Medieval Highlands 01 - Highland Vengeance (57 page)

“Aye, we’re both relieved. For, it could so easily have been otherwise.” He gave Bao an intent look. “My thanks for your help.”

His answer was a short nod. Then he turned the subject. “Have you told your wife and our grandmother of Callum’s marriage?”

“Nay, not yet. I’ll tell them this eve at supper. Grandmother is going to be very displeased that the ceremony took place without her.” Daniel began walking toward the entrance and motioned for Bao to walk out of the stable with him.

“It could not be helped,” Bao replied. “The Gordons insisted that the ceremony take place forthwith or the peace treaty would be void.”

“Grandmother missed her daughter’s wedding a couple of moons ago—she had a tumble and bruised her hip—and she’s still grumbling about not being able to attend. And now, she shall no doubt flay me alive for allowing Callum to wed without her in audience.”

Bao quirked an eyebrow. “Mayhap I’ll eat at the soldiers’ table this eve,” he said.

“Nay, brother, you must take the bitter with the sweet. Just be glad ‘twill not be you who gives such tidings to her.”

Bao sat next to Daniel on the edge of the well. “The lass he married was quite pretty, at least. And Callum’s having been promised the MacGregor lairdship in return for his sacrifice certainly sweetened the pot.”

“Aye. He’s grown more seasoned in the past moons since I first met him. I think, with the right instruction, he shall make a fine laird for that clan. And his fighting skills are excellent.”

*

The two sat in companionable silence awhile, enjoying the peaceful late afternoon sounds of tools being stored away for the day and distant voices making plans for the morrow.

“I’ll be leaving in a sennight’s time, as we agreed,” Bao said at last.

“Aye,” Daniel replied with a nod. “But I wish you’d reconsider my offer to stay on as my lieutenant. Tho’ ‘twould mean displacing Derek, he understands that blood ties hold more weight in the clan and would willingly step aside.”

Bao crossed his arms over his chest and looked off into the distance, enjoying the muted orange tones and the play of shadow and light on the walls of the keep as the setting sun sent down its last beams. “Nay, I’ve been away from my duties too long as it is. My purpose for coming has been accomplished—and I’ve gained a brother in the bargain.”

“And a sister-in-law, cousin, aunt, and grandmother, lest you forget,” Daniel replied.

Bao grinned and nodded his head. “Aye. ‘Tis a blessing, that.”

“You may not think so on the morrow. I dread the scene that is sure to ensue.”

“‘The bitter with the sweet.’ Those were your words, were they not, brother?”

Daniel sighed. “Aye, and unfortunately, I have a huge sweet tooth.”

Bao laughed. “And I, as well!”

Daniel threw back his head and laughed, clapping Bao on the back.

*

Near to a sennight later in her bedchamber, Maryn traded gowns and cloaks with Jesslyn. “This will be a bit long for you, but if you do not tarry long with any who might speak to you on the way out, then all will go as planned. Your father’s man awaits you at my cottage. Make haste and I will stall Daniel as long as I am able. Are you sure you want to go through with this?”

Maryn growled. “Aye,
very
sure. I cannot live this way, with him shadowing me night and day, never allowing me to have a moment alone! I’ve swallowed all the anger I can swallow. It cannot be good for my babe, and he must be my first priority.”

“Daniel will be livid when he realizes ‘tis I posing as you in your bed resting.”

Her lips thinned. “Aye, no doubt. But he’s gone too far. Even Grandmother Maclean has said so. This keep is under a gloom I’ve never seen the likes of before, not even while Callum was laird. I shall not raise my babe under this pall. I shall
not
.”

“Aye, he’s changed since your kidnapping and near murder. He was always concerned about guarding against attack on the MacLaurin holding—and who could blame him after what happened there at his father’s hands?—but this new ferocity and fervor has gone beyond all bounds.” They heard footfalls outside the door and their heads swung in that direction. “You must leave now! Daniel will be back to insure that you slumber in only a few minutes more.”

Maryn nodded and gave Jesslyn a hard hug before covering her face with Jesslyn’s dark veil and scurrying out the door. Jesslyn heard the low murmur of voices and she knew that the guard which Daniel had posted outside the chamber had spoken to Maryn, believing her to be Jesslyn. When she heard naught further, she quickly covered her hair with Maryn’s veil and slipped under the covers with her back to the door to wait for Daniel’s quick inspection. Maryn had sworn that she’d set everything into play the past two days so that Daniel would not disturb her rest for the babe’s sake. Jesslyn prayed ‘twould be true.

*

“Bring my wife to me, or I vow, I’ll tear this fortress down stone by stone, beam by beam!” Daniel hollered to his stepfather across the expanse of the drawbridge several hours later. Bao and seventy-five of Daniel’s best fighting men brought up the rear.

Laird Donald, mounted and with his own soldiers at the ready behind him, stood firm. “I did not give my daughter into your care for you to make her a prisoner in her own home. She needs a safe haven where she may be content and loved while she carries this babe, not a gaoler who cares naught for her own feelings, but presses his own dictates upon her.”

“This is not the same circumstance as before, old man. There will be no annulment, no separation now that she carries my child in her belly. She is mine, the babe is mine, and I will do what I must to get her back where she belongs. Including war, if need be.”

“So be it. Raise the drawbridge! We go to war!”

“I’ll give you until dawn on the morrow before I lay siege to think on this and change your mind.” With that, Daniel turned and waved his sword in the air, indicating that his men should make camp at the base of the rise.

*

“Is this the best tactic, going to war with your own father-in-law?” Bao asked Daniel an hour later as they sat watching the campfire lick and spit in front of them.

“Nay, mayhap not. But I know no other way of getting her back. And I
must
get her back. I love her.”

“So, bloody battle ‘twill be.”

“Aye, but I hope ‘twill not come to that.”

A rustle sounded and they looked up. “’Twill not,” Maryn said. “I yield.”

*

“Will you have some fruit comfit?” Daniel asked her later as they shared a late supper together in the great hall.

“Nay.”

“You barely touched your mutton—was it dry?”

“’Twas fine. I ate what I wanted.”

“Will you look at me? You’ve barely given me a glance since arriving at our campsite earlier.”

Her gaze lifted to his, but there was no emotion in her eyes.

“How is the babe?”

“Fine.”

“You know ‘twas not my wish to imprison you, only to keep you safe.”

“Aye.”

“It’s not truly a prison for you is it?”

There was a long pause. “Nay.”

“I’d like to kiss you, taste you—I missed you in our bed last night. Let us retire, shall we?”

“I have a headache.”

“Oh. All right. We’ll simply retire then.”

When they were at last settled in bed, with Maryn on her side with her back to him, Daniel curled around her and enclosed her in his embrace. She stiffened. “I’m a little warm. Will you move over?”

Daniel bit back a sigh, but rolled onto his back, giving her the space she required. Tucking his arm under his head he stared up at the canopy. Surely by the morn the hoarfrost ‘round her heart will have melted. She was angry, this much was plain. But couldn’t she see that ‘twas for her own good—and their babe’s—that he keep close reins on her? Just look what happened when he’d allowed them to slip—she’d nearly died, and so had their babe.

He took in a deep breath and closed his eyes. Aye, surely by morn she’d be her old self again.

*

A whisper of gentle fingers touched Daniel on the cheek a quarter hour later and he jerked awake, his heart pounding. “Maryn?”

“Nay, Daniel. She slumbers still”

Daniel blinked several times and scrubbed his hands over his face trying to wake his mind up. When he could finally focus, he saw a shadowy figure several feet from the bed. The room was dim, with only the hearthfire serving as both light and warmth. “Who goes there? Speak!”

“‘Tis I. Your mother.”

“’Tis a dream….”

“Aye, a dream and yet, ‘tis real as well.”

“You are not real…” Daniel shot to his feet and took a step toward the figure. “…this is not real.”

“There was naught you could have done, my son. Naught. ‘Tis time and past for you to know this, in your mind, but mostly in your heart.”

“I want to see you—step closer—let me see you.”

The apparition—the shade—floated toward him and then… ‘twas as if the years crumbled away…he was a lad of thirteen again and she was there, in the jade gown she’d worn the night before the massacre, her lovely yellow locks braided and twisted around her head like a golden crown, her eyes bright and full of life and laughter.
“A love kept under lock and key is not much of a love, especially when that love must be free to thrive.”

“I must keep her safe.”

“Then you are no better than your father, for he too kept me prisoner and killed my love for him because of it.”

“He beat you.”

“He was jealous; believed me unfaithful.”

“I’d
never
do to her what he did to you.”

“Ah, but don’t you see? You are. You have. Your guilt, your fears will ruin you if you do not overcome them. Just as your father’s fears ruined his. ‘Tis time to forgive yourself and live.”
She touched her fingers to Maryn’s cheek.
“Goodbye, my son.”

“Mother!” His eyes flew open and he sat up, snorting as he sucked in air, feeling as if his heart had stopped, as if he were coming up from the depths of the ocean.

“Daniel! Was it the dream?” Maryn asked him, but her voice sounded miles away, as if traveling down a long tunnel to reach him.

His heart pounded in his chest as his mind raced. He grabbed Maryn to him and held tight.

“Daniel, you’re quaking! What’s wrong? Tell me.”

“She told me I was no better than my father.”

“Who? Your
mother?
Daniel, you are
nothing
like your father.
Nothing.
How dare she say that—even if ‘twas a dream!”

“Will I lose your love if I don’t give you your freedom? Tell me—do not lie—tell me!”

He felt her slump. “Aye, mayhap.”

“Then you shall have the freedom you require. I’ll not stand in your way. ‘Tis not worth the loss. But if you die because of it, I’ll never forgive you.”

She leaned back and placed her hands on his cheeks and then settled a soft, warm kiss on his lips. “’Twill not be as before, this vow I give to you. For I learned my lesson as well. I
was
too reckless, too sure I knew the best way to take care of myself and my babe. I will be much more circumspect in my actions from now on.”

“I will not lie, that does ease my mind.”

She smiled. “Did you not take note that I already had, in fact? I did not travel to my father’s holding alone this last time. I made sure to have an escort.”

“Aye, I did notice. My thanks for that.”

*

“So much has happened since I freed those horses, Daniel,” Maryn said the next night as she lay with her head on her husband’s chest. “Can you believe it has only been a few moons?”

“Aye, you are right. It seems as if it has been much longer. Let’s see,” he said, beginning to count off on his fingers. “We wed and stopped a clan war. We came close to getting the marriage annulled. We fell in love. We made a babe. We gained a brother and sister.” Continuing the count on his other hand, he said, “My lost memories returned. We stopped
another
clan war with a marriage—Callum’s. We foiled a villain’s murderous plot. You fled and I followed again, nearly going to battle with your father.” He looked down at her. “Anything else?”

Maryn placed her hand on the back of his head and brought it down to meet her halfway. She stroked her tongue over his bottom lip and murmured, “Aye. We made love many, many, times.” And then she kissed him, letting him know exactly where her thoughts were headed.

He moaned against her mouth and pulled away. “How are the bruises? I don’t want to hurt you.”

“It’s been o’er a sennight since we…I want you.” Maryn straddled her husband then and undulated her hips, showing him the way they might proceed with the least amount of pain. Leaning forward, she trailed kisses down the column of his neck.

He kissed her temple and stroked his fingers through her hair. “Did you know, that first day, outside the MacLaurin stable, when the wind blew the hood of your cape away from your hair, I imagined running my fingers through it, just as I’m doing now?”