Highland Love Song (DeWinter's Song 2)

by Constance O'Banyon

  "Listen to me because I want every word repeated to Warrick Glencarin."

  Mactavish shook his head to clear the blood from his eyes. "I told you I'm not your messenger."

  Ian grabbed a handful of Mactavish's hair and jerked his head up. "Tell your master that his mockery of a marriage to Lady Arrian will soon be set aside."

  "He expected that, so it will come as no surprise to him."

  "Perhaps he expects the annulment, but what I have to say may come as something of a shock to him. Tell him that Lady Arrian carries his child." He gave Mactavish time to absorb his words. "Tell him before he goes to sleep at night, to think of his son or daughter—whichever it turns out to be—in my hands. I will raise the child, teach it to think as a Maclvors. Tell him if it should be a son, I will not recognize it as my heir, but I shall make the child a servant to my own son."

  "Be damned with you."

  "You fail to see the humor in this, don't you?" Ian laughed bitterly. "Imagine the heir to the Drummond clan subservient to the heir to the Maclvors clan. The humor goes even deeper when you consider that they will both have the same mother."

  Mactavish tried to see the face of his enemy so he could determine if the man was telling the truth. It would strike at Warrick's heart to know that Lady Arrian was carrying his child.

  "I don't believe you, dog, and neither will Lord Warrick."

  "I wouldn't expect him to believe me. But when the child is born, I'm sure he'll know it for his own flesh and blood."

  Ian pushed the whip handle against Mactavish's face. "Imagine, if you will, a Drummond growing up within my power. Even if it turns out to be a daughter, I'll still have control of her future."

  Ian cut the ropes and Mactavish fell forward on his face, as blackness engulfed him. Ian kicked him in the side and then called his men to carry Mactavish back to the coach. Once they pushed him inside, Ian waved the driver forward. He watched the coach disappear with a satisfied smile on his lips.

  This could turn out better than he'd planned. Warrick would live in torment for the rest of his life.

  Ian threw back his head and laughed, drawing confused glances from his men. "At last I have Glencarin where I want him. He'll never be free of me now."

  24

  Arrian sat at the dressing table while her mother ran a brush through her long, golden hair. By observing her mother's reflection in the mirror, Arrian could see the anger that smoldered in her eyes.

  "Ian said what to you?"

  "He insisted that I go to this woman he knows in the village and have her…" Arrian shuddered. "It's too horrible. I can't bear to think about it."

  "Ian has gone too far this time." Kassidy lifted Arrian's chin. "Are you certain you have no tender feelings for him?"

  "I don't know why I ever thought I did, Mother."

  Kassidy was relieved. She had seen many sides of Ian that she didn't admire since their grandfather's death. "We'll leave as soon as your father arrives. Until then, stay close to me."

  "Mother, why do you suppose it's taking so long for Father to arrive? Aunt Mary will have reached London days ago. I had thought Captain Norris would bring Father and Michael right away."

  "I don't understand, myself, Arrian. But it must be something unavoidable or your father would be here. We'll wait for one more week and if he doesn't come, then we'll leave by coach."

  Kassidy laid the brush aside. "Where did you disappear to this afternoon, Arrian? I searched for you but you weren't to be found."

  "I was at the small graveyard outside the church walls where Warrick's sister is buried. When I first located the grave it was sadly overgrown, so I pulled the weeds, and now I place flowers on the grave every day."

  "I had forgotten Lord Warrick's sister was buried here at Davinsham. It's said the poor woman took her own life."

  "Lady Gwendolyn didn't kill herself, Mother. Helena told me that she and Gavin were struggling and she fell down the stairs."

  Kassidy looked surprised. "Are you sure?"

  "Helena gave me leave to talk to Jamie about it and he confirmed what she had told me. They all allowed the world to believe that Lady Gwendolyn took her own life."

  "What a monstrous thing to do. I wouldn't have thought Gavin capable of such a deed. I can't think Grandfather would have sanctioned such deception."

  "Jamie doesn't think Grandfather knew, but he can't be sure. He said at that time the Drummonds vastly outnumbered the Maclvors and Grandfather didn't want another clan war. Of course, there was one anyway."

  "Yes, I recall. Many on both sides were slain. That brought the king's wrath down on them."

  "Mother, I wish Ian would send the body of Warrick's sister back to Glencarin so she could be buried beside her family. Warrick is haunted by the fact that she was not buried in consecrated ground. I would also like to see her dowry returned."

  "Ian would never agree to that."

  "I must find a way to persuade him."

  "Arrian, you knew Grandfather as a loving man, but he could be hard when dealing with his enemies. What he did to Lord Warrick's family wasn't right. But what Warrick did to you was an act of revenge and was not right either."

  "I know, Mother, but perhaps it will be different now with the baby—"

  "I don't think so, Arrian. These two warring clans will never be friends. I fear Ian and Warrick will both try to use you and the baby to their own advantage and I'll never allow that to happen."

  "Mother, you have a certain power of persuasion over Ian. Could you not convince him to return Warrick's land and the body of his sister to him?"

  "I will not interfere in this, Arrian, and neither should you. You already know the consequences of becoming involved in their hate. If you ask a favor of Ian, he'll expect something in return."

  "Mother, I have been doing a lot of thinking and I have reached a decision. Even when we are back in England there can be no annulment of my marriage. To do so would leave my baby without a legitimate father."

  Kassidy knew that there should never be any doubt about this child's parentage. "You're right, the marriage must stand. But that doesn't mean you'll have any contact with Lord Warrick. I'm taking you back to England with me where no one will ever hurt you again."

  Arrian smiled. "I pity the person who gets in your way, Mother."

  "Come, my lovely daughter, let us go for a walk. I'm a firm believer that when a woman is with child she should get plenty of fresh air."

  Mother and daughter walked arm in arm through the park, enjoying the afternoon sunset.

  Suddenly Arrian raised her eyes to the end of the path and saw two figures walking toward them. She paused, her hand at her throat. Then she started running, her black gown flying out behind her.

  "Father, Michael, you are here!"

  She was smothered in Raile's arms as he hugged her tightly to him.

  "We had trouble with the yacht and had to put in for repairs, or we would have been here sooner."

  Arrian glanced over her father's shoulder and saw her brother Michael. He seemed to have grown since their last meeting. She moved into his embrace and he hugged her tightly.

  "I know some of what has happened to you. But I'll want to hear everything. I think it's time we took you out of this wild country, dear sister."

  She laid her head on his shoulder. "I missed you, Michael, and I'm ready to go home as soon as possible."

  Raile gathered his wife in his arms and held her to him, absorbing her nearness. "I came too late. I was just informed about your grandfather's death. I'm so sorry."

  Kassidy dreaded what she must tell Raile, but for now it was glorious to be held in his arms. What a relief it would be to place all of Arrian's troubles in his capable hands.

  Warrick watched, guilt ridden, while Barra and Haddy dressed Mactavish's wounds. There was a gash on the side of his head and one above his eyes. It appeared several ribs were broken and he was in a great deal of pain.

  "He's got to have stitches over his eye, m'lor
d," Barra stated. "We'd best give him whiskey before I start."

  "I'll no' be drinking anything but good scotch, thank you," Mactavish said. "And you'll no sew on me till I'm too drunk to care."

  Warrick poured a liberal amount of scotch in a glass and handed it to the giant, who swallowed it in one gulp and then held the glass out to be refilled.

  "I should have gone to Davinsham instead of you, Mactavish. I blame myself for your injuries because I knew about Ian's temper. He'll regret this offense. I'll not rest until he pays dearly for this insult."

  Mactavish groaned as Haddy tightened a wide bandage around his ribs. "Don't be blaming yourself, lad. I wanted to go and there was no stopping me."

  "I should have known a Maclvors couldn't be trusted. I hope Ian feels proud of himself, since it took four of his men to do this to you while you were tied to a tree."

  Mactavish didn't seem to be listening to Warrick. After five glasses of straight scotch, Haddy nodded to her daughter.

  "I think he'll be ready."

  Warrick stood at Mactavish's head and held him still while Barra took several stitches. Other than a few groans and several grimaces of pain, Mactavish didn't complain. After Barra had finished, she bandaged his head.

  Barra picked up the utensils she had used, and Haddy followed her out of the room. Warrick handed his friend another glass of scotch.

  "No, I'll not be needing more. I want to keep my head clear for what I have to tell you. Already the room seems to be turning."

  "After all you've been through, you need to rest. Anything you have to tell me can wait until tomorrow."

  "This . . . can't wait." Mactavish slurred his words. "Too important."

  "You saw the Lady Arrian?"

  "I did, and a sweeter lady you'll no' find. She don't know what Ian did to me. She made him promise he'd not harm me. 'Course I knew what he'd do when he was out of her sight."

  "Is she well?"

  "She was as pretty as the morning in spring. And as sweet as a primrose."

  "Did she send me a message?"

  Mactavish remembered the Lady Arrian asking the same thing of him. "No, m'lord. There was no word from her—but I got plenty from Ian Maclvors."

  "I care not what he had to say."

  Mactavish struggled to sit up. "You'll care about this, laddie."

  Warrick dropped down in a chair and studied his lifelong friend. "I see you won't rest until you have your say. What message did the new chief send to me?"

  "He was kinda' like taunting me. If my hands hadn't been tied, I'd have torn in to him."

  Warrick's eyes fell on the angry red marks that circled Mactavish's wrists. "I have no doubt of that. Next time you meet him, your hands won't be tied."

  "For the first time in my life I wanted to kill a man with my bare hands. I'd a' done it too, if I coulda' got at him. I may yet."

  "Mactavish, will you just tell me what he had to say?"

  The older man rubbed his forehead, wondering how he could say the words. He couldn't just blurt them out. "He . . . Ian Maclvors, said to tell you that. . . her ladyship was going to have your . . . wee bairn."

  Warrick's breath became trapped in his chest and he let it out slowly. "It's one of his tricks. He only wants to torture me."

  "I donna think so. He was too pleased for it not to be true."

  "I hardly think he would be pleased if the woman he wants to marry is carrying my seed."

  "You dinna know how his twisted mind works. He said to tell you that your marriage to Lady Arrian will soon be ended—he'd see to that."

  Warrick flinched. "It is as I expected."

  "Ian Maclvors said he wants you to think about this every night before you sleep. He wants you to know that whether it's a son or daughter it'll be in his hands. He'll teach the child to become a Maclvors. If it's a son he'll not recognize it, but the child will be servant to his own son."

  A painful yell echoed through the room. "I'll see him in hell for this! He will not make a child of mine a bastard."

  "He says he will."

  "I'd not have thought Arrian would allow it. Even if it is my child, it is also of her flesh. The woman I knew had spirit and a loving nature—she would not sentence her child to a life of degradation."

  Mactavish's eyes grew sad as he thought of his own life as the illegitimate son of Warrick's grandfather. "Aye, I could tell you something about that. You have no sense of worth when you have no name."

  "It's been a hard life for you, hasn't it, Mactavish?"

  "I've had my moments of glory, lad. The world may not see me as your uncle, but I've always known I was. And I think you've known it, too."

  "I have wanted to acknowledge you as my uncle for a long time."

  "Nay, lad, I'll not have it."

  "You and I, Mactavish, will always know that we have a blood tie."

  "Aye, that's all that matters. But what are you going to do about Lady Arrian and the bairn?"

  Warrick stared at his trembling hands. "The idea is still too new to me. I never considered becoming a father." He turned to his friend. "Does she hate me so much that she would punish me through our child?"

  "The words were not from her, Warrick, but from the mouth of Ian Maclvors. I have only his word that there is a child."

  "Oh, there's a child. That fact must be sticking in his throat like bitter brine. I'll not allow him to have control of any child that has my blood in its veins."

  "You canna stop it, Warrick."

  "My inclination is to ride to Davinsham and take her out of there, but that's not the solution."

  "I've ne'er known you to think before you acted, laddie. There comes a time to put the old ways aside. That time could be now."

  "This time I must think carefully before I act." Warrick looked with satisfaction at Mactavish. "I'm learning patience. But I have not learned to turn away from a Maclvors affront. Ian Maclvors and I must meet—it's been coming for a long time."

  "Thig latha choindui fhatbast," Mactavish said, reciting an old Gaelic saying.

  "Yes, the black dog's day will come yet," Warrick echoed in English.

  "Go now and think on what I have told you. I'm not fit company for anyone and I want to drink alone."

  "I'll stay and we'll drink together."

  "Nay, lad. You're not a drinking man. I'll no' have Haddy flogging me for leading you astray."

  Warrick stood up. "You should get some rest now. You will be abed until those ribs heal."

  "Aye, but I'll not be liking it."

  Warrick climbed the stairs to his bedroom. Until he met Arrian, he hadn't known loneliness. When she went away, he had been left with an aching void that could never be filled.

  He thought of the child Arrian carried and felt an immediate possessiveness. He would not allow a child of his body to grow up beneath the roof of a Maclvors. Nor, for that matter, would he allow his child to be born on Maclvors soil!

  25

  Arrian knocked on the door, knowing Ian would be at his ledgers this morning. It had taken courage for her to come to him, because she had to tell him she was returning to England and at the same time ask a boon of him.

  When she entered the room at his invitation, she found him not at his desk but sitting before the portrait of their grandfather with a glass of wine in his hand. When he saw Arrian, he came to his feet with a pleased smile on his face.

  "Arrian, what a pleasant surprise. You have never visited me here."

  She stood beside him and glanced up at the portrait of Gille Maclvors in his younger days. The old chief's eyes were piercing and seemed to dominate the atmosphere.

  "I often came here to visit Grandfather," Arrian said. "He kept hard candy for me in his drawer."

  Ian's voice came out cold and bitter. "He never gave me anything but the benefit of his unsolicited advice and criticism."

  "I'm sure he had to impress upon you the magnitude of the responsibilities you would be facing when you took over for him."

  "He im
pressed them on me right enough. I never did anything that pleased him. He never gave me rock candy. But I have it all now that he's dead. That's my satisfaction."

  Arrian looked into small, greedy eyes and noticed the cruel twist to his mouth. She wished she had not sought him out today, but she was here, and she would ask her favor of him.

  "You are aware that my family is leaving within the week?"

  "Yes, your father told me." He looked regretful. "You will, of course, be going with them. It would not be proper for you to stay here until our year of mourning is over."

  Ian was taking her departure more calmly than she had thought he would. "It wouldn't be right for me to remain under the circumstances."

  "As I just pointed out to you." Now his tone was biting, and she realized he'd had too much to drink. "You will give me credit for knowing the proper way to behave."

  She was puzzled by his attitude. Had he decided they were not meant to be husband and wife? She hoped it was so.

  "I have also come to ask a favor that only you can grant."

  He smiled down at her. "You should know that anything you ask of me will be granted. What is your wish?"

  "I—" She met his gaze. "I would ask you to return the body of Lord Warrick's sister to Glencarin."

  She would have thought him unaffected by her request had it not been for the balling of his fists. "And why should you care where Lady Gwendolyn is buried?"

  "Because a great wrong was done to her. I believe she should be laid to rest with her ancestors. Hers is a sad story, and I like happy endings."

  "The dead don't care where they spend eternity."

  "No, but those who love them care."

  "So, you do it for him." Ian stared for a long moment at his grandfather's likeness and then turned back to her. "And just who would escort the remains of Lady Gwendolyn to Glencarin? I don't believe you could pay any Maclvors enough money to go onto Drummond land."

  "My brother, Michael, has agreed to escort the body, if you will allow it."

  He looked down at her, his eyes cool and calculating. "How badly do you want this?"