Page 24 of Kidnapped by her Highland Enemy

He headed to his father’s main meeting room, and as he’d suspected, his father was there, dressed in a mantle that was loose around his shoulder.

“Faither,” Lucas bowed his head. “I sensed ye needed to speak with me.”

Cinead rested the goblet in his hand, shifted it to the side and then leaned forward, bracing both elbows on the desk and pinning Lucas with a long look. His searching look trailed on long enough that Lucas began to feel the skin on the back of his neck prickling with apprehension.

When he spoke, Cinead’s voice was gravelly, “Are ye sure about this, son?”

Notching his head up, Lucas replied, “Aye, much more than I have ever been before.”

His father sat back and rubbed his neck. “Tis a shame that other lasses were nay right for ye son.”

A spark of irritation warmed Lucas’s chest, “What do ye mean by that? I’m nae going to look to anyone else but Maisie, Faither. Matter of fact, I daenae want anyone else.”

“I ken, I ken,” Cinead waved Lucas’s anger down. “It’s only that we are going to have to touch some old sore points when Dunn and I decide to negotiate. That man is as stubborn as a three-legged bull.”

“Daeane see ye any different,” Lucas snorted.

“Hush,” Cinead glared, then settled back into his chair, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

“When I first saw ye with the lass, I was afraid ye’d lost the good sense the Lord gave ye, and then when I found ye were taken with her, I feared the worse.

Now though, as I look on it, this merge of our clans might be the best thing for us.

Joined as one, we’d command so much more of the highlands than we already have. ”

Lucas shook his head, “The main reason is to stop the bloodshed, Faither, nay to gain power or gold.”

“Which will happen but there’s nay harm in getting richer,” his father shrugged. “Ye may have a bond with the lass, but there is nay such thing between Dunn and I. The most I can hope for is mutual respect between us.”

“For the start,” Lucas said. He was not foolish enough to think that his father would welcome Dunn with open arms, no, but he hoped the two would cross hesitant acceptance and grow to trust each other one day. “Good night, Faither.”

As he got to the door, his father asked, “Why did ye nae give the lass a guest room, son? We have plenty.”

“Because on the journey to Perth I kept close to her,” Lucas replied, “And I daeane want to change it. There will be whispers, I ken, but I want Maisie with me.”

With that he left the room and went back to his, nodding at the guard almost hidden in the shadows. Entering, he decided to quickly wash with buckets of water in the bathing chamber, dried and went to join Maisie in the bed.

She snuffled a little as he tugged her into his arms, then folded into his side and rested her head on his chest. Maisie was such a little thing, so slender and petite but curvy when it mattered and had a spirited temperament—perfect for him.

Her cheek was smooth on his chest, and her hair tickled his chin, but he didn’t mind; all he cared about was having her in his arms and holding her.

In just a few days, she’ll be me wife.

With how his body was primed to wake with the morning light, Lucas slept later than he had in recent memory. Based on the way the light filtered through the small gap in the curtains, he judged it to be well past seven.

His head twisted a little and his gaze traced the smoky line of Maisie’s thick lashes resting on her cheek.

Her bare skin under the léine was tempting, calling him to slide his hand over her, to caress her, kiss her, join their bodies as one—but he refrained.

Maisie needed her rest, and he was going to let her get it.

He threw back the covers and swung his legs over the side of the bed as he heard steps in the corridor and muffled voices coming towards him. Hurriedly, he dragged on a shirt, stuffing into the old pair of trews he had worn to bed and trying to listen as the voices drew nearer.

Chatter about roasted pheasant and mulled wine had him realizing that the servants were out, preparing for the feast later on.

He shot a look to a still slumbering Maisie and decided to check in with his father and then send up a meal for Maisie so she could have another hour away from the scrutiny of his clan-members.

After notifying the kitchens about Maisie’s morning meal, he then went to see his father—only to find that his father was not alone.

“Laird McKenna,” he bowed his head to the other Laird. “How do ye do?”

The laird bowed as well, “Very well, Barclay, but nae as much as ye, I’d imagine. News has met me ears but I daenae ken if it’s true so I came to find if it is true.”

“I suppose ye mean about me marrying Laird Dunn’s daughter,” Lucas replied.

He did not fancy McKenna, he was too mealymouthed for Lucas’s taste. Even when he had voiced that opinion to his father, Cinead had brushed it off, saying that the man was harmless, a groveling rat, but harmless.

“Aye,” McKenna brushed a hand over his faded great kilt. “I suppose this means ye two clans have come to make peace between ye then?”

“It does.”

Delight marked McKenna’s face. “I’ve hoped that one day ye two would broke peace between ye and now that is true, I give ye my best wishes, Barclay.”

“Thank ye, McKenna,” Lucas took the compliment with grace. “We have a feast to commemorate the engagement this eve. Ye are welcome to take part if ye would like.”

“T’would be me honor,” McKenna replied.

With a curt nod, Lucas turned to his father, “Faither, may I speak with ye for a moment?”

“Aye,” Cinead said. “McKenna, one of me men will show ye to the great hall. Have a meal while I speak with me son.”

After McKenna left, Lucas turned to Cinead, “It’s barely past dawn, when did he arrive?”

His father grunted. “Damned if I ken, but daeanae ye worry about him. What do ye need, Lucas? Shouldnae ye be with the lass?”

“I’m going back,” Lucas ruffled his hair. “I just needed to see if ye had the arrangements for the feast under way.”

Clapping a hand on Lucas’s shoulder, Cinead assured him, “Ye needn’t worry.

All is going on well. The storehouses have been opened and the kitchen is working double-time.

Whatever we dinnae have has been sent for and the great hall is getting a scrubbin’.

Ye need to go back to yer room and rest easy. ”

“Nay so,” Laird Dunn scowled as he walked into the room. “Barclay, ye and I need to talk.”

“Whatever ye need, I’ll take care of it,” Cinead faced Angus. “Go back to the lass.”

Laird Dunn’s face was thunderous, and he called to Lucas as he headed out the door. “Ye better nay be filling the nursery so early boy! Ye hear me?”

Lucas did not hear his father’s reply as his only concern was for Maisie. Had she woken up without seeing him there? He entered to see her still curled up in the middle of the bed, her creamy limbs bright against the dark sheets.

Shucking his shirt and boots, he slid into the sheets and tugged her onto his chest. Instantly, she wrapped her arms around his waist, and nestled her head under his neck.

When he kissed her forehead, she tightened his hold and murmured, “Stay with me.”

“Forever,” he vowed. “Ye have me word.”