A Knight For Her Highland Heart (Scottish Highlander Romance)

by Barbara Bard

  Rory crooked a finger. “That Sassenach scoundrel is responsible for me clan’s exile!”

  “McManus,” Lord Torstein said, holding his hands up in submission, “it is not what you think it is!”

  Rory charged at Lord Torstein—but Finlay pressed both hands against his chest and stopped. “Stop!” he barked. “Nae in me village! Dae ye understand!”

  “He is the one!” Rory said, his gaze held firmly on Lord Torstein. “He led the charge that led to me village being burnt tae the ground!”

  “No, it is not,” Lord Torstein insisted. “I promise you that.”

  “Yer promises mean little tae me, Torstein. Ye were there!”

  “I did everything in my power to stop it.”

  “But ye did nae! Ye allowed that violent bastard Lord Henry tae burn my village! And kill me people!”

  Lord Torstein took a step forward. “If I didn’t do what I did more would have died. Believe me. I did all I could to stop Lord Henry.”

  “He should die! So should ye!”

  “Well, take comfort in knowing that Lord Henry was slain years ago…”

  Rory felt his nerves calming at the news of Lord Henry’s death. “Who? When?” he asked.

  Lord Torstein jutted his chin in Finlay’s direction.

  Rory turned and looked at Finlay. “Ye?”

  Finlay nodded. “Aye.”

  “How?”

  A beat. “I took his head…My friend, Lord Torstein is of naw threat tae ye. He is here tae help us end this fight. He is on our side. He has almost lost his life several times in the course of it all…”

  Rory once more turned his attention on Lord Torstein. He saw a weathered man, worn down by years of conflict, a sort of grit in his appearance now that more closely resembled a Highlander than that of a prissy Sassenach lord.

  Rory moved around Finlay. Calmly. Hands at his side. He strolled straight up to Lord Torstein and looked at him from head-to-toe. “Ye fight with us?” he asked, skeptical.

  Lord Torstein took his time to answer and nod. “Aye,” he said, relating to the Highlander in his own tone. “I fight with you…”

  A long, tension-fueled silence passed. Once it did, Rory patted Lord Torstein on the back, stepped around him, and said: “Then I believe a drink is in order.”

  Everyone sighed with relief as Rory headed to the tavern, but Finlay felt Lord Torstein grab him by the arm before he even took a few steps. “We must talk,” he said.

  Finlay lowered his voice. “What troubles you?”

  “It is about Ava’s fate,” Lord Torstein sighed. “I found the cottage…and Sir Jessup and his men arrived to it before I had a chance to retrieve her.”

  Finlay’s eyes went wide. “And what of her fate?”

  Lord Torstein hung his head. “Sir Jessup burned the cottage to the ground. I did not see Ava emerge from it…”

  Finlay huffed, turning away with his hands on his hips. Isla, seeing the dismay on her husband’s face from a distance, approached.

  “What is it?” she inquired.

  Finlay lowered his voice to a hush. “Ava has perished. And Sir Jessup’s forces are now imminent…”

  Isla had nothing to say for several moments. Finally, she spoke: “We should nae tell the others. Let us keep this tae ourselves and only those who need tae ken.”

  Finlay nodded. “Agreed…Come, let us share a drink with Rory…”

  A few drinks later, perhaps more than a few, Rory was standing with the collective of his clan and Finlay’s gathered in a circle. “Come!” Rory said. “Drinks! Every person here pick up a drink!”

  Everyone raised whatever liquid they had and waited for Rory to make his speech.

  “First of all,” he said with a drunken swagger, “to the Baird’s and their hospitality!”

  Cheers. Clinking of glasses. Sips and swigs.

  “Second,” Rory continued, “I dinnae believe I hae seen this many dog-faced Scotsman in a room for quite some time…” Laughter. More sips and swigs. “Regardless…and, perhaps I dinnae what I am driving at, but I want tae express me gratitude tae being fighting alongside the Bairds. Their reputation precedes them, and it is an honor tae be able tae fight with them.”

  Everyone cheered again. Toasted again. Sipped and swigged again. The conversation then split off amongst small groups as Rory made his way up to Finlay and Isla.

  “Quite a strong whiskey ye make here,” Rory said, holding up his glass.

  “As well we should,” Isla said, holding hers up as well.

  “I plan on taking mair when I leave here after the battles is finished. That is when, naw if.”

  Finlay nodded. “That sounds like the proper mindset tae be in.”

  They clinked their glasses once more and Rory polished off his glass. “I need another.”

  Isla gestured to her left. “Mair is fer the taking.”

  “How much?”

  She waved her hand. “Naw a thing.”

  Rory shook his head. “Naw…that will naw due. I plan on drinking heavily during me time here. It is only proper tae pay ye fer what I consume.” He fished in his pockets, produced the same satchel of gold that Gavina gave him, and held it up. “This looks like it should cover it…”

  Rory tossed the bag at Finlay who caught it one-handed.

  “Cheers again,” Rory said with a smile as he proceeded to get more to drink.

  Finlay watched Rory with a fond look on his face, the gold returned to him and cementing the fact that Rory was no longer in the fight for profit—he was in it for the love of country.

  Chapter 35

  “We are short on supplies,” Finlay said as he took a tally of all of the village’s food rations. “I need ye tae fetch mair.”

  “Aye. I shall go noo.”

  “Take the night if need be. And keep an eye out fer Sir Jessup and his men.”

  A laugh. “Am I being sent tae hunt or scout?”

  A smile. “Perhaps a bit of both…”

  Gavina nodded, already moving toward her horse as she grabbed a bow-and-arrow. Christian, training with several of the villagers, rushed up to join her. “Where are you headed?”

  She smirked. “Fae away from ye.”

  Christian playfully nudged her in the ribs. “No, really. Where are you headed?”

  “We are short on supplies. Finlay has sent me tae hunt.”

  “Would you like some company?”

  Gavina mounted her horse. “That sounds splendid.”

  The two then rode in unison a short distance away to a forested area resting not far from the village. They quietly dismounted their horses and tethered them to a tree.

  “What are we hunting?” Christian inquired.

  “There are a significant number of deer in these parts. Their numbers are strong. It is only a matter of waiting until one rears its head…”

  They walked a short distance and found concealment behind a large boulder. Nothing the sound of the wind and the occasional bird chirping kept them company. Gavina perched up on one knee, the bow and arrow ready in her hand as her and Christian kept a close eye on their surroundings. Time passed, and the sun slowly began to descend in the west as they waited.

  “How long until we come across one?” Christian asked.

  Gavina shrugged. “It could take days.”

  “Really? We do not have that kind of time…”

  Gavina gave him a sly look, indicating that she was only kidding.

  “I am curious,” Christian said.

  “Aboot what?” Gavina asked.

  “As to what will happen once all this is over. The battle. The turmoil with Sir Jessup.”

  Gavina drew an anticipatory breath. “Life will go on. That is what.”

  Christian nuzzled in closer. “You know that is not what I speak of.”

  Gavina smiled. “Aye. I ken that ye speak of us.”

  “Should I not? Am I getting too far ahead of myself?”

  Gavina leaned in, her lips positioned not
that far off from Christian’s. “Naw…It is an important question tae ask.”

  Christian took a moment to find the word to best accompany his nerves. “We love each other. Do we not?”

  Gavina smiled again. “Aye. We dae.”

  “Then it is not unreasonable for me to entertain a life with us together.”

  “It is naw.”

  “To you—what does that look like?”

  Gavina’s eyes turned away, lost in thought, lost in reflection and entertaining the ideas and scenarios of what could be between her and Christian. “There are so many different ways it could all go,” she said. “There is marriage. Children. All the other elements that go along with it.”

  “All good things.”

  “Aye. Fer the maist part.”

  Christian traced his finger along her jawline. Delicate. A light touch that sent a pleasant shiver up Gavina’s spine. “What part of it troubles you?”

  Gavina turned and nuzzled up next to Christian. “The bad things,” she said. “The things we cannae control.”

  Christian shrugged. “That is a part of it. The idea of marriage means taking one by the hand and walking blindly into the unknown. It is just a question of if you are willing to do it. With me.”

  Gavina couldn’t help herself from beaming. She kissed Christian, holding the kiss for a long moment. “Aye. I dae wish tae take that walk with ye.”

  Christian smiled. “Then once all this is done,” he said, “once we have won and dealt with Sir Jessup, we should marry. Then we should decide where to go from there. One step at a time.”

  Gavina laughed and buried her head in her hands.

  “What is it?” Christian inquired.

  “I just nae hae thought this would ever happen tae me,” Gavina said. “Marriage. Love. Any of it.”

  “You seem to like it…”

  Gavina kissed him again. “I very much dae…”

  A twig snapped off in the distance. Gavina and Christian then came to and snapped out of their love-induced haze and focus their eyes sternly on the surrounding greenery.

  “It came from the left,” Christian whispered.

  Gavina nodded. “Aye,” she replied, readying her bow and arrow as she scanned.

  One minute passed. Another twig snapped. Another minute passed—then the buck, the male deer, slowly stepped into view with a cautious eye sweeping from left-to-right.

  Gavina took her time. Breathed. Waited for her opportunity to strike. She held her breath…counted to three…and then she released it. The buck was killed with a shot through the heart instantly. It never knew what had hit it.

  After gathering the deer, they found two more. They took note of the sizes of their kills and agreed it was enough to get the village through the next day. They had enough time to return to the village before it got completely dark—but they decided to kill just a couple more hours of time.

  They fumbled with setting up the tent. It took longer than it needed to—but that had only heightened the anticipation.

  As soon as Christian had thrown down a blanket, Isla had laid back on it, reaching up to Christian and pulling him in close.

  They kissed, holding onto the moment and letting their lips explore and dance. Their breathing grew heavier as they did, and before they knew it, both of them were slowing peeling off the clothing of the other.

  Soon, Gavina and Christian were both naked. Their warm bodies pressed closely to the point that they looked fused, their limbs entangled as Gavina wrapped her legs around Christian’s waist and placed him inside of her.

  Gavina moaned, her eyes rolling as Christian began to thrust. They moved their hips in sync, the pleasuring for them heightening and forcing them both to smile.

  “Ye seem satisfied,” Gavina said with a hot panting.

  Christian nodded and thrust as deeply as he could, causing Gavina to shriek with pleasure and cupping a hand over her mouth. “Yes,” Christian said. “More than satisfied.”

  Gavina dug her nails into his rear, pulling him in close and somewhat controlling the rate of his thrusting—slow, then fast, slow again, then fast again.

  “I want tae be on top,” Gavina whispered into Christian’s ear before nibbling on the lobe.

  Christian turned over, still inside of Gavina as she mounted him. She placed her hands on his chest for balance, moving in a figure-8 kind of motion that caused Christian to practically collapse from the sensation.

  After a few minutes, they laid on their sides. Gavina turned her back to Christian as he nuzzled up against her rear, placing himself back inside of her and wrapping his arms around her torso.

  Christian thrust, Gavina biting her lip and moaning in approval. Christian varied his thrusting, moving his hips as if he were dancing as he breathed hot and heavy on her neck.

  Gavina, feeling inspired, then got on all fours and beckoned for Christian to lay on top of her. He placed himself delicately back inside of her, the two of them melting into the blanket as he ground and thrust. The rhythm picked up, both of them knowing that the moment of climax was about to arrive.

  Christian nodded in approval, Gavina laughing and teasing him and begging him to climax in sync with her as their whispered moans turned into animal-like growls. Christian swayed, and thrusted, and pushed, Gavina announcing that her time had come has Christian finished swiftly followed by Gavina.

  They waited in the same position for a moment, utterly and pleasantly exhausted by their physical exertion before rolling back on their sides and taking a moment to look into each other’s eyes.

  “I love ye,” Gavina said.

  Christian pressed his lips against her. “And I love you…”

  They laid there for only a few more moments. They knew that the slain deer would need to be returned to the village. They soon dressed, dismantling the tent and packing up their supplies before they prepared to mount their horses.

  “Keep yer eyes open,” Gavina said. “Darkness has fallen. A few savage wild animals lurk in these woods.”

  Christian had not heard the last part of Gavina’s warning before something else caught his attention. He moved slowly away from his horse, turning away and looking toward the hillside about thirty meters away.

  “What is it?” Gavina inquired.

  Christian took a beat before answering. “I hear something,” he said. “Faint, but I can very much hear it…”

  Gavina dismounted her horse and joined alongside Christian as they approached the hillside. They crept low the closer they came to the top, eventually ending up on their bellies and crawling to peek over the hill.

  The closer they came to the top, Gavina began to make out the sound that had caught Christian’s attention—a low rumble, a subtle cacophony of noise that sounded very similar to that of a crowd. They came to the top of the hill, their eyes just peaking over the ridge as they laid eyes on the source of the noise: one-hundred-or-slightly-less Sassenach riders, all of them camped around and indulging in a late-night feast.

  “My God…” Gavina said, shaking her head as she laid eyes on the enemy.

  Christian sighed. “They arrived much quicker than anticipated.”

  They took a tally of all the men. They were far enough off in the distance that it was difficult to make them all out in the entirety, but it was still a fair assessment.

  “There are many,” Gavina said. “I count mair than fifty archers, half the army.”

  Christian nodded. “They also possess fire-capable weapons—arrows, and otherwise.”

  “That we dinnae hae…”

  “There are methods to prepare. We will just have to inform Finlay and Isla.”

  “Aye. Our blacksmith is capable of forging similar weapons. It will hae tae be quick.”

  “Quite quick. These men are now a half-day out. From the looks of it, and knowing Sir Jessup, it will take them a full day to reach the village.”

  “That is nae enough time.”

  “We will have to make due. But we should leave no
w if we are going to give word in time about Sir Jessup’s location.”

  They took a moment to take one last look at the Sassenach army, Christian wondering where among their ranks that Sir Jessup was dwelling.

  “This will be a difficult fight,” Gavina noted.