Highland Warrior Woman (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting)

by Becca Van

  “Cease.” His roar bounced off the stone walls of the keep. The clash of metal on metal slowed and finally stopped, as did the yells of the Campbell warriors.

  When Hamish had commanded the attention of all, he called out, “Maeghan Fraser has disappeared. I want everyone to help search for her. The MacLeods have already taken her once and beaten her. We will not allow that to happen again.”

  “Duncan.” Hamish looked toward their commander. “I want ye to take yer brothers and search to the north. Ian, take a party south, and, Cailean, ye search the west. We will go east. We want the lass found before someone else finds her.”

  “Hamish,” Greer, the stable master, called, “a lad left just before dawn. Alistair saddled a mount for him.”

  “Where is Alistair?”

  “Right here, sir.” Alistair stepped out from behind his father.

  “How big was this lad?”

  “Cannae have been much more than ten summers. I’m going on twelve, and I’m much taller and brawny than that skinny lad.”

  Hamish ignored the smirk on Alistair’s face, too worried about Maeghan to discipline him.

  “Describe the lad to me.”

  “He was wearing breeches, sir, but they looked too big for his scrawny body, and he looked like he had borrowed his papa’s shirt. His hair was flaxen but short, not down to his shoulders, and his face was covered in bruises.”

  “Which way did the lad head?”

  “South, I think. Angus was the one to open the gate for the lad.”

  “Just a word of warning, Alistair,” Hamish said quietly. “Next time someone ye have never seen before tries to leave, take the matter to myself or my brothers. That ‘lad’ might just be our future wife.”

  * * * *

  Hamish led the way over the drawbridge and turned south, his brothers following. The other parties had set out as well. There were nearly five hundred men at their command. Hamish knew they would find Maeghan eventually. What worried him most was where and how they would find her. The forests were full of vagabonds and poachers, not to mention Laird MacLeod and his man. In anticipation of a fight, Hamish was outfitted with his claymore sword, a dirk, and two daggers. His brothers were similarly equipped, and Gerty had given them food and water as well. A highlander learned at a young age to be prepared for any eventuality.

  Nudging his mount to a gallop, Hamish scanned the ground for signs of Maeghan and her horse. More than an hour passed before he saw anything promising. He signaled his brothers to stop.

  Tracks led from the road into the forest. By the imprints left in the ground, the rider didn’t weigh much.

  He led the way into the woods. After a time, he spied kicked-up earth, as if the horse pranced skittishly. Then it looked to have bolted. As he followed the tracks, he became more and more concerned. The path the horse had taken was perilous. It had dodged between trees with low-hanging branches and jumped fallen logs, but there was no sign of the horse slowing down.

  “Fuck!” Calum cried. “She’s headed toward the ravine.”

  Hamish kicked his destrier into a canter. He wanted to go faster, but he wasn’t about to put him or his mount at risk. If they were hurt, how could he help Maeghan? The sound of horses’ hooves pounding the earth behind him told him his brothers stayed close.

  The trees opened suddenly at the ravine, and Hamish saw Maeghan’s horse up ahead, cropping at the green sprigs of grass, reins dangling to the side. Maeghan herself was nowhere to be seen.

  He jumped down and studied the earth, but there were no footprints besides the horse’s. “Maeghan, where are ye?” he yelled. He waited, listening, but there was no reply.

  Hamish looked over the cliff and scanned for her. He saw nothing but kept searching. His chest clenched painfully with fear. And then a flash of white caught his eye. Maeghan had been wearing one of Calum’s white lawn shirts to sleep in. Maybe she was wearing it still along with her plaid.

  The next moment Hamish was working his way down over rocks and brush. He found Maeghan half curled against a rock that protruded from the ground. She was moaning as if in pain, but her eyes were closed.

  “Maeghan, donnae move. Ye might have broken bones.” Hamish knelt down and ran his hands over her body, sighing with relief when he felt nothing obviously broken. With gentle fingers he searched her head and found a lump just behind her right ear.

  “How is she?” Ewan asked and squatted down next to them. Hamish glanced over his shoulder but saw no sign of Calum. Their eldest brother was probably staying with the horses up above.

  “She has a knot behind her ear, but other than that I can find no damage.”

  “We need to get her home.”

  “Aye, as soon as possible. She needs to rest. Her head is going to pain her something fierce.”

  “Maeghan, open yer eyes, sweetling.”

  “What?” Her eyelashes fluttered.

  “That’s it, little one, come back to us,” Hamish crooned softly.

  “Hamish?”

  “Aye, I’m here, dearling.”

  “What happened?”

  Hamish sighed with relief when she looked at him. Her beautiful blue eyes seemed dazed, but they were open.

  “That’s what we’d like to know,” Ewan stated. “But for now tell us where ye hurt, sweetling.”

  “My head.”

  “Any wonder, Maeghan. Ye hit it on this rock.” Hamish grasped her hand when she would have touched the knot. “Donnae touch. Ye’ll just make it hurt more.”

  “I’m going to lift ye now, Maeghan,” Ewan said. “If I hurt ye, tell me.”

  Ewan gently lifted her into his arms, watching her carefully in case he caused her pain. He sighed with relief when she didn’t flinch. Hamish let him lead the way back up the steep ravine, ready to give a bracing hand if necessary. It took them longer to ascend than it had to come down, but that was to be expected. Ewan was being very careful not to jostle Maeghan too much.

  “Maeghan Fraser, what the hell did ye think ye were doing?” Calum fairly bellowed when they were all once more back on stable ground.

  “Calum?” Maeghan whispered. “I’m sorry. I won’t get in yer way again.”

  “What are ye…?” Hamish looked to Calum and saw the tension around his mouth. His brother looked a bit guilty. Obviously something had happened between him and Maeghan, and Calum hadn’t told him or Ewan. He gave Calum a hard stare then turned toward Ewan and took Maeghan from him so his brother could mount up.

  After Ewan had settled Maeghan across his lap and wrapped her in his plaid, Hamish mounted and took the lead through the trees. Calum had retrieved Maeghan’s horse, and it trailed after them.

  Once they were out of the forest, he rode alongside Ewan and Maeghan. Calum took up the same position on their other side.

  “How is she?” Calum queried.

  “She’s sleeping,” Ewan answered.

  “Start talking, Calum,” Hamish demanded.

  Calum sighed and then told them how he had slept in his bed with Maeghan and been awakened when she had fallen onto the floor.

  “I helped her up and then I kissed her. She looked so sweet and innocent yet so damn luscious that I couldn’t help myself.” Calum ran a hand over his face and sighed. “I think it was her first kiss. She was so timid at first, but then she became more confident and copied my moves. I had her flat on her back and had covered her with my body without even realizing how deeply I was enthralled. If I hadn’t touched her bruised cheek and seen her flinch, I probably would have made love to her.”

  “So what did ye do?” Ewan asked.

  “I pulled away, of course. I couldn’t take the lass when she was in pain.”

  “More importantly,” Hamish added, “what did ye say?”

  “I apologized and told her it wouldn’t happen again. Then I suggested she rest so her body could heal.”

  “Fuck, Calum,” Hamish spat. “Ye are such a dolt.”

  “What?”

  “Ye donnae
get it, do ye, brother?” Ewan quizzed.

  “Get what?”

  “Ye have no idea aboot women,” Hamish sighed. “Ye never apologize for kissing a lass. It makes her think there’s something wrong with her.”

  “Why would ye say that?”

  “Because it happens to be true,” Ewan replied. “If a lass doesnae want yer attention, she’ll let ye know right quick, usually with a slap or a knee. If she kisses ye back, then she’s wanting yer attentions.”

  “And ye think I have it easy with the lasses,” Hamish said to Ewan.

  “Ye do,” Calum said curtly.

  “The laird over there only has to point to a lass and she’ll go running to his bedchamber to wait for him,” Ewan said. “Or she would, if he’d ever ask. He’s been too shy ever since he was scarred.”

  Calum grumbled something about not being shy.

  “Ye should not let that little mark on yer face bother ye, Calum,” Ewan said. “All the lasses like ye well enough.”

  “Besides,” Hamish added, “it’s not terrible to be rejected. I’ve had quite a few lasses refuse me.”

  “When would that be?” Calum adjusted the reins. “When ye were still in swaddling?

  “Ha, ha. Not every lass is willing to have fun, brother. The ones that donnae are usually the ones waiting for marriage.”

  “Hah, we don’t need a lass to be pure to offer marriage.”

  “Ye be right, we don’t. But a lass is taught by her mama to be pure for her husband. Some of the stories I’ve heard told would make any woman scared of sex before betrothal.”

  “Why do they do that?”

  “The kirks have been spouting off aboot waiting for the ceremony before consummation. They put the fear of God into the weaker sex.”

  “Hmm,” Hamish snorted. “We should have been struck by lightning hundreds of times by now.”

  “I’m going to ride ahead and get Lilith to see to Maeghan.”

  “Do ye think that wise, Calum?” Ewan asked.

  “Why wouldn’t it be?”

  “Och, maybe the fact that ye’ve had Lilith in yer bed regularly and broken the lass’s heart.”

  “She knew from the start it wasn’t permanent. I am her laird. She will do as I tell her.”

  Calum nudged his mount into a gallop and raced across the open meadow. The keep was in sight, and even though Hamish knew his brother was concerned for Maeghan and wanted their healer to examine her, he knew it was the wrong move on his brother’s behalf. Lilith played at being lighthearted, but she was very much in love with his kin’s position.

  He and Ewan were going to have to keep a close eye on Maeghan when in Lilith’s presence. He would have to ask Gerty to be his eyes and ears while they went about their duty during the day.

  Once Maeghan had healed, he along with his brothers intended to begin wooing her into their hearts and beds.

  Calum was going to be a problem. He was dictatorial and unbending and didn’t have the skills to deal with the more emotive, gentler sex. Hamish knew he, on the other hand, was seen as the lighthearted, easygoing brother who had lasses throwing themselves at his feet, but he could be just as demanding and dominant as his brothers, if not more so, and had a problem with his temper. Whereas Ewan, however, was a combination of them both. He could be hard yet compassionate when it was warranted, and he had more control over his emotions, making him the gentlest and most diplomatic of them.

  He had a feeling Ewan was going to be acting as the peacemaker as well as a hard taskmaster where Maeghan was concerned. She was going to have to learn to take direction from three very dominant males. The lass was used to having her way, but that was going to change. It had to. He couldn’t let her continually put her life in danger.

  Hamish wondered if they could keep her safe without putting out her fiery spirit. Taming the lass and snaring her heart would be easier said than done.

  Chapter Six

  “Maeghan!” Hamish bellowed across the hall as she moved toward the large wooden table. “How are ye feeling, sweetling?”

  “I’m well, thank you, Hamish.”

  She had indeed recovered greatly in the sennight since her fall. She had been confined to her bed to heal, which tried her patience. It felt good to be back on her feet.

  “Come and sit down, dearling, and break yer fast.” Ewan rose to his feet. He stepped over the bench seat and clasped her hand then led her back to the table and seated her at the head of the table between him and Calum. Hamish sat to Ewan’s right.

  Maeghan approached, feeling slightly awkward. She had become accustomed to the men’s presence, as they had been regular visitors at her bedside, but that was in the privacy of a bedchamber. There they were just men who entertained her with tales. Here they were powerful men in their own great hall.

  The room was full of the Campbell warriors, and they all seemed to be staring at her. She lowered her eyes and then looked toward Calum. He was frowning down at her with displeasure, and then he turned that frown to his men. The room went silent and the warriors turned back to their food.

  “What will ye have, Maeghan?” Hamish gestured to the breads, cheeses, and fresh-cooked fish on platters on the table.

  “Just some bread and cheese, please.”

  “Do ye want some mead or wine, dearling?”

  “Nay, water is fine.”

  She glanced around the room again and saw no sign of the woman she was looking for. Lilith, the healer, had also visited her regularly, though never alone. One of the Campbells or Gerty always attended the bedchamber when she was near. The hateful looks Lilith gave her made Maeghan unhappy, but she had no idea why Lilith didn’t like her. She had tried to befriend the older woman, but none of her friendly overtures were returned. Having her here might have made for an uneasy meal.

  Hamish handed her a goblet of water and placed a trencher of food in front of her. She concentrated on her meal, feeling uncomfortable in a room full of such handsome, brawny men.

  Whenever the men had sat at her side, each of them touched her constantly. Calum would hold her hand and unconsciously caress her skin. Ewan had taken to rubbing his hand up and down her arms or patting her legs beneath the covers. And Hamish…Hamish often gave her light kisses on the lips and stroked a finger down her cheek.

  She was unsure of her own feelings. Their touch was as welcome as their company, but she didn’t know what they wanted. She might think they were courting her, but Calum had rejected her kisses. Perhaps now his brothers thought to woo her instead?

  I will not have them fighting over me. Then she checked the thought. No man would ever fight over her. It seemed far more likely that Calum had warned his brothers that she was unschooled in the art of kissing and they would stay clear of her.

  Maeghan sighed. Now that she was able bodied again, she needed to get back to her own home and begin working on her loom. If she didn’t have her material to sell, she wouldn’t be able to buy the necessary supplies to supplement the game she hunted. She could rely on no one to take care of her, so she must take care of herself.

  Calum cleared his throat, drawing her attention. He was still frowning at her, and she wondered if she had done something to annoy him, again. “Ye are looking very pretty, today, Maeghan, but ye would look beautiful wearing the Campbell plaid.”

  Did he just compliment me? Or was he trying to insult me and my clan? Calum Campbell was a conundrum to her. He was a serious, dominant man, and she had no idea how to read him. Hamish was always quick with a smile of a jest, and Ewan seemed to be a mixture of his brothers’ personalities, but Calum was an enigma.

  “Laird Campbell, I would like to thank ye for yer hospitality, but if it would be no trouble, could I please have an escort back to my home?”

  “Ye aren’t going home, lass.”

  “Beg pardon?”

  “I said…”

  “I heard what ye said, Laird,” Maeghan began in a cool, controlled voice, even though inside she was roiling with ire. �
�What I’d like to know is why?”

  “Ye are now of the Campbell clan.”

  Maeghan jumped to her feet with such a force she would have toppled over the wooden seat if Calum hadn’t reached out and gripped her arm to steady her. She looked at Ewan to see him studying her intently and then shifted her gaze to Hamish. He had a slight smile on his face, but he also looked a little apprehensive.

  “Sit down, Maeghan,” Calum ordered.

  Maeghan sat, but only because the warriors were looking at her curiously. She didn’t like to have the attention of so many men. She was used to blending into the background and being treated like one of the lads or being totally ignored.

  “Nay, I am not a Campbell,” she bit out through clenched teeth. “I am a MacTavish and always will be. I would like to leave as soon as I have finished breaking my fast.”

  “Donnae take that tone with me, Maeghan. I am not one of the lads ye can order aboot. I am laird, and ye will do as I say.”

  “Ye are not my laird.”

  “Aye, I am,” Calum stated in a hard voice. “I also intend to be yer betrothed, as do Ewan and Hamish.”

  “What?” Maeghan had thought Calum didn’t want her here. That was why she was so eager to get back home. Or perhaps he didn’t, but Laird MacTavish had given him no choice! Maeghan’s heart dropped at the thought. “Ye donnae even like me. How can ye want to marry me?”

  She stared at Calum, absolutely stunned speechless, and waited for a reply. He looked away from her to all his warriors.

  “Fill yer trenchers and leave us.”

  Ewan took hold of her hand and caressed her inner wrist with a slightly callused thumb. The sensation of his warm skin on hers caused her pussy to sit up and take notice. She clamped her legs together, trying to stem the ache between her thighs, and watched, mesmerized, as his tanned digit smoothed over her flesh.

  “Look at me, dearling,” Ewan demanded. Maeghan found herself obeying even though she didn’t want to. Her gaze connected with his hazel eyes, and she found herself drowning in his heated stare. “Calum isn’t good with words, Maeghan. Please try and remember that.”