She had awakened at dawn to find him gone, a serving maid sent to help her dress in the only gown she possessed, soiled and rumpled from the last few days’ journey, the burgundy cloak that had fared much better, and a pair of slippers scrounged up to shod her bare feet.Then she had been taken to him, Conall and his men already mounted on their horses and awaiting her in the bailey.
Laird Douglas and his sons gathered to bid them farewell.The youngest, David, had stepped forward to lift her into Conall’s arms, the young man strapping and strong and smiling broadly to hear Conall assure him that he would speak to Cameron about David coming to train with his men.
Little had been said between her and Conall the entire day as they had ridden hard to reach Dumbarton Castle before nightfall—and now they were here.To meet the king.Lisette gasped as the door leading from a hallway that she and Conall had come through moments ago suddenly opened, a sturdily built man entering that she guessed at once must be King Robert.
How could he not be from his powerful stride and air of authority that rippled through the air?His dark gray tunic a fine one and a tartan garment in hues of blue and green draped from his broad shoulder and wound around his waist, just like Conall had worn today instead of his leather armor, calling it a breacan.
The king stopped a few feet away from her, his large hands fisted at his waist as he looked her up and down in so forbidding a fashion that Lisette felt a chill.She glanced at the opposite door in desperate hope that Conall might return from the great hall, but King Robert clearing his throat made her gaze fly back to him.
His light brown eyes burning into hers, his fists clenched even more tightly, and his broad face made ruddy with anger.
“I dinna like being made the fool…and I doubt Conall Campbell, either.When I summon him tae join us, lass, will you tell him the truth about who you really are—or shall I?”
Chapter9
Lisette gulped, a terrible realization hitting her that made her tremble to her toes.
Dear God, the king must know she wasn’t Isabeau!
For an endless moment, she couldn’t find any words to say, her tongue feeling wooden in her mouth—until with a ragged sigh, she sank to her knees in front of him and bowed her head.
“F-forgive me, my lord—forgive me!”Tears filling her eyes, she could not find the courage to look up at him even as he took a step toward her.“I’m Lisette Mathilde Charpentier—non, Lisette Campbell now since we were wed yesterday morning…and I will tell Conall the truth if you will allow it.”
She fell silent, hot tears tumbling down her cheeks to fall upon the bodice of her gown—Isabeau’swedding gown.Yet no response came from the king as if he were waiting for her to continue, the displeasure emanating from him filling her with raw fear.
Would he throw her into a prison cell?Mayhap something worse?
“I-I know Conall meant to abduct my half-sister, but he mistook me for her and abducted me instead.I would have told him and I tried to fight him, but he forced a sleeping potion down my throat—”
“That is true.”
Lisette gasped at the grim sound of Conall’s voice, and glanced over her shoulder to see him standing just inside the room.
He had entered so quietly and shut the door as quietly, not waiting for any summons.His expression was just as grim, though he stared above her at King Robert as if he didn’t want to look at her.
“I gave her the potion and she slept until that night.”
“Oui, I finally awoke and tried to run away.If Conall hadn’t come after me, I would have been torn apart by wolves—”
“Wolves, Campbell?”
“Aye, my lord king.”
Lisette echoed his terse words with a bob of her head, finding the courage at last to look up at King Robert, only to find him staring with sternness at Conall.
“Didna you think that she might try tae escape, man?”
“Aye, I expected as much—”
“I only ran because that’s what Isabeau would have done,” Lisette blurted, her remorse near choking her.“I needed him to believe I was Isabeau.I didn’t know what he would do with me if he knew the truth.Leave me in the woods?Take me back to Dumfries?Isabeau hates me, her bastard half-sister!She would have married me off to one of Euan MacCulloch’s men—so I was to be wed either way.Yet I hoped with Conall I would have a chance at a new life.I had prayed for a miracle to free me from Isabeau and her cruelty—oh, God, please forgive me for deceiving you…”
Lisette’s voice broke and she couldn’t go on, fresh tears coursing down her face as she crumpled at the king’s feet and pressed her forehead to the cold stone floor.
She heard a heavy sigh—King Robert?
She heard a low curse—Conall?
Then nothing for a long moment until she felt a strong pair of hands lift her to her feet, the king standing in front of her.
