Page 14 of Claimed Highland Brides

13

PERSUASION

F iona sat on one of the turrets, out of sight of everyone below her, and watched as Daividh hung about the courtyard, clearly distracted. She wanted to go down to him but she could also see Laird Hunter hanging about. There were a lot of tradesmen about; no doubt the laird was making sure he was getting everything he had ordered. Watching as the preparations for her wedding began in earnest, Fiona felt her anxiety ramp up.

I’m not prepared for this .

Her heart pounded unevenly in her breast and her breath came short, vision shrinking to pinpoints as she felt panic overwhelm her. She stumbled backward, blinking to clear her eyes, trembling hands seeking purchase on the wall. Someone caught her from behind—strong, familiar arms—and she relaxed with relief.

“Wha’s the matter Sister?” Jamesina’s voice was low, gentle, and concerned. It soothed Fiona’s troubled breast at once. She shook her head.

“I dinnae think I can do it, Jamie. I cannae marry him.”

Her sister just continued to hold her, not saying a word.

“I...there is something gang on here. Something sinister. I’m afeared.”

“Wha’ do ye want tae do? Shall we gang tae hame?”

Fiona sighed. “How I wish...but I dinnae think we would be safe there.”

Jamesina’s grip tightened. “Safe from...yer husband-tae-be ye mean?”

“Aye.”

Jamesina gasped. “Wha’ has uncle Donnchadh got ye intae?”

“I dinnae ken.” Fiona shook her head. “But it isnae guid.”

“Oh, Fi. Tell me then, what d’ye want frae me? Ye ken I’ll do anything for ye.”

“If I had any clue, ye’d be the first tae ken.”

The two sisters regarded each other bleakly, as they supported each other in the darkened corridor.

* * *

Daividh wiped his muddy feet against the floor rug outside Laird McCormick’s study and entered with trepidation. When he’d received the summons, he’d assumed it had something to do with his disappearance. After all, the man might have noticed. But as he walked to the castle he’d wondered if there was more. What if the laird somehow knew about his tendresse towards Fiona?

What will I do? Should I make an offer for her, or deny it? What would be safer for her ?

Even as he walked into the laird’s study, he had no clue what he would do.

“Campbell! There you are. I have a request to make ‘o ye.”

Daividh raised his eyebrows at the laird, surprised at his chipper attitude.

“Och aye? And what might tha’ be?”

Laird McCormick sighed but did not seem too put upon. “’Tis my nieces. They are feeling rather restive and would like tae wander aboot the countryside and collect flowers or such. I have nae idea wha’ it is young lassies like tae do. I need for ye to pick another warrior and accompany them.”

Daividh’s heartbeat picked up speed and he kept his face studiously blank. “O’ course. I should be honored.”

McCormick narrowed his eyes at Daividh, “Ye mun’ make sure they dinnae get in any trouble. Take them doon tae the market and let them buy their trinkets and watch th’ acrobats and then bring them back.”

Daividh nodded. “O’ course. I’ll do tha’.”

He turned and left quickly, pulling in a deep shaky breath as he wondered how Fiona had pulled it off and made it seem like her uncle’s idea too by the sound of it. He made his way to the courtyard, where most of the garrison was emerging from breakfast, and snagged Simon before he could get his armor and begin training.

“We have another assignment, mo charaid . Come wi’ me.”

Simon followed him without demure and Daividh took him up to the east wing where he knew the Douglass entourage was accommodated. There was a lot of movement and noise in the corridor as the sisters and their maids flitted from room to room, apparently in the process of preparing. One of the red-haired girls stopped as he and Simon came into sight and grinned at him. “Ye mun’ be Daividh. I am ùna.” She stuck out a hand to be shaken. Daividh stared at it in surprise before reaching out and enveloping it in his much larger one. The girl pumped his hand up and down twice. Daividh could not help smiling.

He gestured towards Simon. “Allow me to introduce my fellow guard, Simon Campbell. We will be accompanying ye on yer excursion.”

The girl flicked a disinterested glance at Simon. “Oh. I’ll gang and get my sisters.” She turned and flitted down the corridor, knocking on the last door before entering. There was a veritable flurry of whispering and then a bevy of red and brown-haired women emerged, all talking at once. The little one who had bounced off to get them was in front, hazel eyes bright and interested in everything, her auburn hair done in two braids. She held hands with a coltishly tall woman who resembled her in the most fundamental way; what was fat and round on the former was thin and long on the latter, but their familial bond overrode such superficial differences. Behind them were two chestnut-haired girls, identical to the twinkle in their light brown eyes. They surveyed Daividh with interest but did not say much, seeming to speak to each other without saying a word. Fiona followed after, accompanied by the sister closest in resemblance to her. Where Fiona’s hair was closer to bright golden-auburn, her sister’s was all flame. While Fiona’s emerald eyes shone with intelligence and fearlessness, her sister’s doe-eyed look was more innocent and trusting.

They were a handsome-looking bunch and yet, Daividh could hardly keep his eyes from continually straying towards Fiona. The sisters came to a stop in front of him and suddenly they were flanked by two other women who appeared just to the left and right of ùna and her sister.

Daividh recognized Julieta, Fiona’s lady’s maid, and assumed that the other woman was also a maid or guardian. He smiled at them both and nodded. “Shall we gang?”

“Aye,” Julieta said, and led the way down the hall. Daividh watched as the ensembled walked past him, falling in line behind Fiona and suppressing his disappointment as she deliberately avoided his gaze. There would be time to speak later...or so he assumed.

* * *

When Jamesina had suggested this idea, Fiona had been skeptical. It had so many moving parts which they could not control. It hinged on Uncle Donnchadh being as predictable as Jamesina assured her he would be.

“’Tis just a matter of gently nudging him. Will ye trust me on this, Sister?”

And what else could Fiona say to that but yes?

And now here they were, headed towards the town square in one of Uncle Donnchadh’s wagons, Daividh riding tall and proud just beside her while his friend—and she recognized him from the courtyard—rode on the other side, his face studiously blank.

Daividh kept flicking her the most expectant glances and each one broke her heart. He could not be involved in this any longer and she had to make him understand that. If he did not, she did not know what she would do. She was so proud of her sisters, doing their part to make it look like this was just some ordinary excursion. Their wagon was pulled by two horses, driven by a coachman. While he was in earshot, all her sisters knew to keep the conversation light and excited.

They arrived at the market and exhorted the coachman to wait for them near the chapel while they all ostensibly scattered in different directions.

Simon and Daividh exchanged wide glances before Simon took off after ùna and the twins while Daividh followed the more sedate party of Fiona and her two sisters, Jamesina and Aileen. They were accompanied by Julieta while the other woman had gone with the younger girls.

It was all perfectly respectable.

As they walked, Jamesina and Aileen seemed to pull ahead, talking animatedly with Julieta while Fiona lagged behind. Taking the hint, Daividh slowed his steps as well.

"Ye've gone through a fair bit 'o trouble to talk wi' me, Lady Douglass."

Fiona squinted at him, her mouth pursed in annoyance. "Ye gang bumbling aboot the castle, acting as if ye have the right to speak wi' me as ye wish. Ye bring danger upon yersel' and ye expect me to do wha'? Gang aboot my business?"

"Aye." Daividh grinned at her. "But ’tis guid to ken tha' ye care."

"I dinnae care!" she snapped, but his grin just widened.

"Ye dinnae arrange this meeting just to express yer dissatisfaction did ye? Because tha' would be disappointing. "

Again she glared, even knowing it had no effect on him but amusement. "No. I came to tell ye to leave it alone. Whatever the laird plans or his intentions are, ’tis none o' yer consairn. I shall deal wi' it."

Daividh frowned. "Ye dinnae expect me to just?—"

"Aye, I do." Fiona regarded him steadily, looking in his eyes so he could know how serious she was.

"I cannae just stand by and?—"

"Aye, ye can. This isnae yer consairn. Do ye ken?"

Daividh shook his head. He could not believe Fiona actually expected him to stand down. Knowing what he knew of the laird, his reputation for ruthlessness and cruelty, he would not leave even his worst enemy in Laird Hunter's hands. There was no way he was leaving Fiona, the woman he suspected was truly the love he had been searching for. He looked around to see if anyone was watching them.

The streets were quiet. It was still early in the day. Most of the villagers were hard at work on their farms at this time of day. They were walking down a narrow alleyway between the smithy's shop and an apothecary. Ahead of them was an empty field and behind them was the town square. A fair amount of hammering could be heard from the blacksmith but otherwise, there was no one about. Daividh put a hand out to stop Fiona and she raised an eyebrow at him quizzically as he stood watching as her sisters and lady's maid disappeared around the corner at the end of the alley.

"Wha' are ye—" Fiona began to ask.

Daividh put a finger to his lips. Fiona gasped at him. He stared down at her, midnight-blue eyes boring into emerald ones. "Come wi' me," he whispered, taking her hand and pulling her after him into the apothecary.

The long red-haired man behind the counter looked up, blue eyes glimmering with curiosity. "Aye, Campbell." He nodded at the warrior familiarly, eyebrows raised at Fiona.

"Wilkins. Ye recall that debt of honor ye owe me?"

The man's eyes widened even as he nodded. "Aye."

"I need tae use yer backroom for a while and nobody ken aboot it."

Wilkins' eyes narrowed. "Now look here Campbell, I owe ye my life but I cannae let ye defile the lassie on my premises...no." He shook his head as well as waved his hands to make the point. Both Fiona and Daividh began to protest at once.

"He isnae?—"

"I dinnae mean tae defile anyone! We just require somewhere private to talk."

"Talk?" Wilkins sounded supremely skeptical, his eyes on their joined hands.

"Aye."

Wilkins made a grumbling sound in his throat but unlocked his back room and let them through. Daividh nodded his thanks as he walked through the door, propelling Fiona ahead of him. She wheeled on him as soon as he closed the door behind him. “Have ye lost yer mind? Do ye think my uncle willnae hear o’ this?”

“I ken he willnae.”

“Oh? And how d’ye ken tha’?”

“Because there isnae any love lost between Wilkins and my liege. Also, Wilkins owes me his life. He keeps my secrets.”

“And is that wha’ I am? Yer secret?”

Daividh shrugged. “That is what I wanted tae speak tae ye aboot. Ye’re a leddy, aboot to be married tae a laird, and yet here ye are, wi’ me. Wha’ is this, Lady Douglass? Wha’ are we doing?”