She took a deep breath and straightened her spine. “Colin, ye and Father are wrong. Alexander is a good man, and I’ve seen naught to tell me otherwise. He is kind and has a verra compassionate soul. Ye should see the way he cares for his aunt.” Sybella shook her head. “I cannae deceive him, MacDonell or nae. And frankly, I have had enough secrets between us. I am taking my leave with ye to Kintail. And I will speak with Father. I will nae do this.” She opened her trunk at the foot of the bed and pulled out her sack.
Colin whirled around, his mouth set in annoyance. “When will ye open your bloody eyes, Ella, and see the truth of our father’s ways? Father is the one who sent me here to make ye search for the stone! If ye didnae wed the MacDonell, your beloved sire was going to ship ye off to Lewis to marry the damn MacLeod on that desolate isle!”
She threw up her hands in the air. “Lies…Ye speak naught but lies. Father told me he would ne’er wed me to the MacLeod. Why would ye say such hurtful words, Colin? Ye are my brother. I donna understand why ye are doing this. Are ye angry because Father entrusted me to find the stone?”
He looked offended and lowered his voice. “I would ne’er do anything to hurt ye, Ella. Whether ye realize it or nae, I have always protected ye. Father wants the seeing stone returned to us and will do anything to recover it. Ye must find it. Ye donna have a choice. Ye cannae travel to Kintail and tell Father ye will nae do this. Trust me, ye simply cannae. Ye seem to have developed a certain…fondness for your husband. The MacDonell doesnae have to know ye look for the stone. Ye can be discreet. For if ye donna, Father will plot something against the MacDonell and I will nay longer be able to hold our sire at bay.”
When she sat down on the bed with the sack on her lap, she tried to mentally rein in her temper. She never thought she would see the day when a MacKenzie killed another MacKenzie under the roof of a MacDonell.
There was sourness in the pit of Sybella’s stomach. “I am such a fool. Ye must help me. I know I agreed to search for the stone, but things have…changed.”
Colin’s expression was almost regretful. “I see ye care for him.” When she did not respond, he continued. “I want ye to think upon my words. Father will ne’er let ye continue with your new life—nae until ye recover the stone and return it to our clan. I donna want to see ye hurt by refusing our father’s command. Ye have nay idea what the man is capable of. Ye have to do this whether ye like it or nae. Once ye are alone with your thoughts, ye will see reason.”
When she scowled at him, he quickly added, “Ye are a MacDonell in name only, and MacKenzie blood runs thick through your veins. I have faith that ye will do as our father commands.”
Sybella was so angry that tears welled in her eyes. “An diobhail toirt leis thu. Mach a seo!” The devil take you. Get out!
Colin merely walked out and closed the door behind him. Fury almost choked her. Her marriage was nothing more than another MacKenzie scheme. If Alex ever found out, there would be a bloody war. And reiving would no longer be an option. It would be man against man, sword against sword, to see who could shed the most blood between them.
She closed her eyes.
Sybella had spoken the sacred vows that bound her and Alex as one. MacKenzie blood or not, she was now a MacDonell. She had pledged her troth. Tears slowly slid down her cheeks. Her misery was like a weight upon her shoulders, a stab of guilt buried deep in her breast. How was she supposed to get herself out of this situation? Alex had preached words of honesty and trust. Perhaps she could find a way to speak with him without making him angry and without blood being shed. She wasn’t exactly sure what she’d say, but she’d figure it out. She always did. She had started this marriage under a false pretense, and now it was clearly time to right that wrong.
Sybella wandered aimlessly through the halls in search of her husband. She would need to proceed cautiously and think about her words before they escaped her lips, lest she find herself on the pointy end of Alex’s sword.
She reached Alex’s study and was lifting her hand to knock when raised voices sounded from within. She had to admit that she was curious if Colin had taken his leave or if he had again sought out her husband.
Sybella looked around and then placed her ear to the door.
“’Tis good to have ye again under roof, MacGregor. I grow tired of the damn MacKenzies.”
“Ye still donna trust them?” asked a deep voice.
Alex smirked. “As much as ye trusted the bloody Campbell.”
Twelve
“And ye must be Lady Sybella MacDonell, my cousin’s new wife.”
Sybella bolted upright, her eyes widening in surprise as she tried to mask the guilty look on her face. The woman speaking had chestnut tresses and wore a dusky rose dress that hugged her full-figured frame. She carried a bairn with curly brown locks and azure eyes that stared back at Sybella.
“My apologies. I was searching for my husband to tell him that my brother had taken his leave. I didnae know ye had arrived, my lady.” Sybella approached the woman and smiled. Running her hand over the bairn’s head, she said, “’Tis a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Lady MacGregor. And who have we here?”
The woman’s face lit up. “Please call me Rosalia. And this is my son, Lachlann.”
“Only if ye call me Sybella. And if ye donna mind me saying so, your son is a handsome laddie.”
“Thank ye. He is almost one year now and has already been taking steps and getting into trouble. Granted, he staggers like his Uncle Declan when he is in his cups, but my wee lad does try his best.”
“He is a lad. Of course he is getting into mischief,” said Sybella with a giggle. “Have ye seen Aunt Iseabail yet?”
“Nay, we only walked through the gates a moment ago, and Alexander stole Ciaran away to his study.”
“Then come. Ye have had a long journey. Let me offer ye something to eat and drink, and we will find your seanmhair.” Grandmother.
Sybella walked with Rosalia and Lachlann by her side when she wanted to do nothing more than crawl back into bed and lift the covers over her head. And to think she had almost been foolhardy enough to speak the truth to her husband! How many times had Alex preached to her about truth and honesty—yet she still couldn’t fathom the words that she’d heard escape his lips. If he couldn’t follow his own advice, how could she be expected to honor him with the same courtesy?
She bit her lip to stifle her outcry. Alex didn’t trust her. Not that she had given him any reason to place his faith in her, but the thought gnawed at her gut. How was she supposed to search for the stone now? Something must have shown upon her face because Rosalia interrupted her thoughts.
“We didnae arrive at an inopportune moment, did we? Ye look troubled, my lady.”
Sybella forced a smile. “Nay, and please call me Sybella.”
As they sat in the great hall, Sybella couldn’t stop her racing heart. Her face burned with the memory of Colin’s words. Her father would never let her rest until she found that dreaded stone. And here she was, placed in a dangerous position that required her to betray her husband and his clan. Then again, how could she possibly deceive Alex when he had never trusted her to begin with?
“So how do ye find being wed to Alexander?” asked Rosalia, bouncing Lachlann gently on her lap.