Scoundrel’s Redemption (Highlander’s Pact #3)

Chapter Ten

G reer tossed and turned all night, barely sleeping a wink. Eventually, she gave up, sat by the window overlooking the courtyard, and watched the sun crest the horizon.

“I understand why you are upset,” Margery would say. “But is this not what you wanted? Does the idea of marrying Teagan instead of Bartholomew not appeal to you?”

“You know it does,” she’d reply. “But not like this. Not told rather than asked.”

When a light rap came at the door, she called out that Ada could enter, not surprised to see her friend up so early.

“Good morn,” Greer said in greeting. “I would ask how you knew I was awake, but know better.”

“Aye, I heard ye looked glum upon yer return to the castle last night, so figured ye’d have a restless night.” Ada sat beside her, concerned. “What happened? Because I know yer future betrothed and mother made their way to the river as well.”

Though she might be out of sorts, there was no reason for her friend to be. So she squeezed Ada’s hand and mustered a smile. “I have good news.”

She filled her in on their plan.

Though wary, hope flared in Ada’s eyes. Yet, instead of focusing on her own impending freedom, she remained concerned about Greer’s discontent.

“So ye’re to marry yer warrior-hero after all. That’s good!” As usual, Ada figured out Greer quickly enough. Her smile wavered, and she cocked her head. “’Tis not quite the story ye spun in yer mind, though, aye?”

Of course, it wasn’t. In any love story, a man would marry a woman for love, not her dowry. She would be worth more than the coin that came with her or, in this case, jewels. Greer didn’t voice such, though, because it was too unrealistic a desire to bother complaining about.

And truly, did such love exist beyond a tale?

“No,” Greer admitted. “When I envisioned this, I was not told to marry another man nor forced to break my good word.” She tried to look at the bright side. “Though I will admit this situation has a better outlook than marrying Bartholomew.”

“A thousand times over,” Margery would mutter. “So stop brooding.”

“Bloody hell right, this situation is better,” Ada exclaimed. “I have known Teagan but a day and can say, without hesitation, he’s a far better man than the one ye were going to marry.” Empathetic, she rested her hand over Greer’s. “I know more than most how difficult it is not having control over yer own life. How hard it is to be told what ye can and cannae do.” She shook her head. “But trust me, this turn of events is likely the best thing that’s happened to ye in a verra long time, Greer.”

Ada paused as if gathering her thoughts. “I have always had a keen sense about people, so I can tell ye, with near certainty, ye’ll find a good man in Teagan. I suspect ye two have more in common than ye think. I sense there’s…” She tilted her head as if listening to somebody no one could see. “I sense a great bond could form betwixt ye. Strong love.”

“Are they speaking to you?” Greer whispered, well aware Ada’s pagan spirits did that on occasion. Where most God-fearing folk would shun such, she preferred to respect other people’s beliefs. Not only that, but Ada tended to be remarkably accurate .

“Aye.” Ada narrowed her eyes on Edmund when he walked two horses out of the stables below. “They are talkin’ to me all right.”

“He must be leaving for his estate to get the jewels and rally his men.” Greer frowned. “I’m surprised he travels alone.”

More so that the unsaddled relief horse with him was Teagan’s. How curious.

“Given their scheme, I’d imagine yer ma requested that Teagan stay.” Ada’s gaze lingered on Edmund a moment longer before she headed across the room and rummaged through Greer’s trunk. “Besides, the Sassenach is clearly a fighting man. He can hold his own. On the journey back with the jewels, however, ’tis best he have the extra protection.”

Ah, how right she’d been about Ada desiring him. Having never seen the particular expression her friend wore, Greer smirked. “You are attracted to him, aren’t you?”

“Who?”

“You know full well who.” She looked from Edmund to her friend. “He is quite handsome.”

“He’s a bloody Sassenach.” Ada pulled out a blue dress and shot Greer an apologetic look. “No offense.”

“None taken.”

“Stop smiling like that,” Ada muttered, urging her to come change.

“Like what?” she asked innocently, rather liking the idea of Ada finding love. Of her children finally having a father.

Ada perked a brow. “Ye know perfectly well, I swore off men.”

“I know you said you swore off men.”

“Which means I swore off men.”

“But she has not sworn off Edmund,” Margery chimed in.

“I can tell by the speculative smile on yer face, Margery, and I dinnae see eye to eye on this one.” Ada helped Greer into her chemise. “So ye can tell her I will love that Sassenach the day it rains cats and dogs. ”

“You know that has been known to happen.” Greer chuckled as Ada assisted her into her kirtle. “In poorly made structures during heavy rain. It seems animals hide in the rafters only to discover it too wet and flee…or fall.”

Ada rolled her eyes and shook her head. “’Twould have to be a verra poorly made structure.” Her lips curled up a little when she looked at Greer. “But if it keeps a wee smile on yer face, I guess imagining cats and dogs raining over that Sassenach is all right.”

Greer shook her head and kept smiling as Ada helped her with her dress. “You are impossible.” She considered her friend. “Why do you think my mother requested that Teagan stay here whilst Edmund retrieves the jewels? Whatever for?”

“So that he might get to know you better.” Ada wrapped a belt with a simple chatelaine and chains around Greer’s waist. “I get the sense he wants that as well.” She met Greer’s lingering smile. “Ye should make yer way down to the river again this morn.”

“Why?”

“Why do ye think?” Ada gave her a pointed look. “Yer warrior-hero tends to linger there, hoping ye’ll happen that way.” Her brows shot up. “Which tells me, unlike those before him, he’s eager to get to know ye better.”

“Or,” she countered, “he simply wants to sample what will be his.”

“I dinnae think so.” Ada shook her head, urged her to sit, and braided her hair. “The lasses say he’s different that way.”

“What lasses?” She frowned. “And how could they possibly know what way he is in such a short time?”

“Och, ye know better than to ask that.” Ada’s practiced hands weaved her braid with concise, near-effortless precision. “Servants in this castle know what a lad’s like within hours of him being here, never mind spending the whole night. Unlike most, yer warrior-hero has made no advances toward any of them or even eyed them with appreciation.” Her gaze went to Greer’s face. “That says something.” She tilted Greer’s head this way and that, eyeing her handiwork. “And before ye get to wondering where Teagan’s tastes might lay, the same applies to the lads as well.”

“Mayhap, we simply have a gentleman on our hands,” Greer said softly.

“Aye.” Ada gave her a knowing look and settled a circlet on her head. “Or a lad who only has eyes for one lass.”

Greer thought about that as she went about her morning routine. First prayers at the chapel, then breaking her fast. Could it be a man had come along that wanted her for more than bearing children? More than just her dowry? Well, clearly not in this case because he needed her dowry. That was part of the deal.

Thankfully, she didn’t run into anyone in the dining hall or courtyard, but then she was up rather early. Should she make her way to the river? Was Teagan there? If so, should she want to see him? Despite her frustration with the situation as a whole, her heart said yes.

So she headed that way, cutting through the gardens, only to run into her mother.

She should have known better. Mother used to make a habit of sitting out here at sun-up. In fact, at one time, they often did it together. In no mood to speak with her, she tried to backtrack without being seen, but it was too late.

“Good morning, Greer,” her mother called out. “I was hoping you might pass this way.”

While tempted to keep walking and pretend she didn’t hear, she knew better, so turned back and headed her mother’s way. She curtsied once she reached her and wished her a good morn.

“I know you would rather not, but ’tis time for us to talk alone at greater length, daughter.” Mother started strolling and urged Greer to join her. “’Tis time I explain mine and your father’s plan in greater detail so that you have no doubts. So that you know we would never shun or abandon you.”

Having no choice but to hear her out, Greer fell in step beside her.

“Surely you understand that once Randolph and Isabella’s father arranged for me to go to France and Isabella’s sister to come here, my brother had no intention of seeing me return.” She shook her head. “The exchange, which included Julianna, was done solely so that your uncle would have immunity when France eventually ruled this country.”

Greer frowned. “He had such little faith in our fighting men?”

“Whether he did or did not, Randolph is selfish and all about himself.” Disgust flashed in her mother’s eyes. “He would protect himself on both sides, as would Isabella’s father. To that end, I consider them both cowardly traitors.” She sighed. “Anyway, as you have likely gleaned by now, the exchange was not just so that I could educate Isabella in English and her sister to teach you French, but so that betrothals could be made.”

“Yes,” she murmured, having assumed as much. “Uncle would have made a favorable match for Isabella’s sister with an English family. In turn, Isabella’s father would have done the same when Julianna came of age.”

“Correct.” Mother’s mouth slanted down. “Unfortunately, I fear that might have never happened for our Julianna. Or by the time it did, her virtue would be long gone, and her spirit crushed.”

Greer met her frown, alarmed. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, Isabella’s father is a dark soul with an eye for young, innocent girls.” She stopped walking. Pain flashed in her eyes. “So you see, I had no choice but to get Julianna out of there and leave with Isabella. Not just for Julianna’s sake, but Isabella’s, too, for her father’s eyes turned her way as well.” She released a shaky breath. “You have no idea how much I wanted to come back for you first, Greer, but I had nothing to come back with yet. Nothing to barter with.”

“Julianna and Isabella are all right, though?” she asked, worried. How horrifying a situation. “Both are unscathed?”

“Yes.” Mother took her hand. “They are both very well. Isabella is pregnant and happily married to Teagan’s brother, Malcolm, and Julianna is thriving amongst the MacLauchlins.” She cupped Greer’s cheek. “You have to know that I always meant to come back for you as did your father, but we had to return with something worthy to exchange. We did not want the kind of life for you and your sister that you have already suffered. So, as I explained last night, we concocted a plan for your father to get the jewels out of here so we could eventually start a new life.”

“Why did he not come see me first, though?” Greer asked, suspecting she already knew. “Why not tell me of this plan, so I had hope?”

“If you were already married off, then we were too late,” her mother said softly. “There would have been no getting you away from your husband.” She shook her head. “My guess is your father very much wanted to say goodbye in person but could not risk those gems being stolen. Was your late husband well-fortified?”

“Yes, very,” she confirmed, still unsure how she felt about her father leaving like that. Yet no matter which way she looked at it, she would have preferred her family’s safety over her own happiness. “My late husband had a sizeable amount of warriors at his disposal.”

“That had to have been it then.” Saddened, her mother fingered a tendril of Greer’s hair. “I really am so sorry for how things turned out, darling. Sorry that even once we found safe harbor in Scotland, I could not get here sooner. I’m afraid between the weather and needing Edmund to see things through, coming any earlier would have been too risky.”

“When did you arrive in Scotland?”

“Around the new year.”

“Then, you need not fret.” She saw no reason to make her mother suffer. “I only returned a little over a month ago, so coming back any sooner would have been pointless. ”

“Even so.” Her mother held her at shoulder’s length, her heart once again in her eyes. “Can you ever forgive me? Can we get past this and start anew? For I have missed you so. Whilst mother and daughter, I like to think we were also friends.”

“We were,” she whispered, her emotions finally getting the better of her. While she wished her mother had been at least a tad miffed about her having to marry to free her friends, in the end, it had been Greer’s choice. The only choice as far as she was concerned.

The more important thing right now was knowing she had not been abandoned or forgotten. Moreover, it sounded like her mother was willing to risk everything to get her back. Or, more specifically, willing to give up what might have sustained her and Julianna several lifetimes over.

“’Twill take…time,” Greer said softly, her voice wobbly. She preferred forgiveness to bitterness, even if there was little to actually forgive. Her vision blurred with tears. “But yes, I would like to start anew, Mother.”

“Oh, thank God.” Her mother embraced her and held on tight. “How I have longed to hear those words.”

She, at last, embraced her in return and blinked back more tears.

Unfortunately, the sentimental moment didn’t last long, though. Not when it was rudely interrupted by the last person she wanted to see.