Heart of the Highlands: The Beast (Protectors of the Crown Book 1)

by Holthaus, April

  Keira lay in Ian’s arms on the bed as they ate. His free hand rubbed along her naked body, caressing her, massaging her; making her want him again.

  Looking around the room, she noticed it was a grand room; one fit for a Laird. The walls were mahogany-colored with two tapestries draped on opposite ends of the wall that faced the bed. The large bed had four tall posts nearly reaching the ceiling, and a large stone hearth was positioned in the adjacent corner of the room.

  Looking around the room at the various trinkets on the dresser and clothes hanging in the wardrobe, she realized she had nothing of her own. No clothes, no books, and none of the tapestries she had spent so many hours stitching. All of her belongings were to arrive at Erchless Castle on the day she was supposed to have wed Laird Chisholm, but where were they now? It saddened her to think that she had lost all of her valuable possessions.

  “Ye are quiet, wife. Something is on yer mind,” Ian guessed.

  Keira frowned at him.

  “I was just thinking that there is nothing here that belongs to me. All of my possessions were sent to Erchless Castle the day before I was to arrive. I only wondered if it was possible to retrieve them.”

  “Dinna worry lass. If ye be wantin’ yer things, I will make sure they are returned to ye.”

  Keira rolled in his arms to face him.

  “But how are ye going to do that?” she asked, hopeful he meant what he said.

  “Dinna have such little faith in me, wife. I will send men to Erchless to get them fer ye. I have confidence in my men. In the meantime, I am certain my mother will make sure ye have something to wear until yer things are returned.”

  “Thank ye, Ian.”

  “Ye dinna have to thank me, wife. Tis my duty to see to yer happiness. Now try to get some sleep, lass. I expect we are to have a busy day tomorrow.”

  “What’s tomorrow?”

  “Fer starters, I need to introduce my wife to my clan. No’ to mention, there will be a ceremony which I have no doubt my mother has already arranged. Each man in my clan must pledge their fealty to me and to ye as well.”

  “Me?”

  “Aye! Ye are their Mistress. And each man will vow to protect ye wit’ their life. Tis their duty.”

  Keira considered telling Ian of her plan to reconcile his clan with the Sutherlands, but she felt now was not the time, it would only spoil his good mood. Besides, she thought it may be best to convince Isaac Sutherland of her plan before making mention of it to Ian. Perhaps if he knew Laird Sutherland was in agreement, Ian would be more accepting of her proposal for reclaiming his home.

  Chapter 24

  “My lady, are ye stark raving mad? Ye do me a great injustice having me lie to my Laird,” Leland scolded her.

  “If I am to right any of my father’s wrongdoings, I must do this. The treaty between my clan and the Sutherlands is as strong as if it were written in stone. My mother was a Sutherland. Harming me would be like harming his own blood. I am no’ asking to go on some foolish quest, mind ye. I only wish to speak to him. Leland, I believe it is the only way to reclaim yer lands. Ye want to go home, dinna ye?” Keira argued.

  “Of course, but no’ under the agreement to sign a treaty with Clan Sutherland. I’d rather poke my eyes out wit’ hot pokers before arranging a meeting wit’ that bloody bastard. Does Ian know of yer crazed plan?”

  “Nay! And ye must no’ tell him either.”

  “My Lady, how am I supposed to do my duty to protect ye and follow my Laird’s wishes wit’ you making such a foolish request.”

  “Leland, all I am asking is that ye send word fer him to meet me. Isaac is…was a good friend to my father. Our clans have been allies fer years. I know ye dinna trust the mon, but I do.”

  “If Ian found out,” he began to counter.

  “He willnae know that it was ye that sent fer him. When the time comes, I will tell him that I did. And if I must face Ian’s wrath then so be it.”

  “My lady, forgive me but ye must either be the bravest Highland lass I have ever come across or the dumbest I have ever met.”

  “I will no’ be offended by yer comment, Leland. And there is no changing my mind about this. I too want to see yer clan back at Varrich Castle where they belong. Tis no’ Ian nor yer clan who is sacrificing, but me. By giving Laird Sutherland full control over Castle Sinclair he may be persuaded to leave yer lands in exchange fer mine. It is no secret that Isaac has been pining over my lands fer years. Perhaps if I dangle the bait in front of him, he will take it. As fer my clansmen, I will leave it up to them where they decide to place their loyalty. They are good people.”

  “My Lady, there is no’ doubt yer plan is sound, but even if it works, Ian would ne’er agree to it. Tis too dangerous.”

  “It’s a risk, but one I am willing to take.”

  “Why?”

  Keira pondered his question. In all honesty, she hoped Ian would have done the same for her. She knew that he cared for her regardless whether he admitted it or not. But she cared for him dearly. Was this what love was? To sacrifice for another? If Leland was right and Isaac could not be trusted, he could use her as leverage against Ian and more than anything, she desperately did not want Ian to lose yet another thing he cared about. The poor man had already suffered enough. But leaving him was not her intention. She would never leave him by choice.

  “Because, he is my husband and I love him.”

  She loved him! In every meaning of the word, she loved him. She knew it as soon as she said it.

  “Keira, I must warn ye, if this does no’ work, Ian will have both of our heads.”

  “Then I must make it work!”

  ~*~

  Ian entered the great hall, where his clan stood waiting for him. He looked around the room at the faces of his clansmen. Many he knew by name and had known for years. They were a good clan; a loyal clan. The clan stood silent as they stared up at him, waiting for him to speak. Ian glanced over at Keira who was standing on the top balcony overlooking the hall.

  His eyes followed her as she made her way to the top of the stairs. He smiled at the sight of her. Dressed in a dark blue gown, she proudly wore his colors. A green and blue plaid hung across one shoulder and was secured in place with a silver brooch. She looked positively regal as she descended the stairs. She moved like a queen. She did not falter and every one of his clansmen noticed her composure as they gratefully bowed their heads to her when she passed by them. Ian had never felt more proud. Keira came to stand by his side. Raising her hand, he placed a kiss on the inside of her palm.

  “Ye look lovely dressed in my plaid,” he whispered.

  Keira smiled at his compliment and took a seat in the chair next to his. One by one, each member of the clan pledged their allegiance to each of them upon Ian’s sword.

  The whole ceremony took up nearly half of the day, but he had many clansmen who wished to give their allegiance and meet the new lady of the castle. As the festivities concluded and the clansmen left to continue their duties, Ian and Keira were left alone in the hall.

  “Would ye care to join me fer a walk? I would like verra much fer ye to get acquainted wit’ the castle grounds.”

  “I would like that.”

  Ian gently placed Keira’s hand in the crook of his arm and escorted her outside. Keira could smell the scent of roses fill the air as they passed a large garden. The roses were beginning to wilt with the cooler temperatures but were still in full bloom

  “I do hope that ye like it here.”

  “I am sure I will. Do ye imagine we will be here long?”

  “Nay. If all goes well, I expect to be back at my own castle before the first snow falls.”

  “What do ye mean?”

  “I intend to wage war against the Sutherlands.”

  Keira swallowed hard.

  “War? But ye could get killed!”

  “Dinna fash yerself about such things lass. I promise ye, nothing will happen to me. I am a skilled warrior and know how to care f
er my own.”

  Keira bit her tongue before she inadvertently revealed her plan to him. If Ian planned on waging war soon, she had to set her plan in motion sooner than she’d thought.

  ~*~

  Walking along the cobblestone path, they passed the stables and open fields where the horses were grazing. Ian watched as Keira’s eyes lit up marveling over the beasts. Looking back at the horses, Ian thought of a way to help win her affections.

  “Ye like horses, do ye?”

  “Aye. I used to go riding all the time wit’ my father, though after riding nearly three days straight, I may never wish to ride a horse again,” she said with a chuckle.

  Ian smiled.

  “Choose one. Whichever one ye like is yers. Consider it a wedding gift, my lady.”

  “That is verra kind of ye, but tis no’ necessary.”

  “I insist. Which one do ye like?”

  Keira looked back at the horses as they galloped around the fenced-in field. Of the five of them a spotted grey mare caught her eye. The horse had a tender look and its coloring was beautiful.

  “If ye insist my Laird, I like the spotted grey one.”

  “Aye, she is a beauty,” he said. Calling out to the stable master to come toward him, Ian said, “The lady has chosen the grey mare as her mount. Make sure her hooves are clean and she is brushed down and fit her with a saddle.”

  “Aye, my Laird,” he said scurrying away to catch the horse.

  “Thank ye,” Keira said, her voice soft and tender.

  “Yer welcome. Have ye decided what ye are going to name her?”

  “I was thinking about calling her Seraphina. When I was young, my mother told me a tale of a great warhorse that broke free from her master to live in the wild. Her name was Seraphina.”

  “How did the story end?”

  “It was a long time ago, but from what I remember, while Seraphina was on an adventure riding across the lands, she found a wee lass lost in the woods. She had protected the lass and brought her home to her family, but instead of returning to the wild, she chose to stay wit’ the lass forever and ever.”

  “Sounds like a wonderful story.”

  “Aye, it was.”

  Ian continued showing Keira the various sights and buildings throughout the castle grounds. He explained the Farquharson Clan’s history as well as their kinship. He also informed her that the reason why she did not see many of the Farquharson’s within the keep was because the Farquharson Clan took up residence in the west wing of the castle as the MacKays’ resided in the east wing of the castle.

  “Now that I have shown ye the grounds, ye must promise me that ye will ne’er go out wandering beyond them. Promise me!”

  “I promise, but I really wish ye would stop fussing o’er me. I do know how to take care of myself.”

  “I am sure ye do lass, but if ye dinna need me, I wouldn’t be much of a husband to ye.”

  ~*~

  They continued to walk the long stretch from the courtyard to the lush green hills where Ian’s men trained. Keira enjoyed his stories and the opportunity to learn more. With each story and each new thing she learned about him, the more she found herself falling deeper in love with him. But in the back of her mind, she couldn’t help but wonder if he felt the same. He cared for her, that was obvious, but love, that was an entirely different matter altogether, after all much of his heart still belonged to his late wife, Sarah.

  The tall grass they walked through swayed like waves along the shore and the heat of the summer sun beat down on her as if she were a dry piece of wood; easy to catch fire.

  As they reached the fields Ian’s men came into view. Sunlight shone off their metal swords like spirit wisps wildly flying about blinding her. Sweat trickled down the men’s bare backs, as they practiced honing their skills. As Ian approached, they stopped.

  “My Laird, I did no’ expect ye to join us,” one of the warriors stated.

  “I had meant to join yer scrimmage yesterday but duties kept me away. I am eager to see how the men fare and how much they have learned under yer direction and training.”

  “Do ye doubt me, my Laird?”

  Ian smiled at his question.

  “Nay, my good friend. I only wish to see ye in action. And see if any of yer men can wield a sword well enough to best me. No’ to mention, I wished to introduce ye personally to Lady MacKay. Keira, this is Roderick. He is my commanding officer. He has served my father fer many years.”

  “Tis a pleasure my Lady,” Roderick bowed. “Well then, ye heard Laird MacKay. Any mon who can best him wins a prize swine to bring home fer yer supper,” Roderick called out to the men.

  Ian laughed at the challenge. Picking up one of the training swords from the ground, Ian swung the blade over his head and dug his heels into the ground waiting for his first opponent. Keira laughed at the display but prayed he would not get hurt, though the chances of that happening were slim to none. Ian was a warrior, born and raised with dignity and honor running through his veins. Like his father before him, he was a proud and fierce Highlander.

  Ian successfully bested several of the men he choose to fight but Ian’s last opponent was a young lad who did not look like a seasoned warrior but more like he was new to the battlefield.

  Looking at the other men he had defeated, they were bruised and badly beaten by Ian’s brutal attacks. She worried that if he were to fight this young lad he would kill him.

  “He is going to get himself killed,” she said looking back and forth between Ian and the young man.

  “Dinna be too hasty to judge, Lady MacKay,” Roderick exclaimed. “I have full confidence in my squire Brodie, regardless of his size. I have trained him well and he is as tough as nails. Dinna ye ever hear of the story about David and Goliath?”

  Keira cocked her head and looked at him in bewilderment. Sure, she had heard the story, but David had the blessing of God on his side!

  Ian swung his sword at the young lad, who successfully ducked underneath it. Like a wee mouse, Brodie jumped from side to side avoiding each blow. It was the oddest thing she had ever seen. Crouching beneath Ian, Brodie entwined himself around Ian’s thick legs causing him to lose his balance. As Ian teetered back and forth, he crashed down onto the ground like a large tree after it had been cut down with Brodie still tangled in between his legs.

  Keira intensely watched as they rolled around on the ground. She could not believe that such a wee sized man could take Ian down so easily. Had she not seen it for herself she would never have believed it.

  “How the bloody hell did ye do that?” Ian asked.

  Keira waited for him to become angry, believing that he would have felt humiliated by the young lad, but instead of thrashing him, Ian laughed and put his hand on his shoulder.

  “Brodie is my secret weapon,” Roderick proudly remarked.

  “Ye have done well, my friend,” Ian replied.

  Roderick turned to face Brodie. “Well Brodie, my lad, I believe ye have just won yerself a prized swine!”

  It was such a delight for Keira to see Ian interact with his men. He was such a different man with his clansmen than when he was away from them. She had not taken into account the struggle Ian had living two separate lives; one life as Laird MacKay and the other a Protector of the Crown. She wondered if now that he was Laird if his secret identity would one day be revealed or if his secret would stay with him to the grave.

  Chapter 25

  As Ian kept busy with his duties as Laird, Keira spent the following days learning everything she could to help manage the household. Keira was not used to sharing such responsibilities with others. At Castle Sinclair, Keira’s father depended on her to keep the staff organized as well as tend to the books, the inventory and preparing the meals. Though she was adjusting well to her new role, Keira had to take into account that she was not the only Lady of Invercauld Castle.

  Lady Madeline Farquharson was a young, English woman and one not accustomed to getting her hands dirty.
Daughter to an English Baron, Madeline had enjoyed the finer things in life. Being married to Laird Farquharson was not one of them. She complained endlessly about the cold Highland air and the rude manners of her clansmen. Needless to say, she was not making many friends nor did she have any idea how to run a household.

  Lady Madeline was young and ill-prepared to take on the responsibilities as Lady of a Keep and she had little experience how to oversee a castle. Keira thought to take her under her wing to instruct her but the maids advised against it saying the Lady Madeline was too selfish to care.

  After hearing the horror stories the maids had related, Keira pitied the servants who had to attend to her. On more than one occasion, she overheard the kitchen staff poking fun at their mistress and though she knew it was wrong, she could not help but agree.

  “Did ye hear the war our Mistress Madeline started with my lad Peter this morning?” Sorcha whispered to the others.

  “Nay.”

  “Made the poor lad saddle her horse three times with different saddles; complaining that each one of ‘em was warped and uncomfortable.”

  “Heaven Almighty! Laird Farquharson just bought her a new one. I dinna know how he puts up wit’ her. Bless that mon.”

  The maids silenced their voices as Lady Madeline entered the kitchen. She looked as if she was ready to pounce on someone like a wild feline. Her black hair had fallen out of its curls and her green dress was covered in hay. Her eyes were reddened from crying. Before Lady Madeline could speak, Keira quietly backed into the corner as if she readied herself for Madeline’s explosive outburst.

  “Oh My Lady, what happened to ye?” one of the maids asked.

  Spitting out her words as if the women could not understand English, she replied, “That blasted, no good excuse of a lad of yours gave me a wild horse to ride. As soon as I mounted the horse, it bucked. I went flying off into a pile of hay. He did it on purpose I tell you, just to spite me! I could have broken my neck. But that is what you want, isn’t it? None of you Scots like me. You are trying to drive me back to England.”