When she turned back around, Angus, Neil, and the other men in the courtyard had gathered around Lachlan and Quinn. Lachlan stood facing the man, a hand on his shoulder. He was shaking his head, and Lachlan gave him a pat before the man ambled off, his head hung low.
She knew she should make her way back inside and stay away from Lachlan, but she could not keep away. She walked slowly toward him, noting Helena still standing off to the side. Helena watched Bridgette approach with barely veiled scorn that curled the woman’s lips and made her eyes narrow into twin slits. It hit Bridgette that the woman was most definitely jealous of her. Did Helena sense the desire between Bridgette and Lachlan? The thought frightened her. If Helena sensed it, others might, as well. And if Helena was so jealous, was it because she had grown to care for Lachlan despite his belief that she had pledged herself to him for a deceptive purpose? Perchance Helena had grown to care for Lachlan because he had joined with her? Perchance he did so every night? Bridgette’s stomach roiled. She did not think she could accept that and dismissed it from her mind.
Helena moved toward Bridgette and stepped into her path, offering a false smile. “Yer bravery was astonishing, Bridgette.”
Bridgette offered her own false smile. “Thank ye, Helena.”
“Graham is a blessed man to be marrying an honorable woman such as ye.”
Bridgette stiffened at the scorn in Helena’s voice. Any doubt she had that the woman suspected something between Bridgette and Lachlan disappeared. The question now was if Helena would create trouble without proof and say something to Graham when he returned. Bridgette had a burning desire to throttle Helena, but instead, she said, “If ye will excuse me, I need to refresh before supper.”
“Oh, aye, I do, too,” Helena said and surprised Bridgette by linking her arm through Bridgette’s. “We can walk together to the castle and talk on the way.”
Bridgette simply nodded, not wishing to stir Helena’s suspicion further by refusing to walk with her. As they strolled past Lachlan and the other men, Helena stopped and yanked Bridgette to a halt alongside her.
“Lachlan!” Helena called.
He looked away from Angus, who he had been talking to, and toward them. His gaze narrowed, but he came to stand in front of them. “Aye?”
“I need ye to help me dress for dinner. I dunnae care for the servant who has been helping me.”
Lachlan’s gaze darted to Bridgette. His discomfort was painfully obvious. “I’ll ensure that another servant attends ye,” he finally said, and Bridgette barely contained her sigh of relief.
Helena shook her head. “Nay. I like yer hands upon me. It must be ye.”
The worry of earlier washed over Bridgette, and all her fears seemed to be glaring back at her. She gave her arm a tug and stumbled back from Helena. Lachlan and Helena looked at her at once. “I just remembered I told Marion I’d attend her,” Bridgette lied.
Helena smirked, and Lachlan’s gaze strayed to Bridgette’s lips. When she realized she had sucked her lower one between her teeth as he had told her she always did when she lied, she immediately released it. “I’ll see ye both at supper,” she mumbled before turning and rushing away.
“You’ve been avoiding me,” Marion said as Bridgette entered the great hall, where Marion was sitting all alone in a chair knitting for the bairn growing in her belly.
“Aye.” Bridgette did not want to lie to her friend, and after the encounter she had just had with Lachlan and Helena, she needed to confide in her friend now more than ever.
Marion’s eyes widened. “I rather thought you might deny it.”
Bridgette sighed as she rubbed at her temple. “I likely would have, but I just had a terrible encounter with Lachlan and Helena, and I dunnae want to lie to ye. My gut already aches with the lies in my heart.”
Marion set down her embroidery, walked over to Bridgette, and took her gently by the arm. “Come,” she encouraged, as she tugged on Bridgette.
“To where?”
“The thicket of trees. I need to search for an herb, and we will have privacy there.”
They walked in silence out of the castle, into the courtyard, and down stone steps that led to an expanse of thick bushes and trees. “What are we searching for?” Bridgette asked.
Marion bent over and peered at the ground, and then she reached out and began to move, staying hunched over as she riffled through the shrubbery. “I’m searching for opium poppy to mix with some cherry bark.” Marion stood and faced Bridgette. “I am to make a paste to loosen Helena’s tongue so Lachlan is not forced to seduce her to get the information he and Iain need.”
Bridgette gasped and rushed close to Marion. “Marion MacLeod, what do ye ken?”
Marion smiled slyly. “I’ll tell you all I can. After you tell me what has occurred between you and Lachlan.”
Bridgette’s throat went suddenly dry. “What makes ye believe something has occurred?”
Marion rolled her eyes. “I have been watching you.”
“Ye pledged nae to meddle.”
“Lucky for you, I decided that was one vow that simply had to be broken.”
Bridgette snorted.
“So,” Marion urged, “Tell me.”
Bridgette quickly told her of her visit to see Eolande, the seer’s prediction, running into Lachlan, and their vows to wait for a time to come that they may discover what was between them. “I wish I could ken for certain if the time will ever come for us.”
Marion gaped at Bridgette. “You don’t need time for that! Honestly, you and Lachlan are blind to the truth! You love him! It’s why you have not been able to forget him. It’s why you cannot give your heart to Graham. I’d hazard you fell in love with Lachlan the day he kissed you in the woods four years ago.”
Shock hit Bridgette full force and made her body tremble. She never would have made such a vow if her heart were not fully engaged. If he’d asked her to wait forever, she would have. God’s bones, she loved him!
“What is it?” Marion asked on a gasp, her hold on Bridgette’s arm increasing.
Bridgette realized she’d started to sway. She steadied herself as she looked at her friend.
She stared at Marion for a long moment, amazed at her revelation. “I love him.” Her voice had dropped to a whisper, but she could hear the awe in it. “I do, and I did nae even fully ken it until this moment.”
Marion smirked. “I recall you once telling me that you had loved Lachlan for as long as you could remember,” she teased.
Bridgette waved a hand. “Och! I could nae verra well admit to ye—and so soon after meeting ye—that I lusted after Lachlan! That hardly would have been proper. Ye would have thought me a woman of questionable morals.” Bridgette quirked her mouth, recalling how she had believed herself in love with Lachlan for a short spell when she was eight summers. Maybe the love had always been there, simply waiting for her to recognize and embrace it.
Warmth enveloped Bridgette at the newfound knowledge of how she truly felt, but the icy coldness of fear swiftly followed. It gripped her heart in its merciless hold. “He dunnae ken if he loves me,” she whispered. “He said so. He said he dunnae ken exactly what the thing between us is and that we need time to discover what drew us together.”
Marion patted Bridgette on the arm. “He’s a clot-heid,” she said matter-of-factly. “Most men are until a woman comes along and smartens them up. You simply need to be patient as it may take him time to accept his heart. It took Iain time, but look at him now.” Marion grinned. “If you recall, there was a time I wasn’t even sure Iain desired me. At least you know for certain that Lachlan desires you.”
Bridgette’s face flushed as she remembered their heated embrace.
“Bridgette!” Marion gasped. “What have you not told me?”
Bridgette’s skin went from warm to scalding. “We may have shared a chaste kiss.”
“Och!” Marion said, taking a Scottish word and making it sound humorously wrong with her English accent. �
��I doubt you or Lachlan MacLeod know how to kiss chastely, but I will not pry.”
“Thank the Lord for that,” Bridgette said, to which Marion chuckled.
She cocked her head to the side. “Tell me of your earlier encounter with Lachlan and Helena.”
Bridgette quickly recalled Helena’s words and obvious jealousy, and as she did, Marion nodded. “I’ve suspected for a bit now that though she pledged to marry him for evil purposes, she now desires Lachlan and likely does not mind the prospect of joining with him and binding them in marriage for life one bit. ’Tis in the lustful way she stares at him.”
Possessiveness and uncertainty gripped Bridgette. “Do ye think he has joined with her?” she choked out.
Marion had already bent over and was searching through the brush again, but she popped up and gaped at Bridgette. “No! Of course not! He’s pestered me on a daily basis to see if I have located the herbs I need to make the paste, and he made it very clear that he had no desire to join with her.” Marion let out a disgruntled sigh. “We must find some opium poppy! But with the harsh winter I fear it’s all been killed and we will not be able to collect any until the new growth in the spring. And with the king arriving any day, he might demand that Lachlan seduce Helena to learn what they need, and I worry greatly that Lachlan would refuse. I’m quite certain that would cause grave problems given that Iain has said David returned a much sterner ruler—one who equates obedience with faithfulness.”
Bridgette immediately got to her hands and knees and started searching for the plant Marion needed. Together, they stayed that way until Bridgette’s back ached. Just as she started to stand up in hopelessness, she thought she spotted the plant. Her heart raced as she reached out and yanked it out of the ground by its root. Holding it up, she asked, “Is this what we have been looking for?”
Marion scrambled over, took the plant, and grinned widely. She hugged Bridgette to her, almost crushing the opium poppy. They gasped, parted, and both began to laugh.
Once they had calmed themselves, Bridgette spoke. “Will ye make it tonight?”
“Yes,” Marion said with a nod. A serious expression settled on her face. “It will take at least a sennight to become potent enough to do what I wish. Let us pray the king does not arrive before that and make demands on Lachlan that may start a war.”
Bridgette squeezed her eyes shut, not wishing to waste a moment in sending her prayers to God.
“A sennight?” Lachlan growled as he peered over Marion’s shoulder.
“Dunnae growl at my wife,” Iain grumbled from Marion’s other side. “Marion,” Iain said, his own voice impatient and curt, “kinnae it be done sooner?”
She glared at him. “No, it cannot. I have already told you both. Twice.”
Lachlan jerked a hand through his hair. So far he’d been unsuccessful in getting Helena to reveal anything, and if David arrived before the potion was ready, the king would not be pleased to learn Lachlan had not attempted seduction to loosen Helena’s tongue. Especially given her sudden zealous interest in joining with him. It was all he could do to put her off. He’d used every excuse he could think of, and he was certain she was now suspicious of him.
Frustration boiled within him. It didn’t help that he had to keep his distance from Bridgette for fear he would somehow give away his desire for her.
Iain paced back and forth in front of the table as Marion worked to mix the potion. “All ye ken so far is that Helena is after the Fairy Flag?”
“Dunnae ye ken if I had learned more I would have told ye?” Lachlan said irritably.
Iain’s expression darkened. “I wish to speak to ye in private,” he barked.
“As ye wish, laird,” Lachlan snapped back, his temper rising to meet his brother’s.
“Don’t argue!” Marion growled at their backs as they stomped out of Marion’s medicine room and into the smaller storage room. “Arguing will not solve anything,” she called as the door to the storage room shut.
Iain’s back was to Lachlan as he entered the room, but at the click of the door, Iain swung around with a scowl on his face. Lachlan clenched his teeth. He and Iain rarely disagreed, but if Iain was about to demand Lachlan seduce Helena, Lachlan was prepared to argue. He did not want to bind himself to that woman for life.
“When I agreed to David’s request for ye to pledge to Helena, it would have been helpful to ken the depth of yer yearning for Bridgette. It complicates matters greatly.”
Lachlan tensed. He and Iain had not spoken so plainly about this, but now that the time had come, Lachlan found he was relieved. He’d feared what Iain would think of him for yearning for the woman Graham wanted, and now he would know it and have to live with it.
“It is nae just a yearning,” he said.
“I’m glad to hear it, and I’m nae glad, too,” Iain replied with a frown. “Marion insisted that was the way of it. That what was between Bridgette and ye kinnae be denied, but I was nae as sure as she was. But yer disavowal to try to seduce Helena at all proves it to me. Ye have always been one to do whatever is necessary to defend and serve the clan.”
“I still am,” Lachlan replied, though he knew his words were not quite true. He suspected, if it came to it, he’d put Bridgette above anyone, even his clan.
But what did that mean?
Before he could examine it, Iain spoke. “If this is nae just yearning for ye, do ye ken what it is?”
Lachlan shook his head, and to his surprise, Iain smiled. “I was once in yer place, brother. My advice to ye is to figure it out with haste. Graham will be hurt, aye, and David will be demanding and angry if we dunnae ken more before he arrives. If I’m to support ye and try to compel David nae to order ye to seduce Helena, then ye need a stronger argument than yearning for Bridgette.”
“I’d nae ever ask ye to stand against Graham or our king,” Lachlan said solemnly.
A knowing glint came to Iain’s eyes. “I ken ye would nae, Lachlan. I will do all I can for ye, but as laird, I have to balance that with my duties to the clan. Marion informed me that Bridgette intends to tell Graham upon his return that she will nae marry him.” Iain’s gaze bore into Lachlan. “Did ye ken this?”
Lachlan nodded, thinking momentarily of his passionate encounter with Bridgette.
“I suspected ye might,” Iain said.
“Bridgette’s choice nae to marry Graham was nae because of me,” Lachlan replied, feeling the need to defend himself.
Iain snorted. “Ye’re more of a fool than I was if ye believe that. Bridgette may nae have ever been able to give Graham her heart, but I suspect it would have been more of a possibility if she’d nae already given it to ye.”
Lachlan stilled. Was that true? Did he have Bridgette’s heart? He wished he could talk to her and hear from her lips how she felt, but he could not.
Iain moved toward Lachlan and clamped a hand on his shoulder. “Proceed slowly and carefully, aye? It is likely wisest to give this time. Give Graham time once Bridgette has told him she dunnae wish to marry him.”
Lachlan nodded. “I intend to.” The question that he wished he knew the answer to, though, was how much time would that be. “I dunnae want this to divide Graham and me further.”
“I ken that, Lachlan. Ye are a faithful brother, and Graham will come to realize it in time. I’m away now to the great hall to listen to the sennight complaints from all the clansmen.”
“I dunnae envy ye that having to hear what vexes everyone on such a regular basis,” Lachlan replied.
Iain chuckled. “Do ye remember how we used to hide in the great hall and listen to Da give out his judgments and we would pretend to be laird?”
“I recall,” Lachlan said, having a clear memory of Graham hiding with them. Tightness tugged at his chest as Iain made his way out of the storeroom.
Lachlan heard Iain making his farewells to Marion, but he did not move to follow his brother out. He stood there as memories of the past swirled around him. There had been a time, befo
re their sister’s death, that he and Graham had been close. He hoped that time would come again, that Graham would forgive him the past and quickly embrace a new future.
Marion appeared in the doorway and startled him out of his musings. “Come speak with me as I mix the potion.”
Lachlan nodded and followed Marion to the table where she was working. They stood in silence for a spell, and then Marion spoke. “Bridgette is my dearest friend.”
He nodded again, sure that Marion was slowly making her way to her point. “You have her heart,” she went on. “Don’t break it.”
He struggled momentarily to find words, as his surprise at Marion’s declaration and warning was immense. Had Bridgette told Marion that he had her heart? Iain had said something similar. Fierce satisfaction rose in him and stirred an emotion he could not name. He studied Marion, deciding whether to ask her, but he had no right to ask of Bridgette’s heart yet. When the time came that he could, however, he would ask. “I dunnae intend to hurt her, Marion, but ye ken the complications that lie ahead.”
“I do,” she said on a sigh. “But I have to believe all will be resolved for the two of you.”
He needed to believe that, too, because each day that passed, he was coming to suspect more and more that Bridgette had his heart, and he could not imagine if their time never came. The ache in his gut made him think of Graham and how his brother was going to feel to learn Bridgette was not going to marry him. Guilt lay heavy in Lachlan. “I want ye to ken I would nae hurt my brother deliberately. So I will wait as long as it takes for Graham to forget Bridgette before I try to have a chance with her.”
Marion set her hand on his arm. “You don’t need to convince me you love your brother, Lachlan, nor that you’re honorable. I have always known it. You display honor every day in how you interact with people, and you revealed the depth of your love for your brother when you stepped back to allow him to pursue a woman who I am positive you knew you were drawn to in a special way. I wonder if Graham would have done the same for you, though.” Marion tilted her head as she waited for him to respond.
Wicked Highland Wishes (Highlander Vows: Entangled Hearts Book 2) Page 15