Captivating the Highlander: A Steamy Scottish Historical Romance Novel

by Maddie MacKenna

  “Laird Fionnghall! Would ye care fer a game of cards?” Laird Brun asked with a happy edge in his voice. He grabbed a deck of cards from a side table and sat down to shuffle them.

  Lady Brun picked out a book from the shelf while Lady Beitris sat next to Deirdre and gave Fionnghall an icy look.

  Fionnghall wanted to refuse the game. After all, his mind was not at all in entertainment. Rather, he was on the edge and was only listening for signs of the return of his guards. However, he saw it best to do as Laird Brun wanted, to keep his nervousness from him.

  “Sure, Laird Brun. Why daenae ye deal?” he said.

  Suddenly, he heard Lady Beitris talk.

  “What is this?” she said as she picked up Marion’s letter from the floor. Fionnghall felt as though someone had just poured a bucket of icy water over him. Deirdre woke up from her trance and tried to grab the letter from Lady Beitris, but it was too late.

  She had stood up and was reading the letter with a victorious and astonished look on her face.

  “Give it back!” Deirdre said and snatched the letter from her hand. But the damage was done.

  “So! I was right after all! She loves you! And she’s gone. What is goin’ on, Laird Fionnghall? Should we ken somethin’?”

  Her question made everyone look up. Deirdre and Fionnghall froze for a moment.

  “That is a private letter and ye had no business readin’ it!” Deirdre said. Her cheeks were flushed, but Fionnghall wasn’t sure if it was because of the brandy or the situation.

  “What is the matter, daughter?” Laird Brun asked.

  “Lady Marion has left Gille Chriost,” she replied. “But nae before ruinin’ me marriage. She loves him! And he loves her!”

  Laird Brun looked at Fionnghall.

  “Were ye goin’ to bring shame to yerself and me daughter?” he asked, in a surprisingly calm manner.

  “Nae, as a matter of fact, I was nae goin’ to bring shame to her, Gille Chriost, or Brun,” Fionnghall responded, equally calmly. “If ye had nae been as drunk as ye were last night, I would have had this discussion with ye earlier,” he continued.

  Fionnghall had been planning to have the conversation with Laird Brun privately, but since Marion’s departure was on the table, he might as well have it now.

  “Laird Brun, as yer daughter has already pointed out so graciously, me feelings are, in fact, with someone else,” he started. “I ken me parents made a promise to ye a long time ago about the marriage between meself and yer daughter—”

  “And ye ought to keep it! The prosperity and peace of yer people depend on it!” Laird Brun interrupted him. He stood up and got very close to Fionnghall’s face.

  Fionnghall could see something terrifying behind his eyes. It took him by surprise and he stood up as well. Standing up, Fionnghall was taller than Laird Brun and was now staring down at him. He didn’t budge.

  “The prosperity and peace of me people depend entirely on meself, nae the marriage. And if ye, Laird Brun, choose to disturb that peace and prosperity, I am goin’ to have to respond accordingly,” he said with a cool and calm voice.

  “Laird Fionnghall? So you insist on your foolish decision to break off our engagement and endanger the prosperity of our clans?” Lady Beitris asked. Her voice sounded like it was dripping poison and resentment.

  This whole time, Lady Brun had stood quietly by Deirdre, not weighing in on the situation on either side.

  Fionnghall turned to Lady Beitris and met her sharp eyes.

  “Aye,” he replied simply.

  Lady Beitris gasped, turning to her father.

  “Faither! Dae somethin’! He cannae dae that! The title and property are mine!” she demanded.

  Before Laird Brun had the chance to respond, the door of the drawing room flew open and Fionnghall turned to the door.

  It was his head guard. He ran in, carrying unconscious Marion in his arms.

  Immediately, Fionnghall forgot the presence of everyone else. His heart filled of hope and a hint of joy. They found her, she was back at Gille Chriost. Everything would be all right again. But his joy was quickly shadowed by fear. Marion looked completely lifeless, lying still and unmoving.

  “Me Laird, a farmer found her in his field,” the guard said.

  “Bring her here,” he said quickly and pointed to the couch beside the fireplace. The guard let Marion gently down and in the corner of his eye Fionnghall could see Jack coming in, carrying Marion’s bundle.

  He kneeled next to Marion and just as quickly, Deirdre was by his side. Marion’s hair was dripping wet, as were her clothes. The back of her head was bleeding and there was a faint stream of partially dried blood on her pale face.

  Fionnghall laid his hand on Marion’s forehead. It was burning, though it was cold and rainy outside.

  “Jack, call fer a physician and get a maid to prepare Marion’s chambers and a set of dry clothes,” he commanded.

  Jack nodded and left the room along with the other guards. In the background, Fionnghall could hear Jack giving out orders.

  “She… looks so still,” Deirdre whispered. There was a hint of fear in Deirdre’s voice and Fionnghall couldn’t help but feel the same fear. Marion didn’t look like herself.

  Marion’s eyes fluttered.

  “Marion? Marion, are ye awake? Can ye hear me?” Fionnghall asked as his heart took a hopeful leap.

  “Fionnghall…” Marion whispered, with her eyes still closed.

  “Aye, ‘tis me. Deirdre is here too. Ye are safe,” he responded quietly. Deirdre squeezed Marion’s unmoving hand and smiled.

  “Darlin’, we are here. Open yer eyes,” she whispered.

  Marion’s pale face was unnerving to Fionnghall. His heart was racing and he was afraid for Marion. She was burning up and she had been bleeding. The dried patches of blood in her hair and on her face made chills creep up Fionnghall’s spine.

  What if she wouldn’t be all right? He didn’t even dare to think about it. She had to be. Otherwise, what was the point of everything? Him loving her, her loving him… breaking the promise of marriage.

  His fear was clearly mirrored in Deirdre’s eyes.

  “Is she goin’ to be all right?” Deirdre asked, still holding Marion’s hand.

  Fionnghall wished he could have assured her of Marion’s recovery.

  “She has to be,” Fionnghall responded. As if he were going to will Marion to be all right.

  Suddenly, Marion’s eyes fluttered again and opened.

  “Where... am I?” she asked and turned her face slowly towards Fionnghall.

  Deirdre inhaled sharply.

  “Ye are home, darlin’, ye are safe,” she said. Hope had returned to her face.

  “Ye are goin’ to be all right,” he assured Marion, as well as himself and Deirdre.

  Marion heard chattering. People talking. Orders being given. She was sure that it was just a dream. In the back of her mind, she knew she had fallen off Bells and that she had ran away. She was laying on the rocky, cold ground in the rain. She was helpless, alone and couldn’t get up.

  Then, she felt a warm hand on her forehead. It felt so real. She could smell the familiar leathery smell of the person she loved the most. For a moment, she even thought he had called her name. But how could that be possible?

  “Fionnghall…” she tried to call his name but was barely able to get out an audible sigh. Then she fell into the darkness again.

  Maybe this was it. Maybe she would never wake up again and her mind was just playing tricks on her. But it all felt so real. She could even hear Deirdre’s voice. The concern. Questions. Reassurance.

  If I could just open my eyes… if it’s true… But what if it isn’t? I don’t want this dream to end. Maybe I cannot be with him in reality, but here, in the warm dream, he will stay with me forever.

  She felt a tight squeeze on her hand.

  Could it be…?

  Marion forced herself to open her eyes.

  At first, she couldn
’t see anything else but blurry haze. She felt a sharp pain in the back of her head and the flickering light made her eyes hurt.

  As soon as she opened her eyes, she heard gasps and her own name being called by the familiar voice she loved so much. She was indeed warm and there were people in the room. She wasn’t alone. It was real.

  “Fionnghall? Deirdre?” she asked weakly, turning her head. Immediately, she heard reassuring voices and felt a warm hand on her forehead again.

  “Ye are goin’ to be just fine,” Fionnghall said.

  Marion focused her eyes to the face on her left. She saw the deep brown eyes with a spark and love behind them. Her heart jumped. It was him. She forced herself to the surface from the bottom of the darkness.

  “How… what happened?” she asked, trying to sit up.

  Fionnghall pushed her back down gently.

  “Daenae get up, ye have been hurt. I have sent fer a physician,” he said.

  “Our guards found ye on a field. Ye must have been there the whole night. Poor thing,” Deirdre responded. “But ye are safe now,” she continued.

  Fionnghall and Deirdre weren’t the only people in the room. Laird Brun and Lady Beitris were standing further away, seemingly uncomfortable and somewhat hostile. Lady Brun looked at Marion and then furrowed her eyebrows.

  She took a quick step towards Marion’s bundle that was laying on the floor. Lady Brun grabbed her blue tartan slowly and gasped.

  23

  Found

  Lady Brun looked at the tartan with watery eyes and picked it up. She squeezed it to her chest and let out a small sob.

  “Lady Marion, what are ye doin’ in Scotland?” she asked with a shaky voice.

  Fionnghall and Deirdre exchanged puzzled looks. Marion saw Lady Brun’s questioning face.

  For a moment, she didn’t know who the speaker was. Her eyes were still hazy and she was trying to wrap her mind around reality.

  “Lady Marion? What brought ye here?” she repeated her question.

  Marion cleared her throat and focused on her face.

  “I came here looking for my parents,” she started. Her head was pounding and it was hard to bring out the words. “I was told that I am adopted and I wanted to know more about my real parents.” That was all she could say before the thudding in her head made speaking impossible.

  Lady Brun kneeled next to Marion and Deirdre gave her room by standing up.

  “How did ye get this blanket?” she asked, holding onto the blue tartan.

  Marion was confused. The sudden interest from Lady Brun made her feel awkward.

  “My parents found me wrapped in it when I was but a baby,” she said quietly. “Our stable boy, William, found me in our barn in England,” she replied, her curiosity and confusion growing.

  Without warning, Lady Brun burst into sobs and threw her arms around Marion. The movement made Marion’s head throb even more and it made her somewhat nauseated. The older woman’s grip around her was surprisingly strong.

  Marion wasn’t the only one who was confused. Even Fionnghall and Deirdre looked as though Lady Brun had just turned green.

  “Oh, I knew it, I knew it…” she kept saying over and over again, still holding onto Marion. She held onto her for so long that Marion was starting to grow concerned.

  “What… uuh… what?” she finally asked.

  Lady Brun let go and Marion could see that her eyes were glimmering with tears. She was smiling and squeezing the blanket so hard her knuckles had turned white.

  “I knew it as soon as I saw this blanket. I would have known even without the familiar initials in the corner,” she started, wiping the corners of her eyes. “Ye are me daughter!” she exclaimed.

  “I’m… your daughter?” Marion asked, more confused than ever.

  “Aye, aye,” she nodded. “I thought ye were dead! But ye are here, I never stopped hoping!” she said and threw her arms around her again.

  Marion was taken aback. She was her mother? Her real mother? Did it mean… that Laird Brun, that horrible, horrible man was her father? And that Lady Beitris was her sister?

  Before Marion had the time to process this thought, Lady Brun turned around and gave her husband a look that dripped of hatred.

  “Guards!” she called.

  Two tall guards armed with swords stepped into the room.

  “Me Lady?” the other one asked and bowed.

  “Seize him!” she yelled and pointed at her husband.

  The guard looked as confused as Marion felt. The hesitation didn’t go unnoticed and Laird Brun used the situation to his advantage.

  “Eilidth, what are ye doin’?” he asked, taking a step towards his wife.

  “Dae it! Seize him!” Ordered Fionnghall, who had been following the progress of the situation quietly.

  The guards snapped back to reality from their growing confusion and with a few quick steps they were by Laird Brun. The taller of the guards held back Laird Brun’s arms while the stocky guard checked him for any hidden knives.

  “What are ye two dobbers doin’? Release me at once!” he ordered, but the guards didn’t comply.

  “Let me faither go! What are ye fools doin’?” Lady Beitris commanded.

  “Silence, Beitris!” Lady Brun yelled.

  Lady Beitris was so surprised by her normally calm mother’s sharp voice that she instantly fell silent.

  Laird Brun was still struggling to free himself from the grip of the guard, but he held Laird Brun back.

  “Me Lady, what are we to dae with him?” he asked.

  Lady Brun rose up and walked up to Laird Brun. She was only a few inches from his face and Marion could see her eyes full of daggers.

  “Laird of Brun, ye took me daughter! Ye let me think she was dead! How dare ye even look at me? How dare ye look at her?” her voice was full of rage and Marion could not help but look at the scene that was taking place right in front of her.

  “I daenae ken what ye are talkin’ about,” said Laird Brun, avoiding his wife’s eyes.

  “Aye, ye dae. Ye took me daughter! Me beautiful daughter! All these years ye let me miss her and cry fer her. And it was the devil sleepin’ in the same bed as me, who took her from me,” she continued. “Guards, lock him in a cell. Upon our return to Brun, he is to be executed fer the kidnappin’ of me daughter.”

  Fionnghall moved closer to Laird Brun and looked at him with disgust on his face.

  “Is this true?” he asked Laird Brun.

  For a brief moment Laird Brun didn’t say anything. Everyone’s eyes had been turned to him and the pressure in the room was so apparent Marion could feel it.

  “Fine! Aye, I took the bairn! I took her and I told the guards to drown her,” he admitted.

  Marion saw Deirdre gasp and cover her mouth.

  “Why would ye dae that? How can ye be so heartless? And ye sent yer only brother to the grave thinkin’ he had lost his child!” Lady Brun demanded.

  “Me brother never deserved to be the Laird! It was me place. Mine! The only way to take his place was fer him to die. But I couldnae kill him, no, then I would nae have gotten the title,” he was now speaking fast, pouring out secrets that had been hidden for years.

  Marion didn’t understand what was going on.

  His brother?

  Fionnghall seemed just as confused.

  “So I took her. He was so broken, it was easy to slip poison into his drink. Everyone thought he died of grief fer the bairn. Then, all I had to dae was to convince ye to marry me and take on the title of the Laird.” He paused.

  Now that Marion looked at him, she could see the same disturbing and horrifying rage in his eyes that she had seen the night he had stopped her in the barn. It made chills run down her spine.

  “And ye believed me so easily! Ye reckon I care about yer safety and the people’s well-being? Ha!”

  “And ye never actually looked fer her, did ye?” Lady Brun asked, voice full of hatred.

  “Nae, of course nae! The g
uard had orders to drown the little worm. He must have taken pity on her, leavin’ her somewhere where people might find her. That idiot,” he said. “If it weren’t fer the guard’s empathy, this lass over here would never have been found, and no one would be any wiser,” he continued and now looked directly at Marion.

  “You killed my father?” Marion asked. A weak flame of anger and rage was bubbling underneath her skin, but she was too exhausted.