Bride of Ice (The Warrior Daughters of Rivenloch #2) - Glynnis Campbell Page 0,90

liberty to s—”

“Jenefer,” Isabel answered, earning her a chiding cuff on the shoulder from Feiyan.

Hallie gaped. “Jenefer?”

“But you didn’t hear it from us,” Feiyan warned.

Hallie shook her head in disbelief. “She won’t do it,” she whispered. “Jenefer won’t be forced to do anything. Least of all marry a man she doesn’t know.”

“That’s not the problem,” Feiyan said. “She knows him.”

“’Tis Morgan mac Giric,” Isabel volunteered.

“Morgan?” Hallie blurted. Feiyan winced, and Hallie lowered her voice to a murmur. “Jenefer would sooner kill him,” she predicted. She’d seen her attack the Highlander. Her hotheaded cousin loathed Morgan mac Giric with a passion.

Feiyan grimaced. “A week ago, I would have agreed. But much has happened in the last few days.”

“Exactly,” Isabel said, “which is why everything must be brought to light.” She gave Hallie a pointed, pressuring glare. “Everything.”

Hallie returned an icy look of warning. If her little sister mentioned her tryst with Colban, she would string the lass up by her braids.

Turning the conversation back to Jenefer, Hallie asked, “Do you honestly believe Jenefer will wed Morgan?” She couldn’t imagine her cousin bedding a Highlander, much less mothering his squalling infant.

“Honestly? I think she would. But I don’t think ’tis possible. Not now.”

Hallie glowered at her cousin. Sometimes Feiyan’s elusive answers were worse than not knowing anything.

“Because there’s a third party involved?” Isabel said, giving Hallie a smug smirk.

“How did you know about that?” Feiyan said with a puzzled scowl. “I’ve told no one.”

“No one had to tell me. I know the king can’t force someone to wed one person,” Isabel said proudly, as if she’d deciphered a coded missive, “if they’ve already slept with another.”

“Shouldn’t you be going to the chapel with the others?” Hallie cut off Isabel before she could spill the family secrets to everyone within hearing. Whatever Jenefer had or hadn’t done, it was her own body and her own affair. Just as Hallie’s indiscretions were her own business.

But Isabel persisted. “Isn’t that right, Feiyan? If a person is sharing a bed with someone, the king can’t just—”

“You!” Hallie blurted out quickly, motioning to a squire in the armory. “Fetch my helm!” Then she flashed Isabel a glare that would melt steel.

“Aye,” Feiyan replied to Isabel. “One cannot have two wives.”

“Or two husbands.” Isabel turned to Hallie in triumph. “See?”

Isabel was spouting nonsense. Hallie didn’t know exactly what complications Feiyan was talking about concerning Jenefer. But when it came to Hallie, no vows had been spoken. No matter how much Isabel wanted to believe the Highlander was The One, what had happened between them was not a marriage. It was a tryst.

She turned toward Feiyan, in the hopes of migrating the conversation to a safer subject. But the stealthy lass had already slipped away to converse privately with her mother.

“Go to the chapel, Isabel,” Hallie bit out. “Perhaps you can ask God for forgiveness for prying into other people’s affairs.”

Isabel huffed out an offended breath. “Fine. But promise me one thing.”

“What?”

The lass’s gaze shifted from exasperation to concern. “Look after him. Look after Colban. During the battle. And after.” Her eyes slowly filled. “Don’t let him go.”

Hallie had to admit Isabel’s tears rattled her. The lass had always had an eerie sense of things. She might make a practice of sticking her nose where it didn’t belong. But she was right most of the time.

“I have to let him go,” she murmured. “He’s not mine to keep. He belongs at Creagor. And I belong…”

She must have made an expression of distaste. Isabel immediately read her thoughts.

“To Archibald Scott?” Isabel’s chin trembled. She looked like she might start shedding the tears in her eyes. And that would do no one any good.

Hallie sighed and made the only promise she could keep. “I can’t disobey the king’s orders. And I can’t keep Colban from returning to Creagor. But I promise you, I’ll die before I let the English harm him.”

The air was still and pregnant, as thick with fog as the lair of Ian’s make-believe dragon. Colban could barely see past the sixth line of Rivenloch soldiers as they marched toward Creagor. But they moved at such a courageously brisk pace that the mist curled out behind them and the bright Rivenloch banner fluttered at their fore.

Since Feiyan had brought word of the attack, she had the privilege of leading the charge. Hallie too had a place at the front of the lines. But since the intrepid lasses seemed intent on rushing to an untimely death, Colban maintained a position