Chapter 6 #4
MacDowylt’s face and neck had discolored to a dark splotchy red by the time he spoke again.
“You’ll no get away with this, MacQuarrie.
Nor you, MacGahan. I’ll be back, and then we’ll see who has the upper hand.
” With one last angry look around the hall, the young man turned and stormed from the room, his warriors following closely behind.
“If you’d but name me tanist, this would no be a problem any longer.”
Robert looked back at the man who spoke.
Seated at the right hand of the MacGahan, he leaned toward his laird, urging the old man to retake his seat.
His hair hung in lank strings around his face, framing dark eyes filled with traits Robert recognized all too well.
Cunning, greed, hatred—each emotion transcended his travels through time.
There were men such as he in both the centuries Robert had inhabited.
“Isabella is the issue of my son and my heir in his place.” The old laird’s hand shook as he reached for his tankard. “I owe Thomas this much.”
“A woman canna be laird of the MacGahan,” said MacGahan’s right hand.
“You ken the truth in this. Look at her! You’ve need to see to the future of yer clan, no the memory of yer lost son.
You should have given her over to MacDowylt.
There’s no a need for the fate of Clan MacGahan to be tied to her any longer. ”
Beside him, Isabella snorted her derision at the man’s words.
“You speak as if you think I’d want anything to do with this castle or the clan. I want nothing more than to be left alone by all of you.”
“And left alone is what you’ll get.” Once again the laird rose to his feet. “Begone with you and take yer new . . . guardian along as well.”
“None too soon for my liking,” she muttered, turning and starting toward the door.
“Hold on there!” Robert reached out and grabbed Isabella’s arm as she attempted to push past him.
This was not at all what he’d had in mind. It was too late in the day for them to chance being caught on the road overnight, especially if MacDowylt and his men had camped somewhere nearby.
“We’ll stay here this night and leave for yer new home at first light.”
“New home?” Isabella drew back from him, appearing to study him through the matted red curtain of her hair. “Dinna be witless, man. I’ve no intention of going anywhere but my own home, and I’ll be about doing that right now. I’ve animals waiting on my return.”
“You canna stay here,” the laird interrupted. “I’ll no have her spend even one night under my roof against her will. As she says, you must leave now.”
Robert looked around him in disbelief. He was surrounded by sheer insanity. What Isabella proposed, what her grandfather insisted upon, was nowhere in the realm of logical behavior.
Still, the MacGahan guards who’d stepped forward, swords drawn, gave emphasis to the fact, logical or not, he and Isabella would be leaving this keep as soon as possible. There could be no argument about it.
She’d taken barely two steps when she stopped and turned back toward the large table with a muttered, “I almost forgot.”
Robert edged closer as Isabella leaned over the table toward the man who’d spoken earlier.
The finger she pointed at the man before she spoke was long, delicate and caked with ash. “One last thing for you, Roland. I’ll no take kindly to hearing of any further ill-treatment of the lad, Jamie. Do you ken my meaning, Cousin? Dinna make me come back here angry.”
The man’s lips drew back in distaste, but any retort was halted by the laird’s hand to his shoulder.
“Dinna fash yerself over the lad, Isa. No harm will come to him as long as I live. You have my word. Now be off with you.”
Apparently satisfied with her grandfather’s promise, Isabella turned, sweeping past Robert and down the aisle between the tables.
With one last look at the men on the dais, their heads drawn together in hushed discussion, Robert hurried after her, catching up as they exited the great hall.
The late-afternoon rain had slowed to a steady drizzle by the time they walked out the main doorway. There was no point in his new charge getting drenched again.
“If you’d like to wait inside, I’ll go see to our horses and bring them around.”
Isabella drew the edges of her cloak together, attempting to shut out the misting rain. “I have no horse for you to see to.”
No horse? “How did you get here?”
“On the rare occasion the laird summons me, he sends a lad along on horseback. I ride with him. Now I suppose I’ll ride with you.” She lifted one shoulder carelessly. “Or I’ll walk. It’s of no consequence to me how I go, as long as I do.”
“Wonderful,” Robert muttered, stomping down the steps toward the stable.
First they were headed off to Lord only knew where with precious little time before dark would overtake them.
On top of that, there was the possibility of MacDowylt’s men waiting out there for them.
Now, for the perfect finishing touch, they’d be doubled on his mount, slowing any escape they might need to make.
This whole nightmare just kept getting better and better. But what could he expect? He should have known it would be like this the minute he’d learned Isabella MacGahan was a redhead.