Highland Pride

by Dana D'Angelo

  The frustration inside her built, and she wanted to scream. But there was no chance she would do that unless she wanted to draw attention to herself. She spun on her heels and stomped in the direction of the tower. When she almost reached the steps to the main building, she saw Ewan training in the courtyard. As usual, he was practicing his sword techniques. A few paces away were some other clansmen engaged in military practice. And keeping far from the combat training were the servants who went about their various chores.

  Her twin was allowed to participate in the warfare at Bracken Ridge, and since then he got a taste for combat, and became obsessed with preparing for the next battle. Kila only hoped there wouldn’t be another skirmish, but the chance of that happening was fairly low. If her people weren’t battling with the English, then they were fighting with other clans. The proof of that was Rory’s willingness to partner with other tribes so they could fortify themselves against potential conflict. With many allies on their side, their chances of defeating their enemies would increase. But even knowing all this, she still hated the idea that she had to become a transaction in clan relations.

  Ewan arched his claymore, bringing it down on the dummy before jumping to the other side. He let out a war cry and attacked the wooden figure from the opposite direction. The thunk of the blade made contact with the dense wood, and just a short distance away, the clanging of metal against metal rang in the air. The makeshift training ground was a dangerous place for a lady to visit, but there was no one here to admonish her, and at this time, she didn’t care about following proper protocol.

  Kila made her way straight to Ewan. He was breaking a sweat over his martial conditioning. And for a moment, she wanted to do a vigorous exercise as well. There was restlessness inside her, and she knew that she wouldn’t be able to shake it off if she went back to the solar. Mairead still hadn’t returned, and Kila would only drown in her thoughts.

  At seeing the sword, an idea struck her. When they were younger, she had persuaded Ewan to let her try his weapon, although at that time the sword he practiced with was a wooden one. She loved the idea of wielding a sword, and she remembered feeling exhausted after a few rounds of attacking the dummy. This weapon he trained with was forged from steel. All she wanted was to get rid of the anger that raged inside her and to slay the feeling of unfairness and helplessness that churned in her gut.

  “Ewan, can I use your sword?” she asked, shouting over his grunts.

  When he didn’t respond, she was forced to belt out the question again.

  Finally, Ewan glanced at her, annoyed at the interruption. “What is all this racket? Can ye nae see that I’m in the middle of training?”

  She ignored his irritation and took the claymore from his hand. It was different from the one he let her borrow years ago. Although that one was a practice sword, this one was a lot heavier and longer than she expected. While holding the hilt, the blade dropped to the ground. Her interest in wielding the sword began to wane.

  She gave the weapon back to him, still feeling dissatisfied and restless. What she needed was for someone to listen to her.

  He took one look at her expression and seemed to know what she wanted. He sighed loudly as if a tiresome bairn confronted him.

  “All right, tell me what is the matter.”

  She perked up at hearing his invitation. At least she found someone who was willing to lend her a sympathetic ear.

  “William MacTyrnell disnae want tae marry me,” she said.

  Kila expected her brother to be shocked by the news but he only shrugged. “Sae what?” Ewan took his sword and went back to his sword practice. “If I were in his position, I wouldnae want tae marry ye either. Look at ye. You always have your head in your books. Ye tend tae neglect your chores, and most of all, ye can be irritating. Like now.”

  “Ye are nae sympathetic tae my plight at all.” She folded her arms over her chest and screwed up her face at him. “Besides, I like reading, and I always get my chores done. And in case ye dinnae ken, everyone adores me.”

  Ewan snorted. “I dinnae see why ye are sae upset then. We all heard talk about the MacTyrnell murdering his two wives. ‘Tis probably nae in your best interest tae be wedded tae a murderer.”

  “I never said I wanted tae be wedded tae him,” she said, unable to keep the exasperation from her tone. “He interrogated me and found me lacking. However, I believe I have many admirable qualities. Many people have told me sae.”

  “Those people say things tae puff up your pride,” he said dismissively.

  She stuck her tongue out at him. “I would make an excellent wife tae any man. With all the things against him, why is he judging me, and determining that I’m unsuitable?”

  “Well, why dinnae ye ask him?”

  Ewan edged closer to the wooden dummy and slashed his sword at a downward angle, hitting the thick trunk. Although his action was vigorous, his tone was neutral.

  Kila pondered the suggestion for a moment as she watched her brother continue hacking at the stump. “Your advice might actually have some sense,” she said slowly.

  “It does?” Her brother paused and stared at her in surprise.

  “Aye, I think I’ll ask him before supper starts.”

  “But what about the rumors about the murders?” he asked, frowning.

  “That’s something I cannae ask,” she said, narrowing her eyes at him.

  “Are ye nae worried about having a close encounter with a murderer?”

  “That willnae be a problem. As Mairead always says, we shouldnae listen tae gossip,” she said, waving away his concern. “After I discover the reason he dismissed me, I’ll prove him wrong. Then I can reject him in return.”

  Ewan became quiet for a long moment. Then he shook his head. “Even though we’re related, I dinnae think I’ll ever understand ye.”

  Chapter 7

  William went to inform Grant of their early departure. They would leave the next morning. The war had prevented him from completing his marriage plans with Mairead MacGregon, but now that skirmish was over, he had looked forward to bringing home a wife who could bring order to Domlainn Castle. Everyone knew that Mairead was once responsible for managing the MacGregon household. He had observed the lass during previous visits and was pleased with how she handled the castle responsibilities. The level of organization and competence of the workers in the Tancraig stronghold was impressive. And only strong leadership could achieve this.

  The MacGregons were a powerful and influential lot. It made sense to align with this group. The association would only help reestablish the MacTyrnell Clan and build it back to its former glory. A formal treaty with the MacGregons was an excellent idea, but he knew that an alliance by marriage would solidify the union even more. He had high hopes that if he married Mairead, she would bring the type of control he needed. And then finally, he might obtain harmony in his estate. The reality was that there was only so much he could do, and he needed a trustworthy wife to control the castle affairs while he concentrated on other matters.

  But now he learned that Mairead was unavailable, and that discovery had left an unpleasant taste in his mouth. And to compensate for the loss, Rory had offered him his younger sister. Except Kila was completely unsuitable. His ultimate goal was to remove the chaos in a multitude of areas in his estate. Being wedded to Kila wouldn’t improve his situation at all. She was a bonnie woman, and that was all. He couldn’t see her as an authoritative figure in his household, nor could he see how she could help him achieve his aims. After all, she was younger than most of his staff, and he doubted that any of them would respect her.

  William looked at his surroundings, conscious of the wealth on display. About a foot away, a servant trudged past him with a couple of buckets filled with water. He was whistling a jaunty tune as he went about his duties. Some bairns chased chickens in the courtyard, their laughter and shouts sounding carefree and light.

  A streak of yearning went through him. The sights he witnessed w
ere rare at Domlainn Castle. Still, he remembered that this wasn’t always the case. At one time, the fortress had been as glorious, prosperous, and maybe even wealthier than the MacGregon stronghold. But sadly now even the bairns and farm animals were miserable and poor. Under his authority, his clan was in near shambles. And the only person to condemn was himself.

  William winced at the thought of how low his clan had gone. His older brother was the clan chief. He became gravely ill and was no longer able to govern the clan. As the younger brother, William should have stepped up and guided his people, but he was still grieving his first love, and then his brother died. Unwittingly, he allowed his cousin Iagan to take on some of the responsibilities. His cousin had an appetite for military adventures, and a fanatical desire to conquer neighboring territories. Instead of gaining land, they lost a substantial portion of it to ill-conceived conflicts. Along with that, much of the money his father and brother had built during their secession was needlessly spent.

  Even through his depressed state, he saw the danger in his cousin’s actions. The clan members were walking around in tatters and lived in a state of fear. This was not how Domlainn Castle was supposed to be. He realized that if his father and brother were alive, they would have had a fit at seeing what the clan had become.

  And while his heart wasn’t into ruling the clan, he understood someone had to do it. He immediately put an end to his cousin’s misadventures and committed to his people. At his mother’s urging, he married Anna, the daughter of Rob MacHewen. The plan was to have the marriage help the clan get back on its feet and to reestablish good diplomatic relations with a stronger, wealthier clan. His second wife was young and inexperienced, and William thought that she would learn to love Domlainn Castle.

  But then Anna died, and he woke up to an even worse mess. Outlaws had moved into his territory, and the clan members were harassed by the criminals. It was high time that he made his amends and did something to end the suffering. His kinsmen deserved no less.

  His mood lightened slightly by his shift in thought. Even though he had many troubles, he was at least trying to improve the lives of his kin. And coming to Tancraig Castle was a start. The positive thing that came out of this meeting was the pact of solidarity between the MacTyrnell, MacGregon and MacIachlan tribes. With the alliance, he would be able to keep the common enemy at bay long enough for his clan to rebuild and prosper once again.

  William turned a corner and saw Kila. All thoughts of his difficulties abruptly came to an end. Unable to resist, he took in the exquisite view. The attractive lass moved with feminine grace, her hips swaying gently as she walked. There was no denying it, Kila MacGregon was breathtaking.

  Meanwhile, when Kila saw him, her eyes widened. But in the next moment, a determined cast fell across her face, and she moved quickly to reach him.

  “I need tae speak tae ye,” she said, as she came within earshot. “What was the meaning of those questions?”

  He thought of pretending not to know what she spoke about but then decided against it. He knew exactly what she referred to.

  “I was curious about your answers,” he said, shrugging.

  William’s response caused her to frown. “What were you curious about?”

  “I wanted tae ken how knowledgeable ye were about running a fortress,” he said, telling her the truth. “’Tis a verra important skill tae have if ye are a lady of the castle. From your answers though, it appears tae me that ye dinnae have much knowledge of it.”

  “Well, Tancraig Castle disnae belong tae me,” she said, placing her hands on her slim hips.

  “I gathered that. Excuse me,” he said stepping aside with the intention of going around her. “I need tae meet with one of my men before I go tae the Great Hall.”

  “I would like tae ken why ye willnae marry me,” she said, ignoring his response.

  Her unexpected directness caused him to pause. But before he could respond, she launched into a rant.

  “I’ll have ye ken that ‘tis unfair! A superior clan chief should never jump tae conclusions in his search for a potential mate.”

  “I dinnae think that marrying me was sae important tae ye.”

  A startled look appeared on her face and she had the grace to blush. “Actually, ‘tis nae that I want tae enter into a union with ye. I think ‘tis the principle at stake here. Ye shouldnae judge a woman unfairly by posing such ridiculous questions. This is the reason why I care sae much.”

  She punctuated the last sentence with emotion, and he could tell that she was proud of how she verbalized the injustice she experienced.

  William considered brushing aside the angry lass, but he realized that if he offended her too much, she might go to her brother and voice her displeasure. From dealing with the MacGregon, he knew that the man held his family in high esteem. With this knowledge, he recognized how foolish it was to vex any of his relations.

  He allowed her to have her moment of triumph, but then asked her, “Are ye saying that ye have the ability tae manage my castle?”

  The triumphant expression fell from her face. “Well…aye. However that isnae the point…”

  William glanced behind Kila. “I see Rory is heading this way,” he said jerking his chin at the person behind her.

  “What seems tae be the problem?” Rory asked, stopping when he saw them.

  Ewan had accompanied him as they made their way to dinner. Their younger brother would have continued on his way, but his curiosity at seeing them together got the better of him.

  Kila tried to catch Ewan’s eye, silently begging him to save her. But her twin was either not listening to her unspoken plea, or he wasn’t planning to address her urgent request.

  “It seems that your sister thinks that I should consider her for a wife,” William said.

  “I dinnae say that…” she started.

  William cocked an eyebrow. “I’m fairly certain that ‘twas what I heard.”

  “I just meant that ye shouldnae jump tae conclusions about me.”

  Rory looked at William. “Sae what are ye proposing?” he asked, trying to assess his friend.

  “Aye, what are ye proposing?” Ewan echoed, sounding more interested than he should. Kila knew her twin found almost sadistic pleasure in seeing her in a bind.

  “I propose that Kila come stay at Castle Domlainn and prove that I misjudged her,” William said easily. “She seems tae think that I’m verra wrong about her.”

  Rory fell silent as he pondered his words. “What do ye have tae say, lass?” he asked.

  “The MacTyrnell is wrong about me,” she said.

  Rory stroked his chin as a thoughtful look appeared on his countenance. “Ye would have tae show that ye are capable.”

  “Aye,” William agreed. “The lass will need tae show the abilities she says she has.”

  “How would I do that?”

  “By bringing harmony tae my household. If ye can do that, I’ll concede that my opinion of ye is incorrect.”

  “I dinnae see any harm in this,” Rory said finally. “Do ye think ye can handle the household of the MacTyrnell?”

  “I believe sae but —”

  “Then ‘tis settled,” William said. He turned to her, “Ye will be my guest for six weeks. At this time, ye can demonstrate your leadership abilities. And if ye prove tae be true tae your word, I’ll reconsider a marriage settlement between our two clans.”

  The two men spoke among themselves for a moment before William left their group.

  Kila watched the Highlander’s retreating back as the proposal sunk into her brain. She wanted to close her eyes and disappear. What did she just agree to?

  Ewan saw her expression and laughed. “Dinnae get yourself killed over there,” he said.

  Rory started to make his way toward the main tower when Ewan’s words stopped him. “What are ye laughing at, laddie?” he asked. “Ye will be going with Kila.”

  “What? That isnae fair.” The smirk wiped from Ewan’s face. “Why do
I need tae go with her?”

  “As of right now, ye are the only man available tae escort her. Get your things ready. The MacTyrnell departs tomorrow morning.”

  With that, Rory left them. Kila might have laughed at seeing her twin’s distress, but she couldn’t find the humor in it. Instead, tension bunched at her shoulders.

  Things weren’t fair for either of them. She had no idea how things had escalated to this point. Without understanding what happened, she was roped into an agreement with William.

  But as she pondered her situation again, a new thought entered her head, and the idea of leaving Tancraig Castle began to sound less terrible. She had a certainty that she would prove her skills, but she wasn’t going to marry William MacTyrnell. However, perhaps if she visited another location, she might find someone else that was more suitable.

  Chapter 8

  “That must be Castle Domlainn,” Kila muttered to herself.

  She stopped her horse and stared at the immense fortress through the break in the trees. Kila wasn’t certain what to expect, but she was amazed at seeing the dark, looming structure. It was effectively fortified with three sides of the building guarded by steep slopes. And to the east and west sides of the building ran a body of water. Not far from the castle, she saw a cluster of thatched houses.

  The entourage paused as they waited for her to catch up.

  “It disnae look like Tancraig Castle,” Alys noted as they approached the gatehouse.

  “That’s because we are nae going tae Tancraig Castle,” Ewan said, giving them a smirk.

  Kila frowned at him. She wasn’t thrilled that Ewan was chosen to be her escort. If anything, she would have preferred one of her older brothers to be her guardian, but they were busy with the various tasks that Rory had given them.