Highland Persuasion (The MacLomain Series- Early Years) (26 page)

It felt like the floor fell from beneath her and she held the railing tighter, digging in her nails. “That’s insanity. We are cousins.”

“Separated by centuries.”

“But not by blood!”

“It matters little.”

“It matters much. Our children could be stillborn or cursed. ‘Tis wrong and even you know it.”

“Innis has offered no other bargain. This is the only way to find a truce.”

“I’d think you would’ve already been at battle with him brother but no, instead you cow down and imprison a good man. What have you become, Adlin?”

Only when he said nothing did it slowly occur to her that her brother had well laid intentions. “You want the alliance. At my expense, you want it!”

“You never wanted to be married to the Sinclair to begin with,” Adlin argued. “He was a means to an end.”

“And I was wrong,” she said before thinking. Or had she been thinking?

“So you love him then?”

“I never said that.”

“If you love him say so and I’ll send Innis away. We’ll be done with this, all ties lost.”

Iosbail hadn’t expected that. Her eyes searched Adlin’s. “If I said I loved Alexander you’d walk down to the hall now and tell Innis to leave, fight him if need be?”

Adlin didn’t hesitate. “I would.”

Strong emotions coursed through her as she looked into her brother’s eyes. He meant it. Politics aside, he meant it.

“Do you love him, Iosbail?” Adlin repeated.

Did she? That she even asked herself such a question bothered her. Men had always proven less than what she hoped or somehow not quite what she needed. So many had come and gone. The very idea that one might have come along and made her see things differently hurt in a whole new way. One she didn’t quite understand. The Sinclair was different than most but was he different than all? And if he was, would it last? In her experience nothing ever lasted.

Fear made her cross her arms over her chest to protect her heart.

“Well?” Adlin prodded gently.

“He hates me,” she said softly.

“He hates your deceit, nothing more.”

Her body warmed, her heartbeat increased. What she wouldn’t do to erase the way he’d looked at her down in the dungeon, to erase the heartbreak.

“He’ll never be able to forgive me,” she murmured.

“You already forgave him for killing your friend whether or not he did. What makes you think he willnae do the same for you?”

Naturally Adlin’s magic had allowed him to witness everything in the dungeon.

But it mattered naught. Only Alexander did.

Had she forgiven him for possibly murdering Nigell? Aye, she did mainly because she didn’t think he did it. But beyond that, she’d forgiven his kin for the terrible deed because Alexander didn’t deserve to be attached to it. Even with all that aside, could the Sinclair ever truly forgive her for seducing King William?

Fear made her shake her head. “I dinnae think there’s much to save betwixt the Sinclair and I.”

Adlin said nothing as the first few drops of rain fell. After a long stretch of silence he said, “’Twill be a great shame if you hide from true love.”

Iosbail was released from heavy thoughts for a moment and gave a small smile. “Perhaps I am not ready to start aging quite yet.”

“What say you?”

It’d be a rare thing that she could enlighten Adlin first about something but she chose not to. Her brother had yet to meet Mildred, the lass he spoke of when she’d traveled forward in time. Though he might be aware of the magic that made them age once they met their true love, he had yet to experience it.

For now she had bigger things to dwell upon. Her journey since Nigell had died had been long and her vengeance now an intricate part of her that would take time to release.

This was her chance for logic and safety… and aiding Adlin. Iosbail was shocked by her own thoughts. She actually
wanted
to help her brother!
Even if it meant setting aside her own desires.

“Absolve me marriage to Alexander. I will marry Innis.”

Her chest tightened and again it was hard to breathe but when Adlin looked at her she put on a brave face.
“For our clans.”

Adlin stared at her long and hard. “No clan tie is worth what you sacrifice.”

“I sacrifice nothing. My decision is made.”

He squeezed her hand. “Are you quite sure then?”

She pulled free her hand and nodded.
“Aye.”

Adlin’s eyes lingered on her face several long moments before he nodded and left.

Had she really expected him to stay and talk her through her emotions?
Nay.
Though now young in appearance, Adlin was still just as old as her. Funny, for all she’d been appalled at the concept of aging she felt incredibly old in her young body. She supposed five hundred years would do that
to a lass
. Iosbail turned and leaned against the wall walk, tilting her head back so each and every rain drop could hit her face.

As the drops trickled down her cheeks she couldn’t help but wonder… did she want to live another five hundred years? Aye, she’d remain beautiful and firm but for what? With five hundred years behind her she had a good grasp of what to expect. Humankind had a pattern and very rarely did a single person surprise her. Very rarely did a person make her feel passion.

Until the Sinclair.

Iosbail closed her eyes and breathed deeply as the air grew thicker and thunder rumbled across the sky. She felt the texture of the stone beneath her fingertips and the gust of the wind as it cooled the rainwater on her face.

What would it feel like to grow old?

To lose her beauty?

What would it feel like to lose the fear she’d carried for so verra long?

Adlin’s words echoed in her mind about why the future Iosbail hadn’t come to meet her.
“You decided against it. The idea of changing your past appalled you, dear sister.”

Had it indeed?

Iosbail wiped the rain over her face and stared up at the sky.

Was she in love?

How could she be after so very, very long? Alexander was a wonderful man but was he
that
wonderful?
And if he was… why now?
That aside, what good would a romance betwixt them be. She was immortal. He wasn’t. It’d never last.
Literally.

She allowed the last of her remorse to run through her body then said, “We never even had a chance,” to convince herself.

Rain fell heavier. Wind howled around the castle. She stood in the driving rain for a long time, thoughts both lost and consuming. This
had
to be right. She’d taken the correct course of action. Though youth wasn’t necessarily her reason for doing such helping out her brother most certainly was.

It had to be as simple as that…for the love of kin.

When at last Iosbail felt she’d come to the right decision she returned downstairs. As she arrived in the great hall they were walking Alexander out. His eyes locked with hers. There was not the anger expected but pity.

Pity?

Only when he disappeared around the corner did Innis come up alongside her, his soft, uncompassionate words in her ear. “Now, lassie, you’re good and truly mine.”

Chapter Thirteen

Damned if I am!

Though she said it over and over within her mind, Iosbail knew better. Innis was going to get what he wanted. By the end of this eve the MacLomain’s and MacLeon’s would have a stronger tie than they already did. Despite her long life and all she’d experienced there’d never been a stranger moment than what was to come. Who prepared to marry a man when still married to another?

Yet as she walked up the stairs only one thought persisted.

Where was he?

The need to see Alexander was terribly strong. Even if he didn’t want to see her there was no way she’d go to marry Innis until she once more spoke with the Sinclair. Focusing her magic, Iosbail smiled. Adlin had given Alexander his chambers to prepare. That said much.

About to head in his direction she was intercepted by her appointed ladies. It was time to get ready. Frustrated and growling the whole way through she allowed them to bathe and dress her. It was all a matter of speed and they knew it. Her dress was deep blue with the blue and green MacLomain tartan swathed across her waist then over her shoulder.

“Enough, leave me be,” she said at last.

The moment they left she wasted no time seeking out the Sinclair.

He needed to understand where her heart lay.

The storm remained angry, lashing and howling as she arrived at Adlin’s chamber. Though perhaps she’d hoped to catch him bathing the Sinclair was fully dressed and staring out the window when she walked in. It’d been in her mind that he’d be weak but Alexander surprised her when he turned. Iosbail stopped short, caught by the sight of him.

Gone was the sweat ridden prisoner but a man worth bowing before. Comfortable in his surroundings, Alexander stood tall dressed no longer in the MacLomain plaid but the reds of the Sinclair’s, royal emblem at his shoulder. A dark tunic hugged his wide shoulders. His plaid wrapped his muscular body far better than she remembered. Torchlight glistened off his sun-kissed hair. Black boots were strapped tight. With simmering light gray eyes as portentous and cutting as any man who knew his own self-worth Alexander bowed slightly. “I didnae expect to see you so soon, lass.”

Iosbail tried hard
not
to remember riding this beautiful Scotsman until her body fell apart in pure sensual bliss.  

Now was not the time.

But by gods!

She was human.

Or was she?

“Of course,” she murmured before she got her wits about her and said, “Ye’ve bounced back weel ye have.”

Iosbail bit her lip. Leave it to the Irish to greet her tongue so heavily now.

“Had a bit of help,” he said though his face remained impassive. “Bonnie MacLomain lasses bathed me good they did.”

“I never meant to hurt you,” she gushed and nearly put her hand over her mouth. Five hundred years old and she was behaving like a silly girl. And after he’d said what he just had! But she knew he’d been trying to goad her. No MacLomain lass could bath him like she could if ever given the chance... which she wouldn’t be.

Alexander’s brows inched up a fraction but he said nothing.

This was ridiculous so Iosbail tried to return to the basics and lighten the mood as she drifted closer. “Have they had a run at your teeth then?”

The Sinclair cocked his head. It was obvious he worked hard at keeping his expression stern. He tapped his front tooth. “Well washed.”

She knew. He’d never had bad breath. Only one tooth wasn’t quite straight and that barely noticeable.

“And yours?”

Iosbail nearly laughed but didn’t. “Clean. Still missing the one in the way back…. comes from being so old. Let’s call it a wisdom tooth.”