Saving Grace by Julie Garwood

actually trying to comfort her. His actions thoroughly confused her. He had been the one, after all, to cause her this upset. Yet now he was trying to soothe her.
    Damn it all, it was working. She knew she was overly exhausted from the long, difficult day, and surely that was the reason she didn’t try to pull away from him. He was wonderfully warm: she told herself she needed his heat to chase away the cold. She was still going to give him hell, but she’d wait until she was warm first.
    Gabriel held her for several minutes while he patiently waited for her to regain her composure.
    She finally pulled away from him. “Your rudeness toward my brother made me most unhappy, m’lord.”
    She hoped for an apology. She realized after a minute of waiting, she wasn’t going to get one.
    “I would like to go to bed now,” she announced. “I’m very sleepy. Would you please show me the way back to my cottage? I’m not certain where it is in the darkness.”
    “The cottage you slept in last night belongs to one of the MacBains. You won’t sleep there again.”
    “Then where do I sleep?”
    “Inside,” he answered. “There are two chambers above the stairs. The Maclaurins were able to stop the fire before it reached the steps.”
    He pulled the door wide and motioned for her to go inside. She didn’t move.
    “May I ask you something, m’lord?”
    She waited for his nod, then said, “Someday will you explain why you sent my brother away and ordered him never to return?”
    “In time you’ll understand,” he answered. “But if you don’t, I’ll be happy to explain.”
    “Thank you.”
    “I can be accommodating, Johanna.”
    She didn’t snort because it wouldn’t have been ladylike. The look in her eyes told him she didn’t believe him.
    “I released your brother from a burden, wife.”
    “And I was his burden?”
    Gabriel shook his head. “No, you weren’t his burden,” he answered. “Go inside now.”
    She decided to obey his command. The woman who had handed her the fresh bouquet of flowers after the wedding ceremony was standing at the foot of the stairs.
    “Johanna, this is ...”
    She didn’t let her husband finish. “Leila,” she said. “Thank you again for the beautiful flowers. It was most thoughtful of you.”
    “You’re very welcome, m’lady,” the woman replied. She had a soft, musical voice and a pleasing smile. Her hair was as red as fire and every bit as mesmerizing. Johanna guessed her age to be near her own.
    “Was it difficult for you to leave your family and friends to come here?” Leila asked.
    “There were no friends close by,” Johanna answered.
    “What about your staff? Our laird surely would have granted you permission to bring your lady’s maid.”
    Johanna didn’t know how to answer the question. She barely knew her staff. Raulf had changed the household every other month. At first she believed he was just overly demanding. Later she caught on. He wanted to keep her isolated, without anyone to confide in. She was to depend only upon him. After his death, she’d been forced to London and hadn’t formed any attachments while a prisoner in King John’s court.
    “I would not have allowed any other Englishwoman here,” MacBain said when Johanna hesitated in giving her answer.
    “They were content to stay in England,” Johanna interjected.
    Leila nodded, then turned and started up the steps. Johanna followed her.
    “Do you think you’ll be happy here?” she asked over her shoulder.
    “Oh, yes,” Johanna answered, praying she was right. “I’ll be safe here.”
    MacBain frowned. Johanna had no idea how much that comment said about her past. He stood at the bottom of the steps, watching his bride.
    Leila wasn’t as astute as her laird. “But I asked you if you’d be happy,” she said with a bit of laughter in her voice. “Of course you’ll be safe here. Our laird will protect you.”
    She could take care of herself, Johanna thought. She didn’t tell