Betrayed

'Hamish? No.' Janet Stewart laughed. 'His family wanted a suitable bride. The match was made when I was in the cradle. He's almost twenty years my senior, and I didn't see him until a month before we were to wed, for he was a soldier for the French in France. But he's a good man, my Hamish, and I have grown to love him as the years passed. We have made two sons, and three daughters.'

'He's besotted over her, and ever was,' the laird of Loch Brae muttered in response to his sister's words.

'Meg didn't know her David well either,' Janet Stewart continued, 'yet she's happy.' Then she explained, 'Meg is our younger sister, and she's wed to David Hamilton. They have two of the dearest little twin laddies. Ye see, Fiona, marriage must be worked at as ye would work a fertile field. Little will grow if ye don't plow it, seed it, and water it. Love comes with time, with respect, with knowing a man day by day. It all takes time. Ye and Angus, for all yer rough start, are, I believe, an ideal match.' Her smile encompassed them both.

'I'll not wed him, nor any man I don't love,' Fiona said stubbornly.

'Nor will I wed a thief and besmirch the honor of the Gordons of Loch Brae,' the laird said in equally stubborn tones.

Janet Gordon Stewart looked discomfited by her brother's attitude. Why did Angus always have to be so damned difficult? Fiona's mood she discounted. The lass was obviously proud and idealistic. She could be gotten around in time, but Angus was a different matter. Perhaps, she decided, if left alone for the winter, love would actually bloom between the adamant pair. Then the matter would be solved.

'Where are your little sisters, my dear?' Janet Stewart asked Fiona.

'Jeannie, Morag,' Fiona called, and the two younger girls came into the hall. 'Make your curtsies to Lady Stewart.'

'How adorable they are!' Janet Stewart cooed. 'The wee one is yer spit, Fiona Hay.' She cocked her head, and stooping down said, 'Are ye Jeannie or Morag, my pet?'

'Morag, lady,' came the lisping answer.

Janet stood again. 'Then ye must be Jeannie. Do ye like ponies, Jeannie Hay?'

'Aye, lady.' Jeannie nodded slowly, wondering what this was all about. She suspected from the lady's dulcet tones she wouldn't like it.

Janet Stewart turned to Fiona and her brother. 'These two bairns must come to Greymoor to live with me,' she said. When Fiona opened her mouth to protest, Janet continued, 'Ye have made yer decision, Fiona Hay, but that decision when spread far and wide, will make ye known as a high-priced whore.'

Fiona blanched, but her lips were tightly compressed as she listened to Janet Stewart's further explanation.

'If ye expect to find respectable husbands for Jeannie and Morag one day, then they canna remain here at Brae else they eventually be considered fair game for yer fate. Ye do understand, don't ye?'

Fiona nodded slowly, but there were tears in her eyes.

'For God's sake, Jan, don't speak so harshly to her,' the laird protested. 'Jeannie and Morag are but bairns. No one will think ill of them. Fiona's mothered her sisters admirably. Yer being unnecessarily cruel.'

'No,' Fiona spoke, surprising them, 'she is not cruel, my lord. She speaks the truth. I wanted to leave my sisters up upon the ben with old Flora and Tam,' she explained, turning to Janet Stewart, 'but yer brother said 'twould not be safe now. I did think of them, lady!'

'Of course ye did,' Janet said. 'I can see yer mettle, Fiona Hay. Angus was right, however, about leaving two little lasses unprotected but for two servants. Still, they canna remain with ye and be respectable. They must come home with me.'

'I'll not leave my Jamie-boy,' Jeannie said firmly.

Fiona ignored her. “Will ye let me send our Flora and Tam with my sisters, lady? They were my mother's servants, and have cared for us our whole lives. There is nothing they can do for me, as my lord has kindly supplied me with a servant of my own. They will feel useful looking after my sisters as they have always done. They are obedient and will give ye no trouble, my lady.'

'Of course they must come.'

'I'll not leave my Jamie-boy!' Jeannie repeated, and this time she stamped her foot for emphasis.

'My little brother comes most frequently to Greymoor,' Lady Stewart said, immediately understanding Jeannie's concern. 'I have a daughter just a wee bit younger than ye, too, Jeannie Hay. Ye’ll have someone to be yer friend. Have ye ever had a friend before?'

Jeannie shook her head in the negative.

'Have ye a little girl my age, lady?' Morag demanded, tugging upon Janet Stewart's skirts. 'I've never had a friend either.'

'I do!' Lady Stewart said, smiling, 'and I have two little boys as well, but they play with each other.'

“Fiona!'' Jean Hay looked to her sister.

'Lady Stewart is correct, Jeannie. If ye stay with me, ye will be thought no better than I am. Ye must remember that ye are Hays, not common folk. If ye are raised in Lady Stewart's household, ye'll retain yer respectability. Ye’ll be considered for fine husbands one day.' She spoke carefully as if she were struggling to maintain her composure, which indeed she was.

Janet wanted to smack her brother. This was all Angus's fault. If he were not so unreasonable, so bloody unyielding, this whole situation might have been avoided. All he had had to do was pretend to believe Fiona Hay when she said the cattle were hers, but no! Angus would be ruled by his pride. No one must believe for a single moment that the laird of Loch Brae had a kind heart. When she considered what the Hays of the Glen had done for her brother! Janet swallowed back her outrage. 'I'll take good care of yer sisters, Fiona Hay,' she said. 'Ye have my word on it.'

'Then it's settled!' the laird said jovially, secretly relieved to be rid of the two younger Hay sisters. He hadn't been quite certain what he would do with them, and Jeannie, he could see, was going to prove quite a handful.

'I'll not take the lassies today,' his sister said sweetly. 'Ye’ll need a week or two to see they are properly outfitted for my household, and their servants as well, brother dear. And ye'll pay me an ounce of gold each year for their keep, and I'll expect a declaration in writing from ye regarding the size of their dowers.' She turned to Fiona. 'Four cattle was it? Each?'

Fiona nodded, slightly astounded by Janet Stewart's manner.

'Four cattle or the equivalent in silver coin, plus linens, clothing, and a piece of jewelry,' Janet concluded.

'Ye ask a great deal for two little lasses from the ben,' the laird said.

“Ye got a great deal from their grandsire that by rights should have been theirs, and let us not forget what ye've taken from their eldest sister,' Janet responded sharply.

'Agreed,' he replied grudgingly.

'Oh, thank ye, my lady!' Fiona said, catching up Janet Stewart's hand and kissing it fervently. 'I shall ever be in yer debt.'

'Fall in love with him, lassie,' Janet said softly, 'and make the arrogant devil love ye so much he suffers when out of the sight of yer splendid green eyes.' She winked at Fiona, then said to no one in particular, 'Fetch my cloak! I must be off to Greymoor to tell Mary and Annabella that they will soon have two new friends to play with.'

'Yer visit, sister,' said the laird, 'has, as always, been interesting. Let me know when ye would fetch Jeannie and Morag to Greymoor.'

'Don't be paltry in their accoutrements, Angus,' his sister said sharply as she departed.

Fiona couldn't help but laugh. 'She is like the wind. Blowing in, sweeping clean, and then blowing out again.'

'She is more like a plague,' the laird grumbled. 'Ever since we were children she has been telling me what to do-and what not to do. Yet her husband thinks the world of her, and her children adore her. I don't understand it,