Bride of Ice (The Warrior Daughters of Rivenloch #2) - Glynnis Campbell Page 0,80

who might ruin everything by leaking the information that Jenefer and Feiyan were being held hostage at Creagor.

“Where’s Isabel?” her mother asked suddenly.

Hallie choked on her oatcake.

Ian answered. “She’s actually in your bedchamber, Ma. She’s taking a cold bath.”

“What?”

“She said ’twas a beauty experiment.”

“Ah.” Her mother raised a brow at her father. Very little Isabel did could surprise them.

After everyone had finished off their ale and oatcakes, her mother leaned toward her to confide, “I’m proud of you, lass. Thank you for watching o’er Rivenloch in my absence.” She squeezed Hallie’s hand, but Hallie thought there was a touch of sadness in her eyes. “You’ll make a great laird one day.”

Hallie gave her a sickly smile.

The rest of the afternoon was full of frustration, with her parents giving her evasive answers about Creagor and what the king had decreed and Hallie giving her aunts evasive answers about her cousins’ whereabouts.

She stole up to her bedchamber once to check on Colban. He was pacing the room, trying to walk without the crutch. Clearly he wanted to make a good impression on her parents.

“What news about Creagor?” he asked.

“None. They’re closed up like clams and won’t say a word until they can speak to Jenefer.”

“What are ye goin’ to do?”

She shook her head. “I’ll have to tell them eventually.”

“At least ye don’t have to worry about the clan lettin’ it slip.”

She gave him a befuddled frown.

“Didn’t Ian tell ye?” he said. “He spoke to Isabel. She told him to tell her friends that nothing was to be said about hostages. She said the word would spread like wildfire.”

Hallie smiled. Of course it would. Nothing was a more effective channel for relaying information than a meddlesome young lass. In some ways, Isabel was as much a genius as Ian. Hallie would have to remember to buy her something special at the next fair.

“One way or another, I will have to tell them,” she decided. “I’ll do it tonight after supper.”

“I’ll be here, waitin’.” Then, with charming uncertainty, he straightened his cotun. “Do I look all right?”

She grinned. She’d thought he was handsome before his bath. Now that his hair was shining and golden, and the smudges were gone from his face, he looked irresistible.

On impulse, she rushed to him, taking that irresistible face in her hands.

“Perfect,” she said. Then she bestowed upon him a kiss full of gratitude. And affection. And longing. A kiss that ended too soon. “Just a few more hours,” she promised.

He wound a lock of her hair around his finger. “Ye’re worth the wait.”

She blushed. “And then we’ll have the rest of our lives together.”

The more she said it, the better it sounded.

Chapter 28

Isabel’s strategy worked. Not a single member of the clan spoke about hostages or even mentioned the names of Jenefer, Feiyan, or Colban an Curaidh all afternoon. Even forthright Ian managed to hold his tongue.

But when her cousins were still missing for dinner, Hallie knew she had to address their absence.

As it turned out, her mother wished to speak with her and her aunts in private after dinner. The four of them repaired to the solar.

Hallie closed the door, and while she had the courage, before her mother could begin, she turned to them and blurted out, “I need to tell you about Jenefer and Feiyan.”

“Bloody hell. I knew it.” Helena scowled, then collapsed onto a chair. “What has Jenefer done now?” Her daughter was constantly getting into trouble and dragging Feiyan into it.

“Are they all right?” Miriel’s dark brows furrowed in concern as she settled onto another chair.

“Aye. They’re safe and unharmed.” She prayed she was right about that.

“But?” her mother prodded, crossing her arms.

Hallie paced, carefully laying out what had happened, step by step. How the three cousins had hatched up the scheme to frighten the Highlanders away. How Jenefer had stolen away on her own and Hallie and Feiyan had followed her. How they’d ended up in a midnight scrap with Morgan Mor mac Giric and ended up as the Highlander’s “guests.” And how Hallie had managed to escape.

Her mother listened with cool detachment.

Helena muttered curses under her breath.

Miriel narrowed her eyes, as if looking for gaps in the story.

“You should know,” Hallie concluded, “when I left, I took a counter hostage.”

“A hostage!” Helena shot to her feet, fire in her eyes. “Where is this hostage?”

Miriel gave Helena’s skirts a chiding yank. “If you damage Hallie’s hostage, ’twill give the Highlander reason to damage his.”

“Exactly,” Hallie explained. “’Twas only for leverage and only