“I know someone else with a significant dose of pride,” Laurel squealed as she threw some wildflowers at Makenna and then quickly moved to avoid the revenge attack.
Gorten and Brodie stared at the two women rolling in the grass laughing and throwing weeds and plants on each other whenever they got the chance. “Whatever are they doing?” Brodie asked incredulously.
“I don’t know,” Gorten replied. “But it is good to hear our lady laugh and be herself again. I didn’t know if another Highlander staying at Lochlen was a good decision, but I am beginning to realize just how shrewd our laird is in all things, including his wife.”
Laurel blew stray pieces of grass off her mouth and sat up. “If Conor could see me now, he’d think the southern air has addled my brains.”
Makenna stood up and started brushing off the evidence of their momentary lapse in decorum. “Just tell him it was all Colin’s fault.”
“Colin’s fault?” Laurel questioned as she rose fluidly and began to remove loose grass from Makenna’s back.
“Aye, I am sure it was talk of his pride that led you to attack me.”
“No, it was talk of your pride,” Laurel argued, turning around so that Makenna could brush away any remnants of their merriment. “I saw your face when you entered the great hall and all was in order.”
“Good Lord, it will take a year to pluck this stuff out of your hair,” Makenna murmured. “That wasn’t pride. That was sheer relief. I didn’t want your first sight of Lochlen to be of the truth. Things are bad, Laurel. Very bad. I have less than half the staff needed to maintain a home of Lochlen’s size. My efforts to maintain the castle and prepare for winter are continually being sabotaged by my own clan.”
“But that doesn’t make sense,” Laurel said, loosening Makenna’s tight braid to remove the embedded branches.
“Oh, that feels better. And it would make sense if you understood just how much they resent me for marrying Colin and making a Highlander their laird.”
“What does Colin say about this?”
“I have only told him a little of what has been happening. I know it angers him a great deal when the attacks involve me, but when they are aimed directly at him, his attitude is almost dismissive. When someone says something rude, he acts as if he didn’t hear it. I haven’t the heart to tell him that his approach isn’t working. I don’t know if anyone can turn a person’s heart, let alone a whole clan. I fear that he will do as you did and leave. Then Colin will lose his chance of being a laird.”
“I wouldn’t worry too much about that. If Colin didn’t want to leave Lochlen, then he wouldn’t. And if Colin’s plan allows for leaving the Lowlands, then he is not upset at the loss. My guess is that he has found something far greater than being laird of a clan.”
Makenna turned and gave Laurel a doubtful look. “Did you say Colin’s plan? I don’t think he has one. He has more hope than a plan.”
Laurel chuckled and walked toward their horses, grabbing the reins to Makenna’s mare as she retrieved Borrail’s. “I forget you have only been married to Colin for a few months. In a couple of years, I’ll remind you about this conversation.”
“Aye, we have been married only a short time, but I have known him for over two years,” Makenna countered.
Laurel swung onto Borrail’s back and watched in curiosity as Makenna carefully mounted. “And how much time did you actually spend getting to know him?”
Makenna adjusted her skirts and gave Laurel a semi-scathing look. “So I avoided him most of the time. Still, there were two very aggravating years in which I saw very little of this great ability to strategize.”
“Get ready,” Laurel said, smiling as if she were just about to divulge a juicy secret. “You married a McTiernay, Makenna, and they are the masters of strategy. And to them, the very best plans are ones that don’t reveal themselves until they want them to be seen. Trust me, Colin is about to teach your people a hard lesson, and it will be your responsibility to help him when the time comes.”
Makenna scowled at Laurel. “But if he doesn’t tell me anything, how can I help?”
Laurel lifted one shoulder in an elegant shrug. “All he needs is your trust and your love. To know that regardless of the situation, you will support him…even if it means turning against your clan.”
Makenna grimaced and kicked her brown mare into a canter. She hoped it would not come to that, but if Colin were to leave, she would go with him.
Laurel watched in astonishment as Makenna rode proudly by her. Tears were springing up in her green eyes. Laurel suspected Colin had never told his wife how deep his feelings ran for her. She rode up and grabbed Makenna’s hand to get her attention. “Does he know you love him?”
Makenna nodded. “Aye, I told him.”
Laurel squeezed Makenna’s fingers and let go. “Makenna, we have not known each other very long, but I need you to trust that what I am saying is not just for your benefit, but because it is true. Colin loves you very much.”
“I know he cares for me, and sometimes when we are alone, I can see the love in his eyes, but then it is gone. He doesn’t want to love again after Deirdre. I can understand that.”
“He may not want to love you, but he does, even if he doesn’t say so aloud. A man protects what he cherishes, and by the number and size of the soldiers watching over you…”
Makenna glanced at Brodie, Gorten, and the rest of the soldiers keeping just out of earshot. “That’s not evidence of love, that’s just…annoying.”
Laurel shrugged. “Just wait until he learns that you are pregnant. You have only begun to see how annoying his hovering can be.”
Makenna’s hand jerked slightly at the comment. It was enough to confirm Laurel’s suspicions. Makenna was with child, and Colin had no idea.
As Makenna and Laurel neared Lochlen the majority of soldiers following them swung back toward the training fields, leaving Gorten and Brodie and Laurel’s two guards to see them safely back inside. Cresting the hill leading to the town gate, Makenna could see several figures hunched outside. One was unmistakably Colin.
Makenna pointed. Laurel nodded, seeing Conor crouched down on the other side. Makenna slid off her horse and moved quietly toward the group. Laurel followed.
Hearing someone approach, Colin turned and gave Makenna a quizzical look. He motioned for her and Laurel to come closer but remain silent. Then he made a strange gesture that Brodie and Gorten must have understood, for they immediately moved to the opposite side of the gate.
The second she was in arm’s length, Colin grabbed Makenna and placed her behind him. A second later Laurel was behind Conor.
“Whatever are you doing out here? We thought you were inside,” Colin growled.
“It was my fault. I wanted to see the countryside. No one told us that we were to remain confined,” Laurel shot back.
Conor rolled his eyes, and Laurel knew that he was praying for patience.
Laurel ignored him. “What’s happening, Conor? Is something wrong?”
“Not a thing,” Conor answered. “It’s all going exactly to Colin’s plan.”
Makenna’s eyes widened in surprise. Laurel had been right. “Why do we have to remain hidden?”
Colin grinned and then leaned forward eagerly. “Because, it would interrupt the show Lela is giving. And it is quite an interesting one. Come here,” he said, moving just enough for her to see.
Makenna looked through the small opening in the wood planks and saw Lela pacing around the Commune Tree shouting something.
Laurel whispered, “What’s that woman saying?”
“She’s challenging everyone to turn against Colin and join MacCuaig, the laird of a neighboring clan,” Conor whispered in explanation.