and left the living area, breezing past her haughtily.

Isabella stood there in complete awe of Declan’s conversation with the woman. She was grateful, too, that he’d stood up for her. She let him take her satchel and hand and guided her through the doorway. She felt the tenseness of his hold lessen when they stepped through the threshold.

“This night I am going to show you my appreciation,” she vowed.

Declan chuckled. “Appreciation for what?”

“For what you did there, saying what you did to Lady Helena, and sticking up for me. You are not such a wretched husband after all.”

Declan laughed. “Nay? Tell me that after ye have been married to me longer than a few months.”

“I am sure I shall be just as pleased with you years from now, as I currently am.” Isabella wrapped her arm around his waist and smiled. This night she wouldn’t hold back and would show him how much he meant to her. “I am going to kiss you everywhere.”

Declan stopped in midstride and pulled her into his arms. “Aye, and I am going to kiss ye right now.” He set his mouth on hers just as a regiment of soldiers was passing by.

Their calls and banter were ignored by her husband. Declan continued kissing her and Isabella enjoyed every moment of it.