Page 42 of Bride takes a Scot

“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 shutand 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 andmurdered 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 ladgrinned 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.”