“Eimear, wait!” Aidan screamed behind her but she kept running. He turned to Ian. “Take the wounded man to a healer, I must question him.”
Aidan ran after Eimear, trying to catch her while Ian lifted the man with a dagger in his chest.
Eimear tripped, slowing her down and giving Aidan a chance to grab her cloak, but it ripped when she pushed him back and sprang to her feet again. Aidan regained his balance and wondered where she would run to.
“I just want to talk! Wait!”
This is his town, there is nowhere to hide. Only his father can protect me from him!
The chase continued as Eimear ran to the Leitan Estate. She fell into the gates of the estate and banged on them in fear. Her ankles and knees were bleeding from every one of her falls.
Open the gate before he kills me.
She had managed to lose him in a maze of houses she knew like the back of her hand but it wasn't long before she could hear him running up the hill to his estate. She banged on the gates again and they opened. She dashed into the estate just as Aidan caught up to her.
She ran past the Laird and his wife, who moved out of the way when they saw an angry Aidan charging after her.
Eimear tuned into a corner and crashed into a soft body. They both fell and Eimear saw it was Joan she ran into. She could hear Aidan coming fast so she ducked behind Joan, who was confused about the noise.
“What are you doing?” Joan asked as she tried to move away from Eimear, who looked terrified.
“I beg of ye to save me! Aidan is after me! Please!” Eimear cried as she held on to Joan. Joan pushed Eimear behind her as she saw Aidan approaching them with a deadly glint in his eyes.
“Move away from her, Joan. I need to talk to her,” Aidan said as he got to them and reached for Eimear.
“Why?” Joan asked Aidan who had a grip on Eimear's arm. Eimear was surprised to see Joan grabbing her arm and standing in front of her to block Aidan from getting to her.
She will hand me over to him when he tells her what I did, I should run.
“She planned the kidnapping, Joan,” Aidan said. “She was the one who was trying to get rid of ye.” He tried to move Joan away but her grip on Eimear only got tighter. “I need to question her.”
“Let the Laird decide her punishment,” Joan said, as she pushed Aidan away from the redheaded girl. “Only the Laird has the right to decide her punishment.”
Eimear was surprised at Joan's comportment; she had expected worse and was trying to flee her grip.
Have I misjudged her?
“She is correct, Aidan. She is me concern noo,” the Laird said as he reached the group.
Aidan turned to Joan. “Daenae take these people's side. Hand her over to me.”
“I take no one's side. I only speak the truth. You should not question anyone in your state, leave her to the Laird, Aidan.” Joan's words seemed to relax Aidan's furious face and stance.
“Fine. I will nae touch her but I’ll ask that the Laird allow me choose her punishment.,” he said as she turned to his father, who nodded hesitantly.
“We will discuss that in the morning,” the Laird said as he pulled Eimear away from Joan’s defense. The Laird of Leitan held Eimear close as he noticed Ian’s hurried arrival.
Eimear looked up and saw the Laird glaring at her. “Forgive me, Me Laird,” she begged but he shook his head at her.
“There is nothin' I can dae for ye now,” he said as he handed her to Ian. “Lock her in the cell. Aidan and I will decide what to do with her tomorrow when he is calmer,” he said and left with his wife fast behind him.
“Ian please let me go. Aidan will order death for me,” she cried as Ian dragged her to the cells at the back of the estate. “Ian, I beg of ye!”
“Ye should have thought of the consequences of yer actions before ye took them,” he said as her tears began to pour freely.
“I did it out of love, Ian! Ye should understand.”
“Love?" Ian scoffed. “I daenae understand ye if that is the case. All I ken is that if ye loved him, ye should have left him and the lass alone. She makes him happy and ye ken that. Ye were selfish and it backfired.”
“How can ye speak to me like that?”
“We all love Aidan too and even though we daenae like the girl, we are forced to accept her because she makes him happy. Forgive me if me words sound stupid. I daenae understand and I daenae want to understand love,” he said as he locked her in the cell.
“Ian! Ian daenae dae this to me! Please!” she pleaded with him as he locked the cell and tucked the key away. He smiled sadly at her.
“Have a good night.”
Chapter 16
“She tried to get rid of ye!” Joan flinched at Aidan's tone.
“You have blood all over you. Did you get into a fight?” Joan asked, trying to change the subject. Aidan chuckled. She looked up at him, confused at why he sounded amused.
“Yes. I fought with the man that held us captive,” he said and she gasped. “I stuck me dagger in him,” he said and Joan gave him a mean glare.
“Aidan why are you behaving this way?” she asked as she got to her feet to face him.
“How am I behaving?” He leaned on the wall, watching her.
“You were not like this when I met you,” she confessed as she played with her fingers. “You have become very…”
“Aggressive?” he asked and she nodded hesitantly. He huffed as he pushed himself off the wall and pulled her closer to him. “Are ye afraid of me?”
“A little,” she answered softly into his chest and he sighed.
“Understand that I would never dare to hurt ye. I am nae used to sparing me enemies but I could never hurt someone I love. I will protect ye at all times. I may seem dangerous but it's only because I have fought all me life, but I will never hurt ye, nae even in me angry state,” he said and he pressed his lips to her hair as he ran his hand through it. His words brought her some peace and she wrapped her arms around him. “I will nae spare anyone who tries to hurt ye.”
The door cracked open and Joan heard Aidan snarl at the person. It was a maidservant who was frightened at the way her entry was responded to.
“Forgive me intrusion, Sir Aidan, but yer faither requests yer presence,” she said with a bow.
“I am occupied.”
“The Laird of Leitan mentioned that it was important,” she said and he groaned. Joan nudged him and motioned for him to go.
“Fine. I will be back,” he said as he pressed his lips to hers in a quick motion and he left her in his room to see his father.
Joan felt worried that they might have another argument because of her.
Their relationship is already so strained because of me. Aidan does not seem to care about what he loses to have me by his side.
What if they get violent and fight? I doubt that Aidan will attack his master, but Aidan has been unpredictable since we were kidnapped. The Laird sees Aidan as his son. He would be heartbroken if such a person were to turn his sword against him.
I have to stay with him. He needs to rest and sleep off his anger.
Joan picked up her gown and headed to the Laird's office where she guessed they should be. She heard them shouting from the hallway and she tiptoed over to the door and pressed her ear to it, prepared to stop a sword fight if necessary.
But she was not prepared for what she heard.
“Aidan have a seat,” his father said, and he shook his head.
“I would rather remain like this,”" he refused, earning a frustrated sigh from the older man. “If this is about Joan then I daenae want to hear it.”
“Aidan we have to talk about her. I daenae ken if she is who ye choose to be with or if she is one of yer mistresses, but I daenae approve of her. She is an English lass and she has caused so much problems between ye and yer family.”
“Joan has done nothing! Ye are the ones who daenae want her around,” Aidan snapped.
“Aidan ye wanted to run a
way! Ever since the day ye were born, I have given ye everything ye ever asked for. I have molded ye into the man ye are today and ye wanted to throw all of that away for a woman!” his father shouted at him and he scoffed.
“Have ye really given me everything I wanted?” Aidan asked as he slammed his hands on his father's desk. “I have done everything ye ever wanted me to do and I did it all without complaining. I went to war when I was only fourteen summers because of ye!”
"Scotland rewarded ye for everything ye did. I trained ye for the battlefield. Because of me trainings, ye are a celebrated hero!”
Aidan began to fume. “Have ye not made me into what only ye wanted? Did I want to be a celebrated war hero or did ye wanted me to be a celebrated war hero? I ken Rattray has given me fame, women, and anything that could interest a man for me victories. Ye have given me everything you thought I wanted and ye have made me into who ye needed me to be as the son of the Laird. Ye never asked me what I wanted!”
“Well what dae ye want?” his father asked, lowering his voice at his son's outburst.
“Joan.” His father glared at him. “I want Joan. She is all I want from ye and Scotland after all the victories I have given ye. She is the only lass I have met in all me years of warfare that brings me peace. Until Joan, all I knew was war and bloodshed, the only time I do not feel the weight of the sorrow I have caused is when I am with her.”
“If the Earl wants to go to war to free our people, ye cannae let yer feelings stand in his way,” his father bellowed as he slammed his hands on the table.
”I cannae fight the family of the lass I love. If I do, I will lose her forever, faither. I just want to be happy for once. I do not have to fight in this war for Rattray to win,” Aidan said, almost pleading.
“If her presence has blinded ye from yer duties, then she must leave!”
Aidan bit his lip to keep from daring his father.
“If she leaves, then I will go with her! If ye harm a hair on her head, prepare to do the same to me! If ye have her imprisoned, then consider me a stranger!”
A sharp slap sounded in the room and it went quiet. Aidan's face was turned to the side, his cheek started to redden from the impact.
“How dare ye! I brought ye into this world, Aidan, ye will not disobey me for a whore!” Aidan rubbed his smarting cheek and he turned to his father, a malicious look in his eyes.
A moment of silence passed with both men glaring at each other. His father soon looked away to avoid his eyes.
“Please Aidan, try to understand that I only want the best for ye. This lass is not good for ye,” the Laird said up but Aidan remained silent, still glaring at his father. “Ian told me that she doesnae know that ye are me son. Is that true? Ye fight everyone for her yet you lie in her face! She will find out soon enough and she will leave ye. Yer relationship with her is based on a foundation of lies and deceit.”
“I ken I have lied. I have lied about being a traveler and ye being me master. I might have gone to Haerton on yer command to spy on their defenses but I no longer want any part in yer war. I am ready to—” he was cut off by the door opening loudly.
Joan stood by the open door with a teary face. Aidan rushed to meet her but she flinched away from him. Aidan could feel his heart beating wildly in his chest as Joan fixed him with a look of disbelief. “Tell me it is not a lie.” She latched onto his shirt and fisted her hands in the material. “Tell me you haven't lied to me every day!” she screamed at him.
Aidan could see Ian running toward them with his mother behind him. Her scream must have alerted them. “Tell me that everything you have told me about yourself is true! Tell me that it is true, Aidan!” she cried as she rested her head against his chest and sobbed. She let go of his shirt and used her fists to hit his chest. “Why did you lie to me, Aidan?”
“Joan, I wanted to tell ye…” Aidan tried to explain but Joan shoved him backwards.
“More lies!” she yelled. He reached for her and she stepped back. She shook her head as she mumbled to herself before turning on her heels and running away. Aidan cursed himself as he ran after her. He caught up to her as she was about to go out into the yard. He grabbed her arm and pulled her to him.
“Joan please listen to me. I ken I lied, and I swear I was planning to tell ye! I tried to tell ye Joan, but I never found the right time,” he said as he held her wrists together. “Joan, please listen to me. I am telling ye the truth.”
“No! You are lying to me again! You think I will spill your secrets to my people if I leave! That is why you are still trying to keep me here! I do not want to stay here anymore! I want to go back to England!” She kicked and tried to free herself from his grasp but it was too tight. “Let go of me!”
“Joan, please! I swear I speak the truth!” He moved his face away as she tried to scratch him. “I swear I wanted to tell ye! When we were coming to Scotland, when we got kidnapped, when we escaped. I wanted to tell you, but I knew ye would act like this and I didnae want to lose ye. I daenae want to lose ye. Joan, please I love ye!”
“You lie! If you ever loved me then you would have told me the truth!” she cried, fresh tears starting to pour.
“Even if I lied about everything else, please believe me when I say I love ye. I ken I have betrayed yer trust and it will be hard for ye to trust me again but please forgive me this once. Please, daenae leave me,” he said as he gently let her go. “Please Joan, daenae leave me,” he cried as she stepped away from him.
Joan reached for him and stopped herself just a few feet away from him. She could see the tears brimming in his eyes ready to fall as she shook her head.
“You deceived me. Even if your love is true, it still cannot change the fact that our relationship has been built on lies as your father said.” She wiped her tears away as they started to fall. “I am sorry but I would like to return to my home.”
“Joan, please.” He reached for her but she slipped away and went back into the estate. She could feel her heart clench as she went back to the Laird's office and found him arguing with his wife. The couple stopped their shouting and started at her. “I apologize if I have caused any rift between anyone and Aidan for it was not my intention to do so. I wish to return to England tonight.”
“Joan please understand that Aidan meant no harm,” his mother said as she came over to Joan.
“I want to go home,” Joan sniffled as the older woman pulled her into an embrace.
“Joan, stay with him, please,” she heard Ian say from behind her. “He honestly meant no harm.”
“I am sorry but I want to return to England,” Joan said again, her voice cracking at the end as she tried not to cry. “Please let me go back home.”
“Ian, get three horses and two guards to escort her back to Haerton,” the Laird said as he began to arrange his desk.
“Me Laird, Aidan would nae like that,” Ian said and the Laird shook his head.
“Aidan is a man; he should pull himself together and get ready for the war,” he said and Joan saw his wife clench her hands and storm away.
“This way, Joan,” Ian said and she followed him. No one said a word as Joan got ready to leave.
“Should we pack yer belongings before ye leave?” Ian asked.
“No, I do not want anything. I just want to leave as quickly as possible,” Joan answered in a rush.
All those things would remind me of Aidan.
She heard shouting from the estate yard as she was set to leave.
“No Ian, please tell her nae to leave! Ian, please let me through!” Aidan shouted.
She had never heard Aidan sound desperate and it broke her heart. She closed her eyes as the guards led her out of the estate and they galloped away.
She heard the pounding of hooves behind her and she saw Aidan's horse running after them. They ran down the hill and through the town until they got to the gates. They were allowed to pass but the gates were shut before Aidan could get there.
She knew she could
never forget anything about Scotland even if she wanted to. She could never forget the adventures and the people she had met. She could never forget the misadventures and the different treatment she got from the towns people. She could never forget Aidan even if she wanted to.
But he lied to me.
Chapter 17
Joan looked down at her hands and sighed over how dirty they had gotten. She did not know where they were as they had been traveling for five days. They only stopped when it was night. Neither Joan nor her escorts took a bath. She itched to ask one of the guards that were escorting her, but their tongue only reminded her more of Aidan and his lies.
Highlander's Cursed Bride: A Steamy Scottish Historical Romance Novel Page 14
