A/N: Thanks for my girls Sherry n Tiffany. As well as all of you for your amazing reviews/recs/follows/favs.
Chapter 55
Edward had brought Carlisle and his men back to the castle with him. Over the morning meal, they shared their tale of battle, and how Carlisle had been the one to come to their aid in their hour of need. Isabella was pleased that Edward had such powerful friends. She dreaded to think how different things would have been had he not been there to help her husband.
Edward also informed her that she no longer needed to worry about the Baron or her father. She presumed that meant they were both dead. She was relieved to know that the Baron was gone, but she wasn't sure how she felt about her father being dead. He was her father after-all. Granted, he had never been a good one. She began to wonder what kind of father Edward would be.
"He arrived et the castle early in the morning, demanding tae see the Mistress. He said ye hid sent him," Jasper said, bringing Isabella from her thoughts. "I widnae let through tae her, but his shouting must hae woke her because she came through. He hid a lock o her hair, a token that she hid gave you. He said it wiz proof that ye had sent him."
Edward reached into his plaid to fetch the token his wife had given him, but it wasn't there. It must have fallen out during battle. It was the only explanation he could think of. That devious bastard, he thought. Edward couldn't wait to get his hands on Garrett or Iain or whatever the hell you wanted to call him. He feared to think what would have become of Isabella had she foolishly left with him. He was glad to hear that Jasper had been able to make her see sense, and that she had listened for once.
"Why did Garrett betray you?" Isabella asked. She couldn't understand why Edward's own men had turned on him.
"Garrett is my uncle's bastard. It would appear he thought he wid hae a claim tae the land and title if I was out the way. When I married ye it must hae been too gid an opportunity tae waste for he was the wan who conspired wae the English."
Edward proceeded to tell Isabella the tale of how his uncle and Laird and Lady MacNeish, his mother's friends, had killed his parents in a fire. "It was supposed tae look like an accident, but the fire didn't burn the way they hid intended, thanks tae the wet weather. So, when the fire died oot the bars on the doors and windees were still in place. The clan went into an uproar, demanding justice. In the end, it wiz a servant that gave up ma uncle n the MacNeish, she wiz the Lady MacNeish's maid, but she hid been too scared tae come forward before."
Isabella didn't know what to say. She couldn't believe that his parents had come to such a tragic ending. No wonder Edward was so closed off at times. "What age were you when they died?" She asked.
"I wiz eleven, almost twelve. I wiz lucky that my father hid been training me from such a young age. He had already passed on maest o his wisdom before he died."
Isabella nodded. She had so many more questions that she wanted to ask, but she didn't want to pry before he was ready to share. She felt blessed that he had shared this much with her.