Free Dawn Marie Hamilton - Highland Gardens by Just in Time for a Highland Christmas

your tale, Isobell.” He hadn’t changed
much, his tone demanded as it always had, as if he ordered his warriors.
    Lady Laurie’s arm came around her. “Don’t let him
intimidate you. Come and sit.”
    She ushered Isobel into the center of the chamber
to four iron chairs with green cushions circling a low iron table with an
amazing glass top, and then encouraged her to sit. Patrick sat on the other
side of the table, Lady Laurie to her left.
    “Well.” Patrick leaned forward, hands on knees.
    “Stop growling at her. Remember what it felt like
when you first came here.” His wife squeezed Isobell’s hand. “Take your time
and tell us what you can.”
    Maybe she should just tell them and get it over
with. “My father betrothed me to Archibald, but I did not want to wed him so I
ran away.”
    “I thought you wanted to be his wife,” Patrick
snapped.
    His wife sent him a glare. “If you can’t be
pleasant, you should leave.”
    “I am sorry, Isobell. ’Tis just your presence here
has left me unsettled.”
    She inclined her head, accepting the apology.
Patrick had changed much. There was less tension around his eyes. And he
apologized. Incredibly unexpected.
    “My father had told me of horrible deeds Archibald
inflicted on our clan.”
    “Archie?” Lady Laurie and Patrick asked in unison.
    “Aye. Crimes perpetrated against the clan. Raids.
Killings. Rapes.”
    “That does not sound like Archie,” Patrick said.
    “Do you think perhaps your father lied?” Lady
Laurie said, in a gentle, non-accusing tone.
    Da would never lie to her. Or would he? Was it
possible? Da had been in a rage over Patrick’s marriage to Lady Laurie. Could
she have been wrong to listen to Da’s ranting? He had forgiven Archibald
rather quickly once he received the signed betrothal contract.
    “I was horrified. I ran. Archibald found me, and
they tried to force me to the altar, but I refused, and they locked me up.”
    “You poor thing.”
    Isobell squirmed. She didn’t deserve Lady Laurie’s
sympathy. “The MacLachlan clan brownie—”
    “ Grrrr! ” Patrick glowered. “What did Munn
do?”
    “Well, he gave me wine to drink that made me
forget things. Made me forget I hated Archibald. I signed the contract and said
the vows and we consummated the marriage.”
    The wine made her forget about the numerous raids
too. Maybe it would have been better if she hadn’t remembered.
    “So you are Archibald’s wife,” Patrick said. “Does
he ken how you came to be here?”
    “Oh, nae!” She rubbed tired eyes.
    “You must be exhausted,” Lady Laurie said.
    “Aye.”
    “We should retire to the house.”
    “Da and Mairi are on the way.” Patrick leaned back
in the chair, hands clasped behind his head, feet crossed at the ankle.
    “There is more. Archibald believes I poisoned
him,” Isobell blurted. “I did not.”
    “What? My son poisoned?” The gruff voice made
Isobell jump. The scowl on Iain MacLachlan’s face made it difficult to swallow.
    “You are supposed to be dead.” She clasped a hand
over her mouth, horrified.
    “Hah. Never felt better.” He slapped a fist to his
chest. “Does my son live?”
    “Aye.” She nodded, feeling a wee bit dizzy.
    “Hello, my dear, ’tis lovely to see you.” Lady
Mairi bustled into the room with a basket hanging over a wrist and wearing a
short, blue gown with a shorter, matching jacket over top. My goodness, more
than her ankles showed.
    Isobell hopped up then dropped into a curtsy and
held. “Thank you, Lady Mairi.”
    “Get up, lass. And just call me Mairi. We dinnae
hold much with formality here.”
    “In faerieland?”
    “This is nae faerieland.” Iain scoffed. “What of
my son?”
    “He snored loud enough to wake the dead last I saw
him.” Isobell swallowed uneasily. “What do you mean nae faerieland?”
    Mairi patted her hand. “Nae worries. We will take
care of you.”
    “If I am not in faerieland, where am I?” Her gaze
leapt from one person to another,