Page 1 of The Dark Highlander’s Heart (Thorns Of The Highlands #2)
PROLOGUE
“ N o, no, ye’re doing it all bloody wrong!”
The voice of Laird Angus McGregor was as harsh and brittle as the morning frost that clung to the branches of the trees surrounding him. His icy breath created clouds around his thick red beard, and his skin was pale from the deep chill in the air.
He was addressing his firstborn child, Romilly, as she swung a sword that was far too big for her tender age of ten. She had attempted to shave a series of smaller branches off the bough of a denuded willow tree, as he had instructed—a strike which would have required tremendous skill and precision. Instead, she’d lost control of the weapon completely, clumsily smacking a large patch of bark off the trunk.
Her nine-year-old sister, Katherine, watched from a short-distance away, as she often did during Romilly’s grueling training sessions. It wasn’t that she was genuinely interested in all the sword-swinging, archery, and other forms of martial combat that their father insisted Romilly undertake; indeed, she wasn’t certain Romilly herself was interested in them either, beyond simply trying to make him happy.
No, it was merely that they were sisters, and so if Romilly was to bear the shame and agony of being put through her paces, then Katherine felt the least she could do was show some solidarity.
There was, perhaps, some part of her that occasionally wished Angus would make Katherine train for a while. This was partially because she wished to relieve her older sister of the burdens he placed upon her, and also because it might mean he would give some of his attention to his younger daughter instead of largely ignoring her.
“Again, lass, again!” Angus insisted hoarsely. “And this time, do it as I showed ye!”
“The sword is so heavy,” Romilly muttered, trying to heft it again.
“But yer will should be strong enough tae lift it!” he snapped. “Now stop whinging and do it!”
Romilly’s face became a mask of grim determination. Her teeth were clenched so tightly that Katherine could see the muscles twitching in her jaw. Her eyes burned with the desire to prove herself to her father, and with a loud yell, she raised the blade and brought it down at a sharp angle. In doing so, she managed to clear most of the twigs she’d been aiming for.
“Aye, that’s better, right enough,” Angus grumbled. “But it still needs work.”
“I still dinnae see why it matters that I learn all of this,” Romilly said under her breath. “Ye keep telling us ye’ll have a son one day, and that he’ll be yer heir. I cannae be a soldier or a laird, so why bother teaching me these things?”
Angus snatched the sword from her hand and thrust it deep into the icy ground. Then he bent to one knee, so he could put a hand on his daughter’s shoulder and look her directly in the eye.
“‘Tis true, ye shall never lead an army tae war, nor shall ye rule over our clan,” he told her earnestly. “But when yer brother is born someday, he’ll nay have tae rule alone. He will have ye tae guide and help him in all matters. He will have a strong, cunning, loyal sister tae rely on for whatever he might require.” He held up a finger. “This will be of particular importance when ye are married tae the son of another clan. Ye shall play the part of the dutiful wife, but all the while, ye will remain truly a McGregor, and the instrument of our will in whatever way we require.”
Romilly nodded solemnly, as she always did when their father spoke of his long-term plans for his children. “I’ll nae fail ye, father,” she promised.
Angus nodded briskly, rising again. “I know ye won’t. Someday, lass, ye will help us conquer all of our rivals and enemiesso that we may become the most powerful clan in all of Scotland. Now, let us continue yer lessons, shall we? Pull the blade from the ground.”
Romilly seemed full of renewed vigor and purpose. She gripped the handle of the sword and pulled at it fiercely, grunting and growling. At first, Katherine was certain that the blade would remain where it was, for with her skinny arms, it seemed impossible for Romilly to free it from the hard earth.
But through sheer force of will, Romilly managed to loosen the blade enough to pluck it from the ground.
Katherine applauded, and Romilly smiled at her—but if Angus noticed Katherine’s presence at all, he gave no sign. He simply clapped Romilly on the back proudly.
“Well done, lassie! Ye see? Strength of arm means little compared to strength of heart, and ye have more than enough of that. Even if ye never cross swords with another, ye shall always be my warrior.”
Had Angus ever spoken words of kindness or encouragement to Katherine? If so, she could not recall them. From the moment of her birth, when Angus saw that he had another daughter instead of the son he’d so desperately wanted, all of his attention went to Romilly.
In some ways, Katherine thought that his tutelage of Romilly might be his way of practicing for when a son did finally arrive. The more time passed without that happening, though, the more it appeared as though his heir might never be born; the more it seemed like he was drafting Romilly into that role, in case his dearest wish was never granted.
Not that anyone dared to speak that possibility aloud.
Another hour passed, and by the time the training was done for the day, Romilly’s lips were blue and her teeth chattered. However, most of the willow’s thin branches lay on the snowy forest floor, like the severed limbs of unlucky opponents.
Angus and Romilly walked back to the McGregor Keep together, with Katherine tagging along behind. Every few minutes, Romilly glanced over her shoulder to make sure Katherine was still keeping pace with them, and Katherine was tremendously grateful for that. Their father ignored her so firmly, and more often than not, their mother Annabel spent her days locked in her bedchamber due to her frequent and terrible headaches. Between the two of them, Katherine sometimes felt like little more than a gloomy phantom wandering the corridors of their sprawling fortress. There were times when she wondered: If I were to simply vanish this instant, how long would it take for my mother and father to notice? Hours? Days?
Romilly was generally the only person who took any notice of Katherine, and even then, her attentions were mostly committed to their father’s instruction of her.
Katherine went to her room to play with her dolls (for at least they kept her company, even if they could not answer her when she spoke to them). She expected to remain alone for the remainder of the afternoon, and so she was surprised and delighted when Romilly came to see her. The older sister was fresh from a hot bath, and although her hands were still trembling from her earlier efforts, she seemed refreshed and happy.
“Did ye see how well I did today?” Romilly asked, sitting down next to Katherine. “He was pleased with me! He mostly hid it, of course, as he always does, but I could still tell!”
Katherine nodded. “Aye, ye were in fine form today.”
“Thank ye for coming tae watch me. ‘Tis appreciated, especially in such dreary weather.”
Her younger sister shrugged. “It’s so ye’ll know our father isn’t the only one who’s proud of ye. Even if ye are the only one he is proud of,” she added with a sigh.
Romilly took her hand, squeezing it. “He will come to see yer worth someday, Katherine. I am sure of it. And even if he never does, I do. And when my time comes tae serve this clan, I’ll have ye by my side.”
Katherine fervently hoped this prediction would come true someday.
Somehow, though, she doubted it.