Catriona had died so young and sounfairly, so the niggle of jealousy Marion felt toward the woman made her feelawful. Fiona had told her at the feast that Catriona had confessed on herdeathbed that Iain had wanted to fly the Fairy Flag to save her, but Catrionahad vowed that if he did, she’d fling herself from a cliff. The woman wasselfless. For the good of her clan, Catriona had made her husband stay hishand.
Marion swallowed the large lump inher throat. Iain had loved Catriona with all his heart. He’d loved her so muchhe’d been willing to put the needs of the clan after his need to save his wife.Marion’s heart twisted. He’d never love her that way. He’d said himself thathe’d never fly the flag for her, and even knowing that, she’d confessed herfeelings.
What did she do now? She glancedaround the bedchamber, feeling like an intruder and out of sorts. One of thefew places she felt truly comfortable was in a kitchen, and the kitchen herecertainly could use her help. She wondered if Iain would frown upon it as herfather had, until he realized how much better the food tasted with herdirecting the staff.
She heaved a sigh as she startedfor the door. She was going to have to go search out Iain and gain hispermission to make some changes in the kitchen. The prospect of locating thehusband who seemed to be avoiding her was daunting, but if she was going to getthe MacLeod women to like her, she had to start somewhere besides Fiona andAlanna, both of whom clearly despised her.
A while later, after searching forIain and not finding him, she ran into Bridgette, who insisted on helping herlocate him. Marion knew Bridgette had only agreed because she wanted to seeLachlan. Still, she was glad for the company. The first two servants theystopped to ask thought the men were at the stables, but they only found Angusthere. He spent some time demanding to know what had happened last night, andafter Marion had told him, she had to soothe him to ensure he’d not confrontFiona. Once he was calm, he told her that Iain and Lachlan were training by thewater. Before Marion and Bridgette made their escape from the stables, however,Archibald appeared, red-faced because Bridgette had apparently been evadinghim, and insisted on seeing the women safely to Iain.
Archibald spoke of the sea as theydescended the seagate stairs, and Marion stared out at the water of the lochand recalled the breathtaking cerulean water of the sea that lay directlybeyond it. Today, birds blanketed the sky, calling in loud squawks from above.And still higher than the birds could even hope to reach were scores of darkstorm clouds.
Marion imagined Iain was readyinghis men for a possible attack from her father and Froste. At least Marion hopedthat was the reason behind the early training rather then the alternative ofIain avoiding her.
Before she saw Iain, she heardsteel crashing against steel. The sounds of battle led them across the land andaround the corner of the cliff wall like a torch in the darkness. She gasped atthe sight of her husband standing in the center of a circle of Scots. He wasshirtless with his sword raised above his head, his brother Lachlan facing him.
They circled each other, obviouslyvery nearly matched in expertise from what she watched. Iain would serve ablow, his thick, bulging forearms the only sign that the sword weighed morethan a feather. As he brought his sword down for the third time and Lachlan methim in the air, the corded muscles in Iain’s stomach tightened like bands sewntogether perfectly. He backed Lachlan so close to the edge of the large circlethat the crowd of men had to shuffle back to keep from being overtaken by thefight.
“Yer husband is the most skilledfighter I’ve ever seen,” Archibald commented.
“Me as well,” Marion murmured, awedby the unbridled power that flowed from him.
“Lachlan is fiercer,” Bridgetteinserted, ever loyal to a man who did not seem to appreciate her.
Marion glanced at Bridgette to giveher a sympathetic smile, but her breath caught at the jealousy she saw flashingin Archibald’s eyes. He truly cared for Bridgette, yet Bridgette pined forLachlan. For a heartbeat, Marion’s problems seemed less complicated. Until shesaw that the fight had ended and Fiona had appeared from around the corner witha bucket of mead and a cup for Iain.
Fiona dipped the cup in the bucketand handed it to Iain, who took it with a grin. Marion’s temper snapped. Shestormed across the rocky terrain, or she tried to storm, as the uneven landmade her progress wobbly and slow. She barged through the men who appearedrather stunned to see her, but she did not stop for a single nicety, as shenormally would, until she stood face-to-face with Iain, who was so bold as tobestow a smile on her after the one he’d just given Fiona.
She plunked her hands on her hipsand glared up at her husband. “I need to speak to you now!” She’d meant to askhim and not demand. And she’d certainly not meant to yell a command at herhusband in front of his men, but Fiona had put her hand on Iain’s arm, andwell, Marion simply felt as if she were going to explode.
Iain tried to shrug Fiona’s hand off his arm as hestared down at Marion, who by her glittering eyes, high color, and flarednostrils was in a fierce temper about something. Iain’s gut told him thatsomethingwas Fiona and her hand on his arm. His wife loved himandshe wasjealous.Of Fiona. He grinned, even as he contemplated how to addressthe problem of Fiona and assuage Marion’s delicate feelings. Whether his wifeever realized it or not, he’d already ascertained she was delicate. Oh, she wastough on the outside, but beneath that outer shell of iron, her core consistedof pure soft love and a giving heart.
When Fiona refused to move herhand, he removed it for her and took Marion by the arm. As he guided her awayto a cave, he barked an order over his shoulder for Lachlan to keep trainingthe men.
Once Iain and Marion were hidden bythe cave walls, he turned to face her. He meant to chide her for ordering himabout in front of his men, but her teeth were chattering as the wind whippedher pale hair against her face. She reached up, twined her hair quickly, and thencrossed her arms over her chest.
He frowned. “Why are ye nae wearinga cloak?”
“I left my mother’s behind to makeit appear as if I’d drowned.”
“I did nae ken it was yer mother’scloak yer father spoke of. I’m sorry for that and that I’ve nae appointed oneof the women to sew ye another. That was rude of me.”
She shrugged. “Bridgette loaned mea gown, but she only has one cloak. Usually, the mistress of the castle wouldattend my needs, but as Fiona hates me and is so busy attending toyourneeds, I doubt a cloak for me—or any clothing, for that matter—is on her mindat all.”
“Now, Marion,” he started, but herscowl silenced him. He sensed she needed to speak.
“I do not like the way Fiona looksat you and touches you.”
“Neither do I,” he immediatelyagreed. “What do ye want me to do about it? Do ye want me to marry her tosomeone from another clan?” He easily could. He had briefly considered theidea, but he was reluctant to send her away without giving her time to adjustto his new bride.
Marion shook her head. “No. Thatwould only make all the other women hate me. And I’m still not certain I cannotgain her favor. I just need time.”
“One month,” he decided. “That’senough time for the woman to stop acting like ye’re the devil and I’m a prizeto be won.”
“You’re no prize,” Marion grumbled.
He caught his wife around the waistand pulled her to him, crushing her softness to his bare skin. The contactinstantly aroused him. “Ye did nae think that the night before last when yescreamed and moaned in my arms,” he whispered huskily in her ear, contemplatingand reluctantly dismissing the idea of taking her here in the cave. His menwere too near.
Marion shoved back against hischest, but he refused to loosen his hold. She looked up at him, her annoyanceapparent on her face. “Well, I certainly thought so last night when you failedto join me in bed as you said you would.”
