The Highlander's Promise

by Lynsay Sands

  Alick grimaced. "Well, ye ken what Saidh is like. She was threatening to come up here and wake ye herself, but I thought it best to warn ye first."

  "Warn me o' what?" Aulay asked with grim suspicion.

  "Oh . . . er . . ."

  Aulay narrowed his eyes. "Ye did no' just tell her we rescued the lass from the water, did ye?" he accused. "What else did ye tell her?"

  Alick grimaced. "I did no' mean to tell her anything. It just slipped out."

  Snorting with disgust, Aulay turned and strode back across his room to snatch up his plaid and begin pleating it. "What does she ken?"

  "Er . . . well . . ." Alick hesitated, and licked his lips nervously as he watched Aulay finish his pleating and then don the plaid and fasten it in place.

  "Well?" Aulay prompted, turning to spear his brother with a look.

  Alick winced and then admitted apologetically, "Everything."

  "Damn ye, Alick," Aulay growled, and strode past him to head out of the room.

  "Well, ye ken how she can be," Alick muttered, hard on his heels. "Once Saidh knew about Jetta, she insisted on picking at me until she got every last detail."

  Aulay snorted, knowing it wouldn't have taken all that much picking to get Alick to talk. The lad gossiped like an old woman.

  "But 'tis fine," Alick assured him. "'Tis no' like ye're doing anything wrong. Ye saved the lass's life, and yer taking care o' her, nursing her back to health yerself and everything. I told Saidh how ye've been feeding her and entertaining her and not left her side. I'm sure she's just curious."

  "Aye," Aulay muttered dryly, not believing that for a second. He didn't doubt for a minute that it was more than mere curiosity. His sister was here to ask him questions he had no desire to answer, or even think about. Things like why had he not tried harder to find out who Jetta might be and where she belonged or who her family was? And how and when did he intend to tell Jetta that they were not really husband and wife?

  Cursing under his breath, Aulay straightened his shoulders as he descended the stairs. His sister could be a royal pain when she wanted to be, and he suspected she would want to be in this case. She was a protector by nature, standing up for others and fighting for their rights whenever she felt it necessary. He had no doubt she would feel the right thing to do here was tell Jetta everything and do all they could to find out who she was and where she belonged. The problem was, he wasn't eager to do that. He knew he should be. He even felt he should be. But he didn't want to. Besides, doing so might endanger the woman. They needed to find out what the situation was before they even considered revealing to her family that she was alive.

  Which meant finding out who she was and where she was from, something he hadn't managed to do so far, he admitted guiltily. The guilt was because he hadn't really tried all that hard. While there not being a ship that sank was a stumbling block, there were other ways to find out where she came from and what her name was. He simply hadn't bothered to try any of them.

  And why hadn't he done that? Because Aulay liked Jetta. He liked talking to her and he liked the way she looked at him. There was no fear or revulsion in her expression when she peered at his face. It was as if it wasn't just her memory she'd lost, but her vision as well, and Aulay had even suspected that was the case until Rory had tested her vision and assured him that she saw just fine. So she simply didn't appear to be horrified by the scar on his face, which was a miracle to his mind. The woman was beautiful, and grew more so every day as she regained some of the weight she'd lost while unconscious. And she seemed to like him, to truly like him.

  "What are ye doing to find Jetta's people and learn her real name and situation?"

  Aulay tore himself from his thoughts and scowled at his sister at that question. He hadn't even yet reached the table and she was already on her feet and marching toward him, grilling him like he was a naughty lad up to mischief. Which was exactly what he'd expected. He supposed it was good that he knew her so well.

  "And good morn to ye too, sister. I hope yer journey here was uneventful," Aulay said mildly as he reached her and bent to press a kiss to her cheek. Straightening, he then offered a nod of greeting to her husband, Greer MacDonnell, who was still seated at the trestle tables, chewing on a pastry. The sight made his stomach growl with hunger.

  "Aulay," Saidh said in warning, dragging his attention back to her. "Alick said the girl does no' remember a thing and thinks ye're married and that she sleeps in yer bed with ye. How could ye take advantage o' the lass like that? Ye--"

  "I suggest ye stop there ere ye say something we shall both regret," Aulay said coldly, interrupting her diatribe. She did stop, but she also eyed him with anger and disappointment. Ignoring that for the moment, he turned to scowl at Alick and said, "Ye did no' bother to mention that I am sleeping on a pallet on the floor, while Jetta occupies me bed?"

  "How could I tell her that?" Alick asked with surprise. "I did no' ken it."

  Aulay blinked at the claim and then frowned as he realized he hadn't really discussed the sleeping arrangements with anyone but Rory. Actually, he hadn't discussed much of anything with anyone since Jetta had arrived. He'd been at the lodge with her for weeks, passing the hours at her bedside, at first just watching her sleep and looking for any sign she might wake. Once she did wake, he'd then spent his time at her side, plying her with food and drink and answering her questions about Buchanan and its people as she tried to find memories of her life here and the people in it that simply didn't exist.

  "So ye ha'e no' taken advantage?" Saidh asked.

  "O' course no'," Aulay snapped, turning his attention to Saidh again and noting the relief rushing over her. Rather than being pleased that she believed him, Aulay was actually even more annoyed at this proof that she'd thought so poorly of him. Forget that he'd come quite close to taking advantage of Jetta a time or two, the fact was, he hadn't. And wouldn't. And Saidh should know that.

  "Ye ken me, Saidh," he said grimly. "How could ye think fer a minute that I'd take advantage o' a wee, beautiful lass in such a sad state?"

  "Well, I did no' at first," she assured him apologetically. "But Alick said--"

  Aulay waved away her words and moved around her to settle at the table and pour himself some cider. He'd barely finished the task when a tray with several pastries on it was set before him. Taking one of the still-warm treats, he popped it in his mouth and began to chew.

  "I'm sorry, Aulay," Saidh said on a sigh, settling next to him and placing a hand on his arm. "I do ken better than that. I should ha'e realized Alick had it all wrong. He usually does."

  "Hey!" Alick protested. "I was no' wrong . . . exactly. I said she was in his bed and she is. I just did no' ken he was on the floor rather than in bed with her. And she does think he's her husband," he pointed out.

  "Aye. About that," Saidh murmured and arched her eyebrows at him.

  "She came to that conclusion herself when she first woke," Aulay said. "She thought only a husband would be in her bedroom. She was even dismayed to have Rory in there, despite his being a healer. And Rory suggested we no' correct her. He does no' wish us to upset her any more than necessary lest we set back her healing."

  "Aye, Alick explained that," Saidh said diffidently. "But surely she's past the delicate stage now and could be told. Do ye no' think?"

  "Rory thinks not," he said with a shrug. "Ye shall ha'e to talk to him about that."

  "Verra well." Saidh patted his arm gently, as if she thought he needed soothing, and then she cleared her throat and said, "And what of finding her family?"

  Aulay stiffened and then turned to glare at Saidh's husband, Greer, as if her words were somehow his brother-in-law's fault.

  "Do no' look at me that way," the MacDonnell said dryly and then pointed out, "She is your sister and was full-grown when I met her. I did no' make her this way. I just love her the way she is."

  Clucking with disgust at the soft sentiment, Aulay picked up his cider and took a swig.

 
"Aulay?" Saidh said firmly. "What have ye done about trying to find out who she is and where she comes from?"

  "I told her that ye sent us out to ask about what ship might have sunk in that storm," Alick assured him quickly, and then turned to Saidh and reminded her, "And I told you that as far as anyone knew, none had."

  "Aye. At that time, mayhap," Saidh said solemnly. "But have ye sent men to ask since? Surely, someone will realize by now that her ship did no' arrive where it was headed?"

  Aulay turned another glare on Alick, and the younger man made a face.

  "I did try to tell ye about that too, Saidh," Alick said with disgust. "I tried to tell ye that ere I left Buchanan, Geordie and Conran had headed out to try again."

  "And?" Saidh asked, spearing Aulay with her eyes. "What happened?"

  "Still no news o' a ship that sank," Aulay growled.

  "Then mayhap the ship did no' sink," Saidh said at once. "Alick did mention that there was no debris in the water besides the mast. Mayhap the mast was claimed by the storm, but the ship survived."

  She looked so damned pleased with herself for the suggestion that Aulay almost felt bad for the pleasure it gave him to say, "That thought had occurred to me, Saidh. And I did plan to send Conran and Geordie out again, eventually. But Geordie is no' likely to want to leave Katie just now and Conran is . . . away at the moment."

  "Then send someone else," she said at once. "One of the soldiers can ask questions as easily as Geordie and Conran."

  "Nay," Aulay said abruptly as Rory approached the table.

  "Why not?" she demanded.

  "The situation is much too tricky to trust to just anyone, Saidh," Rory explained when Aulay couldn't be bothered to, and then frowned and asked, "Did Alick no' tell ye that there is some concern fer the lass's life?"

  "Aye, he mentioned that she said something about a cat, a white lady and a betrothed who wasn't a betrothed, who would kill her," Saidh admitted, and then added, "but since none of that makes any sense, is it no' possible that 'twas just a fevered dream she was telling ye about?"

  Aulay stiffened at the suggestion. It was not something he'd considered, and it did seem possible, but after contemplating it briefly, he shook his head. "It matters little. She was terrified at the mention o' her family and I'll no' risk returning her to people who might be sending her to her death." Eyeing her coldly, he added, "And ye should no' expect me to. Ye certainly did no wish us to send Murine back to her brother, or leave Edith to the care o' her murderous family."

  "That was different," Saidh said at once.

  "Was it?" her husband asked gently.

  Biting her lip uncertainly, Saidh turned to peer at Greer, and asked, "Ye think she really may have a family like Murine or Edith's?"

  Greer considered the matter and then said, "I think Aulay is right to move cautiously here until we ken if that is no' the case fer this poor lass. It would be a shame if he and Alick rescued her and then he and Rory put such time and care into healing her, only to hand her over to a family who would see her dead anyway."

  Saidh's shoulders slumped slightly as she released a sigh, and then she turned to peer at Aulay for a moment, before finally saying, "Well then, we shall ha'e to figure a way to find out who she is without giving away that she is here until we ken that 'tis safe to do so."

  Aulay merely grunted and picked up a pastry. It was exactly what he'd been saying. He bit into his pastry with a little sigh of pleasure.

  "I would like to meet her," Saidh announced, standing up. "I presume she is up in yer room?"

  Shaking his head, Aulay swallowed the food in his mouth, intending to answer, but Rory did it first.

  "She is still at the lodge."

  "Ye left her alone when she may have a murderous family out to get her?" she asked with dismay.

  "She's no' alone. Uncle Acair and a retinue of soldiers are there with her. As is Mavis. Besides, her family do no' ken she is there," Aulay said at once. "They can't. We do no' even ken who they are," he pointed out with exasperation. "Besides, I could no' bring her back. She has no clothes."

  "Oh aye," Saidh said, her expression clearing. "Alick mentioned that."

  Aulay was just relaxing again, when she suddenly nodded and headed for the keep doors. "Well, that can be fixed quickly enough. We brought some dresses fer her. I'll head to the lodge now and give them to her. That way I can meet her too."

  "Men!" Greer barked, grabbing several pastries to take with him as he got to his feet.

  Aulay raised his eyebrows as a dozen MacDonnell soldiers immediately stood at the far end of the trestle tables and started to follow their lady. Turning his gaze back to his brother-in-law, he asked, "Is there something ye've no' told us?"

  Greer paused and glanced to him in question. "What do ye mean?"

  "Well, 'tis no' a long trip. Ye really do no' need yer men to ride to the lodge and back," he pointed out. "Is someone out to harm me sister? Again?"

  "Oh." He smiled. "Nay. The men are needed to drive and guard the wagons with the chests o' dresses in them."

  The MacDonnell hurried off then, leaving Aulay staring after him.

  "Just how many chests and wagons are there?" he muttered to himself.

  "Six chests, three wagons," Alick answered, bringing Aulay's head around his way.

  "Six?" he asked with disbelief.

  The younger man clucked his tongue with disgust. "I knew ye were no' listening to me up in yer room when I was telling ye o' me trials trying to find Saidh."

  "Six?" Aulay repeated.

  "I told ye!" he said with exasperation. "I'd just missed Saidh and Greer when I got to MacDonnell. They'd already left to see Niels and Edith at Drummond, but were gone from there too when I reached Drummond. They'd left there for Carmichael to see Dougall and Murine. But I stopped the night at Drummond and when Edith heard about poor wee Jetta, she decided she'd send some dresses and managed to fill a whole chest for me to take," he explained. "She e'en gave me a wagon to harness to me horse to cart it in. O' course, dragging the wagon with the chest in it slowed me down further and by the time I got to Carmichael, Saidh and Greer had already left there as well. They were headed for Sinclair. I stayed the night at Carmichael and when Murine heard Jetta's sad tale, she filled a chest for me to take in the wagon too. And then--"

  "Let me guess," Aulay interrupted dryly. "Saidh and Greer had already left Sinclair by the time ye got there too, but Jo and Campbell Sinclair insisted ye stay the night, heard the tale, and gave ye a chest as well."

  "Three chests," Alick corrected him, his expression grim.

  "Three?" Aulay echoed with surprise.

  "Aye, one with dresses in it, and two with bolts o' fabric she thought Jetta might use to make gowns in a fashion she preferred," he explained, and then added with disgust, "I needed a bigger wagon and another horse to help pull it, and now I was going ridiculously slowly."

  "Aye, I can imagine," Aulay growled.

  "Me next stop was MacDonnell again, where I finally caught up with Saidh and Greer, and she supplied a chest o' dresses as well. But they decided on three midsized carts rather than the large one in hopes we could travel more quickly."

  "So ye went all the way up to Sinclair," Aulay muttered, shaking his head.

  "I ha'e been everywhere this past week," Alick said with disgust, and then accused him, "Ye truly did no' listen to a word I said in yer bedchamber, did ye?"

  Aulay stared at him for a minute, and then rather than answer the question, growled, "And ye told all o' them about Jetta?"

  "Uh," Alick said weakly. "Well . . ."

  Aulay closed his eyes.

  "I suspect that means we'll be having more company within the week," Rory put in, sounding cheerful.

  "More like within the next hour," Alick said apologetically. "They were all eager to come meet Jetta and sent messengers to MacDonnell yester eve with news they'd be arriving at Buchanan this morning. 'Tis why we left so early. Saidh wanted to be here to greet them."

&
nbsp; "God's teeth," Aulay muttered with disgust. His home was about to be invaded by three more very beautiful, very kind and very sweet busybodies who would help his sister interfere horribly in his life, he thought and then frowned as a thought struck him. Scowling at Alick, he asked shortly, "If Edith gave ye a chest o' damned dresses, why did ye no' just return to Buchanan then? Why continue to hunt down Saidh? The dresses were what were wanted."

  "Aye, but I kenned ye'd want Saidh and the others here for the wedding," he pointed out as if that should be obvious, and then added, "Finding them all now saved me having to find them later."

  "What wedding?" Aulay asked with bewilderment.

  "Yours . . . to Jetta. I felt sure ye'd want to marry her now that ye've taken her to yer bed."

  "I didn't take her--she is alone in me bed," Aulay growled furiously. "Her honor is safe."

  "Aye, but no one else kens that, and she's obviously a noble lady. Ye can't just tell her ye're her husband, let people think ye've bedded her, and then not marry her. She's ruined now whether ye've slept with her or no'," he pointed out, and Aulay suddenly understood. Alick had continued to hunt Saidh because it allowed him to call in reinforcements. The rest of the family had been dragged into it, to force him to marry Jetta if he didn't agree to do so willingly. Dear God, they would force Jetta to marry him whether she wanted to or not if he didn't do something to prevent it.

  Glancing toward the keep doors, Aulay stood abruptly, thinking only that he needed to beat Saidh to the lodge, collect Jetta and flee. Where to, he didn't know, but fleeing was the only way to save her from being forced to marry him when she might not want to.

  "Did ye no' mention to me last night that ye wanted to question the men who were on the gate about what they may or may no' ha'e seen when Katie was shot with the arrow?" Rory asked solemnly.

  Aulay paused and turned on him with a scowl. Leave it to Rory to be his conscience. His younger brother had been doing that for the last five weeks when it came to his interactions with Jetta and he was growing heartily sick of it. Besides, that was before he'd learned the four horsewomen of the Apocalypse were about to descend on him. Well, three, he supposed. One of them was already here.

  "Saidh loves ye," Rory said solemnly. "So do Murine and Edith, and Jo likes ye too. And all four o' them are kind. They'll no' harm Jetta or do anything to hurt you." He allowed that to sink in and then added, "And Geordie and Katie need ye here."