Fated Hearts 02 - Highland Echoes (15 page)

He kissed her again and she nearly lost her resolve. She wanted nothing more than to be his forever. Had she actually asked God to keep love away? When the kiss ended, she was left with a burning need but it was a temptation she could not give in to. “I should go.”

On Sunday, the day after the feast of Saint John the Baptist, during the midday meal, the messenger finally arrived from the Sinclairs. Eanraig frowned as he read the message he brought.

“Do they not wish to come?” Rodina asked.

“Nay, they’ll come. But Laird Sinclair says clan business will keep them from traveling immediately. They will arrive in about three weeks.”

“Well that’s not so long. There is a lot to do to prepare for guests anyway.”

Eanraig lowered his voice. “Aye, but Bram is spending increasingly more time with Innes’ granddaughter.”

“Ye’ve never been concerned by yer sons’ dalliances before?”

“Because that’s all they were. A bit of fun. If she were just warming his bed I wouldn’t worry, but I fear this is different. He continually seeks her out. Ye notice he’s not at the table? Do ye know where he is?”

“Nay, but—”

“He’s on the headlands with her and the wee lass. This is the third Sunday in a row he’s done that.”

“Well, if they are out in the open and chaperoned by a bairn, what could happen?”

“I’ve already told ye, if she is willing I don’t care if he’s tupping her. But being seen to
court
her is entirely different. People will begin to speculate about where his affections lie. Then they will begin to talk about it and that talk might reach Sinclair ears, ruining any chances we have of a betrothal.”

“I know ye’ve been hoping for this alliance with Sinclair, but can’t ye achieve that some other way? Could ye let this affection Bram feels run its course? Perhaps if we ignore it, he will lose interest.”

“And what if he doesn’t? What if he wants to marry her?”

“Would that be so bad if it made him happy? I know it isn’t the usual way of things but she seems like a good lass.”

“She is a good lass, any parent would be proud of her, but that doesn’t matter. Even if she were the finest lass in the Highlands, it doesn’t change the fact she is a fisherman’s daughter. This alliance is important and there is no better way to achieve it.”

“Why is it important? Until a few weeks ago Bram was betrothed to Fiona MacNicol. The Sinclairs weren’t important then.”

“But they were. Rodina, sometimes ye seek an alliance because the clan would be a powerful friend, like MacLeod and Ross. Other times ye make an alliance because the clan would make a dangerous enemy. MacNicol and Sinclair fall into this category. Now that Alex has taken over from Bhaltair, the MacNicols may pose less of a threat but since that alliance fell through it is vital to form a bond with Sinclair.”

“Is there another way?”

“Nay, he has two sons and only one unmarried daughter. A few years ago, before the old Laird died, I tried to get him to let his youngest grandson train here but he had other plans. For the good of the clan Bram has to marry Annice Sinclair.”

“I suppose ye’re right. I just hate to see him get his heart broken.”

“I do too. Still, maybe ye are right and he will lose interest in a few days.”

Lose interest. Even as he said the words he thought it unlikely. Still, maybe there was a way to help things along. They had accepted Grace at her word that she was a widow. Just because she proved herself to be Tristan Murray’s daughter, that didn’t mean that she was all she said she was. Perhaps she wasn’t married and the child was a bastard, or she might still be married. She could be hiding any number of sins, which if brought to light would change his son’s mind. As soon as the meal was over, Eanraig dispatched a messenger to the Isle of Lewis with orders to visit each of the three clan chiefs on the island and see what could be learned about the woman calling herself Grace Breive.

*

By the next morning, the talk Eanraig feared had already started. He began hearing rumors about how fond Bram seemed of Innes’ granddaughter. Bram apparently stopped by Innes’ cottage regularly and had been seen lingering outside like a lovesick swain hoping to catch a glimpse of his beloved. Bram had even issued an order that Grace was not to walk on the headlands without him.

Eanraig worried that he would not learn anything about Grace’s past until it was too late. He needed to take steps immediately to separate them. First, Innes’ cottage was within the outer curtain wall, making Grace far too easily accessible. This was simple enough to fix.

Second, gossip seemed to be more rampant in his clan than fleas on a beggar. A few tales told within earshot of the right people might be all that was necessary to make Bram rethink his relationship with Grace. Eanraig had a momentary twinge of guilt at the thought of this. Ruining a lass’s reputation was a bit underhanded. But he assuaged his conscience with the fact that she wasn’t a maiden, she was a widow. Eventually the rumors would blow over after Bram was securely married to Annice.

With righteous resolve, he left his solar ready to set his plans in motion. He was barely out of the great hall, when he saw Bram striding toward him. “Good morning, Father. I tried to speak with ye yesterday but ye were occupied.”

“Ye were occupied yerself yesterday, Son.”

“Ah, well, that’s what I want to talk to ye about.”

“I’m sorry, it will have to wait. I have business to attend to this morning.”

Bram followed him. “This is important.”

“Not so important that ye couldn’t meander over the headlands with Mistress Breive instead of waiting for me yesterday. Therefore, ye can wait until I am finished today.

Eanraig strode off. Bram had as much as said he wanted to discuss his relationship with Grace and Eanraig needed to put that off as long as possible.

It had been four days since Grace had agreed to marry him and Bram still hadn’t been able to get his father alone. Bram would speak with him today, or simply elope with Grace. The midday meal was drawing to a close when Bram tried yet again.

“Father, I still need to speak with ye privately.”

“I’ve been terribly busy. I really don’t have time today. It will have to wait.”

Bram’s temper was sorely tested. “This will not wait another moment. Please, can we speak in yer solar?”

His father huffed. “I suppose I can take a few moments.”

Finally
. Bram followed his father from the hall.

When they reached the solar his father glared at him. “What was it that simply could not wait another moment?”

“Da, I wish to get married.”

“And I wish for ye to get married. Problem solved.”

“Da, please. I know ye want me to marry Annice Sinclair, but I can’t.”

“Then we will find another worthy bride for ye.”

“I have already found a worthy bride. I love her with all my heart. I cannot, I will not live without her. I am begging ye to please allow this.”

His father snorted. In a mocking tone he asked, “And who is the lass for whom ye have this infatuation?”

“Yer condescension is not appreciated.”

“Fine, who is it ye love so madly ye would fail to consider the good of the clan first?”

Bram sighed. This was not going to end well. “Da, I love Grace Breive.”

“Grace? Ye can’t be serious.”

“I am serious.”

“She is nobody. The daughter of a warrior turned fisherman and coward, the granddaughter of a cook. Son, I know ye think ye love her. Ye are young, she is beautiful and readily available. She is the proverbial bird in the hand. Lad, she isn’t an acceptable bride but that doesn’t mean ye can’t enjoy her. She is a widow, keep her as a mistress for as long as ye wish, but ye can’t marry her.”

“Da, I could never marry one woman while in love with another.”

“Well aren’t ye very high-minded? Many men in our position keep mistresses they adore. I don’t care if ye fill her belly with a bastard every year until she grows too old to bear children. She does not have the skills or breeding to become the wife of a laird. Annice Sinclair does. What’s more, an alliance with the Sinclairs is vital to the clan. I’ve heard enough of this ridiculousness now. Ye will marry Annice if she agrees. If not, ye will marry some other suitable woman whose family will be an asset to this clan. Ye will produce an heir and ye will have a wife capable of taking her place beside ye in leading this clan. What ye do with Grace is not for me to judge.”

Bram’s anger and disappointment rivaled for control. He had done what he promised so he stood to leave. “I’m sorry ye consider this ridiculous. I will bid ye farewell and ask that ye give me the opportunity to say goodbye to Mother too. Grace and I will leave immediately. If Innes wishes to join us, I will allow it. I’m certain Ian will make a fine clan leader someday.”

“Bram, sit back down. This is utter nonsense. Ye are not throwing away yer birthright for a woman. If yer love for each other is so profound, she would love ye enough not to ask ye to do that. And for that matter, if ye love her too much to keep her as a mistress, ye would let her go so she might find happiness elsewhere.”

“Father, ye haven’t taken me seriously since the moment I stepped in the solar. I didn’t expect that ye would like what I had to say. I didn’t even expect ye to understand. Out of my love and respect for ye, I wanted to address this privately, hoping to avoid causing ye embarrassment. Rather than simply eloping I thought it important to try to explain it to ye. For that I expected at least a modicum of respect. However, ye have treated me with disdain, insinuating that I am no more than a green lad, smitten for the first time. Ye have offended me by suggesting that I would treat the woman I love like a whore, and ye have insulted her by assuming she would accept that. There is no reason to sit back down. There is nothing left to say.”

His father clenched his teeth. “Ye expected respect, when ye so easily set aside the needs of the clan for yer own personal desires?”

“There has been nothing easy about this and it goes way beyond desire. I am willing to sacrifice anything for the clan. Anything but the woman I love.” Bram looked down for a moment. “I see no other choice. Farewell.”

“Nay. Stop. Ye’d sacrifice anything for the good of the clan, would ye? Anything except the woman ye love?”

“Aye.”

“Would ye sacrifice one month?”

“What do ye mean?”

“Give me one month. Agree not to marry Grace for one month. Agree to at least meet Annice Sinclair and give her a chance to win yer heart. If ye will do these two things, at the end of one month if ye still wish to, ye shall marry Grace with my blessing.”

One month. Bram didn’t want to wait one day longer, much less a month. However, his father had offered him a choice. If it meant he and Grace could marry with his father’s blessing, surely they could wait one month. “Aye. Thank ye, Father. I’ll give ye a month.”

“And ye’ll keep an open mind about Annice?”

There was no sense in arguing. His father would learn soon enough that Grace held his heart and always would. “Aye, I’ll keep an open mind about Annice.”

“And ye’ll stop seeing Grace until then?”

“Nay. That wasn’t part of the bargain.”

“But, Son—”

“Nay, Da. I said I wouldn’t give up the woman I love and I won’t. Not even for a day.”

*

Bram went immediately to tell Grace. The day was gray, so Grace was likely inside. He knocked at the door and was surprised when Teasag opened it.

“Good afternoon, lass. What are ye doing here?”

“I help mind Kristen while Grace weaves, except Kristen is napping now. Grace is teaching me to weave.”

Bram glanced over Teasag’s head to where Grace sat working. She looked up and smiled. She was always beautiful, but when her face was lit with a happy smile she took his breath away.

“Good afternoon, Bram. Would ye like to come in?”

“Aye.” He nodded subtly toward Teasag. He didn’t want to discuss this in front of her.

Grace clearly took his meaning. “Teasag, I probably won’t work anymore today after Kristen wakes. Ye can go home if ye wish and I’ll see ye tomorrow.”

“All right. Can I take the loom with me to show Mama?”

“Sweetling, it is yer loom. Of course ye can take it. I’ve told ye that before.”

Teasag blushed. “I know ye said that, but…”

Grace smiled again. “There is no but. It’s yer loom.”

Teasag grinned and untied the bundle of warp threads from the table leg. “Thank ye, Grace. I’ll see ye tomorrow.”

“Aye, lass, I’ll see ye tomorrow.”

When Teasag left, Bram asked, “Was that an old loom of yers?”

“Nay, it’s a new loom of Teasag’s—I made it for her.”

“Ye made it?”

“Aye, while ye were gone. I asked her father if it was alright and Michael found the wood for me.”

“I’ll have to take a closer look at it next time. And while I didn’t come here to discuss looms and weaving, why are ye still working on that ribbon?”

“Bram, I was given a task by Lady Sutherland. I can’t just not do it. Besides, it is almost finished. A little bit more this afternoon and I will have ten ells.”

He drew closer. He had never actually looked at what she was weaving. “Grace, this is beautiful.”

She beamed. “Thank ye. I actually do love this. I have never had this much beautiful silk to work with. I’ll be able to give it to yer mother by tomorrow afternoon.”

“Well, if it is truly for my wife, she will be giving it back to ye in a month’s time.”

“What?”

“I spoke with my father this afternoon. After a rather heated discussion I told him I would do anything for the clan except give up the woman I loved.”

“And he accepted that?”

“Not completely. Since I said I would give up anything but ye, he asked me for one month and I agreed.”

“I don’t understand.”

“He asked me to wait to marry ye for one month. He wants me to meet Annice but after that, I can marry ye with his blessing.”

Grace’s brow furrowed. “I suppose that’s not unreasonable. One month.”

“Grace, please don’t worry. I love ye. Meeting Annice is simply a formality.”

She smiled. “I’m not worried. I didn’t dare hope that he would give us his blessing. This is almost too good to believe.”

“Well believe it. We will be married and living here at Castle Sutherland in a month.”