Stealing the Highland Bride Read online

  Stealing the Highland Bride

  Kenna Kendrick

  Copyright© 2019 by Kenna Kendrick

  All Rights Reserved.

  * * *

  This book may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the publisher. In no way is it legal to reproduce, duplicate, or transmit any part of this document in either electronic means or in printed format. Recording of this publication is strictly prohibited and any storage of this document is not allowed unless with written permission from the publisher.

  Contents

  Prologue

  1. On the Field of Battle

  2. Grieving for a Loss

  3. The Prisoners in the Tower

  4. The Cry of a Bairn

  5. A Heavy Duty

  6. The Mackintoshes Come

  7. A Wedding Approaches

  8. Plans Afoot

  9. Escape!

  10. Brother Where Art Thou?

  Epilogue

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  Also by Kenna Kendrick

  Prologue

  Beauty in the Glen

  “Stand still boy,” his father hissed as Iain Cameron shifted from foot to foot, scraping his heels along the flagstones of the courtyard and trying to distract his younger brother Duncan standing next to him.

  * * *

  “Why must we stand here, father?” he whispered to the Laird, standing tall and proud above the boy, the cloak wrapped tightly around him; eyes fixed on the path leading through the castle gates and down into the glen.

  * * *

  “Be quiet, and show some respect, ye will not disgrace me by your poor behavior. Our cousins have traveled a great distance to be with us for the feast, the least ye can do is stand still and await them.”

  * * *

  “Why though must …” the boy’s words were cut short by a cry calling from the castle battlements to announce the approaching entourage. It was not long before the carts and horses could be seen approaching, their banners fluttering in the afternoon breeze, a proud and noble sight.

  * * *

  “Now remember what I told ye both. Ye are to meet your cousin Rhona today. Be a friend towards her, show her the castle, and be sure to look after her, do ye understand me?”

  * * *

  The two boys nodded. The elder, Iain Cameron, was his father’s image, a tall boy for his age and already looked a fine young man. Dressed in a green tunic, his tousled black hair and bright blue eyes gave him an appearance far beyond his ten years. In contrast, his brother, Duncan, at the age eight still had the look of a child, although the scar along his cheek, a souvenir from his earlier years, gave him a distinctive look and one which embarrassed him. The two stood expectantly on either side of their father as the carts approached, and the guests came into view.

  * * *

  The Camerons had gathered in the courtyard to greet their guests. The Laird was holding a feast for the nobles of the clan, and his cousin was to be guest of honor. The two had fought many a battle against their sworn enemy, the Mackintosh clan, whose treacherous deeds had provided many a cause for war.

  * * *

  “Cousin, how good it is tae see ye, the years have treated ye well.” The Laird embraced his cousin as he stepped down from the cart, “I trust ye had no trouble from the Mackintoshes as ye made your way through our lands, though they have been quiet of late in causing troubles.”

  * * *

  “Naw troubles at all, cousin, I should hae welcomed such an encounter, our enemies are all around us, though with Rhona accompanying me ‘tis better that there was no danger.”

  * * *

  “Aye and this is Rhona then?”

  * * *

  A young girl stepped down from the cart and stood nervously behind her father.

  * * *

  “Aye, this is Rhona come forward lassie and greet your cousins.”

  * * *

  The girl curtsied to the Laird who extended his hand to her and smiled.

  * * *

  “Why ye are a bonnie wee lassie and make naw mistake.”

  * * *

  Rhona was indeed a bonnie lassie. Even at nine years old all could see her beauty. Her hair was long, golden and sleek, shining in the afternoon sun, her eyes wide and green, her skin soft and tender. When she smiled, a radiance lit up her face, and all who met her were enchanted. Not least the two boys who now stood before her.

  * * *

  “And Rhona these are your cousins, Iain and Duncan.”

  * * *

  Iain stepped forward in front of his brother and bowed to Rhona before extending his hand in the innocent formality of youth. She took it and smiled, curtsying as her father had instructed her to do, for she knew that Iain was one day to be Laird. Behind his brother, Duncan turned his face as he so often did upon meeting new people, hoping that the scar upon his cheek would not be the first thing she noticed; blushing a little, he stepped forward.

  * * *

  “I am pleased tae meet ye, Rhona,” he said shyly extending his hand.

  * * *

  “And it is these two boys who shall look after ye during your time with us, Rhona.” The Laird smiled fondly at his two boys.

  * * *

  “Now see tae it that they do. Come now, cousin, there is much to discuss before the feast.” Leading the nobleman into the castle, he left behind the servants to unpack the entourage and the three children standing in the courtyard.

  * * *

  “I shall show ye where it is ye shall be sleeping, Rhona,” Iain extending his hand to the girl.

  * * *

  “I will come tae.” Duncan’s shyness dissipated as he vied with his brother for their cousin’s attention.

  * * *

  “Well, keep up then,” Iain turned to Rhona, “he is still a wee bairn.”

  * * *

  The girl laughed at both boys and followed quickly behind.

  * * *

  “I am not,” Duncan drew himself up to his full height, jumping on his brother’s back and setting the two boys falling and rolling in the dust of the courtyard.

  * * *

  “Come now ye two,” Rhona cried, “I have only been here moments, and already ye are fighting; show your manners.”

  * * *

  The two boys quickly dusted themselves off and looked rather sheepish.

  * * *

  “Show me tae my rooms, and then show me the castle; it looks as if it has so many rooms as tae take forever tae explore.”

  * * *

  The girl ran ahead of them, the two boys eagerly following behind, so taken were they by their cousin whose beauty soon became the talk of the glen; the pretty wee lassie, known to all.

  * * *

  From that day on the three became firm friends, and it was an encounter that none of them would forget.

  * * *

  Each summer, Rhona would make the journey with her father to the Cameron castle, and there she would stay with her cousins. The years passed as the three grew together, their lives and destinies entwined, the bonds of childhood love growing ever stronger. Such innocence is not destined to last, and with time the children grew as did their knowledge of the conflicts and troubles all around them; the threat of the Mackintoshes ever hanging over them and their clan.

  “I can get tae the pool before any of ye,” Rhona shouted to the two brothers racing behind her. Looking over her shoulder, she laughed, the dappled sunlight of the forest catching in her golden hair as she ran.

  * * *

  “Dinna be so sure, lassie,” Iain Cameron ran at full pelt. Shouts of laughter echoed through the forest as Duncan Cameron tried to catch up.

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p; * * *

  “Keep up Duncan, we dinna want tae leave ye behind,” Iain spurred on his younger brother, who hated to be left out.

  * * *

  Rhona was proved right and reached the pool before the two boys, and quickly stripping off, she leaped into the cool deep waters, making a great splash and shrieking with the cold. Despite it being the height of summer, the water was still icy, shaded from the sunlight by the great boughs of trees hanging above it. A few moments later, the two brothers caught up, panting and out of breath, leaning on one another as they caught sight of Rhona swimming in the pool.

  * * *

  “Dinna just stand there ye two, come swim with me.”

  * * *

  Neither of the brothers needed any encouragement, and both stripped off their clothes leaping into the water before striking out strongly across the pool, each wishing to show Rhona their physical prowess.

  * * *

  The years passed by and every year Rhona Cameron spent the summer with her cousins at the castle of the old Laird. As the daughter of his cousin, she was of noble birth herself and, a suitable companion for the boys. The old Laird hoped she would become wife to Iain, his eldest son and heir.

  * * *

  The boys were now eighteen and sixteen. Rhona was seventeen, and the three had remained firm friends. Rhona’s beauty had grown with the years, and now in the prime of youth, she was more beautiful than ever.

  * * *

  Every summer, they spent the hot days swimming in the pool, but over the years they had lost some of their youthful innocence, becoming shy of their bodies and covering up appropriately. After several hours of swimming, the three emerged from the pool, panting and cold. Shaking the water off, the warmth of the summer sun had hardly penetrated the thick canopy of trees above.

  * * *

  “How di ye like the water?” Rhona asked as the three sat by the pool.

  * * *

  “Aye, tis cold enough,” Iain Cameron laughed as he rubbed at his skin to warm himself.

  * * *

  “And what say ye, Duncan?” Rhona asked the younger boy, her arms around them both.

  * * *

  “I wid swim again but Iain might not wish tae.”

  * * *

  “I wid swim across and I wid win any race ye cud challenge me tae.”

  * * *

  “Aye, we wid see about that, brother,” Duncan replied defiantly.

  * * *

  He had always felt second best to his brother, the older, stronger heir. Duncan’s place was to be his brother’s right-hand man, dutiful to the last but always living in his brother’s shadow. He knew that Iain was in love with Rhona from the way he spoke about her and spent time with her. Duncan liked her very much but knew that it would be his brother who would eventually marry her; his destiny lay elsewhere.

  * * *

  “Look there’s a stag,” Rhona cried suddenly, jumping up and pointing out across the pool.

  * * *

  There was indeed a magnificent stag, it had wandered out of the forest and stood looking across the pool towards them. Its head was raised in a majestic pose, the true monarch of the glen.

  * * *

  “Come on, let’s run and see it.” Taking the two boys by the hand, she ran off around the pool with limitless energy.

  * * *

  Soon the youngsters were running through the forest after the stag as it made its way through the glade. Sometimes it paused, and sometimes it ran, fully knowing that its power and strength could easily outmatch its pursuers if it should wish to.

  * * *

  Duncan raced ahead, Rhona and Iain running together as the younger brother disappeared into the trees; Iain was built like a warrior, but his younger brother, who was slighter and more suited to a sprint, was soon out of sight, the stag within his sights. Duncan was determined to drive the beast out of the forest. A beast such as this would be fair prey to his father’s hunt, and he wanted to show that he too could be brave and fearless like his brother.

  * * *

  “I cannae run naw further, Iain,” Rhona tried desperately to catch her breath. “Let Duncan run ahead of us, he can prove himself all he likes, come let us sit a moment.”

  * * *

  Iain Cameron was all too happy to sit alone with Rhona in the forest, and they settled themselves amongst the lush greenery of the woodland floor. Iain sat close to Rhona as the two listened for sounds of the stag in the distance.

  * * *

  “My brother will never catch the beast; he could run all day, and still it wid elude him. If the wee laddie wants tae exhaust himself, then let him for all I care.”

  * * *

  “Aye, but Duncan knows not when tae stop, and besides he is only showing his-self off tae us.” Rhona smiled at the thought.

  * * *

  “That is certainly true.”

  * * *

  “I see ye both try to outdo one another ever since I first met the pair of ye each has been a show-off.”

  * * *

  “Well, Duncan is not tae be Laird. He can go running after stags and chasing through forests all he likes, but soon I will have responsibilities.”

  * * *

  “Aye, and much duty upon ye,” Rhona took hold of his arm, letting her head rest upon his shoulder.

  * * *

  Iain turned a deep shade of crimson and looked away. Despite his physical prowess, he was unschooled in the ways of the opposite sex and had long been in love with Rhona, ever since that first meeting. Rhona slipped her hand into his, causing him to shift awkwardly.

  * * *

  “Iain, ye and I both know that our fathers have already decreed that we are tae be married, and fortunately, that is not a fate that I dread.”

  * * *

  “Me neither. It is one I have longed for these many years.” Turning to Rhona, the young man smiled and kissed her shyly, their hands gently clasping one another in a sweet embrace.

  * * *

  It was the first kiss they had shared, and that moment sitting there amongst the mossy forest floor seemed the most perfect moment of their lives.

  * * *

  Iain had no words as their lips parted and Rhona rested her head once again on his shoulder. The peace was soon shattered by the sounds of the stag in the undergrowth nearby, as Duncan Cameron burst out from the undergrowth. So intent was he upon the stag that, at first, he did not see his brother and Rhona sitting beneath the trees, and Iain leaped to his feet as the stag ran on into the forest.

  * * *

  “Curses, I have lost the beast.” Duncan stood catching his breath, at last noticing his brother and Rhona.“Did ye both tire of the chase? Really brother, I thought ye were to be Laird one day, and ye cannot even keep up with the stag.”

  * * *

  Iain made no answer, still lost in the haze of his first kiss. To be alone with Rhona and to share that kiss had been the most perfect moment of his life.

  * * *

  Rhona too regained her composure, smoothing down her dress she stood looking out in the direction the stag had taken.

  * * *

  “Ye wid never hae caught the monarch of the glen, Duncan Cameron, tis a beast that cannae be tamed.”

  * * *

  “Naw beast cannae be tamed, ye just have tae know how tae tame it.”

  * * *

  The three youngsters slowly walked back through the glen towards the castle. Iain cast the occasional glance in Rhona’s direction. In return, the girl smiled sweetly, and he blushed in memory of the moment they had shared.

  A year later, Iain Cameron and Rhona were married. The Glen had never seen such rejoicing, and the little Kirk was full to bursting for the marriage, performed by one of the priests from Bencor Abbey in Glen Coraig.

  * * *

  The guests traveled from near and far, and there was such rejoicing that it was said that the two were the happiest couple in all Christendom. Great garlands of wildflowers bedecked the Kirk,
and back in the great hall of the castle, a magnificent stag was roasted in honor of the newlyweds, with feasting and merrymaking lasting late into the night.