His deep tone of voice, added to his frown, made her wince. She took a deep breath, then said, "Do stay out of this. I'm in the middle of giving my instructions to the men."

"No one seems to be paying you any attention, m'lady," Keith pointed out.

"Did you just tell me you want me to stay out…" Gabriel was too flabbergasted to continue.

She caught the gist of what he wanted to say. "Yes, I do want you to stay out of this," she agreed before turning her attention to Keith. "They will pay attention or suffer my displeasure," she promised.

"What happens when you're displeased?" the Maclaurin soldier asked.

She couldn't think of a suitable answer. Then she remembered what Gabriel had said he'd do when he was displeased.

"I'll probably kill someone," she boasted.

She was certain she'd impressed the Maclaurin soldier with that announcement. She added a nod so he wouldn't know she was bluffing and waited for his reaction.

It wasn't what she expected. "You're wearing the wrong plaid, m'lady. Today's Saturday."

She suddenly wanted to strangle Keith. A loud belch sounded behind her. She reacted as though she'd just been stabbed in the back. She let out a loud gasp, snatched the pitcher out of her husband's hand, and turned to the men.

Gabriel caught her before she could do any damage. He tossed the pitcher to Keith, then turned her around to face him.

"I asked you not to interfere," she whispered.

"Johanna…"

"Is this my home or isn't it?"

"It is."

"Thank you."

"Why are you thanking me?" he asked, wary now. She was up to something all right. The glint in her eyes told him so.

"You just agreed to help me," she explained.

"No, I didn't."

"You should."

"Why?"

"Because this is my home, isn't it?"

"Are we back to that?"

"Gabriel, I would like a free hand in the running of my household. Please?" she whispered.

He let out a sigh. Damn but it was impossible for him to deny her anything. He wasn't even certain what he was agreeing to, but he still nodded.

"How many more bowls and pitchers will you throw?"

"As many as it takes," she replied.

She turned around and hurried over to stand at the head of the Maclaurin table.

"Keith, if you'll take one end, and Father, if you would be so good as to lift the other end, I'll run ahead and hold the doors open. Gentlemen," she added, her gaze directed on the soldiers seated at the table now, "please help by carrying your stools. This shouldn't take us any time at all."

"What are you thinking to do?" Keith asked.

"Moving the table outside, of course."

"Why?"

"I want to make the Maclaurins happy," she explained. "They're part of my clan now and I believe they should be content."

"But we don't want to move outside," Lindsay blurted out. "Why would you think we would? I only just got the honor of eating with my laird. I want to stay here."

"No, you don't," Johanna countered. She smiled just to confuse the warrior.

"I don't?"

"You'll all be much more content outside because you won't have to follow any of the rules of my household then. 'Tis the truth you all eat like animals. You might as well eat with them. Dumfries will be happy for the company."

All of the Maclaurins looked at Keith. He looked at his laird, received his nod, and then cleared his throat. It was up to him to set his mistress straight.

"I don't believe you understand the situation here, m'lady. This keep has belonged to the Maclaurin clan for as long as anyone can remember."

"It belongs to me now."

"But, m'lady…" Keith began.

"What does she mean when she says our land belongs to her?" Niall asked.

Johanna folded her hands together. Gabriel walked over to stand next to her.

"I'll be happy to explain, but only once, so please try to follow along," she said. "Your king bartered this land away. Is everyone here in agreement with that fact?"

She waited until the soldiers nodded. "King John gave the holding to me. Does everyone agree with that fact?"

"Yes, of course," Keith agreed. "But you see…"

She wouldn't let him finish. "Pray forgive me for interrupting you, but I'm anxious to finish this explanation."

She turned her attention back to the soldiers. "Now then-and do pay attention, please, for I hate repeating myself-when I married your laird, the land became his. Do you see how simple it is?"

Her gaze settled on Lindsay. He nodded to make her happy. She smiled. The room suddenly started to spin. She blinked, trying to bring everyone back into focus. She grabbed hold of the edge of the table to balance herself. A wave, of nausea washed over her, then just as rapidly disappeared. It was the meat, she thought to herself. The awful smell was making her sick.

"You were saying, lass?" Father MacKechnie prodded, beaming with satisfaction over the gumption his mistress was showing in front of the men.

"What's got her so riled, I wonder?"

Johanna didn't know who asked that question. It came from the MacBain table. She turned her gaze to those men and answered.

"Megan said something the other day that took me by surprise," she said. "I've mulled it over in my mind, and I still don't understand why she would make such a comment."

"What did I say?" Megan asked. She hurried over to stand on the opposite side of the Maclaurin table so she could face her mistress.

"You told me Cook would be happy to do anything I asked because she was a MacBain and knew better than to complain. I wondered what you meant, of course, but now I think I understand. You actually believe Hilda should be thankful she's allowed to live here. Isn't that right?"

Megan nodded. " 'Tis the truth she should be thankful."

The Maclaurin soldiers all nodded in unison.

Johanna shook her head at them. "I believe you've all got it backward," she said. "The Maclaurins don't have any claim to this keep or this land, and that, gentlemen, is also fact. My husband happens to be a MacBain. Have you forgotten that?"

"His father was laird over the Maclaurins," Keith interjected.

"He's still a MacBain," she pointed out again. "He's been very accommodating. He's more patient than I am," she added with a nod. "Regardless, I believe the MacBains have graciously allowed all of you Maclaurins to stay on. I really hate to bring this prickly topic up now, but I've received important news, you see, and I really must get my household in order. It would sadden me to see you leave, but if the rules are too difficult for you to follow, and if you can't get along with the MacBains, then I don't believe there's much choice."

"But the MacBains are the outsiders," Lindsay stammered out.

"Aye, they are," Keith agreed.

"They were," Johanna said. "They aren't now. Do you see?"

No one did see. Johanna wondered if they were just being incredibly stubborn or just plain ignorant. She decided to try to make them understand one last time.

Gabriel wouldn't let her. He pulled her back and took a step forward.

"I'm laird here," he reminded the soldiers. "I decide who stays and who goes."

Keith immediately nodded agreement. "Are we allowed to speak freely?"

"You are," Gabriel replied.

"Every one of us has pledged our loyalty to you," he began. "But we aren't particularly loyal to your followers. We're weary of war and want to rebuild before we go into battle again. Yet one of the MacBains has instigated war with the MacInnes clan and now refuses to come forward and admit his transgression. Such behavior is cowardly."

Calum jumped to his feet. "You dare call us cowards?"

Dear God, what had she started? Johanna was feeling sick again. She was certainly sorry she'd said anything. Two of the Maclaurins stood up. A fight was brewing all right, and it was all her doing. Gabriel didn't seem inclined to put a stop to it either. He looked completely unaffected by the threatening atmosphere, almost bored in fact.