dragon here alone? Doubtful. Furthermore, he could not help but wonder if Dunnehl was with her. There were too many questions that he wanted the answers to.
“Come with me.” He needed to know what the healer had said to the fiery beast—and quickly. He practically dragged her to a secluded bench in the garden.
Her eyes widened with uncertainty. “MacGregor, ye are frightening me.”
Declan gently caressed the back of his hand across her cheek. “Donna be frightened, but this is verra important, lass. I need ye to tell me everything that ye said, even if ye think ’tisnae important.” Lowering his hand, he gave her a reassuring smile.
“When I heard her name, I thought of Rosalia and I asked if she was a relation. At first, she seemed almost startled. Then she declared that Rosalia was her daughter. I believe she asked me how we were of acquaintance. I stumbled for the truth and didnae want to admit that Archie…”
“I understand. So what exactly did ye say?”
“I merely conveyed that I had known Rosalia from her time at Glenorchy.”
Declan involuntarily groaned and rubbed his hands over his face. Placing his elbows on his knees, he cast a troubled glance. “What else did ye say?”
Hesitating, she eyed him with concern. “She wondered if Rosalia was still at Glenorchy because the last she had heard from her daughter, she was still traveling. I told her I wasnae sure, but I thought so. Then she asked where Glenorchy was. She ended the conversation rather abruptly and then took her leave. That was all. Please, MacGregor, what did I do? Ye must tell me.”
Sitting up, he ran his hands through his hair and sighed. The healer was not at fault. How could she have known? The English dragon now knew Rosalia’s whereabouts. How dangerous could this be, and what trouble could the woman bring to his clan? Feeling the healer’s gaze upon him, he stretched his back and rolled his neck.
“MacGregor,” she said with impatience.
“Ciaran and Aiden were attending court at the end of last summer’s solstice. On their way back to Glenorchy, they found Rosalia dressed as a stable lad. She had cut her hair and was bruised from head to toe. At first, they didnae know she was a woman, but obviously they found her out. From what Ciaran said, the Armstrongs’ coffers were empty and Rosalia was to wed an English lord.”
Declan explained, “Rosalia refused to wed this man and her father beat her horribly for her insolence. From my understanding, that wasnae the first time for such a thrashing. She had suffered many years of abuse at her own family’s hand.”
He paused. Perhaps he should ask the healer for a remedy for his aching head. He continued, “Ciaran brought Rosalia to Glenorchy and cared for her wounds. ’Tis how she came to be at Glenorchy. Eventually, he was to escort her to Glengarry to her seanmhair. ” Grandmother. Declan shrugged.
“Since we are still here, I donna know if Ciaran did or nae. I cannae imagine my brother would ever…ne’er mind my words,” he said, shaking his head. “A few months past, the stable master and cook from Mangerton arrived at Ciaran’s gates to report that the English lord Rosalia was to wed had killed her father.”
The healer gasped. Reaching out, she clutched his hand. “I didnae know her father was killed. ’Tis tragic.”
He shook his head. “Nay, healer. What is tragic is that Rosalia’s mother took her leave with the English arse freely.”
“ Freely ?”
“Aye. Rosalia’s father was Scottish, but as ye know, her mother is English. Rosalia said that her mother didnae love her father and detested everything about Scotland. Well, she found her means of transport back to England and she clearly took it. Now she knows where Rosalia is, and I donna know if she will bring trouble to Ciaran’s door.”
“Mayhap Ciaran has already taken his leave to Glengarry and Rosalia is safe . ”
“Aye. And what if they didnae?”
***
Liadain stared
“Come with me.” He needed to know what the healer had said to the fiery beast—and quickly. He practically dragged her to a secluded bench in the garden.
Her eyes widened with uncertainty. “MacGregor, ye are frightening me.”
Declan gently caressed the back of his hand across her cheek. “Donna be frightened, but this is verra important, lass. I need ye to tell me everything that ye said, even if ye think ’tisnae important.” Lowering his hand, he gave her a reassuring smile.
“When I heard her name, I thought of Rosalia and I asked if she was a relation. At first, she seemed almost startled. Then she declared that Rosalia was her daughter. I believe she asked me how we were of acquaintance. I stumbled for the truth and didnae want to admit that Archie…”
“I understand. So what exactly did ye say?”
“I merely conveyed that I had known Rosalia from her time at Glenorchy.”
Declan involuntarily groaned and rubbed his hands over his face. Placing his elbows on his knees, he cast a troubled glance. “What else did ye say?”
Hesitating, she eyed him with concern. “She wondered if Rosalia was still at Glenorchy because the last she had heard from her daughter, she was still traveling. I told her I wasnae sure, but I thought so. Then she asked where Glenorchy was. She ended the conversation rather abruptly and then took her leave. That was all. Please, MacGregor, what did I do? Ye must tell me.”
Sitting up, he ran his hands through his hair and sighed. The healer was not at fault. How could she have known? The English dragon now knew Rosalia’s whereabouts. How dangerous could this be, and what trouble could the woman bring to his clan? Feeling the healer’s gaze upon him, he stretched his back and rolled his neck.
“MacGregor,” she said with impatience.
“Ciaran and Aiden were attending court at the end of last summer’s solstice. On their way back to Glenorchy, they found Rosalia dressed as a stable lad. She had cut her hair and was bruised from head to toe. At first, they didnae know she was a woman, but obviously they found her out. From what Ciaran said, the Armstrongs’ coffers were empty and Rosalia was to wed an English lord.”
Declan explained, “Rosalia refused to wed this man and her father beat her horribly for her insolence. From my understanding, that wasnae the first time for such a thrashing. She had suffered many years of abuse at her own family’s hand.”
He paused. Perhaps he should ask the healer for a remedy for his aching head. He continued, “Ciaran brought Rosalia to Glenorchy and cared for her wounds. ’Tis how she came to be at Glenorchy. Eventually, he was to escort her to Glengarry to her seanmhair. ” Grandmother. Declan shrugged.
“Since we are still here, I donna know if Ciaran did or nae. I cannae imagine my brother would ever…ne’er mind my words,” he said, shaking his head. “A few months past, the stable master and cook from Mangerton arrived at Ciaran’s gates to report that the English lord Rosalia was to wed had killed her father.”
The healer gasped. Reaching out, she clutched his hand. “I didnae know her father was killed. ’Tis tragic.”
He shook his head. “Nay, healer. What is tragic is that Rosalia’s mother took her leave with the English arse freely.”
“ Freely ?”
“Aye. Rosalia’s father was Scottish, but as ye know, her mother is English. Rosalia said that her mother didnae love her father and detested everything about Scotland. Well, she found her means of transport back to England and she clearly took it. Now she knows where Rosalia is, and I donna know if she will bring trouble to Ciaran’s door.”
“Mayhap Ciaran has already taken his leave to Glengarry and Rosalia is safe . ”
“Aye. And what if they didnae?”
***
Liadain stared
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