Plead Forgiveness: Betrayed Twice (Loyalty Series) (21 page)

An hour later,
Gavin and Ella stood in Keir and Eva’s solar suite while servants rushed
around, filling a large tub in the joining bathing room. Keir had insisted they
take the suite, equipped with a sitting room as well as a bedchamber, and
encouraged them to make use of the wardrobe.

The aftermath of
such a momentous reunion left Ella unusually quiet, engrossed in her own
thoughts as her husband undressed her with loving care.

Gavin understood
that such high emotion had left her drained, especially after the terrifying
night she endured. Even when he saw the multiple cuts and bruises that marred
her face and body, he spoke not a word, instead, lifted her into his arms and
lowered her into the steaming water. His eye remained full of tenderness as he
bathed her, waiting for her to break the silence.

“Please forgive
me,” she whispered, taking hold of his hand. “I planned to tell ye last eve,
but I should have done so sooner.”

With his free
hand, he cupped her cheek and said, “Aye, ye should have told me sooner, but I
understand why it was so difficult. Ye were verra young when ye lost yer
mother, as well as yer father and brothers. Baron Greystone took advantage of
yer vulnerability, and influenced ye in believing a horrific lie. Ye were
powerless for eight years, blinded by his vicious manipulation. I ken ye held
your tongue, because of the fear he instilled in ye.” The warmth of his smile
echoed in his voice when he added, “However, ‘tis my hope ye will ne’er be so
daft again, and that ye realize how important ye are to me.”

Ella broke into a
dazzling smile, and then wrapped her wet arms around his neck. “Aye, husband. I
swear to ne’er be so daft again.”

Noticing that she
had gotten him fairly wet, she asked, “Will you join me?”

Seeing the circles
under her beautiful eyes, Gavin knew she desperately needed sleep.

 “Ye are
almost too tempting for words, vixen, but I would see ye drying by the fire
afore I allow myself to bathe.”

Yet despite her
fatigued state, Ella playfully tried to look under his plaid.

“Enough, my wee
wanton,” Gavin said as he quickly moved away from her nimble fingers. He pulled
her to stand, dumped a bucket of cold water over her freshly washed hair, and
then groaned aloud.

The sight of her
beauty, delicate, and startling, seemed like some painter’s imaginary vision.
She tilted her head back allowing the water to wash away the soap from her hair
and cascade down her glorious body. Her sleek golden tresses molded to her
slender back and rounded breasts, while the icy water turned her pink nipples
hard and appetizing.

His gaze, riveted
by her body, drifted up to her face. Spiky black lashes outlined her glade
green eyes and her flawless skin appeared moist with droplets of water. When
her deliciously full, pouty lips suddenly curved into a knowing smile, all
thoughts to abstain from his wife were lost. He hastily picked her up and
carried from the bathing room to the bedchamber.

Gavin proceed to
make slow, tender love to her on the fur pelt by the fire. Together they found
the tempo that bound their bodies and hearts as one, until they shattered into
fiery sensation.

After cleansing
his wife’s body, he saw that she had succumbed to the well-deserved sleep of a
satisfied lover. He chuckled as he slipped a chemise on her limp body and
wrapped a dry plaid around her delicate frame. Before leaving her to bathe
himself, he combed out her tangled hair, spreading out the golden tresses for
the fire to dry.

He quickly bathed
and returned to the attached bedchamber, wearing a borrowed kilt from Keir.
Content to observe beauty greater than any he had ever encountered, he stared
at Ella curled by the fire. She looked so angelic, which amazed him since,
especially after witnessing her fight the Montgomery soldier who attempted to
slay Arth.  Gavin would reward the protective wolf dog for killing the man
that dared to strike his wife.

Gavin heard a
familiar scratching sound outside the chamber door. He opened it, and then
chuckled when in rushed the subject of his thoughts. Arth greeted him for a
scant moment, and then tore through the room until he found Ella sleeping on
her side. The beast quickly settled down in the crook of her knees, but only
after a thorough inspection for injuries.

As Gavin started
shutting the chamber door, Nicholas and Paen appeared, eager to see how Ella
fared. He gestured for them to enter, and then whispered, “She is sleeping.”

Both Nicholas and
Paen caught a glimpse of Ella and Arth in the adjoining bedchamber, curled
together by the stone hearth. They simultaneously grinned at the sight.
Firelight cast a golden aura over her body, but Gavin closed the solar door,
cutting the view short.

Over the next
hour, Gavin learned how Nicholas rescued Lady Eleanor and Sir James, Righ’s
return to the gates of Doran Castle, and that a large party would soon arrive
at the Mackenzie stronghold.

After his men
departed, Gavin reentered the bedchamber and saw Alex Mackenzie tucking his
daughter into the bed. Although unaware how the proud father gained access to
the room without bypassing the solar, he suspected the man used a hidden
passageway.

After Alex finished
pulling the covers over his slumbering daughter, he took a seat in the
high-back wooden armchair by the fire, and watched Arth gracefully leap onto
the bed to settle with her once more. A grin overtook his features, one that
spoke of his contentment of having his youngest child back in his life.

Gavin took a seat
in the chair opposite to him and whispered, “So old man, now that I am yer
son-by-marriage, will ye nae tell me the secrets of yer castle?”

A small chuckle
escaped the elated man before he said, “Aye, mayhap ye have earned that right.”

Alex’s gaze
returned to his daughter as his thoughts drifted to the scene succeeding the
battle. She had greeted the Mackenzies in the bailey with limitless excitement
and genuine affection, in spite of not seeing them for eight years. The
charismatic smile and effervescent spirit captivated all those around her.

During her reunion
with the Mackenzie Clan, Cormac Fraser relayed the story of how Ella and Paen
had rescued his daughter. Hearing the details of his daughter’s courage
instantly filled him with pride.

Cormac no longer
blamed Gavin for the sins of his father. He also acknowledged his lapse in
judgment by severing ties with the Mackenzies. He concluded his speech by
inviting himself to the welcome home feast. Cormac said this with a hardy
laugh, since Alex had neither asked nor spoken of a feast. Eventually, he
embraced the man, his childhood friend, and told him he was always welcome.

Interrupting
Alex’s thoughts, Gavin said, “The moment Ella arrived, that beast adopted her
as his property. When we returned from England and the rescue mission for
Gabriel, we stopped to bathe before continuing on to Doran. When I returned
from the loch, I found her in a similar state with Arth. The blackguard was
highly amused by the wolf dog’s uncommon behavior, but more so by what she
called the ferocious animal.”

“She called him
puppy,” Alex said with a grin.

“How did ye ken?”

“Because she
called my fully grown wolfhounds the same from the time she was a wee bairn
until her last day on Mackenzie soil. ‘They will always be puppies in my eyes,’
she said.” Chuckling, he explained, “Whenever I or her mother scolded her, and
the boys were nae around, she would curl up with my oversized dogs and cry in
their fur.”

“Ye let those
vicious beasts near yer wee bairn?”

“Aye, they loved
her as much as she loved them. They would sooner knawel off their own paw than
cause her harm. Protective and loving with her always, but otherwise could tear
a man apart in mere moments. She always had a special place in her heart for
all animals, and they reacted in kind. She got that from Emma.”

“Arth has
benefited greatly from this special gift. As ye ken, my clan feared him
greatly.  Yet, since Ella arrived, he has known only kindness and
affection from the Macleods. Spoiled rotten is more accurate, and mostly by my
mother.”

When Alex looked
at him in disbelief, he added, “Aye, ‘tis true. Yer daughter has affected my
clan in many ways, that being just one.”

With a chuckle,
Alex went to his daughter and kissed her brow. He then turned to Gavin and
said, “See to my angel while I welcome yer mother and sister. The women in yer
family will nae doubt be barging in here if I dinna hold them off.”

Ella woke at noon
to sunlight streaming in through the bedchamber window and a gentle hand
pushing wisps of hair from her face. She opened her eyes to the welcome sight
of her husband beside her on the bed.

“As promised, I
remained with ye, little one,” he said in a soothing voice as he leaned over
her, resting one hand behind her back.

“I’m glad yer
here.”

“While ye were
resting, yer father and brothers looked in on ye,” he said, captivated by the
Scot burr he heard in her voice. 

Unexpectedly, she
shot up in bed and said, “I forgot to tell ye, I gave Righ back his freedom so
he wouldnae be harmed.”

As he eased her
back down, he explained, “Righ found his way back to Doran Castle a few hours
ago. Apparently, he dinna want his freedom, especially since ye are hell bent
on spoiling him as well as this beast here.” He nudged Arth with his leg.

“How do ye ken
this?”

He leaned over and
tucked a loose tendril of blonde hair behind her ear. “When Bowen received word
that all was well here, he departed with haste, accompanied by my mother and
sister. They found Righ outside the gates.”

“Have they
arrived, yet?”

“Aye, and Eva is
quite eager to see ye.”

“Oh Gavin, I would
love to see her!”

“Before I send her
up, I have a missive for ye to read.”

A flicker of
apprehension coursed through Ella as she opened the parchment. Her eyes
scrolled down to the bottom, and with tears brimming her eyes, she looked up
into his smiling face and said, “Aunt Eleanor wrote this.”

“Aye. Would ye
like privacy while ye read it?”

“Nae,” she said,
then handed the parchment back to him. “Would ye read it?”

Oddly enough, her
small request touched him deeply. He smiled in appreciation then began:

My Dearest Niece,

Aye, my love, your
Uncle James and I are blessedly alive, all thanks to our savior and your
husband’s friend, Nicholas.

While en route to
the abbey, Philip ambushed us on the cliffs of spitting cave. Baron Montgomery
and his men assisted my husband’s viscous endeavor.

Highly irrational,
James tried to fight the horde of men that surrounded us. In the end, Philip
stabbed James with a dagger, and then threw him towards the edge of the cliff.
The moment I reached my brother, the overhang fell away, dropping us into the
ocean. Although the forceful tide swept us into the caves, we quickly learned
that they do not flood completely.  I bound the wound on James’s side to
stop the bleeding, but he remained unconscious throughout the night and into
the next morning. 

Our miracle
arrived that afternoon. With aide from the abbey and village, Nicholas gained
access to the caves using two boats, which he altered and strengthened to
withstand the pressure of the waves. He anchored one boat a good distance from
the cave and secured to a protruding boulder. The blacksmiths and carpenters
from the village, as well as a handful of monks, labored in the first boat
while Nicholas, in the second boat, entered the caves. Once Nicholas safely
secured James and I inside of the vessel, he tugged on a rope attached to the
stern, and then the men in the anchored boat reeled us out of the caves.  

Our gratitude is
like the ocean, vast, deep, and everlasting.

Nicholas, bless
his heart, took us to his family’s land. When James recovered adequately
enough, we travelled to Windsor Castle, residence of King Henry. Alas, the king
was gravely ill, which I discovered, was due to poison. Apparently, Baron
Montgomery coerced a royal physician to kill our monarch. When the king’s
health returned a sennight later, we apprised him of all that occurred during
his illness. We also learned the true depth to Philip’s deceit.

My guilt is immeasurable,
my darling. After my first and only attempt to get word to your father failed,
my fear outweighed all else. Had Philip punished me, I would have continued in
my efforts to communicate with your father until you were safe. It was not I,
but you, who received that brutal punishment. I would have given my life to end
your suffering.

A new day has
dawned, my love, and a new life for us all. King James awarded James the barony
of Montgomery, as well as all the lands associated with the title. I am a widow,
free to marry whom I choose, or so Nicholas vowed by the time you read this.
And you, my angel . . .

I am told your
husband is an honorable man, who loves and respects you, and will protect you
with his life if need be. He is highly regarded by Nicholas and James, as well
as your father. They assure me that he is an honest, strong and caring man, one
whose protectiveness of you equals their own.

Mayhap your
husband possesses all these qualities. Howbeit, if he does not, I swear he will
learn how fiercely protective I can be. In a fortnight, I will judge for
myself!

Before I conclude,
I want you to know that James and I love you more than you can possibly
imagine. You are what made these past years bearable, Ella. The reason I woke
in the morning, the reason I dreamed of a brighter future. You were, and will
always be, my happiness.

You are my beloved
sister’s daughter, but in my heart, you are my daughter as well.

God Keep You,

Aunt Eleanor

After Gavin
finished reading, his wife’s tears of joy were like a welcoming rainfall after
a drought. He rocked her as he would a child, and when they finally subsided,
she graced him with that irresistible smile. Brushing gentle kisses from her
tear glazed face, he soon became lost to the sensation and the fire her
response ignited. Then, much to his annoyance, an impatient knock sounded on
the door.

“Och, someone is
eager to see ye, little one.”

When she glanced
down at her appearance, he added, “Dinna fash about yer attire. My sister has
made ye a wardrobe the Queen of England would envy.”

Before Gavin
reached the door, it swung open and revealed his sister.

Eva rushed passed
Gavin, ignoring his presence completely, and then halted in front of Ella, who
stood nervously by the window. Eva’s tear streaked smiling face displayed her
thoughts as she stared at the girl she remembered so fondly.

“I see that the
beautiful child I loved so dearly has become a beautiful woman.”

Ella threw her
arms around Eva and cried, “And ye are just as lovely as I remember.”

Gavin smiled and
took his leave, allowing them a private reunion.

Ella released Eva,
and then gestured out the window to the spectacular view of the garden. “Ye did
this?”

“Aye, I remember
ye once said that ye wanted a garden that would look pretty all year-round. That
was one of my goals when I began.”

“How many goals
did ye have?”

“Two. Yer mama
always wanted a garden to run along the path to her waterfall, and where she
fell in love with yer father.”

Touched by this
beautiful gesture, she wrapped her arms around Eva and said, “Thank ye,
sister.”

“My God, how I’ve
missed ye. Ye both were so good to me. I had to make yer dreams come true.”

“Aye, ye have
succeeded admirably,” Ella replied.

“My mother is here
and is eager to see ye. May I bring her in?”

“Aye.”

Moments later,
while Lady Esme and Eva dressed her in a silver gown, Ella tried not to stare
at her sister’s mid section.

“Eva, is there
something ye wish to tell me?”

“Aye, I am with
child,” she admitted with a grin.

“That’s wonderful.
How far along are ye?

“Six months.”

“Ye and Keir must
be verra excited?”

“Aye, we are, but
. . .”

Ella sensed
something amiss. “Tell me?”

“After Gabriel, I
miscarried twice.”

The healer in Ella
asked, “How far along were ye?”

“Four months with
the first, and five with the last. Mama told me what a gifted healer ye are, so
I hoped-”

Ella raised her
hand to silence Eva. “Dinna ask such a foolish question. I will do all in my
power to help ye. First, I must instruct yer cook on how to prepare yer food.
Aunt Eleanor believes many miscarriages happen from unwashed fruits and
vegetables, under cooked meats, and unclean water. I will give ye an herbal tea
to drink daily. It greatly enhances fertility. Also, I will come to see ye once
a sennight until the birth, so I can be sure ye deliver a healthy bairn.”

“Thank ye. Mother
raves about ye and all ye have done for the Macleods.”

“Aye and I will
continue to rave about my new daughter,” Lady Esme stated. “Now, if we are
ready, I believe ‘tis time for us to make our appearance in the hall.”

“Aye,” Ella
responded with confidence, despite the sensation of desperate need rapidly
invading her heart.