Page 25 of His Forgotten Highland Bride

“That would be appreciated. Bring them to the kitchens to be added to tonight’s meal.”

As Malcolm left to take care of the rabbits, Brenna continued to the kitchens. She wanted to ask the women how she should handle her returned husband. Sleeping next to him had muddled her thoughts. She’d been angry at him for so long. It was an easy thing to hold onto because the pain was so intense. But seeing him deal with his pain had undermined her plans to keep him at a distance.

And having him in bed next to her had also caused her to remember the night she’d thought she’d long barred from her memories—their wedding night when the man who’d not wanted to marry her had been sweet and kind.

He’d made her feel things she’d never thought to feel, and then he’d held her afterward. She recalled the swiftness of his heartbeat and the way he trailed his fingertips over her heated skin until she’d been lulled to sleep. And then, when she slumbered into the deep sleep of the sated, he’d left her.

She was finding it difficult to hold on to the anger that had filled her heart since that morning.

She hadn’t been paying attention as she walked past the stables and was completely surprised when someone yanked her behind the building. She pulled in a breath to scream, but a dirty hand had clasped tight over her mouth.

“If you scream, I’ll slice your throat,” Ewan said. “I want to talk, nothing more.”

Brenna didn’t think he would kill her any more than she would have killed him. And for the same reason. How would either of them explain their actions to Ronan? But she didn’t trust Ewan. She would scream as soon as he gave her the chance. He must have known as much, for he didn’t release her.

“Listen.” He gave her a harsh shake. “I wish to call a truce. Ronan has returned to run the clan, which is his place. I want to put everything that happened behind us and move forward as family.”

Was the man still in his cups, or had he finally gone completely mad? He’d never treated her as family, even though the laird had. Ewan had refused to accept the laird’s rule for her to run the clan until Ronan returned. And she knew he wanted to be laird himself. She didn’t trust him any more than she could tolerate his stench.

“Who do you think Ronan will believe if you tell him tales? He and I are blood, and you are an obligation he was forced into. He hates you and wishes you’d died while he was away. He told me as much, and I was ashamed I hadn’t managed to do the deed and rid him of you. I’ll never forgive myself for what he sacrificed for me by taking on the likes of you.”

Ewan rarely spoke a true word, but she wondered if Ronan had wished she’d died so he could come home and marry whomever he chose. Did he realize how close she’d come after he’d left?

Her eyes watered as much from the pain of that memory as from the foul odor of the man’s breath.

“Just keep your fool mouth shut, and things will be fine for all of us.” He pushed her clear of him. When she turned, he was already gone. She wiped at her face, wanting to rid her skin of his touch.

No. She didn’t believe he wanted her to be part of the family, but he had given something away. He was worried Ronan might not believe him and he’d lose his footing as Ronan’s right hand. She needed to be patient and wait for Ronan to see his kin for what he truly was. Perhaps there was hope after all.

She hurried to the kitchens and breathed a sigh of relief when she was safe inside the warm room filled with the smells of roasted meat and simmering vegetables. This was one of her favorite places in the keep. The women had all treated her as a friend, and if Ewan dared show his face there, the room had plenty of knives and hot pokers available.

“You look like the devil himself was chasing ye,” Jane said, causing the other women to look her way.

“You are not far off,” Brenna responded, brushing a loose curl away from her eyes.

“Ewan? Doesn’t he grow weary of pestering you day after day? Where is your guard?”

“I asked Malcolm to clean up some rabbits I took this morning. I was only walking to the kitchen. It is ridiculous that I cannot go anywhere without Ewan lurking about.”

“You should have hung him when you had the chance,” Corinne said as if they hung people every day at Strathspey, which was far from the truth. It was a rare necessity.

“You are not the first person to point that out, and I regret I didn’t see it done more and more each hour. But it’s too late now, and Ronan seems to believe Ewan’s lies. He doesn’t know me well enough to decide if I am to be trusted, so it makes sense that he listened to Ewan over me, even if his uncle is an unholy fiend.”

All the women crossed themselves at those words. It didn’t hurt to be careful.

“Ronan is a wise lad. He’ll see the truth soon enough,” Ada assured them.

“I believe Ewan is afraid of that as well. He told me he wanted to put everything that happened between us aside and start off as family.”

The women laughed.

“Lord, you need to warn a person so I don’t choke on my sampling,” Corinne said with her hand over her chest.

“Don’t you let your guard down for a minute. It’s sure to be a trick.”

“Aye. I wish I knew what game he was playing. I’ll be watchful,” Brenna said, hating that she always needed to watch out for danger and have guards with her everywhere she went. The horrid weasel had even found a way to ruin the small peace she’d found in the early mornings.

They went on with their work after Malcolm brought in the rabbits and left again.