A Merry Medieval Christmas: Historical Romance Holiday Collection

by Laurel O'Donnell

  Once again Nevin assumed boredom and let out a sigh. "Those that like it yes." He shrugged and several men chuckled.

  "Enough," the laird said looking around the room. "Nevin, you will marry Catriona Grant."

  "What?" Both Nevin and Ian said at once. Nevin went even paler, his rounded eyes locked to his father's. "I will not marry her."

  "Yes you will." The laird looked to Ian. "This will be made right by your sister. She will not be shunned for my son's actions, but will marry and we can let this be an unfortunate misunderstanding. A spat between lovers."

  "My sister is betrothed to marry another." Seething heat climbed to his face. How could the laird think this was somehow a good way to deal with what happened. Obviously it affected Nevin who at the moment moved closer to his father, but Catriona would never agree to it and frankly neither would he.

  "Father, I prefer to marry someone of my choosing," Nevin said in a low growl. "I refuse to marry Catriona Grant."

  Ian stepped forward eyeing the guards. "I also protest this laird. My sister is set to marry someone already. What I wished for was..."

  The laird held up his hand. "Did you expect him to be spanked or sent to his room for days? My son is a man and he will make retributions, as a man should. If your sister was taken overnight by him, then tis quite possible her betrothed will end the engagement with due cause." The laird snapped his attention to Nevin, "and you will marry her immediately."

  It was useless to argue the point as Ian could see the man's mind was made up. He'd bargain for more time in hopes Nevin would find a way to convince his father against the marriage. "My sister is injured and requires a few days for healing."

  "Very well, they will wed two weeks from today." The laird looked past him to the gathered people. "Plan to be here for a wedding celebration."

  Cheers erupted and voices rose in excitement. This time it was Ian who rolled his eyes to the ceiling. Did the imbeciles not hear a word that was spoken? Neither party was happy about there being a marriage.

  The laird motioned for Ian to come forth. The man now had a relaxed expression and a slight curve to his lips. "I will be proud to have you join our clan by marriage. You are a well regarded young man."

  Ian bowed but said nothing. He didn't look forward to returning home with the news. If he knew Catriona, she'd never show up for the farce of a wedding and he along with her would earn the laird's wrath. It was a bad situation all around.

  Properly dismissed as the laird had motioned for another person to step forward for their hearing, Ian made his way through the people to a side hallway.

  Before he reached the edge of the darkened corridor, a slender hand on his arm stopped him from advancing. He looked first to see long elegant fingers, one wearing a petite signet ring and then to a beautiful face. The woman was young, with a heart shaped face framed by a thick golden brown braid. Contrasting dark brown eyes met his.

  "I am so sorry for all of this. My brother is uncontrollable at times." Her shrug was as elegant as her appearance and speech, so different from her brother.

  Ian wasn't sure what to say, anger still simmered and he had a hard time trusting himself not to snap at her. "There is little that can be done at this point." He went to move away, but she squeezed his arm.

  "I will walk outside with you." Her lips curved into a soft smile. "My name is Claire, I am the laird's daughter."

  Ian managed to bow his head over her hand, but in truth as much as he would have liked to meet the pretty woman under different circumstances, his mind was awhirl with how to present what had occurred to Catriona and what they could do to prevent the marriage from taking place. Yet courtesy overruled and he managed to keep a slow pace as they walked toward the courtyard.

  "I do believe this will pass. Nevin will no doubt convince Da not to go through with making him marry." She bit her bottom lip and frowned. "At least I hope so. I haven't seen my father this angry at him before."

  Ian considered the thunderous battles between Catriona and he, both with argumentative tempers. That Claire considered her father enraged shocked him, the man had maintained a steady composure.

  "Of course you probably didn't notice the tick on the side of his face, nor how he clenched his fists under the table. I did because I was just behind him. Believe me when I say he was livid."

  "Can you intercede for my sister?" He hoped to appeal to her feminine nature. "My sister is betrothed to someone she cares for greatly."

  "I heard they'd only just met at the pub not but a few days ago." Claire cocked her head to the side and looked to him in question. "Or had they known each other prior?"

  "Yes," Ian lied, not clarifying which statement he agreed with. "And they are both looking very much forward to marrying" That was stretching the truth a bit, but if given a choice between Nevin and Faolan, he was sure Catriona would choose the latter.

  Claire bowed her head in thought and he slid a look to notice her graceful neck, which of course meant he had to follow the elegant lines down to her bodice. Creamy breasts filled her cups, only the swells cresting. He cleared his throat and directed his attention to where his horse waited.

  She let out a soft sigh. "Can I see you in three days? In that time I will let you know how things fare here. I have an idea. If things are not changed and my father insists on a marriage, I think there is a way to stop it."

  Whatever she had in mind had to be better than his sister being tied to a cruel man; he'd rather die in the McPherson dungeons for killing Nevin than to allow it. "Very well. In three days I will meet you at the edge of the forest there." He pointed to the woods. "A few meters into the woods you will see a clearing by the stream."

  She released his arm and looked up to him with a serene smile. "Thank you. I'd rather find a better solution than harm coming to my brother at your hands."

  "You read my mind well," Ian conceded. "You love him?"

  "He is my blood. I may not love what he is, nor his ways, but I do love who he is. In time Nevin can be a good man, I think." She stopped and shook her head. "I do not know for certain what happens in his head at times."

  He understood the love between siblings as he put up with quite a bit from Catriona. Although she was feisty and impulsive, she was never cruel or unkind. He wasn't sure how he'd feel about her if she were.

  He rode away deep in thought, no matter what the outcome, Ian had a feeling it was not the last time he would have to stand before Laird McPherson. Either scenario that played in his mind was not a good one. Although he'd heard the laird was a fair man, no leader would put up with open shunning from someone like him. Yes he was a landowner and had coin, but he wasn’t in as high a station as McPherson. Ian shook his head. The way of things had become more complicated in the last few days than they had been in years.

  One added problem he did not need at the moment was for the vision of Claire to keep presenting itself in his mind. The woman was beautiful, but very much unattainable.

  Chapter Ten

  Faolan woke with a start. Still in Catriona's bed, he'd slept with one foot dangling over the edge on the floor, his bottom halfway off and his arm numb from her lying upon it. Yet looking upon her slumbering face, there was no other place he'd rather be. She mumbled incoherently in her sleep and snuggled closer, her left arm across his waist. She'd allowed Bessie to put a salve on her injuries while Faolan stood outside the door cringing each time Catriona moaned in pain.

  If only he'd done more than pummel the bastard who'd hurt her. He'd stopped only because Catriona needed him, otherwise things would have ended very differently. The door opened slowly and Ian peered in, by his disheveled hair, he'd just woken. First his rounded eyes went to Faolan's face, then to his booted foot on the floor and then took in the fact he lay over the covers and Catriona under. "I must speak to you," he whispered.

  After disentangling from the slumbering Catriona, he followed Ian down the hallway to the main room. Once settled before a fire, Ian looked past him to the doorw
ay. "I hope she will not hear this, not yet."

  His heart pitched. Something was terribly wrong. "Bessie gave her a concoction to help her sleep. I don't expect she'll wake anytime soon."

  Ian ran his hands down his face. "The laird decided that the proper way to deal with what happened is for Catriona and Nevin to marry."

  Like a fist to his stomach, the words made Faolan flinch. "That makes little sense."

  "I agree. I told him she is betrothed, but he would not be deterred. Requires she come two weeks hence."

  "Perhaps the laird will be made to change his mind."

  "Aye that is what I hope for. I spoke to the daughter, she will attempt to speak to her father in Catriona's behalf." Ian let out a deep sigh. "I fear I've made things worse."

  "Tis not your fault. How were you to know?" Faolan focused on the fire, his mind working different solutions to the situation. Nevin had become enraged because Catriona was engaged to him. Indirectly it was his fault therefore some of the responsibility for finding a solution lay with him. "Catriona will not marry him."

  "That is a fact. Whether by running away and hiding or who knows what means, I am convinced she will avoid it at all costs."

  "What do you plan to do?"

  "The daughter and I are meeting in a few days. She claims to have an idea that could work."

  "I will marry Catriona. Is it possible to get the local clergy to do it right away?" Faolan knew it meant giving up all hopes of a life with Moira. It was interesting that the idea did not bother him as much as he would have expected. "I will marry her today if possible."

  "That won't stop the ire of the laird." Ian said. "However, it would be a way for her to not marry Nevin. We must consider how to keep the laird from ordering an annulment." His green eyes met his. "You'll have to consummate the marriage with witnesses."

  Faolan nodded. "Of course."

  The fire crackled in the hearth as both men remained sitting across from each other deep in thought,

  "How did you come to hear the legend of the well?" Ian asked him while maintaining his gaze on the fire. "It strikes me as odd that you know about something so far from your people."

  Faolan blew out a breath. "My grandfather also spoke of it several times to my brother and I. When we were of the age to notice girls, he'd make references to how love is not to be taken for granted and such. He told us about the young lovers who drowned in it, to never be together in this life." Faolan smiled. "I'd forgotten about it until of late, as he died a few years ago."

  Ian leaned forward and poked at the fire with a long iron. "May your journey be quiet and your days of joy long. May your deeds remain strong for Odin. May your love stay true to your noble heart." He turned to Faolan. "Interesting that it says nothing about finding love, yet it's said lovers who come upon it and toss a lock of hair weighted by a stone will indeed find their true love, or something of that matter." He shrugged. "Never believed it myself. Many do, over the years travelers come through here asking about it."

  "Why do you bring it up now?" Faolan asked. There was no use in considering any other option. He'd been intimate with Catriona, the honorable thing to do would be to marry her. Especially now that she could be forced into what was sure to be a horrible marriage. If he was to be honest, the idea of Catriona as his wife sat well with him. How long had it been since he‘d thought of Moira? For most of the trip across Scotland, she'd occupied his thoughts so often and now he went long stretches without any musings about the woman he'd felt so strongly about upon leaving Skye.

  "Because of your quest, of a caring so strong that you came so far in an attempt to find it. And now...everything has changed. Fate has not been on your side."

  He could agree with the man, but he didn't feel as if fate had cheated him. On the contrary, the distance and the experience had taught him that perhaps that love he thought so deep for Moira was not so. What had driven him to the quest was the feeling that Ewan should not marry her, but marry someone else. His brother had not seemed overly happy over the arrangement, but then again, it was his duty as future laird to marry who was chosen for him. "I do not feel cheated Ian. I pledge to you to care for Catriona and ensure she is protected as long as I live."

  "I thank you." Ian held out his hand and they gripped each other wrist. "Brother."

  Catriona looked from Ian to Faolan, her mouth open, and her eyes wide. "I told you not to go. Of course the father would come up with a maddening decision. He is not punishing him, the one who is being punished is me." She pounded her fist onto the table next to the chair in which she sat. "I must flee immediately. If it wasn't for the soreness, I would tell you to saddle a horse straightaway." Her wild eyes flew from them to the doorway. "I must go."

  "Yes Catriona, you will leave. By the end of the day." Ian spoke to her about what they'd agreed and Faolan stood next to her waiting for a reaction. Her brother neared and crouched down. "The clergy will be here shortly to marry you and Faolan. Once it was explained to him, the circumstances, he agreed it was best that you two marry immediately."

  She looked to Faolan and then to her brother. "Circumstances?"

  "Aye, I found you both in your bed this morn," Ian said with a slow grin. "Of course I demanded this scoundrel marry you immediately and said scoundrel agreed"

  She turned to Faolan who nodded.

  "But what about your wish? You came so far to find the well."

  Faolan would not lie to her. He'd vowed never to lie to whomever he married. "I did come far and I'd hoped to find it, but I accept what fate has decreed. We will marry and we will leave for Skye immediately."

  For a split second he saw a glint of rebellion in her gaze before she frowned and clasped her hands on her lap. "I--I am not sure what to say. This is all so sudden. Everything." Wincing, she lifted from the chair and squared her shoulders. "Very well I agree, but as soon as we are safely far away, we can have the marriage annulled."

  "You will consummate the marriage prior to leaving. I will not allow you to go with him otherwise." Ian lifted a brow in challenge at his sister. "I mean it Catriona."

  Instead of a reply she stormed off. Anger became stronger than a sore bottom.

  "Well that went better than I expected," Ian said with a chuckle. "Now to gather a few witnesses."

  The wagon jostled just enough to keep the trip from being uncomfortable. When a wheel rolled through a rather deep rivet, Catriona bit her lip to keep from cursing out loud. Instead she let out a huff and turned to look toward the front seat on which Faolan sat, shoulders straight. "Its ridiculous for me to remain hidden. We've gone far enough for me to come up there. It is bumpy and very uncomfortable back here."

  "Not yet," came his curt reply. "Tomorrow would be best."

  The day was a blur and she preferred complaining and concentrating on the present rather than remember the rather embarrassing turn of events earlier that day.

  She and Faolan had exchanged vows before the hearth, the only people present beside Ian, were Bessie, Osla and her husband Sean. The clergy made it quite clear he disapproved of her actions by narrowing his already tiny eyes at her each time he spoke in her direction until it finally made her roll her eyes. Why did the little man not direct his ire toward Faolan, if they'd been found in bed together, surely her now husband was partly to blame? She'd huffed loudly when the clergy once again looked down his nose at her. The action brought glares from Ian and Bessie, a giggle from Osla and a twitching of lips from Faolan.

  She wasn't sure yet if he found it amusing or had fought to keep from chastising her. Even more mortifying was Ian's demand for a consummation of the marriage in public. She knew exactly why he'd done it. To keep her from running off halfway to Skye while Faolan slept or was otherwise distracted. With Bessie, Osla and Sean present, Faolan had not seemed at all embarrassed to bare himself from the waist down and shove into her without preamble. She'd hissed more in anger than pain, then promptly threw the witnesses from the room. Her lips curved at how Faolan had made u
p for the abrupt deed by making love to her until she'd become a mass of boneless porridge.

  Now they headed to Skye, planned to be as far as possible from Moy before the due meeting with Laird McPherson and his loathsome son. "I cannot leave my brother to face the consequences alone. We have to return. At least I do. What if he's thrown into the dungeon? He'll have no one to bring him food." She couldn't help a smile at thinking of the normally well-groomed Ian with mangled hair and dirty clothes. It would serve him right for marrying her off. Guilt then assaulted her at the very same pictures in her mind. What if he really was punished? He'd assured her that between he and the laird's daughter they'd come up with a way to put the laird off.

  Faolan turned to look at her over his shoulder. Each time she gazed upon his face, his beauty astounded her. That a man could be so handsome was at the very least distracting. It would be very difficult to remain angry with him for long in the future. "Yer brother will not come to harm. He has several plans in the works to ensure it."

  "Did Ian tell you what he and Claire McPherson planned to do?" She bit her bottom lip and eyed the road behind them. "I think we should remain nearby in case he needs rescuing."

  His lips twitched. "Are you proposing the two of us, one man and an angry woman with flaming hair come to his rescue against more than twenty guardsmen?"

  With a droll look she shook her head. "Of course not. We can sneak in after dark and get him."

  "Past the gate guards, the stables, into the keep and down to the dungeon. Yes I can see how that would work." Faolan replied in a flat tone.

  They rode most of the day stopping only briefly to allow the horses to rest and drink. Faolan kept vigil as she stretched and walked around, her mind constantly on her brother and what happened back at the village.

  That night they slept in the wagon, both too exhausted to do more than fall into an exhausted slumber. Catriona woke first with a start at hearing a loud birdcall. She studied Faolan's face. At rest he was just as handsome, but seemed younger and without worry. If only she could delve into his mind and know how he felt. What did he feel about returning to Skye, where the woman he'd traveled so far for waited? What would happen when they came upon her? She'd yet to ask him about it, too preoccupied with what happened back in Moy.