The Marriage Contract (Marriage #3) - Cathy Maxwell Page 0,63

an object of such speculation. Mrs. Mowat and Mrs. Keith stood with raised eyebrows. Even Fang was there. He spoke for the group as he always did. “Well?”

“Well what?” Aidan asked.

Fang’s eyes rounded like an owl’s. “What is the matter with your brains, Laird? We all want to know if she is staying.”

Anne pulled back, fearing the answer to such a question. Aidan placed his hand reassuringly over hers resting on his arm. “For now,” he said.

A cheer the likes of which he’d never heard went up from the crowd. The women congratulated each other as though they had accomplished something. Some of the men were less pleased. Aidan thought he saw money change hands and realized there had been a wager or two.

All he could do was laugh. If a demonstration of such affection was not enough to will her to stay, well, it had to soften her resolve a bit.

“Come along,” he said briskly. “We have company.”

His reminder sobered everyone. “What do you want us to do, Tiebauld?” Hugh asked.

Aidan gestured with the hand holding the shears. “Be yourselves. Nothing is amiss. But let us not go down into the courtyard together. Some of you take the cliff path.” He nodded to Davey. “Take care of my lady’s horse.” The boy ran to do his bidding.

Aidan turned to his wife. “Shall we?”

She nodded, almost as if not trusting her voice to speak. They were almost to the courtyard when she said, “Do we look like a lord and lady coming in from a stroll?” She rearranged her shawl on her shoulders.

“Possibly. Remember what I told you about the trunk and keep your wits about you. Here they are.” He led her to stand on the castle’s front step while he walked out to greet the party of some twenty men.

The soldiers rode through Kelwin’s majestic gate, their red coats a bright splash of color on an overcast day. Major Lambert was not leading them. Instead, his young second-in-command was in charge.

Around the courtyard walls, the people of Kelwin gathered to watch in spite of Aidan’s warning. The day before, their mood had been cautious. Today they were hostile. Aidan noticed Fang’s two oldest sons carried pitchforks, as if they’d just come in from the fields.

He prayed the hotheads would keep their tempers.

The officer rode up to Aidan and dismounted. Bowing, he said, “Lord Tiebauld?”

Aidan nodded.

“I am Lieutenant Fordyce. I apologize for calling on you so early.”

Not liking the man’s forced politeness, Aidan asked bluntly, “What business brings you back to Kelwin, Lieutenant?” They might as well have it out in the open.

The officer licked his bottom lip, a nervous gesture. There was a note of regret in his voice when he said, “Major Lambert has requested the company of Lady Tiebauld as his dinner guest this evening. We are to escort her to his headquarters in Lybster. I have a horse for her to ride.” He nodded to one of the soldiers, who came forward with a steady-looking bay.

For a second, Aidan didn’t believe he’d heard the officer correctly. “My wife?”

A low murmur ran around the courtyard among his clansmen. They, too, were surprised.

Aidan snorted his answer. “What is Lambert doing, planning a dinner party? She shall not go.”

“Major Lambert feared you would object. However, my lord, I have my orders. Last night, it was my good fortune to be with him when he captured the Jacobite rebel Robbie Gunn. The major wants me to assure you it will be only a matter of time until he has arrested all the rebels.”

Robbie Gunn, imprisoned. Aidan had no doubt Lambert would do everything in his power to squeeze out the names of his compatriots. But the Gunns were a tough lot. Lambert could kill him before he’d speak.

Although shaken by the news, Aidan said almost pleasantly, “I wish him luck.”

“Thank you, my lord.” The lieutenant looked past Aidan’s shoulder. “My lady, will you be so good as to accompany us? Time is of the essence.”

Aidan stepped forward. “She will not.”

“Yes, of course I will,” Anne countermanded. “Give me a moment, please, Lieutenant, to gather my things. I may also change.” Head high, she turned and walked into the house.

Aidan wanted to swear. Was there ever a more stubborn woman than his Anne? “One moment,” he practically snarled at the officer, and rushed into the castle to shake sense into his wife.

Chapter 13

Anne knew Aidan would be right behind her. He caught up with her as she gave Cora instructions