Page 21 of Sins of a Scot

“Aye, that will work. And I will talk mostly. We just need tae keep those things in our mind when we make mention o’ it at breakfast on the morrow.”

“Breakfast?” Iseabail gawped.

“Aye,” Owen said, surprised at her reaction. “Ye’re going tae have tae meet me faither and stepmaither at some point.”

“Then we will also need tae have a story fer how we met. Surely, they are bound tae ask?”

“All right,” Owen said, looking thoughtful once again. “Then… we can say…”

“It has tae be the truth,” Iseabail reminded him.

“Or a version o’ the truth,” he countered.

Over the next few minutes, they then came up with a plan of what they were going tae tell Laird and Lady Sinclair. It was not very convincing, but it would have to suffice.

“While wearing this necklace, Eden willnae be able tae tell if I’m lying or nae,” Owen added. “But in a way, it makes things even more complicated. I still have tae be careful what I say, fer whatever ye reply also has tae be the truth.”

Iseabail nodded. “That makes sense. I am now just terrified I will say something wrong.”

Owen shook his head. “I will try and guide ye as best as I can. In the end, however, we’ll have tae help each other.”

When all that was said and done, Owen opened his bedchamber door, and nodded for Iseabail to follow.

“Where are we going?” she asked suspiciously.

He smirked at her. “Well, ye cannae stay here,” he said, nodding to his bed.

Iseabail glanced over at it, and then blushed at the thought. “Nay, o’ course nae.”

“Come on. We have many rooms here.”

She followed him out and the two travelled down the corridor. A minute later, Owen opened a bedchamber door and gestured for her to enter. “I will tell the maids ye are here. Someone will arrive shortly tae light the fire and bring ye some food.”

He pulled the door over to leave, but stopped when Iseabail began to speak.

“How dae ye ken I willnae run away?” she asked, surprised that he was giving her such freedom.

That smirk danced on his lips again, and with an arrogance she knew he possessed, he replied. “It’s obvious ye need me.”

Without another word, he closed the door, leaving Iseabail feeling frustrated at his bumptiousness. But at least she was not spending the night in a cell. Instead, she had a room of her own, and a comfortable bed. Her worries had abated, for now. Tomorrow would bring with it, its own troubles.

CHAPTER SEVEN

The previous night had been an eye opener for Owen, and this morning, he couldn’t help but feel worried. He and Iseabail, or Lady Mackay, as he now knew her to be, had devised a story to tell his father and Eden but, as his stomach clenching with nerves, he worried Eden would see through their veil of lies.

I cannae let that happen. Iseabail has made a valid threat. If I dinnae help her, Faither will discover the lies Daire and I have told him. I cannae dae that tae Daire. He’s put himself in a dreadful position fer me sake.

After washing and dressing, he made his way to Iseabail’s room and knocked lightly on the door. Her distant voice echoed through the thick wood that separated them.

“Just a minute.”

A few seconds later, the door opened and she looked up at him nervously. “Good morning.”

“Morning,” Owen said quickly, trying to curb his nerves. “Are ye ready?”

“I am.”

“Then let’s go.”