Her Highland Laird: Norman Ladies: Book One

by Hannah West

  “Well now you are my brother as well, if no one will claim you then I shall. I welcome you into my family. I have always wanted siblings, I was an only child, you see.” Then a thought accrued to her. “Is Ian and Evelyn your only family?”

  “I do not need your pity, lady.” Brock snapped at her.

  Marie was trying to be kind. She did believe in what she had told him, but maybe people had been cruel to him for so long he did not know how to react to kindness.

  Yes that must be it. Well she would do as she wished then and hoped he would learn to accept what she offered. However his ward did send a jolt of anger through her.

  She started toward him. “View it however you wish but I will still count you among my new family.” She stopped just before she passed him. “I always get what I want, even if I must work for it. Highlanders such as yourself do not scare me anymore.”

  She leaned up and boldly kissed his cheek, then went back to their traveling group.

  Brock was left speechless and confused in her wake.

  Chapter Eleven

  Fury swept through Ian as he watched his wife kiss Brock on the cheek then wonder back toward where his men waited for them.

  He had followed his wife in hopes of speaking with her alone; he had not noticed Marie had followed Brock. That had been the last man he wanted his bride near, he would rather have her in the company of Jack and Duncan. At least with them she would have been safe.

  He had not heard what was said between the two and he could only guess what it had been about. His wife had been affected by a kiss from his uncle Cain but gave one freely to a man she did not know.

  After his wife had gone Ian came forward to launch a fist at Brock’s face. He caught his ‘brother’ unaware and sent him sprawling to the ground.

  His burning anger was soothed as blood dripped from the man’s nose and he hissed in pain.

  “Do not ever touch her again or I will kill you,” Ian threatened on a growl, then stocked away.

  Brock was left on the ground a hand to his bloody nose and busted lip, stunned at what had just accrued in the last few moments.

  …

  As Ian chased down his wife, he fumed. Was the woman daft? She was wed to him! What was she doing following a man she did not know into the forest without a guard? Well such things would stop now.

  He catch up to her as she was about to mount her horse, grabbed her by the wrist and spun her around.

  Her stunned expression turned to irritation when she saw him, she yanked her arm away from him.

  “What is it you want? She asked, her tone dark. “Pulling me around was uncalled for. I am a lady and will not be treated like a common bar wench.”

  “Mayhap you should,” Ian snapped, “After all you seemed friendly enough to my men.”

  Marie felt as if he had backhanded her. But instead of letting tears well she let her anger spark.

  She would not stand for his rough treatment or words. How dare he say such when his men have been the only ones treating her as she deserved.

  “What a load of horse shite, coming from a lout like you,” she hissed, “I am nice to your men because they treat me as I deserve. Duncan treats me as if I were a daughter to him and Jack like a sister. They have my respect, but you! Oh how you treat me as if I were not important enough to ask such of you.”

  She pointed a finger at him, poking him in the chest.

  “I am not here because I have to be. I am here because I wanted to be. I wanted to wed and knew it was my only choice, but I do not have to stay. I want to be your wife. Else I will find somewhere else to go.”

  Ian leaned in lose, narrowing his eyes dangerously. “Don’t threaten me.”

  She poked him in the chest again. “Aye, I will. You need to change or this will not work.”

  “Woman, you test my patience,” he growled. “I should change? You were the one who willingly kissed another man!”

  Ian had said that last part louder than he had meant too, but blast it the woman didn’t even look guilty.

  Fire blazed in her eyes, promising a fight. He was not to be disappointed.

  “Aye, I did, but that is my business. It is not as if I kissed him across the mouth,” she quipped.

  The understanding dawned in her eyes and she couldn’t help the cat’s grin that stole over her lips.

  “You are jealous, my lord,” she said cheekily, grinning up at him.

  Ian’s face heated, the tips of his ears turning red.

  Marie boldly reached out to Ian. This was the reaction he should have had when his uncle had kissed her, but she might be able to forgive him for that now. Because now she knew he could feel that way toward her.

  She wanted him to be her husband, she had never before wanted a man to be hers. But she needed him to want her as well.

  Before he could say anything she pulled him down and kissed his cheek.

  “If you had acted this way when your uncle had kissed me, we would not have fought. All I had wanted from you was to show you cared even a little for what happened to me. I am yours, my lord, should you place your lips upon mine, just like so,” she breathed before pulling him down again to brush her lips to his.

  Marie felt herself turned pink at her boldness but refused to feel embarrassed, this man was her husband after all.

  With just the barest touching of lips a shiver of delight skittered down her spine and set butterflies free in her stomach. Her fingers curled into his hair without thought to pull him closer. And just as she was about to pull away he crushed his lips to hers, backing her up until she was caught between his hard body and the side of her horse.

  Caught off guard Marie gasped at the sudden crush of his mouth and body to hers and Ian slipped his tongue into taste her.

  She pushed against him a first, but slowly she melted into him.

  As Marie tested her tongue against his, she marveled at his taste, a combination of mint and spice. In the past the idea of doing such a thing would have disgusted her. But as he brought her deeper into the kiss she found herself dazed and flushed.

  She felt one hand tangle in her hair and the other slide from her neck to her hip, then down to cup her arse. His grip tightened and pulled her close so that the lower half of her body was pulled closer and melded to his.

  She could feel every hard muscled inch of his torso and had the strangest urge to press into his body.

  Suddenly he wrenched himself away from her and where she had felt warm, it left her chilled.

  She leaned against her horse for support while panting soft breaths trying to gather the wits he had scrambled.

  Ian stared at her with a raw look in his narrowed eyes, his chest expanded with labored breaths.

  He looked angry and Marie could not fathom why, surely their kiss had been a great one. She only had had one other to compare it to and she believed it could not get better. Marie was still tingling from it.

  She blinked up at him dazedly. “Did I do something wrong to displease you,” she asked in a sultry voice that wasn’t hers. “Mayhap if we did it again I could improve upon-’

  She was cut off as Ian growled a curse and yanked her to him again.

  This time it was different, this kiss was dangerous. It was heated with his strong emotions and he demanded more of her.

  Swept up in the swell of passion she gently bit his bottom lip to urge him on as he tried to slow their speed. He growled against her and grabbed her arse, lifting her to him.

  Curling her legs instinctively around his waist to get a better grip, she repositioned herself to get closer. Seeking the natural cradle of his body meant to fit hers.

  His lower body stirred and hardened between them, shocked Marie back into their present setting.

  Just as she froze, one of Ian’s men cleared their throat.

  Ian cursed fluently, but set her down gently and firmly away from himself as he looked around for the man who had both saved him and ripped him away from sweet hot heaven. He was equal pa
rts thankful, furious and embarrassed as hell at what his men had witnessed him doing to his wife.

  His enchanting temptress of a wife.

  Chapter Twelve

  Cain gave Ian a meaningful look and then turned to Marie and winked.

  “Not that I want to ruin you two making up,” he said cheekily, “But we need to move on if we are to make it to our next stopping point for the night. Besides you’re making me jealous.”

  “Shove off, Cain,” Ian growled as he colored.

  Now back to herself Marie was awash in her embarrassment for doing something so brazen and intimate, in front of Ian’s men no less.

  When eyes turned to her, she tried for words but none were forthcoming in anything but a stammer so she looked down at the toes of her boots that peeked out from under the ruined hem of her traveling gown.

  Ian glared at a few of the men who had been to stunned by what had happened to get them moving.

  “Get ready, make haste!” he barked.

  They jumped to do his bidding, making sure not to look in their direction.

  Ian looked back to his wife to see she had ducked her head in embarrassment rather than lifting her chin in defiance. She was shy now, but he knew she would grow more confident.

  He walked back over to her and lifted her chin so her gaze met his.

  “Do not be ashamed nor embarrassed, what we shared together was a rare and meaningful thing. But do not tempt me so again, lass. Next time I will do more than ravish your sweet enticing mouth,” Ian warned huskily.

  He grinned when her breath hitched and eyes widened.

  The saints be merciful, she was beautiful.

  She smiled shyly up at him and her green eyes shimmered.

  “Then you were pleased that I was so bold?” she asked.

  Ian could not help himself, he groaned loudly. “Aye, lass, but lest you want me to ravish you here and now on the group, please let us go.”

  Marie pretended to think on it for a moment and he swatted her bottom. She squeaked, flushing again and he laughed.

  ~

  The rest of the trip to Edinburgh was uneventful until they reached the docks searching for an inn and a good place to eat.

  “Why would we stay in an inn,” Marie asked Ian.

  “I believe we are all in for a night under a fine roof,” Cain said.

  Marie looked over to him with a disbelieving look. “Fine? Never would I call an inn fine.”

  “Well maybe you will change your mind about wanting a room after sleeping out in the night so much,” Ian said with a wink.

  Marie grinned. “I have grown quite fond of sleeping out in the night.”

  “First woman I ever met that would say such a thing,” Cain laughed.

  She glared at him. “It’s true,” Marie insisted. “But I’m sure I heard you complain about not having a feather stuffed bed.”

  Duncan laughed as he pushed Cain away from her. “The lass is right, you are more of a woman then she is. “

  The rest of the men turned wide, startled eyes to Duncan. They had been caught off guard by the fearsome man laughing. It would seem most of them had never seen him express any emotion let alone laugh.

  His expression darkened at the stares and he growled in irritation at them until they gave him a wide birth.

  Even Duncan had never heard Jack say a word to anyone since he had been brought back to the clan. It would seem that the only person Jack would talk to was her.

  He had said a few more things to her that puzzled her, but he seemed to see more clearly than any other before she had met. When she asked him how he answered one word, “Sight.”

  That had puzzled her to no end, but she soon gave up trying to figure out a meaning for it.

  She glanced around the whole of the city and was surprised by how great it was. It was even bigger the London.

  “I never would have thought it so big,” she said wondrously.

  As she looked out among the bay filled with ships her hopes soared at the possibilities that it could hold. She already held one of the greatest fleets of ships known to England and Norway as the Raven Fleet.

  Marie looked among the ships in the bay and spotted four of the larger ship baring her flag. She smiled in satisfaction.

  Seeing some of her ships in port meant Torin and Gillian had made it. They must have been here for a few days already and they were waiting for her.

  She would have to make herself known to the Queen’s Pawn; the lead ship of her fleet which she saw was in port.

  “Marie,” Ian asked calling her attention.

  She looked back to him. “Aye?” she asked.

  “Let you go and find a place to rest and find food that is hot and tasteful.” He eyed her and then did something he had not been expecting. He offered a hand out for her.

  She gazed at the bay and then back to him. She took his hand and let him lead her to where he wanted to go. She would come back before night fall. For now she was content to hold her husband’s hand as he talked about the city as they went along.

  Chapter Thirteen

  The sun was soon to set over to the bay and she left Ian in the main room of the inn drinking and eating with his men. She had sent off a lad with a message for Ezra and Gillian and had waited just the right moment to get away.

  She left the inn near the water front and headed for the docks. Being this time of evening the only people out and about where dock workers and sailors.

  Marie had spent time at many docks before she had gone to court and then not much after, but her fondest memory was being on the upper deck of a ship as it pulled into port with her father.

  Her father would have been furious to find out she had turned to trade to make money, but then he would have stripped her bare of all her money and work. She never could have let that happen.

  “Lady Marie!” gasped a familiar feminine voice and then she was rushed from behind in a strong hug.

  Marie turned laughing to see Gilliam in her leather gear. She dressed as a man would, but it suited her. She had long brown hair streaked with blond pulled back and tied in braids, earrings studded down her left ear and a wide smile took over her lovely face.

  “Gillian,” she greeted warmly. “How do you like it here?”

  “Much better than London, my lady, much more! Torin has already started to bring business in,” Gillian said with excitement.

  Marie nodded. “That is good news. I have a good feeling about being here. Scotland is much more magical then I would have though it to be.”

  “It is only too bad you must go to the highlands, however I have heard where you will be living is on the edge of the ocean and so it will be easy travel to your new home.” She grinned slyly, “How is your new husband? Is he as brawny as it is said?”

  Gillian and her brother Torin were Vikings and as such shows of strength and valor were key to them. They liked bold people.

  Marie blushed but nodded. “There is none finer. He is as tall as a mountain and built like an ox, but he is as handsome as your brother thinks himself.”

  Gillian gave a hearty laugh and slapped Marie on the back.

  Marie righted herself and asked, “So where is this brother of yours?”

  “He is at the ship inspecting new wares, come and let us go see she well,” Gillian said over her shoulder as she walked down the dock.

  Marie smiled, excited to see what was new.

  ~

  A pair of disbelieving eyes followed Lady Marie as she met up with a dark figure on the docks. Growing suspicious the follower wondered closer underneath cover of the shadows hoping to over hear what they talked about.

  Lady Marie gave the stranger a hug, letting him know they knew each other well. They talked quietly and when he was close enough to hear all he caught was the last few moments before they moved on.

  “Come and see. We have gathered lots of new wares,” invited the stranger.

  Lady Marie appeared excited, agreed and he watched as they wande
red down the docks and boarded a large cargo vessel.

  The cargo ship was one of the biggest in the port and had been finely crafted down to the last detail on the haul. But what was the most beautiful piece was the raven craved into the breast of the ship’s hand craved maiden head on the bow. That was the true master piece.

  When an hour passed and she did not leave the ship he knew he would have to tell his laird. The Lady Marie was too important to leave unprotected.

  Quickly but silently he made his way back to the inn, hoping nothing would be fall his new lady.

  ~

  Ian was in the middle of talking about his plans once they returned home when Brock came into the room looking grim, a look that only graced his face when something was very wrong.

  The anger he felt at seeing his so called brother dimmed at the growing dread in his gut. Without having to be told, he knew without a doubt something had happened to Marie.

  Ian’s pulse picked up and his heart hammered with that dread. His palms grew sweaty and skin paled, waiting to hear the words.

  “Where is she,” he demanded getting to his feet.

  “She was brought aboard a ship,” more quietly he said just to Ian, “She met with a stranger at the docks. I do not have a good feeling about this, Ian.”

  “How do you know this?” Ian growled.

  “I was watching her while you and your men were drinking to the bottom of the casket,” Brock growled back. “I had an off feeling when she left alone so I followed her. Be glad someone was doing your job, and was watching.”

  Ian got in his face and pushed Brock up against the wall. “I told you to stay away from her.”

  Brock pushed him back. “Your wife might be in trouble and you worry about me? She wed the wrong man to care for her.”

  Damn it, Ian thought, his brother was right.