Page 42 of Highlander’s Sweet Poison

“She is helping me,” Bridgette interrupted. “We both know that I am getting on in years. She helps me with the chores, and I find joy in my grandchildren.”

Graeme sighed. His mother was as spry as she was two decades ago, and they all knew it. “And I heard that ye summoned my wife when I specifically told ye that I would not be around.”

Blinking her wide eyes at him, she sipped her tea. “I wasnae aware that yer wife needed ye to be by her side at all times, Son. Perhaps I will summon her again today and apologize. What times works best for ye?”

“Mother, ye and I both know that she isnae a favorite among the village. ‘Tis not safe for her to be out and about alone.”

“She wasnae alone. Tearloch was with her.”

“And when she left?”

Bridgette hesitated and paled some. “I admit that I didnae follow her to the door. I assumed the guard was waiting.”

“He wasnae. He had been called away to save a child that suspiciously turned into a broken wheel. Jillian started out alone, and someone began to harass her.”

His mother put the cup of tea down and placed a trembling hand over her heart. “That is my fault, Graeme. I will apologize to yer wife and ensure that it doesnae happen again. Who bothered her? I will be more than happy to have a word with them!”

“A woman who cannae do her chores doesnae need to be confronting my people,” he pointed out wryly before he turned his head to Annella. “She met Alan on the road. Ye wouldnae happen to know anything about that, would ye, Sister?”

He hated that he had to doubt her. Annella had always been a good sister, and he loved her and her children dearly. It was only because of her that he tolerated Alan, and she had to know that if he ever lifted a hand to strike her, Graeme would banish him.

But without evidence or his sister’s word, he only had his own suspicions.

Annella sat down and closed her eyes. “I didnae know,” she whispered. “Did he harm her?”

“Nay. Clyde interrupted them and escorted her back to the keep.”

At that, Annella’s eyes popped open, and she pressed her lips together. “Did he, now? He always did have a soft spot for her.”

Was that jealousy he heard in his sister’s voice? Not for her husband but for the blacksmith. Would his sister never find happiness?

“If Alan puts a hand on Jillian, I will exile him. If he truly harms her, I will execute him.”

Gasping, Annella immediately stared at the children and then back at him. “Must ye say that in front of them?”

Shame swept through him, but he would not apologize. The children did not seem to be listening, and perhaps they needed to learn just what their father valued in life.

It never seemed to be his family.

Christy coughed and looked up at Graeme with a toothy smile. “Bloody hell!”

With a groan, Annella tried to distract her daughter while Graeme raised an eyebrow. “Teaching yer granddaughter new phrases, Mother?”

“That wasnae me but yer sister,” Bridgette said with a smile. “Now tell me why ye are really here because I am certain that ye have more important things to do than to chastise me for summoning yer wife.”

That was true. He had a list of things to see to that it made his head ache. “I suppose I want to know if ye plan on supporting my decision to wed her?”

“Does that matter? Ye have already married her.”

“Aye, I have already wed her, and aye, yer support does matter. To me and to her.”

Moving to the corner of the room, she sat in her chair and pulled her shawl around her. “I liked her vera much when Fulton wed her. After one meeting with her, I thought to myself that the girl carried the sun inside her, filled with joy and strength. It wasn’t hard to see that she’d known hardship, but she still had so much hope, and I can see why she’d put faith in yer cousin. He was charming and handsome when he wanted to be.”

“Mother,” Annella muttered tightly, “that is yer nephew.”

“Aye, and since I am family, I can tell ye that the man no doubt got what was coming to him and more, but it wasnae witchcraft that ended him. Perhaps God’s will had a helping hand, but I didnae shed a tear for him then, nor did I afterward. When I saw what was happening to that poor girl, I beseeched Fletcher to protect her, and thankfully, he did as I asked.”

She smiled sadly, and Graeme knew that for a moment, she was lost in old memories. Perhaps the only one who missed Fletcher’s wife more than Fletcher was her sister, Bridgette. Graeme could remember how close his mother and aunt were. “Mother,” he prodded her gently.