The Highland Curse (Scottish Strife Series Book 2)

by Dana D'Angelo

Everyone at the table turned to gaze at her, and she threw her hands up in the air in frustration. “Do you not see the significance of this? As you know, a woman cannot wander out in the wilderness on her own,” she said tightly. Her fingers twisted in her sleeves, and she looked imploringly at her husband. “Could you not spare a man to ensure that she arrives home safely?”

  “’Tis fine, really,” the lass interjected, her voice a soft lilt while her lips stretched into a tight smile. “I had nay trouble getting here, and I anticipate that I willnae have any trouble returning tae my home.”

  “Issac can take her,” Rory said.

  “But Issac is elderly and blind,” Darra said. “He would not be able to guide her home. ‘Twould be best served if he stayed here rather than have them both become lost in the mountains.”

  Rory let out a tired sigh. “Duncan can escort her then.”

  “Nay, I willnae do it,” Duncan said, crossing his arms over his chest. No matter how attracted he was to the lass, no matter how aware he was of her lush curves, he wasn’t willing to travel with her across the country, especially when there was more important work to be done. They needed every spare fighting man to converge at Bracken Ridge. Failure to do so would give the hated English a foothold into Scotland. And that of all things, could not be allowed to happen.

  The lass looked from Rory to Duncan, her face collapsing and devoid of color. But Duncan averted his gaze, unwilling to allow a mere lass to manipulate his emotions or his decision.

  “I’ll take her,” Griogair said, stepping forward.

  “Your strength is needed at Bracken Ridge,” Duncan growled.

  His younger brother shrugged, and he sent the lass a smile. “’Twould be nay hardship tae see the lass home. When I’m done, I can easily make my way tae the Ridge.”

  “Thank ye,” she said, smiling warmly at his younger brother. Duncan didn’t know why the exchange irritated him, but it did.

  “Good, now ‘tis settled,” Darra said, relief in her voice. She turned to Adrina and placed a hand on her sleeve. “The meeting is about to commence. Come, I’ll return you to your bedchamber until supper is ready.”

  CHAPTER 3

  “Lady Darra offers her apologies for nae coming tae get ye herself. However she sent me in her stead,” Mairead said, standing at the other side of the threshold. “Are ye ready tae go for supper?”

  “Aye.” Adrina stepped out into the hallway. In the past hour, her thoughts kept turning in her head. At first her mind wandered to Duncan, and examined his uncanny resemblance to the handsome fantasy warrior. But then her thoughts turned to the more troubling dilemma that had befallen Dunnvie and its people. She needed to return home soon.

  Adrina was about to take another step when she hesitated. “Are the talks finished now?” she asked, filling in the silence that had settled between her and her hostess.

  “Aye, the men have finished with their discussions for now,” she said. “I was starting tae fear that we might nae be able tae eat this night. ‘Twould be such a waste though, since we planned tae have dancing and singing after the repast.”

  Adrina smiled at the other woman’s cheerfulness, but she had no interest in taking part in the festivities. There was simply too much on her mind, and it would be impossible to enjoy the revelry.

  Their footsteps echoed in the corridor, and Adrina could hear the rumble of voices in the distance.

  “Is it true that your people are under an enchantment?” asked Mairead, her question breaking through Adrina’s thoughts.

  She hesitated slightly before answering the other woman, “This is what I understand.” It was difficult for her to recount the story without sounding as if she had lost all her faculties. Perhaps if someone else had asked this question, she might have either brushed it off or feigned ignorance.

  A winning smile appeared on Mairead’s lips. “Whatever ye tell me willnae be repeated.”

  “I trust that it willnae.” While she wanted to confide in the other woman, she needed to keep her story consistent. She blew out a puff of air. “I dinnae have any knowledge other than what I’ve already revealed,” she lied. “’Twas my father who woke me in the middle of the night, and urged me tae go tae Tancraig Castle, and seek help from Chief MacGregon.”

  “How did your father come tae conclude that there was something amiss with your people?” she persisted. “Sorcery is difficult tae discern through normal means.”

  Adrina hesitated again. “In a dream, my father was warned that a dark force influenced our clan.”

  “Sae,” Mairead said knowingly. “Your father is a seer.”

  “A seer?” she murmured. “I wasnae aware ‘twas what one called people like him. Ye are well versed about otherworldly things.”

  “Nae me,” Mairead said, laughing. “’Tis my younger sister Kila who’s the expert on these things. If only the lass would put an equal effort in learning how tae govern a home. Alas, the silly lass likes tae tell her fantastic stories, although she’s rather skillful at it,” she laughed again. “I believe her tales have inklings of truth, but dinnae tell Duncan I said this. ‘Tis only him that’s the skeptic. He likes tae see what’s in front of his nose, and adamantly believes that nay other senses exist besides the ones that are God-given.”

  “He disnae seem open tae mystical occurrences.”

  “Nay, he isnae,” she agreed. “However ‘tis his way. He’s verra analytical, and maybe too logical for his own guid. Have ye met my brother?”

  “I have,” she said, stretching her lips into something that resembled a smile. What would Duncan think if he discovered that she was the one who possessed these extraordinary capabilities? Most people thought that she experienced bouts of hallucination, but she knew the reality of it. Few experienced the terrors one confronted when visions manifested in the middle of the night. And even less understood the horrors of discovering when those visions came to pass. Could anyone ever comprehend that someone like her had no control over the otherworldly messages that she received? It was unlikely. Outsiders like Duncan would only see the exterior, and would view her gifts with apprehension, ridicule or contempt. But what did she care about what he thought of her? Soon she would be gone from this place, and she could forget that he existed.

  Before long, they crossed the threshold, and entered into the great hall. The din and chatter within the large chamber were loud, and distracted her from her thoughts. Many chieftains, their ladies and offspring were already present. As they pushed through the crowd of people, Adrina noticed admiring glances thrown in their direction. But she knew that those looks weren’t meant for her. Certainly, there were a few eyes that touched upon her, but they moved quickly to her companion. And it was no wonder. Much like her siblings, Mairead MacGregon was beautiful and composed. However despite her beauty, she seemed unconcerned about the interest that she garnered. Perhaps another woman would have been envious of all the admiration that her friend received, but Adrina wasn’t bothered by it. She preferred to melt into the crowd, and not have any attention directed at her.

  Without meaning to, her eyes sought, and found the dark-haired Highlander that had occupied her mind all day. He exuded the same strength and prowess that marked the MacGregon brothers. It was no wonder that everyone admired these highlanders. Even in her remote castle, she had heard of the fierce MacGregons. But it was only Duncan who perplexed her. For some reason he compelled and repelled her all at once, and she couldn’t understand why.

  The warrior towered above most of the men in the room. And while he wore only a shirt, it was easy to imagine the wide chest and rippling abdomen underneath the material. The great kilt he wore hugged at his narrow hips, and dropped slightly above his knees. And just past the hem of his plaid, she observed the muscles that formed on his thick calves.

  A brief segment of her earlier dream filtered into her consciousness, and unable to help it, her nipples hardened with remembered awareness. For a moment, she forgot how unpleasant he was, and wonder
ed how it felt to have his arms wrapped around her. Would it be as enjoyable as in her imagination?

  Duncan threw his head back and let out a laugh. Adrina’s heart lurched uncomfortably when she noticed for the first time that two pretty women stood on either side of him. Why did she care that these women were hanging onto his every word? she thought irritably.

  Still, there was no denying that he possessed great charm, if the rapt attention by the women were anything to go by. She shook off the peculiar feeling. Her dream had suggested that she knew Duncan intimately, but in reality, she had no hold on him. Who he interacted with was his own business.

  Once again, she wished that she was back in her bedchamber. No matter how long it took, she should have stayed there until Venora finished brewing the potion. Then she would be gone from here, and forget all the unfamiliar and curious feelings that stirred inside of her. She sighed inwardly. Unfortunately she was already at the great hall, and leaving now would raise unwanted questions.

  She was about to set her foot down, when she felt light-headed. Suddenly the din of the large chamber faded, her eyesight blurred, and a recognizable tension knotted her shoulders. All at once the crowd that was in front of her vanished, and she found herself at Bracken Ridge. She stood on a rocky cliff, looking down into a tapering pass.

  Across from her, a slew of highlanders had paused at the top of the ridge for a heart-stopping moment. Then as if they were a wave that crested, they crashed down over the rocky incline, spilling down into the narrow pass. Right at the bottom of the mountain, hundreds of English knights awaited with their weapons drawn. The glen soon echoed with blood-curdling screams, frantic shouts, and the sharp clanging of metal against metal. She covered her ears, trying to block out the noise. But it was useless. The sound of war cries, and the loud skirl of bagpipes penetrated through the barrier. And while she knew that she should shut her eyes, the horrific sight before her held her captive. Without a doubt, many of the highland warriors would meet their doom this day.

  Nay! her mind screamed in denial. My kinsmen must nae die.

  She clutched at the clasp that was pinned to her shoulder, the cool bloodstone digging into her palm. As her heart rate slowly returned to normal, a sense of sadness began to cover her. How many of the highland warriors would return to their wives and loved ones?

  But then the sights and sounds of fighting vanished, and she abruptly found herself on familiar territory. For a moment, she blinked rapidly, making certain that she really was back to her reality. When she realized that everything seemed in order, she slowly allowed her shoulders to relax. New wisdom that appeared to her was normally incomprehensible. Yet she understood that the abilities she possessed were unusual. Many times her mother had convinced her that her flights of fancy were the reasons why she saw and heard peculiar things. At first the mystifying pictures came in her sleep. But then the occasional dreams came true. It was easy to brush aside the sequence of events as mere happenstance. However she was now bombarded with nightmares and coincidences, and she didn’t know what to believe anymore. Still, the vision at the Ridge seemed real and somehow significant. Was it too late to convince Rory and the others that if they gathered at Bracken Ridge, they would forfeit their lives? And would any of the men listen to her? For some reason she didn’t think so. The most they would do was to laugh at her warning.

  As if Mairead could sense her turmoil, she reached over and touched Adrina’s sleeve. “Are ye feeling unwell?” she asked.

  “The lairds dinnae look too happy,” Adrina said, glad for the interruption from her disturbing thoughts.

  “Aye, I understand that the English are near,” Mairead said. “And I daresay that the clans are verra displeased about that. However I dinnae ken if they’ll tell us how they plan tae defeat the enemy.”

  “Whatever they decide tae do will affect us all,” Adrina said, swallowing. “’Tis only fair that they should reveal their strategies tae everyone here. Then we can decide whether the course of action is an advantageous one.”

  “I believe ye are right,” she said, twisting her lips thoughtfully. “About a month ago Duncan had spotted a large English cavalry near the Scottish borders. I dinnae ken what other information that the men have discussed.” Her eyes lit upon one of her brothers. “Come, perhaps Griogair can shed some light on our ignorance.”

  “We want tae ken what’s going on, Griogair,” Mairead said as they came into his earshot.

  “And what is it that ye want tae ken?” he asked, recovering from his momentary surprise at seeing them at his elbow.

  Adrina studied the sizable warrior. He was large, solid and appeared more brawny than his brothers. When he moved, his shirt seemed to stretch across his muscular chest. Yet despite his brawn, his demeanor made him appear approachable.

  Adrina offered him a smile. “When will ye be leaving for Bracken Ridge?”

  “How do ye ken about Bracken Ridge when this news hasnae been revealed?” he asked, startled.

  Adrina’s mouth went dry, realizing too late that she had voiced something that was yet unknown. She should have remembered that not many women were interested in the politics of war. Nor did they receive unearthly whispers in their heads. She licked her lips. “I must have overheard someone mentioning it,” she lied.

  “’Tis possible that this detail was spoken carelessly, Griogair,” Mairead said, coming to her aid. “But now that we ken that ye are heading tae the Ridge, why nae tell us more?” When she saw him hedging, she leaned closer to her brother. “What harm will it be for ye tae tell us now? Wouldnae Rory announce the plan in a wee bit anyhow?”

  “All right, I see nay harm in it,” he shrugged. “The clans are tae gather at the Ridge. And from there, we lie in wait for the enemies tae arrive.”

  ***

  For the umpteenth time, Duncan looked over, and saw Adrina still immersed in conversation with Mairead and Griogair. As much as he tried, he was unsuccessful at keeping her out of his brain. Almost without thought, he tracked her movements, and no matter where he stood, every nerve in his body seemed acutely attuned to her presence. At the moment, she was slightly off to the side, and appeared curiously serene in the crowded hall. She stood underneath a torch which hung on the wall, its soft glow falling on her glossy, unbound tresses and reflected off her lovely face.

  Duncan excused himself from the women at his side, and made his way over to the small group. He was almost upon them when he overheard her soft musical voice. Even though he was an arm’s length away from her, her sweet womanly scent drifted over to him, teasing his senses.

  “’Tis a foolish enterprise tae try tae ambush the English at Bracken Ridge. Think of the lives that would be lost…” she said, her voice faltering as if she was overcome with emotion. “The men make these decisions which affect the lives of every woman and bairn. Some of these decisions about going tae war isnae in our best interest.”

  “What do ye ken about war?” Duncan asked his tone mocking as he came to stand beside her. “Do ye think ye have a better strategy for annihilating our foes?”

  She spun her head around to the sound of his voice. And when she recognized him, her tawny eyes flashed with annoyance.

  “Aye, as a matter of fact, I think that I would have a better strategy. First of all, I wouldnae go tae war tae begin with. ‘Twould eliminate the needless death of our warriors.”

  His breath left him briefly as he caught a glimpse of something fiery from within her, something akin to dislike. But instead of this repelling him, it intrigued him. For as long as he could remember, he had never known a woman to despise him with no just cause. In fact, he was slightly taken aback by the force of her animosity.

  “Then ye would allow the blasted English to gain sovereignty over our bonny land?” He placed a hand to his chin, stroking it while watching her reaction.

  “Nay, of course nae.” She folded her arms across her chest. “If I held a position of authority, I would go tae King Harold, and negotiate a pe
ace treaty.”

  “And ye think ‘tis possible,” Duncan said, arching one thick brow. And then finally, unable to contain it, a grunt of disbelief burst from his lips. “Nae only are ye naive, but ye are delusional as well. Verra few English are tae be trusted. If we did as ye suggested, and made a pact with Harold, he would stab us in our backs, and everything would be lost.”

  Her amber eyes glittered with defiance and anger, and for a second he wondered how she would be in his bed. No doubt she would be as fiery as her disposition.

  When she still had no rebuttal, he let out a laugh. It was easy to see her irritation with him, however he hadn’t even begun to become annoying. Still, she had to know that he was right. Some of their forefathers had mistakenly trusted the enemy, and the greedy English had taken advantage of them. To this day, the Scots were still affected by the treachery. If they didn’t protect what was theirs, they would no doubt lose their land, their pride, and ultimately their freedom.

  “Should ye nae be attending tae your admiring lassies?” she said finally, jerking her chin at the spot he had just vacated. He followed the line of her gaze, and saw the young women curiously watching their exchange.

  Suddenly he was tired of this discussion. The English threat was real, and warfare wasn’t something that could be taken lightly, or discussed with the weaker sex.

  “Lady Venora informed me that she’s finished making the elixir,” he said abruptly. “Ye will leave tomorrow after dinner.”

  CHAPTER 4

  The morning’s repast seemed to drag by slowly, and Adrina tried to stomp down the impatience that stirred in her belly.

  She dipped a piece of bread into the steaming bowl of stew. After last night’s supper, the women were again dismissed from the great hall, and the men continued their talk about war. She wanted to stay and listen to the discussion, but she knew that women were usually barred from hearing such talks. Anything more about the gathering, she had learned from Mairead. For someone who didn’t attend the gathering herself, and who claimed a disinterest in politics, Duncan’s sister was well-informed.