When a Laird Loves a Lady (Highlander Vows: Entangled Hearts Book 1)

by Julie Johnstone

  She locked eyes with Elspeth, who simply waved a hand as if to say, Please don’t fret. Marion took a deep breath in the suddenly very quiet room and continued. “I asked Iain to think about letting her stay, but he refused.”

  Suddenly, comments were coming from every direction, so fast she could hardly tell who was saying what.

  “Fiona always acts wanton toward my husband.”

  “Mine as well!”

  “She thought herself too good to work in the kitchen.”

  “She didn’t even cry at Catriona’s funeral!”

  Marion’s cheeks burned with gratitude for what the ladies were trying to do to show her that they didn’t care for Fiona overly much, but she also felt a twinge of pity for Elspeth. “I’m sure Fiona has positive qualities, as well,” Marion said loudly, purposely looking at Elspeth.

  Elspeth shrugged. “I’ll nae speak unkindly of my sister, but I’ll say she is nae a happy soul and what she did to ye was cruel. I dunnae think what has happened will be harmful to her. She would never have been happy here as anything less than the MacLeod’s wife. She thought it her right as the eldest sister, and she always felt Catriona snatched the chance away from her.”

  “I thought ye were nae going to speak poorly of yer sister,” came a sharp voice from behind Marion.

  Marion saw several of the women’s eyes grow big as they stared at whoever was standing there. She slowly turned and met Alanna’s hostile dark eyes. The woman’s full lips were pressed into a thin, angry line.

  Elspeth brushed past Marion and moved toward Alanna, who flinched away from her. Marion frowned at the odd reaction.

  “Alanna, why are ye here in the kitchen?” Elspeth asked. “Ye should be home getting ready for the bairn.”

  Alanna’s hand fluttered to her belly. “I’d feel better about my bairn coming if yer sister were still here.” Her eyes cut to Marion. “Fiona acted as clan midwife, though I see many of the women here have forgotten that she helped deliver their bairns.”

  A hush fell over the group, and some women cast their gazes down. But one woman stared boldly at Alanna. “Ye ken verra well that Fiona killed my bairn.”

  Marion held perfectly still, realizing there were many secrets that weaved through these women’s lives that she did not know.

  “Fiona did nae kill yer bairn,” Alanna said in a hard voice as she raked a hand through her long, curly red hair. “Yer boy came out with the cord wrapped around his neck and there was nae that could be done! I’ve told ye this repeatedly, but ye refuse to listen.”

  “Ye were nae there,” the woman spat.

  “I was nae, but Fiona came to me distraught and told me what had happened.” Alanna turned toward Elspeth. “Tell her, Elspeth! Ye were there! Ye ken. Dunnae let her bitterness destroy yer sister’s life any longer.”

  The woman shook her fist at Alanna. “Elspeth has already spoken to me, and I dunnae need to hear more.”

  Alanna’s shoulders sagged, and she shook her head as her gaze moved from woman to woman and stopped on Marion. “I never thought I’d see the day that MacLeods turned against MacLeods. Then again, I never thought I’d see the day that Iain forsook his love of Catriona, either. My poor cousin!”

  With that pronouncement, Alanna stomped out the way she had come, leaving them all standing in hushed silence. Elspeth moved toward Marion, took her hand, and squeezed it. “She’s just distraught. She’ll quiet once her anger lessens. Catriona and Fiona were her dearest friends.”

  “But not yours?” Marion asked, surprised by Elspeth’s curious lack of emotion over her sister’s departure.

  Elspeth shook her head and gave a surreptitious glance around. Most of the women had moved away and returned to their work. Kyla was the only one who still stood there with them, and when Elspeth fairly stared the woman down, she wiped her hands on her aprons and gave Marion a smile. “I should go stir the pottage.”

  “As the youngest, they thought me an annoyance more than anything.” Elspeth shrugged and smiled. “I tried to belong, but the three of them did nae wish for me to.”

  Marion cocked her head. “Do you mean until Fiona thought Catriona stole Iain from her?”

  “Oh, aye. I mean until then. Then Alanna and Catriona grew closer, and Fiona decided she would finally be kind to me.” Elspeth pressed her lips together, and Marion got the distinct feeling that Fiona’s efforts had been too late for Elspeth.

  “I am sorry, Elspeth. I didn’t have many friends as a child, either.” The truth was, Angus had been her only friend until Bridgette, but she didn’t feel comfortable enough to share that yet.

  “Ye’ve me now,” Elspeth said, linking her arm with Marion’s.

  Marion smiled. “I’m glad. Can you think of anything I could do to make Alanna a little more accepting of me?”

  “Hmm.” Elspeth tilted her head in thought. “Ye could take her some of my black pudding. She’s nae been feeling well, and she loves it.”

  Marion rubbed her aching temples with her fingers. Exhaustion was creeping in, but she did want to try to make things right with Alanna.

  “That seems to be a good idea,” Marion said, nodding.

  Elspeth beamed at her. “I’ll just get ye the black pudding.”

  She scurried over to her worktable and came back in short time with a dish of the pudding and a spoon with a heaping serving of the pudding on it. She held the spoon out to Marion. “I brought a bit for ye, too. Do ye like black pudding?”

  Marion grinned. “I love it. My father’s cook made excellent black pudding.”

  “Mine will be better,” Elspeth boasted.

  Marion couldn’t resist. She took the pudding Elspeth offered and ate a bite. It was delicious. “Elspeth,” she said, “that is the best pudding I’ve ever had.”

  Elspeth nodded. “Why don’t ye have some more?”

  “I couldn’t,” Marion replied, not wanting to reveal that she was queasy, but Elspeth looked so downcast. “Just one more.”

  Elspeth laughed, went back to her worktable, and returned with an even bigger bite for Marion. She quickly ate it.

  “Another?” Elspeth asked.

  Marion held up the spoon. “I’ll take this with me and have some with Alanna, if she offers. I really need to go, though. Where does Alanna live?”

  “Nae far from here.”

  Marion bit her lip, thinking on what to do.

  “What’s wrong?” Elspeth asked, her eyes wide.

  Marion sighed. “I just remembered that I told Iain I’d not leave the castle without taking Archibald. I’ll have to go find him first.”

  Elspeth shook her head. “Dunnae fash yerself. Iain will nae ken, and ye’ll be back shortly.”

  Marion shook her head. “He may not know, but I would. I vowed to him.”

  “I’ll go with ye, then,” Elspeth offered.

  “That’s sweet of you, but I think Iain’s intent was for me to have one of his men with me at all times.” The look of annoyance that flitted across Elspeth’s face made Marion laugh. “I feel the same way about it.”

  Elspeth forced a smile, and Marion gave her a small wave as she left the kitchen.

  She located Archibald in the great hall, and they set off to Alanna’s.

  They walked in silence for a while as they strolled through the woods. Alanna and Rory Mac’s home seemed to be a bit farther than Elspeth had indicated. A sharp pain stabbed Marion in the side as they climbed uphill, and though the air was cold, she suddenly felt warm.

  “Archibald,” she said, glancing at him on a wave of dizziness. She reached for him as the earth beneath her seemed to shift and another, more intense, pain cramped her belly.

  Archibald’s eyes widened, and he grasped her when she swayed again. “Marion, what’s wrong?”

  “I don’t feel—”

  She doubled over as pain sliced through her stomach, and she broke out into a sweat. “I don’t feel well,” she said, her voice trembling as the pain pulsed through her belly. Her t
hroat felt as if it was closing, and she gasped a breath of air, then another while grasping her stomach, which was twisting into knots.

  “Archibald,” she whispered. Her mouth was suddenly very dry and her head pounded so hard that her vision blurred.

  “What is it?” he asked, his eyes widening as he hovered over her. He patted her back and then hooked his hands under her arms to help her stand, but when she tried, the agony was so intense she screamed. And then, mercifully, everything went black.

  Twenty

  Iain sat in the great hall surrounded by his brothers, Angus, and Rory Mac to discuss once again the various ways Froste and de Lacy might try to kill him and seize Marion. He contemplated every possible scenario, thinking they had thought of them all, when a vile one occurred to him. “They could plant a traitor amongst us to lure Marion or myself out, or even to help them get inside.”

  “Impossible,” Lachlan replied. “None of our men are traitors.”

  Iain didn’t want to think so, either, but he had to consider everything. “I hope nae, but I must consider everything. Who amongst us has any reason to be angry or feel as if they have been wronged? Let us think on each of our men and make sure we feel they are faithful.”

  Before anyone could speak, a loud commotion had them turning in the direction of the castle door. Suddenly, Archibald’s voice filled the hall. “Help! Get Iain! Marion needs help!”

  Iain shoved to his feet as black fear covered his vision. He raced out of the great hall, his brothers, Rory Mac, and Angus close behind, and came to terrified stop at the sight of Marion in Archibald’s arms, her head thrashing wildly back and forth as she moaned.

  “Marion!” he roared as he rushed to Archibald and took his wife from him. Iain looked down at her, and his stomach clenched. She was mumbling and her speech was slurred, and he could not understand her. Then she began to twitch and convulse in his arms, white foam coming from her mouth.

  All around him shouting reigned, and then Bridgette was beside him with Kyla, screaming at him to lay her on the ground. He kneeled, feeling dazed, almost not in his body, as they pushed him aside to tend her. Bridgette thrust a long piece of her gown that she tore off in Marion’s mouth, between her teeth, and Kyla attempted to hold Marion’s arms still. But Marion was delirious and fighting Kyla. She clawed at the woman, and Iain moved closer as Lachlan kneeled down. They each held an arm as Bridgette pulled Marion’s lids up and looked into her unusually wide pupils.

  Bridgette rocked back on her haunches, her face white as a sheet. “I’ve seen a thing such as this afore,” she choked out, tears filling her eyes. “I think she’s been poisoned.”

  Panic rioted through him as he pushed back against her bucking body. “What can we do?”

  “Turn her on her side,” Bridgette said, swiping at her tears. “We must make her empty her stomach.”

  Together, Iain and Lachlan did as Bridgette had said, while everyone stood around them murmuring their fear and concern. As soon as the convulsions stopped, Bridgette took the material from between Marion’s teeth and stuck her finger down Marion’s throat. Immediately, Marion let loose the contents of her stomach. And then Bridgette repeated the process, until there was simply nothing left and Marion fell into unconsciousness.

  Sobbing, Bridgette murmured, “I dunnae ken what else to do. What happens next depends on how much poison she swallowed and when, and whether the dose was fatal.”

  Fatal. The word hit him like a fist forged of steel. She could not die. She had become like his air. Like water. Like a bright ray of sun that warmed his soul. He loved her. He did. It was simple. It was complicated, too, but it was a fact he would not want to change. He wanted to wrap Marion in his embrace and never let her out of his arms again. He wanted to worship her body and sit for hours learning the secrets of her heart. He wanted to tell her he loved her and that he was the biggest clot-heid of all to have taken so long to realize it. He closed his eyes, and prayed to God that He grant Marion continued life.

  When Bridgette gasped, Iain’s eyes flew open. He looked at Marion, who was still on her side, and seeping onto the floor around her was blood.

  “What’s happening?” he shouted at Bridgette as he turned Marion over to see the front of her gown soaked with crimson. He gathered Marion in his arms, careful to cradle her head. His heart beat painfully as he held her.

  When Bridgette did not answer but gave him an anguished look, he thundered, “Tell me.”

  Bridgette, her face pinched, set her hand on Iain’s arm. “I vowed to her I would nae tell ye. She wanted to.”

  “Bridgette,” Iain growled, perilously close to losing his control. Angus kneeled beside Iain and looked worriedly at Marion.

  Bridgette heaved a breath. “She’s losing yer bairn,” Bridgette blurted, sobbing anew.

  The news tore at his insides, and around him, he could see the shock on his family’s and clansmen’s faces.

  “Come,” Bridgette and Kyla both said. “We must get her upstairs to a bed.”

  “Someone needs to fetch Fiona,” Alanna said from her place beside Rory Mac in the circle. Iain blinked at her, realizing he’d not even known she’d arrived. And when he glanced around the room, he realized most of the women from the kitchen were there, all looking terribly upset. Marion had made friends. Happiness and anguish collided at once. Would she live to realize it?

  “Fiona?” Iain repeated, angered that Alanna would even suggest that he should bring Fiona back to tend to Marion.

  Alanna walked toward him and gave him a determined look. “Aye. If Marion lives, she’ll need a healer, and Fiona is a strong one. Set yer anger aside for yer wife.”

  He glanced at Bridgette, who nodded. “Marion would want that.”

  Iain curled his fingers tighter around Marion’s body, knowing he didn’t have much time to decide. He needed to get her to the bedchamber. “What of the bairn?” he asked, his voice cracking.

  Bridgette shook her head as tears rolled down her cheeks. “I dunnae ken of a way to save a new bairn nae yet out of the stomach, especially nae this new.”

  “Iain,” Alanna said softly, putting her hand on his arm. “Let Rory Mac go for Fiona. Maybe she can save Marion. It’s too late for the bairn.”

  “Ye dunnae ken that,” he argued, tormented.

  “I think I do,” she whispered, her eyes glassy with unshed tears. “I’ve lost two bairns myself.”

  Iain met Rory Mac’s sympathetic gaze. “Go,” Iain choked out. Pulling Marion close to his chest, he moved toward the stairs flanked by Bridgette and Alanna. He climbed up to their bedchamber and laid Marion on the bed, then stepped back to allow Bridgette and Alanna to clean her. As they worked, his mind turned with what had happened, and a thought occurred that so enraged him that he clenched his teeth until his jaw throbbed painfully. When Bridgette and Alanna were done cleaning Marion, he went to her side, dropped to his knees, and buried his head against her chest.

  He listened and caught the sound of her faint heartbeat. “I love ye,” he choked out, struggling to control his emotions. “I love ye, do ye hear?” But she didn’t. He ran a hand over her flat stomach that had held their bairn. His gut twisted and his throat tightened as he settled his palm there and said a prayer for their child’s soul. He was not a crying man. He’d not cried when Catriona had died, though his grief had been all-consuming, yet now tears stung his eyes with grief for the bairn he’d never know, for the possibility that he might lose Marion, for the pain she would feel when she learned she’d lost their bairn. It gripped him in a clutch that made each breath painful.

  He forced himself to sit up and turn to Bridgette. She stood in a corner with Alanna, and when she saw him looking at her, they came toward him. He stood to speak to the women. “Ye said Marion had been poisoned?”

  “Aye. Her symptoms were all the same as a man in our clan whose wife poisoned him with belladonna.”

  He scrubbed a hand over his face, fighting back the tiredness threatening to consu
me him. “Who would do this?” he asked, more to himself than Bridgette, but Bridgette’s eyes grew wide.

  “I dunnae mean someone here poisoned her. She could have accidentally eaten the berries. They look like fruit.”

  “Nay.” His one word cut through the air and made Bridgette jerk. “Marion knows herbs and medicine. I’m sure she knows the poisonous berries. The only person I would have even imagined might do this would have been Fiona, but she was nae here.”

  Alanna made an angry sound and then glared at him. “Ye are wrong when it comes to Fiona. Elspeth is the one ye should have sent away.”

  Iain narrowed his gaze, his heart thumping an angry beat. “What do ye mean?”

  Alanna sighed. “I tried to tell ye afore, but ye would nae listen. It was nae Fiona’s idea to give Marion Catriona’s gown. It was Elspeth’s. Fiona refused to do it but, well, she got angry with yer wife and then went ahead and did it against her better judgment.”

  “Elspeth is a deceiver,” he bit out, curling his hands into fists.

  “Aye!” Alanna cried. “It’s time someone saw the truth in Elspeth. She appears meek, but I ken she brought trouble on Fiona when Rhona’s bairn died. Though she knew Fiona was nae to blame, I vow she told the other women she was! And if ye think she loved Catriona, ye’re wrong. Elspeth used to laugh at Catriona’s weakness, which is why Catriona, Fiona, and I never had time for her.”

  Iain frowned at the news. Catriona had never spoken ill of Elspeth. Then again, Catriona had never spoke ill of anyone. The thunderous anger growing inside him was threatening to whisk away his reason. “If Elspeth is to blame, she must have more in her possession. Would either of ye ken belladonna if ye saw it?”

  “I would,” Bridgette replied, looking as enraged as Iain felt.

  “Will ye stay here and watch over Marion?” he asked Alanna. She nodded immediately.

  When Iain and Bridgette opened the bedchamber door, Angus was waiting, as well as Kyla, Neil, Archibald, and Iain’s brothers. Angus was the first to speak, and Iain had to swallow hard when he saw tears in the man’s eyes.