Free The Inheritance by Irina Shapiro

turning his gelding around.
    “ Dinnae ye have pressing business at the castle, Rory?”  He was obviously returning from another sojourn away, and looked as if he’d been travelling for a long time and sleeping rough.
    “No business is as pressing as the cleansing o f one’s soul,” he answered with a grin.  “I’ve a mind to make confession.”
    “Oh, really?  What will y e be confessing to?” Isobel couldn’t believe she was being flirtatious, and ignored Mary as she mumbled something under her breath. 
    “ Impure thoughts,” Rory answered gravely.  “I’m plagued by them.”
    “How dreadful for y e.  Anyone I ken?”  What was she doing? She wanted to stop, but couldn’t.  She was enjoying herself for the first time in months.  What was the harm?
    “I ’m tormented by thoughts of a fiery-headed lassie who’s stolen my peace of mind.” 
    “She must be quite something to affect ye that way,” countered Isobel, hoping desperately he was referring to herself.
    “ Aye, she is, but my honor doesn’t permit me to reveal her identity,” he replied with a grin.  He was looking at her in that way again.  His eyes were warm and filled with longing, and suddenly their banter wasn’t just words.  Isobel longed to touch his face and taste his lips, and she found herself blushing again.  Hopefully he wouldn’t notice and think it was just from the icy wind blowing off the sea. 
    Too soon they came to the church , and Rory helped her down from her horse.  They stood there for a moment looking at each other until she heard Mary’s cough, reminding her that she was forgetting herself.  Isobel took off the hood of her cloak and headed through the gate into the church.  She lit a candle in front of the statue of the Virgin Mary and asked for forgiveness for her duplicity.  The herbs were obviously working and she was eternally grateful to Mistress Freya for her help. 
    She said a heartfelt prayer for her father-in-law’s health and then turned to go back.  She was eager to ride back with Rory and enjoy a few stolen moments in his company.
    Mary was on her knees , praying fervently, and she decided to give her a minute before setting back.  She’d never known Mary to be overly pious, but maybe she had something on her mind.  She’d always been a happy, carefree girl, but these last months had changed her.  She’d become quiet and jumpy, especially toward the evening.  Isobel hoped that once she made some friends among the other girls she would regain her good spirits, but they’d been at the castle for some months and she knew that Mary didn’t lack for company.  Mary was always gossiping with Morag and she saw her chatting with the stable boys.  Maybe she was in love and it wasn’t returned. 
    Mary finally rose to her feet and tucked a stray blond e lock into her cap before turning toward the door.  She walked past Isobel without looking up and headed straight for her mule.  Isobel noticed that she gave Rory a wary glance as she pulled on her hood and took off, staring straight ahead at the road. 
    “What were y e praying for?” asked Rory as they headed back toward the castle.  “Must be something special if ye came out here to do it.”
    “ For my father-in-law’s health.  He seems to be failing,” which was partially true.  She didn’t want to tell him the other reason.
    “There will be much change if he dies.”  She could see that Rory was debating how much to tell her of what was to come.
    “What kind of change?” she prompted.  There was a lot of coming and going and she knew that something was brewing. 
    “ Auld Alan would like to see a Stuart king on the throne, but time and experience has made him cautious.  He lived through the other uprisings, and remembers how they turned out.  To openly support the Stuart cause is treason, and Alan doesn’t want to commit afore he kens which way the wind is blowing.  Once he’s gone, and John is Laird, things