ŷ������

“I claim her,�� Albert said. “I will marry the lass.��
Josephine and Laurin gasped in wide-eyed astonishment.
Josephine reached out and grabbed Laurin’s hand to keep her from either falling off her mount, or jumping down in order to run away.
Helmert threw his head back and laughed. Darvord and Clarence joined in.
From her vantage point, Josephine could see the murderous glare in Albert’s eyes. She could also see that he was quite serious.
After several long moments of guttural laughter, Helmert looked up at Albert. “Ye cannae be serious? Ye want to marry Laurin? She has no dowry or name to offer ye.��
“She does no�� need a dowry or a name,�� Albert told him firmly. “I have a bride price.�� He reached into his sporran and removed a leather bag filled with coins and tossed it to Helmert. “One hundred and eight merks,�� he said before turning away to head toward the horses.
Not one MacAulay brother or man moved, for they were frozen in place by what they’d just seen. Tightfisted Albert, the man who rarely parted with his money, had just paid an unbelievable amount of coin for Laurin’s freedom. ’Twas a shocking moment no one would soon forget.
Helmert was also surprised, but for different reasons. He tested the weight of the pouch and looked up at Albert. “Be ye certain ye want her?��
Albert answered with a stone-cold glare.
“She be no�� pure, ye ken?�� Helmert said. “She’s been used more times than a —��
Albert did not give him time to finish the taunt. He drew back and slammed a large fist into Helmert MacAdam’s nose. Helmert fell back and landed with a thud . Rivulets of blood ran from his nose and trailed down his cheek. Neither of his friends bothered to step forward to offer any assistance. Albert stood over him. “I be no�� as kind as me brother. I do no�� give any man the opportunity to insult me betrothed.”
― Suzan Tisdale, Isle of the Blessed

“I still cannae believe we are finally here,�� Laurin said, sounding more hopeful than she had just moments ago. “Ye’re certain we will be safe here?��
Josephine smiled thoughtfully. “What do you think?��
Laurin thought about it for a few moments before she answered. “Well, they do seem kind, aye? And so far, no�� one of them has tried to lift me skirts. And they do no�� drink and curse and carry on like the three eejits did.��
The “three eejits�� she referred to were Helmert, Darvord and Clarence . ’Twas a living nightmare the three men had put them through, though Laurin suffered far more than Josephine had. Trusting anyone was not an easy feat for Laurin, and who could blame her after all the “three eejits �� had done to her over the past few years? Though it was comforting that she believed the MacAulay men were kind, Josephine knew it would be a very long time before Laurin put complete trust in any man.
“I agree,�� Josephine told her. “They are a marked improvement over the eejits.��
Laurin giggled. “Pigs be an improvement over the eejits.”
― Suzan Tisdale, Isle of the Blessed

“While she spent her time in correspondence, Laurin spent her free time with Albert.
Neither Laurin nor Albert, or anyone else inside the keep for that matter , could quite understand the appeal that Josephine and Graeme found in writing.
“Do ye plan on marryin �� the man through letters?�� Laurin asked when she had returned from the evening meal. “Mayhap ye want to marry him by proxy.��
Josephine simply shook her head and smiled as she went back to writing yet another letter to Graeme.
“How will ye consummate yer marriage?�� Laurin asked. “Will ye do that by proxy as well?��
Josephine’s face burned a brilliant shade of red as she looked away. She was at that moment responding to a question Graeme had posed on that very topic.
Laurin shook her head and threw up her hands in defeat . “I am goin�� to bed.��
Josephine returned to her letter.”
― Suzan Tisdale, Isle of the Blessed

“Now, are ye goin�� to let me teach ye how to swim?��
Reckoning ’twas better to let Elise have her way than to have the topic turn back to Albert, she reluctantly agreed.
“�� Tis terrifyin��,�� she murmured as she stared out at the calm water .
From somewhere inside her, a little voice whispered, ye’ve been through far more terrifyin�� times than this. Taking a deep breath and straightening her back, she decided she could at least try.
“Verra well,�� she said in a resolute tone. “But I swear, if ye let me drown, I’ll haunt ye all the rest of my days.��
Elise laughed heartily. “I swear, I’ll no�� let ye drown. Albert would kill me.”
― Suzan Tisdale, Isle of the Blessed

“Elise ignored her complaints and eased her deeper into the water, until it was almost to her chest. It was getting more difficult for her to keep her feet on the smooth rocks, and panic began to swell.
She took in a deep breath of air, frightened that she might go under at any moment.
“Wheest, lass,”Elise told her. “Ye’ll be fine as long as ye do no’panic. Panic is what kills a person.��
“Are ye sure it be not lungs filled with water that does a person in?”Laurin snapped.”
― Suzan Tisdale, Isle of the Blessed

“He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Ye be a sight for sore eyes, lass,�� he told her. “But we’ve no�� much time.��
He handed her up to Marcum, who placed her on his lap and wrapped his arms around her.
“Nay!�� she pleaded, her mind dizzy with fear, relief, terror. “I want Albert!��
Marcum started to pat her hands comfortingly when he realized her wrists were bound. He removed his dirk and began to carefully cut away the leather straps.
“Where do ye hurt, lass?�� he asked.
Laurin gave a rapid shake of her head. “Everywhere, but I do no�� think anythin�� is broken,�� she told him through chattering teeth.
Making certain she’d not fall, he removed his cloak and draped it around her shoulders.
“Where is Albert?�� she implored as she searched for him. “I want Albert!��
“Och, lass, Albert be a wee bit busy at the moment,�� he explained. “He has a few men to kill.”
― Suzan Tisdale, Isle of the Blessed

“Josephine placed the cloth back in the basin then filled a cup with cold water. Helping Laurin sit up to drink, she encouraged her to sip slowly.
“Sister of my heart, I cannot tell you how happy I am to see you awake and without the fever.��
Laurin smiled and thanked her. Falling back against her pillows, she asked, “The Gladius?��
“�� Tis safe with Graeme. And it will remain in his possession until we have a daughter of our own.��
Laurin envied her friend, but not with spite or malice. “I be so verra glad that ye have found true love,�� she told her.
Josephine returned her smile, leaned in closely to whisper in her ear. “If you open your eyes and your heart , I believe you will discover you have found it as well.��
Confused, her brow knotted. “What do ye mean?��
Josephine pressed a tender kiss to her forehead. “Look about the room, my sister, and you will find I speak the truth.��
Laurin looked at Albert with a confounded expression.
Josephine whispered one last thought before quitting the room. “He never left your side.”
― Suzan Tisdale, Isle of the Blessed