Saving Grace

  She let out a sigh. Clare had been diligently studying the tabletop with her head bowed and her hands fisted in her lap. She looked up when Johanna's husband demanded an answer, took a deep breath, and then said, "There isn't any man, Laird MacBain."

  Gabriel wasn't prepared for that answer. He leaned back in his chair and stared at the MacKay woman for a long minute before he turned to his wife.

  Johanna immediately nodded. "There isn't any," she said, repeating Clare's statement.

  Johanna kept her gaze on her husband as she reached over and took hold of Clare's hand. "You'd best get ready," she whispered.

  "Ready for what, m'lady?" Clare whispered back.

  "Growling."

  Gabriel ignored the banter. He was still reacting to the news he'd just been given. The ramifications were staggering, and try as he did, he couldn't understand why the woman would put herself in such jeopardy over a lie.

  He shook his head. Johanna nodded. "It's joyful news, Gabriel" she remarked.

  His face turned red. She guessed he didn't think it was joyful at all. Clare was squeezing her hand now in obvious fear. Johanna turned to her.

  "You have no reason to be frightened," she announced. "My husband would never hurt you. He's just been given a surprise, that's all. In a minute of two he'll get over it."

  "Will someone tell me what in thunder is going on?" Nicholas demanded.

  "No!" Gabriel, Johanna, and Clare all shouted the denial together.

  Johanna was the first to realize how impolite they were being to her brother.

  "Gabriel, this matter can wait until later for discussion," she announced. "Please?" she added when he looked like he was going to argue with her.

  Her husband finally nodded. "We should only have pleasant conversation at the supper table," she said then. "Isn't that right, Clare?"

  "Yes," Clare replied. She let go of Johanna's hand and straightened on her stool. "Have you given your brother your good news?"

  "My husband has," Johanna replied.

  "No, I haven't," Gabriel said.

  He still sounded irritated to her, but she wasn't upset. "Why haven't you told him?"

  "I thought you would want to," he answered.

  She smiled. Nicholas's curiosity was captured of course. "What is this news?"

  "I want you to tell him," Johanna insisted.

  "Tell me what?" Nicholas asked.

  "Your brother's a very impatient man," Clare remarked. "But then, most Englishmen are, aren't they?"

  "No, they aren't," Nicholas snapped. "Johanna, tell me your news."

  Clare was startled by Nicholas's hard tone of voice. Her shoulders straightened a bit more, and she frowned at the man she now decided was a rude boor.

  "She isn't barren." Gabriel made the announcement and actually smiled. His soldiers all immediately nodded their

  "'Tis the truth, she isn't barren," Keith remarked.

  The men all nodded again. Calum and Leila came into the hall then. Leila was holding Calum's hand. She let go of him when they started down the steps. Johanna smiled over the sight of the happy couple before turning her attention back to her brother.

  He still didn't look as though he understood. "I'm going to have a baby, Nicholas."

  "How is such a thing possible?"

  Johanna started blushing. Gabriel laughed, for he found his wife's embarrassment amusing. He was still determined to give her hell because she hadn't told him the truth about Clare MacKay, of course, but he wouldn't raise his voice to her when he was letting her know how displeased he was, given her delicate condition.

  "She is married to a Highlander," Gabriel said in answer to Nicholas's ridiculous question. "And that is how it happened."

  Nicholas laughed. He pounded Gabriel on the shoulder while he congratulated him, then turned his attention to his sister.

  "This is joyful news," he said. His voice shook with emotion. "Mother will be very happy."

  Johanna became teary-eyed. She reached for the linen square she kept tucked in the sleeve of her blouse. "Yes, Mama will be very happy," she said while she dabbed at the corner of her eyes with her cloth. "You must be certain to tell her when you return to England, Nicholas. She'll want to begin sewing for the baby."

  "Now do you understand why I don't want my wife upset by any unpleasant news?" Gabriel asked.

  "I understand," Nicholas replied.

  They really weren't going to tell her about Raulf. She didn't have a shred of doubt about that truth. Both men were trying to protect her from worry. She would have to be told eventually, of course, and she wondered how long they thought they would be able to keep the secret.

  Their motives were good-hearted, she supposed, but Johanna wasn't going to let them treat her like a child. Besides, the matter needed to be discussed. She had a sound plan in mind to keep Raulf from making any trouble, and she wanted to talk to Gabriel about it.

  Her husband became preoccupied. Nicholas also seemed to be caught up in his own thoughts. Both men were frowning now, and neither was eating.

  Johanna wasn't about to bring up the topic until the men had finished their supper. She decided to turn the conversation to everyday matters.

  "Have you noticed our wall is almost completed, Nicholas? The men have done a fair amount of work since your last visit."

  Nicholas nodded.

  "Keith, have I mentioned how fit you look wearing the MacBain plaid?" she remarked.

  The soldier grinned. "Aye, m'lady, you have mentioned it at least ten times today."

  "She told me my shoulders look wider and stronger with the MacBain plaid," Michael interjected.

  "She told me I looked taller," Lindsay called out.

  "And I meant every one of my compliments," Johanna blurted out. "Every single one of you does look better in the MacBain plaid."

  The soldiers laughed. "We have accepted our laird's colors, m'lady. You don't have to fret any longer."

  "I haven't been fretting," she defended,

  "Then why are you suddenly complimenting us?" Keith asked.

  She shrugged. The men found her reaction vastly amusing. She deliberately changed the subject to a less embarrassing one. The soldiers had all ignored Nicholas; when one mentioned the incident with the wolves, they out-shouted each other in their bid to tell the tale of their mistress's cunning.

  Johanna didn't believe her brother needed to hear the story, but her protest was ignored. Gabriel reached over and took hold of her hand. The men were laughing and shouting now, and in the middle of the chaos, Gabriel leaned close to Johanna.

  "You know I'll always protect you don't you?"

  He whispered his question. Johanna leaned to the side of her chair and kissed her husband. "I know."

  Nicholas saw the tender moment between Johanna and Gabriel. He nodded, satisfied. He'd done the right thing by insisting she marry the laird.

  Calum asked Gabriel a question then. Johanna scooted back on her stool and turned to Clare.

  "Are you feeling all right?" she whispered,.

  "Yes, m'lady," Clare answered.

  Johanna wasn't convinced. Clare had barely touched her food and had stayed remarkably silent for most of the meal.

  She thought Nicholas might be the reason for Clare's timid behavior. For some reason the two of them had taken an immediate dislike to each other. If Clare wasn't sick, then Nicholas was the only other reason for her odd conduct. They both kept staring at each other; and when one caught the other looking, a quick frown resulted.

  Their behavior was bizarre as well as distressing, for Johanna had grown quite fond of Clare and she wanted the young woman to like her family.

  She put the matter aside when the men requested permission to leave. "Where is Father MacKechnie this evening?" she asked.

  Keith stood up before answering. "Auggie wanted him to sample a drink of his new batch of brew."

  "If you run into him, will you please tell him I would; like to speak to him?"

  "What do y
ou want to speak to him about?" Gabriel; asked.

  "An important issue."

  "You will discuss your important issue with me," he commanded.

  "Yes, of course I will," she agreed. "But I would also like to hear Father MacKechnie's opinion, too."

  She turned back to Clare before her husband could question her further. "What do you think of my brother? He's handsome, isn't he?"

  "Handsome? M'lady, he's English," Clare whispered.

  Johanna laughed. She turned to her brother. "Clare doesn't appear to like Englishmen, Nicholas."

  "It's unreasonable to dislike an entire country of men," he remarked.

  "I'm not an unreasonable woman," Clare defended. "If I were English, I might think your brother was handsome."

  It was all she was willing to concede. Nicholas didn't appear to care what her opinion was. Yet Johanna wasn't fooled by her brother's indifferent behavior. He was interested in Clare MacKay all right and trying not to let anyone know.

  Clare was acting a little too defensive. Johanna suddenly straightened on her stool. Gabriel noticed the look of surprise on her face. He demanded to know what the hell was the matter with her.

  She patted his hand and gently told him she didn't care for his gruff tone of voice. She deliberately didn't answer his question.

  "Nicholas?"

  "Yes, Johanna?"

  "When are you going to get married?"

  Her brother hadn't been prepared for her blunt question. He laughed. "I'm putting it off for as long as possible," he admitted.

  "Why?"

  "I have other more important matters to think about," he said.

  "But do you have anyone in mind when you do decide to marry?"

  Nicholas shook his head. "I really haven't thought about it. When I'm ready, I'll marry. Now, enough of this talk."

  She wasn't finished discussing the topic just yet. "Would a large dowry be important when making your choice?"

  He let out a sigh. "No," he answered. "I don't need a large dowry."

  She smiled. Then she turned to Clare. "He wouldn't want a large dowry," she repeated.

  Clare frowned in puzzlement but only for a second or two. Then she realized what Johanna's plan was.

  Her eyes widened, and she vehemently shook her head. "You cannot think I would ever consider an Englishman," she whispered.

  Johanna tried to soothe her. "I wasn't asking you to consider anything," she said. It was a blatant lie, of course, but her motives were sincere and she didn't believe she was committing a sin. She'd achieved her goal, too, for all she wanted was to plant the idea in Clare's head.

  "My father would die."

  "He would recover."

  "How does one recover from death?" Gabriel wanted to know.

  Johanna ignored his question. "No one's going to force you to do anything you don't want to do," she told Clare.

  She turned to her husband. "Isn't that right, Gabriel?"

  "Isn't what right? Johanna, I don't have any idea what you're talking about."

  Johanna wasn't bothered by her husband's irritation. "When is Clare's father coming back here?"

  "Tomorrow or the day after."

  Nicholas was staring at Clare now. The look on her face bothered the hell out of him. When she heard her father was coming, her eyes clouded up with tears, and damned if she didn't look frightened. Nicholas didn't understand his own reaction. He barely knew the woman and had already decided he didn't like her much, yet now he felt the urge to try to straighten out her problem for her.

  "You do not wish to see your father?" he asked.

  "Of course I want to see him," Clare replied.

  "Clare won't be ready to go home tomorrow or the day after," Johanna told her husband. "She hasn't completely recovered yet."

  "Johanna," Gabriel began in a warning tone of voice.

  "She looks fit enough to me," Nicholas remarked, wondering what the hell they were talking about. "Have you been ill?" he asked Clare.

  She shook her head. Johanna nodded. Nicholas was thoroughly exasperated.

  "Clare's been very ill," Johanna said then. "She needs time to regain her strength."

  "So that is why her hair is cut like a boy's," Nicholas remarked. "She had fever, didn't she?"

  "She didn't have fever," Johanna said. "Gabriel, I must insist you tell Laird MacKay his daughter isn't up to a journey just yet."

  "I don't think I can put him off," Gabriel replied. He turned to glare at Nicholas. "It's a pity you didn't father her child," he muttered. "It would solve all our problems."

  Nicholas opened his mouth to say something but was too stunned to think of anything appropriate.

  "I still cannot believe you thought my brother would be so dishonorable," Johanna said.

  "It was logical, damn it," her husband countered.

  "And just how would it have solved our problem?" Johanna demanded.

  "He's here," Gabriel countered. "The priest would marry them. You did hear me promise MacKay there would be a marriage, didn't you?"

  "I couldn't possibly marry him."

  Since Clare was pointing to Nicholas when she made the emphatic statement, he had to assume she was talking about marrying him.

  "Damn right, you couldn't," he snapped. "I might also mention I haven't asked you to marry me."

  Clare bounded to her feet. "Please excuse me," she blurted out. "I suddenly feel the need for some fresh air."

  Gabriel nodded. Clare immediately left the hall. Nicholas watched her leave, then turned back to his sister. She was frowning at him.

  "Will one of you tell me what in thunder is going on?"

  "You've upset Clare, Nicholas. You'd better go after her and make your apology."

  "How did I upset her?"

  "You refused to marry her," Johanna explained. "Didn't he, Gabriel?"

  Her husband was thoroughly enjoying Nicholas's confusion. "Aye, he did refuse," he agreed, just to goad his brother-in-law's temper.

  "Start explaining," Nicholas demanded.

  "It would be wrong of us to talk about Clare's problem," Johanna said. "She'll tell you when she's ready. Nicholas, why did you come here?"

  The switch in topics took him by surprise. He couldn't come up with a quick excuse. He turned to Gabriel for assistance.

  Father MacKechnie inadvertently came to Gabriel's and Nicholas's rescue. He came rushing into the hall.

  "Keith told me you wished to speak to me, m'lady," he called out. "Is it convenient now, or would you like me to come back later?"

  Gabriel and Nicholas literally jumped at the opportunity to turn Johanna's attention.

  "Come and join us, Father!" Gabriel shouted.

  "It's good to see you again," Nicholas called out at the same time.

  If the priest was surprised by the warriors' enthusiastic greetings, he didn't let it show.

  "I heard you were back, Nicholas," Father MacKechnie said. "Were you checking up on your sister? You can see she's happy," he added with a nod.

  "Is that why you came all this way?" Johanna asked.

  It was sinful to admit, but she was really enjoying her brother's discomfort. Lying to her was difficult for him, she decided, if the look on his face was any indication. His frown was quite telling, considering the innocence behind the question.

  Gabriel rescued him. "Have you had your dinner, Father? Johanna, where are your manners? You should ask the servants to feed the man."

  "I've already eaten," the priest announced. He sat down next to Johanna, declined the offer of a drink, and then went into detail about Auggie's latest batch of brew.

  "It's got a kick to it all right," he announced. "One drink and a body could fly across the courtyard."

  Johanna laughed over the priest's exaggeration. "It will warm us come the long…" The priest was about to say the brew would warm their stomachs on the cold winter nights ahead but hastily changed his remark. "If there's any left."

  "Long what?" Johanna asked.

  "Lon
g warm winter nights," the priest mumbled with a glare in Nicholas's direction. He obviously still blamed Johanna's brother because of the lie he'd told about the warm climate in the Highlands.

  Nicholas was surprised everyone was still keeping the truth from his sister. He almost laughed but caught himself in time.

  "Nicholas, do you know that since I came here, the weather has turned most unpredictable. Why some nights it's actually cold."

  "Nay, lass, it's never cold," Gabriel argued.

  "Now Johanna…" Nicholas began.

  "Are you going to tell me why you came here? There is obviously a problem of some sort, or you would have waited to accompany Mother, Nicholas."

  "Why are you here, son?" the priest also wanted to know.

  Nicholas was hard-pressed to come up with an answer. "The weather," he announced after a moment's pause. "I couldn't live with the lie any longer, Johanna. I came here to tell you the truth."

  Johanna's burst of laughter told him she didn't believe him. Yet once he'd started the fabrication, he was damned if he was going to stop.

  "I lied to you. There, I've said what I came here to say."

  "Do you mean you lied to me about the weather?"

  Nicholas grinned. Her laughter was contagious and so was her cunning. It suddenly dawned on him that she'd always known he was lying.

  He leaned forward and pointed his finger at her. "You knew… all the while, didn't you?"

  She nodded. "I'm wearing a woolen plaid, Nicholas. Of course I knew."

  "Then each time one of us lied and told you the weather was unusually cold, you knew the truth, lass?"

  The priest sounded appalled. Johanna nodded. "It was kind of you to hold my brother's lie, for you only had my happiness in mind, Father."

  "You've got a bent sense of humor, wife," Gabriel announced.

  "It's as warped as a shield left out in the rain too long," Nicholas agreed.

  She laughed. The men assumed she wasn't bothered by their insults.

  Johanna yawned and immediately apologized. Gabriel demanded she go upstairs to bed.

  "First I would like to discuss something with all of you," she said. "Then I'll go to bed."

  "What is it you want to talk about?" Nicholas asked.

  "I'll help if I can," the priest promised.

  "I have a problem," Johanna began.