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“What a fool! No man in their right mind would risk the ire of the Beast. Please Mother Abbess, I have not trained my whole life just to marry an idiot,” Yesenda pleaded.
“If my sources are correct, I dinnae think you will have to marry anyone. Beiste MacGregor is none too happy, and I believe he and his war band are heading to Glencoe as we speak.”
“Oh wonderful, so I am walking straight into a clan war thanks to bloody Ruadh!” Yesenda threw her hands up in the air and started pacing again. “Is it a sin to kill one's brother?”
“Lass! Would you sit down and stop pacing? You’re making me dizzy.”
“Sorry Mother Abbess. There is a lot to digest. I dinnae understand how you can think this helps the Order.”
“The last missive Brother Mateo sent was fromOnich.”
“Onich? That is close to Henderson Keep.”
“Aye, now do you ken why tis best you go.”
“Oh… I see. But what of this blasted wedding? If I have to do all the betrothal things, how can I continue searching?”
“Have you learned nothing under my care?” The abbess raised her eyebrow and said, “Have I ever let you down?”
Yesenda cracked the first smile she had since she heard the dreadful news. The abbess was shrewd and meticulous in her planning. Finally, Yesenda relaxed. “No, you have never let me down, Mother Abbess.”
“I have kenned you since you were a bairn. We have had many adventures together, so I ken you will escape the marriage. Trust me. All you need to do is smile prettily and pretend. Can you manage that?”
Yesenda sighed and said, “I suppose so.”
“Good, because as much as it pains me to see you go, it is time for Miriam Ferguson to die and for Yesenda MacDonald to reclaim her rightful place in the world.
***
Henderson Keep - Two Weeks Later
Yesenda sat in the Great Hall, having been formally welcomed by Laird Henderson and his family. The journey from the abbey to Henderson Keep went without incident, although her conversation with Ruadh was stilted. It had been fifteen years since she had seen her older brother and the playful young boy she remembered as a child had grown into a serious, contemplative man. He reminded her of her late father. Ruadh had a muscular physique and a commanding presence. He was the epitome of a leader. This was apparent, as every word he commanded was followed without question. She wondered about the weight of responsibilities thrust upon him at such an early age.
A part of her resentment faded as she tried to imagine being in his shoes. Ruadh would not have known how to handle a little sister. He had a clan to lead. It took the sting out of her feelings of abandonment. What she did not appreciate was how Ruadh treated her as if she was a fragile flower. He assumed she had been gently reared and could not ride a horse and he kept her protected within a circle of riders, which was stifling.
When their contingent arrived at Henderson Keep, it was with a lot of ceremony. Now she sat at the main table on the dais in the Great Hall.
Yesenda remained calm and continued to smile sweetly at all and sundry. She had to admit Bram Henderson had grown into a fine dashing braw highlander. He was a very handsome man with a commanding presence. But there was no spark between them. In fact, it was highly noticeable that Bram kept glaring at the beautiful young woman at the end of the table who was ignoring him in return. She sat beside one of her guardsmen. A man named Lachlan.
Yesenda sipped her drink to stifle her chuckle. It was just as the abbess said, Bram Henderson was besotted with his captive Sorcha MacGregor and from the chatter of servants the two were not behaving as a captor and captive should.
Yesenda decided she would do her part to move things along.
Yesenda asked, “Laird Henderson, what are you going to do about Sorcha? Surely you must release her to her family. I feel quite sorry for the lass.”
Bram seemed stunned by her frank question. “That is between me and her brother.”
“I doubt he will be very understanding. You have all but ruined the woman in the eyes of the church.”
Bram flinched and frowned. “What do you mean?”
Yesenda casually sipped her wine and said, “Well, miss MacGregor has been here several weeks and when a woman is captured by a rival clan, it is common knowledge she may not return a maiden.”
“Yesenda, dinnae speak of such things,” Ruadh said with a warning tone.
“Oh, did I speak out of turn?” She feigned innocence.
“Tis all right. You were raised at the abbey and dinnae ken the way of things. Some matters are not openly discussed,” Bram said.
