“But,” Anna began to protest as Gabriel led the rest back into the castle.
“What was that all about?” Elena asked the moment they had a free moment.
“I daenae ken what yer talkin’ about,” Gabriel said.
“Aye, ye do. Ye think I dinnae notice the way my sister was lookin’ at ye?” Elena’s voice dropped as if confessing a hideous crime.
“Yer sister, I think, is nae content wit’ anythin’ in this life. Perhaps it was havin’ bairns too soon, or maybe she is just nae pleased wit’ yer happiness, I daenae ken. But I heard her speakin’ wit’ ye.”
“When?” Elena crossed her arms over her chest. Her eyes wide with shock only pricked at Gabriel’s consciousness. He never intended to keep things from Elena, but confessing to hear Anna’s disappointment and suspicion about his character made him boil.
“Out in the garden and in the sitting room before that. It seems yer sister doesnae believe yer happy here and is tryin’ to take ye away from me.”
“She’s just worried, is all.”
“Aye, as any good sister should be,” Gabriel said tilting his head. He could see the ire rising in Elena and wished he could quell his own, but he couldn’t take back what had been said.
“But she is practically callin’ me a villain. Do ye nae hear that when she speaks?” Gabriel strained the anger in his tone as his eyes darted about. Uncertain where Anna lingered, he couldn’t afford to let Elena’s sister see them quarrel.
“Yer nae a villain,” Elena said in a soft delicate tone. She stretched her hand out to Gabriel and dragged her fingers down his chest. The sensation caused little bumps to rise over his skin. Curling his arms around her small frame, he pulled her close.
“I daenae want her to drive a wedge between us,” he whispered as his lips grazed over her ear. Elena shivered in his arms and he knew it had nothing to do with the weather. Drawing her eyes to him, he stared at her. Running his fingers through her hair, he sighed. It took him forever just to get her this close, he couldn’t imagine how long it would take him if Anna managed to wiggle between them.
“Let us get to the loch,” he said finally.
“I cannae leave Anna here alone.”
“She wouldnae be, she’ll have the servants.” Elena pursed her lips tight and flashed him a disgruntled glare that caused him to chuckle. “What? They were good enough for ye at one point, are they nae good enough for her?”
“It’s nae that,” Elena said, shaking her head. “Anna and Isobel came here to see me. Nae to spend time wit’ the servants.”
“So, we’ll take Isobel and let her enjoy some time wit’ Jacob,” Gabriel said with a shrug. “Then later tonight we’ll spend it wit’ Anna and I promise I’ll be on my best behavior.”
“Ye picked up on that too, did ye?” Elena asked as the sound of Isobel’s giggle drifted down the hallway.
“Tis a bit too obvious,” Gabriel answered. “But who kens what will come of it.”
“Nothin’. Nothin’ will come of it.”
Gabriel and Elena whipped their heads around to find Anna walking down the hallway with her nose in the air. “Ye ken very well that uncle has matched Isobel wit’ another. Even if she does happen to have feelin’s for Jacob, nothin’ will come of it.”
“Are ye always this cynical?” Gabriel asked as Elena gave him a slight push as if to escape his grasp. He released his arms around her the moment he felt Elena’s hesitancy.
“Or have ye forgotten what love is? After all, love can change the world,” Gabriel said as he winked at Elena.
“Nae everyone has the means to buy what they want,” Anna said. Elena gasped as she looked at Gabriel. By the flash of irritation and shame that coursed through Elena’s eyes, Gabriel knew instantly that Elena still had an open wound about such things.
“So it’s money yer worried about?” Gabriel asked as he stepped closer to Elena, refusing to let her gravitate toward Anna.
“That is what makes a wife’s life easier,” Anna snapped. “What fortune does Jacob have? What means can he possibly have to provide a life for Isobel? Nay, our uncle would never approve of such things.”
“And why nae? Yer whole family ken Elena hated me, yet, here we are now, married. Who’s to say love doesnae conquer all things?” Gabriel said as he found himself growing more and more irritated.
“Enough, the both of ye,” Elena said finally as she glanced at Gabriel with a warning in her eyes.
“Anna, yer a guest here and have ye seen anythin’ that suggests I’m nae happy? Nae well cared for? Gabriel is here at the castle tendin’ to matters everyday. He doesne often indulge. The idea of goin’ to the loch was nae one that was made lightly.”
Gabriel couldn’t help but be impressed with Elena. Although she spoke the truth, hearing it come from her lips filled him with pride. It became clear he wasn’t the only one with a keen view of life in the castle.