A Laird's Promise (Highland Heartbeats Book 1)

by Aileen Adams

  The village would need a new healer. Maybe he could convince her to stay.

  He would continue to pursue Ceana, but that could wait.

  For now.

  After a three-day journey, they approached the outskirts of the region surrounding Kirkcaldy. He smelled the sea air.

  Sarah rode astride in front of him, her back leaning against his chest, her hair often blowing in the breeze to tickle his nose.

  On the fourth morning, they neared the edge of the woods where Phillip had watched Sarah on the cliff overlooking the ocean for the first time. He halted his horse just inside the tree line.

  Hugh and Maccay did the same.

  “You two, wait here. Keep watch over Sarah,” he said, dismounting.

  He grasped Sarah around the waist and lowered her to the ground.

  “Wait! You must take me with you,” she exclaimed. “You don't know where I live! Heather doesn't know you. You'll scare her!”

  He mounted his horse, looking down at her. “I will find her. You stay here.” He gave Maccay a look. “Do not let her out of your sight. Do you understand?”

  Maccay nodded and mumbled words of assurance as Sarah stood beside his horse, brows lowered in anger, hands on her hips.

  “Sarah, your reappearance will only draw questions and suspicion. It is best that I ride into Kirkcaldy by myself, a stranger. I will ask for the blacksmith on some pretext. You will wait here.”

  She looked back up at him, defiance shining in her eyes.

  “I mean what I say.” He said the only thing he knew would prompt her to obey. “You wouldn't want Heather to get hurt, would you?”

  He knew he was counting on her deepest fear, but if that's what it took to get her to obey his wishes, he would do it.

  She was stubborn and willful.

  Not only did he not want to put her in any danger, but he knew that it would take very little for everything to go wrong.

  “Be patient.” He looked at Hugh. “If I don't return by sunset, take her and find a place in the hills to hide. I will find you.”

  Abruptly, he turned his horse toward the cliff, ignoring Sarah’s questions, focused only on the task at hand.

  * * *

  He was gone for several hours.

  Sarah impatiently paced back and forth, apparently amusing Hugh and Maccay as she did so. She muttered under her breath and was about to give each of them a piece of her mind when she noticed the sun heading toward the western horizon. She glanced at Phillip’s friends and knew that they had also been tracking the time.

  “Where are they?”

  “Be patient,” Hugh said again.

  “What if something went wrong?” Her anxiety rose with every passing minute, in time to the slow descent of the sun. “Can one of you go look for him? What if something happened? What if my—”

  She heard the sound of a horse galloping their way. She spun and raced to the edge of the clearing, ignoring Hugh’s words of caution.

  He grabbed her about the waist just as the rider burst through the clearing. He let go as she clasped her hand over her mouth when she saw Phillip’s horse heading in their direction, a set of small, feminine arms wrapped around his waist.

  She saw a light blue kirtle and bare legs from the knees down. She barely caught a glimpse of golden, curly hair flying out behind him when she felt her knees weaken with relief.

  “Oh!”

  She barely held herself in check as her heart pounded with joy and warm tears filled her eyes.

  Phillip rode into the shadows of the trees, and before he even drew his horse to a complete halt, Sarah was reaching upward for her sister, who fell into her arms, squealing with joy.

  Sarah began to cry, her arms wrapped tightly around her sister’s waist;Heather’s arms wrapped around her the same way.

  “We must go.”

  Sarah heard the words, knew the directive came from Phillip, but she couldn't force herself to separate herself from her sister just yet.

  “Sarah. Now!”

  The gentle forcefulness in his voice prompted her to look up at him over Heather's shoulder.

  He wasn't looking at them, but into the distance from which he’d come.

  Then she understood and pulled herself from her sister’s grasp, looked down into her sweet, beautiful, tear-stained face.

  “Heather, we must go!”

  “She can ride with me.”

  Though confused, Heather allowed Sarah to quickly urge her toward Maccay and his horse.

  Maccay mounted, then leaned down, hand extended to take Heather’s. With one easy move, he lifted Heather onto the back of the horse behind him.

  Hugh also mounted, and Phillip, still on his horse, reached down for Sarah's hand.

  With tears of joy still streaming down her own cheeks, she reached for Phillip's forearm, her fingers wrapped around his hard muscles as he lifted her onto the back of the horse behind him. Without a moment's hesitation, she wrapped her arms around his waist, clutching tightly as he urged his horse forward, followed by the others.

  They rode for several miles until full darkness settled over the land.

  They found a sheltered hiding place deep in the woods, surrounded by a thick growth of trees. There, they dismounted. They lit no fire, but while Hugh and Maccay took care of the horses, Phillip strode toward the sisters, now sitting hunched on the ground, arm in arm.

  Sarah had never been so happy and relieved in her life.

  Phillip, gazing down at both of them, merely watched them for a moment, then glanced over their shoulders into the shadows of the night.

  “I will scout a bit. You two stay right where you are.” He glanced pointedly at Sarah. “Understand?”

  She nodded, her smile genuine.

  He didn't believe her.

  “Promise?”

  She laughed softly. “I promise.”

  The moment he turned and disappeared into the trees, Heather turned to her with questions.

  “Who is he? Where have you been? Are you all right?”

  Sarah nodded, clasping her sister’s hand. “He's a Highlander named Phillip Duncan. He kidnapped me to take care of his younger brother, wounded in battle. And yes, I'm all right. And you? Has Patrick…?”

  “At first, he was furious that you were gone. At first, he thought you ran away, but I told him you never would. That you would never leave me. Then he assumed you were dead, killed by an animal in the woods. He said…” she hesitated.

  “Go on,” Sarah urged.

  “He said that it would serve you right if you slipped off the cliff like Mother did…”

  Sarah shook her head, and then shrugged her shoulder, barely able to hide her wince.

  It was at that moment that Heather seemed to take in her appearance. She noted her bruised face, the purplish-red ring around her neck.

  “Did he do that to you?” she asked aghast, wide-eyed as she gazed toward the woods where Phillip had disappeared.

  “No,” Sarah said. “He rescued me. I’ll tell you everything later. Now tell me. Did Patrick hurt you?”

  Heather shook her head. “I stayed out of his way as much as I could. Oh, Sarah, I’ve been worried sick about you! I’m so relieved you're all right. That man… Phillip Duncan, he said his name was. He came riding up to the house asking for Patrick. I told him he was in town, at the tavern.” She looked at Sarah. “He’s not been at the house much since you disappeared… but Sarah, that Duncan fellow, he looked at me so funny. I didn't think much of it at first, but then I began to wonder. He came back about an hour later.”

  “And then what?” Sarah asked, wanting to know every detail.

  “Oh Sarah, he's so handsome, so brave—”

  Impatient to hear what had happened next, Sarah interrupted her younger sister. “Please, Heather, tell me what happened!”

  Heather shook her head, eyes wide. “I'm not quite sure. He returned to the house a little while later and told me that our stepfather would never hurt us again.” S
he paused. “He said you were near, that I must go with him and leave Kirkcaldy behind forever.”

  Sarah could imagine the confusion her sister must have felt. “What made you decide—what did he say to you?”

  “He said he could protect me. Protect us. He said Patrick would never lay a hand on either one of us ever again.”

  Sarah stared at her sister. “What does that mean? You don't think he—”

  “Killed Patrick?” Heather shook her head. “I asked him that. He said no, he did not kill him, but he would never lay a hand on another woman. He said he made sure of that.”

  “How?” Sarah brimmed with curiosity.

  “I really have no idea.” She looked at her sister. “Sarah, is he… are you…?”

  Sarah realized what her sister was thinking. “No! He kidnapped me! Took me against my will! He—”

  “He said you saved his brother’s life. Is that true?”

  “Yes, but—”

  “Did he hurt you in any way? Did he touch you?”

  Sarah recalled the kiss and shook her head. “No,” she smiled. “He didn't hurt me.”

  “Did he tie you up and keep you guarded while you were there? In a dungeon?”

  Sarah glanced at her sister, wondering why she was asking so many pointed questions. “No, actually, I stayed in a bedchamber in the manor house—”

  Heather nearly squealed, softly clapping her hands. “I knew it! Oh, Sarah, I can't believe our good fortune. We’re away from Patrick! Forever!”

  Sarah stared at her sister in dismay. She had rarely seen her so animated, so excited. What had gotten into her?

  And then she realized.

  What her sister said was true. They would be free of Patrick forever. Away from his drunken abuse. His hatred of her. The blame he cast in her direction for their mother's death.

  Before she could form a response, Phillip appeared from the edges of the trees and moved toward them, holding something in his hand.

  “I found some berries. Hugh has some dried meat, but it's going to be a cold supper. We will not be lighting a fire tonight.”

  Sarah didn't care. She stared at Phillip, trying to see him through her sister's eyes.

  Though misguided by kidnapping her in the first place, Phillip was a kind, decent, and loyal man. And then, much to her dismay, she realized that her own softening toward him had begun days ago.

  Was it possible?

  Had she, despite her circumstances, despite the way they had met, and much against her own common sense, had she begun to fall in love with the Highlander?

  18

  Phillip stared at the young women for several moments before turning back into the darkness of the woods, thinking to give them time to catch up, to appreciate and revel in each other's company.

  He yearned to do the same with his brother. It was something in common than both he and Sarah shared, perhaps even something they could build a foundation of friendship, maybe even more.

  He stopped, pondering the thought. When he kidnapped Sarah, it had been for one reason and one reason alone. To save his brother. He had needed her to help his brother. The thought that had him feeling stunned now was the realization that he needed her. He wasn't sure why or even how, but he sensed it.

  He would take them back to the Highlands, to his lands. He would tell Sarah that she and her sister could live there under his care as long as they wished. She was free to do as she pleased. He would make sure they had a place to live in the village or they could… they could stay in the manor house. If she—

  “You’ve grown very fond of her, haven't you?”

  Phillip glanced at Maccay, who stepped from between two trees, tossing a small leafy branch to the ground.

  He and Hugh had been taking care of the horses; removing their saddles, rubbing them down with branches from the nearby shrubs.

  Phillip knew better than to even try to deny it. They’d been friends too long.

  “Aye, I have,” he said.

  “I think she's grown somewhat fond of you as well, although don't ask me how or why. Ceana fooled her, made her take leave of her senses.”

  Phillip shook his head. “Ceana will pay for all of it, mark my words.”

  “I believe you,” Maccay said. He gestured toward the small clearing where the two sisters sat side by side, arms entwined. “And what about them?”

  “What about them?” Phillip turned to watch them. They sat so close together he couldn't drive a wedge between them if he tried. Their heads rested against each other’s, both of them wearing smiles.

  “You going to ask her or what?”

  “Ask her what?” Phillip asked, distracted as he watched the two.

  “If you don't know, you're denser than I thought.”

  With that, Maccay walked off, leaving Phillip to stand alone in the darkness, watching Heather and Sarah talk and laugh softly, the sight warming is hard.

  Maybe kidnapping Sarah MacDonald was the smartest thing he’d ever done in his life.

  * * *

  The following morning the group was up early, heading northeastward at a good pace.

  Sarah road in front of him on his horse, while Heather rode in front of Hugh. Sarah had thanked him again when they mounted this morning, for returning to Kirkcaldy to get her sister. But she also had a lot of questions; questions that he didn't want to answer.

  “What did you do to Patrick?” she asked for at least the sixth time in the same number of hours.

  “I didn't kill him if that's what you want to know.”

  “How do you know he won't come after us?”

  “He won't.”

  She shifted her position and tried to look up at him over her shoulder. “How can you be so sure?”

  “Just trust me,” he replied gruffly.

  Trust him.

  Such simple words.

  She wanted to, really she did, but—

  “Phillip!”

  Hugh’s voice pulled her from her thoughts.

  She looked his way, saw where he pointed and swallowed. Hard.

  A small plume of dust rose in the distance, beyond a field of trees on the other side of the narrow valley they rode through.

  Riders. Lots of them.

  Her heart began to pound as she looked up at Phillip, eyeing the dust with narrowed eyes.

  Phillip glanced around and pointed. “We’ll take shelter there,” he said, pointing to an outcropping of trees.

  “Hurry!”

  The horses broke into a gallop as the group raced to the cover of the trees. Sarah’s grip on a handful of the horse’s mane tightened as they entered the deeper shadows.

  All three horses turned around, riders watching the edge of the woods on the opposite side of the field where the riders would emerge.

  Who was it? Someone coming with riders from Kirkcaldy? No, wrong direction.

  A clan of highlanders, perhaps enemies of the Duncans? Maybe the Orkneys?

  She turned to Phillip. “Who—”

  He didn’t look at her, but kept his gaze fastened on the woods.

  When the first riders emerged, he uttered a grunt of surprise.

  He opened his mouth as Maccay also reacted.

  And then Phillip laughed, clucked his horse into motion and rode out of the tree line.

  Obviously, he knew who the riders were, but she didn’t—at least not until they were within shouting distance.

  Her eyes widened with surprise.

  Jake!

  Phillip’s brother rode in the lead, at least ten men following him, all armed with bows, quivers full of arrows, swords and who knew what else.

  She heard Phillip laughing, the sound rumbling from deep in his chest as he raised his arm and greeted his brother.

  Jake, clean-shaven and looking healthier than ever, rode up to Phillip, Hugh, and Maccay with a smile.

  “Surprised, brother?” he asked, dismounting.

  Sarah watched as Jake limped toward his brother’s horse.

&
nbsp; Other than the limp, it appeared that he had healed well.

  He looked up at her.

  “And you must be Sarah.”

  As Phillip dismounted behind her, she nodded.

  Phillip held out his hand and helped her down from the horse.

  “You look well. Much better than the last time I saw you.”

  He grinned, lifted an eyebrow at his brother, and then receiving his short nod and a long-suffering sigh, reached for Sarah.

  Before she could utter a startled cry, he lifted her by the waist as if she weighed nothing at all and swung her around several times.

  “Jake, that’s enough,” Phillip muttered. “Put the lass down. Can’t you see she’s been injured?”

  Jake froze, gazed down at Sarah and appeared to notice the fading bruises on the side of her cheek for the first time.

  “Och, sorry, lass… just wanted to thank you for saving my life.” He bent down to take a closer look at her face. “You all right?”

  Sarah looked into the man’s green eyes and nodded.

  Such exuberance!

  She noticed the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes.

  A man who laughed often. And spent a great deal of time outdoors squinting into the sun.

  He turned to Phillip, and the two men clasped hands, held for a moment, and then briefly hugged.

  Smiling, Jake pulled away to turn to Hugh and Maccay, also in the process of dismounting, when he stopped and stared.

  Sarah turned to see what he was looking at.

  Heather.

  “Well now, who have we here?” He approached Heather, who stared at him with wide-eyed trepidation.

  He offered an exaggerated bow. “Jake Duncan of the Clan Duncan, milady.” He grinned. “Phillip there, is my brother. And you are?”

  Heather glanced at Sarah, who smiled in encouragement.

  “My name is Heather MacDonald,” she said, offering a slight curtsey.

  Jake couldn’t seem to take his eyes off her younger sister.

  Sara turned to Phillip with a raised eyebrow.

  “What?” he said.

  While the others gathered around, most of them clustering around Heather, Phillip took Sarah’s hand and guided her a few steps away from the group, out of earshot but within sight.