Page 54 of Claimed Highland Brides

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E uan beckoned to Barclay as the dance was winding down, and he leaned in to tell Aileen that it was time. Aileen took a deep breath, looking nervous. “Alrigh’ let’s go.”

He stood back, gesturing for her to precede him, and they left the ballroom floor to join Euan on the sides. He inclined his head for them to follow him, and they did so, keeping a step behind him as he turned down an empty corridor. He knocked on a large ornate door, and they heard someone tell him to come in.

There were three men in the room already. Barclay gasped as he caught sight of one of them. He remained seated while the other two men stood up.

Euan turned to Barclay. “Mr. MacFarland, may I present to ye, the governor of Edinburgh, Coluim Grahame. And this is Torquil MacDonald.” He gestured at the third man. “I’m sure ye ken yer grandfaither, the Chieftain of Clan MacFarland, Ewen MacFarland.”

Barclay made a leg. “Yer servant, sirs.” He turned to Aileen. “Allow me to present Miss Aileen Douglass, a dear family friend.”

His eyes slid to his grandfather, wondering what the man was doing here. He still had a full head of butter-yellow hair and was smoking a cheroot, looking hale and hearty. But as far as he knew, his grandfather was not one to attend social events. Not when there were crops to be harvested, sheep to be sheared, and cattle to be sold.

He barely glanced at Barclay, his eyes sweeping curiously over Aileen before turning away. Barclay turned to the governor with a smile. “I thank ‘e for granting us an audience.”

The governor smiled, clapping Euan familiarly on the shoulder. “When Mr. McGregor here told me ye wished to speak t’me, I admit I was curious. I did not know that Hamish had a son who survived the purge of Inchcree.”

Barclay frowned. “Purge?”

“Aye. From what yer grandfaither says, the tacksmen rose up and attacked the laird, yer faither.”

Barclay’s frown deepened. He knew it probably was not a good idea to contradict his grandfather, but he could not let that slander lie. “No, that is not what happened. My parents were attacked on the way back home from a visit to the MacFarland. My mother was killed, and my father was injured.”

The governor made a sound of distress. “An unfortunate business all around. But what help do ye require from me?”

“My uncle has taken over my land and refuses to respect my right to it. I would like to request the assistance of the rule of law, to help me evict him.”

The governor’s brows rose, and he turned to the MacFarland. “Do ye have anything to say aboot this, Ewen?”

His grandfather blew out smoke from his cheroot with a sigh. “I cannot intervene in any little dispute between my descendants. I would not get anything done if I embroiled myself in every little collieshangie.”

Barclay hissed in anger, taking a step towards his grandfather. Aileen’s fingers were suddenly an iron band around his wrist.

“Mr. Grahame, I must point out that MacFarland gave his son Hamish this land, free and clear to be passed down only to his direct male descendants,” Mr. MacDonald cut in. He reached into his pocket. “I have here the conditions of that agreement.”

The MacFarland sighed with annoyance. “That is all well and good, but we have no evidence that this man is who he says he is.”

“I can vouch for that, as can his Spanish cousins with whom he traveled.” Aileen turned to the governor. “Estefania MacFarland, Hamish’s wife, was a Spanish noblewoman. When Hamish died, Barclay was taken and raised by his Spanish relatives.”

“And how do you know this, Miss Douglass?”

“My faither took Barclay in after his parents’ death. He is the one who wrote to his Spanish relatives, and he is the one who handed Barclay over to them.”

“I see.” The governor turned to MacFarland. “Weel, Ewen, it looks like this is most definitely yer long-lost grandson.”

“I cannae make Gilroy vacate the place. He’s looked after it since the boy left.”

“I am back now,” Barclay snapped.

Mr. MacDonald held out the script. “The boy is entitled to the land on the occasion of his twenty-fifth birthday or the day after his wedding, whichever comes first. If this is indeed Mr. MacFarland, he will only be two and twenty if my calculations are correct.”

The governor took them and read them over. He looked up at Barclay. “This is true. So it looks like yer uncle will be able to stay on the land undisputed for another three years.”

“But he’s engaged to be married!” Aileen looked just as shocked by her outburst as Barclay was.

“I beg yer pardon?”

Barclay was glad that his lawyer had asked the question so that he did not have to. Aileen reached out her other hand and closed it around his wrist. “Barclay and I are promised. We are to be married very soon.”

Barclay tried very hard to keep the surprise and elation he felt off his face. He did not want to give his grandfather any loopholes to exploit.

Mr. MacDonald gave a pleased clap. “It would seem congratulations are in order. The Douglass and MacFarland clans are both some of the very oldest in Scotland. This joining can only make them both stronger.”

The governor clapped Barclay on the back in congratulations as he smiled. “Aye, this is excellent news. And once ye speak to yer uncle aboot it, I am sure he will see the light and allow ye to take charge of yer home. I dinnae feel that a violent intervention will be helpful at this time.” He flicked a quick glance at Ewen before looking back at Barclay.

He nodded. “Thank ‘e, very much, Governor. Allow us to take our leave o’ ye the noo. Ye’ve given us much to think aboot.” Barclay took hold of Aileen’s hand and led her out of the room, flanked by Euan. He was not at all surprised to find Diego and Antonio loitering outside the door, waiting.

He shook his head as Diego opened his mouth to ask how it went and kept walking until they were outside. He took a deep breath and turned to Aileen. “We’re promised?” he asked.

Diego frowned in puzzlement, looking from one to the other.

Aileen shook her head. “I dinnae ken wha’ came o’er me. They were looking for any way to stop ye from getting yer land, and I just…I couldnae keep quiet.”

“Aye…but did ye mean it?” Barclay’s eyes caught and held Aileen’s as Diego hovered curiously. There was a long silence.

“What is going on?” Diego finally asked.

Both Barclay and Aileen ignored him. Aileen took a deep breath, blinking a few times. “Aye, I did mean it. I will marry ye, Barclay.”

Barclay grinned, taking her hands in his and squeezing hard. “Thank ‘e.”

“Dinnae thank me yet. I havenae got ye yer land back yet.”

Barclay shook his head. “It doesnae matter. I am grateful anyway.”

Euan stepped forward. “Weel, if ye’re going to be wed, ye should do it right away, when ye’re still in town. Then we can go to the governor wi’ this new information and ask for some reinforcements so that we can put the will into effect.”

Barclay looked away from Aileen for the first time, shaking his head at Euan. “The governor is under my grandfaither’s thumb. It would do no guid to speak wi’ him. We mun’ go to the source. We mun’ speak wi’ the MacFarland.”

Euan nodded slowly. “Vera weel then. We will speak wi’ the chieftain. But first ye mun’ tie the knot.”

Barclay looked to Aileen. “Are ye ready to marry me the noo?”

Aileen swallowed audibly. “My f-family.”

Euan turned to her. “I ken this isnae perhaps the wedding ye envisioned as a child. But we mun’ get this done the noo, strike while the iron is hot, so to speak. Perhaps ye can get handfast, and once ye get home, ye can have a wedding, aye?” He nodded encouragingly as if Aileen were a small child he was trying to convince to give up her candy.

“Ye dinnae have to do this, Miss Douglass,” Barclay said.

Aileen looked from one to the other, brow furrowed uncertainly before she nodded. “I-I’ll do it.”

Barclay tightened his hold on her hands. “Are ye sure?”

“Aye.” She nodded again, giving him a tentative smile.

Barclay beamed at her. “Alrigh’ then.”

“We should do it now,” Euan said. He looked around. “Does anyone have a rope?”

“No! Tomorrow morning is soon enough,” Barclay said, his eyes still on Aileen, who was looking ever more flustered.

“Vera weel. We can do it in the garden at my home. Let us go. Perhaps we could invite yer grandfaither.” He grinned at the last part as he patted Barclay on the back.

“He wouldnae attend.” Barclay helped Aileen into the carriage before following her.

Diego and Antonio followed after and then the lawyer. Diego leaned toward Barclay. “Tell us what happened.”

Barclay took a deep breath and told them.

* * *

Sarah was more excited about the impending handfasting than Aileen was. She kept picking up gowns, examining them critically and then discarding them with a dismissive shake of her head. “We dinnae have anything suitable!” she wailed.

Aileen sighed, sitting up in bed. “Suitable for what, Sarah? We’re just standing in the garden. Any gown will do.”

“Any gown will do? Have ye taken leave o’ yer senses?” Sarah looked positively scandalized. Aileen would have burst out laughing if she didn’t know that Sarah might just combust if she did so.

With a resigned look, she sidled out of bed and over to the wardrobe, where Sarah was desperately rifling through the meager fare. She had brought a few good gowns because she expected there would be various meetings with the governor to attend. Picking up a red plaid gown, she lifted an eyebrow at Sarah.

“What about this one?”

Sarah grumbled discontentedly.

“I think it will do,” Aileen insisted.

Sarah made more sounds of discontent, but she took the gown in her hand, inspecting it for heaven only knew what. “I shall steam it and perhaps find a red satin sash for yer waist. Did ye carry any jewelry?”

“I have my pearl earbobs.”

Sarah looked unimpressed but refrained from comment. She whirled away with the dress, leaving Aileen alone with the steaming tub of water. Divesting herself of her shift, she stepped into it with a sigh, resolving to relax and not overthink.

Last night’s outburst had come as much of a surprise to her as it had to Barclay. She didn’t know where the words had come from. She had seen that the MacFarland was clearly going to use every loophole to deny Barclay his birthright. A fit of unreasoning anger had streaked through her as she saw how dismissive he was of his own kin.

She knew, despite or rather because of the hard facade that Barclay was putting on, that he was affected by the indifference of his grandfather. She wanted to do something to shake the chieftain and to remind Barclay that he was not alone.

Now she was doing what she had sworn she would not: marrying him. They had barely had a chance to talk, to discuss their expectations. The lawyer’s words echoed in her mind.

A match between the MacFarlands and the Douglasses would be advantageous.

But for whom?

Her family certainly did not need anything from Clan MacFarland, and they surely had enough lands and resources that the Douglass mines were not a temptation for them. Or perhaps they were.

Who even knows? Certainly not me .