Page 37 of Highlander’s Sweet Poison

“I am doing my best, but the clan hates me. I wonder if it would not be best for me to make myself scarce when it comes to clan dealings.”

Bridgette narrowed her eyes. “Then I will be horribly disappointed in ye, Jillian MacSeaver. Whether the clan was there or not, ye made a promise to them when ye made yer vows to him, and ye need to honor them. If ye want to rise above this, then ye need to prove to them the kind of woman that ye are. The kind of woman that I suspect is hiding behind all that armor ye put on.”

The older woman was right, of course, but it seemed that it was never that easy. “I will try to find my place here,” she promised.

“Excellent, and if I am wrong about ye, and ye do anything to hurt my son, then I will end yer life myself.”

Jillian blinked, but before she could say anything, the door opened, and the children shrieked with excitement to see their mother. Bridgette winked at her and hurried out of the kitchen leaving Jillian with no course of action but to follow.

Annella was kneeling on the floor, hugging her children, but when she caught sight of Jillian, fires rose in her eyes.

“Mother! What the bloody hell are ye doing with her?”

“Bloody hell!” Christy echoed happily, and Jillian blew out her breath. This was going to be a long day.

19

After Bridgette had calmed Annella down and pointed out all the reasons that they needed to support Graeme’s marriage, of which Jillian mostly felt like an awkward bystander listening in, Annella calmed down but kept herself between Jillian and her children. It broke Jillian’s heart that anyone would think that she would hurt children, but she knew it would take time to build trust.

And Annella had to go home to a man who hated Jillian.

Afterward, when Jillian left Bridgette’s home to walk back to the keep, she was surprised and a little relieved to see that Tearloch wasn’t waiting for her. Tightening her cloak around her to ward off the bluster of the day, she walked at a slow pace. She missed being able to run around in the sunshine and knew that Graeme wasn’t going to relent on the guards following her for awhile, so she might as enjoy the freedom while it lasted.

Unfortunately, it was someone else who shattered the peace first. The figure who stepped into her path was a hulking man and one she knew well.

Alan.

“So, I see Graeme is just letting ye run about as ye wish to cast yer spells,” he sneered.

It was on the tip of her tongue to tell him that she’d spent the majority of the day with his children, but she didn’t want to anger him further or give him a reason to take his anger out on Annella.

“If ye will excuse me,” she said politely as she tried to sidestep him, but he moved and blocked her path again.

“I know what ye are and what ye tried to do to me. I wilnae allow ye to try again.”

Her stomach rolled at the memory of Alan that night, trying to touch her in her own home while Fulton was away, claiming that they were meant to be together.

“It was no spell that I wove on ye, Alan. It was yer own demons.”

“Ye make men mad!”

“And yet, my husband, yer laird, isnae mad.”

“He married ye. Ye wanted power, didn’t ye?”

Enough was enough. Snapping her head up, she glared. “If I wanted power, then I wouldnae have murdered my husband, now would I? Step out of my path. Now.”

Instead, he took a step toward her but stopped short when he heard a whistle coming up from behind her.

“Lady Jillian,” a familiar voice said.

Relief cascaded through her, and she turned. “Clyde.”

The blacksmith was as handsome as ever with an easy smile and relaxed demeanor, but tensity rolled off him as he looked at Alan. “Forgive me for interrupting, but I had heard that yer guard was called away. A terrible accident involving a wagon and a child. I wanted to escort ye back to the keep while Tearloch dealt with it.”

Alan scowled. “There is no need, blacksmith. Jillian is family. I will escort her.”

“Actually, I have need to speak with Clyde. He will escort me,” Jillian said firmly while she dared Alan to defy her. Everyone knew that Clyde was Graeme’s close friend, and while Alan might scream that Jillian was a liar and garner support, Clyde was probably still very much liked by the village.