Captivating A Highland Warrior (Steamy Scottish Historical Romance)

by Maddie MacKenna

  Instead, he was forced to keep company with his uninvited guests. He suffocated a groan and forced a faint smile on his face.

  “Laird Gille Chriost, good morning,” Laird Brun said while scooping porridge in his bowl.

  “Laird Brun, Lady Brun, Lady Beitris,” he greeted and sat down.

  Lady Beitris shot a smile in his direction, but Fionnghall didn’t respond. He was too disappointed of Marion’s absence to bother to be too courteous.

  Laird Brun was making light conversation throughout the breakfast, his wife and daughter adding in comments. Fionnghall was paying no attention, because he was waiting for Marion to appear through the door any minute.

  After the breakfast, he was puzzled at the girl’s absence. It was strange that neither of them appeared. Fionnghall headed over to the stables to find Jack.

  “Bill, have ye seen Jack?” Fionnghall asked one of the younger grooms.

  “Aye, me lord. He left early in the mornin’ with Miss Deirdre and Lady Marion,” the boy said.

  “Left? Left where?” he asked, furrowing his eyebrows together.

  “Er… Ridgemoore, I believe, me lord,” the boy responded, wary because of his stern voice.

  This piece of information threw him off. He had been planning on accompanying them on the journey. Why wouldn’t Jack say anything? He was going to hear about this when he returned.

  14

  The Hardest Promise To Keep

  They got back to Gille Chriost earlier than they had anticipated. Jack dismounted his horse and Deirdre handed the reins of the yellow pony to him. Marion dismounted Bells as well, but told Jack she would be happy to groom and feed Bells on her own.

  She wanted some time alone. Not only did she want to avoid going back to the castle, but she wanted to think about her next move. She never thought she would have to go this long without a single lead. Since her arrival, she hadn’t made any progress in terms of her search. The only thing she had managed was crossing out Gille Chriost and Ridgemoore on the list of endless towns in Scotland. And now she would have to start again with another town.

  She finished brushing Bells and grabbed a bucket from the corner. There was a barrel full of oats in the little storage room and she filled the bucket halfway.

  “Marion,” she heard behind her and she turned quickly around. Fionnghall was so close to her that she could smell the lovely and inviting leathery smell of him.

  “Uh, Fionnghall,” she stuttered and turned back around to pick up the bucket.

  “Allow me,” he said and grabbed the bucket. He walked over to Bells’ stall and placed the bucket on the floor so that she could eat.

  “We have grooms that can dae this fer ye, ye ken?” he said and looked directly into her eyes. This time, she wasn’t able to avoid the warm look. The gaze sent her heart fluttering and at the same time, she felt a painful pinch in her chest.

  “Yes, I wanted to do it myself,” she said.

  “Ye have been avoidin’ me,” Fionnghall said frankly and stepped closer to Marion.

  “Not at all,” she tried, but Fionnghall stopped her by pressing his finger on her lips.

  “Aye, ye have,” he said. He placed his hands onto Marion’s shoulders and pulled her closer. “And ye went all the way to Ridgemoore without me. Didnae even tell me.”

  His closeness made Marion dizzy and for a moment she forgot why she had been avoiding him. His face was only a few inches away from her, before she snapped back to reality.

  “Someone might see us,” she whispered and pushed Fionnghall back. He took a step back, but not because of what Marion said, but because of how she looked.

  “Dae ye really care?” he asked.

  “Yes! I don’t want to put your people’s prosperity in jeopardy, or endanger the alliance between Gille Chriost and Brun,” she said quietly.

  “Marion—” he started, but she interrupted him.

  “I am sorry, I will see you at dinner,” she said and hurried off.

  * * *

  “Ridgemoore didnae bring any results,” Jack told Fionnghall as they sat across from each other in the drawing room with glasses of brandy in front of them.

  “Shame,” Fionnghall said. He was truly disappointed for Marion, but this meant that she would stay with him a little bit longer and for that he was happy. “Ye could have told me that ye were goin’ to Ridgemoore today. It was embarrassin’ to hear it from a young stable boy,” he said with an edge in his voice.

  Jack looked at him from behind his cards.

  “Marion didnae want ye to ken. And besides, why does it matter?” Jack asked. He put another card on the table.

  “Well, ye took me sister with ye without tellin’ me. Marion is nae me responsibility, but me sister is,” Fionnghall said.

  “Is this really about Deirdre?” Jack asked, definitely unconvinced. Fionnghall didn’t respond.

  “So, what is her plan?” Fionnghall finally asked and placed a card on the table while Jack was contemplating his counter move.

  “I am nae sure. I guess to search fer the next town,” he said and sipped on the brandy.

  Fionnghall raised his eyebrows as Jack placed a card on the table that was higher than his.

  “Pay up!” Jack said.

  Fionnghall slid a piece of gold across the table and Jack put it in his pocket.

  “Laird Brun set the date fer the wedding today,” Fionnghall said with a flat tone.

  Jack coughed up his brandy in surprise and wiped his mouth.

  “Oh,” he finally said, exhaling in frustration. “When?” he asked.

  “In two months’ time,” Fionnghall replied and shuffled the deck again.

  “Is there nothin’ ye can dae? I ken ye daenae want to marry that little wench,” Jack said.

  “I have been contemplatin’ just tellin’ them to go to hell,” Fionnghall said.

  “That would be somethin’,” Jack said and picked up the cards Fionnghall had just dealt.

  Until Laird Brun had set the date, the promise that had been made between him and Fionnghall’s father never really seemed real. Sure, it was something that was going to happen eventually, but in Fionnghall’s mind, it was far in the distant future.

  The wedding date meant that the Brun family would be staying at Gille Chriost preparing for the wedding. They had to order food, sew Lady Beitris’ wedding gown, and prepare to start the building of the castle between the two properties.

  “So, I assume the Bruns are stayin’ until the wedding then?” Jack asked as if he had just read Fionnghall’s thoughts.

  Fionnghall nodded.

  He placed his cards on the table.

  “Ah, égalité,” he announced. “Tie bets win.”

  * * *

  Deirdre was playing the harpsichord in the music room with her teacher, Miss Landon. She was very good and Marion enjoyed listening to her play. She had recently started practicing duets and she had invited Marion to be her partner.

  “Come, Marion, sit,” she asked and Marion took a seat next to her on the bench.

  “Lady Marion, ye start and Miss MacIosag will follow,” Miss Landon instructed and Marion started to play. She hadn’t played the harpsicord in a while, but her muscle memory kicked in and she was playing as though she had never had a break.

  Deirdre followed her soon. Though she was making a few mistakes, she was improving.

  “Fionnghall!” she exclaimed all of a sudden, stopping mid-note.

  Marion saw Fionnghall in the hall. He had stopped at the door to listen to them play. Marion immediately pressed her eyes down and pretended to be reading the notes very carefully.

  “Please, daenae stop on me account,” he said.

  Deirdre shot a coy smile at Marion and she immediately knew Deirdre had an idea. Most likely an idea that would somehow embarrass Marion.

  “Brother, I am havin’ some trouble with me duets. Marion is such an excellent example, but would ye nae play with her so I can see how it is to be done?” she asked as
innocently as possible. “I keep makin’ mistake after mistake, isn’t that so, Miss Landon?”

  The poor teacher didn’t know how to respond, because Deirdre had been playing quite well.

  “I’m sure ye are doin’ very well without me,” he said but stepped into the room.

  “Nonsense!” Deirdre said and grabbed his arm to drag him to the instrument.

  Marion was cursing Deirdre in her mind. She had been doing so well avoiding Fionnghall all day. And now Deirdre was sitting him right next to her in a situation where it would be rude for her to leave.

  He sat next to Marion and she could smell that inviting smell on him. His outer thigh was touching Marion gently, as the seat was very narrow. Marion felt her fingers go cold.

  “Why daenae ye start and I shall follow?” he asked quietly. Marion nodded and started playing.

  Deirdre pulled Miss Landon away, all the way to the couch, so that they were both away from earshot.

  “Marion, I must speak with ye, alone,” Fionnghall said, not looking at Marion. “Will ye meet me tonight at the library?” he asked.

  “I don’t think it—” she started.

  “Please?” he asked and his hand touched Marion’s while playing the keys. She wasn’t sure if it was an accident or not.

  “It is not a good idea, I’m afraid. We should not be alone together and you know it,” Marion said. It was hard for her to keep her voice steady.

  “Just a few minutes of yer time. I bet it is only yer upbringin’ sayin’ that we should nae meet alone. What dae ye really want? Would ye rather nae see me? If that is the reason, I will nae try to change yer mind,” he persuaded. Marion could see a hint of a smile in the corners of his mouth.

  “All right,” she admitted, but moved a little bit further away from him while her heart pounded so hard she thought it was going to burst out of her chest.

  The song faded and Fionnghall got up, thanking Marion and bowing at Miss Landon.

  Deirdre jumped quickly by Marion’s side and they started playing the same song again.

  “What did he say?” she asked her as they played on.

  “He… wants to talk to me later,” Marion said.

  Deirdre smiled smugly.

  “Dae I nae make a great matchmaker?” she asked.

  “Well, no, not really. There is a major flaw in this match, don’t you think?” Marion asked.

  Deirdre scoffed and rolled her eyes. This movement made her mess up and Miss Landon made them start again.

  * * *

  Marion had never felt like this before. She was beyond confused, because her feelings towards Fionnghall had been growing in the past days. Worst of it was that she knew there was absolutely nothing she could do.

  She yearned to meet Fionnghall tonight, but at the same time, she wanted to keep away from him. Being so close to him while knowing she could never have him made her ache all over.

  She considered not showing up at the library, but at the end of the day, she did want to meet him again and be close to him. Her feelings were so contradicted she didn’t quite know what to make of them.

  The sky was getting darker outside of her window and only a few rays of sunshine were lingering in the sky. She collected herself and headed to the library.

  The whole way there, her heart was pounding and the tight corset made it hard for her to breathe and to take the deep breath she needed so much.

  Her legs felt numb and blood was whooshing in her ears.

  What am I doing?

  She didn’t stop. It was as though her legs were walking forward without her approval.

  She reached the library and opened the door slowly.

  15

  Crossroads

  The library was dim and no candles were lit. It was quiet and for a moment Marion thought Fionnghall wasn’t there yet. Until she heard a familiar husky voice.

  “Ye came,” he said softly and touched Marion’s hand. Marion gasped out of surprise, as her nerves had already been stretched as far as they could go.

  “I said I would,” she said breathlessly.

  Fionnghall pulled Marion closer and she didn’t resist. She let the embrace fall over her and she breathed in his inviting smell. The closeness of his body felt soothing and she couldn’t rein back her feelings anymore.

  She burst into tears. Fionnghall didn’t say anything. He just held Marion in the dark library for what felt like hours. Marion let her tears fall and she sobbed quietly.

  After her sobs had quieted down, Fionnghall walked her over to the couch and spoke.

  “So I take it ye have heard,” he said in a defeated voice.

  Marion was puzzled.

  “Heard what?” she asked and wiped her tears.

  “About the wedding date,” he said as if it were a forgone conclusion.

  Marion’s heart stopped and for a few seconds she wasn’t able to draw breath.

  “The… the date? The date is set?” she said, unsure.

  “Aye, I thought ye knew,” he said and pulled Marion close again, but this time, Marion pushed him back.

  “When? Is that what you wanted to tell me?” she asked and suddenly it felt like the whole room was spinning.

  “In two months’ time,” he responded. Fionnghall held Marion’s hand in his and wiped a stray curl of hers behind her ear.

  The motion left a tingling path on her face but she barely noticed it, as her body was numb everywhere. She couldn’t even feel Fionnghall’s hand holding hers.

  “Oh,” was all that Marion could say. After a moment of silence, she said slowly, “I should go.”

  “Marion, please stay,” he pleaded when Marion stood up.

  “Why?” Marion’s voice was stern all of a sudden. She felt so many feelings right now that she couldn’t separate them from each other. She was sad for the end result, angry at Fionnghall, frustrated in herself and utterly, undeniably in love with him.

  “I love ye,” he said.

  “It does not matter! You are to marry someone else! I never should have come here, this was a mistake,” Marion said as tears started filling her eyes again.

  She turned around to run to the door, but Fionnghall stopped her.

  “Was it really a mistake? Did ye nae want to see me?”

  He grabbed her wrist and pulled her back, swinging her against his chest. He wrapped his arms tightly around Marion, who was fighting against them. It made no difference. She was tightly in his embrace and wasn’t going to get away until he let go.

  “Just let me go, please,” Marion sobbed.

  Fionnghall lifted her chin up.

  “I love ye, Marion. Ye cannot go. Me heart is yers and if ye go, I will nae be able to live,” he whispered.

  “I love you, too, but sometimes it is not enough,” she whispered back.

  “It has to be,” he said and pressed his perfect lips against Marion’s.

  She couldn’t breathe. He was hugging her tightly against himself, the corset was too tight and the lips that were kissing her passionately didn’t let any air pass through her lips. The tears that were making their way up again didn’t make breathing any easier.

  Marion was fighting against Fionnghall with all her power, but it didn’t help. Her body was numb and she didn’t hear anything besides the blood rushing in her ears. She wanted him to let go, so she could run out of the door and back to her chambers. At the same time, she wanted to stay, and to tell him to never stop.

  This is wrong. I cannot do this, this is not me. It is selfish, dishonest, wrong, wrong, wrong!

  Finally, she was able to inhale deeply to the bottom of her lungs. The anger and frustration moved away and only pure love and passion was left. She gave in slowly and let him kiss her moment after moment. For all she knew, that moment could have been seconds, minutes, or years. It felt timeless and endless at the same time.

  Fionnghall’s hands were running up Marion’s back to her long hair and he pressed her against the bookshelf that was against the back wall. W
ith a bang, a few books clattered down and hit the floor.

  “Someone will hear,” she said, trying to break free.

  “And may they be cursed to the deepest pit of Hell if they dare to open that door,” he said and Marion didn’t even try to fight against his passion.