Page 26 of Highlander’s Lesser Evil

“The king granted me permission to overthrow my father when I came to him with evidence that my people were suffering. I had a plan to help, and Loch Moran is part of that plan. These people are as precious to me as the land itself.”

“You mean that?” she whispered. Admiration replaced the confusion, and the knot in his chest loosened. She would not run from him knowing that he’d imprisoned his own father.

“I do. I know people fear that I will be like my father, and in some ways, I fear it myself, but I will fight that battle with every breath, and ‘tis because of that I wilnae risk raising a child. The scars remind me of the blood flowing through me.”

“I won’t let that happen,” she said fiercely. “I believe there is good in you. I would not have not married you otherwise.”

She was too sweet for the likes of him. “It is also because of these scars that I am reminded of how far people will go for power. ‘Tis why I am wary of yer friend being here. She is close to a man who might want his land back.”

“Jillian is not close to her father-in-law, and I believe her when she says that Fletcher has no interest in this land or anything, really. I know she appeared to be friends with Beth, but the truth is far from it. Jillian has been isolated and alone, and Beth took advantage of that. My friend has done nothing treacherous. If she had, the king would not have released her.”

“Gemma,” he said patiently, “ye just said that she was weak. Fletcher could be using her.”

She drew back and glared at him. “Isolated and alone does not mean weak, Theo. You of all people should know that, or did you have a huge following when you overthrew your father?”

She had a point. “She can stay here for now, as yer guest. If someone comes looking for her, then we will talk about granting her sanctuary, but I wilnae allow correspondence while she is here. And Gemma, when I mean here, I mean on this land. Find another home for her. This place is already small enough.”

A beautiful smile brightened her face, and he shuddered inwardly under the weight of it. She had no idea how much power that smile wielded. He still wasn’t confident that Jillian wasn’t another spy, but at least he had done something to make his wife happy.

“Does Graeme know that she is here?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know, but I know that she has no wish to see him. Apparently he, like the other MacSeavers, hates her.”

“Ye know why they hate her, do ye not?”

“Because she wasn’t born a MacSeaver?”

“Nay, lass. They blame her for her husband’s death.”

11

Gemma had made a roast for the guards that night and was spending the evening with the neighbors, glued to Jillian’s side during the communal dinner. Theo kept a close eye on them from a distance while he updated his guards about the new restrictions for messages going in and out of Loch Moran.

An angry figure stormed his way and stopped short. “Is it true?” Graeme demanded. “Have ye given Jillian MacSeaver sanctuary?”

Not wanting to have the conversation near curious ears, he drew Graeme away closer to the loch. “Nay,” he said calmly. “I havenae given her sanctuary. She is here to visit a friend, and while she is here, she will have the hospitality and protection of the MacDougal clan.”

Graeme’s face only darkened. “And who, pray tell, is she friends with here?”

“My wife.”

That drew Graeme up short. “The English lass? Really?”

The English lass? “She is my wife now, and ye will show her some respect!”

Graeme reddened and nodded. “My apologies. I was just taken aback. I had no idea that Jillian would have anything in common with Gemma.”

“Ye really doonae know, do ye?”

“Know what?”

“Fletcher MacSeaver purchased Gemma to be his wife. He stowed her here at Loch Moran, apparently sobered up, and promptly forgot about her. That was a year ago, shortly before he married Beth.”

To his credit, Graeme looked thunderstruck before he scowled. “My laird is not the most sensible when it comes to women,” he said wryly and ran his hands through his hair. “No wonder she seemed wary of me. If I had put her mind at ease...”

“She would be yers?”

Graeme shrugged. “She is a bonnie lass; ye cannae blame me. But she is yers now. What does that have to do with Jillian?”