The MacKinnon’s Bride(103)

“The MacLeans, o’course.”

He sat abruptly, slamming a fist atop the table. “Nay! I mean to say... amongst my own kinsmen... who else knew of this?”

“Angus, o’ course. He was your da’s closet fellow.”

“Who else?” he demanded of her.

“Och, Iain, many! But we didna tell our children because your da forbade us.”

Iain shook his head, disbelieving his ears. “So everyone knows?”

“Nay... only those of us who were of an age... Most do not. Your da never meant to hurt ye, Iain, love...”

“Nay? So tell me... how did Lagan learn?”

Glenna lowered her eyes. “I told him.” She shook her head lamentably. “When he returned so aggrieved after tryin’ ti woo MacLean’s youngest daughter, he wanted to know why auld mon MacLean wouldna listen to reason, why he seemed to condemn him e’en before he listened to a single bluidy word.”

“And why would that be?” Iain asked her, his tone controlled, his body restrained, lest he destroy all that he saw within sight in his temper. This very moment, he felt near as violent in his anger as he had the day when he’d returned to find Malcom gone.

“Because... Iain... it had been his brother your mother loved... his brother your father killed. It was an accident, o’course. The two had long been friends... but they fought... and there was too much rage between them to stop it.” Her voice softened. “And ye dinna realize, Iain, lad, but Lagan is the verra image o’ your minnie... while ye are the likeness o’ your da.”

Iain closed his eyes and tried to hear his father’s reason. He imagined the anger his brother... Christ... his brother... must feel.

“Lagan never had a chance with MacLean’s daughter, Iain. I thought he should know why. It was surprising enough that auld MacLean had been willin’ to entrust his eldest daughter into your hands. God only knows... I wish I hadna told him.”

“Why did he do it for me, I wonder?”

“MacLean?” Glenna shook her head. “I dunno, but I wish he had not. Were the choice between you and Lagan, I wish it had been Lagan,” she told him honestly, “and ye know I dinna mean to wish ye ill. ‘Tis merely that for ye and for Mairi there was ne’er any love. While Lagan loved Mairi’s sister, of a certain—and he’s envied ye all his life, besides. He never wanted me, Iain,” she lamented. “It was you and your da he always envied.”

Iain shook his head, benumbed. “I cannot believe ye didna tell me, Glenna.”

“It was your da’s wish... to protect ye, love.”

“Nay, Glenna,” Iain countered with conviction, his tone clipped with pain and fury. For the first time in his life, he understood so much. “It was my da’s wish to hide from the truth,” he disputed her. “He didna wish to face the fact that his wife was in love wi’ another man. Just as it was his wish to raise a perfect son—a son without weaknesses—a legacy for himself. Bastard. ‘Tis no wonder Lagan resents me so! Who could blame him?”

There was an instant of silence between them. Glenna hung her head, unable to respond.

“And why should ye choose now... this instant to unburden yourself to me, Glenna?”

Her chin lifted. Her eyes welled again with tears. “Och! ‘Tis Lagan,” she began. “I dinna—”

The door burst open.

“Iain!” Broc bellowed. “I think ye’d better come!”

Iain’s nerves were near to snapping. He doubted there was one more incident he could deal with this day. “What now, Broc?” he asked without turning, his fist clenching upon the table before him.

“’Tis David!” Broc revealed.

Iain stiffened. “David?”

“Aye... he rides wi’ FitzSimon ti reclaim FitzSimon’s daughter.”





chapter 32





To his credit, David, King of Scotia—so he claimed—sat his mount in thoughtful silence, listening. Iain was aware of him, his easy demeanor, though his own thoughts were racing with the possible reasons for Page’s disappearance. He’d summoned her at once upon her father’s arrival, only to learn she’d vanished.

She couldn’t possibly have known of her father’s approach, and it didn’t make much sense to Iain that she would wander away so late. Nor had it been so long since he’d left her. She couldn’t have gone far.

Her da, however, had long since dismounted and paced before him now like a maddened beast.

“I cannot believe you would lose her!” FitzSimon shouted at him, and it was all Iain could do not to murder the man where he stood.