The Highlander Who Saved Me (Heart of a Highlander Collection Book 2)

by Allie Palomino

The crowd was hysterical with laughter. After looking around at everyone laughing at her, Maura sauntered off. Maddie whirled around, shocked at the many clansfolk who had gathered.

  “Ye told ‘er, Lady Maddie,” she heard from the crowd. Everyone nodded and mumbled their agreements.

  “Alright. Let’s get back to our duties,” Connor said, walking over to Maddie.

  Maddie looked up in surprise. He stood before her, looked down at her, and smiled. Her breath caught in her throat. His eyes were gleaming and he looked at her so gently. He brought a hand up to her face and caressed her cheek. She leaned into his hand.

  “I’ve missed ye, Maddie.”

  She lifted surprised eyes up to his luminous ones.

  “I, ah, have been busy, Connor.”

  Connor shook his head. Realization struck him hard. It had been him who she was talking about that night. Why else would she have said that she would be lucky to carry his bairn?

  “I think ye’ve been avoiding me, Maddie. Why is that?”

  She couldn’t think when she was staring into his eyes. She looked down.

  “I haven’t been.”

  Connor moved her chin up, forcing her eyes to return to his.

  “I think ye have, Maddie. Ye’re a bad liar,” he said, smoothly. Maddie’s heart would stop beating if he continued to touch her. Her heart was slowly being sucked out of her and headed towards this gigantic lure of a man.

  “I am most definitely not, Conn-”

  Connor’s head dove down and kissed her hungrily. His arms wrapped around her and swept her upwards until they were eye to eye.

  Maddie was lost in his kiss and in his strong embrace. Her hands flew to his hair and tangled there. She hungrily kissed him back as if she would die if she didn’t. Raw emotions churned within her. She always became lost in his arms.

  After a moment, Connor remembered where they were and stopped. He gently placed her back on the ground and kept his arms around her when he saw that she was unsteady. She had an awestruck look on her face and her eyes were hazy with passion. Then he heard applause, whistles, and cheers. They both looked and noticed his clan was still there. He looked at Maddie, and she was as red as he’d ever seen her.

  “Kiss ‘er again, Laird! Kiss yer lady,” someone yelled.

  Connor looked down at Maddie and she looked horrified. She shook her head vehemently and said, “Don’t you dare, Connor!”

  Connor said in a loud booming voice for all to hear, “Aye. I shall kiss my lady again!” Connor dipped his head. This kiss was shorter but the crowd cheered once again.

  Maddie stepped back and held a finger out at him to make him stay back. Then her head tipped to one side in confusion and her eyes looked to the right as she thought about it.

  “What did you say?”

  “My lady.”

  An ‘O’ formed on her mouth. “Are we back to formalities then, Laird?”

  He laughed and leaned down, brushing a kiss on her lips again.

  “We shall discuss this later,” he told her. In a louder voice, he addressed the crowd. “‘Tis sad, but our demonstration has ended. For now that is,” he waited until the cheers died down. “Now get back to work!” Connor said, laughing.

  He turned away in the arrogant style he always did. His men smacked him on the back jovially.

  Maddie was the only one who didn’t understand his true meaning. She saw him leave and was only made aware that she was staring at his back when Gretchen touched her hand.

  “Maddie? Was I a bad gurl?”

  Maddie snapped out of her confusion and looked down at Gretchen. She squatted in front of the little girl.

  “Nay! I was so proud of you! You were strong, courageous, and truthful. All are fine qualities to be admired, Gretchen,” she said, tweaking the little girl’s nose. Maddie started to tickle her and the Gretchen’s effervescent laughter reached all the way to Connor, who turned back to look. He stared at her with Gretchen, as his heart expanded. She would make a great mother.

  “Aye, she would,” Iain said, grinning, as he passed by Connor.

  Connor hadn’t realized he’d spoken aloud. Gretchen was still laughing hysterically when Connor turned around, heading in the direction of his men.

  “Lady Madeleine is right, Gretchen! Ye showed a lot of courage!”

  Maddie stood up to look at Gretchen’s father, Wilson. Gretchen ran to go join the children.

  “Thank ye, milady, for being warm with her.”

  “Nonsense, Wilson, ‘tis a delight for me to play with the children. They are all so dear! Gretchen is very special. She’s such a wonderful child.”

  “It’s been difficult, milady, I mean Maddie,” he corrected himself. “Ye see, it’s been difficult since my Keilsa died. It’s only been me and my little Gretchen.”

  “When did Keilsa die?”

  Sadness crept into the man’s brown eyes. “She died while birthing Gretchen.”

  Maddie found the irony astonishing. She was surrounded by so many people who understood what she had gone through.

  “I understand, Wilson. My mother also died while birthing me. But you don’t blame Gretchen, do you?”

  He shook his head and inclined his head to the side. Now she knew where Gretchen learned that from.

  “Nay, Maddie. She’s the light of my life, she is. Gretchen is the verra image of my Keilsa. She doesna have any women to learn from, but now with ye, she does. She doesna stop talking about ye for a moment. She’s infatuated with ye, she is,” he laughed.

  Maddie looked intently at the man. She couldn’t help but compare this father to hers. It hurt like hell to realize that Wilson was the type of father that Maddie had always wanted, and that she had stupidly believed her father to be him.

  “We are all appreciative, Maddie. Many of us, even those families with mothers and fathers, are busy throughout the day, so much so that it is difficult to look after our children and do our duties. The children often help us. It builds good character and they must learn life skills, but they are children and need to play. With ye caring for the children as ye’ve done, it has helped us immensely. We are all so grateful to ye. Ye’re an angel.”

  Maddie’s eyes swam with tears.

  “One day, Wilson, you’ll find a woman who will love you and your daughter. Until then, this is a clan and we must all help one another. It is a clan that raises a child, not just one or two of the child’s parents.”

  He smiled, nodding. Maddie gave him a quick hug.

  “Ye’re special, Maddie, and everyone, especially our Laird, knows that.” He looked at her in the eyes, said goodbye, and walked back to his duties.

  Maddie walked up to Katie who was with the children.

  “Well, our game has been postponed long enough! These crazy adults,” Maddie said, making a dramatic sigh. The children giggled.

  “Alright! Ye know what ye must do- find Maddie and me! Now, all of ye turn around and no peeking! Count to twenty like we’ve been showing ye and then find us,” Katie instructed.

  Maddie and Katie made silent motions to show where they would hide. They decided to hide together this time.

  “One…two…” Daniel started counting.

  “Ah, ah, ahhh! That’s too fast, Daniel. You know better!” Maddie said, and the children laughed again. “Start over!”

  *****

  “What has ye so distracted, Laird? Could it be yer Lady?” a young trainee asked.

  Yer lady. My lady. He liked the sound of that. He couldn’t wait to talk to Maddie this evening.

  “Ye’re going to lose yer ear if ye keep daydreaming, Connor,” Iain said, chuckling.

  Connor snapped out of his reverie, and stood at command. He motioned for his brother to come forward.

  “I’ll show ye who will lose his ear. And tongue!”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Maddie and Katie sprinted and hid about one hundred yards away from the castle behind a large tree.

  “I think we should break up. T
hey’re getting better at this,” Katie said.

  Maddie nodded her head, panting. “Aye. I think that’s smart. I’ll go this way and you go the other.”

  They nodded and ran.

  Maddie ran behind a tree some distance away. She tried to calm her breathing to avoid being discovered and caught. She ran a little farther still. Maddie waited there for what seemed like an eternity.

  Where in the world were these children? Was her hiding place so great?

  “What?” she asked, shocked.

  Someone grabbed her from behind and placed a hand over her mouth. She struggled and then stopped. It felt so familiar she almost vomited. Her stomach churned violently. She knew his smell. He removed his hand from her mouth.

  “Henry.”

  “Yes, my love. You remember the feel of my strong arms around you, do you not?” His harsh breathing in her ear made her sick.

  “Let me go!”

  “Has he touched you, Madeleine? Has he felt your body, like I’ve wanted to do?”

  She started to shake.

  “Are you shaking because you want me?”

  She stomped on his foot and screamed.

  Henry turned her around to face him. He roughly held her by her jaw. “You are mine, Madeleine, after all these years. Finally.”

  She looked at him. He hadn’t changed much. His hair was still gray and he carried a lot of weight in the middle. He was only a little taller than she was. One thing certainly hadn’t changed, she thought disgustedly. He was sweating like a boar, and smelled foul. It took everything in her not to vomit.

  “Maddie?”

  Maddie painfully looked to her right and saw Katie. Fear entered Katie’s eyes and Maddie’s stomach stirred at the horrible memories that seemed to be flooding back to Katie. She had to be thinking about her attack.

  Binouix’s soldiers advanced on Katie.

  “Run! Katie, RUN!” Binouix tried to cover her mouth but Maddie bit it. “Leave!”

  Binouix took a hold of her throat with his entire hand and slammed her head twice against the tree. She refused to let him know how much he hurt her. Maddie hit Binouix in his most sensitive area and ran from him. Her head throbbed. The pain was fierce! Her pounding heart was all she heard until she heard his laughter.

  “I wouldn’t keep running, Madeleine!”

  She stopped and slowly turned around, panting. He had Katie. His hand was over her mouth.

  “She’s pretty, Madeleine, but not nearly as pretty as you,” he said, leaning his head towards Katie and made a show of inhaling her. “She’s not nearly as good smelling as you, either.” Katie’s eyes were wide with fear and Maddie’s eyes flooded with tears. Then he licked her cheek and Katie groaned into the palm Binouix had over her mouth.

  “Let her go, Henry! I’ll go in her place!” Maddie screamed.

  Katie shook her head, her breathing still labored.

  “Take me, Henry!” Maddie screamed again.

  He smiled.

  “I have never heard a better offer.” He pushed Katie away from him as soon as Maddie came close enough to grab.

  “Maddie, no!”

  “Get away, Katie!” Maddie said through clenched teeth as Henry placed his arms around her.

  “Take her, too, milord! I would like a treat tonight,” one soldier said.

  “Get her, then!” Binouix exclaimed loudly. “Nothing ventured, nothing gained!”

  Three soldiers ran after Katie.

  Maddie turned and screamed, “Katie! Run! Get away from them. Stay away!”

  Katie turned and ran towards the castle. It was far away since Maddie had wandered far off the main path. The closer she ran, the more distant the castle seemed. Her lungs were trying to expand with more air. Her legs burned.

  She had to find Connor.

  Katie heard a distant cry. Tears welled up in her own eyes.

  Maddie! Maddie had sacrificed herself for her. She had to find Connor. As she ran, she stepped in a hole and fell, spraining her ankle.

  “Damn it!” Katie said.

  Were they still after her? She looked around. Katie grimaced as the pain pounded up and down her leg.

  She couldn’t let Maddie down!

  Katie tried to get up but fell back down when the pain was unbearable. Frustrated tears washed down her face.

  No! She wouldn’t fail Maddie.

  Katie used her arms and her one good leg to drag herself back. She had to do this. She was Maddie’s only hope.

  Chapter Fifteen

  “Layord? Layord Cawnor?”

  Connor turned around and found no one. He looked down when he sensed someone pulling on his plaid. He stopped what he was doing. He hadn’t noticed what time of day it was, but judging by the sun’s position, in a short few hours it would be sundown.

  “Gretchen? ‘Tis not a good place for ye to be, sweetheart. Ye could get hurt,” he said, and knelt down next to the little girl.

  She took her bottom lip into her mouth. Something was worrying the young girl. Connor smiled. Maybe it was because of the spectacle this afternoon.

  “I know I’mnah supposed tah bother ye, Layord, but I had tah! I just had tah!”

  “Tell me, Gretchen. ‘Tis alright. Speak,” he said looking at her.

  She had her hands behind her back and was looking down.

  “I need help!” she whispered.

  He nudged her chin upwards.

  “Help with what?” he whispered back.

  “I canna find, Maddie. I usually find her foirst,” she said in her adorable little baby voice.

  “She must hide verra well.”

  Gretchen nodded her head rapidly.

  Connor thought this was a good way to end today. He would find Maddie. He smiled at the thought.

  “That’s the end of training today, men. Go on with yer evening.”

  Iain ran over to Connor.

  “What do ye plan on doing?”

  “I am going to find my lady. Little Gretchen has told me that Maddie is the best at hiding and so we’re setting out to find her.”

  Iain chuckled.

  “Who’s the easiest to find?” Kiel asked, joining them.

  “Katie,” the shy little girl said.

  All three brothers laughed.

  “Aye, she was always the worst,” Connor said, still laughing.

  “Let’s go get Katie then, and all of us will search for Maddie together,” Connor said, taking the little girl’s tiny hand.

  Gretchen shook her head.

  “What’s the matter?”

  “All the other childwen gave up and left home! We couldna find any-won!” She looked up at Connor. She was so tiny, her head barely reached hip level.

  “How long have ye been searching?” Iain asked, looking at his brothers with concern.

  “Since Maddie had Daniel count,” she respnoded innocently.

  “Do ye remember when it was that everyone stopped trying to find Katie and Maddie?” Iain asked.

  Gretchen chewed on her bottom lip again and looked up at Iain.

  “When the layord bested ye. I watched, twying to see if Maddie was hiding near ye.”

  Connor’s eyes gleamed with smugness for a moment, before he realized the impact of what she said.

  “That was hours ago, Iain!” Connor pursed his lips. “Round up some men. We need to go find them.”

  Gretchen tugged on his plaid again. He looked down.

  “Yes, Gretchen?”

  “Layord, can I go, too? I want to find Maddie.”

  He shook his head.

  “I’m afraid not, Gretchen. I’ll tell ye what, though, ye’ll see her tomorrow and be able to play more. Go on now, home to yer father.”

  Her little face brightened up.

  “Bye, Layord!” she said, turning back and waving at Connor. He waved back.

  He turned around and so had his mood.

  “This may be nothing, Connor.”

  Connor’s eyes hardened. He clenched his jaw, and his
breathing was harsh. “It better be nothing, because if someone has harmed Maddie or Katie, blood will flow today.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  “Henry, please! I cannot go on! I feel violently sick,” she turned and vomited. It wasn’t hard to pretend because the smell and sight of him made her ill. She retched up the contents of her stomach on the booted foot of a soldier.

  “Damn it! Ye bitch!” he said and pushed her down on the floor.

  She kept retching. She wanted to give Connor more time to find her. She needed to make them go slower.

  “I need water, Henry,” she moaned. “Henry, please!” she looked up pleadingly into his eyes. It was her best performance to date. She didn’t even know how far they had traveled or where they were. He retrieved his pouch and he leaned down to give it to Maddie.

  “Drink, Madeleine.”

  She drank greedily.

  “Thank ye, Henry,” she said panting. She was on her hands and knees trying to catch her breath. Maddie tried to get up and pretended weakness as she fell again on the floor. She started to cry.

  “I’m so weak. My head is spinning,” she said forcefully.

  “You best not be feigning this, Madeleine,” Binouix said harshly.

  She shook her head and moaned. “Nay! I don’t know what’s wrong, Henry. It feels as if I’m going to die,” she whispered.

  “We need to be moving, milord,” a soldier said impatiently.

  Maddie wrapped one arm around her middle as she remained propped up on her knees and other arm.

  “My God! My God!!” she said in feigned agony.

  “Madeleine, I have never known you take the Lord’s name in such a way,” Henry said, studying her closely. His eyes widened.

  It worked. She almost laughed at that. She thanked God for always having the will to never take His name in vain.

  Maddie looked up at him, her face red and sweaty. “I know. I’m in so much pain, Henry!” She said coughing. “I don’t think I can stand the movement on a horse.” She began to gag again and rolled to her side. “Air. I need air! I feel like I’m choking!”

  Henry looked to his commanding officer.

  “We shall stay awhile longer until she gets a little better.”