'I am glad.' He patted Emily's shoulder. 'It is good to show such genuine caring for your friend's spiritual welfare. It gladdens my heart to see it.'
Emily blushed under the praise. 'It is no more than she would do for me, Father.'
They declined his offer of refreshment and continued on their walk. When they had fully explored the upper and lower bailey, Cait asked Emily to show her the way to the loch. It wasn't within the castle walls, but when Cait explained they had Drustan's permission, the women were let through the gate onto the drawbridge.
The loch was only about a ten-minute walk from the castle and more cottages dotted the landscape along the path. They met several Balmoral clanswomen who seemed pleased to make the acquaintance of the new wife to the laird's first-in-command and her English friend. Some had also seen Emily pass by that morning with Lachlan and were curious about a woman he chose to spend time alone with.
'This clan is certainly friendlier than the Sinclairs,' Emily remarked and then wished she'd kept her mouth shut. Her dear friend might be a Balmoral now, but she'd been born a Sinclair.
Cait sighed, her eyes sad. 'My brother's clan would have welcomed you more readily under different circumstances. You must believe me on this, Emily.'
'I do,' Emily hastened to assure her. 'I understand better since our chat this morning. I didn't mean to offend you with my remark.'
'You didn't.'
'Are you certain?'
Cait laughed. 'Yes. The women did go out of their way to make you feel like an outsider and I am not so easily insulted, trust me.'
'Your brother is. Imagine getting so testy over being likened to a goat,' Emily teased.
'Well, it is better than a horse's backside.'
They were both laughing when they came into the clearing beside the water.
'Oh, it is gorgeous here,' Cait exclaimed.
Emily looked at the lake shimmering in the sun and could not believe she had gone out far enough for the water to reach Lachlan's chest and be over her head. The gift he had given her that morning was greater than any she had ever known. Lachlan could be harsh and he was certainly bossy, but he was also gentle and passionate with her. And he cared enough to help her. That made him a hero in her eyes, even if he was an arrogant one.
Thinking out loud, she said, 'I have another swimming lesson tomorrow morning.'
'With Lachlan?' Cait asked in a strange voice.
'Yes, who else?'
'But I'm sure you won't be alone. There will be other soldiers nearby.'
'If there were this morning, I didn't notice them. He has really superior hearing and he heard his brother approaching before he ever broke the cover of trees.'
'Still, I'm sure Lachlan had guards with you.' There was a strange urgency in Cait's voice and Emily didn't understand it.
'No, really. I don't think so. He's so sure of himself, he probably doesn't think he needs guards. Especially on Balmoral land.'
Cait made a sound of distress, her gazed focused on something across the lake.
Emily turned to look and saw a huge gray wolf. He was too far away to leap at them of course, being on the other side of the water, but the aura of menace around him was enough to make her shiver. He didn't have the boney look of a desperate, hungry animal though, and she doubted the wolf would try to harm them. They were shy creatures as long as they weren't hungry… or establishing territory.
'I'm married now,' Cait was saying. 'The wedding was last night… and the claiming.'
'Yes, I know,' Emily replied, thinking it an odd topic when they were facing down a wild animal.
'There has been a misunderstanding. Susannah did not have the laird's permission to hunt alone. Her brother insists she was taken from the Balmoral's island.'
'So you've said.' Cait touched her friend's arm. 'Are you all right?'
'The Balmoral laird is looking for an apology.'
The wolf shook his head at them and snarled, showing his sharp teeth. Emily jumped back even though a whole wide lake separated them.
'Please, I don't want war between our clans,' Cait pleaded.
'Well, I don't either, but I don't know what you expect me to do about it.'
The wolf turned and disappeared into the forest on the other side of the lake.
Emily turned to Cait. 'That was a close call.'
'Closer than you know.' And tears were trailing down Cait's cheeks. ''Emily, you must not come tomorrow morning for your swimming lesson.'
'But I want to learn to swim now.'
'It isn't safe.'
'I would have agreed with you this morning, but Cait, Lachlan is helping me to conquer my fear.'
'Please, Emily.
Something very disturbing was happening with her friend. 'Tell me why.'
'I can't. Not here. Just accept that it isn't safe. I think Lachlan plans to seduce you.'
'I already know what Lachlan wants to do with me, and I want it. I'm sorry if you don't understand, Cait. I don't mean to disappoint you. Your opinion matters to me very much. You are my only friend here and as dear to me as Abigail, but I want this little bit of happiness in my life. I need it. For all the lonely years ahead.'
'Talorc will reject you if he believes Lachlan has mated you. Even if it isn't true.'
'Talorc has already rejected me.'
'He'll send you back to England in disgrace.'
'He can't possibly know about my swimming lessons with Lachlan.'
Cait did not reply, but started dragging Emily back toward the way they had come. She refused to answer any questions or slow down until they were inside Emily's tower room with the door firmly shut.
'You certainly move quickly for a pregnant woman,' Emily said, panting herself from the exertion of climbing the stairs at a near run.
'Femwolves are like that.'
'Fem… what?'
'There is something I have to tell you, Emily. So you will understand.' Cait rounded on her, her expression desperate.
'So you can help me avoid a war and the death of my brother or Lachlan.'
'What?'
'Do you remember when I told you about the Chrechte people?' Cait asked.
'Yes, of course. It was only this morning. I'm English, not forgetful.'
Her jest fell flat as Cait's agitation only seemed to grow. 'You are also human and I am not. Not fully.'
Concern for her friend had Emily standing and pushing her to sit on the bed. 'You are distraught. It has been an eventful time for you and you are pregnant. Let me get you a cup of water to help clear your mind.'
'My mind is already clear. Believe me, Emily.
Emily could not ignore her friend's plea and she sat.
'The Chrechte are shape-changers.'
'Shape-changers?' Emily asked faintly.
'They have more than one form, both animal and human.'
Oh, no. Last night had been an ordeal and it had broken her friend, only Emily had been too blind to see it. She stared at Cait, unsure what to say to help. If anything.
'Have you ever heard stories of werewolves?' Cait demanded.
'Yes,' Emily whispered, her heart breaking.
She could not stand to see her friend like this and in that moment, if either Lachlan or Drustan had been there, she would have attacked them with her eating knife. They had done this to Cait. Damn then: vengeance- loving natures.
'That's what the Chrechte are, a race of werewolves and femwolves. That gray wolf we saw beside the
