Page 20 of Stolen Highland Dreams (The Highlanders #9)

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“ M y laird.” Quinn cleared his throat, waking Dashiell in his bedchamber.

Dashiell opened his eyes, no longer feeling feverish, thank the gods, and saw Quinn standing over him, not who he wanted to see. Where was Ella?

Quinn glanced at Mina, telling her silently he had private business to discuss with Dashiell.

“I’ll return in a bit.” Mina walked out of the chamber, closing the door behind her.

“What is wrong now? Ella isna gone, is she?” Dashiell was ready to throw aside his furs and hunt her down.

“Nay, it’s Lantana.”

Dashiell let out his breath and rubbed his eyes. “Is she still refusing to leave until I personally tell her to?”

“Nay, it’s Ella.”

Dashiell frowned. “What about Ella?”

“She told Lantana she could stay longer to rest before her long journey home. They have become friends.”

Dashiell stared at Quinn. “What?”

Quinn smiled. “The lass makes friends easily, except for MacAfee and her uncle or Lady Lynette.” Quinn lost the smile and frowned. “I must bring up another issue though.”

“Aye?” Dashiell knew from how Quinn was so serious that the issue was troubling.

“Ruadh overhead Lantana speaking to Ella, asking if she thought MacAfee would continue to come for her.”

Ella had planned to break her fast in Dashiell’s bedchamber with him, but he was ready to join her in the great hall to show he was getting better. She understood his need to prove he was still in charge of the clan and could lead them.

She still thought he should be in bed for the meal, but she could not change his mind.

Lantana was sitting beside Lady Yvette and talking to her about her work while on the king’s staff. Though she smiled at Ella, she only inclined her head to Dashiell.

“What say you?” Dashiell asked Ella as they broke brown bread. “Did your cousin marry for love?”

“Nay. Michael married her because of who her da was and for the dowry. My uncle probably convinced him of it. My uncle doesna care about who he hurts in the process.”

“I meant what I said. I’m glad I hadna wed the lass. That meant I could meet you.”

“You still know so little about me.”

“I know you are fiercely protective of your kin and mine. That you have suffered greatly though continue to be kindhearted. That you are the legitimate heir to this castle.”

She laughed. “As if anyone would believe that.”

“The only one who needs to believe it is me. Mina says we were fated to meet in the very way we met.”

“She did? She hasna told me that.”

“Aye. Though most dinna know it, my grandmother had visions like Mina does. She told me I would fall in love with a bonnie lass who would mean the world to me and that she would speak to me in her special way at first. Of course, she didna tell me you couldna speak.”

“That was a shock, I’m sure.” She drank some of her mead.

“Aye, for certes. She said we would have many children and fill the castle with their laughter. I thought she meant the keep up north. I never expected she would be talking about this one and you.”

“I’ve dreamed of you.” She felt her cheeks heat just from even mentioning it.

“As I have dreamed of you. Of trying to catch you and gain a kiss from your sweet lips that I had the hardest time capturing. But do tell, what did you dream of me?”

“That I danced with you and captured you with a kiss.”

He smiled. “Do you think Mina made us dream of one another?”

“Some. But I believe some of our dreams were of our own making.”

“Some say you turned into an owl at night.”

“No’ me.”

“And you run with the deer.”

“That is true.”

“And you live among wolves.”

She sighed deeply. “It depends on the type of wolves you are talking about. Then aye.”

Three weeks later, Dashiell was finally up and about, feeling his usual self. Now that he was doing better, he hoped to wed Ella in a fortnight. He wanted to make love to his bonny bride once he was fully healed. Everyone was still preparing, sending invitations, even to James and his kin, cleaning, and gathering enough food for the celebration.

For the time being, while Ella was with the ladies in the herb garden, Dashiell was in the forest with his men hunting boar, the first time since he was so badly injured when a flushed and horrified Paden rode to meet up with him. “What’s wrong, Paden?”

“Uh, well, er…” Paden’s gaze focused on the ground.

“Speak up, lad,” Dashiell said.

Paden’s gaze shot up to fix on Dashiell. “That…woman, er, Lynette and her, uh, da is at the castle, demanding to see you, my laird.”

“God’s wounds.” Dashiell didn’t need this right now. He turned to Quinn. “Why does my word mean naught?”

Quinn shook his head and smiled a little. “With that woman, if you had married her, she would have been the death of all of us.”

“There was no way I would have married her. Even if I hadna fallen in love with Ella.” Dashiell looked back in the direction of the castle. “I would just hunt like we planned without thought to their arrival, but mayhap I can speak with her da while we’re in the forest. Any man cheers up during the hunt. Then I will tell him why I’m no’ marrying his daughter.”

Fallon smiled.

“No’ the reason that she’s a shrew but because Ella is the only one for me, and she belongs at Cairn Castle with what’s left of her family. It’s her castle every bit as much as it is ours. And I love her and wouldna give her up for anything.”

“Aye, I’ll tell him you want to hunt with him if you wish,” Quinn said.

“Aye. And leave the woman behind.” Dashiell didn’t want to hear any more of her biting words.

Quinn laughed. “That is easier said than done.” Then Quinn rode back to the castle with two of their men and Paden.

Fallon shook his head. “I thought that woman was gone for good.”

“So did I.”

“Do you think she will come with her da on the hunt?”

“I hope no’.” Dashiell could imagine her raging on about him marrying her instead of the woman of the forest, how she was evil, and anything else she could throw out there.

Ella, Paige, and Flora were in the herb garden gathering lavender and sage when they heard a commotion in the inner bailey.

“Oh, nay,” Paige said, glancing that way.

“What?” Ella looked in the direction Paige was watching, and her heart sank to see Lynette with a man and an entourage. She suspected the man was Lynette’s da.

“Och, nay, no’ that woman.” But then Flora smiled. “You can speak now and tell her off for lying when she said you had hurt her, Ella. She wouldna even let Mai look at her supposed injury. When we learned you couldna speak, we knew she hadna been telling the truth.”

“What is she doing here?” Ella assumed they would try to convince Dashiell to marry her instead of Ella.

Flora studied Lynette’s haughty look. “Well, she has her da with her, so I suspect he’s going to create problems with Dashiell now over not marrying her.”

“Who is the most insufferable? Her or her da?” Paige asked.

“I wouldna be surprised if Lynette is the one who is, and she rules her da,” Ella said.

Quinn rode into the inner bailey with Paden and two other men and spoke to Lynette’s da. “Dashiell is hunting for a wild boar with some of our men. He asks that you join him.”

Lynette’s da glanced at her. “Aye, let’s go.”

“He just wants to speak with your da,” Quinn said.

Ella almost laughed at seeing Lynette’s mutinous expression. She was probably really miffed that Dashiell didn’t want to see her and only invited her da on the hunt.

“I. Am. Going.” Lynette scowled at Quinn.

Lynette was definitely in charge. Then she glanced in the ladies’ direction, saw Ella and her jaw dropped. Her eyes narrowed. “You! She’s the one who injured me! Da, do something about her!”

Her da asked Quinn, “Is this true?”

“Nay. Lady Lynette suffered no injuries. Lady Ella did naught to her,” Quinn said.

“You are saying my daughter lied?” Her da sounded like he couldn’t believe Quinn would say that and was ready to defend her honor.

“That woman has twisted my words, and she’s the devil,” Lynette said, her tone of voice haughty. “She’s naught but a wild woman living in the forest.”

“Lady Margery to you,” Ella said.

“Lady Margery. Your da was Coinneach Gunn?” Laird Cameron asked.

“Aye, before MacAfee and his men murdered my people,” Ella said.

Lynette’s da looked at his daughter. “I’m joining Dashiell on the hunt. You will stay here .”

“What? Nay. I want a word with Dashiell also.”

“You will stay here. Take me to see the chief,” Lynette’s da said to Quinn.

“Aye, my pleasure.” Appearing relieved that Cameron told her to stay behind, Quinn led her da through the gates while Lynette looked slightly panicked.

Ella noticed she wasn’t so sharp-tongued when she had no man to boss around. And she couldn’t boss Dashiell’s staff around. Ella wouldn’t let her.

“Join us if you want,” Ella said, trying not to show she held grudges. The woman had to feel uncomfortable because Ella was sure no one liked her. Not when she had lied about Ella. Who else would she lie about to further her interests?

Lynette finally dismounted from her horse with the help of one of the stable hands. The lad took her horse with him to feed and water him. “My da will wage war on Dashiell if he doesna wed me. It will be an insult to our clan. Dashiell canna afford for that to occur.”

Ella frowned. “I wouldna wish that to happen. Too many good people die over lost causes.”

“What do you mean?”

“You willna win. Dashiell would be prepared, unlike my people, who let the snake into our castle and were taken by surprise.” Of course, she was referring to MacAfee.

Lynette turned her chin up. “You are calling me a snake now?”

“MacAfee.”

“Oh.” Lynette put her hands on her hips. “You lied about not being able to speak. You put on an act to gain sympathy from Dashiell so that he would feel kindly toward you. And then so you could get your hooks into him, you suddenly can speak like you’ve never had trouble with it in the past.”

“You had nightmares about the castle? About me? About my people? You saw what MacAfee did to them?” Ella didn’t wait for her to answer because Lynette’s mouth hung agape, and she hesitated to speak.

“Of course, and you know it.”

“If you had experienced the actual trauma that day that I had—lost all your kin but a couple, fled from the only home you had ever known while protecting your younger brother and cousin, fearing you would all die, how do you think you would have reacted?”

Fainted dead away, Ella assumed. She couldn’t envision Lynette surviving the way Ella and her kin had with Mina’s help.

“You…you are a witch!”

“I didna make you dream anything if that is what you believe,” Ella said.

“Oh, certes you did,” Lynette said.

Ella was so glad that Dashiell wasn’t marrying Lynette. Woe to the man who ended up marrying her.

Mina hurried to join them and said, “Ella, we need your help with another woman who is giving birth.”

“Aye, of course.” Ella was glad to end the conversation with Lynette.

“I’ll help,” Paige said.

Flora quickly agreed and hurried off with them, none of them wanting to deal with Lynette any further.

Mina told Lynette, “If you dinna want any more nightmares, you’ll stay far away from here.” She smiled and turned to join the others and saw Ella watching her.

She shrugged at Ella, and Ella smiled. She loved Mina, and she was certain she meant what she said.

Leaving Lynette alone in the inner bailey while everyone was working and paying no attention to her had to have been about the worst thing that had ever happened to her, but the way she treated everyone so poorly, she deserved it.