His Highland Lass (The Clan Sinclair Book 1)

by Celeste Barclay

  “But, Da—” She did not get to finish before Tristan interrupted.

  “I agree with yer da. I want a man on all sides of ye if ye leave the great hall. Someone is to check any room or chamber before ye enter, and I am posting a guard outside ye chamber at night.”

  “So I am to be a prisoner even though I didna do aught wrong?”

  “Ye are to be safe!” Tristan did not realize that he had yelled until he saw the red rise in her cheeks. He leaned forward to kiss her, but she offered him her cheek. “I love ye more than aught, and I will do any and everything to protect ye. Until I ken ye are out of danger, I willna budge on this. Dinna test me on this, Mairghread, because I willna back down.”

  Mairghread looked long and hard at Tristan and saw not only anger at the situation and love for her, but fear for her. She relented and leaned in for his kiss. It started at a chaste brush of the lips but, as always, soon turned heated. They easily forgot that they were not alone in the solar. A deep clearing of the throat drew them apart.

  Mairghread leaned to whisper in Tristan’s ear, “Now we willna have any time alone together.” With that, she scooted off of his lap and walked over to her father. She leaned over to wrap her arms around her father and kissed his cheek.

  “I am well, Da, I promise. I love ye, too.”

  The Sinclair rose from his chair and pulled her into his embrace. He remembered holding her as a bairn when her brothers teased her or she fell while chasing after them. He remembered the little girl that she was as he held the woman she had become.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Over the next couple of days, Mairghread settled into yet another routine as she was followed by guards and her brothers or Tristan. She resented the inconvenience of having to ensure that there were four warriors with her at all times. It was only the knowledge that it was done out of love that kept her from losing her temper. Along with the guard came the restriction that she could not leave the castle walls, she was not to travel to the village, and that she was discouraged from even going outside.

  By the third day, Mairghread was getting restless. She had done all the sewing that she had which included finishing her wedding dress. She had checked the inventory and reviewed the accounts twice. She assisted with all the meals and even helped the servants change the linens in the chambers. She was bored. For her, boredom led to mischief. She began making the beds in such a manner that her brothers and Tristan could not crawl under the sheets without ripping the sheets or completely untucking them. She hid her father’s leines and spare plaids.

  After a week of tricks and pranks, Tristan finally relented.

  “Mo creach, I ken ye are bored and frustrated. What say ye we go fer a ride and then a picnic outside the walls today? I will take ye to our spot at the loch.”

  “Tristan, can we really? Oh yea, please.”

  “Aye, vera well. Go put on yer riding boots and meet me in the bailey.”

  She wrapped her arms around his neck and stood on her tiptoes but was still only able to brush her lips against his chin.

  “Thank ye, mo chridhe. I will be ready in just a moment.” With that, she bounded up the stairs taking two at a time.

  Tristan could do nothing but watch her with a smile and shake his head. Lovesick fool, I am. I’d do aught to make that lass happy.

  Tristan went to the kitchens to pick up the picnic basket that he had requested and moved out to the stables to retrieve their horses that he had already ordered saddled. It seemed like only seconds later that Mairghread appeared with her hair tied back and arisaid wrapped around her. They mounted up and headed towards the gates. Mairghread looked behind and could not believe that they seemed to be leaving the keep alone. Her eyes looked around the bailey and then scanned the horizon in front of her.

  “Aye, we are truly alone for today. I willna take yer far from the keep but just far enough to have some privacy.”

  “Tristan, ye feel that it is safe fer us to do this?”

  “I wouldnae bring yer out here if I didna think that I could protect ye.”

  “Nay, it isnae that I think ye canna protect me. I ken ye can better than anyone else. I dinna want to tempt fate though.” She shivered even though the breeze was light and warm. Something simply did not feel right about leaving the keep after all the effort that had been put forth over the past week to keep her inside the walls and well-guarded. She did not know how to describe it, but she simply had a sense that something was not as it seemed or as it should be. They rode slowly for about five minutes then she reined in.

  “Tristan, I dinna want to go out after all. Nae without guards. If something does go wrong, I dinna want ye harmed or killed because ye alone are guarding me. Please, will ye either take me back or have guards follow us.”

  Tristan could not believe what he was hearing. After a week of her mischief and attempts to evade her guards, now that he was giving her the opportunity for the freedom she clearly craved, she did not want to go. He could feel his frustration mounting but as he looked at her and saw her eyes constantly scanning the horizon, he could sense her building fear. It was almost a panic.

  “Mo chridhe, if guards would make ye feel better, then I shall have some join us. Wait here.” He spun his horse around and trotted back to the gates. Just as he entered the bailey, all hell broke loose.

  Mairghread was unprepared for the feeling of her horse jolting beneath her and then seeming to slip from under her. She screamed as she looked down and saw the arrow protruding from her horse’s flank. Her horse began to fall and she pulled loose of the stirrup to try to fall clear of the heavy animal. She looked up as she fell backwards and she saw more arrows fly overhead as they soared towards the men on the battlements watching over the surrounding area. She landed hard on her back and all the air whooshed from her lungs. Before she could fully understand that they were being attacked, three horse men galloped toward her. She tried to roll over and scramble to her feet but she still could not draw a full breath. One of the men leaned forward and grabbed her around the waist pulling her across his lap. The other two men rode at his sides. All three used their shields to protect them from the arrows that were now raining down from the battlements.

  “NAY! Ye might hit her!” Mairghread heard Tristan bellow from behind her. She saw him giving chase but could do nothing to pry loose from her captor. She watched as the ground was eaten up by the galloping hooves and she knew that if she succeeded in breaking loose she would easily be trampled in the fall. She could not get away by trying to remove his hold on her. Instead, she threw her leg over the side of the horse to sit astride. Her movement distracted her captor long enough for her to draw the sgian dubh from her boot. Without much thought she twisted her head to look over her shoulder as she drew her arm up. Not so much as a second thought crossed her mind as she plunged the knife into the neck of the man who held her. He bellowed and released her to grab the knife from his neck. She threw her head back as hard as she could and smashed it into his face. She felt his grip loosen on the reins and she seized the opportunity to twist as much as she could to push his from the horse. He lurched sideways and began to fall. He grabbed onto her skirts as he fell. However, his foot was stuck in the stirrup and he did not fall clear of the horse, rather he was being dragged along the ground. Mairghread risked being pulled off of the horse too as the man still had a hold of her skirts. She brought her foot down as hard as she could on his wrist, breaking his grasp. She righted herself on the horse and grabbed what she could of the reins. The horse had continued to gallop despite all the movement on its back. It was spooked and seemed to have no intention of stopping despite Mairghread pulling on the reins. The other two men had pulled ahead during the scuffle, but the one on the left looked backed to check on his companions. His startled look quickly morphed into rage. Mairghread gasped when she recognized the man’s face.

  “Alan.”

  “Aye, ye wee bitch. Ye were promised to me and I shall have ye.” He slowed his horse and al
lowed Mairghread’s frightened steed to catch up. He reached out and grabbed her around the waist. He yanked her onto his horse. Once she was in his lap, he released her waist and grabbed a handful of her hair. He yanked on it and she squealed. “That is a sound I will get used to as I plow ye morning, noon, and night.” He grunted near her ear. He released her hair and his hand travelled down to grab one of her firm breasts. She thought she was going to be ill. An entirely different sort of fear settled into her stomach as they approached the woods. He repeatedly squeezed hard and when his thumb found her nipple underneath the fabric of her gown, he pinched hard. She leaned forward and sank her teeth into his arm. She tasted blood before her head snapped back from him pulling her hair again. “I will kill ye once I am bored of tupping ye. Perhaps I will kill ye while I tup ye. I might just strangle the life out of ye.”

  “Ye may well do that, but yer brother will kill ye for even considering to touch me let alone what ye might get away with.”

  “Ma brother has to find me first.” He laughed softly into her ear as his hand slid down the front of her gown and grasped her most private part. He tried to dig is fingers in but fortunately the many folds of her gown kept him from succeeding. Mairghread was not sure if she wanted to die now or die trying to kill him herself.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Tristan roared with rage. He had recognized the three men instantly. He knew the one on the brown mare was his stepbrother without seeing his face. The other two were guardsmen that he thought had been loyal to him. He gave chase as fast as his stallion could carry him. They had only a small head start as he and Mairghread had not gotten that far from the gate when she asked for the guards. How had she kenned? How could she have possibly predicted this unless she kenned it was to come? Has she been playing me fer a fool? Nay! Nay! Nay!

  Tristan’s mind had begun to run away from him as his thoughts quickly moved into dangerous ground. He watched as Mairghread struggled against her captor and he was both shocked and proud when he saw her plunge the knife into the man’s neck. But in the next moment, his heart nearly stopped as he watched her almost be dragged from the saddle as the man fell. He spurred his horse just as Alan turned around. Tristan had a clear view of Alan’s face now. He would kill him. His heart almost beat out of his chest as Alan grabbed Mairghread. It was no consolation to know who had her. He did not trust Alan not to abuse her or kill her.

  Tristan was only vaguely aware of the men riding along side of him and behind him. Mairghread’s brothers had been in the practice yard when the cry went up. They had run to the stables and grabbed their horses without saddling them. All four rode bareback as though they had been born on the back of a horse. A score of guardsmen were following behind as they had taken the time to saddle their horses. Twenty five men chased after Alan, Mairghread, and the traitorous guardsman. Once the posse reached the woods, they fanned out as the entered. It was the only way for so many horses to make their way through the densely packed undergrowth and not fall too far behind. After almost an hour of slow progress, Tristan raised his fist and all the men came to an abrupt stop. He strained to hear any sounds that were not from nature. He listened for the sound of hooves, the sound of labored breathing, cries, or voices, but there was nothing. Not even the birds chirped or the squirrels ran. It was deathly silent.

  The men looked at each other. Where could two horses go and not make any noise at all? Tristan dismounted and scanned the forest floor. The other men did the same as they looked for any evidence of tracks or disturbance. They inched along slowly as they all tried to determine the best route to follow. It seemed like an eternity to Tristan but it had to be less than another half of an hour before they heard a bird call. It was quiet and muffled. The four brothers moved as one as they left their mounts behind and silently stalked towards the direction of the bird call. Tristan recognized it too. Mairghread had taught him all of the bird calls that she and her brothers used when they were children and that the men continued to use. The call that they all heard was a warning of danger.

  Alexander gave a responding call but nothing came back. They continued to move forward and were creeping along when another call came but it seemed to come from behind them, almost in the direction that they had already come from. Tristan and the Sinclair men looked at each other and shook their heads. They turned back to that direction and looked at the men they had left behind them. Many were looking around just as baffled by the sound. A third call came from the left and then the sound of splashing. Tristan pointed and all of the men moved forward. Some still on horseback and others leading their horses on foot.

  ~~

  Mairghread felt the cold water as it began to weigh down her skirts. She lifted them to her knees as she tried to make her way through the narrow river. The recent rains had made the river swell and the current was faster than it appeared. Alan and the remaining man with him had separated shortly after entering the woods. The other man took both horses with him as Alan forced Mairghread to proceed on foot. She had managed to make two bird calls before Alan slammed his fist into her eye. She had also heard two responding calls but coming from different directions. One had sounded like Alexander but the other was not quite a match. She wondered if it was Alan’s man trying to throw off the search party. She had stifled a scream after Alan punched her as she knew that would only incite him to more violence. She was willing to try to keep making bird calls if she could but she would not outright defy him for fear that her life would be forfeit right then and there. She did not trust him for a second to keep her safe and she truly believed that as much as he desired her, he would have no qualms killing her if she became too much of a problem.

  Mairghread tried to keep up with Alan’s longer stride, but the weight of her dress was slowing her down and her legs were not long enough to easily tread through the fast current. She stumbled over a rock and began to fall forwards. The current caught her and pulled her loose of Alan’s grip. As she fought to roll over onto her back and float, she spotted moss growing on the trunk of one of the trees on the bank. As she floated past, she got her bearings and whistled again trying to tell the searchers to move east. This time she whistled over and over as she tried to keep her head above water. Her dress was currently proving to be an even greater threat than Alan. If she did not lose the weight of her gown quickly, she would not be able to prevent herself from drowning. She was scared to stand upright to test the depth for fear that the heavy fabric would pull her under. She sensed that while the river was not terribly deep, it was still deeper than her own height. She reached down to the waist of her gown and felt for the dirk that she kept hidden in the folds of the gown. She slid it free and began cutting the laces on the front of her gown. She was terrified that she would inadvertently stab herself, but she had little choice. She focused on placing her knife carefully under the strings and sawed through them. She was so intent on her purpose that she did not see the large tree limb sticking into the water until her feet jammed into it. She howled as the jarring sensation rattled through her bones. She grabbed onto the tree branch and pulled herself into the v of two branches. She was able to wedge herself in and stay despite the swift current. She continued sawing through the laces of her dress until they finally gave way. She tried to shrug out of the wet material but it was attached to her like a second skin. She whimpered in frustration. She reached down to just above her knees and stabbed her knife into the material. It gave way and the knife almost travelled through the material into her leg. She managed to cut through the material as far to one side as she could reach and then cut along the other side. Once she managed this, she tucked the knife back into its sheath and reached for the fabric that was now dangling around her legs. She pulled her legs through the large hole she had made. She tried to rip away the fabric to be completely free of its cumbersome length, but she could not do it in the water. She whistled again as she looked around. The rushing water around her head kept her from being able to hear anything else. She wondered if a
nyone had been able to hear her whistle.

  The answer to her question came in the way of a most unwelcome response.

  “Ye thought ye were free. I see ye have done some altering to yer gown. All the easier for me to get between ye thighs, mo chaileag.”

  She was not his sweet anything. She glared at him as he approached the river bank across from her. He began to move down the embankment. When his feet hit the water, he paused.

  “Come to me now and I willna punish ye over much. Make me come fer ye and I will beat ye within an inch of yer life.” He held out his hand to her and wiggled his fingers. She looked at his fingers and then at the flowing river. She took no time at all to consider her options: go to him and the hell he offered, attempt to swim away, or drown trying to escape. The only one she was not willing to consider was the first. She released her hold of the tree and pushed off. She ducked under the branch and began to swim away. She felt a hard tug on her dress and she struggled to break free. She feared that he had been quicker than her and gotten a hold of her gown. As she twisted to try to break free, she realized that it was the tree that held onto her gown. In what seemed like a cruel twist of fate, the tree that had allowed her the chance to try to free herself of her gown was now what held her gown captive. She was becoming mightily fed up of being held against her will. She grabbed onto the farthest part of the submerged tree limb that she could and pulled herself towards it as she kicked as hard as she could. Suddenly, she shot through the water and almost hit her head on the tree limb as the fabric gave way. She felt immensely lighter and her legs were free to kick. She swam with the current as it pushed her further downstream. She stayed under water for as long as she could but her lungs were screaming at her to come up for a breath. She finally surfaced and gulped as much air as her burning lungs could stand. She looked around her. There was no one in sight. Not even Alan.