Chapter 12
Chapter
Twelve
Isla’s mood had not sobered during the journey to Stormhaven. Despite Kai’s assurances, her heart beat intensely as she feared that her mother would be killed after her escape.
The journey was made all the more tense by Gavin’s presence as well. They had kept their distance from each other, and it seemed strange that only so recently they had been clinging to each other in a passionate embrace.
She wasn’t sure she would ever be able to do that with him again, or anyone. Life seemed to be safer when lived alone.
Isla’s eyes widened when they approached Stormhaven. She had only ever heard stories about the Keep, and the sight of it in person did more than justice to all the stories. The air was bleak and cold around the jagged mountains.
“Ye will get used tae it,” Kai joked.
Isla wasn’t sure about that. The scent of brine drifted towards her, and hard-faced warriors grunted and nodded as they approached the Keep.
When Isla dismounted from the horse, she found that she had to tread carefully. The courtyard was flecked with moisture, slick underfoot. Gavin and Kirsty went off in another direction, while Kai led Isla to her mother.
“I ken things are tense, Isla, but we hae been working taeward a solution. This will all come tae an end soon. The Highlands will be ours,” he said.
“Now ye are starting tae sound like Da,” Isla said bitterly.
It was an undeserved insult, but Kai did not reply. He simply led her to a room in a tall tower. As he placed his hand on the doorknob, he grinned.
“Now ye will learn that all I hae said is true. I hae kept watch over her myself, and only the most trusted people hae been able tae enter the room.”
He opened the door and fear crawled inside Isla’s heart, but then she saw her mother lying in bed. She was pale, weak, but she was alive.
Isla’s eyes were filled with tears again, but this time they were tears of relief and joy rather than ones of sorrow. Isla rushed to her mother’s bedside and collapsed as though she was a child again, sinking to her knees and burying her head in her mother’s lap.
Lady Lape Sinclair smiled weakly, and slender fingers stroked Isla’s coppery hair. The feeling was soothing. The tension that Isla had been holding in her chest started to ebb away.
“My daughter, I hae missed ye sae much,” Lape said.
Kai winked and closed the door behind him. Isla wept for a while before lifting her head. Lape ran her thumb across Isla’s cheeks, wiping away the tears.
“I was sae worried about ye. I thought that Da…”
“Yer father cannae hurt me any longer,” Lape replied. “We are far from his influence, even though I’m sure he told ye otherwise.”
“I… I dinnae understand. How can ye be sure?”
“Because he already tried tae hurt me. He’s been hurting me for a long time. Isla… I was nae sick. He poisoned me.”
A shadow fell over Isla’s face.
“I should hae kenned, but I never would hae thought… all this time. Ma… how could he hae done this tae ye?”
“Tae stop me from revealing the truth, tae gain sympathy, and I’m sure plenty of reasons beside.
” A crestfallen look came upon Lape’s face.
“I’m sorry I could nae tell ye sooner, Isla.
From the moment we were married he made clear that he was gaeing tae control me, and as soon as I started haeing children he used ye as weapons against me. If I ever told ye the truth, well…”
“I can imagine,” Isla said mournfully. They hugged each other tightly for a while. Lape felt thin, but her eyes were clearer than before.
“He told me that he was gaeing tae hurt ye, that if I dinnae dae as he asked, then he would send an assassin here.”
Lape shook her head and brought Isla’s head close to her breast. “I hae failed ye. I’m sorry, my child. I hae been safe here. Kai, Coll, and Gavin hae seen tae that.”
Lape noticed that Isla tensed when she mentioned Gavin’s name.
“Is he with ye? I’m surprised he is nae with ye. I ken of the promise he made tae ye. It was because of him that I received the antidote.”
“It was?”
“Aye. He told Kai again and again tae look after me—as if he needed a reminder. The only thing that mattered tae him was bringing ye back tae me, and now he hae done sae. I need tae see him for myself. I need tae thank him,” she said.
“I… I dinnae ken where he is. I… The truth is that I feel lost, Ma. Sae much hae happened.”
“Tell me,” Lape said, a worried look coming over her face, eager to listen to her child’s problem even though she was suffering herself.
“It’s just that… well, in order tae protect ye I did what Da wanted. I married Iain Anderson, but he’s-he’s,” she stammered again as if unable to get the words out. “He’s dead now, and I am nae sure how tae feel or what tae dae.”
“Iain is dead?” Lape sighed with sorrow. “He was always such a kind boy.”
“Aye, and he was a kind man.”
“How did he die?”
Isla turned away, shifting uneasily with tension. “Gavin… Gavin might have killed him.”
“Might have? What did Gavin say?”
“Naething.”
“Dae ye believe he could have done it?”
“I… I dinnae ken. All I ken is that Iain is dead and there’s nae bringing him back. Why is it that good people die, Ma? He should never hae suffered like that. I’ve lost myself, Ma.” She sobbed.
Lape kissed her forehead. “Then find yerself again, Isla, just like ye found me. Ye hae been through sae much, but now ye must take the time tae heal. But ken this. We are far beyond yer Father’s reach. He cannae hurt us here. We are safe.”
She breathed these last words. If anyone else had said this to Isla she wouldn’t have believed them, but after all her mother had suffered, Isla knew that she would not be cavalier about making a statement such as this.
Isla felt a heavy weight in her heart as she allowed her mother to rest. Kai waited for her outside. He was speaking to two other people.
“Dae ye believe me now?” Kai asked.
“I shall wait and see. Vigilance dinnae hurt,” Isla said, then looked curiously towards the other two people.
“This is Coll and Rowena, they are as good as kin tae me,” Kai said.
“And ye are every bit as Kai described. I hae heard plenty of stories about ye over the years. It’s an honor tae meet ye, Isla,” Coll said, inclining his head. “I hope ye ken that Stormhaven is open tae ye. I’m sorry about what happened at Inverdane Hall,” he said gravely, trailing away.
“I cannae believe anyone would order such a thing. Caerloch Glen will never be the same. First an assassin, now this,” Rowena muttered, shaking her head.
“Aye, perhaps it is nae a bad idea tae remind everyone tae keep watch for anything suspicious. We cannae allow ourselves tae relax,” Coll said.
Isla felt reassured that someone was agreeing with her.
“Isla, it hae been a long journey and ye should rest. There are fresh clothes laid out for ye. Come, I will show ye tae yer chamber,” he said.
They walked through Stormhaven. The air was cold, and noises had a way of echoing around the keep at a louder volume than she was used to.
“Ma told me that Gavin reminded ye tae look after her.”
Kai grinned. “Aye, as if a man should need reminding tae take care of his own mother. I suppose I hae been away from Inverdane Hall for a long time…” he said. “He was adamant about bringing her home. We could nae stop him from leaving. I suppose that is the way of lions, though.”
“Being foolhardy?”
Kai chuckled.
“I’ll give him this, though, he’s a man of his word. He did as he said, even if he wasn’t entirely successful.”
They reached a chamber. There was a wide window running along the far wall.
Isla was drawn to it. The view was of the edge of the mountain trailing down towards the sea.
The sea crashed against the lower part of the mountain, and the crest of the wave was flecked with white.
The sky was bleak and roiling, but it looked beautiful to her.
“I always wanted tae gaze at a view like this,” she said quietly. “All of the stories… how did ye ken that I would love this chamber?”
Kai smirked. “Unfortunately, I cannae take the credit for it. It was Gavin who suggested it.”
At the mention of this, a cloud came over Isla’s face. Suddenly, the view did not seem as beautiful as it first had.
She said that she needed to rest, so Kai backed out of the room. Isla was alone, listening to the waves crashing against the shore and the gulls crying as they swooped over the beach, cliffs, and mountains. It seemed so peaceful, and she only wished that her heart could know such peace.
Not too long after, there was a knock at the door. Isla was on the bed with her arms clasped across her chest, staring at the ceiling and trying to make sense of all that had happened.
She pushed herself to a sitting position and welcomed her visitor. The knock was not strong enough to be Gavin’s, so she didn’t feel the need to hide herself away. It was, in fact, his sister, Kirsty.
“I brought ye some food. Thought ye might be hungry. I was nae sure what tae get ye and some people are nae fond of fish, but Gavin said ye would like?—”
Again Gavin’s name was mentioned, and it was as though her anger were an arrow and his name forced her to lose it from her bow. She threw her legs over the side of the bed and scowled.
“If he chose it for me, then I dinnae want it,” she spat.
Kirsty set the plate down and leveled her gaze at Isla.
“Isla, ye hae changed in such a short space of time. At the Keep, ye were keen tae help Gavin. I thought that there was something between ye.”
“Ye thought wrong. Ye must hae been clouded by yer own feelings.”
“There’s nae need tae be sae angry.”
Isla glared at her. “Iain was murdered. His blood was on Gavin’s hands, on his clothes…
and ye are telling me I should nae be angry?
I was married. My husband is dead sae how can I be calm?
Ye ask the impossible, Kirsty, and the fact that nae questions hae been asked is wrong.
Someone needs tae be punished for Iain’s death. ”