Page 20 of Moon Craving

the unfamiliar surroundings only made it worse. She had received help from an

unexpected source. Sir Reuben had done his best to help Abigail maintain the threads of

the conversations happening around her.

None of the MacDonald clan spoke directly to her. She got the impression this was

out of respect to the Sinclair laird.

Even without being directly involved in discussions, she had made several

mistakes because she had not realized she was being spoken to.

The old warrior who had filled the laird's position as host had believed Abigail's

faulty Gaelic to be the cause, when in fact, Abigail understood and spoke Gaelic quite well

now. As convenient as the excuse, how long would it serve to cover the fact she simply

didn't always know when someone was speaking to her?

And what would Talorc, Laird of the Sinclair, do when he found out?

Emily had made it clear in her first letter that she and Talorc had not suited at all.

Abigail's older sister had written that the man hated the English. He had not wanted what

he called a Sassenach bride under any circumstances. He must be seething with fury

over the second order from his king to that effect.

Would that work in Abigail's favor or against her? Certainly, if she wanted a

powerful Scottish laird for a husband as her younger sister Jolenta seemed to, the

knowledge that Talorc of the Sinclairs despised the English would wound her hopes. But

Abigail had given up hope of ever having her own family when her blood kin rejected her

because of her affliction. No man, be he Scottish barbarian or English knight would want a

wife cursed by deafness.

The possibility that Talorc's dislike of the English, and naturally subsequent desire

to be rid of her, would be great enough for him to see her deception as a gift rather than an

offense over which he would declare war, was her one slim hope.

Sir Reuben seemed unconcerned with the idea Laird Sinclair might declare war

over such a thing. However, from what Emily had said in her letters regarding the pride of

the Highlanders and Talorc especially, Abigail had her doubts. In addition, if Talorc was

as hard a man as Emily had implied in her letters, he might very well exact a personal

revenge from a deceptive bride.