Siren of the Highlands: Scottish Medieval Highlander Romance (Highlanders of Cherrythorn) Read online

  “I see,” he said. “So why are you lurking here around the corner instead of just waiting outside the door like a normal, non-crazy person?”

  “I… did not want to overwhelm him right away.”

  “So, you thought you would ambush him?”

  Ivy sighed and crossed her arms over her chest, arching her eyebrow at him. “Do you not have anything better to do with your time than pester me?”

  “Actually, no. I do not,” he said with a grin. “Not at the moment, at any rate.”

  “Well, I suggest you find something to do then.”

  Castor gave her a sly smile. “Hoping to have a little quality time alone with the Scotsman, are we?”

  His tone was suggestive, and if her face grew any warmer, Ivy half-feared it would burst into flames. She did not want her brother - or anybody for that matter - thinking she wanted to spend time alone with Fin. She simply found him intriguing, and she was curious about him. That was all it was. A curiosity simply because there was more to the man than met the eye.

  “As much as your devious little mind would wish to conjure something inappropriate, that is not the case,” she said.

  “Then what is it, Sister?”

  “It is not your concern, Brother,” she replied, her tone imperious. “Do I need to invent a reason for wishing to speak to people outside your presence?”

  He shrugged, his grin lascivious. “Of course not. It is just curious when the person you are wishing to speak to is a large, handsome Scotsman.”

  “Oh, you hush your mouth,” Ivy said but could not stop the laughter that burst from her throat. “You are an awful human being, Castor Welton.”

  “So some say.”

  “On your way then,” Ivy said. “I will tell you what he says.”

  Not wanting to continue to let her brother tease her, Ivy stiffened her spine and walked down the corridor, heading for the physician's chambers. She wanted to show her brother she was not lurking or doing anything unseemly - even though she very well knew that she was. She was behaving like a besotted little girl, and she did not know why. That, too, was a curiosity to her.

  The door to the physician’s chamber opened with a loud creak just as she was passing it, and she nearly ran headfirst into Fin as he stepped out into the corridor. Ivy pulled back just as Fin did, both of them narrowly avoiding a collision. He wore an expression of exasperation on his face, but when he saw it was Ivy, it faded and was replaced by a smile that was wide and warm.

  “Oh, tis ye,” he said. “Good mornin’ tae ye.”

  “Good morning, Fin,” she said, and silently kicked herself when a nervous giggle bubbled up and out of her throat.

  “Good morning, Finlay,” Castor called from up the hallway as he waved. “Good to see you this morning. My sister has been hiding around the corner here, waiting to speak with you.”

  Fin turned to her with a small smirk curling the corner of his mouth upward. Ivy had never felt more mortified in her life, and she tried to keep the redness and heat from returning to her face. To no avail, of course. She could feel her face warming and knew she was a deep shade of scarlet already. Ivy looked away, turning to her brother and giving him a fierce scowl.

  “Go and do - something,” she hissed at him. “Like perhaps throw yourself off the parapet of the castle!”

  Castor laughed. “That is my sister, always with the sharp wit.”

  She watched her brother stalk off, laughing to himself as he went. Ivy turned back to Fin, doing her best to not die of humiliation then and there. As it was, she silently prayed for the ground to open up and swallow her whole.

  “Yer braither seems tae be in a good mood today,” he said, his voice a low, deep rumble that sent chills up her spine.

  She cleared her throat and tried to compose herself as quickly as she could, then favored him with a smile she hoped did not look too false or awkward.

  “When it comes to embarrassing me, he is always in a good mood,” she said with a nervous chuckle. “He certainly never passes up the opportunity to do so.”

  “Tis what big braithers dae,” Fin said.

  “Do you have an older brother who tormented you?”

  He shook his head. “Nay. But I used tae be the one tormentin’ Col when we was kids.”

  Ivy laughed. “Oh, so you are like my brother in that way.”

  He shrugged his massive shoulders. “Aye. I s’pose so.”

  They stood together in awkward silence for a moment, exchanging strained smiles. Finally, Fin chuckled.

  “So, what did ye want tae speak with me about then?”

  Ivy dropped her gaze to the floor and shuffled her feet. Her stomach was churning wildly, and she felt her legs begin to tremble. She could not believe he had this effect on her. She gripped her skirts tightly and forced herself to look up at Fin, willing herself to be calm.

  “I was just wondering if there was any change in the Duke’s condition?” she asked.

  “Nay, nae yet,” he said, his voice grim. “The physician says it make take a little time tae know if he’ll fully recover for sure.”

  Ivy pursed her lips and felt a needle of disappointment prick her. She had hoped the Duke would recover quickly from his attempted assassination. Just the idea that somebody tried to kill him, here in the hallowed halls of York, sent a cold shiver down her spine. She quickly gathered herself, though, unwilling to give in to the fear and despair that threatened to consume her if she thought about it all too long.

  “And Gillian?” she asked. “Have you heard any news regarding her?”

  “I havenae,” he said. “Nae yet. I’m hopin’ tae have a rider from Westmarch today.”

  “Please, let me know when you do have news.”

  He nodded. “Of course.”

  Ivy looked at him for a long moment, once again struck by that keen intelligence she saw in his eyes. She knew it was not the sort of intelligence born of formal education, of having tutors who taught things like philosophy, ethics, or mathematics. Fin’s intelligence was more worldly. It was the sort of intelligence that can only be born of experience. Of getting down into the muck and mud and seeing how the world really worked.

  It was the sort of education that Ivy was secretly envious of. She had a thirst for learning and knowledge that went far beyond the staid books her tutors provided. She had always felt that sort of education was sanitized and that she was only given the knowledge they felt a “proper lady” should be given. But Ivy had always longed for more. She wanted to know the things Fin knew about life and the world around her. It was knowledge she desired, but knowledge she was also afraid to attain on her own.

  “Well, I suppose I should be--”

  “Would ye walk with me a while?” Fin asked, his voice taking on a strange tone.

  She looked up at him and saw that he looked somewhat self-conscious and - shy. At least, shy in a manner of speaking. It was strange to see and hear him in that state. Though she had only known him a short time, she knew that Fin was confident and self-assured. He was not a man given to doubts or a lack of self-esteem. While she would not go so far as to label him arrogant, not in the same way Castor was, the big Scotsman definitely thought highly of himself.

  His confidence seemed rooted in his belief in who he was. Fin seemed the sort of man who knew his strengths - and his weaknesses. And he never hid from either. To Ivy, he seemed to embrace those things he did well and to learn from those things he did not do as well. And she found that to not only be an honorable quality to have but one that made him even more attractive.

  If I was attracted to him in that way. Which I am not.

  She blushed as the thought passed through her mind, and a wavering smile touched her lips. Fin looked at her curiously for a moment, which only deepened the color in her cheeks.

  “Yes,” she said. “I think a nice walk would do me some good this morning.”

  Fin gave her a gentle smile and nodded. “Aye. Tis a fine mornin’ for it.”

&
nbsp; She followed Fin through the corridors of the castle and down through the bailey. Neither of them spoke, but to Ivy, it felt like the air around them was filled with the weight of words left unsaid. It was slightly tense and awkward, but Ivy felt a thread of comfort wrapped around it all. It was surprising to her, but she enjoyed being with Fin - deep in conversation or not.

  They walked through the front gates and out into the town that surrounded the castle. The sky overhead was filled with patchy, fluffy clouds, and the day was slightly warm, though a cool breeze blew in, keeping the temperature comfortable. The sun darted in and out behind the clouds, and the world around them went from light to dark and back again.

  “Is Elix like this?” Fin asked, finally breaking the ice. “Is it this big? Have this many people?”

  Ivy shook her head. “Oh, no. We’re a very small barony,” she told him. “I would be surprised if we had half the people York does. And our market is definitely much smaller.”

  Fin gave a rueful laugh. “Aye. Same is true for us out in the West March,” he said. “We’ve more people movin’ intae the area, but tis much smaller.”

  “Elix was much larger once upon a time,” she said. “But our father made some very bad decisions.”

  “That is unfortunate,” he replied. “I’m sorry tae hear that.”

  She shrugged. “It is in the past, and nothing can be done about it now. The only regret I have is that our market has dwindled,” she said and then brightened. “But, it gives me more of a reason to come to York.”

  They strolled through the market, and Ivy inhaled deeply. The rich aromas from the vendors selling a hundred different foods made her mouth water, and she found herself suddenly regretting skipping breakfast that morning.

  “Are ye hungry?” Fin asked.

  She gave him a shy smile. “My stomach was just reminding me that I had not eaten breakfast.”

  “Aye, I ken. Twas a positively beastly sound,” he said. “Scared me, it did. Kent for sure a wolf was comin’ tae eat me.”

  Ivy howled in laughter and slapped him playfully on the shoulder, making him smile wolfishly at her. Together, they walked through the market before deciding on a couple of meat pies. They took them to an area where they were able to sit and enjoy their meals.

  As they ate, they talked a lot about their lives and swapped stories, some that had Ivy rolling with laughter, and others that brought her to the verge of tears. She was right in believing that Fin was a complicated man with a lot of different layers to him. He was like an onion in that when she peeled back one layer, there were many other layers underneath. She found him fascinating.

  “So, have you made any headway with finding the assassin?” she asked.

  Fin frowned and shook his head. “Nay. Nothing specific yet.”

  “Well, I am sure if there is something to be found, you will find it.”

  He gave her a wry smile. “I hope yer right.”

  “I am,” she said, confident in her answer. “I am certain of it.”

  “Well, that makes one of us then.”

  “Do not make the mistake of underestimating yourself,” she said.

  He looked at her for a long moment and nodded. “Thank ye,” he said. “Tis very kind of ye.”

  They were silent for a long moment, and Ivy looked away, feeling a river of emotion flowing through her. She cleared her throat and gathered her wits about her again before turning back to Fin.

  “Well, this has been a lovely day, Fin,” she said. “I thank you for it.”

  “Nay need tae thank me,” he replied. “Ye got me out of the castle and that whole mess for a wee while. Tis I should be thankin’ ye.”

  She gave him a small smile as she got to her feet. “As lovely as the day has been, though, I should probably be getting back,” she said. “I’m sure Castor will be looking for me.”

  “Aye. And Hollis will be lookin’ for me,” he replied. “Let me walk ye back tae the castle.”

  She gave him a smile and fell into step beside him as they strolled back to the castle. The awkwardness that had marked their walk out to the market earlier was gone and had been replaced by a sense of comfort and companionship that she found surprising. Ivy never would have expected it, especially after their first encounter in the yard at York and then the scene outside the apothecary. She had found him disagreeable and boorish.

  But since then, he had shown her a different side. He had shown Ivy that her initial impressions of him, while not necessarily wrong, did not paint a complete picture of the man he was. Like she had thought before, he was like an onion.

  And she was curious to see even more of his layers.

  Chapter Eleven

  Fin

  Fin stepped through the door of the office he and Hollis were given to use while they were here in York conducting their investigation. Hollis was behind the desk and looked up as Fin closed the door behind him.

  “And where ye been all day?” he asked.

  Fin walked over to the table in the corner and poured himself a mug of ale. He took a long swallow and dropped down into the chair in front of the desk and eyed Hollis evenly, a small smile tugging the corners of his mouth upward.

  “Ye’re grinnin’ like a fool,” Hollis said. “If I had tae guess, I’d say ye spent some time with the Ainglish lass. Ivy, was it?”

  Fin shrugged and took another long swallow of his ale. He had enjoyed his day with Ivy and found her to be incredibly compelling. She was far from the spoiled, entitled noblewoman he’d thought she was when they first met. Of course, she was that woman. But he was learning that she was much more than that. She had facet upon facet to her personality, and the more he learned about her, the more he wanted to know.

  She was smart as a whip, clever, and had a sharp wit. Ivy had a fiery temper and a sharp tongue. He enjoyed Ivy’s spirit. In a lot of ways, she reminded him of Gillian. He thought Col would get a laugh out of that, his infatuation with an English woman much like his wife. Would probably mock him for it.

  “So?” Hollis asked. “Ye goin’ tae tell me?”

  “Aye. I spent the day with Ivy,” he said. “We were in the market.”

  Hollis flashed him a grin. “So, I guess all yer ruffled feathers’ve been smoothed over, eh?”

  “Somethin’ like that, I s’pose.”

  “Daenae go doin’ somethin’ tae get us intae trouble.”

  “What could I dae tae get us intae trouble?”

  Hollis arched an eyebrow at him. “Ye cannae be serious right now, can ye?”

  “What?”

  Hollis sighed and then chuckled to himself. “Are ye tellin’ me ye daenae remember the Laird’s daughter?”

  Fin paused with the mug halfway to his mouth and then began to laugh. He had forgotten about the Laird’s daughter. Several years back, Fin had met a young woman from a neighboring clan, and they had gotten on well. One thing led to another, and her father, who happened to be the Laird of the clan - a fact she had not shared with him - had discovered them in a rather compromising position.

  There had been harsh words, threats, and ultimatums given. Col had managed to smooth things over and kept the Laird from killing him, but it had strained the relations between the clans. Not that tension between the clans was exactly a new thing. But in a time of peace among them all, Fin’s indiscretion had threatened to ignite a small war between the clans.

  “Tis nothin’ like the situation with the Laird’s daughter,” Fin said.

  “Are ye sure?”

  “Positive,” he replied. “Nae even close tae bein’ the same.”

  “Mebbe nae yet--”

  “Shut it,” Fin laughed. “I am nae goin’ tae create that kind of problem again. I learned me lesson.”

  “I hope so. The last thing we need right now is tae go t’ war with Elix because ye couldnae keep yer bleedin’ cock in yer pants.”

  Fin laughed. “What did ye find out today?”

  “Nae much,” he said. “Marcus still isna
e talkin’.”

  “Damn,” Fin grumbled. “Without him, we daenae have anythin’.”

  “We could start talkin’ tae anybody else in town who knows anythin’ about herbs and remedies,” Hollis offered.

  “Aye. Time consumin’ and tedious,” he said. “But we may nae have any other choice. We need tae drum up a lead from somewhere.”

  Fin sat back in his chair and sighed. He was getting nowhere, and that was a situation that was not going to change unless he could develop another lead or get Marcus to talk. He did not want to have to go back to Westmarch Hall empty-handed, with the would-be assassin still on the loose. He did not want to have to return to Col and tell him he could not find the man who tried to murder his wife.

  “So, what are we goin’ tae do?” Hollis asked.

  “Not sure yet,” he replied. “Have a drink and hope for the best.”

  Hollis chuckled. “I daenae if that’s goin’ tae help us,” he said. “I daenae fancy goin’ back tae Col without a man he can hang.”

  “Yeah, I was havin’ the same thought.”

  Fin ran a hand over his face and grumbled to himself. He was frustrated and angry that they had gotten nowhere in finding the would-be assassin. He felt as if they were still stuck at the beginning with no idea where to go.

  “All right, I’m goin’ tae see if I can get anythin’ out of Marcus,” he said. “I’m goin’ tae put some more pressure on him and see if he cracks. If he doesnae, I may just kill ‘im.”

  Hollis looked up, an expression of alarm on his face that made Fin erupt in laughter. Hollis’ expression turned sour, and he shook his head at Fin’s inappropriate jest.

  “All right then,” Hollis said. “I’m goin’ tae thae kitchens t’find somethin’ tae eat. I’ll catch up with ye in the mornin’, eh?”

  “Aye. We’ll talk in the mornin’.”

  Hollis left the office, leaving Fin alone with his ale and his thoughts. Thoughts that increasingly turned to Ivy. Indeed, she seemed to have taken up a permanent residence in his head. Not that he minded. There were certainly worse things that could have been occupying his mind.