"Are you the same Isobel MacKenzie who was to marry the MacLeod chief?" Patience asked.
Isobel felt the blood drain from her face. How did she know?
"When we passed through over a month ago, we stopped at Munrick for two nights rest before continuing north. They talked of how they were expecting Lady Isobel MacKenzie to arrive soon to marry their handsome young chief."
Isobel forced an uncomfortable smile. "Aye, that would be me."
"What happened?" Patience persisted.
"I… would rather not say."
"You ladies warm yourselves. Lady Isobel and I will go see where the food and drink are." Maighred waited for her at the door.
With dread, Isobel pushed up from her chair and followed, suspecting she was going to be questioned intensely.
The older woman led her to an alcove at the end of the corridor. "I could tell you didn't wish to discuss it with them listening, but I am deeply concerned about what happened to you, lass."
Isobel's stomach ached, for she was uncertain who this woman truly was, her mother's trusted confident or a soulless murderer. Either way, Isobel didn't want Maighread to become suspicious. She needed to gain her trust in order to find out her plans. Would the murderess try again to kill Dirk?
Isobel wrung her hands. Either way, Lady Patience had already revealed that Isobel was betrothed to Torrin MacLeod. There was no need to deny it any longer. "Do you promise not to tell anyone?" Isobel asked. "It is a delicate situation."
"Of course, my dear girl," Maighread cooed as if Isobel were five instead of twenty-five. "Your mother always trusted me with her deepest secrets, and you can too."
"Very well. I thank you for your confidence," Isobel said, pretending she believed nothing of Dirk's accusations. "You see, my brother signed a contract for me to marry the MacLeod."
"I'm certain your mother would say that was a poor choice." Maighread shook her head. "And did you marry him?"
"Not yet. We're betrothed. But because of… something that happened, I had to leave. Snow was pouring down. Fortunately, Dirk MacKay and his friend came upon us between Munrick and Ullapool. I'm not sure we could've made it to shelter if not for their help."
"Goodness. What on earth could've happened to cause you to run away during a snowstorm?"
Isobel stared at the floor, burning with humiliation. Now she needed a reason for leaving the MacLeod. She could think of no better excuse than the truth. It didn't matter if Maighread knew what Nolan did. Maybe if she confessed such a traumatic experience, it would cause Maighread to trust her and commiserate with her.
"A certain member of his clan was treating me badly."
Maighread's eyes widened as if she were eager to devour the gossip. "Who and what did they do?"
"His brother… accosted me and tried to force himself on me."
Maighread gasped. "You poor dear. Your brother will seek revenge, surely."
"I hope not." She cringed, loathe to imagine her brothers or any of her clansmen losing their lives because of this insanity. "I simply want to leave and forget about them."
"Your brother didn't waste time in trying to get you married off again, did he?" Maighread shook her head in apparent exasperation, but Isobel doubted her sincerity.
"Nay."
"Well, I'm glad you are safe here now. 'Twas unfortunate Jedwarth could not get you with child before he died. Especially a boy child. If he had, you'd be in a much more secure position as mother of an infant earl."
"Aye." She would like to have a child, but at the same time, she feared the earl's family would've tried to take over raising the babe and she would've been forced to the side. In the Highland tradition, her child would've been sent to foster with a prominent family. Her older brother had fostered with a lesser chieftain for seven years, during which she rarely saw him.
"Laird Jedwarth was a close friend of my family, as you know," Maighread said. "A good man."
Isobel nodded. She didn't want to think about her former husband, nor be called by his name any longer. The past needed to stay in the past. She was looking to a happier future.
"But how on earth did you escape Munrick without the MacLeod chief knowing?" Maighread asked.
"He was away in Lairg."
"Ah, so his younger brother thought he had the run of the henhouse, did he?"
"More like a wolf in the henhouse," Isobel said, remembering his viciousness.
"And how did you escape this despicable brother of his?"
Isobel shrugged. "I might have wounded him." And she didn't regret it either. She hoped he had a headache for a fortnight.
Maighread laughed. "You injured him, my dear girl?"
"I fear I did. I had to knock him on the head to stop him. He passed out and that's when I made good my escape in the night."
Maighread chortled. "You are so much like your dear mother. I miss her terribly. She was indeed my best friend for almost five decades. And you are the image of her as well. To look at you takes me back to my youth." She shook her head. "Come, let's rejoin the other two ladies."
Isobel followed her back to the warm solar. The maids were serving refreshments of bread, cheese and wine.
"Please have a seat and tell me what you know of this fellow who calls himself Dirk," Maighread said.
Isobel frowned, unsure how to respond. Maybe she could discover what Maighread truly thought. "You don't believe he's Dirk?" she asked, accepting the mulled red wine in an expensive crystal glass from the maid. Maybe Maighread was going senile if she didn't remember her stepson.
"Nay! That man?" she asked in outrage and motioned toward the great hall. "He looks nothing like Dirk."
Maighread was either mad or a gifted liar. Isobel remembered Dirk from her youth and he was definitely the same person. Indeed, he was about a foot taller and his shoulders twice as wide. His square jaw and chin were stronger, but his piercing pale-blue eyes had not changed. She would never forget his bewitching eyes, nor his rich, ginger-colored hair.
"He's an imposter who thinks to steal my sons' heritage away from them. I won't let that happen. If you had sons, you would understand," Maighread said passionately.
Isobel nodded. She supposed she would, but… Dirk was still Dirk. And Isobel could see the woman might well do anything to protect what she perceived as her sons'.
"I should hope you would be able to easily prove he isn't the heir," Lady Patience said. "Seona is to marry the chief of MacKay, whoever holds this position."
"Well, it won't be this outlaw calling himself Dirk. You can be assured of that. Aiden is the chief and will remain so. You have naught to worry over, dear Seona," Maighread told the young woman.
Seona glanced about uneasily and Isobel wondered what she was thinking. Like Isobel, she was in a precarious situation, probably worried about what the future held for her. Her fate was in the hands of others… most of whom didn't give a fig about her happiness or well-being.
But 'twas clear to Isobel that she was an intelligent lass who no doubt had fond wishes and grand dreams of a bright future, just as Isobel did. 'Haps she even wanted to find love. Indeed, what lass didn't wish to find love? This was usually out of the question for chiefs' daughters. Few love matches were formed, at least not for first marriages. Alliances between clans were far more important. All young ladies could hope for was a husband who didn't beat them and a clan who treated them with respect.