He was breaking his promise. After all these years, her dear father was breaking his promise, and would, in turn, break her heart. He had pledged her to Baron Ewen Gow of Falkirk.

Diana of Drummond stood in the great hall in front of her sire, the chieftain of the Drummond clan, with her hands on her hips, so exasperated that she didn’t know what to say next. A small whisper finally escaped her lips. “How could you?”

Dead silence dominated the hall, nary a servant daring to speak, awaiting their leader’s response to his beloved daughter.

“I do what I must, gel. ‘Tis my responsibility to all the Drummonds before me. I must see you wed so the Drummond lands will remain with our people. I must.” David of Drummond coughed into his linen square.

“But Papa, you said I could marry for love, that I could choose the man I would wed. Why are you being so cruel?”

“Because you have ignored my plea, and the time is nigh upon us. I will not be able to stand on Drummond soil much longer, and ‘tis my responsibility to see that it remains within the clan. I will see you wed before I die. I must know this land will go to a Drummond grandson some day. I have tried to be patient with you, lass, but you have failed to find a suitable husband. You have forced me to choose for you.”

“But I will. I promise, I will.” Oh, she would have to now, wouldn’t she? She could not accept this horrible fate. “His reputation is in tatters. I cannot marry the man.”

“‘Tis no one to blame but myself. I spoiled you ever since your mama died. I allowed you to hunt, to become an expert horsewoman. Why, I even taught you to read. What lass knows how to read? ‘Tis not for the female mind. Now you have the reputation of being a spoiled lass and…forgive me, but you are too old. Most lads do not want a wife past twenty summers. I should have married you off at ten and five, but I could not bear the thought of living without you.” He cradled his forehead in his hand for a moment before continuing. “You are all I have left of your sweet mother. I cannot believe it has been ten years since I lost her, bless her soul.”

“I am not spoiled. There is naught wrong with having a good mind, even you agreed.” Diana crossed her arms in front of her. There had to be a way out of this, there just had to be. She had always been able to convince her father to go along with her, so why was he being this obstinate now?

“Och, but the men of the world say otherwise. ‘Struth is they’re all afraid of your mind and your talents. But they do not know you as I do. You will be an asset, and you will run this estate better than I ever could.”

“Then allow me to choose my own husband.” Diana was frantic to convince him.

The wizened old man coughed, hacking up red spittle into his linen square. “Nay, lass. ‘Tis too late. I will not be here much longer, and I will see you wed.”

“Mayhap you will get better, Papa.”

“Sweet Diana, even your cousin, Brenna, renowned as one of the greatest healers in all of the Highlands, has told me there is naught I can do. ‘Tis my time. I am happy to see your sweet mama again, but not before I see you settled with a husband who will care for you.” He snuggled into the Drummond plaids, one across his shoulders and another across his lap.

Diana banked the fire before turning to him again. “But Papa, they say he is even cruel to his animals. Can I not choose a lad of my own? Please? You must rethink this. What if he is cruel to me, your verra daughter?”

“I spread the word out that I was looking for someone to marry you, but ‘tis about the fifth time I have done so, and you have rejected every suitor in the Highlands and the Lowlands. You have even had suitors from almost as far as Edinburgh. He was the only one to offer for you this time, so I accepted. Your cousins will be along to escort you to his castle. They will act in my stead and make sure ‘tis a good match. Then you will marry him and return here.”

Diana fell to her knees in front of her father and buried her head in his lap. “Please, Papa. Allow me a choice. I beg of you. He is the same age as you.”

“Och, he is a few summers younger, and he will bring enough riches to take good care of you. I trust your cousins to judge him well.”

“Why not me? Why can you not trust your own daughter?” She swiped at the tears on her cheeks. She chastised herself for being so choosy in the past, for insisting on no less than what her own mother had wanted for her. She would never forget the stories her sweet mama had told her as she plaited her hair. Mama had promised her a braw, handsome knight would come for her one day, a man who would love her and protect her, one who would always support her and understand that she was different and special. Diana’s future husband would cherish her for the woman she was and not wish to change her. But she had been waiting for years, with nary a sign of him.

Mama, where is he?

The old man rested his hand on his daughter’s head. “I have tried and tried again, Daughter. No one has been good enough for you.” He brushed back the hair that had fallen in her face and wiped her tears. “I’m sorry. I only do what I must.”

“Papa, promise me you will be here when I return.”

“Diana, you must marry him.”

“But if the cousins don’t agree, I will return to you. Please promise me you will still be here. Please?”

“Daughter, you will marry him. I will stay around long enough to see you wed.”

Hellfire, what was she to do now? She may as well accept her fate. Her father would not budge. She would have to work on her cousins. Under no circumstances would she wed that hairy old pot-bellied pig.

***

Micheil Ramsay yelled across the road. “Grant, hold!” He couldn’t believe that he had managed to find them this quickly. Micheil’s brother, Quade, was married to Brenna Grant, the laird’s sister. The Ramsays and the Grants had spent much time together fighting off the Norse a year ago. In fact, Robbie Grant had been in charge of the Grant warriors, a force that had been paramount in sending the enemy forces home.

Laird Alexander Grant and his brother, Robbie, dismounted from their horses in front of the largest inn in all of Perthshire. There was a hooded figure still mounted on another horse, he noticed. Several of the Grant guards were with them, implying their business was important.

“Ramsay,” Robbie shouted. “What business have you here?”

Micheil jumped off his horse and clasped Robbie’s shoulder. “Looking for you. I was a bit bored at home, what with Logan and Quade both in residence with their wives. Logan wanted a missive brought to Glasgow, so I volunteered to travel. There I heard the Grants were headed to Falkirk. I had to come. Though I know not why you are here, I thought I would investigate and visit my distant kin.”

“Are you taking over Logan’s wandering tendencies?” Robbie asked.

“Seems I have.” He grinned.

Alex reached up for the figure on the horse—a woman, Micheil realized—helping her to dismount and moving her away from the mud. “Family business. Micheil Ramsay, meet Diana Drummond.”

Once her feet touched dry ground, her hood fell back and Micheil’s senses flared in response to the beauty before him. He took her gloved hand in his and stared into her gorgeous green eyes. She shook her head as soon as her hood fell back, revealing a mass of red curls that tumbled halfway down her back.

Her beauty simply took his breath away. Dark red hair, green eyes that matched the forest in the summer time, and full pink lips reached out to him, commanding his attention in a way he could not refuse. His eyes were drawn to her and a lump lodged in his throat, making him swallow unnecessarily. What the hell was it about this girl? Micheil had always prided himself on having a way with the lassies, but none of his conquests had made him feel like
this
.

“My lady, ‘tis a pleasure to make your acquaintance. Why have we never met? You are of the Drummond clan?”

“Aye, I am heir to the Drummond land.” Her chin never wavered as she stared into his eyes.

Slud, she was a confident lass on top of it all. Women with backbone drove him to distraction—always had. Judging from the scowl etched into her features, Diana did not seem at all pleased with her circumstances. Micheil shook his head. Something did not ring true about her being heir to the much coveted Drummond keep. “I find that impossible,” he said. “‘Tis well known the only heir is a spoiled, overage…”

His voice trailed off as he assessed the situation correctly. That spoiled, overage, miserable woman stood directly in front of him. Of course, rumors were not always true, and here was the proof. This woman was absolutely gorgeous. Her sire had kept her well hidden.

She quirked her brow at him. “I’m a what? Overage, spoiled, and what else?” Her hands settled on her hips.

Micheil glanced at Robbie, who presently wore a wicked grin. Clearly his friend was not about to help him out of this situation he had brought upon himself. He must learn to control his tongue some day.

Alex was quick to speak up. “Come. We are going inside for something to eat. Care to join us, Micheil?”

Micheil accepted. He made sure to walk behind the Drummond heir so he could watch the sweet sway of her hips. Where had she been all his life? He prided himself on having personal knowledge of all the beautiful lasses in the Lowlands and the lower end of the Highlands. Surely, he would have remembered if he had met her before. As soon as they were inside, Alex disappeared, searching for the innkeeper.

Robbie said, “Diana’s mother, Robina, was our mother’s sister. Chief Drummond allowed our cousin to choose her own husband, but since she has been unable to make a choice, he has made it for her.”

“Unable to make a choice?” she barked at Robbie, spinning in place to glare at them. “I’m certainly capable, I just have not found the right man yet.”

Micheil could not wipe the smile from his face. “How far have you looked, lass?”

“I have not tried verra hard, but now that my sire is ill, I must marry.”

“And who is the lucky lad?”Micheil asked.

Robbie coughed and turned his head away, hiding the expression on his face. “Baron Ewen Gow of Falkirk.”

Micheil shouted, “Nay!”

BOOK: Grant Clan 06 - My Desperate Highlander

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