Saving Grace

"Get the hell off my land, MacI

The MacI

"Keith, send ten Maclaurin soldiers to follow them to our border," he ordered.

"As you wish, MacBain," Keith shouted back.

The minute her husband moved, Joha

Father MacKechnie put his hand on Joha

Calum bent down on one knee and leaned forward to lift the woman. Joha

"She can't stay here, m'lady," Calum argued, trying to reason with his distraught mistress. "Let me carry her inside."

"Gabriel will carry her," Joha

Calum nodded. He was surprised and pleased his mistress had offered him an apology.

"Is she dead?" Keith asked.

Joha

"Be careful with her," Joha

"Where do you want me to put her?" Gabriel asked. He stood up, cradling the sleeping woman in his arms.

"Give her my room," Father MacKechnie suggested. "I'll find another bed tonight."

"Do you think she'll live?" Calum asked as he followed his laird across the courtyard.

"How the hell do I know?" Gabriel asked.

"She'll survive," Joha

Calum ran ahead to open the doors. Joha

"Might I have a word with you about our menu for tonight's di

"We aren't having guests," Joha

Hilda's eyes widened. Joha

She didn't wait for Hilda to accept her apology but hurried on up the steps. A few minutes later, their guest was settled in bed. Gabriel stood by his wife's side while she checked for broken bones.

"She appears to be intact," Joha

Joha

He was right, of course. Joha

She reached down and touched the side of the woman's head. Clare MacKay had thick, dark brown hair. It hung straight down but barely covered her ears. The MacI

Humiliation, Joha

"It's a miracle she's still breathing," Gabriel said. "Do what you can, Joha

Joha

"Just as a precaution," Gabriel insisted to gain her cooperation.

"Yes," she whispered, "just as a precaution." She straightened up. "I'm going to make her more comfortable," she a

Gabriel reached for the latch, then suddenly stopped. He turned around to look at his wife. She wasn't paying him any attention now. She hurried back to the bed, sat down on the side, and dipped one of the cloths into the bowl of water she'd just poured.

"Answer a question for me," he ordered.

"Yes?"

"Were you ever beaten like this?"

Joha

He hadn't realized he'd been holding his breath. He let it out after she gave him her reply.

Then she qualified her answer. "He rarely struck my face or my head. Once, though, he was less careful."

"And the rest of your body?"

"Clothing hid those bruises," she answered.

She didn't have any idea how her explanation affected him. Gabriel was shaken. It was a wonder to him she'd ever agreed to marry again. Hell, he'd demanded she trust him. He felt like a complete fool now. If he were in her position, he sure as certain wouldn't have trusted anyone ever again.

"She won't have scars," Joha

"Her face is too swollen to tell what she looks like," he answered.

"They shouldn't have cut her hair."

She seemed obsessed over that minor punishment. "Cutting her hair was the least of their offenses, Joha

Joha

"Gabriel?"

"Yes?"

"I'm glad I married you."

She was too embarrassed to look at her husband when she told him how she felt, and so she pretended great interest in wringing every drop of water out of her cloth.

He smiled. "I know you are, Joha

His arrogance was really getting out of hand. It wa

Gabriel pulled the door open and found the hallway crowded with women. They all wore the MacBain plaid.

Hilda stood in front of the group. "We would like to offer to help with the care of the woman," she said.

"Father MacKechnie must give her the last rites before you go inside," Gabriel ordered.

The priest was waiting at the back of the crowd. He heard his laird's a

Gabriel pulled the door closed. He went downstairs. Calum and Keith were waiting for him at the bottom of the steps.

They followed their laird into the great hall.

Gabriel spotted the plaid on the floor in front of the hearth. His dog was missing. "Where the hell is Dumfries?"

"Out prowling," Calum suggested.

"He took off early this morning," Keith added.

Gabriel shook his head. Joha