Highland Lover (29 page)

horde of brothers. It was also obvious that he and Mavis were very friendly. The blush that colored

Mavis’s plump cheeks as she let go of Brian’s arm and sat down at the table bespoke guilt. Alana

exchanged a brief look of mingled surprise and suspicion with Fiona before turning her attention

back on Mavis and Brian.

Mavis was an attractive woman with thick, dark auburn hair and bright hazel eyes. She was also

somewhat voluptuous, and Alana hastily beat down the sting of envy that swept over her. Pushing

all thought of how this woman had a claim on Gregor from her mind, Alana made a careful study of

Brian and Mavis as they ate and talked with her and Fiona. By the time the couple left, Alana was

not sure if she was happy for herself or outraged for Gregor’s sake. She looked at Fiona, who stared

after the couple with an intense frown upon her face.

“Do ye think Mavis is playing Gregor false with his own brother?” she asked Fiona.

“Nay, Mavis isnae the type of woman to break a vow,” replied Fiona.

“Then I have let my own foolish hope make me see what isnae there. ’Tis clear that I am still a

besotted fool.”

“Oh, ye saw clearly enough. If those two arenae lovers already, they soon will be.”

“But ye said—”

“That Mavis wouldnae break a vow, aye. Since she is besotted with Brian and he with her, and they

appear to be acting upon those feelings, then we must conclude that Mavis kens verra weel that she

isnae betrothed to Gregor.”

Alana slumped in her seat and gently rubbed her temples, not surprised to feel the beginnings of a

very bad headache. “Why would she, and her father, lie about it?”

“’Tis most likely her father who lies, and Mavis is the sort of sweet, biddable lass who would ne’er

dream of arguing with him or defying him. As to why her father would lie? Weel, Mavis is his only

surviving child and he has no male heir, or at least none whom he likes. He wants a strong mon who

can hold his lands for Mavis once he is gone. He wants grandsons and ’tis clear to all that this clan produces sons in abundance. Since Mavis is a wee bit older than ye are, one can only guess at why

she is still unwed, but her father grows anxious. So, he has clutched at our Gregor.”

It made sense, but Alana was reluctant to allow herself to hope. Even if the betrothal was false and

Gregor ended it, there were still his lie and his lecherous past to consider. There was also the fact that he had never spoken to her of love or marriage. Gregor might not marry Mavis, but that did not

mean he would turn around and marry her, either.

“If Mavis is such a sweet, biddable lass who would never defy her father, then the betrothal

between her and Gregor still stands.”

“I dinnae think so. Mavis probably kens that her father isnae so much set on Gregor as he is set

upon a strong mon who will give him grandsons. For that, our Brian will do as weel as Gregor. I am

just nay sure how this will end. Mavis’s father is a stubborn mon who doesnae like to change his

mind. He has set his mind on Gregor. This could be quite interesting.” Fiona drummed her fingers

on the table and frowned. “And I get the feeling my husband kenned all about Brian and Mavis. I

suspicion that is why he convinced Gregor to go with him to Ardgleann.”

“To clear the path for Brian?”

“Aye. Ewan had a long talk with Gregor ere we supped last night and told me that I was right, that

no official betrothal existed. He said Gregor felt he owed Mavis as gentle a fareweel as possible and one that wouldnae humiliate her, for even though he wasnae betrothed to her, he had raised

expectations with his courtship. Ewan also told me that he might take Gregor with him so that the

mon could most carefully plan how he would do that. He said it wouldnae be possible if Gregor was

trapped here with Mavis and her father dogging his heels. The fool could find himself married to the

wrong woman.” Fiona cast Alana a telling glance that she ignored. “It all sounded verra wise. Now?

Weel, I am fair certain Ewan took Gregor away so that Brian could woo and claim Mavis.”

“So much intrigue. Weel, no one should be forced into a marriage they dinnae want, even lecherous,

lying dogs like Gregor. So if Mavis wants Brian and he wants her, I wish them both luck. I dinnae

think it will change my situation, however.”

Fiona scowled at her. “Why not? Gregor will be free.”

“Free, aye, but he still lied to me and he ne’er told me about his sons, proof of a verra lecherous

past.”

“Och, most men try verra hard to have a lecherous past.”

Alana ignored that even as she acknowledged it as the hard truth. “He has also ne’er told me that he

feels anything beyond lust for me or spoken of a future for us.”

“He couldnae until he set Mavis aside.” Fiona grimaced. “That sounds harsh. He really hadnae

promised her anything. Still, she was a knot he needed to untie.” Fiona reached out and grasped

Alana’s hand. “Aye, he lied and he was a lecherous pig in his past. He isnae perfect. What mon is?

Or what woman, either? But, Alana, ye love him and I have kenned enough Murray women for long

enough to ken that ye would ne’er have become his lover unless ye were certain he was your true

mate. I think Mavis will soon take herself away, ending this complication and, sadly, with less care

for Gregor’s feelings or pride than he had for hers. So wait. Just wait. See what happens and what

he does when he finds himself free. Is he nay worth that little effort?”

He was, but Alana wished she did not think so. Everything Fiona said concerning why Gregor had

never told her about Mavis made perfect sense. Alana could even understand why he had hesitated

to tell her about his sons. He had tried to speak to her last night, but she had been too angry and hurt to listen. And then, Mavis had come to take him away.

And that, Alana realized, was the source of yet another wound. Gregor was full of consideration for

Mavis, for her feelings and her pride. Where was his consideration for hers? He could not be so

blind that he did not know how hurt she was, how betrayed and humiliated she felt, yet it was Mavis

he was concerned about. It made her doubt that he had any deep feelings for her at all, that, perhaps, she truly had been no more than a convenient lover.

“I dinnae like that look upon your face,” murmured Fiona.

“I am thinking just as ye told me to do.”

“Aye, but I dinnae think they are the kindly, loving, forgiving types of thoughts I was hoping for.”

“Fiona, I will wait as ye have asked me to, and despite the fact that Gregor has ne’er spoken of love or marriage. I will wait, and think, but I willnae let myself hope. When he is free, I will see what he does next and then decide what I should do. Ye cannae ask any more of me.”

“Nay, that is more than enough. Just try not to think too harshly about him and too poorly about

yourself.”

Alana tried. She rested so that her scrapes and bruises could heal, and she spent a lot of time lost in her own thoughts. For three days she carefully examined every word Gregor had ever said and how

he had treated her when they had been together. She could find forgiveness within her, but she did

not allow hope to enter her heart.

She also kept a very close watch on Brian and Mavis. The romance between Mavis and Gregor’s

brother was obvious to all except, it seemed, Mavis’s father Ian. The man grumbled about being

deserted by his soon-to-be son-in-law, talked far too much about how quickly the marriage could

take place after Gregor returned, and remained oblivious to the fact that his daughter was falling in love with Brian. Mavis was sweet and biddable, but she was also skilled at keeping secrets. Alana

grew more certain every day that Brian and Mavis did not plan to ask Laird Ian for his blessing.

It was late on the fourth day when Alana stood at the window in her bedchamber staring out at the

moonlit bailey and saw that she was right about the lovers. She had been thinking of Gregor as she

too often did when a movement near the stables caught her eye. A man led two horses out of the

stables and, from such a distance, all Alana could be sure of was that it was one of Gregor’s

brothers. It was the sudden appearance of Mavis at his side that told her it was Brian. The couple

briefly embraced and then Brian helped Mavis into her saddle. He mounted his horse, grasped

Mavis by the hand and spoke to her. Mavis smiled and nodded and they rode out through the

suspiciously wide-open gates and away from Scarglas.

For a brief moment, Alana actually considered raising the alarm. She realized she was seeing it all

as a great insult to Gregor and felt outraged for him. He had been so considerate of Mavis, so

concerned that she not be hurt or humiliated, and this was a wretched way for her to repay that

kindness.

“And ye are a wretched great idiot,” she told herself as she went over to her bed, where

Charlemagne waited for her.

As she settled herself beneath the covers, she realized that a little of the pain in her heart had eased and she cursed. She had obviously not been completely successful in killing all hope. That worried

her enough that she seriously considered following Brian and Mavis’s example and fleeing Scarglas.

Only her promise to Fiona to wait and see what Gregor did once he was free held her in place. She

feared suffering more pain but struggled to grasp firm at a little courage. Gregor was worth at least one more chance. The love she could not kill demanded it of her. Alana did think, however, that

there was no need to make it easy for him.

Alana started down the steps toward the great hall looking to break her fast when she saw a red-

faced Ian Kerr come striding out of the great hall. He threw open the door leading out into the inner bailey and bellowed for someone to get him a fast horse. The moment he was gone, Alana hurried

to the door to the great hall and looked inside. Fiona sat in her husband’s big chair at the head table calmly eating. Charlemagne slipped past Alana and hurried toward Fiona. He was immediately

gifted with a piece of chicken.

“I had thought I was early enough today to break my fast in the company of everyone else,” Alana

said as she walked to the head table and sat down next to Fiona.

“They were all here ere the sun had fully risen and then did their verra best to disappear,” said Fiona.

“So that they wouldnae have to face Mavis’s verra angry father?”

“Saw him, did ye?” Fiona shrugged when Alana nodded. “I dinnae envy Brian that mon for a

father-in-law.”

“I saw Mavis and Brian leave last night, riding quickly through some surprisingly wide-open gates.”

“Weel, dinnae look at me. I didnae have anything to do with it. Ewan probably had a word with the

lads before he left. ’Tis the only reason I can think of for why none of Gregor’s other brothers

stopped Brian from wooing Mavis. Someone had told them that Mavis wasnae really betrothed to

Gregor. They can all be lecherous swine, but they never touch a woman who belongs to one of their

brethren.”

Alana helped herself to some porridge, sweetening it with honey and thick cream. “They might

have learned that Mavis wasnae really betrothed to Gregor, but that doesnae mean they knew for

certain whether or not Gregor wanted her.”

“True, so somehow they learned that he didnae.”

“Do ye ken, for a moment I almost raised the alarm and stopped them.”

Fiona laughed and nodded. “Aye, so did I. I could only think how dare they humiliate Gregor like

this.”

“Exactly. Howbeit, good sense prevailed and not just because this frees Gregor. Mavis has ne’er

done me any harm and seems a good woman. She deserves her happiness as much as anyone else

does.”

“Aye, she does. And now, we wait for Gregor to return.”

“Aye, and now we wait.”

“Ye will at least listen to the fool, will ye not?”

“I will listen if he wishes to talk, but I cannae just allow him to woo me back to where we were

before Mavis intruded. I thought he was a free mon and that I was taking a risk in order to win his

heart, his free and open heart. Weel, now he can work to win my heart, and to win my trust back. I

trusted him once and, all good reasons for the lie aside, he betrayed that trust.” She was relieved

when Fiona nodded in agreement. “Last night I decided that I am willing to give him a chance, but I

have no intention of making it easy for him.”

“Good. It shouldnae be.”

“And, Fiona, if he doesnae act as ye think he will, if he really doesnae care for me beyond the

lusting, I will leave here.”

“Fair enough.”

“Ye think I will be staying, dinnae ye.”

“I do, but I understand why ye shy from letting yourself hope. I offer only one wee bit of advice.”

“And what is that?”

“Be verra sure ye recognize when ye have ceased to be reasonably difficult to win and have become

pigheaded and impossible.”

Alana laughed. “As ye like to say—fair enough.”

Chapter 18

“Gone? When? Where?”

Gregor stared at Fiona in shock and wondered why Ewan looked as if he wanted to smile. He had

spent six days away from Scarglas readying himself to face Mavis and her father, carefully planning

each and every word he would say to them. For most of the last ten miles of the ride home, he had

repeated his speech over and over in his mind so that he would not stumble over the words once he

confronted Mavis and her father. He had even made the effort to shake free of the anger he felt over