Page 8 of Tempted by a Highland Beast (Tales of Love and Lust in the Murray Castle #9)

“Thank ye,” Rowena replied, inclining her head with practiced grace. She hadn’t known what to expect from this first meeting, how the people close to Constantine might look at her, judge her.

But Lilias’s gentle manner and unguarded expression soothed some of the tension coiled in her chest. There was something refreshing about the girl, so different from Constantine’s unreadable calm.

“Yer home is… magnificent,” she added, her voice steadier now.

“Is it nae?” Lilias beamed as if she had built the castle herself. “Though I suspect ye must be exhausted. The roads can be quite treacherous, especially at night.”

“’Tis been a trying day, aye.”

Lilias gazed at her with a mix of curiosity and concern, but her attempt to further interrogate Rowena was cut short.

“Lilias,” Constantine interrupted, his tone gentle but firm. “See that food is sent tae the great hall, Rowena had a long day.”

At the mention of food, Rowena’s stomach gave a hollow twist. Between her capture, her plan to flee, the chase through the woods, and stumbling upon Constantine by the loch, she couldn’t recall the last time she’d eaten. It had been almost a full day.

“Of course.” Lilias’s smile never wavered as she turned to Rowena.

“Would ye like tae bathe first? I can have the water drawn, and there’s a chamber ready, if ye wish it.

” With graceful ease, Lilias reached out and linked their arms. As if it was the most natural thing in the world, she began to lead Rowena toward the castle.

“Food will dae fine, thank ye,” Rowena said, a hint of relief in her voice. “Ye’re kind tae offer.”

“Let’s eat and speak before ye retire fer the night,” Constantine said, walking next to them, the words carrying a weight that made her stomach tighten. It was not a request.

“As ye wish,” she replied, lifting her chin slightly. If she was to stay some days, she would have to show some kind of strength among these people.

“Well, we already had dinner, so we will leave ye tae it,” Lilias, turning to go. Constantine nodded and Rowena returned Lilias’ wave and breathed a sigh of relief as Finlay and Theo followed, disappearing around the corner.

Constantine guided his mysterious guest into the great hall, noting how her eyes swept the vast space with careful assessment.

The way she carried herself despite her disheveled state spoke of noble breeding.

This was no common lass fleeing unwanted advances, no matter what tale she’d spun by the loch.

He led her to the smaller table near the hearth, watching as she settled across from him with practiced grace. Even travel-worn and wary, she moved like a woman born to high tables and fine company.

That contradiction alone makes her worth watching.

The servants appeared without his summons, setting out the evening’s remnants.

Constantine ate without urgency, and he used the silence to study her.

Her manners were impeccable, her posture that of a woman raised in a laird’s hall.

Every gesture reinforced what he’d already begun to suspect, Rowena didn’t escape brigands like she claimed.

The lie had been skillfully told, he’d give her that.

But Constantine had learned long ago to trust his instincts, and his instincts told him this woman was far more dangerous than she appeared.

Not physically, though the fire in her eyes suggested she had claws when cornered.

But dangerous in the way that powerful bloodlines and clan politics always were.

He hadn’t meant to care, but now that she was there, she was a question he intended to get an answer about.

He set down his knife and leaned back, studying her. “The Frasers,” he said conversationally. “A proud clan. Tell me, how fares yer faither? And yer kinfolk?”

Rowena’s fingers tightened almost imperceptibly around her cup. “Well enough, last I heard.”

“And which branch of the Fraser line dae ye hail from? There are several, scattered across the Highlands.”

“The…” She hesitated for just a heartbeat. “The northern branch.”

Constantine nodded slowly, but he would not let her get away easily. It was time to test his theory. “Ah. And yer faither’s name?”

“Duncan,” she said quickly.

“Duncan Fraser.” He rolled the name around as if tasting it. “Strange. I’ve had dealings with the Fraser clan, ye see. Ken their holdings, their alliances.”

The color drained from Rowena’s face, but she held his gaze, proud and infuriatingly poised, and he found his attention caught on the curve of her mouth.

“Perhaps yer knowledge is incomplete.”

“Perhaps,” Constantine agreed mildly. “Or perhaps ye’re nae who ye claim tae be, lass. Struan, the Fraser laird has but one daughter. “Her name is Eilidh.

Her hand stilled on her cup, her fingers delicate. The complete opposite to his.

“I’m nae offering shelter out of charity, Rowena,” he continued, keeping his voice level.

He’d found that honesty often succeeded where threats failed.

“If I’m tae stand in front of a blade because of ye, I’d rather ken who’s swinging it and be prepared.

So, the truth would be a fine place tae start. ”

“Well, it seems that ye ken I lied about which me kin is,” she said simply.

“And yer true name?”

“Rowena MacKenzie. I am the MacKenzie heir.”

The words hit him like a physical blow, though he kept his expression neutral. MacKenzie. That changed everything. The implications cascaded through his mind—political ramifications, potential alliances, the very real possibility that harboring her could bring war to his clan’s doorstep.

But Rowena could be valuable to him, especially now that he needed to prove his dominance around the clan. She wasn’t just a fugitive anymore. She was a bargaining chip, helping her could forge a powerful alliance with her clan. So long as he played it wisely.

“And who is after ye?”

“Me uncle.” The bitterness in her voice was sharp enough to cut, and Constantine felt an unexpected surge of anger on her behalf. He’d seen enough of ambitious uncles and their schemes to guess at the shape of her troubles.

He drummed his fingers once against the table, his mind working through possibilities.

A MacKenzie heiress fleeing her uncle could mean only one thing—a forced marriage, likely to a man the lass didn’t want.

The practice was common enough, if distasteful.

But something about this woman’s bearing, her obvious intelligence and strength, made the thought of her being bartered away sit ill with him.

“I see,” he said finally, and he did. More than she knew.

“What dae ye intend tae dae with this information?” she asked, and he heard the steel beneath her polite inquiry. Even cornered and dependent on his hospitality, she would not grovel.

“Naething, fer now.” He pushed back from the table, needing distance to think clearly. Her presence was proving more distracting than he’d anticipated. “Finish yer food, lass.”

“Where are ye going?”

The question held just a touch of vulnerability, quickly masked. It reminded him that beneath the noble bearing and sharp intelligence, she was still a woman alone and far from home.

“Tae me faither’s chambers. There are certain things we must attend tae.” He paused, studying her face in the firelight.

Beautiful .

Constantine pushed the thought away. Rowena’s appearance should not be, by any means, a distraction. Her presence was challenging enough, Constantine didn’t wish for any more troubling thoughts.

“If ye need anything, Lilias will see tae it. The servants will make ye comfortable.”

“Will ye send me away now that ye ken I am nae a Fraser?” The question was asked with careful neutrality, but he caught the thread of anxiety beneath it.

Constantine considered his answer carefully. By all rights, he should send her back to her clan immediately. Harboring a runaway heiress was asking for trouble. But the thought of returning her to whatever fate she’d fled from left a bitter taste in his mouth.

If I dae, her future is certain.

“Tomorrow we’ll discuss what comes next,” he said, offering what reassurance he could without making promises he might not be able to keep.

Rowena MacKenzie was proving to be far more complicated than a rescue. But he had weighed the risks of helping her out from the beginning, and Constantine knew there was power to be gained.