"And it passes quickly."
"Aye, fairly so. I dinnae hold fast to it and pout."
"Good, then we shall go along fine. Tempers are a common thing here. They ne'er last and spite is rare. Iain has the calmest nature of all the MacLagan men, though Sholto is the more jolly. We all expect to be able to show our tempers, let free with them and not have to pay for days because we have done so."
"'Tis the way of it with my family.” She felt a pinch of pain over the still fresh separation.
Patting her hand in a gesture of sympathy, Storm said quietly, “T'will pass. Ye must find comfort in the knowledge that ye can see them when ye wish."
"It must be verra hard for ye to see your kin."
"Not as difficult as ye may think. We have grown very good at visiting without danger or suspicion. In truth, ‘tis the bandits, rogues of no country, who are the biggest threat. Phelan was very nearly murdered last year by the freebooters."
"I would think that he soon made them sorry that they had attacked him."
"Aye, most sorry, though he took a wound that kept him at Papa's all winter."
"Phelan resides here?"
"He does. Being Irish, he was wanted by few when it was time for him to begin his training. As soon as I was wed and came to abide here, Phelan joined me. Colin took him in hand and has oft expressed his pleasure in having done so.” Storm smiled when she caught the way Islaen watched her husband. “Alex is right. Ye do love Iain."
"Alexander talks too much,” Islaen grumbled as she blushed but she made no effort to deny Storm's assumption.
"At times, aye, but he spoke out this time for he recognized our need to know how matters stood."
"And Iain would say naught."
"Quite. Ye have a hard battle afore ye. I do not envy you it. Alex said ye knew all about Iain?"
"Weel, not all. I ken that he is afraid of childbirth."
"Aye, he is that."
"Why doesnae it help that he can see how weel ye do?"
"I truly do not know. Of course, it was very bad with Catalina. He was beset with guilt. I think you can cure him though, Islaen. Ye do not fear, do ye."
"Nay. All the women in my family are wee lasses but they have braw bairns and little trouble in the birthing of them."
For one brief moment Islaen was tempted to confide in Storm about what Iain had made her promise, and how she worked to deceive him. She resisted the temptation, however. Storm was offering friendship but Islaen felt it far too early to test that with such a secret.
"He also fears leaving you a widow."
Startled out of her thoughts by that quiet statement, Islaen stared at Storm. “What?"
"MacLennon."
"Ah, aye."
"The man haunts Iain and none can seem to find him so that the threat may be ended for all time. So many eyes seek the murderer out that I oft think he must turn to mist, gathering into the form of a man whene'er a chance to strike at Iain arises."
"I cannae believe Iain fears him. Weel, no more than any mon fears a knife at his back."
"'Tis not really MacLennon nor death Iain has fear of but of causing ye grief. He is a man with death ever at his heels. Iain thinks t'would be cruel to woo ye and win ye when MacLennon could strike at any time and succeed. Death is not often so clear to see, so near at hand. He sees it as unfair to bind your heart to him when he knows of this threat."
It was so logical Islaen could see the truth of it. She could also see the stupidity of it. The more she thought on it the angrier she got. She also felt the fury of helplessness. MacLennon could be haunting Iain for a long time. Unless Iain saw the man die he would always use that specter to hold her away from him.
"Sometimes I think that mon is half mad or a fool,” she muttered and Storm laughed softly.
