Highlander's Beautiful Liar A Scottish Medieval Highlander Romance Historical Novel - Adamina Young Page 0,55

brother on the back. “‘Tis good to see ye, Alec. I have had a chance to look around, and ye are doing well. Verra well. How are the guards taking to ye? I would have twice the patrols around the keep.”

Grace rolled her eyes and gave Connor a scornful look. “Connor, ‘tis all about politics and duty with ye. Boring. Alec is married! Where is yer wife! I want to meet my new sister so I can beg her to extend my visit here.”

“How come ye arena asking me about an extended visit?” Alec asked with a frown.

“Because ye would say no, and most wives have a way of getting around that.”

So they hadn’t met Cora yet. Strange. She’d been looking forward to their visit. “There arena enough guards here to keep an eye on ye,” he said blankly. “And this isnae a safe place for the likes of ye, my darling sister.”

Grace just rolled her eyes. “Doona tell me that ye are going to be just as boring as Connor now that ye are a laird. Where is yer wife? I need some excitement, and I heard that ye married a lying Sassenach thief! She must be interesting!”

“Grace,” Connor growled. “What did I tell ye? Ye must watch yer tongue while Alec is still finding his hold here.”

“‘Tis alright.” Alec winked at his little sister. “I think Grace’s reputation is well-known. I’m going to change and find my wife. Dinner should be ready soon. Connor, ye can join us at the hall, but Grace, I want ye to have yer dinner here.”

“What?” Grace groaned. “Why?”

Because he still didn’t trust everyone at his table. “Because ye are too young, and this place is too rough. At home, ye have the laird’s protection. Here, my protection may not be enough. Ye can explore tomorrow.”

Connor narrowed his eyes. “There is dissent in yer clan?”

He hadn’t told them about the arrow or the brush fire, but he wanted to withhold the information until Connor got a good look at everyone at dinner. He wanted his brother’s honest opinion of the men. To see if any of them had betrayed them.

“I am still gaining their trust.”

Connor nodded his head, but Alec knew that his brother understood. Leaving his little hellion of his sister to his older brother, he went in search of Cora.

To his surprise, he found her in her chambers.

Packing a valise.

“Cora,” he said as he tried to squash his growing fear and anger. “Is there some place that ye are planning on going?”

Her head shot up, and she was pale. Too pale, but she forced a smile. “Alec. I am so glad that you are back. I have decided to take you up on that visit with my family. I was thinking that we could leave tonight, but I suppose it is too late now. So morning then?”

“Cora.” He stared at her. What was going on inside that head of hers?

“If you are too busy, then I can make the journey on my own. Perhaps with an escort? A day or two with them should suffice.”

She looked at him, but he wasn’t even sure that she was seeing him. “Cora. My brother and my sister are here. Ye didnae greet them.”

“Oh.” She blinked and shook her head. “Yes. Your family. I am so sorry. I must have forgotten. I will rectify that mistake immediately. Let me apologize.”

As she tried to hurry by him, he grabbed her arm. “What happened, Cora? Why do ye need to see yer family?”

Tears filled her eyes. “I miss them, that’s all. I just want to know that they are safe.”

“All right. We will go see them, but we cannae go tomorrow. I promise though, as soon as I am able, we will travel to see them. When it is safe, they can come here. I wilnae keep yer family from ye, lass.”

She opened her mouth and then closed it and nodded. “I understand. Thank you.”

Drawing her close, he kissed the top of her head. He had thought it strange that she did not want to see her family, but apparently it had been building until something snapped inside of her today.

Maybe when she saw her family, she would finally feel whole again.

20

Hosting Connor Sinclair and Grace was her first big event since becoming Alec’s wife, and she was already making a mess of it. After receiving Innes’s letter, all logic had fled.

He’d made it clear that he didn’t need her to give him anything. He planned on