Highland Destiny

by Hunsaker, Laura

  "Connor, thank you for knowing I need this." She cradled his face in her soft hands and kissed him so gently, that if it weren't for the heat between them she wouldn't have felt it.

  She breathed against his lips, "Of course I will marry you. I'd like nothing better than to be your wife." Connor squeezed her to him and stroked her hair from the crown of her head down her back.

  "I thought you'd mentioned that in your time, the man asks. It seemed important to you," Connor shrugged.

  Mackenzie cut him off with a kiss so passionate, his response felt as if he wanted to press her against the castle wall and take her on the spot. It was a very arousing feeling, 231

  having the power to make this Highland warrior lose control like that. Then someone cleared his throat. Liam. They broke apart like two guilty teenagers caught necking.

  "Supper is served, Connor."

  Mackenzie could see that he was suppressing laughter. Her face warmed and she hoped she looked presentable as they all entered the Banqueting Hall together.

  Dinner was lovely. There was a piper and there were some dancers. The steps looked familiar to Mackenzie, and it took her a moment to remember why. They reminded her of when her grandmother had made her learn about her heritage by attending all of the Highland Games. Mackenzie had always been a dancer, so her grandmother had her learn the sword dances.

  After several toasts to their upcoming nuptials, Mackenzie was on her way to being good and drunk. Otherwise, she would have never in a million years leaned over to Connor, who was speaking with Liam, and said, "I think I know that one."

  His surprise was evident, "You do?"

  "Yep, I learned a whole bunch of sword dances, and they aren't that much different. I also learned some Irish dancing too, but I doubt anyone else here has tap shoes." She snorted at the private joke.

  Connor just shook his head not knowing what style of shoe was "tap," and asked if she wanted to join in the dance.

  "Sure." She was tipsy at best, and when she stood, the assembly went quiet. But Connor stood as well, and helped her down and to the front of the Hall.

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  "Lady Stewart wishes to join in the sword dance. Fergus?

  Farquhar? The pipes and drums?"

  It took Mackenzie a few wrong steps and a couple shoulder bumps before she caught on, but it was like riding a bicycle.

  The ballerina in her allowed her steps to be graceful, if not perfect, and luckily the assembly had been drinking as well, so hopefully she didn't look too awful.

  Most of the angry and hateful looks had subsided, whether that was from drink or just the passage of time, or even Connor's acceptance of her, Mackenzie didn't know. Everyone here seemed to value not only his position, but his opinion as well. So if she was good enough for him, then perhaps his clansmen felt the same? The few times that Mackenzie had seen Connor interact with the people of his clan, they had looked at him with nothing but respect and sometimes awe.

  He was a powerful man, and he was a good man. That was something that Mackenzie had never doubted, not even when he'd hated her and believed the worst in her. He put the good of the clan above all else and it was evident in the way he spoke with his people and dealt with their problems. It was also obvious in the toasts to his health, his prosperity, and her...fertility.

  When the dance was over and another tune started, Mackenzie, flushed from excitement and wine, looked up to see Connor staring at her. He smiled back at her, but there was something else in his expression...something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Maybe he was surprised that she knew some of the traditional dances. Or maybe, dare she hope, he was impressed. When she took her seat beside 233

  Connor, she felt warm. Partly from dancing, partly from wearing way too many clothes, and partly just from his proximity. While sipping yet another glass of wine, Mackenzie suddenly felt extremely overheated. Connor was engrossed in an animated conversation with his brother, so she took the chance to slip out and cool off.

  Mackenzie strolled out into the courtyard and wandered to the sea wall, enjoying the ice cold air on her overheated skin.

  She was gazing at the stars, wondering what it was exactly that Connor wanted from her when she felt a presence behind her. She turned quickly, dismissing her tumultuous thoughts, and came face to face with the business end of a pistol! Good Lord, there was a gun pointed in her face!

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  234

  Chapter Twenty Two

  "My Lady." The standard greeting was not welcoming.

  Mackenzie said nothing.

  "I can see that ye've made yerself right at home, now, haven't ye?"

  When Mackenzie still didn't speak, her mind was running a million miles a second trying to figure a way out of this, he got angry.

  "What, nothin' tae say? Ye might be able tae fool the laird, bu' you'll no' fool me. Ye are sent here by the Campbell tae bring our clan tae ruin. Ye are naught but a whore." The man spat at the stones by her feet, but Mackenzie stood her ground. "We donna take lightly to whores around here."

  Mackenzie felt she had listened to his ranting long enough and attempted to brush past him. He gripped her upper arm painfully and brought the pistol to her temple. Her eyes widened, but still she said nothing. The man was a dark, squat man missing most of his teeth in the grotesque smile he displayed. As she cast about her mind for a way to distract him, he dragged the mouth of the pistol from her temple to her chin, and then down to her breast. Mackenzie couldn't repress the shudder that racked her body when he settled the pistol against her heart.

  "He'll kill you if you hurt me." Mercifully, Mackenzie kept the tremor out of her voice, but still, it didn't sound as strong as she had intended.

  "He'll thank me for this!"

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  There was no doubt in her mind that the creepy little man who only came up to her nose was about to pull the trigger.

  While it wasn't an automatic weapon, she was certain it would do some damage. Great, I came back in time to get shot by a pistol! She wanted to groan at the sheer idiocy of it all.

  Squaring her shoulders, Mackenzie prepared to kick him and run, hoping that if she got shot, at least it wouldn't be without a fight.

  Swiftly Mackenzie brought her knee to his groin and while he was doubled over in pain, she ran towards the keep. But she misjudged him and he lunged at her, knocking her to the ground. He was incredibly heavy on top of her, and she couldn't move her arms; they were pinned in between their bodies. Mackenzie kept up her struggle, but something else happened; his eyes changed from hatred to something else.

  She screamed at the top of her lungs, only to have him clamp his beefy hand over her mouth. His thick lips replaced his hand and Mackenzie tried to buck him off.

  "I like it when they fight. It's more fun. An' I donna see why I can't hae a little fun wi' you afore I go killin' ye."

  "Go to hell!"

  "Are ye thinkin' that yer too good fer me? The Campbell whore thinks she is too good for me? I'll show ye!"

  He brought his hand between them and rubbed her through the material of her gown. Mackenzie did her best not to struggle as it only seemed to arouse him more. But when he had put his hand between them, her hands had been released and she shoved at him as hard as she possibly could, rolling away, hiking up her skirts, and running for her life.

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  She ran about six feet before she slammed into a wall...but arms encircled her waist quickly and she realized it was Connor. She practically fell into his embrace, taking heart from his solid strength.

  "What's going on here?" He glanced behind Mackenzie.

  "Hamish? What are ye doin' out here?"

  "Yer woman is a whore, me Laird, and I think I'd be doin'

  ye an honor tellin' ye the truth afore the wedding."

  Connor looked down at Mackenzie, and she could tell he had summed up the situation by the glare leveled at Hamish.

  "So you took it upon yourse
lf to take care of the situation?"

  Hamish brightened up considerably, that Connor seemed to understand. "Aye, me Laird, that I did."

  Mackenzie could see the angry glint in Connor's eyes, and felt nothing short of satisfaction as his voice lowered menacingly, "Then I suggest you leave, now and never return."

  "Me Laird?" Hamish was truly surprised at Connor's decision. He shot a murderous glare at Mackenzie.

  Connor noted the look, and continued on, this time with his sword pressed into Hamish's throat. "This woman will be my wife tomorrow, and your lady. If you can't live with that, then leave. Now."

  Liam had stepped forward and gripped Hamish by his arm, almost dragging him out behind him. Mackenzie released a long breath and looked up at Connor gratefully. They spoke at the same time.

  "Kiss me."

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  "Are you all right?"

  "Please, Connor, I need you to kiss me."

  He looked confused, but obliged. His warm lips and strong arms reassured Mackenzie that she was still alive. She needed to feel. The things that Connor made her feel were unlike anything she'd ever felt before, and right now, she wanted nothing more than to give up to sensation in Connor's arms.

  When he lifted his head, he looked no less confused, but held her tight against his body.

  "What happened?"

  "I just wanted some fresh air. I was a little warm from the dancing and all." Mackenzie felt stupid but said it anyway.

  "And then I turned around and he was there with a pistol in my face," she shuddered at the memory. The fun feeling of having a few drinks too many had left, and had been replaced with a hot "I really don't want to vomit" feeling. She must have looked exactly how she felt, because Connor's blue eyes softened and he placed his arm around her shoulders as they walked. Once they had wandered around the whole of the castle, and the island for that matter, they stopped in the moonlit courtyard.

  "Are ye well enough to return, sweeting? Or would ye rather retire to bed early?"

  "No, that's alright." She took a deep breath and shook off the memories of Hamish lying on top of her. Giving the courtyard one last glance before turning back to the main keep, Mackenzie wandered back with Connor. Her thoughts were still in a turmoil over what had happened, or almost 238

  happened, and yet she still couldn't figure out what it was that Connor wanted from her. He'd said that he wanted her to marry him, but she sensed there was something else.

  They returned to their seats and Connor picked up his drink while Mackenzie just looked around, nibbling a piece of bread. Most of the people there were in good spirits, and probably deep in their cups. But at least no one was glaring at her anymore. This brightened her outlook quite a bit. She heard Connor say something to Liam about how she was not who they had thought she was and she looked over at them to find them deep in conversation. Their voices were too low for her to hear what they were saying, but she caught her name on Liam's lips, and he caught her staring at them and nudged Connor with a smile. Liam indicated with a nod of the head that Connor should attend to Mackenzie. She blushed but met his questioning gaze.

  "Is everything all right?"

  "Oh, yeah, well, I heard my name and glanced over." She sounded a little flustered, but she continued, "That's all." She felt a little guilty about trying to eavesdrop.

  Connor smiled, "I was telling Liam how ye are quite an extraordinary lass. He'd heard about your run-in with the Campbell's men last week, and I filled him in on the details."

  "Oh." Mackenzie felt the heat creep back up her cheeks to hear Connor speak of her with such respect. She wasn't used to that. Their relationship was new and still tenuous, on her end at least. She didn't know how to respond to that, so she looked away. As she looked around, a hush fell over the crowd. Mackenzie quickly scanned the assembly, and saw an 239

  old man struggling to stand, leaning heavily on a walking stick. Mackenzie glanced up at Connor only to find him staring at her over the rim of his cup.

  "Are ye having a good time?"

  "Oh! Yes, thank you. What's happening?"

  But all he said was "Listen."

  So she did.

  The old man's voice rose above Connor's comment. She recognized him as the clan's seannachie from one of her other meals in the Hall. He was the clan's storyteller, and from what she could gather, a sort of genealogist as well.

  "Generations before my grandfather lived, when the Mackenzies still roved this isle, these lands were as wild and untamed as any. A MacRae became constable for the first time of the Kingdom of the Seas. And on this land, a mon loved a woman. Together they tamed this isle and the whole of the lands of Kintail. The lands prospered as did their love.

  The woman bore him many sons, and when the eldest took a wife, he gained the lands to the west in her tocher.

  "She couldna give him an heir. The lass birthed him three wee lassies and a stillborn son. He took a leman, and once she gave him a boy, he brought the bairn to be reared as his heir. His weefe, though young, had some spirit in her yet. She didna fancy rearin' another's babe as her own.

  "The laird of these lands paid a mon to speak at the clan meeting. He claimed the laird's weefe had been untrue. She was hanged for her sins, but her last words rang out o'er all the lands as a curse. The lands grew barren, and still we hae the Stewart Curse upon us.

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  "There have yet to be any lassies born to the Stewart line.

  Til now. And on the morn, a Stewart will marry a MacRae, and the Stewart curse will be done!"

  Amidst cheers and applause, the old man sat down, and took a long draught of ale from his mug.

  Mackenzie turned to see Connor studying her. Was this why he was so willing to marry her? Was he also trying to end the curse? He didn't strike her as someone who put any stock in curses. Besides, wasn't her marriage to the Campbell supposed to end the curse? A Campbell, not a MacRae? Well, the sorcerers had never really told her the curse; they had only implied she had to break the curse by marrying John Campbell. Mackenzie had assumed the rest. Could she really trust the two wizards? The answer to that was scary; she didn't know. Her heart started pounding as she thought she really didn't know whom to trust anymore, Connor included.

  If he was only marrying her to end the stupid curse then wasn't he as bad as the Campbell in using her to his own ends? He'd once accused the Campbell of just that. Ironic that she was now marrying a man for the same reasons. Had Connor lied to her? And if he had, what would she do about it?

  How could she be so stupid? Connor had never professed his love by any means, but he had said he cared for her. And that had been enough for her. She had sworn from the beginning that she needed more, but she had fallen for him in spite of herself. Did he know how far gone she was? She peeked up at him from beneath her lashes to see him still watching her changing emotions without giving anything 241

  away himself. She felt like an idiot. And to think; she'd been so intent on convincing him to fall in love with her! She was an idiot. How could she have not seen this coming? Mackenzie distanced her heart from Connor right then and there. They would get married in the morning, but it would just be a means to an end; she would be a means to an end. They wouldn't, however get their happily ever after, because the second that portal opened on Samhain, Mackenzie would go back to her own time, her own country and her life.

  While that thought made her sad, Mackenzie refused to acknowledge the emotion, and instead steeled her heart against Connor and forced a smile. She was pulled from her train of thought by Connor's hand on hers.

  "You have been quiet, are you not enjoyin' the tale?"

  Mackenzie almost choked on her answer. "No, I mean, yes; it's a great story. Quite informative."

  Connor's eyes narrowed at her choice of phrasing, but all he said was, "Perhaps ye should retire early? It has been a taxing night." When she didn't say anything, he stood and pulled her chair out. "Come, I'll walk ye to our chambers."

  Connor tucked her
arm through his as they left the Hall.

  He walked her up the tower stairs to the Laird and Lady's chambers, pausing outside his door.

  "I ken your thoughts are of tomorrow, and I've a surprise for you."

  Momentarily distracted, Mackenzie cocked her head to one side. "Another one?"

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  "Aye, although, I must admit I'm unsure of what you'll think." He sounded like he genuinely was unsure, and he really wanted her to like whatever it was.

  Connor swept the door open and strode in to light a few tallow candles. He paused and turned as Mackenzie walked through the door. She gasped and flitted to the bed. There was a gown of a deep midnight blue with silver embroidery and laces on the stomacher lying on the bed. It was beautiful.

  He wouldn't have done this for her if he didn't care for her at least a little, right?

  Mackenzie held it up to herself and twirled around like a little girl playing dress-up.

  "I take it ye approve of the color?"

  "Oh, Connor, it's beautiful. I love it." She turned her wide gaze on him and remembered that she was still mad at him.

  Her eyes turned wary, "But when? And why? I have a trunk full of gowns. Since women don't wear white yet, any one of them would do."

  "I commissioned it when we first arrived."

  "But that was like a week ago," she persisted. "How long have you been planning this wedding?" she was speculating.

  It was so thoughtful, but what did it mean? Was there an ulterior motive? Or was it just his arrogance that demanded she look fabulous on his arm at the wedding?

  "Since I first looked into your eyes." His thumb brushed underneath her lash line.

  "Oh." She blushed "So sure I'd say yes?"

  "You couldna say no."

  "You're arrogant," she retorted.

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  "Aye," Connor said without apology. "I am Laird, and third Earl of Kintail. I am allowed to be arrogant."

  "Oh, it comes with the title and all that? Hah! I think you've been getting your way for far too long Connor MacRae.

  Maybe I should have said no."

  His smile was smug. "You didn't say nay," he reminded her.