Gabriel shook his head. "I can't," he replied in a voice that sounded a bit forlorn. "My wife would be unhappy, but by God, that is the only reason her brother's still breathing."

Calum hid his grin. He knew his laird's anger was all pretense. He turned to watch their guest.

"Something's wrong, MacBain. The baron isn't wearing his usual daft smile."

Johanna's brother was all alone. He was in a hurry to get to MacBain, too, for he swung his leg over his mount and jumped to the ground before the stallion had stopped. The horse's coat was lathered, indicating he'd been pressed hard.

Something was wrong, all right. Nicholas wasn't the sort of man to abuse his mount.

"Take care of his horse," Gabriel ordered Calum. He went down the steps and walked forward to meet his brother-in-law.

Neither warrior was much on proper greetings. Nicholas was the first to speak. "It's bad, MacBain."

Gabriel didn't question Nicholas. He simply waited for him to explain.

"Where's Johanna?"

"She's upstairs, getting Alex ready for bed."

"I could use a drink."

Gabriel tried to contain his impatience. He followed Nicholas inside, dismissed Megan from finishing her task of preparing the tables for supper so that he and Nicholas would have privacy, and then waited by the buttery while his brother-in-law poured himself a drink.

"You'd better sit down to hear this news," Nicholas suggested. "It's a hell of a mess, and Johanna's in the middle of it."

Johanna had just come down the stairs when she heard her brother's voice. She didn't pick up her skirts and run to Nicholas, but came to an abrupt stop instead, for the anger in his tone, added to his worrisome words, made her wait to hear what mess he was talking about before she intruded.

She knew it wasn't polite to eavesdrop, but concern and curiosity overrode manners now, and she knew that if she interrupted, the men would change the topic. Both her husband and her brother were overly protective of her feelings. Aye. they would change the topic all right and it would take her a good amount of nagging to get any answers out of either one of them. Listening in on the conversation might not be proper, but it was certainly effective. Besides, she'd heard her name and knew the mess somehow involved her. She edged a little closer to the entrance and waited to hear her brother's next remarks.

"Just get it said, Nicholas," Gabriel commanded.

Johanna nodded. She was in full agreement with her husband's demand and feeling every bit as impatient as he'd sounded.

"Baron Raulf has returned from the dead. He wants his wife back."

Johanna didn't hear her husband's reaction to Nicholas's news. She was too stunned to hear anything more. She felt as though she'd just been struck a powerful blow. A scream gathered in the back of her throat. She backed up until the railing prevented her from going any further. She shook her head in denial. It couldn't be true. Raulf had fallen from a cliff. There was a witness. He was dead.

Demons stayed in hell, didn't they?

And then she ran. She didn't have any clear destination in mind. She simply wanted to find a place where she could be all alone until she gained control over her panic and her fear.

She went down the back corridor, but by the time she reached the door leading outside, she realized what she was doing and why. The fear had been immediate and instinctive. It was a black remnant from her past, she thought to herself, and in the past her fear had always controlled her. She wouldn't allow it to control her now.

Johanna sat down on the bench and leaned back against the wall. She took several deep, calming breaths. After a few minutes, the panic began to ease, and with it the fear.

She was a different woman now, she reminded herself. She'd found courage and strength, and no one, not even a demon, could take those things away from her.

Her hand moved to her stomach in a protective action. Tears came into her eyes, but they were tears of joy, not apprehension, as she thought about the miracle growing inside her.

She said a prayer in thanksgiving for all the blessings God had given her. She thanked Him for giving her Gabriel and Alex and the baby sleeping inside her and thanked Him, too, for giving her a safe haven where she could be free of pain and where she could learn how to love, and last of all she thanked Him because He'd made her strong and clever. And then she set about using her cleverness to find a way out of the mess.

Johanna sat on the bench in the dark for almost an hour, but when she finally stood up, she had a clear plan in mind. She was feeling peaceful now, actually serene. Most important in her mind, she was in complete control.

Yes, she had come a long way. She smiled over the compliment she'd just given herself, then had to shake her head because she was acting daft. She wasn't crazed. She believed she would be all right. If it came to a battle of wits, Raulf wouldn't stand a chance against her. In her estimation, men who beat women were ignorant. They were also weak-minded and filled with insecurities. Raulf had all of those sorry traits. Yes, she would be victorious if the battle was waged in London's court with threats and accusations. She would use her knowledge of his sins to condemn him.

But if Raulf decided to use his fists and his sword to get his way, Johanna knew she wasn't physically strong enough to withstand his attack. It didn't matter though. Raulf could summon an army to aid him, but in the end, she would still be victorious. Because of Gabriel. He was her champion, her protector, her saving grace. She had complete faith in his ability to keep his family safe. Raulf was no match against him.

A demon, after all, could easily be crushed by an archangel.

Johanna let out a sigh. She was ready to let her husband comfort her. She picked up her skirts and ran to him.

Nicholas intercepted her in the center of the hall. He lifted her into his arms and swung her off the floor.

"Oh, Nicholas, I'm so happy to see you!" she cried out.

"Put her down damn it!" Gabriel roared. "And get your hands off her. My wife isn't in any condition to be tossed about like a caber."

Both Johanna and Nicholas ignored Gabriel's commands. She kissed her brother and hugged him tight. He finally put her down and draped his arm around her shoulders.

"My sister may look delicate, MacBain, but surely you've noticed by now she's really as strong as an ox."

"I've noticed you haven't let go of her yet," Gabriel snapped. "Johanna, come here. You should stand by your husband."

He sounded surly, but the sparkle in his eyes indicated he was pleased to see her happy. She thought he might actually like Nicholas, too, but Gabriel would go to his grave before admitting it. Men, she'd learned, were a complicated lot.

She pulled away from her brother and went to her husband. He immediately put his arm around her shoulders and hauled her close into his side.

"Why didn't you bring Mama with you, Nicholas? She would have been happy for your company, and she is planning to come here for a visitation. Isn't that right, husband?"

Gabriel nodded. "Yes, Nicholas," he said. "Why didn't you bring her?"

"She wasn't ready to leave England just yet," Nicholas countered. "Besides, there developed a bit of a problem, Johanna…"

Gabriel wouldn't let him finish. "Your mother will come next month."

"Explain, please, the problem you mentioned," she requested.

Both men looked wary now. She thought they didn't know how to give her the bad news. After several minutes of prodding, however, she came to the realization neither one had any intention of telling her about Raulf.

Gabriel could barely make himself let go of Johanna. When they sat down at the table to share their dinner, he kept reaching over to take hold of her hand.

Nicholas sat across from his sister and adjacent to Gabriel. Keith sat next to him. Clare joined them a few minutes later and took her seat next to Johanna.

Both Nicholas and Gabriel stood up when Clare entered the room. Johanna had to motion the other soldiers to also stand.

Nicholas kept his gaze on the lovely woman walking toward him. Gabriel kept his full attention on his brother-in-law. He waited to see a sign of recognition.

"Do you know this woman, Nicholas?" he demanded.

His brother-in-law took exception to Gabriel's tone of voice. "How the hell could I know her? I haven't met her yet."

Johanna hurried to make the introductions. Clare made a curtsy; but because Nicholas was scowling, she didn't smile.

Gabriel still wasn't willing to admit defeat. He believed he'd thought the matter through and come up with the only logical conclusion possible. The MacBain plaid had been spotted near MacInnes land. Nicholas had worn the plaid on his last return trip to England. Since none of the other soldiers had been near the holding, Nicholas had to be the man responsible for getting Clare MacKay with child.

"Are you telling me you've never met Clare MacKay before?" he asked.

"That's what I'm telling you all right," Nicholas drawled out.

"Hell."

"Gabriel, what is the matter with you?" Johanna asked. "Clare, come and sit next to me, please."

"I thought your brother was the one responsible for Clare's condition."

"How could you think that?" Johanna cried out. "He would never abandon…"

"It was a logical conclusion," Gabriel defended.

"It was a sinful conclusion," Johanna countered.

Nicholas was trying to follow the budding argument. He understood Gabriel was trying to blame him for something or other and that Johanna was valiantly trying to defend

"Exactly what is it you think I'm responsible for?" he asked Gabriel.

"Nicholas, this matter needn't concern you," Johanna said.

"How can it not concern him?" Gabriel asked. "If he is the father…"

She wouldn't let him finish. "He isn't," she blurted out.

The frown on Gabriel's face was chilling. "I see," he remarked. He sat down, motioned for Nicholas to do the same, and then turned back to his wife.

"Then you know who the man is, don't you, Johanna?"

Johanna nodded. She fully intended to explain the situation to her husband, but she wanted to wait until they were alone.

"We have company," she whispered, hoping her reminder would make Gabriel realize she didn't wish to discuss the delicate topic now.

He refused to take the hint. "You will give me the man's name," he ordered.

She let out a sigh. Clare had been diligently studying the tabletop with her head bowed and her hands fisted in her lap. She looked up when Johanna's husband demanded an answer, took a deep breath, and then said, "There isn't any man, Laird MacBain."

Gabriel wasn't prepared for that answer. He leaned back in his chair and stared at the MacKay woman for a long minute before he turned to his wife.

Johanna immediately nodded. "There isn't any," she said, repeating Clare's statement.

Johanna kept her gaze on her husband as she reached over and took hold of Clare's hand. "You'd best get ready," she whispered.

"Ready for what, m'lady?" Clare whispered back.

"Growling."

Gabriel ignored the banter. He was still reacting to the news he'd just been given. The ramifications were staggering, and try as he did, he couldn't understand why the woman would put herself in such jeopardy over a lie.

He shook his head. Johanna nodded. "It's joyful news, Gabriel" she remarked.

His face turned red. She guessed he didn't think it was joyful at all. Clare was squeezing her hand now in obvious fear. Johanna turned to her.

"You have no reason to be frightened," she announced. "My husband would never hurt you. He's just been given a surprise, that's all. In a minute of two he'll get over it."

"Will someone tell me what in thunder is going on?" Nicholas demanded.

"No!" Gabriel, Johanna, and Clare all shouted the denial together.

Johanna was the first to realize how impolite they were being to her brother.

"Gabriel, this matter can wait until later for discussion," she announced. "Please?" she added when he looked like he was going to argue with her.

Her husband finally nodded. "We should only have pleasant conversation at the supper table," she said then. "Isn't that right, Clare?"

"Yes," Clare replied. She let go of Johanna's hand and straightened on her stool. "Have you given your brother your good news?"