Highlander’s Sinister Bet: Scottish Medieval Highlander Romance

by Fiona Faris

  “It seems ye have been avoiding me, Daividh. I would like to ken why.”

  “Ye ken why,” Daividh said, “There is nothin’ between us anymore. Ye broke things off and I accepted it. There is nay reason for us to speak.”

  “I see yer plan, Daividh,” she said to him and leaned in. Her fingers trailed on his forearm and she had a flirty smile on.

  “Ye have always wanted her, have ye nae? Ye took me for a fool, aye? Ye treated me like dirt and yet ye want to take someone else and treat her better than I thought ye were capable of. That is rather wrong, would ye nae agree?”

  Daividh sighed and for the first time, he gave her a deep look. She was a beautiful woman, that much was clear. But if anyone took the time to look at her deeply, it was obvious what a bitter heart she had. He wondered how he thought they would have ever worked out. She was nothing like Lorraine.

  “Listen to me, Daividh,” she pleaded.

  Daividh considered his options. Her hands were on his arms tightly and he wouldn’t be able to dislodge from her without causing a scene. With a sigh, he paused and began to listen while she kept her hands on him without loosening her grip.

  “Oh, here ye are.”

  Lorraine turned back to see Glenn walk up to her. After leaving to powder her nose a bit, she had come back to Glenn who had seemed extra touchy and it had upset her. She had taken her leave and had hoped he would give her some space. However, he hadn’t.

  She had come here to see Daividh and she had hoped that if he saw her with Glenn, perhaps he would realize he missed her.

  However, the hall had been larger than she imagined and she hadn’t run into him or Kyla once. Feeling very defeated, the last thing she was in the mood to do was endure any pestering.

  Do nae be so sore, she reminded herself. He had been nice enough to invite ye to the feast. Endure him.

  Glenn pulled a chair and sat beside her.

  “Are ye enjoyin’ the feast?”

  She wasn’t but she couldn’t tell him so. “I am. ’Tis a fun experience.”

  “Is it better than the previous one ye attended?”

  “Perhaps,” she said, with a shrug of her soft shoulders.

  Glenn grinned. “I believe ye are enjoying yerself better because I am yer date.” He slipped his hands to her thigh and rested them there.

  As though he had poured a jar of hot water on her, she stood. “I will get us some drinks.”

  She walked away hurriedly, much too fast for him to follow. When she was safely away, she took a deep sigh and tried to wash the revulsion away from her skin. Who did he think he was to touch her so personally?

  She had to be careful with him, she realized. He wasn’t as trustworthy as Daividh was. Not that Daividh was trustworthy, she reminded herself.

  She gave a sad sigh and shook her head. He wasn’t trustworthy and yet, here she was – missing him and loving him. The thought hit like a kick to her gut and sadness overwhelmed her.

  She moved closer to the refreshment stand and froze. Not too far away, Daividh stood. Her heart constricted at the sight of him. How she had missed him. She had missed him so much that her heart ached at the mere sight of him. She ached to hold his hand and have him wrap his strong arms around her like he had done before.

  However, that was not to be. Standing in front of him was Alison, and Lorraine saw that she had her hands firmly on Daividh. What she was doing was obvious. She was sending a message to everyone and anyone who craved to listen; Daividh was hers.

  Pain filled Lorraine just as keenly as the longing had. They had gotten back together. That much was obvious. She had never stood a chance with Daividh. She was the silly girl who had fallen in love with the Laird’s son and forgotten her place.

  Suddenly, the beautiful dress that she wore seemed ugly and baggy and all she wanted to was disappear.

  She watched Alison hold his hands and she shook her head and forced away her tears. It was silly to cry. Lorraine held her head high and picked two cups of wine from the table.

  Just then, Glenn appeared from behind her.

  He, too, saw the pair and he tutted apologetically. “I am sorry ye have to see that.”

  “It means naught.”

  Glenn nodded but he looked unsure.

  Lorraine shook her head to clear it out. She was done thinking of Daividh. She held both cups firmly in her hands. “I want to go home, Glenn.”

  Readily, Glenn nodded. “I’ll take ye back.”

  Lorraine nodded; she had come with him after all. “Let us leave.” She felt in her purse for the package and nodded to herself.

  “Would ye mind getting me somethin’ to eat before we leave?”

  “I can get ye somethin’ ye can eat while we drive home.”

  “That is fine. Thank ye.”

  Glenn nodded and left. By the time he came back, she was ready and waiting.

  “Here,” she handed him a cup, “I have been holding yer wine. Let us drink.”

  Lorraine drank hers quickly. It was obvious that she was in a hurry to leave. Seeing Daividh with Alison that way was too much pain to handle.

  Glenn downed his cup and took her hand.

  The pair turned around and walked towards the exit. However, just as they did, Daividh looked their way and saw them leave. He tugged his hands, meaning to go after them but Alison held firm and looked behind.

  When she turned back, there was a hideous look on her face.

  “If ye do nae stay, I will make one huge scene, Daividh. Let us see if ye will risk that.”

  Panic filled Daividh and his eyes scanned the crowd. Luckily, he found Maxwell. Reading his eyes, Maxwell walked over to them.

  “Milord, I will need yer presence.”

  “Can ye nae see that we are talkin’?” Alison spat out.

  Slightly raising his voice, Maxwell replied in a shocked tone. “Surely, milady, ye understand that milord had duties that he must attend to.”

  People around looked at them curiously and Alison plastered a smile on her face. “Of course. We will talk later, me love.”

  She dropped her hands and immediately, Daividh dashed off, drawing looks. Maxwell and Kyla hurried after him.

  When Daividh got to the entrance, he cursed. they were off in the distance and he would need to hurry to catch up. it was night, even, and it would be harder to trace them.

  “Brother!” Kyla said once she arrived outside. Beside her was Maxwell.

  “He just left with her,” Daividh informed them.

  “Ye must go after her,” Kyla cried out.

  “Aye,” Daividh nodded. “Go inside. Maxwell and I will go. We’ll get to his manor.”

  Kyla nodded and walked inside leaving both of them alone.

  “Will she be safe if anything happens?” Daividh worried.

  “Aye. I have several men who have been instructed to protect only her.”

  Daividh nodded. He hadn’t given any such instruction but it was obvious that Maxwell was able to plan ahead. “Ye have my thanks. Let’s go!”

  The pair ran to their horses. Daividh checked for his sheath and then mounted. They rode into the night. However, as soon as they were out of the castle grounds, it became very obvious that something was wrong. They weren’t alone. It was dark and they were at a disadvantage. Daividh could sense it.

  Before they went any farther, a voice coming from someone standing too close to him came; “Get down from yer horse or the poor animal will go for it.”

  Daividh froze. He could ride off but what were his chances? Daividh put his hands to the reins preparing to bolt but the voice came again.

  “If ye take one more move, milord, I will stab yer horse, this instant. Let the reins go.”

  Daividh did as commanded.

  “Get down!” another command came.

  Daividh’s response was swift, he drew his sword. It was then he realized that something else was wrong. His sword was light – too light. He looked to the weapon and saw that in his hand, all he he
ld was the grip handle. Someone had severed the blade from the handle.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  The sounds of the hooves of the horses pulling the wheeled vehicle behind them were all that Lorraine could hear. Prior to her going home with Daividh, she had never been out so late and now, she had been out so late twice. Daividh. The name brought pain to Lorraine’s heart. She placed her hands firmly on her lap as the carriage drove down the quiet road. It was over. She would never again try to speak to Daividh. Neither would she allow anyone to talk her into holding on to silly dreams. She was a smart woman and she knew what she had to do. Tears threatened to well in her eyes but she fought them back. She probably would cry. She wouldn’t lie to herself and claim that she would feel nothing, but she would definitely not cry in front of Glenn – especially not when he was looking at her so keenly, with a silly grin on his face despite sitting beside her. His carriage was very similar to Daividh’s and this meant that the carriage driver couldn’t see them as he drove to their destination.

  She avoided his looks as keenly as she could but even that didn’t change the fact that each time she glanced slightly to her right, his face was there. After minutes of watching her, he spoke.

  “Lor,” he said, “I must say that you look absolutely stunnin’ in that dress.”

  Lor? What right had he to be so familiar with her?

  However, rather than voice out her displeasure, she offered a meek, “Thank you.”

  Once more, silence reigned. Glenn shifted in his seat and inched closer to her until they were almost touching. Feeling extremely uncomfortable, Lorraine looked straight ahead.

  “Don’t worry,” Glenn assured her, “ye are in safe hands.” A grin appeared on his face. “I promise.”

  The laughter that rang out was proof that it had indeed been planned. Daividh sat atop his horse holding only the handle of his sword in the dark night with laughter from a voice he couldn’t recognize ringing out. The laughter went on for a while longer until the man grew tired.

  “Alright,” he said, “That was actually worth it. Ye think ye are so strong, do ye nae, me laird?” The ‘me laird’ that was added, was to mock him. “Let us see how strong ye are when ye have to fight off a dozen men who are armed with swords with only yer hands.”

  There was no reply.

  “Dismount,” the man said. “Ye too,” he said to Maxwell.

  Daividh let the head of the sword in his hands fall to the dirt and dismounted, followed shortly by Maxwell.

  Daividh refused to show fear. Suddenly, a lamp was lit by some of the men and Daividh could see clearly. There were twelve men, all dressed in black. They were clothed in masks so he couldn’t see their faces. Their leader was the biggest of them all but even he wasn’t as large as Daividh. However, he was armed with a very large but light sword. Daividh knew that if he was to face the man alone and unarmed, it would take tactics to win. However, now that there were eleven other men who would attack at once, winning was impossible.

  Daividh cleared his throat and tried to reason with the men. “Let Maxwell go.”

  “Maxwell?” the man asked mockingly, “Oh ye mean yer man with ye? Nay. Ye die together. He stands in the way as well.”

  Daividh said nothing.

  “Do ye ken that I never imagine it would be this fun to kill ye? It has been fun trailing ye. Trying to kill ye in the cave. Ye and yer little whore. Of course, we had to follow his orders. I’d have gotten to ye sooner. I thought it would be a drab job but I am delighted to find that you have proven to me that ye are worth the wait.”

  The men laughed.

  “It was quite a wait too. I mean he knew that this feast would hold. He said all we had to do was wait and ye would come out. There was nae a plan for yer little friend here but we can always accommodate one more body.”

  The man inched but as he did, so did the men with him. Daividh couldn’t lunge for him, he held his sword firmly.

  “When I kill ye, I do nae ken who I will kill next. Perhaps that sister of yer but nae until I touch her sweet little body.”

  Daividh lunged for the man but his men made a circle around him with their drawn swords pointed at his neck. The man’s laughter rang out cynically and maniacally.

  Daividh had never wanted to kill anyone as badly as he wanted to kill the man.

  “Mayhap I will go for yer ma next. She may be old but she sure is a looker.”

  The men laughed with him and Daividh felt his blood boil. There wasn’t much he could do while the letch was still so far off but Daividh swore with everything in him that he would kill him.

  “If ye touch a hair on any of their heads, ye will be sorry,” he promised.

  “How do ye intend to make me sorry?” he asked with a wicked laugh, “There is nae need to battle me laird. Ye will die tonight. However, I will let ye go easily.” He raised his blade in the air. “On yer knees, me laird.”

  Daividh glared at the man and then at the blades pointed at his neck. Then, heavily, he went down on one knee.

  The leader drew his blade and brandished it in the air before walking to Daividh. With both hands on the handle, he brought the sword down heavily on Daividh. But Daividh was faster. He rolled out of the blade’s path and was on his feet in a move that men half his size would have problems carrying out. He sidestepped the leader and grabbed his neck before hitting his sword out of his hands.

  Daividh pressed his dagger to the leader’s neck and there was silence. More than half of his men were still struggling to understand what had happened. Daividh pressed his blade even closer to the leader’s neck with murder in his eyes.

  “If any of ye move an inch,” he said, “I will severe his head, painfully, from his neck.”

  The leader froze, fear filling his senses. He struggled with his breathing, afraid that even the slightest breath would drive the dagger into his neck.

  Maxwell saw his chance. He pulled his sword but, rather than driving it into anyone, he raised it into the air. The blade glistered in the moonlight. It was a sign.

  Five men, clothed in dark wears, appeared from almost nowhere. Maxwell’s men drew blades and attacked the men who were advancing towards Maxwell.

  Daividh dropped his dagger and held his captive’s shoulders with his arms, tilted him back, and weighed him down. He drove a kick into the back of his knees and watched him fall onto his knees without resistance. The blow to the side of his head came next, dropping him onto the ground like a sack of hay.

  Daividh left him on the floor and rushed to join the men fighting. It was not a lengthy battle and in a short while, they had easily subdued the men as Maxwell’s men were more skilled. While the last man bled to death, Daividh caught sight of the leader attempting to get on his horse to escape. He rushed to him and grabbed him by the scruff of his shirt.

  Maxwell hurried to him and they sat him on the ground between them. Daividh pulled off his mask and was greeted by an unfamiliar face.

  “Who are ye?” Daividh asked him.

  “Ye will never get a word out of me!”

  A blow to his face burst his lip open and he screamed.

  “Who sent ye!”

  There was no reply. Daividh retrieved his dagger and drove it into the man’s thigh. It was enough to get him to speak.

  Amidst the pleas and screams, Daividh was able to make out a name.

  “It’s Glenn. Glenn sent us!”

  Lorraine was deeply regretting going with Glenn to the feast. Not only hadn’t Daividh even noticed, she was stranded in the carriage with Glenn who had suddenly decided to sit too close.

  “Ye ken that ye do nae have to sit so close," she said, hoping that he would get the message. However, he didn’t.

  Instead, he smiled. “Ye do nae have to be so uptight, Lor.”

  Lorraine stiffened. He had continued to use the silly nickname of her. She had assumed that he had gotten over his silliness of the other day. However, it was obvious that he hadn’t. She would have to endure him for a
while more.

  Lorraine decided to attempt small talk. “Ye seem to have been very busy. Last I heard, ye and Daividh were working on somethin’ together.”

  “Nae anymore,” he said with thinly veiled malice, and Lorraine gritted her teeth.

  She remembered that she had advised Daividh to kick him off the team for Glenn’s own safety. It was obvious that Glenn, however, hadn’t seen it that way.