“I understand that, but I had to see it for myself.”
“Och, lass.” He reached up and tucked her hair behind her ear. “Ye have naught to fear. Although I take my leave to Lewis, ye have my word as your husband that ye are safe, Ella. MacGregor will be here with ye. He has Rosalia and Lachlann. He will nae let any harm befall ye and Aunt Iseabail. And now ye saw for yourself that the man is dead and gone.”
She lowered her gaze. “I must ask this of ye.” For a moment, she was silent. “Are ye certain it was the MacLeod? What if the MacLeod wasnae the man responsible?”
Alex sighed. “Ella, the archer wore the MacLeod tartan. If nae a MacLeod, why would the man wear the clan colors?” He pulled her close. “Donna fear. When I return from Lewis, this will all be over. Until then, I donna want ye thinking upon such things.”
She pulled back and brought her hand to his cheek. There was a spark of some unidentifiable emotion in her eyes. She looked as though she wanted to say something, but when he nodded for her to continue, she simply brushed her lips to his.
He pulled back and gave her a gentle smile. “I wish there was something I could say to ease your worry.”
She took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and simply embraced him.
Sybella wanted to tell Alex everything—how she was stupid enough to let her conniving father and brother convince her to search for the stone, how her marriage was all a bittersweet scheme to plot revenge, and how much she truly loved him. But until she got rid of that damned rock, she had to hold back. Nothing was for certain, and she couldn’t afford to take the chance.
As she sat next to Alex and Rosalia for the eve meal, she forced her eyes not to look at the MacDonell crest on the floor. For if she did, she was afraid her actions would betray her purpose.
“What are ye making for Anabel?” asked Rosalia.
“I am stitching a scarf. And I must admit, I am nae verra good at it.”
Rosalia giggled. “Aye, I know the feeling all too well.”
Ciaran leaned forward. “My wife isnae allowed to stitch my tunics. Howbeit she borrows them often.” When his eyes darkened and he kissed Rosalia, Sybella turned her head.
“How was your walk to the loch, Aunt Iseabail?” asked Sybella.
“It was verra lovely even though Lachlann slept most of the time.”
“And he would’ve stayed that way, but ye kept poking at him, Seanmhair.”
Aunt Iseabail waved her finger at Rosalia. “A grandson needs to spend time with his grandmother. Ye see him all the time. He can sleep on your watch.”
Ciaran bent his head forward. “Aye, well, when he doesnae sleep this eve, we will be sure to take him to your chamber so ye can spend more time with him.”
“I think ye make up these tales of my Lachlann. He is always a good lad.”
Rosalia laughed as Alex leaned over Sybella, tapping Rosalia on the shoulder. “How did she fare?”
Rosalia shrugged. Lowering her voice, she said, “She was having a good day and kept up with the conversation. She even recalled that she wanted to tell ye something when we returned. Of course, she forgot specifically what she wanted to say, but at least she remembered that.”
“Good. I think it helps when she walks and her mind is occupied with something. Thank ye, Cousin.”
Sybella tapped Alex’s thigh. “It seems Aunt Iseabail is having a good day.”
He smiled. “Having Rosalia and Lachlann here helps to keep my aunt’s mind busy. I think if Aunt Iseabail sits idle, her condition tends to worsen. And the fact that the woman gives Lachlann her attention directs her thoughts away from us.”
She raised her brow. “What do ye mean?”
“The fact that ye arenae with child.”
Sybella lowered her lashes, her husband’s comment leaving her with an inexplicable feeling of emptiness. She wasn’t sure exactly why, but she was somewhat saddened. Although under the current circumstances, bringing a bairn into this world was probably not the best of ideas. She felt trapped in her own lie.
She turned her head and studied Ciaran and Rosalia. Their love for each other was quite obvious. Seeing the two of them with Lachlann only further confirmed what she already knew. Instinctively, Sybella’s hand went to her stomach. When the time was right, she could only imagine how Alex would react when they were blessed with such a precious gift.
After finishing their meal, Aunt Iseabail wanted to take a walk in the garden, and Sybella couldn’t turn down another request. As Ciaran stood and pulled Lachlann from Rosalia’s arms, Sybella watched the loving family walk out of the great hall while she waited for Alex and Aunt Iseabail.
She found herself standing on the clan crest. She looked down and discreetly ran her foot over the seeing stone. It did not come as a surprise when the rock did not budge. Nothing could ever be easy. She would have to get a chisel to get the damn thing out.
Alex pulled out Aunt Iseabail’s chair and helped her to her feet. He looked up as Sybella waited, gracing him with a smile. At least his wife wasn’t turning down another opportunity to be with his family.
Aunt Iseabail took his arm, stepping down from the dais, and Alex almost stumbled when his aunt froze midstep. His arms supported her, but the woman merely stared at Sybella, who stood brushing her foot back and forth against the stone floor.
“Aunt Iseabail?”
After a long pause, his aunt finally turned to him. Her eyes displayed a liveliness that he hadn’t seen there for quite some time. “I must speak with ye alone with much haste, Nephew.” And with that, she turned on her heel and ambled toward his study.
“Ella, I will meet ye in the garden.”
Sybella’s eyes were gentle, understanding. “Are ye sure?”
“Aye.”
Alex followed Aunt Iseabail into his study. She walked over to the chair and then, as if she had a second thought not to sit, started to pace. Her behavior started to unnerve him.
She gestured toward the door. “Close it.”
“What is this about? What is wrong?” He shut the door and walked over to her, taking her arm. “Please sit, Aunt.”
She wiggled her way out of his hold. “Alexander, please stop forcing me to sit. Will ye listen? I must tell ye something.”
He sat down on the edge of the desk. “What is it?”
“The stone. Ye asked me about a stone.”
He became instantly wide awake. “Aye, I did. Do ye remember?”
“Seeing Sybella made me…” Aunt Iseabail shook her head. “Dòmhnall could ne’er understand how the MacKenzie got away with things. The man always seemed to know to steal from our clan when it hurt the most—before the winter or before the harvest. My brother thought mayhap it was purely dumb luck, but several years ago, Dòmhnall heard tales from…I think it was a MacLeod that the MacKenzie had a seer in his clan. Ye know our family struggled to survive, sometimes barely able to make ends meet. Howbeit the MacKenzies were always blessed with good fortune. Do ye nae find that odd, Nephew? Dòmhnall believed it was the result of the seer.”
Alex’s eyes widened. “A seer? Ye donna need a seer to know when ’tis best to raid and plunder from a clan. I have ne’er known Father to embrace such tales. Tell me more about this stone.”
She waved her hand at him. “Silence, Alexander.”
He folded his arms over his chest while Aunt Iseabail continued to speak.
“I think one of the MacKenzie maids ran away and married a MacLeod, but I cannae remember all of it. At any rate, this seer could only foretell when he held a particular stone.”
“Aunt Iseabail, I’m sure ’tis only a story to tell the wee bairns at night. Surely ye donna believe this. Granted, we live in the Highlands and I have certainly seen things that I cannae explain. But to have me believe there is a stone which this seer uses to foretell the future is—”