The Highlander Who Loved Me (Heart of a Highlander Collection Book 4)

by Allie Palomino

  Kerr looked away. He was going to wipe his hands on his plaid, but his back straightened and he walked towards the door instead, smiling when he saw one of Douglas’ men running towards the entrance.

  “Laird! Ye must come out!”

  Hearing his man’s urgent shout, Douglas and James walked hurriedly out with Kerr speaking behind them.

  “Ye may wish to rethink that threat, James. Ye arena the only man with power and force.”

  The vision before Douglas and James left them with raised eyebrows. Kerr passed them, walking towards his men, saying nothing further.

  There must have been a thousand men at the ready at a distance.

  “How did he amass so many with no funds and a small clan?”

  “Those are certainly important questions, Son. And now I have an answer to mine as to why he’d been strutting about like a peacock.”

  “We have more numbers than this?”

  “Aye, so long as he doesna have more awaiting, James.”

  “I’m quite certain that Connor would assist.”

  Almost as if he’d heard from a distance, Kerr turned around and shouted, “This is merely a third of the men available.” His smile was wide. “Good day.”

  James looked at his father.

  “Bastard.”

  “Aye, son, he is that and several other colorful words.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  James hadn’t been able to sleep. He was in the great room staring up at the wall of weapons from his fathers before, wondering if they’d ever placed their desires and themselves above the well-being of others and the clan.

  Everyone he loved, all that he held dear, was threatened yesterday by a man who was not only unsound of mind, but had the means to carry out irrational threats for unwarranted reasons.

  James thought about his clan. They were hardworking men and women. His father had ruled over them with a kind but firm hand. They were prosperous and helped one another.

  How could he reap hell onto them?

  Destroy their lives?

  Send men to war?

  Leave children without fathers, and wives without husbands?

  He thought of his father. Douglas had never been the same since losing Anne. The man he remembered before Anne was very much different than the father he had now. In some ways, he’d lost his zeal for life, and in others, he was angry and bitter.

  His father was, thankfully, of good constitution- but could he survive a war?

  Then he thought of his sweet sister. Could he ask for Connor’s help and risk injury to him, his family, and his clan? Could he risk leaving Maddie a widow, and baby Anne without a father?

  With the Ramsay numbers, they’d have thousands to battle Kerr and whoever else was helping him.

  James groaned and wiped a hand down his face.

  Lastly, he thought of his heart, his soul- his stòr. The bastard Kerr had threatened her.

  James’ fists clenched. If his father hadn’t been there restraining him, James would’ve wrapped his hands around Kerr’s neck and squeezed until no more breath entered into that bastard’s lungs.

  And still, afterwards, he’d crack that bastard’s neck.

  Could he risk all of these horrors to marry his Katie?

  The real question was- would her life be better with him in it despite the danger he would add to it from Kerr?

  He thought of her kindness and her gentleness. Even when dark clouds invaded his sky, her smile parted them and allowed the sun to peek between them. On cold evenings, her touch warmed him through. Her voice and laughter caused the blackness of his soul to recede and left him feeling renewed as if he’d stepped from the lake of Heaven.

  James closed his eyes. The desire to see her, to hold her, was a weight on his shoulders that would not be alleviated until he held her again.

  James wanted Katie, in every sense that a man wanted a woman. Of course he was patient with her, and he always would be. And while she moved his heart and his soul, she stirred the manliest part of him.

  Katherynne Ramsay was a beautiful woman.

  And he ached to make her his in every way.

  Chapter Fourteen

  “How long will he keep away?”

  Katie asked herself that question as she worked in her mother’s beloved gardens. Maddie used to help her but was now busy with Anne.

  Smiling, she lovingly touched a rose. Anne was a beautiful baby, with a healthy set of lungs.

  Katie’s demeanor changed when she thought about whether she’d ever have a baby of her own. It had taken her a long while before she’d felt comfortable with anyone touching her. She’d shied away from them, even from her family. Slowly, she began to warm up to their hugs and it had become better after some time.

  But Katie knew what it would take to create a baby and she wondered whether she could engage in such activity given her past.

  Of course, her thoughts turned to James. They never strayed far from him. She'd been surprised that she had grown accustomed to his touch. Surprised, and grateful. She wasn't blind. Any woman would be enamored of him by appearances only.

  Katie remembered when she’d first seen him. He was the handsomest man she’d ever seen. James had been, and still was, intimidating, so tall and muscular. His eyes were hard and quick. The look about them was intense. There had been a seriousness about him.

  And when he’d rested his eyes on her, and they had become curious and softened slightly, she'd been lost in their sun-colored depths.

  Could she be intimate with James?

  Katie envisioned a child with his golden eyes, who showed a dimple when he or she laughed. A baby who would steal his heart and make his eyes shine with love.

  Katie brought her dirt-covered hands up to her chest where her heart missed a beat thinking of her love.

  "Why are ye smilin'?"

  Snapping out of her sweet reverie, her eyes focused on Alpin. She did not like being around the cocky man. He made her feel uncomfortable. It was the way he spoke to her and looked at her, as if by virtue of being a woman, all she was ever meant to do was marry and serve her husband.

  "My thoughts are my concern alone, and no one else's."

  She was through mincing words with him. She didn't like him and she would not pretend otherwise. It would encourage him and give him false hope that they could form a relationship, which most certainly would never happen.

  He sneered and her hands clenched in reaction.

  "Being friendly, ‘tis all."

  Katie snorted. "I'm nay sure ye even know the meaning of that word."

  Alpin's face reddened. "I doona know why I bothered with ye. My father encouraged me to, since ye are his laird's daughter."

  Katie's lips pursed and her nostrils flared slightly. "My brother is laird, now, Alpin. I've told ye before, that I amna interested in ye."

  "But yer interests lie in that porridge for brains?"

  Katie reared backwards, shocked at his vehement insult. "He's a kind man, Alpin. He treats me well. Much better than ye have."

  Alpin snorted. "D'ye know how many lasses want my attentions?"

  She looked around in mockery. "Are they in yer head?"

  His lips shriveled and his eyes hardened. "Ye are a difficult, spoiled, ingrate who should be thankful that I am even speaking to ye, much less considered ye possibly for more."

  "For what? An unhappy wife? Because truth be told, that is what I'd be with ye were ye to become my husband." Katie shuddered, fanning the flames of his anger. "No thank ye. Sounds more like a dreadful night terror."

  "How dare ye? And James Menzies is a better option?" He snorted again. "I think not."

  His coloring darkened as she laughed. "I've no need to defend him against yer insults, Alpin. The man speaks for himself. Suffice to say, he treats me as his equal."

  His laugh was condescending. "Equal? A woman? Ye're not, and 'tis best that ye end those whimsical notions in that head of yers."

  “‘Tis best for who? Ye? With t
hose thoughts and opinions, Alpin, ye will never marry."

  "I'm leaving. I will no longer spare an additional moment of time speaking with someone like ye. With the way ye speak to yer betters, Katherynne, 'tis no surprise why ye were raped."

  Katie gasped as she felt her eyes prickle with tears. What a hateful thing to say. She quickly rose to her feet.

  "Ye are filth, Alpin. Ye disgusting arse."

  Katie reared her fist back and punched him like James had shown her. He howled, and rubbed his reddening jaw.

  "Whore bitch."

  Katie massaged her hurting knuckles, but smiled through the pain at him.

  "Call me what ye like, Alpin, but ye canna call me a wilting flower or weak, for I am neither. Insult me again, and I shall make other parts of ye sting with pain."

  He began walking away, rubbing his jaw, but not before looking back at her once again. "Bitch."

  Katie smiled and waved him goodbye. When she turned away from him and looked back down at the garden, she set her tears free. Rubbing her hand, she mumbled, "Hateful arse."

  Settling back onto her knees, her thoughts flittered to James once again. James and Alpin were as different as night and day. James never once treated her as inferior. While she was inexperienced with matters of the heart, she knew there were a great many men who believed such as Alpin did- that a woman was inferior and belonged only in the home to serve her husband. James wasn't one of them. The manner in which he was with her reminded her of the way that her father and Connor were with her mother and Maddie. That is the way love should be.

  Love.

  Longing entered into her heart. Again, her thoughts returned to where they were before Alpin interrupted her.

  Could she be a true wife to James?

  Katie closed her eyes.

  She could learn to be. After all, she'd slowly become accustomed to James' feel, smell, and touch.

  Katie wrapped her arms around herself. The nagging doubt entered into her thoughts. James was deserving of a good woman, one who would be able to fulfill all of his dreams, wishes, and desires of the mind, heart, and body. For him to have less would be unfair and not deserving of him.

  Katie heard barking and looked over to her right, smiling. "Ramsay!" The dog hurried over to her, wagging his tail. Slobber dripped from his mouth from where he panted.

  She loved the dog- everyone did, really. Mayhap not Connor as much. Her brother had taken exception to the poor hound's name, which was, of course, not Ramsay's fault. Maddie had a great love for him, and once Connor saw that the adoration was returned by the hound, and that Ramsay would love and protect his wife as much as he himself would, Connor had relented. Although her brother feigned differently, Katie knew that he'd grown to like the shaggy dog.

  "Come. It is verra hot now. Let us go and find some treats."

  Ramsay barked and wagged his tail, walking along with her.

  "Mayhap my treat will come soon, too," she whispered, her thoughts on James.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Every day James stayed away was like a knife imbedding itself into his heart. He missed Katie with every breath he took.

  He snorted.

  Who would have ever believed that the Marbhaiche would fall in love. Since he was a young lad, he’d believed the sole purpose of his life was to be a strong, fierce protector of his clan. His mother, Ailith, died when he was young and he'd only ever had his father. He didn’t remember much of her, but his father had always been honest telling him that their marriage had been arranged. Douglas had had affection for Ailith and her for him, but they hadn’t had a deep love. After she passed, there had never been any allowance in their lives for the warmth and love a woman brought, except for Anne.

  He remembered Maddie's mother, and vowed to tell his sister more stories of Anne when he saw Maddie again. Anne had been perceived as weak when she was first brought to his clan. She’d hardly spoken, and she’d withdrawn from everyone. It wasn't until his father had called her weak-willed that Anne had erupted before them. Every day that had followed, the withered flower had resurrected from near death, and blossomed. Towards the end of her time with them, she’d given his father as good as she’d received from him, and had become a feisty woman who had not taken any nonsense from Douglas Menzies.

  He thought about his Katie. She'd been much the same when he’d first met her but was now more confident and outspoken.

  James loved that about her.

  Truthfully, he loved everything about Katherynne Ramsay.

  He'd been told that was how she'd been prior to her assault. He hoped that he had something to do with her returning to her normal self.

  "Where were ye, son?"

  James turned to see his father watching him from the threshold of the great room. He gave his father an odd look.

  "Here."

  Douglas laughed. "Nay. Yer body is here, but yer mind is elsewhere."

  James laughed. "Katie."

  Douglas' smile spread. "My soon-to-be daughter by marriage."

  James' dimple appeared. "It is my hope."

  Douglas held a piece of parchment. "We received what we've been waiting for, so mayhap yer hope will come into fruition."

  "What did the Grants respond?"

  Douglas laughed. "Is there any doubt? They've been Kerr rivals for the better part of a century. The Grants will join our men if the need arises. Their guards who patrol the border have noticed odd visitors to the Kerrs. The guards mentioned that the men walked oddly. They did not walk like a Highlander. They knew nothing else."

  James' eyebrows furled. "Walked oddly? Funny, I didna realize we walked differently than others. Did they identify the plaid?"

  Douglas shook his head. "They'd never seen it before."

  James turned his head to the side. "Odd."

  Douglas nodded.

  "What troubles ye, son?"

  James exhaled. "I could never hide anything from ye."

  Douglas laughed while nodding his head. He poured himself a goblet of ale and drank. "Nay. Never could."

  "Marriage. To Katie."

  "What about it, son?"

  "Would I be inviting trouble into her life? The bastard peacock threatened her."

  "For which ye will take yer revenge when the occasion presents itself, soon."

  “When I doona marry Fiona, it will begin a feud.”

  Douglas shrugged.

  “He will go to war for this.”

  “Then be it so. I’ve enough cause to begin war with him. I’ve let things be for the time until I heard from Grant, but animals have been disappearing, and there’ve been questionable fires set. That bastard is behind them and probably believes I’ve become weak in my old age.” Douglas’ laugh was sardonic. “He willna expect what I have in mind. War then, it must be.”

  James studied his father.

  “Truly? D’ye nay worry? The potential consequences to all give me pause.”

  Douglas took a long drink before answering his son.

  “I once committed the biggest error of my sorry life, James. I allowed the only woman I ever loved to be taken from these arms.”

  He held his arms wide. The veins were prominent with the restrained anger Douglas barely controlled.

  “I should have cut them all down the moment they passed onto our lands.”

  “Why did ye allow them to take her?”

  Douglas’ voice was ragged as if rocks were rolling in his throat. He looked at James.

  “At that time, Wynton was in verra good rapport with the King. He threatened to go to him, to force Anne’s return. He looked at me, Son,” Douglas stopped as he remembered. His haunted eyes returned to James. “He looked at me, and promised that if that should happen, he would nay only ensure that the remainder of Anne’s life be difficult, but that he’d make certain to find ye, too, and kill ye. If he took her then without involving the king, he said he’d not kill her or mistreat her.”

  Douglas nodded at James. “He said that he’d have
the protection of the crown. Bastard,” he roared. “I fought when they came for her.”

  “I remember.”

  Douglas breathed in deeply. “That’s when he made the threats against ye and Anne.”

  “Nay ye?”

  Douglas shook his head, a humorless laugh on his lips. “Nay. I didna care about myself. My son and the woman I loved? Oh, aye. Those weapons were the most destructive to me.”

  James had never seen his father looked as defeated as he’d looked that day, but he came close to it now.

  “In the end, Anne refused to cause bloodshed, or to place ye, me, or our clan at risk. She promised me that so long as she remained here, she would continue to attempt to return to Wynton to stop the fighting.” He shook his head, arms out. “What was I to do?”

  James looked at his father who showed both anger and hopelessness. When Douglas met James’ eyes again, a hardness had crept in.

  “Ye fight. Ye fight for her and for all that ye want, and fock the consequences, James. History will nay repeat itself. I’ll nay allow it.”

  James clenched his jaw and looked around their keep. Knowing that he would visit potential death unto his clan, he regarded everything gravely.

  Nodding his head, his eyes returned to his father’s.

  “Let us prepare for war, then.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  James hadn’t sent a message, but she still went to the loch. It had been weeks since she’d seen him and every day that passed, she missed him more. The longing to see his face, and feel his arms and warmth, made her feet walk to the one place where they’d shared secrets about themselves.

  It was a cool evening, and she rubbed her arms as she looked onto the calm waters. Beautiful hues colored the sky. The sun’s reflection was mirrored perfectly on the loch’s surface. The birds flew overhead, lovely in their melodic flight.

  It was so serene here.

  Then she heard it. It was subtle, so very, very subtle. Had it not been for a tiny squeak from a nearby animal, she would have missed it altogether.