When a Laird Loves a Lady (Highlander Vows: Entangled Hearts Book 1) (28 page)

“Aye,” he replied, slipping his
hand back under her clothing and cupping her breast. His fingers moved deftly
and quickly over the hardened nub. “We’ll go at dawn, and afterward, ye can
show me what ye ken of shooting a bow.”

Marion’s eyes widened. “Really? Do
you have that much time to give me with all your training?”

“I will always have time for ye,
Marion,” he responded, his voice low and husky. And before she could tell him
how pleased she was, his mouth claimed her breast and all her thoughts fled,
save one: her husband certainly knew how to pleasure her.

The next morning, after several hours of gathering
what the cooks needed and then taking the stores to kitchen—to the delight of
the cooks—Iain and Marion set out into the woods adjacent to the castle. When
they arrived at a lovely spot dotted with trees, Iain pulled two bows from his
sack. One of them was the perfect size for Marion, and she could not help but
wonder if it had been Catriona’s.

It must have shown on her face,
because as Iain was passing her the bow, he said, “I had Graham make it for
ye.”

“What?” she gasped. “When? There
hasn’t been enough time for such a task.”

Iain chuckled. “Aye. Graham is
lightning-quick and excels at making all weapons. I asked him to make these the
night we arrived.” Then Iain produced a dagger that Marion had not even noticed
before. “I also had him make this for ye to replace the one Angus gave ye.”

Tears filled Marion’s eyes as she
took the dagger in her free hand. “Iain, I’m so touched.”

He smiled. “Good. I’d hoped ye
would be. Look at the dagger’s hilt.”

She handed the bow back to him, so
she could do so.

“
Teaghlach,”
he
said w
hen she looked at the inscription. “
It means
family
, and ye are a part of
mine. An important part.”

Marion’s heart
tugged and she sniffled, even as he lowered his head and brushed his lips to
hers. “Vow to me ye’ll never forget it,” he said.

She looked
deep into his eyes, wondering if this was his way of offering her something in
place of his love, but she pushed the thought away and concentrated on the
goodness of his gifts. “I’ll not forget. Now, shall I show you how I can
shoot?”

“Aye. And then
we can practice using the dagger. Yer skill needs a bit of work.”

“Don’t let
Angus hear you say that,” she grumbled.

Iain laughed.
“He taught ye fine, but now ye’ll learn from the best.”

“You arrogant
man,” she said with a chuckle.

Much later,
Marion realized Iain’s words had not been arrogant at all, but simply truthful.
His skill with the dagger and the bow amazed her, and as the sun set, they
gathered their things and walked hand in hand through the woods.

“That was the
best day I’ve ever had,” Marion said shyly.

Iain stopped
and pulled her into his arms. “It was a perfect day, aye?”

She nodded.

“I never did
anything like this with Catriona,” he said, surprising her with his openness.
Marion didn’t comment, hoping he’d reveal more, and he did.

“I allowed
being laird to consume almost every waking moment, and I never took time like
this with her. I regret that.”

Marion’s
throat tightened at the pain in his voice. Was he wishing Catriona were here
instead of her? Or was he trying to tell her that he did not want to repeat the
past? She wanted to ask him, but she was afraid of the answer, so she kept
silent all the way back to the castle.

Several days later, as Marion worked in the kitchen
learning how to cook some of Iain’s favorite dishes, Kyla came to stand by her.
“My lady,” Kyla started, her voice tentative.

“Marion,” she corrected.

“Aye. Marion.” The cook grinned. “I
dunnae mean to cause offense, but I see that ye seem to wear the same gown each
day.”

Marion felt her cheeks heat. “Yes,
I had to leave my home rather hastily, and there was no time to pack gowns.
Bridgette loaned me one, but it became filthy and tore on the trip here.
Bridgette did lend me another that I wore to supper the first night, but—”

“Ye need nae explain it,” Kyla
said, a mischievous twinkle in her eyes. “Yer gown was the talk of the kitchen,
and I ken well that ye could nae wear it about in the day to do work. So the
gown ye have on is yer only one?”

“It’s not even mine,” Marion said.
“It’s Bridgette’s. I’ve been meaning to ask about getting someone to sew gowns
and a cloak for me.”

“I’m a fair hand at sewing, if I
say so myself,” Kyla said. “I’d be honored if ye would allow me to sew ye some
gowns. I’ve never sewn anything as fancy as ye wear, but I’d like to try.”

“That would be lovely,” Marion
agreed. “Thank you.”

“If ye’ll come to my cottage later
today, I’ll fit ye. I sewed a few gowns for Catriona, and she requested a more
fitted style, so I do have some experience. I have some material at home, as
well, and I’m sure some of the girls in the kitchen will be happy to lend ye a
gown or two until yers are ready so ye dunnae take all Bridgette’s gowns,” Kyla
said with a wink.

“I’ll lend you one,” Elspeth
offered.

“You’re certain?” Marion asked. “I
don’t want to cause any trouble for you.”

“It won’t be any trouble at all,”
Elspeth said with a smile.

Once Marion got directions to Kyla
and Neil’s home, she and Elspeth left for Elspeth’s cottage so she could fetch
a gown for Marion to borrow. Marion’s stomach turned as they neared the home
and she saw Fiona going inside.

By the time she and Elspeth reached
the front door, it swung open and Fiona came charging out carrying a basket
full of embroidery. She stopped, and her eyes narrowed. “What are you doing
here?” She glanced between Marion and Elspeth and then speared Elspeth with a
stare. “And why are you with
her
?”

Elspeth jutted her chin out at her
sister. “She needs to borrow some gowns until she has new ones made, and I’ve
one stashed in a trunk that none of us wear.”

Fiona’s lips parted, and she
gasped. “She can’t wear that gown!”

“Of course she can,” Elspeth
replied. “Don’t be so petty. Think how pleased the MacLeod will be when he sees
that ye’re striving to be civil.”

Though Marion didn’t love that
Fiona needed coaxing to be nice to her, especially in the hopes of gaining
Iain’s favor, it did immediately work.

Fiona fairly grinned. “How clever
ye are, little sister.”

Elspeth bit her lip. “I just
remembered that I forgot to add a spice to my soup! I must make haste to the
kitchen. Fiona, please retrieve the gown for Marion.”

Fiona scowled. “I don’t see why I
have to be the one to—”

“Fiona, please!” Elspeth begged. “I
must go tend to the soup!”

“I’ll come back another time,”
Marion offered.

“I’ll do it,” Fiona grumbled.

Elspeth called a thank-you as she
disappeared back in the direction from which they had come not moments ago.

Marion felt Fiona’s glare on her.
She took a deep breath and met the woman’s gaze. “I don’t want to be enemies.”

“Nay?” Fiona snarled. “Then leave.”

Marion’s anger stirred. “Why do you
hate me so? It’s not my fault your sister died. I don’t want to make anyone
forget her, and I’m sorry I took the place you thought was to be yours.”

“Ye’re nae the first,” Fiona snapped.
“I’m the eldest, and by all rights, I should have married Iain but Catriona
stole him by gaining his pity.”

“I thought Catriona was the
eldest,” Marion said.

Fiona’s eyes flashed. “Nay! I am.
Always have been. Catriona stole what should have rightfully been mine.
Everyone thought she was so sweet and kind, but I knew better. She wanted to be
mistress of Dunvegan Castle, so she used the only thing she had, her frailness,
and she gained Iain’s favor with it. When she died, I bided my time and waited
patiently for him to heal.”

Marion’s stomach turned. Fiona
would never forgive her and they would never be friends. Fiona now saw Marion
as the newest person to take a position that she believed belonged to her.

Marion straightened her shoulders.
“Fiona, I have taken charge as mistress of the castle.” She did not want to
shun the woman; that would only make things worse. So Marion would keep Fiona
busy and distracted. She tried to think of some of the more innocuous tasks
where Fiona could not cause too much trouble. “I’d like it very much if you
would remain in charge of teaching embroidery and dance to the ladies.”

Fiona’s mouth dropped open, and her
nostrils flared. “Ye think to do everything else yerself, do ye?”

Marion shook her head. “Not at all.
I intend to make someone head of each area of the castle, and we’ll all work
together. Will you help?”

Fiona’s eyes darkened, and her
mouth pinched. “I’d nae help ye even if remaining part of the clan depended on
it.”

“Well, then,” Marion said, her
temper brewing, “It’s a good thing it does not.”

Fiona flinched, and Marion saw the
woman curl her hands into fists. She surprised Marion by swiveling on her heel
and storming into the cottage. The door slammed behind her, and Marion stood
alone, gaping at the slab of wood. She sighed. She supposed that was her signal
to depart.

She hesitated for a moment,
wondering if there was something she was missing. It felt as if there was, but
what it was she was not certain. Taking a long, deep breath, she concluded that
even if she was missing something, it didn’t change the fact that Fiona wanted
Iain and she could not have him. Marion turned to leave but stopped when the
door behind her banged open. She turned around to see Fiona stomping out
carrying a gown and a hair comb. Marion’s eyes widened when she saw the
luxurious green silk gown. It looked like a gown she’d once seen the queen
wearing when she’d passed through with the king, not here at Dunvegan, where
the women wore loose, practical gowns of drab wool.

Fiona thrust the gown and hair comb
at Marion. “The hair comb matches the gown. The gown needs a good airing, but I
imagine it should fit ye well enough until yer gowns are made. Ye should wear
it tonight to please Iain.”

Was this the woman’s very awkward
attempt at trying to be civil? If it was, Marion would do her best to
reciprocate. “Thank you, Fiona, for retrieving Elspeth’s gown for me.”

Fiona gave her a tight smile.
“Ye’re welcome. I’ll see ye at supper.”

With that, Fiona left Marion
standing alone once again. This time, though, Marion didn’t hesitate to turn
and make haste back to the castle, rather excited at the prospect of putting on
the lovely gown.

She took care washing for dinner,
brushing her hair until it shone and then pulling one side up to secure it with
the comb. She would have pinned all her hair up, but it was thick and she would
have needed several combs. The gown was snug in the chest when she put it on,
which made sense as Elspeth was not as shapely as Marion. It was not cut overly
low, but because it was tight on her, it pushed her breasts up higher than she
would normally dare. She didn’t think it was indecent, however.