Page 20 of Sins of a Scot
“I only have yer word fer that,” Owen argued.
“What has me life got tae dae with ye at any rate? Ye wouldnae even ken I had a power if I hadnae have told ye,” she countered.
“Still,” Owen said carefully, “I think I would like tae investigate it further, and thus, I’m afraid, ye’re nae going anywhere.”
But Iseabail had an ace up her sleeve. He could not keep her prisoner against her will, and there was not a chance she was returning to those dungeons.
“Ye will come with me tae find the stone,” she said adamantly.
His eyes widened, surprised at her confidence, and then surprise turned to amusement, and he began to chuckle. “Have ye forgotten that yer powers dinnae work on me?”
“Nae,” she shook her head, “I havenae. However, I am well aware that yer faither doesnae ken about yer fighting.”
The laughter halted immediately and Owen glared at her.
Iseabail smiled. “I’m also aware that ye dinnae want him tae ken. So, ye see, I only need tae ask fer an audience with the laird, tae which I am entitled, and yer faither will discover everything ye are keeping secret from him.”
“Ye wouldnae dare,” Owen growled.
“Try me,” Iseabail spat back.
He could do nothing but glare at her, for they both knew she had him over a barrel. His frustration was obvious, and she was certain she could see his mind working to find a way that he could get out of this situation. He couldn’t, and he knew it. But Iseabail wasn’t Laird Sutherland, and blackmail did not feel right in her gut, even if it might be necessary under thecircumstances. Perhaps she could make this easier for both of them.
“As an act o’ good will, I can offer ye something in return,” she said. “Me clan is very wealthy. Our treasury is filled with gold and silver, as well as many coins. If ye come with me and help me find this stone, I will give ye all the money ye need.”
He scowled at her, gritting his teeth and tensing his jaw. “How dae ye ken I need yer money?” He threw his hands up and gestured to their surroundings. “Can ye nae see the wealth o’ me own clan all around ye?”
Iseabail sighed, realizing Owen’s pride was bruised at her offer.
Men and their pride!
“I overheard yer conversation with Daire in the dungeons,” Iseabail confessed. “It is evident now, as I think about it, that if ye dinnae want yer faither tae ken ye are fighting, neither can ye ask him fer the money tae help ye. It is why ye fight, isnae it? Fer the money?” She gazed at him with interest. “Who are ye saving yersel’ from?”
Once more, his eyes grew wide, surprised that she knew as much as she did, and then his brow furrowed. “That’s nae o’ yer concern,” he growled.
“Maybe nae,” she countered, “but if ye help me, I can help ye.”
His pride still kept him from accepting straight away, so Iseabail waited. He would have no choice but to accept, and eventually, after more huffing and pacing, he did.
“Fine. I will accompany ye. But only because ye are giving me nay choice.”
“O’ course,” she replied diplomatically.
“We will have tae…” he trailed off, his mind working once more with what lay ahead of them. “We will have tae give me faither and stepmaither a good excuse. I cannae just leave fer a period o’ time.”
It was Iseabail’s turn to try and come up with a solution, and after a moment, she came up with a ridiculous idea. A ridiculous idea, and yet, the only one she could think of. “We could tell them we are courting, and that ye are coming tae see me lands.”
Owen raised his eyebrows at the suggestion, but shook his head. “They’d never believe that. Besides, ye have tae remember, Eden can sense a lie. She’ll pick that up in a second. Nae. It needs tae be based more on truth.”
The two took several more minutes to think, and then Iseabail tried again. “Ye are accompanying me back tae me lands. I was robbed, and ye have agreed tae make certain I return.”
He nodded slowly as he considered her suggestion. “Well, ye have been robbed, in a way. Ye’ve been robbed of yer family.”
“And me freedom.”
“And yer peace.”
“And me future,” Iseabail added.
