“Yes, but how many have to die to get Isabel returned to you?” asked William. “How many other lives do we need to sacrifice because your daughter is unable to keep her head about her? Do you think she will learn from this?”
The Duke stood with confusion in his eye. He had not anticipated any push back from the men.
“Why, of course, she will. Isabel would never knowingly have wandered to the clan’s territory,” the Duke said.
Ezra looked at him with a flash of anger, knowing the Duke was well aware by now that Isabel had made the choice to go. It seemed that he had chosen to live in denial to avoid placing the responsibility on her shoulders. In his mind, Isabel was a helpless victim, the Scots were vicious kidnappers, and he was a great hero.
“Then how did she come to accidentally be among her brothers’ killers. Really now? Have some dignity!” cried Iain.
A few of the other men gave their agreement.
“Truthfully, Your Grace, I cannot be a part of this any longer. And perhaps that means I should not be among your advisors any longer…” William said.
The Duke of Gordon stood to his full height and puffed out his chest.
“Then go,” he growled in a low voice.
Unafraid, William stood and left the room in silence. Two other followed behind him.
The Duke’s face turned weak and helpless for a moment before he regained himself and looked at the remaining men.
“And you? Are you to stand with me?” he asked.
“I have a daughter, you know, Your Grace. I cannot imagine the pain of losing your son and then having her taken. For that, I am still with you,” said Iain. “But I must insist that you allow myself and your brother to head up the strategy and planning.”
Ezra nodded ever so slightly.
“Alright,” the Duke relented. “You may strategize together. But understand that I am determined that we must get her back this time. I cannot go further without my daughter. Please, Iain, bring her back to me.”
“Yes, Your Grace. We will. But I do have a second condition,” he added.
“And that is…?”
“You will be at the very back of our unit again. And you will not have any wine or spirits for three days prior to the attack,” Iain said.
The Duke scoffed. “And why is that?”
“Because, Your Grace, as you know, I am a medical man. I do not like what I have seen from the effect of spirits on war. These are my terms if you would like me at your side,” he replied.
“Then that is how it shall be done,” said the Duke of Gordon.
Chapter 32
“She’s awfully bonnie,” Edan said, grooming a new colt who had come later than expected. Her solid black coat and mane seemed to reflect the sun.
“Aye, me Laird, and she is at that,” replied Philip. “Strong too.”
“Quite the coat on her,” Edan said.
“I’ve scarce seen such a black like this. Solid, shiny. She will make a fine horse in appearance and in use. We’ve got a real winner here,” Philip responded.
“Do ye think-” Edan began.
“Laird Edan!” shouted one of the young guards as he came running toward the stables. Like so many of the guards, he was barely coming into his manhood. It seemed to Edan that those he had looked up to for their strength as a boy now appeared as mere children.
“What is it now?” Edan asked, surprised by the urgency in the guard’s face. He had already grown weary of dealing with urgent news from his guards. He had only been Laird a short time, and already the clan had faced so much.
“It’s yer spy, me Laird. He has returned with news. He’s gone to have the council gathered, and he is asking that ye come at once,” he answered.
Edan knew that news from his spy could not be good. While Donald had been in England since his father was Laird, Edan had sent word after the attack that Donald needed to be on guard for news from the Duke of Gordon. Now he was back, and it couldn’t be good.
Edan prepared himself for whatever news he was about to learn, but ultimately, he was ready to find disagreement within his council..
“Donald, ye’ve called us all, and here we are. What news have ye?” Edan urged. He could hardly bear the suspense of knowing they might be in danger yet again.
“Me Laird. Council,” Donald greeted quickly. “It seems the Duke is eager to attack once more. He has reason to believe ye have harmed his child.”
“His child? James was hardly a child! Still, I ken he has a false opinion of us and here is oor confirmation,” Edan said. “Nevertheless, to be accusing us of harming a child is completely foolish and unnecessary. What a pillock!”
“Aye, a right twat for making us look like monsters,” Robert agreed. “Ye think he’s really going to come at us for that? They already failed once, what more do they want? What sense is it in attacking us again?”
“Me Laird, we cannae use the same strategy as last time. They will be expecting it,” Callum said. He seemed to be shaking a little, and Edan wondered if his uncle was afraid. Most of the time he stood to speak, but there was something different at this meeting, something that made him appear weak.
After all the deaths that had occurred in the previous attack, it was not cowardly to be afraid. Even in victory, they faced extreme loss. Edan felt a bit of sympathy for his uncle considering that he was perhaps ill at ease in the thought of going again.
“Callum has a point,” said Robert. He looked at the men in the room. The oldest of them all sat quietly observing, yet unwilling to comment, despite the fact that he was renowned for his wisdom. Others merely nodded or grunted their agreement.
Edan watched as well, unsure of where the conversation may lead and hoping desperately that it did not come back to him or the English lass. He was now aware of Robert’s feelings on the issue, and it seemed ill-advised to return to the discussion.
“We must forge a new plan for handling this attack. Form a new surprise. Ensure that we arnae caught off guard by the fact that they will also be forming a new strategy,” Callum said.
“Absolutely, uncle. Yer wisdom in this matter is greatly needed,” Edan said.
“And what of ye?” asked Robert.
“What do ye mean?” Edan asked.
“Are ye planning to spirit the girl away again? Like last time?” he inquired. Edan knew that he had gone at the council’s insistence before, but there was something he disliked in Robert’s tone. It was something which told him that perhaps he would be paying for that decision for a very long time.
“I cannae leave again,” Edan said. It would not be right to go away, and he knew it. Not after the loss they faced last time. Still, he was miffed that Robert would even suggest it as an option. As though it were something Edan might consider.
“Donald, tell us, did ye hear when the Duke wishes to proceed?” Edan asked. He was desperate to change the line of thought for his men.
“No, me Laird Edan, I dinnae ken for sure. But based on the rumors that he’s grown drunk and erratic because of losing his children, I’d say he’s awfully unpredictable,” Donald replied.
“Ha! Children!” scoffed Callum. “James was a grown man. What a crazy spin these rumors take.”
“True,” Donald agreed.
“Right then,” began Edan. “She will nae like it, but me sister will take the English lass this time and get her away. I cannae be gone again during a fight. No matter the risk,” Edan said.
“There is no one to take yer place if ye befall harm,” Callum reminded him.
“There are plenty who could lead and care for the clan,” Edan said. “Ye can see them all in this room. Leaders. Leaders with sons who can take up the mantle after ye. The clan will nae be left unguarded, of that I am certain.”
“Then we are with ye, me Laird,” said Robert. The other men all mumbled their agreement.
The decision was made.
The men seemed to file out slowly, but Edan remained behind with Robert and Callum. They h
ad decided to come up with a basic plan, and the whole of the council would come together again to finalize their thoughts.
“Are ye both content with this?” he asked.
“Aye, I am right confident we can beat them again,” Callum declared.
“So long as we are prepared with a new strategy, and we havnae any real danger of surprise, then we are good to go. We dinnae ken exactly when they will come, so perhaps we should walk through that?”
The three formed a plan whereby each evening they would send three lone riders to check for enemies. Each one at a further distance, they could signal back to one another through the blow of a horn should they see enemies approaching.
When the day comes that the English were in fact seen, the army would be on alert to come together and ready themselves for an attack in all directions.
“So, we have a plan then?” asked Callum.
“A semblance of one. I dinnae ken. We have to hope that they dinnae come tonight. We still have to flesh out the details and get it approved by the council, see if they agree,” Robert said.
Edan, Robert, and Callum went to the great hall to eat. Edan’s eyes scanned the room and hoped that he might run into the lass, but she was nowhere to be seen.
After he ate, he searched for Isabel and Caitriona every place he could think of. They were not in either of their rooms nor the library. He asked at the stable but was told they had not gone out together.
Finally, Edan learned that Caitriona had taken Isabel back to the marketplace. With Caitriona present, it would be harder for Isabel to experience the hatred she had gotten with Edan.
With Caitriona, no one would suspect Isabel was a temptress, just that she must be a good soul to have captured the true friendship of Edan’s sister.
Despite her reputation for loving nearly everyone, Caitriona was known for her hostility against the English. Their friendship built confidence for those who saw them together.
At least that’s what Caitriona told Edan later when she begged him to lend her some money to cover the debt she had incurred while the two ladies went shopping together.
It seemed as though things might work out for Isabel in Scotland after all.
Chapter 33
Edan knew he needed time with Isabel before the Duke’s next attack on the castle. Caitriona would take her soon for a few days as they wait out the impending strike. But, before she left, he needed to see her.
With that in mind, Edan planned an elaborate day. They would leave early and return before nightfall and before the coming of the English.
Isabel had gathered her belongings to leave the following day with Caitriona, with a hope the attack would not occur this night. But for today, she would wear a peach silk dress and plait her hair down one side to ensure she looked well.
Every morning since Edan’s drunken mishap, she would hide the knife under her pillow, and she was glad she had no need to use it so far. However, her duty to family still left her with shame, and she needed to be ready to strike.
When Edan came for her, they made a beeline to the stables, mounted their horses, and Isabel followed him through the meadow and into the woods.
“Today we are going west,” Edan announced. It was a different route, farther than any they’ve taken before, where a stretch of the river was shallow enough for the horses to wade across with ease.
Isabel marveled at the colorful stones beneath the clear water. “It is beautiful here,” she said. She saw there were more trees ahead, and they smoothly crossed into them.
“The trees get a little thicker here, but on the other side, ye will love what ye see,” Edan promised.
Isabel wanted to trust him, despite her determination not to. “You think so?”
“Aye.”
During another twenty minutes of riding, they listened to the click-click-click of the woodpeckers, the buzzing of the beetles, and tried not to get caught in the thick forest of silver birch trees and their thick glossy green leaves. Isabel saw there was a clearing. It seemed strange, unlike any clearing she was used to.
They slowed their horses to a canter. Ahead stood standing stones — very tall stones — twice as tall than Edan’s head. There were spaces between each. What were they doing here?
She wondered why he would lead her to see towers of stone. “What is this place?
“Ye’ll see soon enough.”
They dismounted and tied their horses to trees. Isabel slowly wandered toward an opening and squeezed her frame through it. Behind her, Edan struggled to fit his broad chest through the sliver.
“These are amazing!” she exclaimed.
“Ye like them?” he asked.
“Oh, indeed!” Isabel said. “They are glorious! What are they for?”
Edan came behind her, wrapped his left arm around her waist. The other slid smoothly down her right and captured her hand. With her hands in his, he made a broad sweep from left to right, pointing out they were surrounded by a circle of stones. She loved the closeness of leaning into him and feeling his arms around her waist.
“Legend says that the laird in these lands, many generations ago, placed them as a sign and seal for his lover. When they made their union within the circle, it meant they would be in union forever. It’s unending, ye see.”
“Union…” She never thought of it that way. She enjoyed the intimacy she had experienced with Edan already, but an unending union was an eternity she hadn’t considered.
With a saucy flip of her head and her best coquettish voice, she said, “Well then, my Laird Edan, how might I best be in union with you?”
He whispered in her hair “Feel the moment, Isabel. We are alone, just ye, me and the stones.” That was a big thump in her heart and warmth on her cheeks.
She turned and found his face. His flashed a rascally grin, and she had a hunch he was setting a tone of what was to come.
His fingers cupped her face; his eyes on hers; his thumb caressed her bottom lip. Her pulse was racing. He loosened her braid, and her tousled hair spilled on her shoulders. Now she knew for sure the heat on her cheeks was a full blush.
I know what men and women do, so why do I have this uneasy feeling deep within me?
She watched him grab the hem of his pirate shirt and slowly — inch by inch — he pulled it over his head. He lay it on the ground as if spreading a tablecloth for a feast. Her heart was somersaulting.
Was there a chill in the air?
She raked her fingers through his thatch of red hair to find his broad chest was as firm as the alder trees they passed along the way. She looked up and noticed the ridiculous grin on his face. She licked her lips.
As he flopped to the ground, he grabbed her arm, and she came tumbling next to him. He couldn’t tell if she shrieked or giggled. Either way, he had come to love her laugh.
I know this would be a moment that changes everything. He fulfilled his promise to do more to follow that incredible moment. I am not afraid.
It’s going to happen. Now. I can’t make sense of the shudder of terror I’m feeling. I feel goosebumps.
He watched her face while he unbuttoned her bodice —frustratingly one button at a time. She was panting. He slipped it off her shoulders and sensuously glided his palm down her arm. He was torturing himself, but he had to take it at a snail’s pace.
Something was stirring inside of her, but she couldn’t pinpoint where.
He knew just what to say to get her aroused. He whispered in her ear, “Do you know how beautiful you are?” The rim of that ear started to burn. She was panting harder.
She reached up and pull him down on her. She felt beads of sweat on her forehead. When he brushed a kiss behind her neck, she wanted to melt, right there and then.
“If ye want me to stop, tell me now,” he whispered.
Her eyes widened. She shook her head. She was huffing and puffing.
His moist tongue trailed along her neck and stopped between her breasts. She shimmied her butt in the ground.
/> “Or now…”
She was gasping. Is he kidding?
He outlined a ring around her breast and nibbled on her rosy peaks.
Am I humping?
He lifted her skirts and traced her navel. She caught her breath. He parted her legs then crooked a finger inside her folds and stroked her sweet spot, which she had so enjoyed last time. He paused only to pull off the peach dress, leaving Isabel in her remaining undergarments which she helped him wrench off her body.
The Highlander's Enigmatic Bride: A Scottish Historical Romance Novel Page 18
