Consumed By The Lost Highlander (Steamy Scottish Historical Romance)

by Maddie MacKenna

  The only thing that worried her was the clothes. She was not sure what a Laird should dress like, but it was certainly not like an English Lord. His clothes were ragged and old, but she was not one to judge, yet she still did. Juliana took a quick look at her father to gauge his reaction. If those were the clothes that a Laird wore, then perhaps he was in it for money too.

  Juliana looked from her father and herself to the Laird. She knew that if anyone were to look at the two side by side, they would expect that the Scottish Laird was marrying because of failed businesses and a lack of money, not the other way around. She began to worry that the Laird would not be able to help them.

  Juliana remembered her manners and approached the man as he came toward them. She curtsied and smiled.

  “My Laird,” said Juliana. “It is a pleasure to meet you.”

  “Laird,” laughed Andrew. He looked at Juliana and shook his head.

  Juliana tried to keep a smile on her face. “I am sorry, but I do not see the joke.”

  “Och, there is no joke. I am not yer Laird, I’m only here tae bring ye tae him.”

  “To bring me?” asked Juliana. “He did not want to come here himself?”

  “He had other business tae attend tae,” said Andrew.

  “Of course. Yes, the Laird must be a very busy man.” She tried to hold back the tears. It was obvious to her now that she was not the priority. Perhaps the Laird did know about their situation and was doing this for his own reasons. Whatever business he had, it was obviously more important than she was.

  Juliana was glad that this man was not the Laird. His clothes were ragged and worn, and he did not have money. This man could not save her family, and the Laird could, but a part of her wished that she could go back to the point when she thought he was the Laird. She wanted to stare into his eyes one more time and imagine a life with him.

  “Andrew,” said Andrew.

  “I beg your pardon.” Juliana was caught in her thoughts. “Sorry, where are my manners. I am Miss Petrey. It is a pleasure to meet you, Andrew.”

  “Likewise,” said Andrew. “Are those yer bags? I can load them up for you.”

  “It is fine. Hastings will take care of it.”

  Hastings nodded at her and began to load the bags onto the carriage. Lord Gordontrent watched Andrew but made no move to him. The last few minutes of Juliana’s family life was made in almost complete silence. She was soon in the carriage with Andrew, looking out at her mother and father.

  There was a steely look of determination in her father’s eyes. She wanted to tell him that everything was going to be fine. Her mother lifted her hand in a stationary wave as the carriage started to move. Juliana looked away from Andrew and kept her eyes on her mother and father. They were the only ones who should see her tears as she left her old life and started her new one.

  Juliana did not turn her head from the window until the tears had run dry, and she was sure that the man beside her would not see her weakness. He would report everything she did back to the Laird, she had no doubt about that.

  She stole a glance at the large Highlander beside her and could see the tension in his face and body. He was staring straight ahead, at the plain carriage wall before them, and did not once turn his head to look out of the window. Juliana thought about continuing the journey in complete silence and keeping up the defiance for the entire journey, but she just could not do it.

  “If the Laird is engaged in important business, then you must be his most trusted man.” She hoped that was true. The absence of the Laird was already disappointing to her.

  “I dinnae know about that. Aye, he trusts me with certain tasks.”

  “Like escorting his future wife?” asked Juliana.

  “Aye, that and other things.”

  “Well, this is going to be a very long carriage ride. Perhaps you can tell me about those other things, and we can get to know each other better. Unless you want to sit in silence for hours.”

  “Days,” said Andrew.

  “Oh, goodness.” She had not realized just how far away the Highlands were. “What other things do you do? Are you his butler?”

  “No, I’m not a butler.” A look of puzzlement crossed his face. “I started as a blacksmith when I first came tae the Castle, and I still dae a wee bit here and there, when it’s needed. When the Laird saw that I could use a sword, he trained me up and sent me intae battle.”

  “You are a warrior?” asked Juliana with some surprise. Her mind went to the book that was stowed away in her luggage. She turned in her chair to face toward Andrew, instead of facing out of the window. He still sat facing forward as if he could not move while being beside her.

  “I wouldnae say that,” said Andrew. He looked uncomfortable at being given the title.

  “But, you go to war and fight with other men.” This was all very intriguing to Juliana.

  “Aye,” said Andrew.

  “Then, you are a warrior.” The point was made, whether he would admit it or not.

  “Aye, I guess that ye are right,” said Andrew with a slight smile. He shifted a little for the first time.

  “I read this book once,” said Juliana. “Oh, a long time ago, when I was a lot younger. It was about a warrior who went off and killed all of the barbarians, and—” Juliana trailed off. She stole a glance at Andrew. She had heard that Highlanders were barbarians, but this man beside her did not act like one. He certainly had the roughness and stature, but not the indignant manners of a barbarian.

  “And what?”

  “No, nothing. It was a silly story. I do not know why I even remembered it.” She suddenly remembered that the barbarians had been Scotsmen.

  “I like tae read too,” said Andrew.

  “Really?” Juliana was surprised.

  “Aye,” he said.

  “And what do you read?” asked Juliana.

  “Och, I dinnae know. Just some traditional Scottish books, English ones tae, I suppose. Nothin’ fancy, ye know? Whatever I can get my hands on in the Castle. What about ye?”

  “The usual stuff. You know, the Iliad, history books, stuff like that. It helps a woman to be educated, or so my father told me.” She did not admit that they took second place to any book with a mighty hero.

  “And one book about a warrior,” said Andrew.

  “Yes, a long time ago.” Juliana blushed. She was looking down at the floor of the carriage, not daring to look up. She could see that Andrew was staring directly at her and would no doubt have a smile on his face. She did not want to give him the pleasure of meeting his gaze, no matter how handsome he was.

  “I’ve read books about great battles, too,” said Andrew.

  “You must have traveled a lot.” Her interest was piqued again.

  “All over Scotland, and down into England too,” said Andrew. “Farther south than Gordontrent. There was talk of goin’ tae France once.”

  “That sounds delightful,” said Juliana.

  “Delightful?” asked Andrew. “Aye, the journey down usually is, but there are always men wantin’ power, and that means fightin’.”

  “Sound awfully exciting.” She could tell by his tone that he did not see the trips as delightful, but the fact that he was a warrior made him all the more attractive.

  “What about ye?” asked Andrew. “Yer future belongs tae the Laird, but where does yer past belong tae?”

  “Nothing as exciting as yours,” she replied. “I have lived my whole life in Gordontrent. This is my first trip out of the village, save to the next town over for the annual ball, but that is boring, and I do not want to send you to sleep. I am much like any other girl in these parts. Raised by my mother and father. My father is the Baron, of course.”

  “Aye, a Baron,” said Andrew.

  “And what about your father? Does he work in the Castle, too?”

  “No,” said Andrew. He did not follow up the word, and Juliana let him sit there in silence, waiting for him to finish what he needed to say. “He p
assed when I was fifteen.”

  “I am sorry,” said Juliana.

  “They say that it was his heart. They dinnae know for sure, but he was not an old man. It was just his time. It was the Laird who took me in.”

  “You do not like him, do you?” Juliana was nervous about meeting the Laird, and the conversation was not helping.

  “The Laird? He is not for me tae judge,” said Andrew. “He took me in when I had nowhere tae go. He gave me a job, lodgin’, and a purpose. Aye, he may be stern at times, but he runs his clan well. I dae what needs tae be done, and try tae keep tae myself.”

  “But something about him bothers you,” said Juliana.

  “Dinnae worry, he willnae treat ye badly. He is a kind man, especially tae those who he loves. Ye’ll have a great life in the Castle.”

  “Will you be in the Castle, too?”

  “As long as I’m needed,” he replied.

  Juliana had been nervous about being wed before leaving her home, but she was more nervous now. She did not know why the Laird was marrying her, but it bothered her that he did not treat Andrew well. He had not come out and said it, but she could tell that Andrew did not like the Laird. She had to shake the feeling from inside. Andrew was only one man, and he spoke fondly of the Laird, no matter how he had been treated.

  Juliana found a thrilling beat in her chest. “Were you sent here to protect me?”

  “Aye, I guess that I was,” said Andrew.

  “So, am I under threat from anyone?” The thought excited her. She had read enough of her books to see it as something to be proud of. She had the warrior beside her, so there was nothing to worry about.

  “No, I dinnae think so, but ye cannae be too safe with a beauty like ye,” said Andrew.

  Juliana felt her chest flutter again. Andrew shook his head slightly and turned away.

  “Sorry,” said Andrew. He was facing the window now. “I shouldnae have said that.”

  “I am not yet married,” said Juliana. She bit her lip almost as she said it, not believing that she had actually come out with it.

  “Ye will make a beautiful wife for the Laird.”

  That was enough to dampen Juliana’s spirits a little, and she went back to looking out of the window and sitting in silence. She wanted to shout about the handsomeness of the man beside her, but the spell had been broken. This Highlander beside her was the Laird’s man, and he would be loyal to him. She could not do anything that would risk his loyalty as much as she wanted to.

  Oh, why can Andrew not be the Laird? Maybe the Laird is even more handsome and genial. I can only dream.

  “It’s gettin’ dark,” shouted Andrew out of the window. “We should stop soon for the night. The lass will be gettin’ tired.”

  “Aye,” came the reply of the coachmen. There were two men sitting up front. One drove the horses, switching with the other from time to time. Juliana assumed that they were both there to offer extra protection. She looked at Andrew again, who was still staring out of the window. She did not think that she needed any more protection with this massive muscular man sitting next to her.

  Juliana looked out of her window. The day was beginning to darken, and she had to admit that she was feeling tired. She could not believe that they had been traveling for almost a full day. She had lost herself so much in the conversation with Andrew that the journey had flown by.

  They stopped at the next village, as the sun disappeared behind the trees in the distance. Juliana did not like being on the open road as the blackness approached, and was glad to see the lights of the town when it came into view.

  The town was quaint, much smaller than the town that she had grown up in. The houses were built from rough pieces of stone, with rich clay filling the gaps, long dried out over time. Wisps of smoke rose in long serpentine columns to join with the black sky above.

  There was the crest of a hill in the distance, just beyond the line of trees. The trees surrounded the village, and were rich green in color, darkened by the night. A small road led into and out of the town, and Juliana was sure that she could hear the bubbling of a small brook close by.

  Andrew went into the inn when they arrived and came out to inform them that there was only one room, but the stables were half-empty, and they could do what they wanted there.

  “Ye’ll get the room, Miss Petrey,” said Andrew. “The three of us will sleep in the stables. The night is warm, and there is plenty of straw tae bed down on.”

  Andrew showed her to her room, bringing her bag with him. Juliana looked down at the bed and thought about Andrew sleeping on the cold, rough hay. She wanted to ask him to stay in the room with her, but it would not be proper, not when she was promised to the Laird.

  Juliana wished that she did not have the expectations that came with being the daughter of a Baron. If only she were a common girl, then she could engage in whatever she pleased but, being of noble blood, she knew that there were appearances to be upheld.

  She was not sure if she would be able to forgive herself if she did engage in what she wanted to engage in.

  Andrew wished her goodnight and closed the door behind him as he left. Juliana lay down on the bed and thought of his muscular arms. She wished that they had decided, instead, to just ride through the night, and they could sit and talk until the sun rose.

  Juliana was promised to the Laird, she knew that, and she had always been a woman of honor. She knew that she could not think such thoughts, but the Laird had sent his strongest man to protect her, and that was a distraction.

  He sent a warrior to protect me? Does that mean that I am in danger? If he is here to escort me to the Highlands, then are there those on the path who would wish me harm?

  Juliana did not feel safe anymore. She had been safe in the carriage with the warrior beside her but, now that she was on her own, she realized that there was no one here to protect her. She did not even know if Andrew could get to her in time if she did shout.

  “Is someone there?” asked Juliana. She jumped up from the bed, sure that she had heard a noise. She sat there for a moment, trying to focus her hearing on picking up the slightest sound. There was a window at the far end of the room, and no curtains were there to cover it, leaving her feeling exposed.

  She was on the upper floor of the inn but dared not look out of it in case someone stood below or, worse, someone had climbed up. It was almost worse having the silence there than any more noise. Juliana stood in the middle of the room with her ear trained on the window, she could not hear a thing.

  She crept closer to the window, steeling herself to peek out of it, hoping that there would not be anyone directly outside. The moon had risen high in the sky, and she could see the tops of the trees as she got close. With a burst of bravery, she took a quick glance out of the window to find no one there, not man nor monster.

  The moon was beautiful in the clear sky, and Juliana sighed in relief. Then her heart fluttered. There was a shadow down there, she had seen it out of the corner of her eye; it had moved somewhere in the trees and bushes. She jumped back from the window, sure that someone was watching her.

  She ran for the door and down the stairs. She had to find Andrew, that was the only way that she would be safe and make it through the night.

  4

  A Sleepless Night

  Andrew left Juliana in her room and went back downstairs to find the two coachmen unloading the remaining bags from the coach. The horses were taken into the stables, and bedded for the night, while the carriage was left out in front.

  Andrew checked that the carriage had not been damaged on the journey down to England, before checking in with the coachmen once more. He knew them from the Castle but was not friends with them. They were both good men, with families back in the Highlands, and Andrew was glad to have some company for the night to take his mind off of the English lass.

  He wanted to bang his head against the wall, just thinking about his previous comments. He had called her beautiful and then shunne
d her with some comment about being promised to the Laird. He had not needed to be fully looking at her to see that she had slumped down on the bench after that. He wanted to knock his head against the wall to remove the thought of the woman from his mind. She was the Laird’s lass, and he had to remember that.

  “There’s a wee bit of bad news,” said John. He was one of the coachmen who had driven the horses on the trip down. Edward stood beside him, the second of the coachmen. Both men were older than Andrew, with creased faces and battle wounds to prove the fact.