Page 39 of Taken By the Highland Villain

Valerie laughed. “Like I said, they’re all different. My elder sister, Lily, is quiet, and she studies herbs. She practices as a healer in the nearby villages, and she’s always taking care of allof us. After our parents passed away, she became the head of our family.”

Craig nodded encouragingly. “And what of yer younger sisters?”

“The next youngest after me is Megan.” Valerie chuckled. “Faither used to say that she ought to have been born a lad, for all she takes after them. She loves to hunt and does leatherwork as well. ‘Tis rare to see her in a skirt—she favors trews and shirts, and the leather vest and belt she made herself.”

“She sounds fair interesting. I wager she caused yer parents endless vexation.”

“Aye, though Faither was proud of her just the same—he valued any skills he could use for his folk and didnae care that Megan was a lass, if ‘twas what she wished to do and she was good at it.”

“Yer faither…”

Valerie grimaced. “Magnus Blackwood. A pirate. I ken most folk think poorly of him, but he was a good faither to us. We were his little treasures, and nay matter how harsh he was to others, he was always kind to us and proud of who we were.”

“A good faither is a good man, nay matter what else may be said of him.” Craig nodded. “But… ye said three sisters?”

“Aye. Brigid’s the youngest. She’s the light and laughter of our family. Always innocent and smilin’ and reachin’ out to others,even when folk in the village teased her and treated her cruelly.” Valerie shook her head. “I was fair terrified for her—we all were—when our grandfaither used her as a bargaining chip with Laird MacKane, but looking back, we should have realized that her kind heart would touch his.”

Craig blinked. “I heard that Laird MacKane married a Blackwood lass, but I didnae hear all the details.”

Valerie smiled. “’Tis a long story, but the short version is that our grandfaither—our maither’s faither—wanted to use us to secure a peace treaty after he killed Laird MacKane’s braither. He forced my sister to go to Laird MacKane as a potential bargaining chip—a bride for a braither. It didnae go his way, but in the end, the two of them fell in love.”

And I wish I could have such good fortune, but ‘tis nae meant to be.

She pushed aside the thought and smiled softly. “I didnae tell them much beyond that I was leavin’ to take on a job, and I havenae written to them since I arrived. I was thinkin’ I should do so when we get back—at least, I should let them ken I arrived safely.”

“Aye. Sounds like a bonny idea.” Craig’s voice was soft with understanding. “In the meantime, there’s a fair amount of time left on the road. Why nae fill it with stories? Ye can tell me more about yer sisters, and I’ll tell ye more about life in MacFinn Castle.”

Valerie grinned. “I’d like that.”

“Tell me a story from yer childhood, then.”

Valerie laughed. As she began recounting a story about one of Brigid’s childhood escapades, she felt far lighter than she had a short while ago.

I may nae ken what is to come in regards to me and Jude, but at least I have my sisters to stand beside me, nay matter what path I may walk.

CHAPTER 17

Soon.She will be here soon.

Nathan Cullen stared out the window of his borrowed room, his eyes sharp with anticipation as he scanned the road for the first sign of an approaching rider.

That beast, Jude Reid, thought he could keep them apart by threatening him, ordering him off his lands. As if such foolishness would prevent him from claiming his prize.

Likely, the brute had never realized that Clan MacOlley was tied by bonds of kinship and marriage to one of his close neighbors. Nor that his man-at-arms harbored a secret Nathan could use to his advantage.

It was a simple matter to arrange a visit to his sister and his brother-in-law. A few words, a warning, and a whisper in the proper places, and everything was planned.

His sister had sent a letter to the ‘gifted seamstress,’ asking to come fit her for a new gown, and Valerie had accepted, none the wiser as to the true nature of the request.

She would come, and he would be waiting, ready to whisk her away to where she belonged—in his home, amid his art collection.

Valerie Blackwood would be the jewel of his collection. Once he had her, it would not take long to ensure that she knew her place and fulfilled her duty to acquiesce to his desires—allhis desires. She would learn what was proper and what was not, and all would be perfect.

And if Jude Reid decided to protest… well, he was little better than a beast, and beasts were best handled by being put down. A warrior, the man might once have been, but he was still injured. In a fight against aproperopponent, when Nathan was prepared for the challenge, he would fall quickly. Of that, Nathan was certain.

The man-at-arms might defend him, but one word in the proper ear would see Laird MacAllister demanding his death or banishment, and then Jude would have no defenders left.

Yes, it was a pleasant thought.