Page 86 of Highland Crown
“That ring signifies the truth of your parentage. It was a gift from your father to your true mother. Did you never wonder why it’s a crowned thistle?”
“This is madness.”
“You don’t need to believe me. You’ll meet her. And youwillbelieve her, for she has undeniable proof. You’ll believe her just the same as all of us believed her when she sent us a four-year-old lad to raise, to prepare him for his destiny.”
He still didn’t believe Lachlan. Orher, whoever she was. And he wasn’t going to waste his time here with this insanity.
Cinaed rose abruptly to his feet and walked a few steps away, but then stopped and turned around.
“You sent me away. Why?”
“Your grandfather was the rightful king of Scotland, but he couldn’t gather enough support in ’45. He couldn’t bring the people together. Your father was born on a foreign land and not even half the man Prince Charliewas. But it didn’t matter; it was too soon. The Highlands were still bleeding. But you—”
“What does that have to do with a lad of nine years? How does any of that justify tearing a child from the only home he’s ever known and casting him out to sea?”
Lachlan came to his feet. “We had to keep you safe. You were our last chance. You think we cast you out, but you were always watched, always protected.”
Cinaed thought of all the help Searc had given him over the years.
“Until now,” the old man continued, his eyes flashing. “Cinaed James Stuart, you are the true son of Scotland, and the Mackintosh clan and a score of others are ready to march with you.”
They’d been apart for only a few short weeks, but Isabella saw immediately that Maisie and Morrigan were no longer the naïve young women she’d been worrying about.
Both of them were happy to see her. They were in good health and appeared extremely well adjusted to life in these mountains, regardless of having spent all their years in the cities.
Her half-sister, Maisie, in particular, had matured considerably in the days since they’d said good-bye on the coach road outside Inverness. She’d always been quiet and amiable, but she now showed no hesitation about speaking her mind when she was told of their schedule and travel plans to Halifax.
“Isabella, listen to me,” she said. “I’m twenty years old. I love you as a sister, but none of the problems that drove us from Edinburgh affect me. There is no reward on my head. No one chasing after me. I’m not going tobe coerced into moving to the other end of the world. I need to find my own way, and I’ve decided it will be here in Scotland.”
As the three of them walked in the courtyard of the castle, Morrigan was listening closely to the younger sister. Seeing the pursed lips and restless hands, Isabella knew Morrigan’s impatience, at least, hadn’t changed. She clearly had a few things on her mind, and she was doing her best to wait her turn to share them.
Isabella felt the many eyes on them, especially on her, since she’d so newly arrived. There’d been some polite greetings and curious looks, but no warm welcome. She didn’t know how Searc had explained her, or if he’d said anything about her at all. The laird was meeting with Cinaed at the hunting lodge, and not a single person approached to greet the carriage when they arrived, except the two young women on either side of her.
“Are you ready for my opinion of the move to Halifax?” Morrigan asked bluntly.
“Let me guess, you’re no longer fond of our original plans either?”
“They were always your plans, Isabella, and not mine. Not ours,” she corrected, sending a look at Maisie. Morrigan, a year older, had never in six years shied away from expressing an opinion for both of them. To Isabella, it was a blessing that her reserved younger sister had a person to stand up for her.
People walked past them, sending Isabella a few nods. Some were coming close enough to eavesdrop. But this was not the time or place to continue this conversation. Neither of the young women wanted to hear her reasoning. They were without friends and penniless.They had no place to live, no means of feeding themselves or clothing themselves. Still, they each had a strong mind and a good education. They also had courage.
Isabella took a deep breath, trying to calm her worries. Because she’d always played the role of mother, now that she’d returned, they were eager to express their opinions and remind her of their independence.
She noticed Blair following at a respectful distance. Even within the safety of these castle walls, Cinaed was making sure someone was watching over her.
“Very well. Each of you should formulate your own plan for the future. When you’re ready, I’ll be open to hearing what you’ve decided.” She looked from one to the other. “And whatever it is, I’ll be there to support you.”
Isabella left them looking at each other, surprised expressions on their faces. She wanted to see John Gordon.
She found Jean sitting with her nephew in a tiny room off a gallery above the castle’s great hall. A week had passed since the young man had been brought up here. His arm was set, and his bruises were mending. Still, sitting beside him, she could tell he was wrestling in his mind with the torture he’d endured. His aunt spoke to him, told him that Isabella had come to see him, but she didn’t think he heard or noticed her. She’d seen this before in Edinburgh, when prisoners came to them after being subjected to the brutality of the authorities.
“He’ll recover, won’t he?” Jean asked her.
Isabella crouched beside her friend and took the old woman’s quivering hand in her own. “With you beside him, he will.”
“Do ye promise me?”
How many times she’d been asked that same question. A desperate mother or wife wanting some guarantee that a wound would heal. How many times she’d given an answer based on hope rather than on medical knowledge.
