Rhys admired his wife’s intelligence and love for her family. She made it clear that her sisters were not to visit until she sent word and she did that not to obey his command, but to protect her family. She no doubt feared they could possibly be attacked as she had been on her journey here.
“I am sure they will be pleased to hear that,” Ewan said, the news seeming to please him as well.
“Please sit and tell me how my father is faring and how my sister Emma is feeling.” Heather summoned Nessa with a wave and instructed that more food and drink be brought. “And how is Patience.”
That brought a laugh from Ewan. “She prepares to rescue you if necessary.”
Heather smiled. “She would do that, but then I would do the same for her. Please make itclear that I am not in need of rescuing and that I am quite safe with my husband.”
“That will be a message I will gladly deliver,” Ewan said.
Conversation flowed as easily and steadily as the wine and after Heather learned what she wished about her family, she stood. “I will leave you gentlemen now so that you may discuss the matters of men. I am also pleased that my husband will be able to deliver an important message for my family to you in person instead of sending a messenger. Do take care, and I am sure we will see each other again soon.”
“They say Emma is the most intelligent of the three Macinnes sisters, but I believe it is Heather,” Ewan said as he watched her leave the room.
“Is that because you are just realizing she got more information out of you than you intended to share?” Rhys said a smile stirring, though it did not reach his lips.
“And that she made certain I know that she was well aware of this important news.” Ewan turned to his nephew. “Does this mean you trust her enough to tell her who attacked your troop on the way here?”
“You received my message.”
“I did and I did not share it with anyone as you ordered. Did you tell her?”
Rhys shook his head. “There is enough for her to think on. I will not burden her further.”
“Heather is a strong woman and would not shy away from burdens.”
“You are right about that, but I am her husband now and will carry the burdens,” Rhys said.
“I doubt she will let you carry them alone, no matter what you command.”
“Enough about my wife, did you know that Rab and McDolan are not far from the Macinnes keep?”
Ewan shook his head. “I did not. Macinnes will not be happy with this news, and I do not see Patience agreeing to surrender Saundra to her husband. I myself would not want to. Rab means to see her dead.”
“So, I learned. I think little matters to McDolan and McLaud except their unquenchable hunger for power. Greer will not tolerate that his brother’s marriage to Patience and mine to Heather align Hunter more closely with the Dark Dragon than with Greer himself. And no doubt Hew McDolan will be disappointed as well, for Greer and his plans would be for naught.”
“That could prove dangerous, for I do not see either man accepting defeat easily. Greer planned the immediate demise of Hunter after he wed Patience and he intended to blame it on the Clan Macinnes. When that did not work, his wife’s dead body was found on Macinnes land. And no doubt he intends to ask me, the Dark Dragon’s uncle, for your help in his revenge on the Macinnesfor supposedly killing his wife. When he learns that that is no longer possible, I do not know what he will do, but he will do something.”
“I hope he does. It will give me a good reason to take his life and be done with him.”
CHAPTER 10
Heather decided to see if she could find Belle. She had been born here and yet she was wed to one of the ghost warriors. When and how that came about Heather was curious to find out. She also wondered if Belle knew of the whereabouts of the older clan members that had mysteriously disappeared.
She found Belle in her garden, pulling weeds and stopped her from getting to her feet. “No, please stay as you are, I do not wish to disturb you. I know how weeds thrive after a rainstorm, sprouting up everywhere.”
Belle sat back on her legs, smiling. “You are much like your mum from what my mum told me about Lady Enis. My mum felt like she lost a friend when your mum passed. I wish my mum was still around so you could talk with her. She has passed three years now.”
“I am sorry to hear that.”
“My mum told me just before she died that she had been lucky. She had a good husband, a good daughter, a good clan, and a good life. She had no complaints even when there were times she could have complained, she never did. I still miss her.”
“I miss never having known my mum,” Heather said and not wanting to linger in talk that only brought heartache, she asked one of thequestions that had her curious. “Many changes have taken place here and there are many new faces. Where have the elders of the Clan McComb gone?”
“I imagine most have died, for there were few that I knew when I returned here. My da saw how the clan was declining many years ago and wisely moved us away. I met Henry when he passed through our village.” She laughed. “He kept returning after that and we were wed. Unfortunately, I must be like my mum, struggling to conceive a child, though I hold out hope that I may still have one as my mum had me when she was older.”
“A babe comes in its own good time,” Heather encouraged.
