Chapter 19

"Idinnae understand it," Gavin stated heatedly, looking at the map that had been drawn up at Alex's request. It depicted both Rothach and Clyde lands, showing the vast extent of their territory.

Alex had gathered his closest crew members to him to get their opinion on what might have happened on the beach. But that was not his only reason for bringing them all together.

Although he felt guilty about it, he had also wanted to check their reactions. A dark idea had settled in his mind as he'd ridden away from Isobel, and he wished, above all things, to dispel it.

Bennie, his old quartermaster, stood at the head of the table, moving a long, jagged knife between the two points on the map—the village, and the beach where they had been attacked.

"I cannae understand it," he muttered. "Who would dare attack ye in daylight like that? It's unwise and stupid."

"Aye," Rory agreed, a frown fixed on his weathered face as he contemplated the map. "It doesnae make sense to me. The villagers may want to lay down the law with the fishing boats now and again?—"

"There's another thing," Alex interrupted, looking at them sternly. "I didnae appreciate yer lyin' to me. Why did ye tell me there was harmony between ye all when there wasnae? Things arenae different here than they were on board our ship. Ye men tell me what ails ye, just as before."

"Aye, Cap'n," they all replied.

Alex sighed. There were only pirates around him now, so he let his old title slide, but he knew eventually he would have to drum it out of them.

"This beach," Bennie said, breaking the tension that had settled over the table, "is between Cravie Village and Tobermery. Perhaps it was some of the Rothach folk comin' together? Organized."

Alex had told no one of the single set of footprints he had seen, not even Isobel. It was a single man who had attacked them, he was certain of it. He didn't want to divulge too much to his men, but he also did not want them to believe they were in the middle of an uprising.

"Nay. I dinnae believe it is the villagers," he replied carefully.

"Then who?" Rory asked in consternation. "As I said, we have our differences, but I swear to ye, Cap'n, nothin' of this kind. Never to attack ye and yer lady?—"

"Lady Rothach," Alex said sternly.

"Lady Rothach, of course. There isnae enough bad blood here for that." Rory looked up at the others. "Is there, lads?"

The other pirates all shook their heads.

Alex examined Bennie and Gavin's faces. Every part of him wanted to believe all of his men were innocent. They had been his only allies in the previous years—it hurt to believe one of them would wish him harm.

He was so confused. He couldn't fathom why anyone would wish to harm Isobel in such a violent manner.

Attacking him, he could understand. He had won the lairdship by force, killed his father and taken over ownership of two clans overnight. That might upset any man with enough wit in his head, but something didn't seem right about it all.

He sighed heavily as he looked around the table. He knew they were not going to solve things today. They had gone over and over what happened and come up with nothing new.

He dismissed the men, and they all filed out of Rory's cottage as he continued to examine the map. It was only when he looked up from the table that he realized one member of his crew was still present.

Gavin stood watching him, looking grave and angry.

"Speak, man," Alex growled.

"This is why ye should have let me come with ye," Gavin said darkly, the pain in his voice lacing every word.

Alex shook his head. "I cannae have ye with me every minute of the day, lad. It isnae right for the people to always see me with a guard at me side."

Gavin scoffed. "Tell that to the archer. Ye are a stubborn arse, and ye're goin' to get yerself killed because of it."

With that, he walked swiftly out of the cottage.

Alex rubbed a hand over his chin as he watched him go, feeling guilty that he had rejected his friend's offer of help, but he had other more pressing matters on his mind.

He looked over the many rivers, lakes, and forests of his lands again, trying to pinpoint the trails that led to the beach. The possibilities for who had intended to harm them seemed endless.

I have to make this a safe place for me people and Isobel. I must find out where this attack came from and why.

He felt dread coil in his gut as he looked at the village by the lagoon. He knew that some of the village folk might not be happy with their lot, and he had talked about it with his crew to try and discover anything they had missed.

His concern lay in the fact that he was almost certain that he had missed something, but it was not the villagers that it stemmed from. Increasingly, he was beginning to believe the attack had come from one of the pirates.

All of them had once been loyal to him, but that seemed a long time ago now.

One thing he missed from his days on board the ship was that he had known who he could trust. Every one of them had the same goal in mind, and they had worked together to achieve it. He had the trust of the men, and they had his. It was the only way they could survive.

But now, in these lands, he no longer knew that to be true. It was no longer twenty feet of tarred wood and rope keeping them together. His men had dispersed, like the widening ripples in a pool, and he was troubled that he had lost sight of them completely.

From now on, I trust nay one. It's the only way I can keep her safe.

"M'Laird?" Gavin's voice cut through his thoughts as he re-entered the cottage. "Her Ladyship is here."

* * *

Isobel had traveled for over an hour on horseback to speak to Alex, yet she had been waylaid as she had entered the village.

Despite knowing that she may not be entirely safe here, she was pleased and gratified to see the genuine smiles on the faces of her people. Several of the women had come to greet her, and she had asked them how they had been faring. She always felt happy amongst her people, and this time was no different.

When she saw Alex, however, her jovial mood evaporated.

He emerged from the cottage ahead of her like a storm cloud, walking toward her with a grim expression on his face, his fists clenched at his sides.

His hair fluttered behind him, his sharp eyes trained on her. His léine blew outward, exposing his chest. She felt a rush of arousal course through her as she remembered his strength in the ocean, how protected she had felt in his arms amidst the waves.

"What are ye doin' here?" Alex asked as he reached her, taking Heather's reins and leading them both down the hill toward a trough of water.

She looked down at him as he walked ahead of her, tension rolling off his shoulders as he glanced around them, his eyes never lingering on one spot for more than one moment.

She frowned down at him as they stopped at the water's edge. Without glancing up at her, he moved away, waiting for her to dismount, his arms folded over his chest and his brow furrowed.

As her feet touched the ground, she matched his stance, feeling uncertainty flood through her. She had been ready to speak to him civilly, planning to ask him to return to the castle so that they could tackle this problem together. Yet, he had not welcomed her as he might welcome a wife. She felt like a nuisance that he wished to get rid of.

"Am I nae allowed to visit me people now without yer permission?" she asked, cursing inwardly as her voice betrayed every layer of rage she felt.

"Are ye here to lie with me? Is that it?" he asked coldly.

Isobel gasped at his tone, backing away from him, her cheeks feeling hot as his words hit her like a dagger to the chest. She had never expected him to speak to her so callously.

"What is the matter with ye?"

"The matter is, ye are comin' here when there's nay place for ye. Ye are me wife. If ye are here as such, I'll fulfill me duties as a husband. Otherwise, leave me be." His eyes darted away and around the hills all around them, squinting into the sun.

Finally, they settled back on her face, and he scoffed as she gaped at him.

"What were ye expectin', lass? That after a few kisses, I would fall to me knees and confess me undying love for ye? If so, ye're more na?ve than I thought."

He took a step toward her, pointing a finger at her, and she did her best to stand her ground.

"I've been askin' questions since I came back here. And it is clear the attack was aimed at ye."

"Me? How can ye be so sure?"

He advanced on her menacingly. "Nay one on these lands would dare attack me. I killed me own faither for the power I yield, and I'll keep it nay matter what. I've killed plenty before him, and I'll kill plenty after if anyone tries to take it from me."

He let out a brittle laugh. "The only time I backed down from a kill was for a rabbit, and it got me where I am today. Nay one would dare defy me, and ye should heed that. If ye want this marriage to succeed, go to yer castle and wait there like a good lass, until I'm ready for ye."

Isobel's cheeks burned fiercely. She could feel her heartbeat in her throat as she watched his expression turn cruel.

For what felt like the hundredth time, she wondered if they could ever find happiness together. This was a different person from the smiling man who had frolicked with her in the ocean. She felt fresh tears well up in her eyes.

Nay. I willnae cry in front of him.

She sniffed and stepped forward, feeling rage surge through her as she looked up at him. "Is that how ye truly see me?"

"It's what ye are, is it nae? A wife follows, she doesnae lead—it's time ye remembered that."

She scowled at him, dumbfounded by this stranger standing before her.

"I see," she uttered, lifting her chin and returning to her horse.

For the first time, she struggled to mount, as her foul mood made Heather skitter away from her.

Isobel grabbed the saddle, hauling herself up with some difficulty, feeling Alex watching her and refusing to let the tears pooling in her eyes fall. She finally righted herself on the saddle and looked back at him.

He stood before her, unmoving, clearly angered by her presence.

She leveled her gaze on him, the despair she felt at his harsh treatment turning into hot rage. "Ye are nay better than Geoffrey."

She kicked her heels in the horse's flanks and galloped out of the village.