Highland Angel

by Hannah Howell

  "Ah, the valiant guardian of his sister's virtue,” drawled Sir Elrick, glaring at his son.

  "I really need to get some sort of secure latch for the door,” murmured Payton, wincing faintly when Kirstie pinched his hip.

  "Fither, why dinnae ye come to the great hall with me,” said Eudard. “Alice is setting out food to break your fast."

  "And leave these two alone?"

  "They need to, weel, they need some privacy, dinnae they? Ye cannae have a reasonable talk here."

  "Mayhap I dinnae want a reasonable talk. Mayhap I just want to give out a few commands and toss in a few bloodcurdling threats to make sure I am obeyed."

  "Weel, mayhap I want to have a reasonable talk to ye first,” Eudard said through gritted teeth. “I truly need to talk to ye first. Now. Please."

  Sir Elrick sighed. “Fine. First tell the wee lad to get his knife out of my arse."

  "Callum!” Kirstie and Eudard yelled at the same time.

  Callum rolled his eyes and sheathed his knife. “Thank ye, Callum, for worrying o'er me and trying to protect my arse from them what would sneak in and try to cut off bits I might sorely miss,” he muttered.

  Payton grinned at the boy. “Thank ye, Callum. I most certainly would miss those bits."

  "Ye may still lose them, so ye can swallow that big smile of yours,” growled Elrick. Then he looked at Callum. “Hungry, laddie?"

  "Aye,” replied Callum. “Always."

  "Ye do ken that if ye stick a knife in a mon's arse, ye willnae bring him down, dinnae ye?"

  "Aye, Ian told me. Said it would just make him angry. He showed me the best places to stick a knife, but I didnae think I ought to try to cut the liver out of one of my lady's kinsmen."

  "Verra thoughtful of ye, lad,” drawled Elrick as the last of his sons left the room and he followed them, Callum at his side.

  Kirstie blinked as the door shut behind everyone, leaving her alone with Payton. She had always thought it would be nice if Payton and Callum met her family, but she had never imagined this sort of a meeting. What really troubled her was what was yet to come. She knew her father would be demanding marriage. Instinct told her Payton would feel honor demanded that he comply. Kirstie was not sure she could hold firm against both men and her own foolish desires.

  "Payton,” she said, but he was already getting out of bed and disappearing into the small adjoining room where they kept the bath, the chamber pot, and most of their clothes. “Payton!” she called.

  "No time to talk now, love,” he called back. “I dinnae think your father will be leaving us alone for too long."

  "I can talk and dress at the same time,” she grumbled as she got out of bed and tugged on her shift.

  She turned to go into the little room only to find the door shut. Although Payton was not heavily burdened with a sense of modesty, she knew there were some things even he would wish privacy for. Kirstie sighed and sat down on the bed to wait for him. A few minutes later, he came out, still lacing up his doublet, kissed her on the cheek, and left. She stared at the door, her mind telling her that he had just made a hasty escape, but that made little sense. Then she realized the men would quickly start to discuss her future whether she was there or not, and she hurried to get dressed.

  Payton breathed a sigh of relief when Kirstie did not come after him. He then cursed as he made his way to his great hall. All his clever little plans had just been utterly ruined. He had been waiting for them both to heal so that he could propose marriage to Kirstie in a romantic setting, one where, if she hesitated to accept him, he could seduce her into saying aye. Being caught in bed with her by her large, well-armed family would certainly ensure that she married him, but there would be no chance to woo her to the idea, to soothe any doubts or fears she might have.

  At the doors to his great hall, Payton hesitated, took several deep breaths to prepare himself for the confrontation he knew awaited him, and stepped into the room. Nine tall, dark Kinlochs turned to stare at him; he beat down a brief urge to turn around and leave, preferably at a very swift pace. He straightened himself and walked to the head of the table, indicating with a wave of his hand that everyone should sit down. For a little while silence reigned as everyone helped themselves to food and drink. Payton used the respite to prepare himself.

  "Eudard tells me ye have already told him that ye intend to marry my lass,” Sir Elrick said as he slathered honey on a thick piece of bread. “Said ye told him that when he first arrived and that is why he didnae geld ye."

  "I did say that,” Payton admitted. “I had hoped to present my suit to your daughter within the next few days."

  "Couldnae find the time whilst ye were bedding her for the last month or more?"

  "She was still married,” Payton reminded him. “Now that she is a widow, I need nay hesitate."

  "I do thank ye for killing that bastard."

  "I am nay the one to thank. At the time I was tied to a tree, bruised and bleeding. The boy Simon did the deed."

  "Ye prepared him for the slaughter and kept my lass alive whilst ye did so. It might have been better if ye had kept your breeches tightly laced as weel, but that doesnae change the fact that she is alive because ye helped her. ‘Tis why I didnae pin ye to that bed with my sword."

  "I commend ye for your show of restraint,” Payton murmured and wondered if that really was laughter he had just briefly glimpsed in the man's eyes.

  "Callum, m'boy, do ye think ye can take my lad Aiken here and find us a priest?"

  "Nay, Fither!” cried Kirstie as she entered in time to hear her father's question. “Ye cannae do this.” She hurried to the table to take a seat on Payton's right.

  "Oh, aye, I can.” Sir Elrick looked at Callum and Aiken. “Go on with ye. She willnae be changing my mind.” He nodded when the pair hurried away, then fixed a stern look upon his daughter. “But ye will try, will ye not?"

  "Of course,” Kirstie replied. “'Tis nay as if I was some maid, Fither. I was a wife and am now a widow."

  "And your point is?"

  "Weel, ‘tisnae uncommon for such women to, weel, frolic a wee bit and no one pays any heed."

  "I do. And we all ken ye were no wife to that piece of filth."

  Kirstie looked at Payton. “Dinnae ye have anything to say?"

  Payton shook his head as he spooned some stewed apples over his porridge. “They found us naked in a bed together. I am nay sure there is much one can say."

  He was not going to make even the smallest protest, Kirstie realized. She looked at Ian, who had slipped into the room behind her and taken a seat at the far end of the table. He just smiled. Next she studied the faces of her family, only to find that even Eudard looked stern and unbending. She had no allies. About the only way she could see to put a stop to this was to flee and she knew her father would have planned for that. The moment she had entered the room she had become trapped. It truly would be a waste of time to argue, but she decided to try anyway.

  "Fither, ye dinnae need to hold a sword on him,” Kirstie snapped as she knelt beside Payton before a plump, balding priest. “He hasnae made e'en one protest."

  "E'en the best of horses can balk at the last gate,” Sir Elrick said.

  "Ah, me, why am I nay surprised by the scene?” drawled a deep voice from the doorway to the great hall.

  Payton cursed and looked toward the couple walking over to him. “Hello, Father. Mother.” He introduced everyone, despite still kneeling before the priest, Sir Elrick's sword at his back. “I suppose Gillyanne wrote to ye."

  "Aye.” Sir Nigel Murray looked at the priest. “Carry on."

  Kirstie stared at Payton's handsome father and stunningly beautiful mother and felt wretched. They both smiled at her and she managed a weak smile in return. She wondered why they were not trying to stop this, or even asking a few hard questions. Was she the only one who saw the problems in such a marriage? Everyone else seemed either pleased or determined. She could understand the children being happy about it all, f
or they were too young to know all that was wrong with being forced to marry someone. It was everyone else's attitude that confused her, including Payton's. He did not seem even mildly annoyed over this indignity.

  A nudge from Payton turned her attention to the priest. Despite her confusion and doubt, she heard herself dutifully repeat her vows. It startled her when Payton produced the rings required, finely wrought gold bands, one of which fit her perfectly. Why, she thought a little dazedly, would a carefree, licentious rogue have such rings on hand? Did he keep a small chest full of such tokens to give his lovers?

  Then it was over. She was married. A widow for barely a fortnight and now a wife again. She thought it very sad that her first husband had married her because she looked like a child and her second husband had married her because he preferred her to a precise and painful gutting by her angry father.

  Once on her feet, Payton kissed her. It was no delicate, chaste kiss and she was soon clinging to him. There was no anger in his embrace, just a fierce, possessive ardor. Then Kirstie found herself freed, Payton's curse still tingling against her lips. When she saw how he rubbed the back of his head and glared at her father, she realized that odd noise she had heard had been her father rapping on Payton's head with the hilt of his sword.

  In the confusion of the hearty congratulations, which she found somewhat misplaced, Kirstie found herself separated from Payton. She finally saw him talking seriously with both her father and his. Certain that the three men were planning her life, she started toward them, only to be brought up short by the grip of a small, delicate but surprisingly strong hand on her arm. She looked into the beautiful green eyes of Lady Gisele and wondered why Payton's mother was not berating her for forcing her son into marriage.

  "You did not wish to marry my son?” Gisele asked.

  "If Payton and I were to be married, I would rather it had been done without nine swords prodding him to the altar,” Kirstie replied and was a little surprised to see the amusement upon Lady Gisele's face.

  "A very manly performance, oui? And, I would leave them to talk now. Another manly thing ‘tis best to let them do. You can correct their mistakes later, non?"

  "This whole business was a mistake."

  "Was it? You do not love my son? Gillyanne was most certain that you did.” She smiled and touched the blush that quickly heated Kirstie's cheeks. “I have waited a long time for someone to love my son."

  "A lot of women have loved your son. He is probably the most loved mon in Scotland.” Kirstie realized just the thought of all the women Payton had known had her scowling at his back and she quickly turned her attention back to his mother, who was smiling a little too knowingly for Kirstie's comfort.

  "A lot of women have wanted Payton,” Lady Gisele said. “Like they want a pretty ring, or the finest house in the town, or the richest gown. They have not loved him. They want to hold the beauty of him and have everyone know that they do, but they see no more, look no deeper. He knows this so he does not linger, but flits from flower to flower. I think he flitted a little too much,” Lady Gisele smiled when Kirstie briefly laughed, “but that is a man's way."

  "How do ye ken I am nay the same as those other women?"

  "Such a woman would ne'er risk all, e'en her life, for street waifs.” Lady Gisele winked. “And, of course, I have Gillyanne's assurance that you love him."

  "What I feel doesnae matter all that much. Payton was forced to marry me and that can ne'er be a good thing."

  "Child, do you truly believe my pretty but very pig-headed son could be forced to do anything he did not wish to do?” She slipped her arm through Kirstie's and started to walk toward where the children were gathered. “I know you will not heed me in this, but my son is exactly where he wishes to be. Now, I wish to meet these children."

  "Ye need nay scowl at me, laddie,” said Sir Elrick. “Ye had weeks to take care of this matter and dinnae give me that nonsense about her being married. She wasnae really and ye kenned she would soon be a widow. I would ne'er have thought ye the shy, reticent type."

  Payton scowled at his father when the man laughed. “Ye did notice this mon was holding a sword on me, didnae ye?"

  "Aye,” Nigel replied. “If I had found my lass abed with a mon, I believe I would have done the same. Ye ken weel how I reacted when I first learned about your sister Avery and her Cameron. Circumstances made this sort of thing impossible and the fools got married ere I could figure out a way to make them."

  "I wanted to woo her."

  "Thought that was what ye were doing,” said Sir Elrick. “Of course, most of us do our wooing with our clothes on.” He studied Payton for a moment, a glimmer of amusement in his storm-grey eyes. “After all the practice ye have had, I would have thought ye would be able to get it right by now."

  Ignoring his father's laughter, Payton said, “I didnae woo any of those other women. Didnae have to. Didnae want to."

  "Cocksure little bugger, isnae he?” Elrick exchanged a grin with Nigel, then fixed a stern gaze on Payton. “And, ye willnae be wooing any other lasses from now on, laddie. I willnae be pleased if ye hurt my lass. Aye, I ken ‘tis my fault she was wed to that piece of filth, but he was good at hiding what he was and she didnae tell me anything, did she? Kept all this misery secret, then turned to ye."

  "First—I believe in holding to vows made. ‘Tis why I was always careful to make none and why I was, admittedly, a little slow to decide to make some to Kirstie. Second—Kirstie didnae tell ye about Roderick because she was sure ye would all come riding to her rescue and probably kill the mon."

  "No probably about it."

  "Exactly. And that would have turned the wrath of the MacIyes upon ye and yours. Kirstie kenned that the powerful and much larger MacIyes would decimate her family and clan. She came to me because she felt I was of an equally powerful and large clan. E'en more important, I had the ability and knowledge to expose the bastard so that no one would care if he was killed.” He shook his head. “My only regret is that I didnae get to do the killing."

  "I see. Galls me to admit it, but she may have been right. And the boy Simon who did the killing? Is he all right? Twelve is young to have felled your first mon."

  "He is fine,” replied Payton. “A little unsteady at first, but there were so many reasons to kill the mon, the justice of it soothes his unease. At the moment he struck, Roderick was about to separate Kirstie's head from her shoulders.” Payton briefly glanced at the marks still visible upon his wrists where he had savaged them in a frantic and futile attempt to break free of his bonds. “I could do naught to help her or Callum, who was with her and would have been next.” Payton looked at Elrick and knew he had revealed some of the torment he had felt at that time, one that still haunted him.

  "Ah, lad, ye love my wee lass, dinnae ye?"

  "Aye, but it will be difficult to make her believe it after this."

  "Just tell her, Payton,” said Nigel, and shrugged when his son looked at him. “I fear your winning way with the lasses only hurts your cause now. Pretty words and soft flatteries willnae do it. She kens that ye are skilled at those and gave them out freely to others. Nay, plain words, lad. And, ye may have to repeat them. Speak from the heart, son, and dinnae worry if it isnae elegant. It just has to sound like the truth to her."

  "Wise words,” Payton murmured. “I will try to heed them, but ‘tis nay easy to bare one's heart when ye dinnae ken what the one ye offer it to is feeling."

  "For a lad who has been said to have bedded half the lasses in Scotland, ye arenae too wise about women,” said Elrick. “Or, mayhap ye have ne'er had too much to do with the right lasses. Kirstie is sharp of tongue and stubborn, but she obeys all the hard rules, the ones that say a wife keeps to her vows and a maid keeps her chastity. She broke them all to be with ye."

  Payton stared at his new father-in-law for a moment, then slowly smiled. “Aye, she did, didnae she?"

  "I would appreciate it if ye didnae look quite so lecherous when ye say that.�
�� Elrick spoke sternly, but his eyes brimmed with laughter.

  After grinning at Elrick, Payton looked around for Kirstie. “Might as weel start a wee bit of wooing now as ‘tis a wee bit early to start my wedding night.” He suddenly noticed the three men standing in the doorway of the great hall. “Curse it. The MacMillans are here.” He briefly explained about Callum. “I believe that is Sir Gavin with Bryan and Euan. I also believe this could take a lot of my time."

  "I suspicion my lass will understand. Tend to it. We will keep her busy. If naught else, she has some explaining to do."

  "And your mother and Alice will be more than willing to stand as her kinswomen and do whate'er it is that women think they need to do for a wedding night,” said Nigel.

  As soon as Payton was gone, Elrick looked at Nigel. “Ye have no objections to all this, do ye?"

  "Nary a one,” said Nigel. “I have always believed ye should marry when ye find a women who fits ye, but I was beginning to think Payton would ne'er find one. Worse, I began to think he was becoming too much the courtier, too accustomed to fleeting liaisons and empty, false friendships. He fell into it all at a verra young age."

  "Och, aye, a bonnie lad like that would."

  "He was becoming blind to it all. This business reopened his eyes to the rot that can lie beneath the rich clothes, the power, and the heady sex. All my wife cared about was that the lass truly loved Payton. Our niece Gillyanne, who has a way to sense such things, assured her that Kirstie did love Payton for what he is, nay just what she sees, and that Payton loves Kirstie."

  "Do ye think the fools will sort that out?"

  "It may take a wee bit of time."

  "Aye. Weel, it will do the laddie good to actually have to work for what he wants from a woman."

  Nigel nodded. “A struggle can only build character."

  "Exactly. How long do ye think we should give them?"

  "A month or two. Even an idiot ought to be able to sort it out by then."

  "True, true. And if they prove to be complete idiots?"