“When she told me—” His eyes shone with grief. “I did not think anythin’ should hurt sae much to learn it lost. I would have given anything—”
She laid her palm against his chest. “I too.”
“Have I lost ye as well, lass?” His face was tight as he searched her face. “Ye need to tell the truth of it. Has yer heart changed toward me? Do ye nae want me now?”
“Want you?” She shook her head. “Of course, but you—the way you looked at me.” Her voice was tight with unshed tears and her words tumbled out. “I am so sorry, Colyne, for what I did! For sending William! I should have told you at the cottage. I saw us back at the castle and safe! I thought there time enough to tell you later but—oh, I was so wrong! Colyne, what I have cost you—”
“Nae,” he said softly, catching at her hands to hold them in his own. “Nae, the blame is mine to take. James gave me an age to think on it, ye ken. I know now ye thought yerself forsaken, ye and the bairn, and me to marry another when ye sent William. I canna imagine how ye must have been hurting.” His mouth worked for a moment. “I dinna have yer trust yet to seek me out for comfort and that’s on me. I should have done better by ye, sweet. I will, though—if ye’ll have me.”
“Of course—oh, Colyne but they must not find you here! You must flee before you are caught!”
He shrugged. “Well, I canna say the queen’s given me permission to visit yer bedchamber exactly but I hope to ride out tomorrow.”
“Ride—? So you are going to France?”
“Nay, back to the clan, o’course.”
She shook her head. “Colyne, you cannot go home!”
“Aye, I can,” he replied easily. “Sir William already journeys there to make the king’s will known. I have been absolved by the young king and Queen Joan of any guilt and thanked for me service to the crown.”
“Thanked?”
“Aye, for protectin’ the queen and”—he cupped her chin—“one of her ladies.”
“But, the king! I saw you!”
He took her hands, regarding her seriously. “I sent a woman to warn ye to flee. I would not for the world have had ye there, sweet. I hated the king as I’ve never hated anyone and, once I knew ye safe, the truth of it is I meant to kill him.”
“You meant to?” She swallowed. “You did not?”
“No other soul could have bid me to stay my hand but ye.” He closed his eyes briefly. “For love of ye I tried to save him, but I was too late. They had already run him through. Elizabeth Douglas was with the king still. I spoke to her, tellin’ her the queen must send ahead to protect the prince as there were those who planned to move against him as well.”
“We did it,” she breathed.
His brow creased.
“Don’t you see? We changed it. The way it was supposed to happen. My vision. You were to kill him but you did not.” She held his hands in hers. “We changed it!” Suddenly she frowned. “But if you were innocent where have you been? Why did you not come to me?”
He blinked. “I dinna kill the man but I would have been strung up just the same! What, did ye nae notice every man huntin’ me and the kingdom upside down?” he demanded. “’Twas only yesterday I reached Sir William to give him the truth of it.”
Isabella stared. “William? You went to William?”
“Friend or foe, the man is what he is. I’ve never known one with more conviction when his back is up. William took me before the queen tonight, callin’ forth the witnesses, Elizabeth Douglas and the woman I sent. I’faith, I have never seen a man sae brave as he! He told the queen he would go to the gallows with me if she condemned me unjustly.” He smiled. “Do ye know the queen couldna remember me face at all? Only the color of me hair.”
She was almost too afraid to say the words. “You are free? You are absolved?”
“Aye, absolved and me lands restored.”
“But what of my kidnapping?”
Colyne flushed and gave a short laugh. “Aye, well, neither William nor I made a point to remind Their Majesties of that wee matter. But the young king granted the only thing I sought,” he said, gathering her against him. “To wed the Somerset heiress.”
She searched his face, but she could see no teasing, no wicked grin. He was in absolute earnest.
“My Beaufort relatives will be furious,” she warned. “They will say the queen has overstepped her bounds by making my marriage.”
“But I’ll wager none of them have the stones to come to the Highlands and try takin’ ye from me.”
She laughed. “No, I wager they do not.”
He gave an embarrassed smile. “I would have come earlier tonight only I’ve been beggin’ Katherine’s blessin’ to wed ye since evensong.”
“You cannot say she gave it!”
“Grudgingly and took her time about it too! She promised me a floggin’ if I ever I caused ye a moment’s sorrow again.” His expression was chagrined. “She wished me know too, that ye marry beneath yer birth.”
She touched her forehead to his. “But not against my heart.”
“I ken I should be waitin’ till tomorrow to see ye as a proper betrothed should,” he murmured. “But I couldna wait.”
He brushed his mouth against hers.
“Now that I know for meself the bad luck of yer betrotheds, I’ll be seein’ to it we’re wed at the kirk’s door first thing tomorrow. But for tonight…”
He eased her back onto the bed as his mouth found hers. In Isabella’s mind appeared a gentle blur of color and images.
The summer sun warmed her face and lit the solar as she sorted herbs. Fall leaves were bright on the clootie tree. She rose on tiptoe to tie a cloth there in thanks for the clan’s forgiveness. She swept out the Christmas fire herself as Caitrina used to do. Colyne threw her a smile as he crowned Mary as Abbott of Unreason, and in the early spring—
“Isabella?”
The room snapped back into focus. Colyne was frowning down at her.
He touched her cheek. “Are ye all right, sweet?”
“Colyne, do you remember when we rode out to the well?”
He looked at her quizzically. “Aye?”
“And Malcolm wanted to wager which of us—Caitrina or I—would have the first babe?”
He nodded.
She smiled. “I can win us that gold coin.”
His eyes widened. “Ye can?”
“And this hair color,” she said, twisting a lock of its red-gold silkiness around her finger, “will look very fine on our little girl.”
If you enjoyed Isabella and Colyne’s story, please let others know by writing a review of Another Man’s Bride on Amazon and Goodreads.
Page down to read excerpts from my other currently available books, Stardancer and The Seer.
All the best,
Also by
Ariel MacArran…
Futuristic Romance
Available Now!
Kinara’s quest for revenge goes horribly wrong when she crosses into Az-kye space. Defeated and enslaved Kinara offers herself to Aidar, the Az-kye commander, in exchange for her crew’s protection. But this warrior wants much more than just her submission, he wants her to give herself completely . . .
An excerpt follows
STARDANCER
STARDANCER
©2013 Ariel MacArran
Tall and heavily muscled, the passing warriors were indeed an intimidating bunch. Between the arrogance of their strides, the dark skins they wore and the obvious scars of battle-hardened men, they seemed to be spoiling for a fight.
They might be strong, but she bet if something blocked their way they would probably hammer at it for hours with a sword rather than simply walk around it.
The thought made Kinara smile.
“That warrior pleases you?”
“Huh?” she said, jolted out of her thoughts to find a warrior looking back at her intently as they passed.
“Perhaps pleases you enough to share a bed with him.”
&nb
sp; She looked at Aidar to see that he was genuinely annoyed. “No, I was just thinking.”
“And looking you on other warriors.”
“Is there something wrong with looking? I’m curious about your people too.”
“Do you look so boldly on them, they will think you wish them to join with you.”
Kinara immediately dropped her eyes. She didn’t want any of these warriors thinking she was making offers, and she didn’t want any trouble right now either. She watched her feet and she looked at the walls. She tried to make a mental map of the ship so she could get back to her crew if an opportunity for escape came up.
They went down a passage she hadn’t seen yet, but the curve of the floor was so steep she knew they were going down another level. Aidar nodded to the warriors at the door. One of the warriors stepped forward to follow them inside and the other opened the door.
The sight that greeted her was appalling. Her crew was here, dressed as she in plain white smocks, but if Barin’s slave quarters were bad, these were atrocious.
They were herded together like animals, and there was not so much as a heating unit or a blanket here. Cold lights placed high on the walls gave a sickly greenish light and the room was freezing. Kinara suddenly realized that they were huddled together mainly for warmth.
Tears stung her eyes at the enthusiastic greeting they gave her. They looked so frightened, and so young. Tedah rushed forward and and pulled her into his arms.
He was dirty and the growth of his beard scratched her cheek as he hugged her.
“I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “I'm sorry about all of this.”
“Kinna, I thought they’d- no, never mind. You’re all right.” He cupped her face, and briefly kissed her. “You’re all right.”
“Tedah, is everyone-?” This was her fault, all of it, and the shame she felt wouldn’t let her finish.
“We’re all right,” he soothed. “We haven’t been hurt and everyone else is here.”
All right for now. But in a place like this they wouldn’t be all right for long.
She let go of Tedah, motioning him to stay behind.
She stood before Aidar.
“My lord-” It took a moment before she could lift her eyes. “My lord, please, my people are not used to this treatment. They will sicken and die in this cold. Please, some blankets and heating unit-”
His disbelief was evident. “They will not die. Even Tellarans cannot be so weak.”
“They will. Look at them.”
His dark eyes ran over them with a mixture of contempt and calculation.
“Please, some comfort for them would-”
His lip curled. “Think you I care for the comfort of slaves? Come, if looking on them upsets you so, we will leave.”
She put her hand on his arm.
“Please, Ad- my lord,” she said, her voice low and her eyes downcast. “I would-” She swallowed. “I would be grateful.”
He looked at her face, glanced at her body. “And in your gratitude, Cy’atta, what do you offer?”
She wet her lips. “You wanted to bed me. You wanted me willing. That is what I offer.”
Click to be taken to Stardancer on Amazon
Also by
Ariel MacArran…
Futuristic Romance
Available Now!
Discovery means death but Arissa risks everything to save Fleet officer Jolar’s life. Repaying this telepath means saving her from execution and Jolar will do whatever it takes to clear his debt to her. The only thing he absolutely cannot let himself do is fall in love with her . . .
An excerpt follows
The Seer
The Seer
©2014 Ariel MacArran
Jolar reached into his pocket and pulled out an ID scanner. "Come here."
Arissa recoiled instantly. "What's that for? You already have my scan."
"Here's the first rule if you want to live, Arissa. You do what I tell you when I tell you,” he bit out. “Come here."
She took a few reluctant steps closer, watching him warily.
He held the scanner up near her eye and caught her chin before she could turn away. "Don't flinch. It's a simple ID scan. People do it everyday, several times a day. It doesn't hurt and no one is afraid of them."
Arissa willed herself not to move as he flashed the red light in her eye.
He glanced at the reading. He turned the scanner so she could see the display.
She blinked. It was her face, her as she was now, not a little girl's face. No black stripe above her image reading 'deceased'.
"Legan, Arissa?” she breathed. "What is this?"
"That's your new name. Hope you like it, though doesn't much matter if you don't."
"My new –?" The breath rushed out of her lungs. "I have an ID? Will it – Will that show on all the scanners?"
"Oh, yes. System wide, absolutely authentic and official."
An ID, a real one, a non-telepath one? The possibilities, the safety, the freedom of it made her dizzy.
"You did that?" Arissa managed.
"No, I called in every favor and debt owed me to make that happen. I just burned through every bit of influence I’ve built up in the last ten years, goodwill that was intended to land me Zartan’s seat on the Tellaran Council after I retire from the Fleet.” Jolar’s eyes were blue ice. “I expect to be well paid in return."
"Oh." She wet her lips and glanced at the cot. A real ID in return for letting him have her? She couldn’t afford to refuse, it didn’t even occur to her to try. "You want – I mean, here or–?"
He burst out laughing and Arissa's face went hot.
"You couldn't frack me enough to pay for this!" Jolar sobered. "No, that’s not what I want from you. There's something on Sertar I have to do. Something important. Having a woman with me is actually a liability, unless she has a unique talent to bring to the table. Your talent."
She searched his face. "You need a telepath."
"Want one,” he corrected. “I don't need one. Which means you do as you're told or your best hope is that Doctor de’Sar gets her longed-for opportunity to study one of you. Are we clear?"
Arissa swallowed. "Yes."
He held up the scanner. "This is a solid ID . . . unless something happens to me. Make sure nothing happens to me. Still clear?"
Her cheeks were still burning. "Don't kill you in your sleep. Got it."
His sense was as cold as his eyes now. "Don't misunderstand me. If I think for a moment you've betrayed me, I'll put that blaster bolt in your head myself."
He was such a jumble of emotion she couldn’t sort it all but just the words hurt. She blinked away the sudden sting of tears. "Sorry. I was – I was joking."
He locked gazes with her. "Don't joke like that again."
She dropped her eyes.
"All right," he said finally. "You're going to shower and change. I have clothes for you. They might not fit perfectly or be what you like, but put them on anyway. Fix yourself up as best you can in twenty minutes."
Arissa frowned. "Why?"
"Because that's how much time I'm giving you," he said impatiently, turning away.
She pushed the curls out of her face. "Whatever you say, Commander.”
His sudden anger hit her so hard she gasped.
"Don't ever call me that again," he snarled. "Understand?"
She shook her head. "I don't – I mean, I thought – well, isn't that what you are?"
He gave her a narrow look. “Are you fracking with me? Or have you forgotten I know you’re a Seer?”
Arissa seethed. “Are you expecting me to read your every thought? Because it doesn’t work like that. I told you. And if you want me to help you, you’re going to have to tell me what you need me to do.”
He huffed a sigh. "Fine. Part of our cover story is I never rose above Lieutenant. I left the fleet five years ago when we moved to Aylor. Can you remember that? Because it’s time to go."
She frowned. "We? Our
cover story?"
"Yes, we. I'm Jolar Legan." He nodded toward the open door of the cell. "Your husband."
Click to be taken to The Seer on Amazon
I cannot thank my editors, Erin Kelly and Erin McCabe, enough for their insight, guidance and kindness. Their hard work and unending enthusiasm buoyed me up far more than they ever knew.
Thanks to my cover designer Jaimey Grant of An Author’s Art for making my vision for the book a reality.
Thank you to Linda Boulanger from TreasureLine Books for giving into my desperate pleas to have her format my book even though she had already decided to focus her considerable talents elsewhere.
Thank you to my friends who supported and encouraged me and most of all to my family.
About Ariel MacArran
Ariel MacArran has had a lifelong love of books, stories and writing. Nothing makes her happier than the opportunity to give back some of the magic of being swept up into a story that other writers have given her. Ariel lives in Charleston, South Carolina.
Ariel loves hearing from readers! Please visit her website:
www.arielmacarran.com
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