Icy fear twisted inside of her, andher heart was beating so fast she pressed a hand to her chest. “Me?” Sheimmediately thought of Froste and her father.
The seer nodded. “Do ye want to kenanything else?”
Even with the cool temperature ofthe air, sweat moistened her palms. She trembled as images of Iain in the midstof a great battle with her father and Froste’s men flooded her mind. The seerhad said she only knew the future up to the point she’d touched you, and thatthe future could change if you changed your actions. Marion swallowed. She wastoo afraid to ask anything more about herself, but she had promised Bridgetteshe would convey her question.
“Bridgette would like to know if herbrother will be safe if she journeys to the MacLeod lands with me.”
“Aye. For a time.”
Marion started to breathe out asigh of relief, but the seer squeezed her arm and Marion’s hair on the back ofher neck suddenly prickled. The woman’s deep eyes pierced her. “She’ll take thedanger with her, and the danger will become yers.”
Suddenly, the seer pulled her gazeaway from Marion and looked past her to Archibald. “Come,” she commandedloudly. “Let me take yer hand.”
Marion turned to see what he’d say.
He shook his head. “Nay, old woman.I dunnae wish to learn my future. Only God should ken that.”
In this moment, Marion ratherwished she hadn’t let the seer touch her, either. She found she suddenly,desperately wanted to leave. She thrust the cloak at the woman. “I must returnto castle,” she said.
“Oh, aye,” the seer replied. “Yecan leave, but that will nae change what I’ve told ye.”
“Hush yer trap,” Archibald snapped.“Come, Marion.”
This time, Marion gladly followedArchibald, and as they started back, she didn’t try to make conversation, lostas she was in worry about what trouble she might cause Iain’s clan.
When Archibald cleared his throat,Marion met his hooded gaze. “Ye asked me afore how I ken what Alex’s father didto mine…”
Marion nodded.
“Alex told me. It took him until Iwas fifteen to do so, but on my fifteenth birthday, his father died and Alextold me the story. Do ye ken, up until then, I’d imagined my father must havedone something terrible since no one would speak of it? I thought perchance hewas a traitor or a coward, but Alex told me he was verra courageous and hisfather had been tormented with guilt over what had happened.”
“You must have been very glad tolearn the truth,” Marion said quietly, seeing the pain etched on Archibald’sface and hearing the catch in his voice.
He stopped and gave her anincredulous stare. “Glad?” His hands were fisted at his sides, his knuckleswhite. “I was nae glad. I was angry that no one had been courageous enough todisobey the mighty laird’s command to nae speak of what happened. They all letme believe my father was a bad man, that I should be ashamed.”
Marion reached toward him to givehim a reassuring pat on the arm, but he jerked away. She licked her lips, anervous feeling sprouting in her belly. “I’m sure they didn’t know that youfelt ashamed of your father. They were simply following the orders of theirlaird.”
He said nothing for a long moment,but he continued to walk. Finally, when she thought he was not going to speakon the subject again, he said, “I’m sure ye’re right.”
To her, his words sounded false andforced, but she didn’t comment. She simply quickened her pace toward the castleand, hopefully, Iain.
Fourteen
Iain muttered to himself as he strode up the pathtoward where he’d been told the seer lived. When he’d returned to Alex’s hold notlong before, Iain had been exhausted, but his anger at learning where Marionhad gone had woken him right up. He couldn’t believe Marion was as foolish asto go back to the seer’s when she knew Froste’s men could be about. It didn’tlessen his fury that she had taken Archibald to watch over her. It increased itbecause Archibald should have known better. The man was too sure of himself tothink he was so invincible that he could take Marion from the safety of thecastle.
Iain stalked up the steepembankment, aware that he needed to get control of himself before he saw Marionand Archibald. He took a few deep breaths and regarded the rocky cliff. As hewas considering the best way to make his way up it, Marion and Archibaldcrested the hill. Iain watched, his eyes narrowing, as they descended hand inhand. Once they were on flat ground again, Archibald didn’t let go of Marion.He faced her and said something that Iain couldn’t hear. But even if he’d beenstanding right next to them, he doubted he’d have heard Archibald’s words overthe roar of his blood in his ears.
He would keep his calm. He repeatedthe thought in his head as Marion and Archibald looked his way as one.Archibald released Marion’s hand.
“Iain!” Marion cried out,scrambling toward him so quickly she slid, arms flailing, the last few paces tohim. He caught her around the waist to stop her forward motion. She laughed asshe peered up at him, her cheeks pink from the cold and her eyes glistening.“How was the hunt?” she asked, touching his cheek. Her hand was warm, and Iainsuspected it was because Archibald had been holding it. Iain moved her handaway from his face, and unmistakable hurt filled her eyes. It normally wouldhave given him pause, but he was livid.
“Ye kinnae be so foolish as tothink it’s safe to visit the seer when there is a verra real danger of Froste’smen lurking around here.”
Her eyes widened, then narrowed.“You said I was safe, and that Alex had increased his guard. And you also saidthat by dawn a knight would not have a hope on MacLean land, so don’t look atme as if you’re angry.”
He stared at his wife,disbelieving. He had said all that, but he’d not meant she was so safe that shecould go running off, and especially not without him. She was safe with him,not Archibald. “Ye misunderstood me.”
“So I’m not safe?” she demanded,her eyes blazing.
