Page 25 of Bride takes a Scot
Declan lifted him in his burly arms until he and the lad were face to face. “Noah,” he said slowly. He hugged the lad and then set him back on his feet so he could kneel in front of his son. Then he smiled and motioned to her.
Isabella approached with her husband’s wave. She knelt next to him and waited to see what Declan intended. The silence in the small cottage made her tense, but she took a deep breath, then let it out slowly to ease herself. With that, she smiled at the small lad.
Declan sighed too. “I talk to him slowly and hope he understands. He spoke well before the accident and so I deem he is aware of what I say to him. I will tell him about ye and explain…”
To Noah, he said, “This is your new mother. She is kind.”
Noah nodded and bowed to her. He made sounds in his throat but didn’t speak words.
“She will come and spend time with ye. Ye will be kind to her and obey her,” Declan continued.
His son swiped his arm over his face and stared at them. Declan tussled his hair and stood. He held out a hand to Isabella, but before she accepted it, she put her hand out to Noah.
The lad clasped her hand and smiled.
Isabella released his hand and accepted Declan’s. When she stood, her husband settled his arm around her shoulder and nodded to Noah.
“I shall see you on the morrow then, Milady, and look forward to the rest,” Marian said.
Isabella bowed her head to the elder woman. “My thanks for accepting my help, Marian, and please, we shan’t be formal. I am certain Noah will have fun and you won’t be as worn out.”
“Very well. ’Tis gladdened I am that ye are here, Isabella, even though ye look and sound like a Sassenach.”
Declan ignored his grandmother’s brashness and guided her from the small cottage. They walked hand in hand on the lane in silence until she stopped and turned to him. “Thank you.”
He grinned. “For what, Wife?”
“For letting me help Noah and for taking me to meet your grandmother. Now if only the rest of your family accepts me.”
Declan frowned slightly. “Were they unkind to you? If that is so—”
“No, they just don’t know me yet. Once they do…” Isabella didn’t want to speak falsely. She was sure his family didn’t want to get to know her. The way they had treated her told her they wanted nothing to do with her. They’d been more than unkind and held disdain for her.
Declan raised her chin. “Come, we will go see them and ye shall see, all will be well.” He grabbed her hand and continued onward.
She followed him to the family cottage, and he opened the door for her. Isabella stepped inside. His family appeared to be eating their midday meal. The main area was somewhat dark and there were no candles lit. It was a gloomy cottage but perhaps that had more to do with the people that occupied it and not because it was dark inside.
Lady Helena stopped midstride as she crossed the open area where the family congregated and stared at them. “Declan, have you come to sup with us? And ye brought her with you? I am taken aback because ye never eat with us. This is an…unexpected pleasure.”
Declan motioned to his stepbrother to move out of the seat at the head of the table. Then he motioned to his sister to shift down on the bench. Isabella sat at the end of the bench next to Declan’s seat. Her husband sat then and looked with a slight frown at his family.
Declan didn’t retort to his stepmother but peered at those round the table. “Now that I am back, I intend to see ye more often. It has been a while since I have dined with ye. Tell me about the happenings. What are ye all up to these days?” He took a trencher from the center of the table and filled it with pottage and set it before her. Isabella bowed her head in thanks to him. He then filled another trencher for himself and took a chunk of bread and dipped it in the pottage.
Rhona scoffed. “Oh, Brother, ’tis gladdened I am to see ye. Claude has it in his head to search for Grandda’s treasure and says he found a map in his old cottage. Claude is a fool, aye, and a wee wain.”
Claude pushed Rhona’s hand and made her spill her pottage on the table. “I am not a child, Rhona. Cease speaking untruths. I did find Grandda’s map in his cottage. Aye, and I shall find the treasure.”
Isabella smiled. Their discussion and the angst in their tones made her happy. It was like being at home when her mother and father bickered. Thinking of them brought on a brief bit of melancholy because she was beginning to miss them terribly.
“Claude, ye will cease this nonsense. I bade ye to take to the training field. Anse tells me when ye do show yourself, ye do not put your whole effort forth. A warrior trains with his heart as well as with his mind. On the morrow, ye will show at sunup and ye will not leave the field until dusk. Is that understood?”
Claude pouted at Declan’s reprimand but nodded. “Aye, Laird, understood.”
“I have no time to check on you, but Silas will ensure ye follow my command.” Declan turned to face his stepbrother. “Silas, ye will make sure the lad is there, training throughout the day? And ye will check with Anse to make sure he trained well before he is permitted to leave the field.”
“As ye wish, Laird,” Silas said.
Isabella’s heart went out to the lad. It was obvious Claude didn’t wish to take to arms. Perhaps she might intercede on his behalf and get Declan to relent, but all in good time.