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“That’s all right, dear,” the woman consoled. “You will be soon enough.”
Tara turned pleading eyes on Reeve.
“Tara, meet my mother, Mara. Mum, meetmy friendTara.”
Mara patted Tara’s arm. “It’s good to be friends first. My husband Carmag and me were friends first and we’re remained best friends ever since, though he does try my patience at times.” She looked to her son. “Why are you carrying her?”
“She’s hurt her ankle.”
“Why didn’t you say so?” Mara scolded, and gave his arm a playful slap. “Come set her down and let me have a look.”
Tara almost feared letting go of Reeve once at the table. The men were a large lot, each one of them seeming bigger than the next, though none as tall as Reeve, but certainly wide. How the small petite woman tucked between two of them managed not to get squashed amazed Tara.
The diminutive woman with hair as black as Tara’s and eyes as blue as shimmering sapphires moved to stand, and the man to her right instantly stood and, with a gentle grab of her waist, had her up and over the bench in a second.
Seeing her rounded stomach, Tara assumed that she had to be Mercy, Duncan’s wife, and the man who had lovingly lifted her had to be Duncan. He was wide and thick with muscle and had fine features despite the slight crook of his nose and a scar at the right corner of his mouth. And that he loved his petite wife was obvious by his loving touch, tender smile, and reluctance to let her go. The woman eased his hands away and walked around the table to join Mara.
Reeve confirmed it when he made fast introductions of everyone from Bryce, to Duncan and Mercy, and finally his father, Carmag. Trey wasn’t present, and when Reeve asked after him, he was informed that he wouldn’t be home for about a week.
Tara felt awful that Mara chased her husband off the end of the bench so that she could rest Tara’s leg up on it. And she gave a shout for Reeve to take Tara’s cloak.
“I hope you didn’t let her walk on this,” Mara said, glaring at her son.
“I got her a horse.”
Mara beamed. “That’s my son, doing the right thing.”
That started a rash of ribbing among the brothers, and Tara enjoyed listening to the good-natured exchange.
After Mara and Mercy examined her ankle, Mara announced, “Not much you can do but stay off it.”
“That’s what Willow recommended,” Tara said.
“You saw Willow and Old Jacob?” Mara asked of Reeve. Before he could answer, she asked, “How are they doing?”
“They could use some help. The king’s men were tormenting him when I arrived, and he had hid Willow in the root cellar.”
“The king has stepped up his activities in his pursuit to prevent the true king from claiming the throne,” Carmag said.
“But the people continue to rally,” Duncan advised.
“Tara being one of them,” Reeve said, sending her a nod. “She has offered to give the MacAlpin clan her fortune in return for her making this her home. She only asks for a cottage where she may live peaceably and safely.”
Everyone raved about her generosity though truly it was her father’s generosity. But she intended to make no mention of it, just as Reeve hadn’t mentioned the true reason she was there.
Tara lifted the end of her red velvet dress and tore at the hem. One by one, she withdrew purses heavy with coins and some with gems and placed them on the table, until finally there were no more, at least no more that they could see. She wasn’t foolish. If something should go wrong here, she would need money to go elsewhere, and so she kept two purses for herself.
They all sat staring at the substantial amount, except Mara, who said, “Now that looks like a goodbride priceto me.”
Chapter 9
Tara’s eyes never failed to captivate him. At the moment, however, they were filled with utter fear, and he knew that she worried about his family discovering the truth. This was her chance to start anew, and he wanted to make certain she got the opportunity. He wanted that dumb curse dispelled once and for all.
However, he could not lie to his family, and so he said, “Tara is a widow.”
“Oh you poor thing,” Mara said, patting Tara’s arm.
“She would like to start fresh.” Reeve went with the truth while omitting other facts.
