Saving Grace

"I'm not so clever," she remarked.

"Aye, you are," her husband said. "You convinced Laird MacKay to wait another couple of weeks before taking his daughter home."

"Clare isn't up to a long journey."

"And you stopped me from telling MacKay none of my men touched his daughter. I know you were deliberately stalling so that Clare could stay here, and I did keep silent," he added. "But when MacKay comes back, I will have to tell him the truth."

"And so will she," Joha

Gabriel could prove helpful. "Husband? I find it honorable indeed that you have such faith in your soldiers. To know without a doubt that none of them would ever have touched Clare…"

"Where did you get that notion?"

"From you," she replied, puzzled by his question.

"Now, Joha

"But you defended them and led me to believe none had touched her," she argued.

He looked exasperated. "We are talking about two different issues," he explained. "I don't believe any of my men would refuse the opportunity to bed a willing woman," he said. "However, I also believe that if he did touch her, he wouldn't leave her there. He would bring her home with him."

"There is also the fact that the soldier would certainly admit he'd bedded the lass. He wouldn't lie to his laird."

Father MacKechnie added.

Gabriel nodded. "And that, you see, is the real issue."

She didn't see, but she didn't want to argue with her husband. In her opinion, he was making the issue far more complicated than it needed to be.

Father MacKechnie stood up to take his leave. He once again praised Gabriel for his cu

"You do realize, lass, that you saved the Maclaurins from certain exile? You used your wiles to get their cooperation," he explained. "You gained their affection, too."

Joha

Father MacKechnie left the hall. Joha

"I will make Father understand the truth tomorrow," she whispered.

"What truth?"

"That you are the reason the Maclaurins are finally cooperating."

Gabriel stood up and pulled Joha

"But the truth…"

He wouldn't let her finish. He nudged her chin up so she would look at him and then said, "The truth is simple to understand, lass. You became the Maclaurins' saving grace."

She thought that was the most wonderful thing Gabriel had ever said to her. Tears filled her eyes. She didn't think she was going to cry, however. She wasn't so undisciplined.

Then Gabriel made her forget all about being dignified.

"And mine, Joha

Chapter 18

Gabriel left the holding the following morning. He was evasive about his mission. Joha

"I have given you my word I won't steal," he muttered. "You'd best learn not to insult me with such accusations, woman."

"It is only because I worry about your safety," she countered. "I would be most unhappy if anything happened to you while you were… hunting."

"You have just given me another insult," he a

She wasn't at all impressed with his boasts. She let out a rather inelegant snort. "I happen to have complete faith in you," she muttered. "I was merely curious to know where you were going. That was all there was to my question. However, if you don't want to tell me, then don't."

He didn't. When she found out he was pla

She didn't nag him, though certainly not because she thought she was above such tactics. Gabriel simply didn't give her time. He told her he was leaving, argued with her for a minute or two, then kissed her soundly and left.

He didn't confide in her because he didn't want her to worry. He and a full contingent of soldiers were joining Laird MacKay in the war against the MacI

His wife was kept busy with Alex, Clare MacKay, and mundane everyday household affairs. Glynis trimmed Clare's hair; and after another two weeks resting in her chamber, the MacKay woman was finally strong enough to join Joha

Clare was getting prettier with each new day. Once the bruises faded and her facial features were no longer distorted from swelling, she turned into a strikingly beautiful woman. She had a wonderful sense of humor and an appealing brogue that sounded musical to Joha

Joha

Joha

She was usually nodding off by the time they were finished. Alex wanted to delay sleep, and for that reason he liked to include everyone he'd ever met in his prayers. Gabriel was always at the top of their list, of course. They prayed for him first, then for Alex's relatives and Joha

Gabriel came home just a few minutes after Joha

It was as hot as hell inside the chamber. Fall had come to the Highlands and with it a cooling breeze his wife could barely tolerate. The furs covered the window, and his wife was hidden under a mound of plaids. Since Alex wasn't sleeping on his mat, Gabriel assumed he was also hidden somewhere under the covers.