Fighting For A Highland Rose (Defenders 0f The Highlands Book 1) Read online

  She smiled up at him, and he gave a small, amazed laugh, but her face was soon troubled again.

  “How can I go back there now and pretend that nothing has happened? How can I act as if nothing has changed?”

  He held her close and squeezed her gently, and she gave a little sigh. He put his mouth to the top of her head and breathed deeply the scent of her hair and kissed the top of her head.

  “Perhaps I’ll hae an answer for ye in the morning, lass, for I hae none now.”

  They sat together in silence, watching the flames. After a while, he heard her breathing grow steady and knew that she had fallen to sleep, but he did not set her down. He stayed where he was, gazing into the fire, his strong arms about her and his cheek pillowed against the top of her head. Her red hair glowed in the firelight.

  Awake and deep in troubled thought, he stared at the fire for a long time, before he too fell into a deep sleep.

  * * *

  Morning came bright and cold, and they woke stiff and chilled from sleeping side-by-side on the hard sand. She was curled up in a ball on her side, and he was curled protectively around her. When they woke, they came apart slowly. The bright sun shone into the cave as she stood up and dusted the sand off her dress, and he stretched and groaned.

  They ate together but said little, watching each other closely until they both laughed. When it was time to leave, he took her in his arms once more on the grassy sward in front of the cave.

  “Emily, I dinnae ken just quite whit has happened here between us, but I find that I am as fond of you as a man can be of a lassie after only having met her for one night. I’m going to tell ye something which I really should not, and I’m going to trust ye no’ tae betray me.”

  She nodded, looking up into his dark eyes.

  “A few days hence, my men and I will raid Inveraray. I cannae carry ye awa’ wi’ me now – ye must go back tae the castle – but I ask ye tae think on it and if ye desire, when ye see us at the toon meet me at the auld Kirk, ye understand? If ye have sense ye will stay awa’, but if ye want me, meet me there and be ready to ride.”

  “The old chapel, then it’s true you seek the treasure that is hidden there?”

  He jumped as if he had been stung and gripped her a little more tightly.

  “How in God’s name dae ye come tae ken about that?”

  “My maid showed me, her name is Alice Murphy. She told me the story of the priest who hid it and of her brother who went to join the rebel cause when the army was raised last year. She found it quite by chance and showed it to me.”

  “Ye... ye ken where it is?”

  “Oh, yes!” She smiled up at his surprise. “Alice showed it to me. I know exactly where it is! It is in a wooden chest that has badly rotted with the damp in the little chamber where it is hidden. Alice found it when she rescued a cat fallen into the hole and become trapped.”

  He laughed suddenly out loud. “Why! By all that’s providential I cannae think o’ a stranger chance!”

  “I will come and meet you when you come to seek it. And I will bring my maid and some supplies. I will probably not be able to bring a horse.”

  “Dinnae worry about that. I will bring horses and will carry ye on the back o’ mine. Will ye meet me there, truly?”

  In reply, she stood up on tiptoe and kissed his mouth, the strength of her ardour melting his doubts away.

  * * *

  Emily rode at a steady trot down the hill toward the road. The sun was climbing in the sky and the day was turning fine and hot when she ran into the first of the day’s search parties. The sergeant in charge of the patrol recognised her immediately and rode forward at a gallop, catching the reins of her horse as if she was at risk of running away again.

  “Are ye well, Mistress?” the officer was a Scotsman.

  “I am perfectly well, thank you, Sergeant... Campbell, isn’t it?”

  “Aye, miss.”

  “Well, Sergeant Campbell, I am perfectly alright, and I would appreciate my reins back if you please. I am eager to return to the castle.”

  “Oh, o’ course,” rather sheepishly, he returned control of her horse as his men formed up around her. One of them blew a signal – four long blasts on a horn, twice repeated – to let the other searchers know that their quarry had been found.

  At the castle, her father greeted her in the courtyard. He looked as if he had spent a haggard, sleepless night. His clothing was awry, and his hair stuck out on end. Beside him, Major Clairmont was standing. In contrast to her father, the Major was perfectly composed, with not a hair out of place. A slight sneer played upon his thin, aristocratic features as he watched the Captain rush toward Emily.

  Her father struck her once, a strong but poorly-aimed blow which caught her high on the cheek. She gasped more with shock than pain and clearly saw Clairmont’s eyebrows rise and his sneer turn to a little smile.

  “Where the hell have you been girl?” Her father shouted. “Good God woman, what did think you were doing? Must I clap you in chains to keep you from disturbing the peace around here?”

  She explained to him in simple words that she had become separated from the party and lost in the woods. When it had become dark and started raining, she had found a hollow tree and sheltered in it. She had slept, woken this morning, and returned. That was all. She was very sorry to have troubled any of them.

  This seemed to take the wind out of her father’s sails, and he huffed and shook his head, but seemed to find nothing more to say. Clairmont, whose expression had turned from amusement to skepticism, came forward and stood beside them. His expression clearly stated that he believed there was more to this than met the eye.

  “Miss Emily,” he stood looking at her, her horse, and her clothing. “We searched that whole hillside last night with bands of men working in shifts to cover the whole area quickly. At your father’s insistence, I turned nearly the entire garrison out! I told him, of course, that you were more than capable of surviving in the woods for a night. But how is it that we did not find you? Could you take us back to the spot where you sheltered, do you think?”

  An image of the cave flashed through her mind and the sudden heat that had flushed through her body as she lay on Murdo’s chest. She felt herself beginning to blush but quickly pulled herself together and did her best to meet Clairmont’s eyes and speak clearly.

  “I fear I would not be able to return to the spot Major. It was rather dark when I came upon it, and I took no particular note when I left it. As for the search party, well, I can only guess that they passed the tree in the night, and my horse and I were asleep.”

  “Well,” he said with a sneer, “all I can say is that both you and the beast look remarkably well-rested for having slept in the hole of a tree. But I am glad that the woman I am to marry has this strong, self-sufficient streak to her character.”

  When her father moved away, he leaned in close and whispered so only she could hear.

  “A woman would have to be strong for what I have in mind for her,” he hissed and gave her wrist a strong pinch making her gasp in pain. Turning away, he strode across the courtyard, and she was alone.

  * * *

  Alice had made the rooms ready for Emily’s return. There was hot water for washing, clean linen to dress in and food and drink. While she ate, Emily could feel Alice watching her intently. Eventually, with her clothing changed, her body washed, and a belly full, Emily slammed her cup down on the wooden table a little too hard and glared at her servant.

  “What?” Emily demanded of Alice.

  Alice grinned back wickedly. “ What?’” she mimicked mockingly, and Emily could not resist a smile.

  “Something has happened. There is mair tae yer adventure than meets the eye that is clear. Tell me whit happened! And let me bathe that bruise on yer cheek while ye dae so.”

  It took Alice a moment or two to gather heated water and a cloth, and to drop lavender oil into the bowl. Emily pushed back from the table and gathered her thou
ghts. How much would she tell her friend? Everything, she decided.

  Emily told Alice the whole story from start to finish, in as much detail as she could remember. While she spoke, her friend moved around the little room, clearing up dishes and tidying, eventually giving up and sitting beside Emily to listen. When Emily stumbled and blushed telling of her kiss with the handsome highlander, Alice clasped her hands to her breast, and her eyes sparkled.

  By the end of her tale, Emily was quite breathless and a little red around the cheeks. Alice was delighted and titillated, but when Emily shared Major Clairmont’s vicious aside to her in the courtyard, the girl became solemn and looked serious.

  “Oh, miss Emily these are very deep waters. Dare I ask whit ye will dae?”

  “Need you ask?” If I do not flee to Murdo, then I will be married to Clairmont, and I dare not think what kind of life that would be. I begin to suspect that the man delights in the pain of others; I should be his prisoner, living a life of fear at the mercy of a madman!”

  “Oh come,” said Alice, “surely it wouldnae be so bad as a’ that? He doesnae seem like a very pleasant kind o’ man, tae be sure, but tae go aff wi’ the Highlanders? Oh, miss, ye’d risk being hanged as a traitor! It’s very romantic, but ye must think o’ the future. Surely it would be better tae give the Major a chance?”

  “He said ‘A woman would have to be strong for what I have in mind for her’. What else could that mean but that he expects I would suffer at his hands? Oh, no, Alice, I think I know the kind of reward I would get if I gave him a chance.”

  Alice was not convinced and was wary of the romantic story of the wild Highlander. It sounded too good to be true and thought she detected a streak of naivety in her new mistress; ripe for exploitation by a strong and charismatic man like this Highlander.

  They argued it back and forth, and just as it was about to develop into more than a disagreement, they were interrupted by shouts and yells from outside in the courtyard. They both thought the same; could it be the Highlanders attacking an so soon? Jumping up they rushed to the window and found to both their horror and relief, that the cause of the disturbance was something entirely different.

  Chapter Seven

  In the courtyard below, an unpleasant scene was unfolding. A little knot of soldiers hauled two of their fellows through the gates, followed by a group of angrily shouting men dressed in the britches and tunics of townsfolk. Major Clairmont stood in the centre of the courtyard flanked by Lieutenant Roberts on one side and Captain Nasmith on the other. Of the three, only Clairmont looked happy.

  The two soldiers being dragged forward were in a sorry state. They wore no hats, their hair was awry, one of them was bloodstained, and the other was missing a shoe. Both of their scarlet coats were muddy and torn. They were hauled in front of the Major and flung onto the ground.

  “We brought them out from the lockup, sir,” said the leader to Clairmont. Clairmont turned to the townsfolk who had approached with angry faces and clenched fists. In a clear voice, he addressed them.

  “Are these the men you spoke of?” One of the townsfolk stepped forward, his arms crossed above his vast belly.

  “Aye, these are the blackguards! They came doon tae the toon in the night and entered a tavern saying they were looking for some lassie frae up here in the keep. And look they did, but when they had stopped looking they demanded drink and sat themselves doen tae guzzle beer and whiskey wi’oot any suggestion o’ payment! When the landlord complained tae them one o’ them stuck his musket in the man’s face and threatened tae shoot him if he complained again!”

  The men all murmured angrily in agreement, and the man nodded vigorously before continuing his tale.

  “Then they took it intae their heads that they wanted a woman! One o’ them had taken a fancy to auld widow MacLeod’s grand-daughter and her barely o’ an age herself! The widow herself was ready tae fight them baith for her granddaughter’s sake, but thankfully somebody had had the sense tae send a boy up tae the keep tae ask for help, and the lieutenant here sent a few men doon tae haul them awa’ before they could cause mair trouble! We ken the good that the garrison is doing fer the toon and ye willnae find a mair loyal and faithful set o’ subjects tae His Majesty the King than the men o’ Inveraray, but we willnae stand for this kind o’ aggression sir, and we ask ye tae assure us that it willnae happen again under yer watch and tae satisfy us that these men will be confined tae the barracks for a respectable length o’ time.”

  The men on the stones groaned. Clairmont studied them with the kind of look that a cat gives to a captured mouse. He looked hard at the townsman as if gauging his mettle, then turned to one of the soldiers who waited at attention nearby.

  “Collins, I want every member of the castle’s population out here in the courtyard in the next ten minutes, understood? That’s an order. Captain Nasmith, the castle is still under your command; do you assent to this?”

  Nasmith swallowed and nodded. Emily and Alice looked at each other in dreadful anticipation. In the courtyard below, the Major turned back to the townsman.

  “Confined to barracks? Oh, certainly they shall be confined to barracks for a long time...”

  “Aye, aye, that’s a’ we wanted,” said the townsman, seeming a little less sure of himself.

  “But there is more to it than this! These are serious crimes and they require a more serious punishment than mere imprisonment. If you will please stand over here, by this wall...”

  Before Emily and Alice could see any more, there was an imperious thump on their door, and a servant haughtily informed them that their presence was required in the courtyard without delay. There being no other option, they dressed hurriedly and made their way outside.

  When they came out into the sunlight, dread-filled them. Alice gripped Emily’s arm tightly. In the centre of the courtyard, the two transgressors were trussed to posts by their hands, shirtless, their bare backs exposed and facing the crowd. Clairmont, seeming well pleased stood before the crowd. Beside him was a grim-looking soldier with a cruel leather whip in his hand. It was all too obvious what was going to happen.

  The Major looked around to be sure that everyone was assembled. His eyes scanned the crowd, meeting every face. His eyes lighted on Emily, and he smiled.

  “The men before you are soldiers,” he shouted in a loud voice that rang off the stone walls around the courtyard. “They are my men and are subject to my discipline! I have gathered you all here to witness the consequence of defying my rule.”

  Emily saw the townsman turn pale and whisper something to a man beside him, who shook his head and frowned. Major Clairmont walked over to Emily, his arm outstretched.

  “Come, my dear,” his voice was hearty and incongruously cheery as if inviting her for a summer stroll. “I desire that you should come and stand beside me to witness this. Leave your maid, she may stand with the other servants. Come.”

  Taking her arm, he propelled her to the front of the crowd, before giving his curt order to the soldier at his side.

  “Begin.”

  The duration and severity of the beating of the two disgraced soldiers was beyond anything reasonable for their crime. At one point, the townsman tried to intervene, but Clairmont stared at the man until he moved away. At another point, Captain Nasmith spoke urgently in the Major’s ear, but Clairmont just smiled and shook his head. Throughout it all Emily stood, her jaw clenched so hard it hurt, her face as white as paper.

  She only looked up at him once. Sweat quivered on his high forehead. His lips were slightly parted, and his breath came heavy and quick. He stared at the suffering of the two men with an avidity that was barely human. His lips twitched with every smack of the whip.

  When it was finally over a stunned silence lay over the crowd. Nobody moved. Nobody spoke. It seemed to Emily as if no one was breathing; except for him. Clairmont breathed deeply with satisfaction, like a man sitting back after a good meal.

  “Behold!” He shouted into the dea
dly silence. “These are the consequences of defying me!”

  She tried to pull away, but his grip was like iron. He turned as if just remembering she was there.

  “Ah, Emily, I believe your father wants a word with you.”

  He released her, and Captain Nasmith moved toward her and took her arm. Around them, the crowd began to move away.

  * * *

  Emily’s father led her out of the gates. Together they stood in silence for a moment or two, looking out over the rain on the loch.

  “A hard man, the Major,” her father stuttered awkwardly.

  “He is a monster father! I’ve never thought any man could be so cruel!”