Page 25 of Bride Takes a Charmer (Highland Vows & Vengeance #3)

B y the Great Glen, he slowed his mount and waited for Trey to approach.

Shaw handed him Gillian before dismounting.

When his feet hit the ground, his comrade thrust the wee lass back to him.

Gillian’s eyes remained closed, and she appeared to be sleeping.

He held her and walked toward his allies who camped a short distance away.

A fire lit the tree canopies and sent warmth to him as he neared.

“Set a tartan here for Gillian,” he told Trey. His comrade complied with his request and grabbed another. Shaw set the lass on it and then covered her. He hoped to reach home before night completely darkened the sky but he had to give the account of his meeting to his allies.

“Someone get Laird Mackintosh a wee dram,” Kenneth Mackenzie said.

Colin Campbell motioned to one of his men who handed him a cup and Shaw took it. He sat next to the lass and kept his voice low. “I am afraid that I called ye here for naught.”

“Och, so your meeting went well then?” Colin asked.

“Aye.” Shaw wasn’t sure how much to divulge because he was sure Geoff spoke falsely about his brother’s death and why he’d kept Sorsha’s child in his care. There was definitely something amiss about both situations.

“What did he say?” Kenneth asked.

“He claims that someone entered the castle and murdered Rodick.” Shaw took a sip of the drink and the weight of his meeting with Geoff eased.

Now that he had Gillian, there were no more ties to the Chattans for Sorsha.

His one wish was that he could retract his alliance with them, but it hadn’t been the moment.

His main focus had been to get away with the child.

Instead, he’d bide his time and if or when he was called to honor it, he’d decide whether a war was worth his pact with his mother’s relatives.

Colin scoffed and blew a harsh breath. “’Tis unbelievable. How could someone enter Tor without being noticed? What did ye witness when he rode through? Was his keep secure? How many guards were there?”

“None could get past the watch that I noted but that is not to say that they could do so easily when Rodick was laird. Who knows what the situation was then? Mayhap their security was lacking? Still, I am skeptical about it because Geoff did not explain except to say that someone stole inside and murdered his brother. He didn’t seem unnerved or anxious for vengeance. ”

Trey grunted. “Surely the watch would have been alerted before the wrongdoer absconded after the deed. They would’ve easily apprehended the culprit.”

“Och perhaps they did not discover Rodick’s body in time and the assailant had already fled?

” He shrugged. They may never know. “It matters not now. I thank ye both for coming,” Shaw said to Colin and Kenneth.

“And for giving me aid and awaiting me. I am beholden to ye. Should ye need me, just send word. I will always honor our pact but I cannot say the same of the Chattans. Something is amiss and I am not able to trust Geoff even though he is my kin.”

His comrades inclined their heads. Colin said, “Then we shall be off.”

“I want to get home afore the night grows too dark,” Kenneth said, “Back to my warm bed.”

His allies assembled their men and set off on the lanes in the direction of their lands. Shaw appreciated their support. They’d been allies for a good many years and he trusted them, not only in the face of war, but as comrades, and men.

“Will we leave right off?” Trey asked.

“Aye, I want to get home too. My wife is anxious to be with her wee lass, who needs to be put to bed. Get the men ready and we will leave shortly.” Shaw was about to rise when he noticed Gillian’s eyes were open and that she was staring at him. “Are ye hungry lass?”

She lowered her chin to avoid his gaze and didn’t answer.

“’Tis time to go.” Shaw rose and held out his hand to her. The moment was taut with apprehension as her gaze widened with fear but then she finally placed her hand in his. He helped her to rise, then took up the tartan from the ground and handed it to Henny.

Shaw kept his pace slow as he approached the horses.

Gillian followed meekly and silently, carrying the tartan Trey had covered her with and with which she’d wrapped herself.

When he reached his horse, he pulled the leftover bread he’d wrapped and saved from earlier that day.

Without asking her again if she was hungry, he turned to her and pressed the bread into her hand. “Eat.”

His men were ready to make for the lane and he could delay no further.

He quickly mounted his horse and shifted back to make room for the lass. Trey handed her to him and Shaw adjusted the tartan she held around her shoulders. “That will keep ye warm whilst we ride home.”

As they began to ride, he let some of his men ride ahead and kept his distance from them.

He whispered to Gillian, “I met your mother when she was a young lass. Now I am fortunate to be married to her. I vow, lass, to be a good da to ye. Ye may not understand what that means yet, but one day ye shall be happy.”

For the next league or so, Gillian leaned back against him.

Shaw was pleased because that meant she was letting her guard down.

Suddenly he realized that he was now a father.

Shaw wanted to be the kind of father that he’d had, an honorable man who held love in his heart for his children.

He wanted his children to have as much faith in him as he had in his da.

With a silent vow, he promised that Gillian would never go without—without care, love, or attention, and be secure in the knowledge that her new da would always take care of her.

With the motion of the horse, he thought perhaps Gillian had fallen asleep again but when his men shouted, she craned her head and he noted she was awake.

She hadn’t eaten a single bite of the bread and that sunk his shoulders a little.

But the lane that led to the gates of his home lay ahead.

He was never more gladdened to arrive. Sorsha was in for a surprise, one that might make her heart burst with joy.

Trey rode back from the front of the procession. “Riders sit outside the gate, Laird.”

“Who are they?”

“’Tis the MacPhersons, Laird.” This came from Henny.

Shaw passed by his soldiers and rode to the front of the procession, not stopping until he reached Laird MacPherson.

His steed whinnied and pranced, as the lane was crowded with horses.

The moment was rife with tension as his men pulled their swords free from their scabbards.

His gates remained closed but the men who had remained at his home while he went on his excursion, assembled, and appeared ready to take up arms.

Alan MacPherson leaned forward in his saddle which shifted the long strands of his red hair over his shoulders.

The man resembled a fierce warrior with the ornate plate of a shield across his chest and the bands of leather surrounding his arms. His beard was done in various knots and braids and though kempt was unruly at the same time.

His blue eyes darkened with the man’s forwardness when he grunted before saying, “I thought I would have to await ye forever.”

“I just returned to my holding. Why are ye here?” Shaw wasn’t pleased by the MacPherson’s visit, especially when his eyes shifted to the lass on his lap. “Ye dare to come on my land without permission?”

“I had to come, Mackintosh. Who’s the wee lass?”

Shaw ignored his question and didn’t respond. With a glare, he expressed his ire at the man’s brazenness. “As ye can see my soldiers are not pleased by this…foray.”

“Ye gave me no choice since ye ignored my request for a meeting, I had to come. Can we meet now?” Alan grunted and tipped his head at the Mackintosh soldiers. “I see your men are ready for a fight, but I do not wish to appease them.”

“There are things I must see to since I have only arrived. Ye may make camp in yonder woods and await me there. I will come and see ye when I can.” Shaw motioned to Clovis, who opened the gate. He rode through and didn’t look back.

His main concern was getting Gillian to her mother and then he’d probably have some explaining to do.

After, he’d see to the MacPherson and find out why he’d come.

Shaw had forgotten the missive he’d misplaced and wondered now if it indicated what was so important that Alan risked his soldiers’ lives in coming without an invitation.

Shaw crossed the bridge and continued riding until he reached the keep.

There, he slid from his mount and held out his arms to Gillian.

She set her hands on his shoulders as he lifted from the horse.

He didn’t want to set her down and carried her inside.

Her wee body was light and barely weighed as much as a goose.

She held on to him tightly and Shaw supposed she was still fearful.

“Now, let us find your mother. She will be overcome with joy when she sees ye.”

Shaw entered the fief. Through the long hallway, he listened for voices but didn’t hear any and hoped Sorsha hadn’t retired for the night. At the great hall, he stopped by the entrance and saw her sitting in a chair by the hearth. Across from her, his mamo seemed to have fallen asleep.

“Sorsha…” Shaw hurried to her and kept his eyes trained on hers. “There is someone here to see ye.” He set Gillian on her feet and gave a light nudge to her shoulder to press her forward.

She gasped and stood hastily. “Gillian!” Sorsha glanced from him to her daughter then back to him. “How? Gillian!” She hurried forth, fell to her knees, and took her daughter in her arms.