When a Laird Loves a Lady (Highlander Vows: Entangled Hearts Book 1)

by Julie Johnstone

  Iain kept his calm, as Alex looked angry enough for both of them. Alex slammed both his fists against the table, his eyes narrowing into slits. “Ye overstep as usual, Archibald. And ye boast too much. Ye’re a verra good tracker, but that dunnae make ye unfailing, nor does it mean another man will nae be able to find a trail ye lost.” Alex turned his gaze back to Iain. “I’ll go with ye, as will ten of my men. Will that suffice?”

  Iain nodded. “That should be plenty.”

  “I’ll go, too,” Archibald added, his eyes darting from Alex to Iain.

  “Nay,” Alex said in a now dangerously calm tone. “For failing to obey, ye’ll stay here.”

  The man’s nostrils flared and his hands curled into fists, but he kept his silence.

  The men all stood, and Iain, Rory Mac, and Angus faced one another. “Rory Mac will come, and Angus, ye’ll stay.”

  Rory Mac nodded but Angus crossed his arms over his chest and glared. “Is it because I’m older?”

  “Nay,” Iain assured the man. “It’s because I need ye to go upstairs and tell Marion that I’ll nae be back as soon as I thought, and then see her to supper in my stead.”

  “Why dunnae ye go tell her ye’re leaving yerself?” the man demanded.

  “Because Marion will want to come, and I dunnae have time to argue. If I send ye, there is no time wasted when an Englishman could be getting away.”

  “Seems sound,” Angus agreed. “I’ll simply tell her ye had something to attend to with the MacLean. That way she’ll nae be worried about ye while ye’re gone. She tends to fret over those she cares for.” Angus gave him a pointed look.

  “Seems sound,” Iain repeated dryly, purposely overlooking Angus’s efforts to get any more information from him.

  Within moments, Alex’s men were ready to depart, and as Iain and Rory Mac started for the courtyard, Iain turned back to Angus. “Keep my wife safe from harm.” He knew she’d be protected here, but there was a tension in his chest that he didn’t like.

  Once they found the trail, which was not where Archibald had told Alex it was, they followed it for hours to no avail. By the time they rode back into the courtyard of the MacLean hold, the hour was very late and Iain was sure Marion would be sleeping. After they saw to their horses, several of the men, including Rory Mac, Iain, and Alex, headed to the great hall for some drink to warm their bones. But after only being in the hall with the raucous men for a short time, Iain stood, knowing he only desired his bed and his sleeping wife in his arms.

  Alex and Rory Mac both grinned at him.

  “Up to see yer wife?” Alex asked.

  Iain nodded. “She’ll be asleep.”

  Rory Mac snorted. “That never stops me with Alanna.”

  “Which must be why Alanna is always so testy,” Iain retorted.

  Alex snickered, took a sip of his wine, and then stood. “I’m to bed, as well. The hunt will start at dawn, if ye still intend to ride with us,” he said with a challenge.

  “Of course,” Iain said. “Sleep is for the weak.”

  “I sleep every other night,” Alex boasted. Then he bid the remaining men good night and motioned Iain to the door.

  “Every other night?” Rory Mac commented, falling in step with Alex and Iain as they departed the great hall and headed toward the bedchambers. “I only sleep every four nights,” he said, grinning. “Ye can be certain I’ll be hunting.”

  As they turned the corner, they ran into Archibald, who was oddly—or so it seemed to Iain—lurking about the hall still fully dressed.

  “Did ye find the knight?” Archibald demanded, and Iain concluded the man had been awaiting their return only to make sure he had not failed where they’d succeeded. Had he been stalking the corridors since the moment they’d left? Archibald was as proud as he had ever been.

  “Nay,” Alex said and brushed past Archibald. Tipping his hand in the air, the MacLean laird disappeared down the hall.

  Iain lingered for a moment and faced Archibald, and when it appeared the man was going to go around him, he stepped in Archibald’s path. Rory Mac moved to Iain’s side.

  “The trail was nae at the stones as ye said,” Iain said to Archibald.

  “The trail was there,” the man retorted. “Ye must have missed it, which is why I’m the best tracker. Now if ye dunnae mind, MacLeod? It’s late and I’m tired.”

  It was pointless to argue with the man. Clearly, he’d not relent that he’d been wrong or confused, though either possibility seemed odd to Iain given what Alex had said of his cousin’s tracking abilities. Maybe they had missed the trail. The one they’d found hadn’t been that far away from where Archibald had said it’d be. Iain moved aside and motioned for Rory Mac to do the same.

  Once Archibald disappeared down the corridor, Rory Mac spoke. “He needs a lesson in humility.”

  “Aye,” Iain agreed and started toward his bedchamber. “A man who kinnae admit he’s wrong has a lifetime of problems to come.”

  Rory Mac grinned. “If he were in our clan, I’d be happy to teach him with my fists.”

  “I’m sure ye would.” Iain chuckled, then paused. “I’ll see ye in the courtyard in the morning.”

  Rory Mac mumbled his farewell, and Iain opened his door and entered his bedchamber as quietly as possible. The moonlight trickled into the space, bathing the form of his sleeping wife on the bed, and he moved toward her. Unclothing quickly, he carefully slipped in beside her, but she immediately stirred and turned toward him.

  “Where have you been?” she asked drowsily.

  Iain quickly told her what had happened, and he could see Marion worrying her lip in the moonlight.

  “If Archibald really did see a knight, it had to be one of Froste’s men,” she said.

  “It is likely,” he said, pulling her into the crook of his arm. “But ye’re safe here. Alex has increased his guards threefold, both at the stronghold and throughout his lands. By dawn, no Englishman will be able to make a move on MacLean land without encountering a MacLean. So if Froste sent more men, they’ll nae have a hope of escaping.”

  Marion pressed up on her elbows, her long hair falling over the front of his shoulder and onto his chest. “Iain, will you tell me about David? My father never spoke to me except to order me about, and I’d like to know how David came to be captive in England.”

  Iain bit back a tired sigh. He didn’t have the heart to deny her, though he didn’t have much time to sleep. Sleep could wait. Making his wife feel valued could not.

  “For years, David has been fighting to stop yer king from crowning another, a man of King Edward’s choosing, as King of Scots. Do ye ken about King Edward putting his apprentice, Edward Balliol, on the throne?”

  She nodded.

  “Balliol was a fraud, ye ken?”

  “Do you mean he made a false claim to rightfully be King of Scots?”

  “Aye,” Iain replied, running his hand up and down the length of her back and then lower over her delectable bottom. She sighed and snuggled back against his chest. Desire for his wife flared once more, in spite of how bone-weary he was feeling. He wondered groggily, and with a great deal of amusement, if he’d always hunger for her as he did now.

  She tapped her fingers on his chest. “Are you not going to continue?”

  He chuckled. “Aye. I’m sorry. Yer pretty bottom stole my attention.”

  She gave him a coquettish smile. “I’m pleased to hear I can distract you, and I’ll be happy to distract you further…after you tell me a bit more.”

  Iain purposely rested his palm on her backside and then spoke. “David was sent to France for his safety for the brief time Balliol was in power. But while he was gone, his representative fought to restore David to power and succeeded. David returned in 1341 and took control of Scotland. But he was captured by King Edward when David invaded England on behalf of the French, who were fighting the English in Normandy.” He glanced at Marion, who was listening intently, and kissed the top of her head before contin
uing. “David is a worthy king. He loves Scotland and he wants peace with England, but he will nae lie down and let King Edward trample on him to get it.”

  She nodded. “Do your people love David?”

  “Our people,” he corrected her gently.

  A grin spread across her beautiful face. “Yes, our people.”

  “Aye, they do,” he replied and trailed his fingers from her bottom up toward her breasts. He traced the curve of her left breast, and she wiggled against him.

  “Are you trying to tell me something, my lord?” Her voice was teasing, and he answered her question with a long, drugging kiss. The intensity of desire that sprang forth surprised him, but what surprised him more was that Marion’s desire seemed to match his own, even at this late hour. Soon they were locked together in passion, which ended in them tangled in each other’s arms and Iain totally sated and exhausted.

  He closed his eyes, thinking only to rest them for a brief moment, but he found he did not have the strength or the desire to open them again.

  A pounding at the door woke Iain. His eyes flew open and he started to sit up when he remembered Marion was lying on him. He eased out of bed, cursing the fool who dared to bang so loudly on his door. Wrapping his plaid around him, he stalked to the door and threw it open.

  Alex stood there grinning at him. “I see ye’re nae ready. Are ye nae coming with us, then? Too tired, perchance?” Alex teased, while trying to peer around Iain.

  Iain shoved his friend back into the hall. “I’ll be there presently.” With that, he shut the door, quickly dressed, then went over to Marion and gently shook her. He was about to give up on rousing her to say farewell when she opened one eye.

  “Must we wake already?” she groaned sweetly.

  “Nay,” he said and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips. “I’m meant to hunt with Alex this morning. Ye may sleep as long as ye wish.”

  “Mm-hmm,” she responded, her eye shutting.

  He smiled and opened the door, glancing back over his shoulder at his wife, already asleep once more.

  Thirteen

  “How did you do this?” Marion asked later that morning as she kneeled in front of Angus and tended to his foot.

  Angus’s face flushed red, and his gaze flickered from Marion to Bridgette, who was leaning forward to see over Marion’s shoulder.

  “I told ye,” Angus grumbled. “I was trying te help that clot-heid Archibald after he fell into an animal trap, and he pulled me in with him. When I hit the ground, I hurt my foot.”

  Archibald stood facing them, and he glared at Angus. “I told ye three times already, I did nae intend to pull ye in, ye stubborn fool. I outweigh ye! I told ye to keep yer footing. I should nae even be here,” he growled. “I should be on the hunt, but the laird once again sees fit to punish me, though I’ve nae done a thing wrong.”

  Marion tried not to take offense that Archibald considered guarding her and Bridgette with Angus a punishment. She understood he was angry about being forced to stay behind. The two men continued to argue as Marion wrapped a cloth around Angus’s swollen, rather bluish foot.

  She paused for a moment, blew a strand of hair dangling in her eyes out of her face, and exchanged a long look with Bridgette and motioned for her to follow. “I’ll be back in a moment,” Marion told Angus and Archibald, but they were bickering and neither man acknowledged her.

  Once Marion and Bridgette were far enough away, Marion spoke. “Angus cannot join me to visit the seer as intended. And I don’t think going alone is wise, even with the guards about.”

  Bridgette nodded and nibbled on her lip. Marion had told her earlier that morning when she borrowed a fresh gown that she intended to go to the seer. Bridgette had understood and found Marion a thick cloak to take the woman. “I could go with ye again.”

  Marion frowned. “I thought Alex told you not to leave the courtyard today.”

  Bridgette shrugged. “He did, but—”

  “Then you should not,” Marion interrupted, thinking on her talk with Iain last night about why he gave the orders he did. Alex likely wanted her to remain in the hold because of the possibility of one of Froste’s men lurking about, which was why Marion thought taking Archibald with her to the seer was now the best solution since Angus was hurt. She simply had to go to the seer. She could not explain the pull, but it was there. And as for being safe… Well, guards were now everywhere and Archibald was a fierce warrior. Besides that, she’d borrowed a dagger from Bridgette, which she was wearing in a sheath around her waist. “Would you stay with Angus so he’ll rest his foot and then Archibald can come with me? Otherwise—”

  “Aye!” Bridgette exclaimed. “Ye dunnae need to say more. I’d do near anything to be rid of Archibald for the day.” The two women giggled as they strolled back to Archibald and Angus, who were still bickering.

  Marion quickly finished dressing Angus’s foot, and then she stood and stretched, her body a bit sore from yesterday with Iain. The mere thought of the intimacy they had shared heated her cheeks and made her belly flutter. She’d woken this morning shocked at her boldness. She could not say what had come over her. Well, she could—lust. Her husband made her lustful. And Iain’s kindness and thoughtfulness in taking the time to tell her about David made her heart throb with pure happiness. He thought her important enough to have a meaningful conversation with him. The thought made her cheeks ache to grin, but she managed to refrain. She didn’t want to explain a silly smile to anyone. She sighed with contentment, then gave herself a shake. Standing around sighing would not do. There was something important that must be done.

  She set her hands on her hips and hoped her expression looked stern as she stared down at Angus, who sat on a log looking very disgruntled. “You must stay off that foot today,” she commanded.

  “Bah!” he grumbled. He promptly stood up and then winced in pain as he stumbled backward and gripped his injured foot. He’d have fallen on his bottom if Archibald had not moved quickly and caught him.

  Archibald deposited him, none too gently, back on the log. “Sit there, ye stubborn fool. When ye’re ready to go inside, I’ll help ye.”

  Marion scowled at Angus. “If you don’t stay off that foot, you’ll make it worse.”

  He didn’t look as if he cared, so she decided to lie a bit. “I’ve seen a man lose a foot because it became so swollen that the blood stopped flowing to it.”

  Angus went pale as he stared at his foot. “Who?”

  She waved a hand dismissively. “You didn’t know him. Just a man from the village.”

  Angus nodded. “If I stay off it today…?”

  “I’m quite sure it will be much better by tomorrow,” she supplied.

  “It will have te be,” he grumbled as he glared at Archibald. “Help me into the great hall. Marion, ye can sit with me there until Iain returns.”

  “I’ll sit with ye,” Bridgette quickly offered, sliding Marion a knowing look.

  “Ye can sit with us, as well,” Angus said, not realizing that Marion intended to leave.

  Marion gave Angus what she hoped was a convincing smile so he’d not argue too much. “I mean to visit the seer.”

  “Ye kinnae—”

  “I can,” she said firmly. “Archibald can come with me, and you can watch Bridgette.” Marion smiled sweetly at Archibald. “Would you mind coming with me?”

  “If that’s what Bridgette wishes and if she vows to stay with Angus.”

  “It is, and I do,” Bridgette instantly replied as she handed Marion the cloak she’d been holding while Marion tended to Angus. As Marion took the cloak, Bridgette grasped her hand and drew her near. “Will ye ask the seer something for me?” she whispered.

  Marion nodded.

  “Will ye ask her if my brother will be safe should I leave here?”

  “I will,” Marion replied, “but where are you intending to go?”

  “With ye,” Bridgette said in a hushed tone. “Ye must coax yer husband into agreeing that ye need
a friend when ye go to the den of women who will be waiting to torment ye.”

  Marion frowned. “Who’s waiting to torment me?”

  “Catriona’s sisters, of course. She has two, and they’re going to hate ye.”

  “Why would they hate me? I’ve done nothing to them.”

  “Ye are a naive lass,” Bridgette said, matter-of-fact. “They’re going to hate ye cause Catriona is dead and ye’re alive. Nae that they need any more reason, but if ye need one it’s known by many that Catriona’s eldest sister, Fiona, has been hoping Iain would take her for his wife.”

  The news that she had more to contend with than her husband not wishing to ever love again bothered her, but there was nothing she could do about it currently, so she moved to Angus and patted him on the shoulder. “Stay off that foot!”

  “I’ll ensure he does,” Bridgette promised.

  Archibald and Marion helped Angus into the hall and got him situated in a chair while Bridgette fetched him some food. Once Marion was satisfied that Angus would do as she had said, she and Archibald set out for the seer’s cave.

  They walked in silence for a good while, and Marion decided Archibald would likely not speak at all unless she spoke first. He seemed a man of few words. She glanced at him from under her lashes as they climbed the mountain, and he held branches back for her to pass with ease. For being cousin to Alex and Bridgette, Archibald looked nothing like either of them. Bridgette and Alex were both tall, lean people. Though Archibald was tall, he was certainly not lean. Everything about him was thick from his chest, to his neck, and even to his fingers. And whereas Alex and Bridgette both had heads of unruly hair, Archibald had almost no hair left on his head, which was surprising considering how young he looked.

  “Were you reared near Alex and Bridgette?” Marion asked.

  He didn’t look at her as he answered. “Aye.”

  Marion scowled. It was going to be a long walk there and back if they didn’t speak at all. “Do your parents live here, as well?”