ye Ella?”
Her voice wavered. “’Tisnae that…I just…Why do ye wish to call me Ella?”
His face lit up with surprise. “Why? I heard your brother say as much to ye. I want ye to feel at home here, Sybella. Glengarry is now your home. I thought to call ye something by which ye are accustomed in order to make ye feel more comfortable here…with me.”
Sybella briefly closed her eyes, feeling like a complete dolt. The man was clearly trying to welcome her and surprising her at every turn. And here she was, acting like an arse. She quickly chastised herself, although she was generally resentful of the entire situation.
“Please accept my apologies. I meant nay disrespect. Ye only caught me unaware since my brother is the only man who calls me Ella. It would please me greatly if ye would call me the same.” She gave Alex a polite smile and his expression lightened.
“How about we saddle our mounts and take our leave for a wee hunt?”
“That would be delightful. I would wish to change first.” As she turned on her heel, her husband spoke.
“Ella.”
She turned around and raised her brow.
“The name suits ye.”
Smiling at Alexander’s compliment, Sybella sought her chamber and changed her gown. Her father would be proud. In a matter of days, she was able to see a subtle difference in her husband’s behavior toward her.
He was starting to trust her.
When she returned to the stables, the horses were already saddled. The animals whipped the reins with their muscular heads and pawed at the ground. Sybella approached the new gift her husband had bestowed upon her and shook her finger at the prize horseflesh.
“I am only going to say this once. We can do this the hard way or the easy way. Ye obey me and we will get along fine. If ye donna, trouble will find ye and there will be nay special treats.”
A warm voice came up behind her. “Do ye think that really works?” asked Alexander, his mouth twitching with amusement.
She shrugged. “It doesnae matter. It makes me feel better.”
“Are ye ready?”
She raised her brow. “Are ye?”
“Are ye going to spar with me if I offer to assist ye onto your mount?” he asked.
“If it makes ye feel better, I will let ye assist me.” Alexander paused and then lifted her onto her horse. “Thank ye…Alex.”
His smile was boyishly affectionate and he patted her thigh. He turned and mounted his horse, giving her a brief nod when he was ready. They left the bailey and followed the same path she had traveled on her way to Glengarry.
Sybella turned in the saddle and looked over her shoulder. “The first time I saw your home, I thought the view was quite impressive.”
“I am pleased Glengarry suits ye, lass. Ye can be comforted that ’tis now your home as well.” His smile broadened in approval.
Alex turned his mount from the main path and entered the woods. The rays of the sun were immediately blocked by the tall pines and foliage. Sybella loved the smell of fresh pine. Unfortunately, her nose did not.
When she let out a loud sneeze, her mount took off in a startled rush through the forest. The frightened beast scraped her leg on a tree trunk as she pulled back on the reins and spoke in soothing tones, trying to calm her skittish horse.
Her husband rode up beside her. “Are ye all right?”
Refusing to rub her bruised leg, she forced her head high. “I am fine. I see the look in your eyes. It was only a sneeze. I can control him.”
He guided his mount back onto the trail. “I didnae say anything.”
“Ye didnae have to,” she said under her breath.
They traveled deeper into the wooded land and Alex stopped his mount. “We will try to hunt here. I have had much luck in the past.” He dismounted and raised a brow when he turned around to assist her.
Sybella’s feet were already planted on the ground. “We are away from prying eyes, my laird. There is nay need for such propriety.”
He shook his head and tethered their mounts to a tree. They grabbed their bows from the side of the saddles and walked a few yards into the forest. Careful not to disturb the area, they continued stealthily into the brush.
Nothing moved.
Alex gestured with his bow that he would widen the distance they hunted and moved quietly to Sybella’s far right. As she had practiced so many times with Colin, the hope was that he would encircle any small animals and flush them out toward her. She waited patiently for something to cross her path. To be truthful, she wanted to prove to her husband that she could hunt as well as any man.
Sybella glanced around and could no longer see Alex through the trees. Taking advantage of a moment to herself, she bent down and partially lifted her day dress. She spotted a trace of blood from the scrape on her leg. Damn. Leaning her bow against a tree, she licked her thumb and was bending down to wipe the blood when something whizzed over her head.
She bolted upright and came face to face with an arrow that penetrated the tree. Praise the saints. Her husband’s jesting was completely out of control. It was one thing to pretend to take aim at the man’s arse but entirely another to take aim at her head. If the arrow had struck her, she would’ve been seriously injured or… dead.
Pulling out the arrow with a purpose, Sybella went in search of her husband. “Alex!
As her husband approached her, she threw words at him like stones. He stared at her, puzzled, while she continued her rant.
She slapped the arrow into his chest. “How dare ye! Nay matter how skilled I am, I would
The man simply stood there, blinking with confusion. “Ella, what are ye talking about?”
Sybella pointed to the arrow he held in his hands. “I donna appreciate ye taking aim at my head nay matter how amusing ye think ’tis. If I would have moved, ye could have killed me.”
Alex stood to his full height and his eyes narrowed. He turned his head slowly from side to side and then lowered his voice. “Ella, ’tisnae my arrow.”
Sybella’s eyes widened. “What do ye mean, ’tisnae your arrow?”
A chill ran up Alex’s spine as he turned and escorted Sybella firmly by the elbow. “The hunt is over. Walk quickly back to your mount. Now.” With senses heightened, his eyes darted around the trees, brush, anything that held even the slightest of movements.
“Ye are making me nervous. If that isnae your arrow, do ye think someone deliberately took aim for my head?”
He increased his gait. “I donna know and I will see ye safe before I find out.”
The lass almost had to run to keep up with him. “Why would someone want to…I know your clan wasnae exactly thrilled to have me as your wife, but I thought my dowry would more than make up for their uncertainties.”
The woman needed to learn when to keep her opinions to herself. How typical of a MacKenzie to blame a MacDonell. And who said the arrow was shot by one of his kin? When he did not respond, Sybella’s face clouded with uneasiness.
“I didnae mean to accuse your—”
