Chapter 21 #2
“Robina is cruel,” Sloane acknowledged as she joined her friend on the bed. “But I am still the Laird’s wife even if he wants to pretend otherwise. It wouldna be smart to kill me and I think that if yer mother is one thing, she is smart.”
“Ye doona even seem worried.”
Sloane shrugged. “Father Shaw was there. Maybe he upset the wrong person. He pretty much upset everyone.”
“Aye, but we put up with him because we doona want our souls roasting in damnation for all eternity.” Isla shook her head. “They were aiming for ye and ye know it.”
Instead of agreeing, Sloane just picked up the ribbon that Isla had laid out on the bed. “I think I have one that color,” Isla said quietly. “I’ll be happy to give it to ye.”
“Nay. ’Tis just a ribbon. I’ll get another. Ye can keep yers, but thank ye.”
“Lachlan will find out who tried to hurt ye. He will keep ye safe.”
Sloane didn’t have the heart to tell her that Lachlan no doubt thought things would be easier if she were dead.
“I wanted to try and make things right. I thought if I worked hard, I could earn back what I had with him. ’Tis unlikely to happen if I am locked away in this room and I willna earn anything back if I doona face the consequences of my actions. ”
The door opened and Sloane looked up expecting to see Lachlan walking through. Instead, it was Freya.
Immediately, Sloane stood. “Freya, what are ye—”
“I just heard,” Freya interrupted as she rushed to her side and grabbed her arm. “Are ye all right? This is all my fault. Ye would never have been out in the fields unprotected if it were not for me.”
Stunned, Sloane stared at her. Her friend was pale and shaking and there were tears in her eyes.
“Freya, this isna yer fault. None of it. I walk alone in the fields all the time,” she whispered as she squeezed her hands.
“What is happening between Lachlan and I isna yer fault. I kept things from him. Things that got ye hurt. I deserve this.”
“Yer father deserves this and more,” Freya growled. “But ye doona. I will speak to him.”
“No.” Sloane shook her head violently. “Please, doona. He loves ye. He will do anything that ye ask. I need to earn my place here. Father placed me here to hurt ye and Gair. If I am to be Lachlan’s wife, in truth, I ought to deserve it.”
“Ye love him,” Freya realized.
“Aye. With all my heart.”
“That’s wonderful, Sloane,” Isla gushed. “Ye should tell him.”
“He doesna believe anything that I say nor should he,” she muttered as she turned away.
With a sigh, Freya sank on the bed with them. “The most important thing right now is to find out if someone is trying to kill ye.”
Sloane looked at her. “They could be trying to kill Father Shaw.”
Isla groaned even as Freya laughed. “Hardly. They’d be too scared to try.”
“All right. Well, most of this clan dislikes me. The Brisbane clan likely hates me. All the Fentons certainly hate me.” Now that she said it out loud, it was utterly depressing.
“Gair doesna blame ye. He blames yer father and no one aside from Gair in the Brisbane clan knows what happened to me. Gair has been so understanding. Quinn was the one who noticed that I was falling for Gair. He knew how terrified I was and he promised me that he would be with me. Then he wasn’t and I was alone with all my fears. ”
“Lachlan…”
“Lachlan had a clan to take care of. He didna have time for his little sister and a crush,” Freya said softly.
“Besides, Gair was in the middle of a feud. He didna have time for me, so I didna think anything would happen.” She twisted her fingers.
“Now, he and I are to be married at the end of the week.”
Gasping, Sloane jumped up and down. “A week? Freya, that is wonderful! Is that wonderful?”
Bashfully, Freya blushed. “Aye. I wanted to wait until the end of my mourning period, but he is afraid that Errol will try something again. He wants me by his side so he can protect me.”
“He loves ye,” Isla said matter-of-factly.
“Aye, ye said that as well,” Freya admitted. “Gair is scouring his lands for the guard who attacked me, but he has already told Lachlan his intentions and plans to return in a couple of days. Makes me a little dizzy thinking about it.”
“We must prepare!” Sloane said quickly. She needed to stay busy, and helping Freya with her wedding would do just that.
“Ye need a dress and we need flowers and yer oathing stone. Will the ceremony be here? We must speak with Father Shaw and make sure that he doesna try anything unpleasant. And vows! ’Tis verra important that ye know yer vows ahead of time.
And there is the ceremony, but I suppose ye should plan that.
” Lachlan had already made it clear that she was not to act as the mistress of the keep.
Freya chuckled. “Aye. My mother is already helping me plan, but I would love ye two and Elspeth to help me. Perhaps we can get together tomorrow?”
Sloane swallowed hard. “I doona know if yer mother…”
“Sloane, ye willna have to worry about my parents or my brother. I will set the record straight and my brother will beg for yer forgiveness.”
“No, I told ye. I need to earn my way back into Lachlan’s good graces. Promise me, Freya. Please. ’Tis important to me.”
Freya nodded. “Aye. I promise.”
There was a rapid knock on the door and it opened before Sloane could say anything. Lachlan stepped in and Sloane immediately stood. “Freya was here to check on Isla,” she said immediately. “She isna here to speak to me.”
“That isna true,” Freya scowled. “Ye are my friend, Sloane, and my brother isna going to exile ye for speaking to me. Are ye?” she demanded.
Lachlan’s face was unreadable as he stared at her. “Isla, I have spoken to yer mother. She has been exiled for her plot against Kenzy.”
“Exiled?” Isla repeated in a low voice. “So ye didna…”
Her voice warbled and Sloane placed a hand on the other woman’s knee and squeezed. Lachlan shook his head. “I didna, but if she returns, it will be to a death sentence.”
“Thank ye,” Isla said finally.
He nodded curtly. “Freya, Isla, if ye will please leave me with my wife.”
They walked out quietly but not without stopping behind Lachlan’s back and giving Sloane smiles which strengthened her. Alone with her husband, she dipped her head. “I am sorry for the trouble that I have caused ye.”
“Someone tried to kill ye, Sloane,” he said harshly. “We believe ’tis someone from the Fenton clan.”
A chill swept over her. So, her father wanted her dead. After everything that happened, it shouldn’t have surprised her, but it still cut deeply.
“I see,” she said stoically. “I thank ye for looking into it. If ye think that yer people are in danger then I will leave immediately.”
She moved to the door and he grabbed her arm. Confused, she looked up at him. Still, his face was blank. “Father Shaw almost died all because he happened to be standing near me.”
Still, he didn’t let her go. “Lachlan, what do ye want from me?”
“I want ye to stay here. For now. Ye are not to leave the keep without an escort and no one is to escort ye without my permission.” He looked around the chambers. “And ye will move back into the chambers next to mine. I doona have the manpower to post a guard in this wing.”
“All right,” she said finally. “I’ll go now.”
She’d brought nothing with her. Glancing back at the bed, she looked at the ribbon. Turning, she left it behind.