He didn’t know what existed between himself and the MacFinnan spellweaver, but he knew that whatever it was, he couldn’t allow it to grow. Better that she found out about his possible marriage now, before either of them could get in too deeply.
Out at sea, clouds were gathering along the horizon, dark and threatening. Dark clouds for his dark mood. He snorted under his breath and shook his head. Wasn’t that the story of his life?
Beside him, Elise took a deep breath and then swiveled to face him. “Right,” she said, squaring her shoulders and lifting her chin. “If I’m going to stand any chance of helping you against these attacks, I think it’s high time you tell meexactlywhat’s been going on.”
There was a determined expression on her smooth features, but two spots of color shone on her cheeks and the set of her jaw was a little too tight. He longed to reach out and smooth away that tension, to run the tips of his fingers along her jawline and feel her silky hair against his skin.
He sighed. “All right. It all started about a year ago.”
*
Elise listened asJamie began to outline the problems facing Islay. Pirate attacks at sea. Blockades of their shipping lanes. Disruption to trade and the bringing in of supplies.
Her stomach sank as she listened. This wasfarbeyond her skills.
She’d been excited when she first arrived here, hungry for a new adventure. But that excitement had quickly evaporated. The locals were frightened of her. She didn’t know how to stop these pirates.
And Jamie was getting married.
Could things be any worse?
Finally, Jamie finished his tale. He fell silent, and for a long time neither of them spoke. Elise tried to digest all he’d told her. She felt adrift and useless. Was this how Jenna and Rose had felt when they’d first been recruited by Lir? Had they felt as far out of their depths as Elise did right now? Probably not.Her elder sister and niece were both far more accomplished with their powers than she was. No doubt they’d both understood the problem immediately and known what to do about it.
“Are ye all right, lass?” Jamie asked softly.
All right?she wanted to say.Am I all right? Of course I’m not! I’m hundreds of years away from home and I’ve no idea what I’m doing! And you…you belong to someone else. No, of course I’m not all right.
She tapped the side of her temple and forced a smile. “Just thinking it through. It’s a lot to take in.” She chewed her lip. “I think,” she said slowly, “you might have been sent the wrong MacFinnan spellweaver. You need Rose or Jenna. Or possibly both. Can you send word to Barra and Skye and get them over here? They’ll know what to do.”
Jamie said nothing. His clear green eyes fixed on her. “Iftheywere the ones we needed, do ye not think Lir would have brought them?”
Elise frowned. Perhaps. But even goddesses could make mistakes.
Jamie continued. “And contacting yer sister and niece would be dangerous even if I wanted to. Ships moving between the isles have also been targets of the pirates. Should yer sister and niece make the attempt to come here, I fear they would become targets themselves. Whoever is behind this seems determined to keep Islay cut off.”
Elise closed her eyes. Well, that was the end ofthatplan. There was no way she was going to put Rose and Jenna in danger just because she felt out of her depth. No, Jamie was right.Shewas the one Lir had brought here.Shewas the one needed for this job. She only wished she had the first clue where to start.
Jamie cleared his throat and then spoke haltingly. “Listen. I willnae hold ye to any bargain ye made with the goddess,regardless of what she sent ye here to do. These attacks…they have been beyond any of us.”
The words were obviously meant to be comforting, but they had the opposite effect. Elise turned to glare at him. The attacks were too much for any of them, were they? Meaning quite clearly that Jamie thought that they were also too much forher. That famous MacFinnan stubbornness welled up. Who did he think he was? How dare he suggest she wasn’t up to this? All right,shesuspected she wasn’t up to this, but that didn’t mean she was going to put up with such sentiments from anyone else!
She scowled at him. “I’ll need as much information as you can give me on where these attacks are happening. A list of dates and times, if you have them. Inventories of what was stolen. Details of significant events that coincided with any of the attacks. Even the smallest detail might prove important.”
Jamie blinked. “Why? What do ye hope to discover? I dinna see how any of that would help.”
Elise pressed her lips into a tight, flat line. “Do I tell you how to go about being a laird? No, I don’t. So please don’t try to tell me how to go about being a MacFinnan spellweaver. Can you get me that information or not?”
She was winging it. In all honesty, she had no idea what she was even looking for. But she had to start somewhere. Perhaps she’d find something hidden in that information that would give her a clue.
Jamie held up his hands. “My apologies, lass. Aye, I can get ye that information. Or Phillip can, anyway. Ask him. He’ll give ye whatever ye need.”
Elise nodded tightly. “All right. I will.”
Jamie studied her for a moment, his eyes locked on hers. She felt a flush go down her neck. Damn him. Did hehaveto look at her like that? She cleared her throat and stood abruptly, brushing imaginary dust from the skirt of her dress. “Right.Well. I’d better get to it. MacFinnan spellweaving waits for no woman.”
Jamie rose as well. “Whatever ye need, it is yers,” he said softly. “All ye need do is ask.”
Really?she thought.Even if what I need is a certain laird?
