Page 24 of The Cursed Highland Bride

“Did ye explain this tae yer wife?”

“I did nae.”

“Why?”

“She needs tae ken her place.”

Adamina snorted. “Her place is in yer heart, brother.”

“Nae ye as well,” Dunn groaned in frustration. “Tor will nae cease from speaking about the matter.”

“Good.” Adamina nodded in approval. “Perhaps ye will listen.”

“Doubtful.”

Adamina rolled her eyes. “Ye are as stubborn as our grandmaither.”

Dunn laughed. “Nae man or woman is as stubborn as she is.”

“I am looking at one.”

Dunn shook his head. “This is nae a matter that needs tae come between us. What is between a man and his wife is between a man and his wife. Ye and Tor dinnae need tae have an opinion on this.”

His sister stared at him in serious contemplation for several minutes before speaking. “It saddens me that ye are so unhappy. Ye dinnae need tae be. What happened tae our parents will nae happen tae ye.”

“Aye, it will nae. I will make certain o’ it.”

“Ye cannae seal yer heart away forever, brother.”

“Aye, I can and I will.” He set his jaw in stubborn determination.

Adamina shook her head. “It would appear that God and the king have other plans. Do ye claim tae ken better than God?”

Dunn did not answer. There was no way to answer such a question that did not get him in trouble or possibly doomed to eternal damnation.

Taking his silence as a victory, Adamina smiled. “I thought nae. Now go, seek out yer wife, and tell her the truth. Dinnae leave her believing that ye have been untrue.”

“It suits me tae have her believe as she does.”

“Go!” Adamina shouted, startling him and the horses with her vehemency.

Raising his hands in surrender, Dunn left the stables to go in search of his wife. War might have been an easier choice than marriage.

* * *

Katarina sat in her room and watched out of the window as her husband exited the stables. He looked displeased. Either he is discomfited about our encounter in the hall or something else has gone amiss. She prayed that it had nothing to do with Alistair Morgan. She could not bear the thought of warfare breaking out and her sisters being caught in the middle of it.

She had been sitting in her room thinking of what to do when she heard someone shout from outside. It sounded like a woman. Mere moments later, Dunn appeared. Perhaps he has had a disagreement with one o’ his many lovers. Frowning, she turned away from the window, refusing to care what had befallen him.

Returning to her chair by the fire, she picked back up the tapestry that she had been working on. It was an unfinished piece that she had found in the chest at the foot of her bed. It was clear from the image upon it that the scene was that of the very castle in which she sat. It had seemed a waste to just let it sit unfinished. The act of creation had soothed the jagged edges of her mind and had allowed her to think more coherently. She had been able to come to only one entertainable conclusion. She would have to win over her husband and his clan. How she was to do that while still maintaining the lie of her identity, she did not know, but the only way to save her sisters was to have fighting men of skill on her side. Even then, it was a risk.

A knock sounded at her door, and she frowned at the interruption. “Enter,” she commanded, believing it to be one of the servants. Instead, she was surprised to find her husband on the other side of the door.

“My lady,” he greeted with respect, coming to sit in the chair opposite her.

“My laird,” she greeted with suspicion. He had shown no such deference when she had confronted him earlier. In fact, he had acted quite proud of his actions.

“I have come tae offer ye an explanation for what ye saw in the night.”