Page 5 of Kidnapped by her Highland Enemy

“That depends, I’ll speak to the lass first,” Lucas sobered. “If ye willnae mind, Eilidh, please warm some milk for her, and I’ll take one o’ the pies to her as well.”

With an agreeable nod, Eilidh set the pot on, and Lucas went outside to check the perimeter.

He made sure to look for boot prints in the soft silt, or on crushed leaves, but found none.

By the time he hurried back to the house, he realized that Eilidh had taken matters in her hands and had gone to see Maisie.

As quietly as he could, he mounted the stairs, edged to the half- open doorway, and leaned an ear to the room.

“—I daenae ken what he wants with keeping me here,” Maisie said, rather morosely. He was angled enough to see her picking at the pie on her lap. “I doubt he wants to harm me, for, if he had, he wouldn’t have kept me alive an hour after he took me away.”

“Lucas isnae a cruel man,” Eilidh said. “He is arrogant, aye, very cocksure of himself and acts like a madcap at times, but I have found him to be very kind, smart and willing to help. He doesnae do anything without prior thought, lass, be sure of that.”

“Then why all this?” Maisie asked, her tone laden with confusion.

“If this is because of this sodden feud, I have told me faither to stop all this fighting, that it makes no sense. I would prefer for us to be at peace with our neighbor, even if it means to be subservient, than to keep this bloodshed.”

Stunned, Lucas felt a knot in the middle of his chest tighten. Had she done that—in truth?

“That is honorable of ye, lass,” Eilidh said gently. “Ye might be the first one to suggest such a thing. Ye might be the last, too, because Laird Barclay is as hard-headed as they come.”

Lucas rolled his eyes.

“Me faither is the same,” Maisie huffed as she stabbed at her food. “I daenae ken what is wrong with these stubborn men. Why does nae one want peace? Are they going to be fighting to the day of judgment?”

“Possibly,” Eilidh said. “But I am happy ye are willing to let this feud end. Perhaps ye can encourage Lucas to do it.”

“I’d love to ken why I am here.” She sat her empty bowl to the side and drew her knees up to her chin. Her dress drew up, showing the most delicate ankles Lucas had ever beheld. “I wish someone would tell me the truth.”

“Aye,” Eilidh nodded sagely. “I understand how this mystery would upset ye.”

Before he turned, his eyes coasted over Maisie. She is a bonnie lass.

Backing away from the door, Lucas made a quick decision that he hoped would not betray him in the days to come. He headed to the room where Ian stood guard over the second lass and after a quick word to him, went inside to see her staring out a widow.

“Get somethin’ to drink, Ian,” Lucas said, while nodding to the lady. “I need to speak with—”

“Heather,” Ian supplied while he stood. “And aye, sir.”

As the young soldier left the room, Lucas went to the lass’s side and waited patiently for her to look at him. When she did not, he had to stifle a snort; she and her mistress were the same.

“Heather, aye. I reckon it’s time ye see yer lady,” he said calmly. “As long as ye promise nae to concoct some malarkey escape plan that might kill both of ye.”

Finally, she turned to him, her expression stony and filled with antagonism. “Is that why ye kept us apart?”

“Aye,” Lucas said. “But I need yer word first.”

Her eyes narrowed, and her jaw worked. “I give ye me word.”

Nodding curtly, Lucas waited for her to stand, and they headed out of the room and up the stairs. As he opened the door, he saw that Maisie was alone and her head darted up as Heather entered the room. He cocked his hip on the frame, crossed his arms and watched as the two embraced tightly.

After a moment, he decided to leave and let the two reconnect as his presence would be a bit intrusive.

Before he left, he met Maisie’s eyes and the look, one of weary happiness, made him feel uncomfortable.

He did not want to see her look that way, as he knew she still harbored so many questions, but he could not answer them yet.

With a curt nod, he left the room, went down the stairs and headed out to the woods. He knew a secret path down to the seaside and took it. The path was camouflaged by rocks and he got to the place where two rowing boats, tied and placed there for an emergency flight, bobbed on the water.

He placed his hands on his hips, inhaled the salty scent, and gazed out on the horizon.

Sunlight glinted off the waves, shattering the blue into various hued shards.

For the first time, Lucas began to doubt his action of kidnapping Maisie.

Would it have been better for him to go about this sensibly and gone to them about the threat?

What would Laird Gunn have done then? Would he have even listened to me?

Scrubbing his hands over his face, Lucas wondered about the mysterious threat, and again, he leaned to suspicion that the King was behind it. What other way to splinter two strong clans apart than to hint at a traitor in each of them?

After checking that the ropes were still tied, he headed back to the house. He had to hope that the two women would hold to their word and not try to escape. If not, he would be having a long night.

“I ken I gave him me word,” Heather whispered to Maisie, while looking frantically to the door. “But we need to escape this place. Eventually, he is going to kill us.”

Pressing her lips tightly Maisie wished she could agree with Heather, but she felt differently. “I daenae, Heather,” she said. “If he wanted us dead, he would have killed us from the moment he took us.”

Heather’s face was spotted red with anger and white with fear. “They are Barclays, me lady. They are wicked brutes with nay compassion or love. I am assured they will kill us.”

Maisie stood and began to pace. “I understand ye, Heather, I do, but I cannae but feel otherwise.”

“How can ye?” Heather was on her feet. “He’s nae to be trusted!”

“I ken he is me enemy, has been me family’s enemies for decades, but—” Maisie shook her head. “—I ken there’s something driving this kidnapping other than the rivalry. What that is, I daenae ken.”

“It’s trickery,” Heather spat unkindly. “Ye shouldnae trust him.”

“I dinnae say I trusted him,” Maisie said, but drew to a pause. If she thought Lucas was not going to kill her, what was that but trust? “I just daenae feel that he will kill us, that’s all.”

Her words sounded hollow and meaningless, but Maisie was duly conflicted.

She wanted to trust that Lucas would spare her life, but she could not dismiss Heather’s words— Lucas and his sort were her enemies and while that lady, Eilidh, she believed, had spoken with glowing tones about the man, the history between her clan and his had not proven her right.

Her handmaid was not happy, and it showed on Heather’s face. Maisie knew she had to do something to get Heather to understand that it would be unwise to cross the Barclays. “Whatever happens, Heather, we cannae cross them. That would spell disaster for us.”

Huffing under her breath, Heather turned from her. “Ye shouldnae eat anything from there either.”

“Ye havenae?” Maisie asked, appalled. “It’s almost two days Heather, ye must be starving.”

Tossing her braid, Heather said, “I’d rather go hungry than eat a thing from them .”

Maisie understood, as she too had held her doubts and had asked Lucas’s man to taste the food first, but now it felt a bit ridiculous, well to her.

Why would Lucas carry them so far, alive , only to poison them after?

That would be the mark of a malicious man and she did not feel that from Lucas—even though his arrogance irked her.

“While it concerned me, I have eaten,” Maisie said. “Ye shouldnae go hungry when ye have the chance to eat.”

“I dinnae trust them,” Heather hissed. “And ye shouldnae either.”

“I am happy to allow ye to cook yer meals,” Lucas’s stiff voice came from the doorway, making Maisie startle and causing Heather to jump. He strode in, the thumps of his boot as loud as tumbling boulders.

He looked impassive but behind his verdant eyes, Maisie saw that he was not pleased.

The ridge in his shoulder told her his honor had been snubbed and oddly, she felt as upset as he was.

While his expression was not as strong as she expected, she knew he was angry and with bated breath, Maisie waited for his reaction.

“Ye can go now if ye want,” Lucas said to Heather while his eyes rested on Maisie.

With a sniff and a stubborn sneer, Heather swept from the room and Maisie’s worried gaze rested on her as she went. After the door closed, Maisie turned to Lucas, “Are ye finally going to tell me why ye’ve brought me here?”