Page 23 of In Bed with a Scot

Both Arran and Lorcan nodded in agreement.

“I dinnae ken how ye have nae killed him yet,” Madden admitted.

“It is a temptation beyond bearing, I must admit, but I have tae dae what is best fer the clan. I cannae care fer me people if I am dead as well.”

Madden sighed, nodding. “Perhaps God will take care of it fer ye.”

Arran and Lorcan smiled at the thought. “I would nae argue with that,” Arran nodded in approval.

Cara, the maid, approached the training field. “Me laird,” she called out and the men stopped what they were doing. “The council is awaiting ye fer the meeting.”

Arran followed the maid back inside the castle, with Lorcan and Madden lagging along behind.

Dinner was an awkward affair.

Madden’s attention was taken up by the way that Bain was treating Isabelle. Everything that she did or said he had something negative to say about. When Isabelle reached for her cup, her sleeve moved up and exposed a new ring of bruises on her wrist. Isabelle caught him looking at them and pulled her sleeve back down. Bain leaned over and hissed something in Isabelle’s ear that Madden could not hear.

“Please excuse me,” she murmured standing suddenly.

“Where dae ye think ye are going?” Bain demanded to know, grabbing her arm.

“Tae relieve meself,” she informed him as low as she could manage so that others would not hear her. Grunting, Bain released her arm and let her go.

Madden watched as Isabelle crossed the hall. When she reached the door, she took one last look back at the dais as if to make certain that her husband was not watching her, then she turned out of the doors and into the courtyard, instead of towards the privy. Concerned, Madden excused himself and followed after her, making sure it did not seem suspicious. He found her in a dark corner of the stables. “Daes he beat ye?” Madden asked directly without easing her into the conversation.

Isabelle’s head snapped up at the sound of his voice. “Me life is nae yer concern.”

“I did nae fully believe ye when ye told me before. I thought that ye had used it as an excuse tae keep me from telling him about our night together.” He shook his head. “I saw the bruises.”

Isabelle glared at him angrily. “Ye believed me tae be a liar? Ye believed me tae play the role of an abused wife?” Her words fell hard against his heart. “Why would I tell ye anything?”

“I am sorry that I did nae fully believe ye before. I did nae care fer yer husband from the first moment that I met him, but I thought that ye were simply trying tae protect yerself from me. I did nae believe that ye could be trusted as an unfaithful wife. Is it true that I am the only man other than yer husband that ye have ever been with?”

Isabelle looked like she wanted to punch him in the face. “I told ye all of this the night that we stood right here in these very stables,” her voice came out in a harsh whisper so that they would not be heard. If a person could scream and whisper at the same time, Isabelle would have had quite a talent for it. “I have nae shared me bed with other men. I have been a good, loyal, and faithful wife tae an abusive husband since I was seventeen years old. The only time I ever did something fer me, fer me own sanity, fer me own emotional survival, I was cursed tae be with a man such as ye!”

Madden, moved to his core by her angry words and the angry tears that had begun to stream down her cheeks, moved forward and reached up to brush the hair from her face. “I ken that it is nae me place tae intervene, but if ye are in need of protection come tae me and I will help ye. Nay one needs tae ken anything.” He turned towards the door unable to keep his hands from her skin if he stayed. All he wanted to do was to take her into his arms and carry her away from her husband to the safety of the Hamilton lands, where he could keep her safe always.

“Why?” she whispered in question. “Why would ye help me?”

“Because ye deserve better.” With that, he left her standing alone in the stables, needing to put as much distance between her and himself as he could imagine before he did something that they would both regret.

CHAPTER NINE

In the morning, Madden met Keelin, Arran, and Lorcan in the great hall to break the fast. “Is yer sister feeling unwell again?” Madden asked Arran.

“Aye. Bain informed me that she wished tae bathe this morning and nae tae wait on her,” Arran answered as they settled into their seats at the table. “When we were children, she never missed a meal. She was hardly ever ill. I cannae help but think that there is something more going on with her than she is saying.”

“Once ye left fer France, things changed,” Keelin informed him. “She changed.”

Arran sighed. “So I see. I should never have gone.”

“Ye had nae choice. Ye ken that,” Lorcan reminded him. “Yer laird and faither commanded ye tae go.”

“Aye, but I miss me sister. I miss the lass that she was before,” Arran admitted, concern wrinkling his brow.

Before anyone could reply, one of the men that had been standing guard on the wall entered the hall and approached the dais. “Me laird, one of our men was attacked in the night.”

Arran and Lorcan stood as one, frowns of concern on their faces. “Why are we just hearing of this now?” Lorcan demanded to know of the guard.