Chapter Eighteen

As they reached the Abbey stables, Isobel saw faces she recognized. First was Brodie Cameron. Until recently, he’d been the most wanted spy in all of Scotland and one of the Royalist Resistance’s most valuable resources. Second was Blair Macnab, who was like a sister to her friend Kirstie in the Cameron clan.

The next face that came into focus would have caused her to stumble had she been walking. It was Robbie.

He was now a Cameron, but she knew his true identity—he was the secret son of King Charles and the prince heir’s younger twin brother. Very few knew of his existence, even fewer knew where he was hiding.

Which angered her, because of all the places in Scotland he should avoid, Edinburgh and anywhere near Parliament was on the top of the list. Alex had sent her to guard him on a couple of occasions before the Camerons had taken him in, and the young man had never been so careless before.

Brodie, Blair, and Robbie all knew she was the female face of the Royalist Resistance and she trusted them.

They dismounted and passed their horses off to the stable hands and walked up to the group who were standing alone, at a good distance from anyone who might hear. She stomped up and hissed to the lad, “What the hell are ye doing here?”

Brodie stepped in between Robbie and her. “I could ask ye the same thing, Isobel. Although I almost didnae recognize ye.”

Grant took her hand and drew her to his side. “Dinnae talk to my wife that way if ye dinnae wish to leave my cousin a widow.”

She couldn’t help it. She started laughing. Grant hadn’t told her who his cousin had married, but Brodie Cameron was the last man she’d expected to settle down. “Ye are married to Skye?” She’d never met the lass whose horse she’d been borrowing or whose old furniture now resided in the bedchamber she shared with her husband.

“And ye ken my wife?” Grant sounded jealous, and she rather liked that he might be.

“Aye.” She nodded to her husband then glanced to the one man in the group she didn’t know. She asked Brodie, “Can he be trusted?”

“Oh, aye. This is Finlay Cameron. We are escorting him and his wife home from visiting the king in England. If the king trusts him, ye can, too. And this is his wife, Blair Cameron.”

“It’s good to see ye are well, Blair. And ’tis nice to meet ye, Finlay. I have heard of yer connection to the king.”

Blair threw her arms around Isobel. “I’m so happy yer safe. Ye saved many lives when ye told Kirstie about the plot to take out the Royalist lairds.”

Isobel hugged her then, pleased she’d been of some help. When the lass drew back, Isobel turned and smiled up at her husband who seemed shocked that she knew most of the group and they knew of her secret. She glanced back to the retired spy. “My husband can be trusted as well.”

“We’re on our way home to Kentillie, but stopped over last night. We heard about the meeting today and thought we would lend our support and get word back to our laird on what is decided.”

She took Grant’s hand and whispered, “Brodie used to occasionally help the Resistance.”

Then Brodie met Grant’s glare. “I gave it up so that I could be a good husband to yer cousin. I can assure ye she is safe with me.”

She turned to quiz Robbie. “And why are ye here? ’Tis no’ safe and ye ken it.”

“I had a chance to see my mother. I took it. And I was safe with the Camerons. They kept watch over me the whole time.”

“Are ye planning to stay in the Highlands then?”

“Aye, my home is now with Clan Cameron and I dinnae plan on leaving again.”

She was pleased Robbie had chosen to live among the Camerons because they were unwaveringly loyal to the king. His secret was too deadly to reveal to Grant among the mixed company. What if not all present were aware of the truth? She would wait until they were alone tonight and whisper to him that they had been in the presence of royalty.

…

“So, ye all ken who Isobel is?” Grant asked, feeling lost in the crowd. His wife had actually made friends despite her desire to push everyone away. He wondered if she realized she’d let these people into her life.

“Aye,” Blair said. “She’s helped a great many people.”

His wife blushed. She was lovely, even with the slight bruise marring her cheek. By all appearance she was a lady and not a woman who would don men’s clothes and run into battle. It gave him an idea.

He leaned in. “Ye can help keep her safe.”

“Whatever we need to do.” Blair nodded.

“We need witnesses. People who can verify she was nowhere near any of the Resistance skirmishes.”

“That’s a great plan. She can say she was with Skye when the battle that took yer brother-in-law happened. My wife would be happy to help.” Brodie smiled.

He could count on Skye, his cousin, to vouch for Isobel should the need arise. A huge weight lifted from his chest.

“And she was with Kirstie and me on Macnab land the time before that,” the petite blonde who’d embraced his wife added.

Even Finlay broke in. “And before that, she was visiting the Cameron laird’s new wife at Kentillie.”

As they stood there and continued to talk, a solid plan developed to defend his wife should the need arise.

Bells trilled through the yard, indicating it was time for them to file into the abbey and discuss how the Royalist clans could keep their religion without drawing the notice of those supporting Parliament. There was nothing they could do to stop the decree that only one religion should be practiced in Scotland, but they could keep their people safe.

While he’d not been able to stop Parliament from committing to the Covenants, today he had been able to assure his wife’s safety.

Now there was only one threat left. Torsten Campbell. And he had to find the man soon, because losing Isobel would destroy him.