“Aye, brother?” she said as she swiftly approached Fionnghall, looking at the English lady from the corner of her eye.
“Take the lass out of me sight,” he said and waved his hand somewhere towards her.
“Laird, if you don’t mind, I’d rather leave. I will be just fine on my own, thank you very much,” the lady snapped and crossed her arms over her chest.
Fionnghall stopped and turned slowly to look at her in the eyes. They were deep brown and full of fire. She surely was beautiful, though extremely annoying, and she had a sharp tongue.
“Ye’re goin’ to stay. Jack’s right, I will nae have yer death on me conscious,” Fionnghall said.
An English lass in me castle. God curse Jack and his heart.
Fionnghall returned to his opponent, getting ready for another round. In the corner of his eye, he saw Deirdre taking the English girl’s hand and leading her towards the castle. A bit of a spitfire, she was.
The interruption had messed with Fionnghall’s thoughts. He patted his opponent on the back and holstered his sword, heading back to the castle.
Dinner was about to commence and he needed to wash up. Funny enough, despite the cold breeze in the air, his chest felt warm. He kept turning his thoughts back to the new girl, remembering how well she tried to cover up her fear, her blush giving her away. He cracked a smile before catching himself.
No need fer such thoughts, ye dobber. She’ll leave. Like everyone else does.
* * *
Marion was sitting in a small but warm dining room at a wooden table, nibbling on her food on the plate. The windows were covered with purple curtains and dozens of candles lit the room along with the fireplace. There was a painting hung over the back wall and two shelves were set next to the fireplace. They were filled with glasses and painted porcelain. Definitely expensive things.
The food was a bit strange, not the same as she had at home. It was plain and simple, but that wasn’t why she had trouble eating. She felt her ears burning, as Deirdre was discussing with her brother Marion’s situation, furiously.
After Deirdre had heard Marion’s story, she had been shocked to the core. She had promised to make her brother let Marion stay and look for her parents. After all, she didn’t have anywhere else to go. Marion didn’t particularly care for this rude Laird that had practically kidnapped her, but she had thought of her situation and deemed that she needed a place to stay, and the help of a Laird would be useful. Whether he was rude and vile or not.
“Fionnghall! What would our faither say if he were here?” Deirdre demanded.
Deirdre was a small and fragile-looking young woman with long, dark brown hair. Deirdre was wearing a purple gown and there was a thin golden necklace around her neck. Her face was friendly and sweet, and her eyes were sky-blue. She was, in fact, quite beautiful. Marion guessed she was a few years younger than herself.
“He wouldn’t say anythin’ because he’s not here, is he, Deirdre?” he responded with a stern voice.
“Brother, ye caennae send her away. She has nowhere to go. Let her stay and find her parents,” Deirdre pleaded.
The Laird was quiet, eating his food as if he hadn’t even heard his little sister.
“Brother!” Deirdre insisted.
“She’s not stayin’ past twilight, Deirdre, and that’s the end of it,” he said calmly, still focusing on his dinner like it was the best meal he’d ever had.
“Look, ye wouldnae even notice she’s here. I’ll keep her company and help her find her parents,” Deirdre said. She hadn’t even touched her plate of food yet.
Marion felt awkward sitting beside Deirdre and listening to the conversation. On the other hand, all she wanted to do was leave and continue her search. Every second she spent at the castle was one second wasted.
But the Laird and his sister might be able to help me. At least I could use their library.
When the Laird still didn’t say anything, Deirdre sighed and spoke more calmly, this time with a hint of a smile on her lips.
“I ken ye’re tryin’ to not back down on ye word. Ye’re afraid it would make yer look weak. Like ye have a heart. But what kind of people would we be if we sent her back on her own? And, ye ken I can just keep her out of ye sight. But if ye send her away, I will remind ye every single day about her and what might have happened to her out there on the wild moors,” Deirdre said indifferently.
This seemed to have an effect on the Laird. Maybe he was growing a conscience, or maybe he just wished the conversation to be over.
“Fine. She can stay. But only because I ken ye can be such a pain, Deirdre. And as soon as she’s found her parents, she will be sent back to England, and that’s the end of it. And keep her out of me sight!” the Laird snapped and left the table, slamming the dining room door behind him.
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Thank you very much.
Also by Maddie MacKenna
Thank you for reading Mesmerized by a Roguish Highlander!
I hope you enjoyed it! If you did, may I ask you to please write a review HERE? It would mean the world to me. Reviews are very important and allow me to keep writing the books that you love to read!
Some other best sellers of mine:
Captivating a Highland Warrior
A Pledge of Passion to the Highlander
Under a Highlander’s Spell
Highlander's Sinful Desire
Highlander's Hidden Destiny
Also, if you liked this book, you can also check out my full Amazon Book Catalogue HERE.
I am so grateful that you are part of my journey as a published author! God bless you!
Maddie MacKenna
About the Author
Maddie McKenna had always been passionate about Scotland. It all started with an old picture of her grandfather wearing a kilt and a sporran. She used to look at that picture and imagine stories taking place in the mysterious Highlands...
When she visited Scotland for the very first time, it was love at first sight. Both the country’s breathtaking landscape, and the warmth and livelihood of the locals made her realize why her distinctive red hair was not the only thing that made her blend with them. She took her motherland’s memories back home to Minnesota, holding them forever in her heart while using them as an inspiration for her novels.
Maddie McKenna has a degree in English Literature and Creative Writing. She started writing articles for travel magazines but soon the romance world won her over. When she isn’t writing, Maddie loves painting and taking long walks with her hubby.
Join Maddie in the unforgettable world of brave Highlanders and their bonnie lasses—a world full of passion, intrigues and steamy lovemaking, that will make you feel like you are part of the story yourself!
Mesmerized By A Roguish Highlander (Steamy Scottish Historical Romance) Page 30
