Highlander's Cursed Bride: A Steamy Scottish Historical Romance Novel

by Lydia Kendall

  “They claimed to be merchants, Sir Aidan,” one guard said and Aidan looked back at them. “But when we searched their belongings, we discovered straw heaped under their cargo. The cargo itself was a few robes and some knives. The robes looked old and the knives were mostly blunt.”

  “I warned ye,” Aidan said to the men, his face was emotionless. “I warned ye to go back to Haerton at once.”

  “Ye have met them?” his father asked and he nodded.

  “I met them earlier today when I went to see Ian.”

  “Let us go! We are not spies! We are ordinary people who just wanted to make a living here!” the Englishman spat and Aidan gave him a sad smile. “What is so funny? Do you savages think you have achieved a great feat holding two Englishmen in your prison?!”

  “There is nothing I can dae to help ye. I can only pray that ye dae not suffer too much before ye meet yer death,” Aidan said, and the angry man threw his head back and spat in Aidan's face.

  “Curse you!” he yelled as Aidan wiped his face.

  “Ye act uncivilized and we are the savages?” Aidan asked as he held onto the man's shoulders. Aidan could see the anger turn to fear. “What was yer mission in Aberdeenshire,” Aidan asked gently.

  “We have no mission,” one of the spies replied.

  “Ye should talk to me before people who would take joy in torturing ye are sent to interrogate ye,” Aidan tried to reason with them.

  “We speak the truth, we know nothing of your war,” the other spy found his courage.

  “Very well then, lock them up,” he said and walked away from the scene with his parents behind him. “Keep an eye on them, make sure no one tries to kill them,” Aidan instructed the prison guards.

  Days after the spies were caught, Aidan was on a patrol around the town when he caught sight of a raven. The raven flew past him and came back to land on his shoulder. It cawed in his ear and he flinched but he did not bother to chase it off.

  I have not seen a raven in these parts in a long time.

  The bird pecked at his ear and he swatted it away but it came back to perch on his horse.

  What kind of persistent bird is this?

  He tried to chase it off his horse but it hopped on his hand instead. He shook his hand and it flew away to perch back on his shoulder.

  Well, feel free to nest if you want.

  “Sir Aidan!” He turned back to see who had called him. It was a palace guard. “The Earl requests yer presence.”

  “I will be there shortly,” he said as he turned his horse in the direction of the palace. The raven flew next to him.

  Once he arrived at the palace, he met Earl Duncan, who was livid. The raven perched on his shoulder. With a sigh, he went up to the Earl.

  “Ye sent for me, Yer Grace?” he said with a bow.

  “Arise and take this.” He looked up and saw the Earl stretching a paper to him. Aidan got to his feet and took the paper and read through it.

  “It is from Haerton,” Aidan said once he was done. “They ask for our surrender and the release of their men.”

  “Are there English men in Aberdeenshire?” the Earl hissed, trying to control his anger.

  “Two were captured about seven days ago. They were spies, Yer Grace.”

  “Why was I nae informed?” the Earl snapped at Aidan before taking a deep breath.

  Aidan, unfazed by the Earl's outburst, folded the paper and slipped it in his pouch. “My apologies, Yer Grace. I will take care of this situation.”

  “How?”

  “I will write a letter explaining that this war started because of the unjust imprisonment of our men in Haerton and inform him that we can come to a truce starting with the release of prisoners,” he said and the Earl glared at him.

  “Nay! I want that war! In yer letter, tell them that we will nae send back their men because they are spies and they will be sentenced to death! Inform him that I will kill him and take our men from his gallows myself. Let them know that Scots don’t surrender.”

  “Your Grace, there is a way to solve this without a—”" Aidan started but the Earl snapped at him.

  “The Duke of Haerton and his family deserve what I have coming for them. This is beyond our two towns; I have waited for this day for years. I must avenge my father. Do ye dare question me?”

  What does he mean?

  “Nay at all, your Grace.”

  I could add a note for Joan.

  “Dae as I have commanded and send the bird,” the Earl said as a guard brought in a peregrine falcon. “It is the same bird that the English sent. It will go back to whoever sent the letter.” Aidan nodded as he took the bird. The raven cawed as the peregrine made a fuss, ruffling its feathers. “Show the letter to me before ye send it.”

  There goes my luck.

  With a bow, he turned on his heel and took his leave.

  Aidan got to work immediately in a study adjacent to the Earl's meeting room. When he finished, he took the letter back to the Earl.

  Aidan knew his work was done when the Earl grinned as he read the letter. “This is brilliant Aidan. Now send it,” he said as Aidan let out the peregrine falcon and attached the letter to it. Stepping closer to a window, he stretched out his arm and the bird took off. “Now that we are done with that and ye have refused to fight this war. Tell yer faither to see me so we can start.”

  “Yes, Yer Grace,” he said as he gave a quick bow.

  Aidan got on his horse and began to ride toward his father's estate. On his way he reminisced about Joan, he thought about how she was so innocent and she always said what she meant. He thought of her luscious lips and soft voice that magically calmed his nerves. He remembered how she screamed when he was hurt during their journey to Scotland. He loved how he felt when he saw her face in his mind.

  I should have treated ye better, my Joan. My lies only birthed more lies until I couldn't tell ye the truth without hurting ye. I wish ye were here so I could explain and tell ye how sorry I am.

  Ye might nae forgive me, but I would kill to tell ye I love ye.

  The raven cawed in his ear and he flinched, jerking back into consciousness. He took a deep breath as she shooed the bird away but it perched on his hand. He glared at the bird but all he cared for was explaining himself to Joan.

  “Maybe ye are me solution wee bird,” Aidan turned to speak to the bird. “Ye have kept me company for the better part of today. Maybe ye could dae me one final favor,” he said to the bird and as if it could understand him, it moved its head to the side. “What dae ye say?”

  Aidan ye have gone mad. Talking to a bird.

  “What did ye say?” someone asked him.

  “Nothing, Callum,” Aidan replied. He could see the guards staring at the bird as they unlocked the gates.

  When he got home, the servants looked curious as they greeted him with the raven on his shoulder. He entered his room and the bird promptly perched on his desk while he took a seat on the wooden chair. He realized his folly and shook the bird off him successfully. He laid on his bed face down.

  How can I reach her? At least to say how sorry I am.

  He turned sharply as an idea hit him.

  I do know someone!

  He rose to his table and scribbled a letter, he waited for the ink to dry and he folded it. He looked around for the bird and it was gone. He briefly searched the room one more time before shutting his door and heading to the market.

  One could tell that war was imminent. The sellers looked desperate to sell before the war started. As he rode through the market, he noticed a crowd at the weapons shop.

  Scotland loves war.

  People were bidding on the weapons loudly and he could sense their joy. He realized how little war excited him since he fell in love with Joan. He rode past the crowd toward a smaller gathering.

  The crowd watched as the merchant praised his goods. The gathering consisted of ladies who were captivated by the show. Brigham, the merchant, was Aidan’s old friend. Aidan once
helped him recover his goods from thieves and Brigham was always grateful.

  “Brigham,” Aidan called out from behind the gathering.

  “Behold, Aidan McCabe, the hero of Aberdeenshire,” Brigham hailed Aidan before jumping off the stage. The crowd celebrated Aidan's arrival and Brigham's performance with cheers.

  “I have a favor to ask, Brigham,” Aidan started as he descended from his horse.

  “Speak up, my friend,” Brigham extended his arms and hugged him.

  “I need a letter delivered to Haerton,” Aidan began to remove the letter from his pocket. “Will you be leaving before the war?”

  “I have spent enough time in Scotland, I have been thinking of England or France, they love my jewelries and my perfumes in France.”

  “I cannae leave the town at the moment, by any chance will you be passing through England?” Aidan asked, handing him the letter.

  “How important is this letter?”

  “It is for the love of my life.”

  “Then England it is, love cannot wait.”

  “Thank you my frien’. Please deliver it to the The Honorable Joan of Tyrill.” Aidan hugged the trader and thanked him again. “I wish you good sales in England.”

  They parted and Brigham went back to his show.

  “This is just what I wanted,” Lord Tyrill said as he smiled to the letter he was holding. He turned to Joan who was captivated by the trail of ants on the bench she was seated on. The garden seemed to be full of them at this time of the year. “The Duke sent me the reply he got from the Earl of Aberdeenshire. They are ready for war.” Lord Tyrill laughed and threw his head back. “You should be happy that I am planning this for you. I am taking revenge on those who kidnapped you.”

  “Can you not see how devastated I am that you want to lead people into a mindless and bloody fight because of me? I am hardly jumping with glee,” Joan replied, anger dripping from her words and the Lord frowned but before he could talk, they heard a shrill call of a bird. Joan looked up and saw a black bird flying toward them.

  The Lord and his daughter jumped out of their seats when the raven flew over their table, spilling a cup of tea. It let out another call and flew to Joan. She let out a scream as it circled around them for a moment.

  It is the same raven!

  Her father attempted to catch the bird but it escaped through the window when a voice called out for them.

  “What a strange bird,” her father said as she straightened up.

  Sophie approached their table and greeted, “My Lord, Miss Hale”

  “Sophie, what do you have?” Joan said, replying to the maidservant who was holding something in her hands.

  “M'lord! Miss Hale!” Sophie called excitedly as she entered the garden. “I was in town earlier when a man delivered this letter to me. I was asked to give it to you.”

  Joan opened the letter and looked down for the signature and gasped.

  Aidan!

  “I think it is from the Duke,” she lied and folded the letter again. “May I be excused?”

  Her father fixed her with a suspicious look as she dashed for her wing of the estate. She raced through the halls with the letter clutched to her chest, her heart thumping against her palm. She slammed the door shut the moment she entered her room and sat in her bed with her back away from the door. Relieved that she was alone, she opened the letter again and read through.

  These words are meant for The Honourable Joan Hale, daughter of Viscount Matthew Hale. Please pass it on to her if it comes within yer possession.

  Joan, I daenae know if ye will get this but if ye dae, I want to apologize for all of the lies I told ye. I honestly dinnae mean to hurt ye in any way. I know it will take a long time for ye to forgive me and I would work for it if I could.

  Believe me when I say I have even argued with Earl Duncan to end this war but he cannae afford to look weak so he will fight.

  If I am ever so lucky, I would love to set my eyes on ye again.

  It is too dangerous to come to ye now, once the war is over I will find ye.

  Take care, Joan.

  She felt as if a weight was lifted off her shoulders. She was engrossed in the letter that she did not hear her door creak open. The letter was suddenly dragged from her hand and she turned to see her father with the letter in his hand. She tried to snatch it from him but he quickly tucked it away.

  “That is my letter!”

  “Who sent it?” her father asked as he grabbed her hands as she tried to reach for the letter.

  “It is from the Duke!”

  “I am no fool child, give that to me,” he said as he pushed her back and took out the letter to read. A scowl appeared on his face as he looked back at her. “What insolence!”

  “He meant no harm.”

  “How dare you lie to me.”

  “I love him! Why do you not want to understand this?” Joan cried as she tried to snatch the letter from her father, but he crumpled it and tossed it in the fireplace. “No!” she yelled as she ran to the fireplace and dipped her hand into the coals to find the letter.

  “What madness is this?” the Lord snapped as she dragged her arm back and grabbed her hands to look at her burns. “Joan, what is wrong with you?” he said as she sobbed at the loss of the letter. “Joan, please stop crying,” he said with a softer tone.

  “You burnt it!” she cried as she snatched her hand away from him. “Why do you make me unhappy all the time?”

  “Joan, I would never want to make you unhappy. I am doing all of this because I want you to be happy,” He reached up to wipe her tears but she caught his hand before he could touch her.

  “Do not touch me! You burnt my letter!”

  “Your hands are blistered Joan. I will call a maid to help you wrap them up.”

  “I do not want your help!” she yelled as her hands started to sting.

  “Why are you acting like a child?” her father snapped and she scowled at him.

  “Why do you treat me like one?”

  “That man is not a good fit for you!” her father argued.

  “So the irresponsible Duke is a good choice for me? Even you cannot deny his bad habits!”

  “Everyone has bad habits. You just have to learn to deal with it!”

  “Aidan has bad habits too, but he wants to change. The Duke of Haerton plans to live his life surrounded by women.”

  “Enough about this issue Joan. You will marry the Duke because I say so!”

  “Over my dead body!”

  “We will see about that,” he said as she left her room and slammed the door in his wake. Joan glared at the door and gave it a kick to express her anger.

  She looked at her blistered hands and she cringed in pain, but deep inside, she was joyous.

  My Aidan.

  Chapter 24

  Joan was awoken by a maidservant in the early morning. She sat up and stretched her arms, her blistered hands wrapped in gauze. She saw her luggage had been packed and she looked up to see Alma and Sophie, her maidservants.

  “Who packed my clothes?”

  “Good morning, My Lady. The Duke has a coach waiting downstairs for you. He has requested that you should be taken to a safer place until the war passes,” Alma said with a small curtsey. Joan hurriedly got out of her bed and raced down the hall to her father's chamber.

  With a quick knock she entered and saw him putting on his armor. The Lord ignored the questioning look on her face and continued with his armor. “Good morning, Joan. How are your hands?”

  “Why am I being sent away?” she shot at her father and he shook his head.

  “You are the Duke's betrothed, no harm can come to you. The Duke and I discussed about this and he offered to take you to a house far away.”

  “I do not want to go anywhere! Why are you dressed for war?” she asked.

  “Because we start the march today from Haerton. I know we will return victorious,” he replied with a confident grin that Joan almost scoffed at.
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br />   “How could I know what goes on in the world, you keep me locked in here night and day?” Joan replied.

  “Get ready. A coach is waiting outside for you. I am proud to lead my people to victory one more time.”

  “No! You must come with me. We might have had a lot of quarrels recently, but we can both agree that you are not fit for the battlefield!”