Page 61 of His Forgotten Highland Bride

She allowed him to lead her to the table and help her settle in her chair. Instead of entertainment, Ronan explained they’d be hearing complaints from a few clansmen and making rulings. This was common, and she’d spent many evenings after the late meal next to Geordie, as he did the same.

“Will you stay in case I need your assistance?” Ronan asked, and it warmed her heart that he valued her opinion.

The first person to come forward was Samuel Grant with his daughter Isabelle, who was clearly with child despite her young age of ten and six. Brenna whispered their names to him as everyone quieted down.

“What challenge do ye present to me, Samuel?”

“My laird, I’ve come to see if you can make my daughter tell me who has defiled her so they can be made to care for her and the child. I haven’t the room nor the coin to take on another mouth, and no one will want to marry the girl now.” He gestured toward his daughter, who wiped at the tears on her cheeks but kept her gaze on the floor.

“Did someone force themselves upon ye, lass? I’ll not hold with such things in my clan.”

“Nay, my laird.” She shook her head as her bottom lip trembled.

Ronan turned toward Brenna with a distraught look.

“I’d rather not drag something so personal out of her in front of everyone in the hall. Would you take her aside and look into the situation so I can better know what to do?”

“Aye.” She placed her hand lightly on his hand before standing. “Isabelle, might you come with me?”

“I’ll have the name,” Samuel bellowed, and Ronan raised a hand.

“I’ll see that there is some resolution. Let us be patient for a moment longer.”

Brenna pulled her aside and whispered to the girl.

“You’re sure no one has forced you? We would see you protected if that were the case.”

Isabelle’s face crumbled as she shook her head again.

“Nay. It wasn’t like that. I was willing. I thought…”

“What did ye think?”

“I thought he loved me. He said he did, but then…after…he didn’t want anything to do with me. I feel like such a fool to have believed him. It was a mistake to believe him, but it would be an even bigger mistake to name him and have my father force him into marriage. I don’t wish to spend another moment with him.”

She lifted her chin and shook her head with determination and heartbreak in her eyes.

“Very well,” Brenna said, hugging the girl before returning to explain to Ronan. She noticed Gabe and Malcolm talking in their usual whisper, which was louder than they realized, but she ignored them to relay the situation to her husband.

Ronan frowned. “The man should not be left without any responsibility for what he did.”

“And Isabelle should not be punished further for believing the man’s lies. To spend the rest of her life resented by such a man.”

The brothers were still bickering, and Ronan looked past her to scowl at them.

“Do you think one of them is the father?”

“Nay. I can’t think of two more responsible men.”

Ronan nodded his agreement and turned back to the seething father.

Brenna didn’t know what he might have said next since Gabe stepped out and spoke loud enough for all to hear.

“I’ll marry the lass.”

Ronan twitched his finger to bring Gabe closer. “Are ye responsible for this?” Ronan pointed to where Isabelle was standing with wide eyes.

“Nay. But I may have heard something of it when I was in the tavern, and there’s no way she can marry the man. Even if he weren’t on the run for attempting to poison ye, he wouldn’t be fit, if you take my meaning.”