her
husband, stood beside the table his arms akimbo and his eyes blazing. Beside
him were her father and brother. Their familiar forms bent her heart.
Asilinn fought to keep from running to her father's
arms. His angry visage told her such an action might not be welcome. Besides,
if she made a spectacle of herself Jared might not grant her privacy with her
father and brother later.
As if sensing her thoughts Jared motioned her to his
side. Her father stood ramrod straight. She could tell he was fighting to
control his temper. Giving her father and Ian an uncertain smile she went to
stand beside Jared. He wrapped his arm possessively around her waist.
“Welcome, Father. I trust Laird Jared has told you
the news.”
“Oh yes dear daughter, he told me the wonderful news
and showed me all his trophies.” Her father pointed to the sheeting draped
above them.
Asilinn looked up and gasped in horror. She felt
Jared’s grip tighten around her and fought the urge to run from the chamber. If
only he would keep his word and allow her to speak with them in private.
“Let's be seated and Flanna will bring some
refreshment.”
Asilinn sank to her chair, her knees weak from the
crude display. Angus leaned across the table staring her in the eye. “I would
hear it from your own mouth child. Laird MacLean says you went willingly to his
bed that he did not ravage you. Is this true?”
“Aye, Father,” she said in a voice barely above a
whisper. “I did it because our king said I must for the purpose of peace.”
Her father shot an angry scowl at Jared. “Did the
bastard hurt you?”
She could feel her face turn scarlet. “Nay, Milord,
he did not.”
Ian let out a strangled gasp of disbelief and turned
his head from Asilinn. Her brother's reaction brought prickly tears to her
eyes. She could feel the warm moisture streaking down her cheeks.
“Our meal has arrived,” Jared said. He motioned
Flanna to the table with the food.
They ate in silence. Asilinn watched while the clan
chieftains measured each other in quiet observation. “You claim to desire
peace,” Angus began. “Why should I trust you when you have begun it with an act
of war?”
“Is it war to take a wife and cleave to her?”
“You talk in riddles, Laird of Dunbocan. Your motives
cannot be as pure as you pretend. You have deceived this innocent child into
believing your lies. I am not so naive. If you would steal my daughter, what
prize do you offer me in return?”
“The prize of peace,” Jared responded evenly.
“God’s teeth!” Angus shoved his half-eaten supper across
the table. “I dinna trust any of this! I want my daughter back!”
“You cannot have Asilinn, but you can extend your
hand in friendship to your new son-in-law.”
“Asilinn will return to Cairngorm Castle with me, otherwise, there will be no talk of peace.”
“Asilinn will stay here because there will be no talk
of peace if she leaves me. She may even now be carrying my child. Do you really
think I would let her leave me?”
“Is it true girl or has he put you up to telling me a
story? Did you consummate your marriage with this man? I would know the truth!”
“How many times must I say it?” Asilinn felt a warm
flush. Her hands perspired. “As much as you hate him I tell you our bedding
tells the true tale. He speaks the truth.”
“Foolish girl, are you blind to evil when you meet
it?”
“I dinna know his true intent any more than you do,
Father, but he saved me from certain death on the way here.”
Her father turned to Jared. “What is she talking
about?”
“There were those who sought to kill Asilinn to
prevent this alliance. They attacked us on the trail but we escaped.”
“Father, Jared fought off seven of them to save me,”
Asilinn added. Why was she defending him? Asilinn could not fathom her own
behavior.
“Oh, 'tis Jared now, is it? You're so intimate with
the MacLean you call him by his given name.” Her father waved his hand in
husband, stood beside the table his arms akimbo and his eyes blazing. Beside
him were her father and brother. Their familiar forms bent her heart.
Asilinn fought to keep from running to her father's
arms. His angry visage told her such an action might not be welcome. Besides,
if she made a spectacle of herself Jared might not grant her privacy with her
father and brother later.
As if sensing her thoughts Jared motioned her to his
side. Her father stood ramrod straight. She could tell he was fighting to
control his temper. Giving her father and Ian an uncertain smile she went to
stand beside Jared. He wrapped his arm possessively around her waist.
“Welcome, Father. I trust Laird Jared has told you
the news.”
“Oh yes dear daughter, he told me the wonderful news
and showed me all his trophies.” Her father pointed to the sheeting draped
above them.
Asilinn looked up and gasped in horror. She felt
Jared’s grip tighten around her and fought the urge to run from the chamber. If
only he would keep his word and allow her to speak with them in private.
“Let's be seated and Flanna will bring some
refreshment.”
Asilinn sank to her chair, her knees weak from the
crude display. Angus leaned across the table staring her in the eye. “I would
hear it from your own mouth child. Laird MacLean says you went willingly to his
bed that he did not ravage you. Is this true?”
“Aye, Father,” she said in a voice barely above a
whisper. “I did it because our king said I must for the purpose of peace.”
Her father shot an angry scowl at Jared. “Did the
bastard hurt you?”
She could feel her face turn scarlet. “Nay, Milord,
he did not.”
Ian let out a strangled gasp of disbelief and turned
his head from Asilinn. Her brother's reaction brought prickly tears to her
eyes. She could feel the warm moisture streaking down her cheeks.
“Our meal has arrived,” Jared said. He motioned
Flanna to the table with the food.
They ate in silence. Asilinn watched while the clan
chieftains measured each other in quiet observation. “You claim to desire
peace,” Angus began. “Why should I trust you when you have begun it with an act
of war?”
“Is it war to take a wife and cleave to her?”
“You talk in riddles, Laird of Dunbocan. Your motives
cannot be as pure as you pretend. You have deceived this innocent child into
believing your lies. I am not so naive. If you would steal my daughter, what
prize do you offer me in return?”
“The prize of peace,” Jared responded evenly.
“God’s teeth!” Angus shoved his half-eaten supper across
the table. “I dinna trust any of this! I want my daughter back!”
“You cannot have Asilinn, but you can extend your
hand in friendship to your new son-in-law.”
“Asilinn will return to Cairngorm Castle with me, otherwise, there will be no talk of peace.”
“Asilinn will stay here because there will be no talk
of peace if she leaves me. She may even now be carrying my child. Do you really
think I would let her leave me?”
“Is it true girl or has he put you up to telling me a
story? Did you consummate your marriage with this man? I would know the truth!”
“How many times must I say it?” Asilinn felt a warm
flush. Her hands perspired. “As much as you hate him I tell you our bedding
tells the true tale. He speaks the truth.”
“Foolish girl, are you blind to evil when you meet
it?”
“I dinna know his true intent any more than you do,
Father, but he saved me from certain death on the way here.”
Her father turned to Jared. “What is she talking
about?”
“There were those who sought to kill Asilinn to
prevent this alliance. They attacked us on the trail but we escaped.”
“Father, Jared fought off seven of them to save me,”
Asilinn added. Why was she defending him? Asilinn could not fathom her own
behavior.
“Oh, 'tis Jared now, is it? You're so intimate with
the MacLean you call him by his given name.” Her father waved his hand in
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